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The Memo is published weekdays - Cambodia (every Monday), Myanmar (Tuesday), Laos (Wednesday), Vietnam (Thursday) and Thailand (Friday). The Thailand edition is free in its entirety; the others usually abbreviated for non-paid subscribers.

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China Opens Ban Keun Air Base as US Pulls Back

We’ve written about it several times already, but it really is a story to watch: China has opened an air force base at Ban Keun Airport. Beijing is keen to say that it’s little more than a training site for Lao pilots, but satellite images appear to show a runway crowded with light attack aircraft and (military) vehicles. Washington's seeming retreat from the country is a stark contrast. The United States has left its Vientiane embassy without an ambassador, put Lao citizens on a 75-country travel ban list and put an end to years of USAID health and bomb clearance programs. President Donald Trump is expected to meet with Southeast Asian leaders in Manila in November, let’s see if that changes anything.

Read more: Politico

$5M Project Speeds Clearance Before Tariffs Rise

Laos is set to lose duty free access under 24 trade programs when it graduates from “least developed country” (LDC) status on November 24. The average tariffs on Lao exports are expected to go up from 0.3 percent to 4.1 percent. A 2023 International Trade Centre study showed that all else being equal the cost increases could cause exports to drop 7.3 percent (~$734M), next year. Nearly four fifths of the losses would come from trade with China (natural rubber would be one of the biggest victims there). To make sure that “all else being equal” is not going to be the case, a new $5 million project is being launched to reduce average border clearance times to about two hours by putting dozens of import and export permits online.

Read more: Laotian Times

LALCO Director Reportedly Shot Dead in Vientiane

Yoshihito Oshima, director of Laos Stock Exchange listed leasing firm LALCO, has reportedly been shot dead in Vientiane. Footage shared by exiled Lao activist Joseph Akaravong appears to show a gunman firing three times at a man beside a minivan before escaping empty handed. Oshima was the eldest son of Kenshin Oshima, whose Japanese lender SFCG collapsed in 2009 with debts of 548 billion yen. The Lao embassy in Tokyo said the footage was an unverified rumor spread by dissidents, but LALCO did share news of Oshima's death on Facebook (without explanation of cause), and named Kenshin's wife, Yuriko Oshima, as director (and his mother President). LALCO later deleted the statement. Lao police have been mum to date.

Read more: Tokyo Reporter (debt collection), Tokyo Reporter (time, place)

Korean Work Visas Connected to Overstay Rates

South Korea is going to pause admission of Lao workers from its seasonal work program for three years if the nationwide overstay rate hits 70 percent. Any province that rises above 20 percent will be subject to a one year suspension, and a nationwide rate of 50 percent would put a pause on the whole country for a year. The tougher rules are being put in place as a renewed deal with Naju City is expanding recruitment to 29 districts in five provinces. More than 33,000 Lao workers have joined the program since 2022, allowing them to earn between $1,600 and $2,000 a month on Korean farms.

Read more: Laotian Times

PH Say Ex-Lawmaker is Meth Jet Mastermind

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency is accusing former Bangsamoro lawmaker Sultan Edrieza Hadji Nasser Rimbang of masterminding the 521 kg meth shipment that was rumbled in Laos. Agency chief Isagani Nerez told a congressional hearing that affidavits from people that were investigated pointed to Rimbang. He had previously been described as (just?) the financier. The jet was bound for Malaysia. Police there have said an unnamed Filipino booked the jet for $49,500 and have joined the investigation. In their work on this case so far, Lao authorities have held 13 people, including the pilots and several airport staff.

Read more: Philippine Daily Inquirer (mastermind), Free Malaysia Today (jet booking), Rappler (Marcos denial)

Police Burn Drugs; Warn on Collagen, Kratom

Police have destroyed 44.5 tonnes of seized drugs and drug making chemicals. The haul burned in Bolikhamxay included 6.3 million meth pills. Police are also advertising warning that ketamine, kratom drinks, and drug laced collagen are showing up in area restaurants and karaoke bars.

