On 24 September, Vientiane authorities shut down the KM38 Dharma Practice Center in Sangsai village, Pakngum district, after its leader declared herself the reincarnation of Phra Sri Ariya Metrai, the Maitreya Buddha that Buddhist tradition says will one day appear on earth to succeed Gautama Buddha.
Under the 24 September notice, the authorities canceled the center entirely, revoked the 2010 decision that had authorized it, and ordered local authorities in Pakngum district to take over the site.
The order came after Thongkeo Soumphonphakdy, the center’s head, continued leading practice there despite an earlier notice telling her to stop.
That notice came on 16 September, when the Lao Front for National Construction and...
The pork shortage is putting pressure on Vientiane’s meat markets as African swine fever (ASF) spreads across Laos and authorities restrict the movement of pigs and pork.
State media have...
Attapeu authorities have detailed five years of corruption investigations and financial irregularities, including a major treasury case involving more than LAK 90 billion (USD 4 million) in payments made...
Lao migrant workers sent an estimated USD 500.7 million back to Laos during the first seven months of 2026, according to the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare.
The ministry...
Vietnam has become Laos's second-largest foreign investor, with more than 400 projects worth a combined USD 8 billion approved, according to the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Vietnam ranks second...
Laos and China have launched a new digital payment link that allows Chinese visitors to pay Lao businesses using China’s digital yuan, without needing to exchange cash into Lao...
A 100-megawatt (MW) solar project in Bolikhamxay is moving ahead, with developers meeting local communities on 18 September to discuss the planned plant.
The project will cover 140.23 hectares in...
Vientiane is planning new tourism routes, evening attractions, and a city pass to encourage visitors to stay longer and spend more locally, while a new Lao Travel app will give tourists a way to book accommodation, transport, and other services.
The push comes as Vientiane’s tourism sector posted strong results in 2025.
The Tourism Development Department Vientiane Capital reported the city welcomed more than 2.2 million visitors last year, generating over USD 621 million in revenue and surpassing its targets of 2 million visitors and USD 600 million.
To sustain the growth, the authorities have organized new tourism routes around “Slow Tourism & Cultural Heritage.”Authorities have grouped four inner routes covering spiritual...
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...
Laos hosted the Mekong Tourism Forum 2025 in Luang Prabang from 24 to 27 June, spotlighting the proposed ASEAN Rail Tourism Corridor (ARTC) as a key initiative to boost regional travel and connectivity.
Held...
The pork shortage is putting pressure on Vientiane’s meat markets as African swine fever (ASF) spreads across Laos and authorities restrict the movement of pigs and pork.
State media have confirmed outbreaks in two districts and three villages in Vientiane Capital, including Sangthong district, where 115 pigs died across two villages. Local environment officials said the outbreak there has been contained since 4 September and expect pork sales to return to normal. Restrictions on moving pork into the capital, however,...
Laos is preparing to compete in 12 sports at the 14th ASEAN Para Games in Kuala Lumpur next October.
The Lao team has proposed entering athletics, swimming, powerlifting, boccia, women’s goalball, men’s blind football,...
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...
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...
