Vientiane Times

Economic growth in Laos is expected to be slower than forecast in April due to both external and internal factors, according to a report issued by the World Bank on Monday.  According to the World Bank, economic performance across developing East Asia and the Pacific, ...

Two hydropower projects along Southeast Asia’s most important river have had measurable, but moderate, impact on water flow, sediment and fisheries, according to preliminary findings of a report by the Mekong River Commission (MRC) released last week.With roughly one year of monitoring data, the MRC ...

Xayaboury province is advising people living alongside the Mekong River to prepare for possible flooding, while neighbouring Thailand has warned its seven north-eastern provinces to brace for sudden overflows along the river until Thursday. The Lao province issued the alert following heavy rainfall in recent ...

Thousands of people in northern areas of Laos are suffering after rivers flooded following several days of heavy rain. Xayaboury, Huaphan and parts of Luang Prabang and Vientiane provinces have been the hardest hit, with at least 10 districts affected. In some areas, roads have ...

Residents of Vientiane are concerned about another fuel shortage with several petrol stations in the city being closed since Monday.However, the concerned sectors have issued reassurances that fuel will soon be available in sufficient quantities to meet daily demands. The fuel shortage has occurred at ...

As the only landlocked country in South East Asia, Laos depends on neighbouring countries’ infrastructure to import and transport its goods. As a result, the success or failure of Laos depends on the efficiency of these countries’ infrastructure networks. Laos’ international logistics system largely depends ...

The Lao kip has plunged to a record low in recent days against the US dollar and Thai baht despite the government’s attempts to stabilise currency exchange rates.The value of the national currency has nosedived since the end of March, the Governor of the Bank ...

The government has formed a new taskforce to address the fuel crisis, the spiralling price of consumer goods, and dwindling foreign currency reserves.The move comes as Laos battles a damaging fuel shortage in the wake of the depreciation of the kip. The unfavourable exchange rate ...

Fuel businesses and importers are struggling to supply enough fuel to meet public demand due to fluctuating currency exchange rates and the volatile global oil market.Fuel shortages forced petrol stations in Vientiane and some provinces to close on Monday, with many of desperate motorists going ...

The year-on-year inflation rate in Laos surged to 9.9 percent in April, the highest figure recorded since January 2016, according to the latest report from the Lao Statistics Bureau. The consumer price index jumped at its fastest pace in recent months, further putting the squeeze ...