New Laos land law could block customary rights, women's titles: analysts
VIENTIANE (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – A new land law may bring greater transparency in land management and modernization of records in Laos, but it could also curb ownership by women, as well as the customary rights of rural and indigenous people, analysts said.The long-delayed legislation ...
Rina Chandran
KOICA completes digital maps of Vientiane
A joint cooperation project between Laos and the Republic of Korea on the digital mapping of Vientiane, covering 4,600 hectares on a scale of 1 to 2,000 was completed recently, with a handover ceremony held in Vientiane on February 28. During the ceremony, the Korea International ...
MRC forum tackles hydropower dam proposed by Laos
The Mekong River Commission, member countries and relevant partners yesterday discussed procedures for a technical review of Laos’ planned Luang Prabang hydropower project. About 200 people comprising representatives of member countries Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, civil society, academics, private sector and development partners were in ...
Pech Sotheary
Third Lao furniture fair opens
The 3rd Lao Wood Furniture Fair 2017 officially launched for display and sale at Lao-ITECC in Vientiane on January 8 after the exhibition was pre-opened on January 7. The fair will run from January 7-15, in cooperation with the Trade and Product Promotion Department and ...
More countries using Laos-China Railway for freight transport
Business operators from Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar are now using the Laos-China Railway to import and export goods to and from China and beyond. Thailand recently exported its first shipment of 1,000 tonnes of rice to Chongqing in China using the Laos-China Railway. Shipment ...
Somsack Pongkhao
Phongsavanh Group Backs Smart City Development Project in Vientiane Capital
Managing Director of Phongsavanh Bank, Mr. Phaiboun Phongsavanh says that the smart city project’s structures and other facilities will be constructed on 1,500 hectares of land, with Phongsavanh Group contributing to the project’s design and development on 300 hectares.A Smart City has been described as ...
Phayboune Thanabouasy
ASEAN, Japan further enhance defence cooperation
ASEAN and Japanese defence ministers have agreed to further enhance their cooperation on politics, security, economics, and socio-cultural affairs. As a result of positive relations in these areas to date, Japan has become one of the most important dialogue partners and supporters of ASEAN. Lao ...
Climate change adaptation project launched to sustain wetlands
A project valued at US$4.7 million was launched on September 12 in Vientiane, aiming to help communities in and around the Xe Champhone, and Beung Khiat Ngong wetlands to adapt to the impacts of climate change. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Department of Environmental Quality ...
Education, skills key to graduation from LDC status
Moving out of Least Developed Countries status requires raising people’s education and skill level as well as improving their health. The matter was stated by Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, Dr Kikeo Chanthaboury during the conference on launching related issues, held in Vientiane on ...
Laos, Vietnam NA agree to deepen cooperation
Lao and Vietnamese top legislators have agreed to deepen cooperation between the two countries’ National Assemblies as Lao NA president, Ms Pany Yathotou made an official goodwill visit to Vietnam. The six-day visit by Ms Pany was made at the invitation from her Vietnamese counterpart, ...
Laos sets ambitious education goals for 2020
Laos has set a goal for everyone aged 15-35 to complete the equivalent of lower secondary schooling by 2020, according to a government minister. Minister of Education and Sports Ms Sengdeuane Lachanthaboun revealed the ambitious plan on September 12 to mark International Literacy Day on September 8. This ...
Silk Road to bring China and ASEAN closer
Joint efforts in building the 21st century maritime Silk Road are very important for friendly cooperation and development between China and ASEAN. As a step along this road, the 13th China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit are taking place from September 11-14 in ...
Weather station upgrades brighten outlook for forecasters
The Japanese government has supported the improvement of weather recording equipment and facilities which were handed over last Saturday to the Meteorology and Hydrology Department. The project was handed over to the department under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment by the Japan International ...
Laos’ Deputy Prime Minister Blames PNPC Dam Collapse on Poor Planning
Laos’ deputy prime minister has identified poor soil analysis for a fatal hydropower dam collapse, often described as the country’s worst flooding in decades. At a concluding environmental sector annual meeting early this month in Vientiane, Deputy Prime Minister Bounthong Chitmany, who also heads the ...
Vietnam's Vung Ang port vital for shipment of Lao goods
Vietnam has announced it will continue to create favourable conditions for the transit of Lao goods via Vung Ang Port in central Vietnam’s Ha Tinh province. This was relayed by Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Transport Le Dinh Tho to Laos’ Minister of Planning and Investment ...
Laos attends special ASEAN-US foreign ministers meeting
Minister of Foreign Affairs Saleumxay Kommasith led a Lao delegation to attend the Special ASEAN-US Foreign Ministers’ Meeting which was held in Washington D.C., the United States, on May 4. Malaysian Foreign Minister AnifaHj. Aman and the United States’ Secretary of State Secretary Rex W. ...
Laos, Thailand plan to build more bridges across the Mekong
Laos has proposed three additional Mekong River bridge links with Thailand as part of a joint project to foster closer ties between the two countries. The proposal suggests bridges be built to link the Lao and Thai provinces of Borikhamxay and Bung Karn, Saravan and Ubon ...
Tourism pours millions of dollars into govt coffers
Tourism injected more than US$724 million or 5.9 billion kip into the national budget during 2016, the latest data show. However, the revenue generated by tourism in 2016 dropped slightly from the more than US$725 million generated by the sector in 2015, according to data ...
Laos, China reaffirm links, consolidate connectivity as cooperation commission meets
Laos and China have pledged to further promote their cooperation in economic, trade and technical assistance matters, a meeting of representatives of the two sides heard in the capital yesterday. The bilateral trade volume in 2016 reached US$2.34 billion, including Lao goods exported to China ...
Mekong River Body Welcomes Laos' Decision to Suspend New Dam Projects
The Mekong River Commission welcomed on Wednesday a decision by the Laos government to suspend approval of new dams while reviewing all dams currently under construction following the collapse of part of a hydropower project last month. Keep reading ...