Read more: Laotian Times

Vietnamese Builder Lined Up for Tower and Smart Farm

Vietnam's Viet Nga Group is being put forward as the main contractor for two projects that together are worth almost $30 million. The company has signed an MOU with Lao firm Supchaleun Group for a proposed Supchaleun Central Tower that would feature apartments, shops and offices in two connected 15 story buildings in Vientiane. It is estimated to cost more than $21.2 million and take two and a half years to build. They also, in a seemingly strange juxtaposition of competencies, have agreed to a 94 hectare smart farm project of 3,000 fish and shrimp ponds to supply as many as two tonnes of catfish a day to the capital.

Read more: VOV News (contractor agreement), VietnamPlus (2026 start)

Money Bouquets Made From Kip Notes Banned

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce has banned the making, selling or advertising of “money bouquets” and other crafts using folded, glued or stapled kip (currency) notes. Reselling new notes at prices above their face value is also banned. The ostensible reason provided by the government is that the crafts wear out currency faster. Individuals can be fined up to LAK 5 million (~$230); businesses LAK 10 million (~$460). Fines will be doubled for repeat offenders.

Read more: Laotian Times

Cambodia Plans Wat Phou to Angkor Tour Routes

Laos and Cambodia are pushing joint tourism under their ongoing "Two Countries, One Destination," program that promises faster border crossings and shared tour routes. Ministers Suansavanh Viyaket and Huot Hak told tourism officials in Champasak and Stung Treng to run joint promotions and continue work on improving transport links. Proposed itineraries would connect Wat Phou in Champasak with Angkor Wat.

Read more: Bangkok Post

Tourism Ranking Climbs 10 Spots

A 10-position surge has put Laos 75th of 110 countries in the World Economic Forum's 2026 Travel and Tourism Development Index. Low prices remain a competitive advantage, and the nation’s environmental score rose by roughly one seventh. The report is less flattering about infrastructure, tourist services and technological readiness. More than 2.5 million foreign tourists visited Laos in the first half of 2026, including more than 833,000 from Thailand as they continued to generally shun travel to Cambodia due to a border dispute.

Read more: The Star

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The Memo is published weekdays - Cambodia (every Monday), Myanmar (Tuesday), Laos (Wednesday), Vietnam (Thursday) and Thailand (Friday). The Thailand edition is free in its entirety; the others usually abbreviated for non-paid subscribers.

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China Opens Joint Aviation Center Near Vientiane

China and Laos have opened a joint training center and aviation academy at Ban Keun airfield, just 50 short km north of Vientiane. Satellite images show a 2,000-meter runway with space to extend it by at least another thousand meters, in addition to an apron fit for about two dozen planes. Chinese firms were able to get the first phase built in less than 11 months, and works are ongoing. Once upon a time, the airfield was known as Lima Site 44, where the CIA-owned Air America flew Hmong troops. Eight trainer jets believed to be Hongdu JL-8s are reportedly on site, but interestingly the Lao air force officially only owns four. Probably nothing.

Read more: AP (regional reaction), The Straits Times (China's footprint), ABC (no Chinese garrison), Military Watch Magazine (overseas base claim)

US Trade Panel Clears Way for Duties on Lao Solar

The US International Trade Commission has decided that solar cell imports from Laos, India and Indonesia have harmed American manufacturers. Their decision allows the Commerce Department to finalize antidumping and countervailing duties on the responsible parties. An industry alliance led by First Solar, Hanwha Qcells USA and Mission Solar Energy says that it expects the orders to be handed out on Nov. 2 and that the duties will close a route that Chinese-owned companies in Laos and Indonesia have been using (apparently with some success, until now) to sidestep previous trade allegations/ cases.

