Vientiane Times
Overflow alert issued for Mekong communities
Xayaboury province is advising people living alongside the Mekong River to prepare for possible flooding, while neighbouring Thailand has warned its seven north-eastern provinces to brace for sudden overflows along the river until Thursday. The Lao province issued the alert following heavy rainfall in recent ...
Times Reporters
Thousands affected by floods in the north
Thousands of people in northern areas of Laos are suffering after rivers flooded following several days of heavy rain. Xayaboury, Huaphan and parts of Luang Prabang and Vientiane provinces have been the hardest hit, with at least 10 districts affected. In some areas, roads have ...
Phetphoxay Sengpaseuth
Association: fuel supply will be normalised in the near future
Residents of Vientiane are concerned about another fuel shortage with several petrol stations in the city being closed since Monday.However, the concerned sectors have issued reassurances that fuel will soon be available in sufficient quantities to meet daily demands. The fuel shortage has occurred at ...
Phetphoxay Sengpaseuth
The transformation of Laos from land-locked to land-linked
As the only landlocked country in South East Asia, Laos depends on neighbouring countries’ infrastructure to import and transport its goods. As a result, the success or failure of Laos depends on the efficiency of these countries’ infrastructure networks. Laos’ international logistics system largely depends ...
Souksakhone Phengsavath
Kip depreciation deals heavy blow to Lao economy
The Lao kip has plunged to a record low in recent days against the US dollar and Thai baht despite the government’s attempts to stabilise currency exchange rates.The value of the national currency has nosedived since the end of March, the Governor of the Bank ...
Somsack Pongkhao
Govt appoints taskforce to address fuel crisis, skyrocketing prices, foreign currency shortfall
The government has formed a new taskforce to address the fuel crisis, the spiralling price of consumer goods, and dwindling foreign currency reserves.The move comes as Laos battles a damaging fuel shortage in the wake of the depreciation of the kip. The unfavourable exchange rate ...
Souksakhone Vaenkeo
Fuel shortage causing hardship for Lao people
Fuel businesses and importers are struggling to supply enough fuel to meet public demand due to fluctuating currency exchange rates and the volatile global oil market.Fuel shortages forced petrol stations in Vientiane and some provinces to close on Monday, with many of desperate motorists going ...
Phetphoxay Sengpaseuth
Inflation rate closes in on two digits
The year-on-year inflation rate in Laos surged to 9.9 percent in April, the highest figure recorded since January 2016, according to the latest report from the Lao Statistics Bureau. The consumer price index jumped at its fastest pace in recent months, further putting the squeeze ...
Souksakhone Vaenkeo
Govt announces full reopening of Laos starting May 9
The government has announced that all international border crossings will reopen, so that Lao and foreign nationals, well as stateless people, can enter and exit Laos freely.The Prime Minister’s Office on Saturday (May 7) issued a notice declaring that borders would reopen.The reopening of Laos ...
Souksakhone Vaenkeo
Fifth Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge over 30 percent complete
Construction of the fifth Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge linking Borikhamxay province to Bueng Kan province in Thailand across the Mekong River is now 32 percent complete. The project consists of two components: the first concerns the construction of the bridge across the Mekong River and the ...
Times Reporters