News

VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN) – The Bank of the Lao PDR (BOL) plans to resume granting permission for microfinance businesses from March after suspending the clearance of such units in 2017.Entrepreneurs interested in setting up non-deposit taking microfinance businesses, money transfer services, leasing enterprises and pawn ...

VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN) – The export value of wood furniture products sold by Laos to China in 2018 is estimated to have doubled after the government encouraged more productivity and sales.In 2017, Laos earned about US$5 million from the sale of wooden furniture to China, ...

Lao academics, teachers, ministry officials and Japanese experts met in Vientiane on Friday to discuss sustainable development in Laos.Talks focused on ways to strengthen SMEs so they could contribute more to Laos’ development.More ...

VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN) – The time taken to complete the paperwork to start a new business has been reduced to less than two months, compared to 174 days previously.The new system came into effect on February 1, a senior official from the Enterprise Registration Office ...

VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN) – Good news is expected for Laos’ Plain of Jars (Thong Hai Hin) in July when Unesco’s World Heritage Committee meets to make a decision on the site’s status, a government official said last week.More ...

The government is creating a plan to preserve the Bolaven Plateau in southern Laos as an agricultural area and a tourist destination, putting an end to companies’ hopes to set up heavy industry plants in one of the most fertile areas of Laos. The National Economic ...

VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN) – Xieng Khuang provincial authorities are attempting to stamp out the cultivation of opium poppies after local officials reported an increase in the number of illicit plantations in several districts.Opium poppies have been found growing in seven districts of Xieng Khuang province. ...

VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN) – The Lao Securities Exchange (LSX) will continue to inform the public about stock market operations through regular cooperation with regional and international partners, to promote development of the stock market.Many Lao people still don’t understand the procedures involved in stock market ...

VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN) – Lao authorities say there will be no alteration of the import policy on motorbikes including tax rates despite some calls for change with motorbike sales on the wane.“The government’s motorcycle import policy is not changing this year. The import tax as ...

CHAMPASSAK, Laos (Vientiane Times/ANN) – If you would like to sample authentic organic Lao tea, there may be no better place to go than Pakxong district in Champassak province.More ...