Read more: Utility Dive

Names Named in Luang Prabang Meth Jet Case

Philippine authorities have named 11 people of interest in the 3.5 billion peso, 521-kilogram meth shipment that Lao police caught at Luang Prabang airport. The claim is that former Bangsamoro parliament member Sultan Edrieza Rimbang financed the operation and that aviation security sergeant Aileen Mendoza was responsible for managing the Manila hangar where the jet was expected to be parked on arrival. Philippine reports say Rimbang is still in the country but the pilot who secured the jet has already departed. None of the 11 is yet subject to a Philippine arrest warrant and the only one in custody is Rimbang's brother-in-law, Fahad Dibarosan, who was arrested in Laos, inconveniently in possession of the drug-filled suitcases.

Read more: Philippine Daily Inquirer (Manila consignee), SunStar (pilot's role), Philstar (jet and seizure), Philstar (Sam Gor link)

PM Orders Fix for Vientiane Water Shortage

Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith is trying to get the Public Works and Transport Ministry to get moving on the capital's water shortage. Vientiane's utility is able to supply about 400,000 cubic meters daily, but demand is just over 500,000. More than a fifth of the capital's villages STILL don’t have tap water (mostly in Pakngum, Sangthong and Xaythany). A new plant in Banmai plant is due to open in April of next year and a Chinaimo plant extension is expected to add 40,000 cubic meters daily in 2028.

Read more: Laotian Times

Authorities Slap 153 For COVID Quarantine Fees

Authorities have disciplined 153 people and referred 21 more to court because of a COVID-era scheme that (allegedly) let some Chinese nationals skip quarantine fees even as they charged others amounts that were higher than the official rates. The losses are estimated at about $2.2 million. Those implicated include civil servants, police officers and even some local business operators. Authorities say they have recovered all the money owed in baht and dollars, but amounts skimmed in kip and Chinese yuan remain outstanding.

Read more: Laotian Times

Security Forum CICA Gives Full Membership

After about nine years as an observer, Laos has at long last become the 29th full member of CICA (Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia), an Asian security and cooperation forum. The upgrade will allow Vientiane a say in the group's decisions.

Read more: Laotian Times

Population at 7.24M, Growth Slowing

The first digital census run in Lao history has put the resident population at an estimated 7.24 million. Enumerators counted 6.74 million people directly, and a follow-up survey added about 497,000 who had (somehow?) been missed. Annual growth has slowed to 1.1 percent, and the birth rate has fallen to about 18 per 1,000 compared to 28 in 2015. The median age of Lao residents is a sprightly 27, and about two-thirds of residents make their homes in “rural areas.” Maybe surprisingly, some 301,500 residents still lack road access.

Read more: Laotian Times

Holiday Inn Resort Coming to Luang Prabang

IHG is planning to open a 101-room Holiday Inn Resort on Naluang Hill in 2027; the property will be its first in Luang Prabang. Naluang International Resort and Hotel will be running the deal and is pitching the property to business groups (500 sq m of meeting space on offer) in addition to tourists.

Read more: Hotelsmag

Neighbors Agree to Finish Border Markers Faster

Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia have agreed to speed up work on the remaining markers along their shared borders under a military cooperation plan. Frontline units will be running more joint patrols and plan to share more intelligence on drug smuggling, human trafficking and illegal crossings. The three armed forces have also made plans to take turns hosting rescue exercises.

Read more: Laotian Times

Raids Net 23 Excavators at Illegal Gold Mines

Officers have seized 23 excavators, in addition to screens, generators, trucks and gold-filter carpets, in raids on 10 suspected illegal gold mines in Vientiane's Sangthong District. Investigators say they’re now trying to figure out who ran and financed the sites and whether local people helped. We suppose that phrasing indicates the mines were (allegedly) being run by foreigners, but no charges have been laid to date.

Read more: Laotian Times

That's all for this week, thanks for reading! Your voice matters to us. Feel we're missing something? Have additional sources to suggest? Don't hold back- hit reply and tell us what you think.

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The Memo is published weekdays - Cambodia (every Monday), Myanmar (Tuesday), Laos (Wednesday), Vietnam (Thursday) and Thailand (Friday). The Thailand edition is free in its entirety; the others usually abbreviated for non-paid subscribers.

