The Bank of the Lao PDR (BOL), the Lao central bank, reduced its 7-day base interest rate from 8 percent to 7 percent to help maintain monetary stability, according to a BOL report on Saturday. The central bank made the decision while convening its third Monetary Policy Committee meeting of 2026 on Thursday. The committee said at the meeting that Laos continues to face economic risks from...

Laos approved 34 controlled and concession investment projects worth US$8.5 billion in the first seven months of 2026, up 68 percent from the same period last year. Actual capital inflows from the approved projects exceeded US$1 billion during the period, highlighting the government’s push to turn investment approvals into real economic activity. The controlled investment list covers sensitive sectors that can affect national security, public order, the...

Xaysomphone Phomvihane, president of Laos’ National Assembly and a member of the Politburo of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, died on 8 August at the age of 70, according to an announcement by the Party Central Committee. Xaysomphone died at 11:18 on 8 August from vasculitis, according to the announcement cited by the Lao News Agency. He was described by the party as a senior leader...

The governments of Laos and Japan have signed a revised agreement for the Wattay International Airport Improvement Project, with Japan providing grant assistance worth 3.863 billion yen, or approximately US$26.5 million, to support the airport's ongoing upgrade. The revised Exchange of Notes was signed on 5 August 2026 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vientiane between the Government of the Lao PDR and the Government...

The Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with support from the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) Special Fund, hosted a three-day sub-regional seminar from July 29–31 to strengthen digital economy cooperation and support future economic growth across Mekong-Lancang countries. Held in Vang Vieng District, Vientiane Province, the seminar was organized under the theme: "Enhancing Digital Economy Capacity to Drive Future Economic Growth within the Mekong-Lancang Sub-regional Cooperation Framework." The event...