The population of critically endangered Mekong River Dolphins – Irrawaddy Dolphins – in the Cheuteal trans-boundary pool between southern Laos and northern Cambodia has shrunk by 50 percent this year and the population is functionally extinct in Laos. World Wildlife Fund survey teams from Laos and ...

Vietnam Television has provided new radio and television transmission stations for Xay district, Oudomxay province, which will become operational today following a handover ceremony in Vientiane on November 29.​ A document to hand over the two stations was signed by Laos’ Minister of Information, Culture ...

Fifty provincial authorities in southern Saravan province under investigation by inspection authorities have been found to have been receiving bribes over the past five years.​ The Provincial Committee of the State and Party Inspection, Mr Khamchan Chemsamone reported at the third meeting on work inspection ...

Actual work on the Laos-China railway project has yet to start in Luang Prabang and other provinces following the official construction launch in December last year. The railway will run from the Chinese border to Vientiane through the provinces of Luang Namtha, Oudomxay, Luang Prabang, ...

The relations between the Lao PDR and great powers have seen positive escalation, while the nation has maintained normalcy in its relations with developed countries, reflecting some remarkable achievements in Laos’ foreign affairs. The achievements were disseminated at the 13th meeting on foreign affairs, which ...

The implementation of a series of projects on the beach dunes near Hoi An will create challenges for Hoi An in its path for sustainable development. In March 2008, after getting the nod from the Quang Nam provincial People’s Committee, Gami Hoi An JSC started ...

Through the 8th National Socio-Economic Development Plan , Laos has focused on maintaining high economic growth that benefits all people and in continuing to reduce poverty. The country welcomes the work of its international partners to improve and enhance the assistance they provide to help the ...

The Laos-China railway will provide significant momentum for the development of the Boten-Mohan border economic cooperation zone, experts have noted. The railroad, a key project under China’s Belt and Road initiative, will link the Mohan-Boten border crossing in northern Laos to Vientiane, over a distance ...

Five northern provinces recently reported on their efforts to prevent and control locust outbreaks in the 2015-16 fiscal year, and announced plans to prevent a further invasion this year. The five provinces are Huaphan, Luang Prabang, Xieng Khuang, Oudomxay and Phongsaly. More than 4,000 hectares ...

The Mekong River Commission is still reeling from the blowback over its handling of the consultation process around the Don Sahong and Xayaburi dams in Laos, both of which are expected to have severe environmental consequences on those living downstream. Now, with its budget slashed—its funding ...

Four people have died and 11people have been injured in UXO-related accidents from January to October 2016, according to a report from the Lao National Unexploded Ordnance Programme (UXO Lao). The report was disclosed on November 25 at UXO Lao’s annual meeting to summarise their work ...

Human trafficking continues to flourish within the region, requiring a joint effort by the Mekong countries to actively stamp out the trade and penalise those responsible. Human trafficking is harmful to socio-economic development and social order in the region and could worsen when the ASEAN Economic ...

The Korea International Cooperation Agency will provide grant aid of US$8.6 million to support Laos’s immigration capacity development project. The aid will fund the project to improve systems and institutional capacity building for the Immigration Department at the Ministry of Public Security from 2017 to ...

The steering committee of Basic Education Quality and Access in Laos programme met on February 21 to review progress on the implementation of the project and discussed the BEQUAL plan 2017. The programme seeks to address barriers to effective participation and ensured that all children, particularly ...

The Thai government is continuing to support two projects related to the animal feed quality control and also fish diseases. The two countries reached agreement to commence the project in 2010, at a cost of 13 million Thai baht (about three billion kip), with the ...

New radio and television transmission stations built in Xay district, Oudomxay province, and funded by the government of Vietnam, officially began transmitting on November 30. Construction of the facilities cost more than 38.7 billion kip, funded by grant assistance from Vietnam. Work on the project ...

Leaders of the five Mekong countries discussed measures to promote cooperation and make the region more dynamic and competitive at the two summits that convened in Hanoi on October 26. The capital is hosting both the 8th Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam Summit and the 7th Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation ...

Building public awareness of corruption, taking note of complaints about unethical conduct, and bringing offenders to justice are some of the ways the government intends to clamp down on corruption. Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Party and Government Inspection Authority and the Anti-Corruption ...

Lao and Cambodian officials have earmarked a location for the planned bridge across the Xelamphao River linking Laos and Cambodia to encourage people-to-people visits and boost tourism in the region. The bridge will link Nonyang village in Mounlapamok district of Laos’ southernmost province of Champassak ...

Luang Namtha provincial authorities are allowing some poor families to grow rubber trees on their small allotments to discourage illegal plantings in forest conservation areas. An official from the provincial Planning and Investment Department, Mrs Phommy Somboun, told Vientiane Times on January 5 the policy was ...