Lao authorities detained 1,044 suspects linked to suspected online scam operations, illegal gambling, and telecom fraud during nationwide crackdowns in July, as the government intensifies efforts to tackle transnational criminal networks.
The largest operation took place on 18 July in Hadxayfong District, Vientiane Capital, where police raided ST Vegas Company and detained 589 suspects from four nationalities, including 373 Thai nationals and 199 Lao citizens. Authorities seized more than 10,000 electronic devices during the operation.
In Luang Namtha Province, authorities announced in July the results of a 30 June operation in the Boten Special Economic Zone, where police detained 135 suspects. Officials said the group allegedly used fake social media accounts,...
Naphao International Border Checkpoint in Khammouane Province collected more than LAK 669.5 billion (USD 29.6 million) in customs revenue in the first half of 2026, exceeding its full-year target...
Electricity prices jumped 91.5 percent in July compared to the same month last year, becoming one of the main factors behind a slight increase in Laos’ inflation rate, which...
Laos is exploring plans to turn state-owned fuel stations into electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging hubs as part of its push to expand charging infrastructure and reduce reliance on imported...
Online sellers in Vientiane must register as businesses and obtain an e-commerce licence or face fines of up to LAK 10 million (approximately USD 440), under a notice issued...
Former Mekong River Commission (MRC) Chief Executive Officer Anoulak Kittikhoun has been appointed Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Mekong Institute, becoming the first Lao national to...
Laos has launched a new state-backed company to inspect and certify the quality of products, following public complaints about low-quality goods being sold in the country.
The new company, State-owned...
Thai travel YouTuber Hlun Solo has died in Georgia after disappearing during a solo trip earlier this month, Thai authorities confirmed on 29 July.
Known online as Hlun Solo, Bowornthat built a loyal following by documenting his solo travels around the world. His YouTube channel has nearly one million subscribers.
Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs identified the content creator as Bowornthat Pengsuk, also reported as Bavorntat Pengsook, and said it is working with the Royal Thai Embassy in Ankara and Georgian authorities to return his body to Thailand for funeral rites.
The confirmation came more than two weeks after Bowornthat's family lost contact with the 27-year-old while he was travelling alone in...
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 welcomed nearly 3.8 million international tourists in the first ten months of 2025, a 13 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024.
In figures released on 7 December, the Tourism Development...
Laos has ordered the immediate suspension of the import and sale of Squishy toys nationwide after authorities warned that some may contain hazardous chemicals that pose health risks, particularly to children.
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce issued the order on 28 July, instructing provincial industry and commerce departments across the country to halt the import and sale of non-certified Squishy toys and step up inspections of shops, markets, supermarkets, shopping centres and online sellers.
According to the notice, market inspections...
While the FIFA World Cup dominates football headlines, a Lao youth footballers has returned from Europe with two international titles.
On 5 July, W.I.G NAGA's under-13 team successfully defended its IberCup title in Portugal,...
Vientiane's Chao Anouvong Stadium renovation has surpassed 70 percent completion and remains on schedule for handover in October 2026.
Shuji Hayashi, senior architect at Azusa Sekkei, the project's consulting firm, told the Laotian Times...
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...
