Heavy monsoon rains in late August left more than 100 villages flooded across Oudomxay, Luang Namtha, and Luang Prabang provinces in the north of Laos, damaging homes, farmland, and infrastructure.
Northern Provinces
In Luang Namtha, heavy rainfall between 28 and 30 August triggered severe flash floods across 54 villages, including the Boten Daen Ngam Special Economic Zone near the border checkpoint with China.
The floods hit more than 2,400 households in Luang Namtha district alone, and officials still cannot fully value the losses.
Around the same time, Oudomxay suffered its third and most severe flood wave of the month. Continuous torrential rain on 29 to 30 August triggered flash floods across Namor, Xay,...
Laos’ inflation rate reached 7.7 percent in August, a slight increase from 7.6 percent in July, while average inflation for the first eight months of the year stood at...
A new 330-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant planned for Xieng Khouang Province is expected to significantly improve domestic electricity reliability for northern Laos, especially during the dry season (March to...
Vientiane’s state water supplier reported a profit of more than LAK 91.6 billion (USD 4.2 million) in the first half of 2026, even as it struggles to keep up...
Laos is working to unify fee collection procedures on transit cargo and cross-border tolls across the country's key trade corridors, officials report.
The push comes as Laos’ Ministry of Finance...
Laos has tightened controls on foreign borrowing as the government seeks to limit debt risks and reduce pressure on foreign-currency reserves and the Lao kip.
Under a new Bank of...
Laos's Cabinet approved 12 draft laws and proposals during its August 24-25 meeting, as the government reported average inflation of 7.6 percent and reviewed economic, social and disaster-related challenges...
Lao Airlines has suspended flights between Vientiane and Luang Namtha after after rising waters affected Luang Namtha Airport, as flooding also spreads into neighboring Oudomxay Province.
The airline said flights on the route will remain suspended until conditions at the airport are safe. Passengers with affected tickets can change their travel dates without additional fees or request a full refund.
Flooding hit the Boten area of Luang Namtha on 29 August, with authorities warning residents in low-lying areas to closely monitor water levels and follow safety instructions.
Luang Namtha Province was officially declared a disaster zone on 30 August, as the conditions in the northern province continued to deteriorate.
Oudomxay, which shares a...
Luang Namtha Province is set to transform Xang Boten village into a conservation-focused tourist destination through the newly launched Xang Boten Tourism Project, a joint initiative between the Lao government and a Chinese...
Laos expects to welcome between 5 and 6 million international tourists in 2026, with Chinese visitors projected to account for around 2 million of that total, according to government estimates.
The numbers will be...
Lao Airlines has suspended flights between Vientiane and Luang Namtha after after rising waters affected Luang Namtha Airport, as flooding also spreads into neighboring Oudomxay Province.
The airline said flights on the route will remain suspended until conditions at the airport are safe. Passengers with affected tickets can change their travel dates without additional fees or request a full refund.
Flooding hit the Boten area of Luang Namtha on 29 August, with authorities warning residents in low-lying areas to closely monitor...
Laos continues working to develop chess among younger generations.
A group of young Lao players has returned from Singapore with 12 medals after gaining international experience against competitors from across Asia and beyond.
Team Laos...
The Lao Football Federation (LFF) has reported suspected match-fixing by national team players to police, following the team’s four straight losses at the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026.
The letter, dated 7 August, said the...
Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith met with Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev in Bishkek on 31 August, following...
Cats spend much of their day sleeping, stretching in the sun, at times hunting, or just watching the world go by. For a group of Lao artists, those habits have become the inspiration for art.
Life feels busier than ever, and Laos is no exception. Seven artists in Laos have turned to cats to explore what many people seem to be searching for today: a little more freedom, self-acceptance and joy in the ordinary moments of everyday life.
Their exhibition, Like a Cat's Tiny Life, running until 31 July at The Tamper Coffee & Studio in Vientiane, brings together paintings, illustrations and photography that ask a simple question: what can people learn from slowing down?
Why Cats?
“All seven of us wanted to create a small space filled with warmth through stories about cats. We wanted people to experience life through the artists’ small perspectives on cats,” artist Fanta Keomanila told The Laotian Times.
For him, cats represent independence.
He described them as animals that follow their own way, sleeping and resting when they choose and finding happiness in simple moments such as watching birds or lying in the warm sun, rather than conforming to...
