25 C
Vientiane
Saturday, May 24, 2025
spot_img

Vietnam to Block Telegram in Early June

AFP - Internet service providers in Vietnam must block the Telegram messaging app in the country before early June after a request by police, the government said on 23 May. Telegram's Russian-born founder and chief executive Pavel Durov was arrested in August last year at a Paris airport and later charged with several counts of failing to curb extremist and terrorist content on the app. Vietnam's telecommunications department sent letters to internet service providers warning that there were "signs of law violation" on Telegram, citing the Ministry of Public Security, a report on the government's news portal said. Up to 68 percent of 9,600 channels on Telegram Vietnam contain "poisonous and bad...

Economy

Vientiane Discusses Restoration Plan of Historic Black Stupa

The iconic That Dam, or Black Stupa, one of Vientiane’s most culturally significant landmarks, is set to undergo a major restoration as part of a new preservation initiative led...

Laos Nears Launch Southeast Asia’s Largest Wind Farm

Laos is set to launch its first wind farm, and the largest in Southeast Asia, by the end of the year, with all 133 turbines now fully installed. The 600-megawatt...

Bolikhamxay Inmates to Get Job Training Through China-Laos Deal

The Bolikhamxay Provincial Public Security Headquarters has entered into a 25-year agreement with a Chinese mining company to provide vocational training for prisoners. This is an initiative aimed at...

Thailand Falls Behind in Sustainable Tourism as Laos Wins Global Praise

Thailand is falling behind in the race for sustainable tourism, industry leaders warned at the Thailand Tourism Forum 2025, held on 7 May in Bangkok. Alisara Sivayathorn, CEO of Sivatel...

Luang Prabang Pushes for Green Destination Certification to Boost Sustainable Tourism

Luang Prabang is taking steps to further enhance its tourism sector by exploring the possibility of receiving the prestigious Tourism Destination Award from the Green Destinations Organization. The Green Destinations...

Thailand Urges Laos to Resume Cattle Imports After Anthrax

Thailand is planning to consult Laos and Vietnam to lift the ban on cattle imports after an anthrax outbreak in the country amidst concerns over economic growth. Following the spread...

Travel

Thailand Falls Behind in Sustainable Tourism as Laos Wins Global Praise

Thailand is falling behind in the race for sustainable tourism, industry leaders warned at the Thailand Tourism Forum 2025, held on 7 May in Bangkok. Alisara Sivayathorn, CEO of Sivatel Bangkok Hotel, pointed to a troubling statistic: fewer than 1 percent of hotels in Thailand currently meet international sustainability standards. The forum, “Will Travellers Pay for a Better World? Rethinking Value in Responsible Tourism,” spotlighted the growing demand for eco-conscious travel and the need for the Thai tourism sector to catch up.  Speakers emphasized that responsible tourism is no longer a niche trend but a global expectation, especially as regulators, particularly in Europe, begin to tighten requirements. Sustainable tourism spans four main pillars:...

Luang Namtha Plans Restoration of Tad Nam Dee Waterfall After Storm Damage

Authorities in Luang Namtha Province are reviewing plans to restore the Tad Nam Dee Waterfall, a popular natural tourist site, following significant damage caused by last year’s floods from Typhoon Yagi. The popular eco-tourism...

Vientiane Launches Sustainable Tourism Initiative with Innovative Technology for Growth

The Lao government has announced plans to boost tourism in Vientiane Capital with the theme "Vientiane's Sustainable Tourism," The initiative aims to incorporate innovative technologies into tourism management and create new attractions for...

Health & Environment

Phu Quoc Airport Set for Mega Upgrade Ahead of APEC 2027

Phu Quoc International Airport in Kien Giang Province will undergo major expansion and upgrades to support the 2027 APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Economic Leaders' Week and boost local socio-economic and tourism development. APEC is a regional forum established in 1989 to promote economic integration, sustainable growth, and trade liberalization among its 21 member economies.  Meanwhile, the Economic Leaders’ Week is APEC’s most prominent annual gathering, where heads of state, ministers, business leaders, and policymakers convene to discuss regional and global economic...

Sport

Lao Runner Lodkeo Inthakoumman Wins Double Gold at Singapore Open 2025

Lodkeo Inthakoumman, a leading long-distance runner from Laos, captured two gold medals at the 85th Singapore Open Track & Field Championships, held from 24–25 April 2025.  The 30-year-old dominated the women’s long-distance events, clocking...

Laos Climbs the Ranks in Asian Grassroots Football

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has officially upgraded the Lao Football Federation to Silver Level Membership in 2025. Currently, with this upgrade from the 2019 Bronze, the Lao Football Federation becomes the 11th Silver...

Politics

Bolikhamxay Inmates to Get Job Training Through China-Laos Deal

The Bolikhamxay Provincial Public Security Headquarters has entered into a 25-year agreement with a Chinese mining company to provide...

Thailand Urges Laos to Resume Cattle Imports After Anthrax

Thailand is planning to consult Laos and Vietnam to lift the ban on cattle imports after an anthrax outbreak...

Phu Quoc Airport Set for Mega Upgrade Ahead of APEC 2027

Phu Quoc International Airport in Kien Giang Province will undergo major expansion and upgrades to support the 2027 APEC...

Thailand Cuts Growth Forecast on Tariff Uncertainty

AFP - Thailand has downgraded its 2025 economic forecast due to uncertainty over trade tariffs threatened by US President...

Feature

From Seed to Community: How Lao Tobacco Limited Partners with Lao Farmers

Across the provinces of northern and central Laos, Lao Tobacco Limited (LTL) is working on developing rural livelihoods through its LEAF Department, a division focused not only on producing quality tobacco but by supporting farmers, their families, and their communities. LTL, under the Imperial Tobacco Group, has built a dominant presence in Laos’ tobacco industry.  Since 2001, through a joint venture with the Lao government under the Investment License Agreement (ILA), the company has expanded its operations. By managing its entire supply chain, from tobacco leaf procurement to cigarette sales, LTL has been able to increase production capacity and maintain low prices for its popular A Deng brand. The LEAF Department sits at the core of this model.  “We are involved from the moment a farmer plants a seed until the cigarette is manufactured,” said Lynch Carlos, LEAF Manager at LTL.  The department manages every step: providing farmers with agricultural inputs, technical guidance, and purchasing their harvest under pre-agreed contracts, the Ecuadorian manager explained. Today, more than 1,400 farmers work under contract with LTL in provinces such as Oudomxay, Phongsaly, Bolikhamxay, and Khammouane. This marks a sharp rise from 900 contracts last year.  Carlos explained that...

Bolikhamxay Inmates to Get Job Training Through China-Laos Deal

The Bolikhamxay Provincial Public Security Headquarters has entered into...

Thailand Urges Laos to Resume Cattle Imports After Anthrax

Thailand is planning to consult Laos and Vietnam to...

Phu Quoc Airport Set for Mega Upgrade Ahead of APEC 2027

Phu Quoc International Airport in Kien Giang Province will...

Thailand Cuts Growth Forecast on Tariff Uncertainty

AFP - Thailand has downgraded its 2025 economic forecast...

President Thongloun Sisoulith to Attend Nikkei Forum 2025

President Thongloun Sisoulith will attend as speaker in the...

Breaking Boundaries with the AFTEC Jockey Club Creative Futures Project

Leading Educational Experts Convene at Knowledge Exchange Festival 2025...

GoodCool Announces Staff Volunteering Programme and Service Campaign

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 24 May 2025...

HKSTP and Global Leader Würth Elektronik Launch the First New Engineering Service Programme

A Strategic Partnership Accelerate New Industralisation and Microelectronics Development...