Lao PM calls for ASEAN nations to remain united
Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith has called for ASEAN nations to remain united, play a stronger role within the region, and stay true to ASEAN’s principles. Mr Thongloun made the call during his opening remarks at the 49th Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in Vientiane on 24 ...
Open Development Laos publishes a new topic on “Disasters and Emergency Response”
Open Development Laos (ODL) recently published a new topic page on “Disasters and Emergency Response,” available in both Lao and English. Laos is vulnerable to several types of disasters. Floods and landslides are prevalent, while droughts also occur in some years in different regions. Additionally, pests ...
Government agrees to repair Vientiane's poor roads
The government has allocated a large amount of money from its budget to repair and repave deteriorating roads throughout the city. Vientiane Public Works and Transport Department are now pressing ahead with repairs to around 20 main roads across the capital after the government released over ...
Laos Federation of Trade Union's seventh congress underway in Vientiane
The seventh nationwide congress of the Lao Federation of Trade Unions (LFTU) opened on 14 October in Vientiane to summarise their work and plan for the year ahead as well as elect a new executive committee. Keep reading ...
Johanna Powell's Laos river boat death was accidental
Passengers on a river trip in Laos in south-east Asia have told an inquest how their boat sank in seconds, killing a woman from south Wales. Johanna Powell, from Cardiff, was with three friends on the Mekong River near Pak Beng in April. The 37-year-old, a BBC ...
ASEAN nations agree to partner in agri-food development
ASEAN agriculture experts plan to work together towards the sustainable development of the food and agriculture sectors after holding talks on the issue. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s Director General of the Agriculture Department, Mr Vilaysouk Khennavong, said “the sustainable development of the food and ...
Curfew imposed in Lao province after deadly violence
Lao authorities have imposed a curfew in north-central Xaysomboun Province after a spate of violence in which three government soldiers and three civilians were killed, police and other sources said 11 December.The authorities blamed the violence last month on bandits, but a source close to ...
Industry, Commerce seeks to end illegal pig imports
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce is adopting stricter measures to intercept the import, movement and distribution of illegally imported pigs, pork (fresh and frozen) and related products.The ministry last week announced that provincial and Vientiane Department of Industry and Commerce should coordinate with relevant ...
Road upgrade to ease transport in Champassak, Attapeu
Rebuilding of Laos’ 106-km Road No. 18A, which links Road No. 13 South in Thangbaeng village, Pathoumphone district, Champassak province with Samakhixay district in Attapeu province, is on track and scheduled for completion in 2017. Work on the road began in 2013 after surveys were carried out, ...
Save the Children supports Lao children's education
Save the Children has agreed to support two projects for the Ministry of Education and Sports, aiming to develop education for Lao children. The first project is entitled ‘School Quality Improvement Programme II in Borikhamxay, Xayaboury and Luang Prabang provinces.’ It aims to improve the quality of ...
Laos aims for further strides in poverty reduction
Laos will further mobilise all of its untapped potential and step up cooperation with all stakeholders, backed by support from friendly countries, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The fight against poverty was the main focus of the Millennium Development Goals and continues to remain ...
Underage African footballers 'trafficked' to Laos
African footballers as young as 14 are being trafficked to Asia and forced to sign contracts, the BBC has learnt. Six minors are still with top Laos side Champasak United, after it imported 23 under-age players from West Africa to an unregistered football academy in February, ...
Lao ministry sets target yields for agriculture
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is asking farmers around the country to grow 4.2 million tonnes of rice this fiscal year, seeking to boost commercial production and ensure food security. According to the figures provided by the ministry, 2.1 million tonnes of the total rice ...
Lao Government seeks to improve primary education
The Lao government is aiming to improve the quality of education in pre-primary and primary schools, with the support of various international organisations. The launch of the Second Global Partnership for Education Project on 5 October took place to discuss the issue. Keep reading ...
New meat processing factory to boost food safety
The Lao Fresh Meats factory at Sivilay village in Naxaithong district, Vientiane, a Hungarian government assistance project, aims to boost food safety standards for domestic supply and export. Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry received the first phase support of a Tied Aid Loan ...
Lao authorities plan future UXO operations
Laos’ National Regulatory Authority (NRA) for the UXO/Mine Action sector in Laos has set a target to reduce the number of UXO casualties to less than 40 per year and provide assistance to at least 1,500 UXO victims in the period from 2016-2020. The target was set ...
JICA provides grant for scholarships, bridge repair
The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Japan International Cooperation Agency on 8 July signed a grant agreement for two aid projects for Human Resource Development Scholarships from 2016 to 2020 and Reconstruction of Bridges on National Road No. 9, worth about 2.836 billion yen. The ...
Lao National Assembly endorses report on land concessions
The National Assembly on Tuesday approved the results of a report on inspections into land rental and concessions granted to developers. After hearing the report, Assembly members exchanged views on the subject with some saying there must be clearly-defined measures to penalise contract violators in line ...
Vientiane Times
Chinese investment upheavals anger Laos' indigenous tribes
Rackety trucks rush across China’s border with its backwater neighbor, stirring up clouds of dust and drowning the tweets of tropical birds. Chinese projects to construct roads in one of Asia’s poorest countries date back to 1962 when Laos was subject to a proxy war between the global Cold ...
Robert Bociaga
Volumes up, returns down as Laos' mining figures confirm impact of global commodity prices
The hit to the value of Laos’ mineral commodity exports inflicted by lower international prices have been confirmed by figures showing an 8.7 percent decrease in returns despite increasing production, local media has reported. Falling prices for gold, potash and copper inflicted the greatest downward pressure ...