Laos 20250108: Ludicrous, Determinative, Exemplary
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Headlines:
Crime Crackdown Shows Mixed Results
A Tourism Frontier Redefined
Mekong Dam Project Raises Concerns
Vietnamese-Lao Relations on the Upswing
Cross-Border Digital Payments Launch
Mining Operations Suspended After Collapse
Inflation Eases But Living Costs Remain High
New Art Museum Opens in Vientiane
Illegal Workers Abroad Remain a Challenge
Fifth Friendship Bridge Nears Completion
Tourism Visa Policy Returns to Normal
Exploring the Mekong’s Wonders by Slow Boat
Crime Crackdown Shows Mixed Results
Lao police handled 7,350 criminal cases throughout the last calendar year, resolving 6,519 of them. Drug-related offenses made up more than half of the workload at 3,771 cases. The Ministry of Public Security reported 9,860 arrests, including 344 foreign nationals. One of the big wins last year was the government’s dismantling of nine call center fraud operations in the Golden Triangle SEZ, arresting 267 individuals from 16 nationalities and seizing thousands of devices.
Read more: The Star (Crime Statistics), Laotian Times (Fraud Rings), The Star (Call Centers)
A Tourism Frontier Redefined
Laos is seeing a transformative tourism boom with improved infrastructure, including the Lao-China Railway bringing destinations together at high speeds. Improved highways, new hotels, and simplified visa policies have helped to grow visitor numbers to more than 5 million in 2024. Despite growth, Laos continues to offer be serenely alluring, offering affordable luxury, scenic landscapes, and authentic experiences that help it keep its charm as Southeast Asia's "last frontier."
Read more: Bangkok Post
Mekong Dam Project Raises Concerns
A proposed $2 billion Sanakham hydropower dam project on the Mekong River is continuing to be the subject of concern in Laos and Thailand. Situated 155 km west of Vientiane, the 12-turbine dam is expected to affect more than 62,500 people in both countries. China's Datang and Thailand's Gulf Energy Development will build the project, mostly for the purpose of exporting electricity to Thailand. Thailand's Office of National Water Resources has started a consultation process with eight affected provinces, but environmentalists continue to sound alarms.
Read more: Eurasia Review
Vietnamese-Lao Relations on the Upswing
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will visit Laos to co-chair the 47th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee. The visit is, as usual, intended to strengthen friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries. Vietnamese businesses operate 417 projects worth $4.9 billion in Laos, including $680 million of agricultural projects.
Read more: VOV, Laotian Times
Cross-Border Digital Payments Launch
LAPNet and UnionPay International signed an agreement to set up a QR code payment system linking their networks. The system will operate through UnionPay's mobile app, supporting more than 160 e-wallets in 37 countries. Chinese tourists are now able to make cashless payments in Laos, with reciprocal functionality for Lao travelers in China coming soon.
Read more: Travel Daily Media
Mining Operations Suspended After Collapse
The Ministry of Energy and Mines suspended operations at a Chinese-owned potash mining site in Khammouane province is the wake of two land collapses near Pak Beng Village. The collapses created sinkholes measuring 436 and 125 square meters respectively, with 6-meter depths. Government agencies put new safety measures in place, and have launched investigations. Results are expected by January's end.
Read more: Laotian Times (Details), RFA (Investigation)
Inflation Eases But Living Costs Remain High
The Lao inflation rate decreased to 21.3% in 2024 from 31.2% in 2023. The Consumer Price Index rose from 208.3 to 243.5, reflective of increasingly high living costs. Healthcare and medicine became primary cost drivers due to expensive imported supplies. The inflation reduction is being credited to reduced exchange rate pressure, but consumers continue facing financial challenges and relief is not expected any time soon.
Read more: The Star, Asia News Network
New Art Museum Opens in Vientiane
The world's largest Lao art museum has opened in Vientiane with a $50 million investment. The facility is a beautiful venue to show off Laos' artistic heritage while helping to generate tourism revenue and create jobs. The museum complex features art exhibitions, cultural displays, hotels, restaurants, and other amenities including a simulated waterfall.
Illegal Workers Abroad Remain a Challenge
The Lao government identified over 73,000 citizens working illegally abroad, primarily in neighboring countries. Of 224,376 total Lao workers abroad, this is an improvement from June 2024 when more than 203,000 were reported to be working illegally. The government has set up legal worker agreements with Korea, Japan, and Thailand, and has organized new job initiatives to address the issue.
Read more: Laotian Times
Fifth Friendship Bridge Nears Completion
The fifth Lao-Thai bridge across the Mekong River is more than 95% complete. The 1,350-metre bridge, connecting Borikhamxay and Bueng Kan provinces, received funding through a 1.38 billion baht loan from Thailand's NEDA. The project will be a big help in facilitating more regional trade and travel in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
Read more: Nation Thailand, Laotian Times
Tourism Visa Policy Returns to Normal
Laos has ended its special visa exemption policy that was put in place for Visit Laos Year 2024. The Immigration Police Department have told all checkpoints to revert to standard pre-2024 visa regulations. The expired policy had provided various benefits including free visas for Chinese travelers and extended stays for multiple nationalities.
Read more: Laotian Times
Exploring the Mekong’s Wonders by Slow Boat
Journeying from Thailand to Laos by slow boat offers a tranquil and economical alternative to flying. A two-day trip down the Mekong River reveals stunning landscapes, riverside villages, and historic towns like UNESCO World Heritage site Luang Prabang. The experience brings together cultural discovery with scenic immersion, offering local cuisine, serene stops, and a tech-free escape. Despite its simplicity, the trip provides a lens into the heritage and natural beauty of Southeast Asia.
Read more: The Independent
That’s all for this week, thanks for reading.
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