Please go to https://www.mekongmemo.com/account to select country editions you would like to receive without affecting your overall subscription status.

PM Orders Fuel Reserve

Laos needs to keep at least 60 million liters of fuel in reserve, Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith told the National Assembly. Thailand supplies nearly all the country's imported fuel, which is a reliance that became painful when the Middle East crisis caused prices to double within weeks and forced more than a thousand gas stations to shut. The government wants fuel companies to buy from Vietnam, China and Singapore in addition to giving the Lao State Fuel Enterprise more authority to steady prices and smooth supply.

Read more: Laotian Times

Analysts Split Over China's Airfield

China and Laos have opened a joint support and training center at Ban Keun, a former CIA airfield about 50 kilometers north of Vientiane. Lao officers are calling it a pilot school, but satellite images are supporting a livelier argument. Pictures from above show eight K-8 basic jet trainers and a 2,000-meter runway that China has been building since late 2025. Eight is about twice as many trainers as analysts think the Lao air force owns and some think that an expanded field could become a forward base for Chinese aircraft. Beijing insists the center is "not directed against any third party."

Read more: The Economist (base debate), SCMP (satellite images), The Diplomat (skeptical view), Defense News (regional influence), UA News (forward base)

Nearly $2 Million Misused in Bus Project

State inspectors found nearly $2 million of diverted funds and idle purchases in Vientiane's Bus Rapid Transit project. The $99.7 million project used $1.52 million upgrading nine roads outside its approved scope and paid $456,000 to buy 150 electric three-wheelers. All of those are now sitting unused because nobody bothered to build parking for them. Contractors also built and demolished stations whose designs were never approved, though inspectors didn't report on what the cost of those blunders might have been. The audit also says a third-party company got $41.47 million from a lender for Electricite du Laos but then failed to pass it on.

Read more: Laotian Times

Vietnam's New PM Signs 11 Deals in Vientiane

Laos and Vietnam have agreed to 11 deals during Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung's first official bilateral trip abroad. The package includes a border road, a Laos-Vietnam Friendship University, an oil supply infrastructure plan and a cybersecurity agreement. The breadth and scope of the agreements seem to be showing that both governments are keen to refresh a relationship that’s getting close to the 50th anniversary of their 1977 friendship treaty.

Read more: Asian News Network (transport talks)

Thai Developer Plans 200 Square KM of Parks

Thai developer Amata Corporation says its long-term industrial park plans could be as large as 200 square kilometers, which is more than six times the size of its first park, Amata City Namor. Amata Founder Vikrom Kromadit says Laos is now the company's "largest focus," betting that Chinese manufacturers want room abroad as political pressure from the US continues. Cheap hydropower is another draw, though, awkwardly, local consumers endure frequent blackouts even as the country exports about four-fifths of its electricity.

Read more: Fortune

More Than Nine in Ten Job Hunters Look Abroad

More than nine in ten registered job seekers want to work outside of Laos. Thailand has been the recipient of nearly all of the more than 708,000 Lao workers who have gone overseas since 2016. In an attempt to lure people back, or keep them in-country, officials are considering raising the monthly minimum wage from LAK 2.5 million ($116) to as much as LAK 4.1 million ($190), but the Prime Minister's Office hasn’t said that it’s willing to approve the increase.

Read more: Laotian Times

Tourism Ministry Licenses to Provinces, Districts

Laos is giving most of its tourism licensing power to provincial departments. District and city offices will take responsibility for guesthouses, homestays and other businesses that have registered capital of LAK 1 billion (~$44,500) or less. The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism is keeping control of foreign-owned businesses and international tour operators. Authorities are also going to increasing the rate of inspections at tourism businesses and border crossings.

Read more: Laotian Times

That's all for this week, thanks for reading. Your voice matters to us. Feel we're missing something? Have additional sources to suggest? Don't hold back- hit reply and tell us what you think.

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The Memo is published weekdays - Cambodia (every Monday), Myanmar (Tuesday), Laos (Wednesday), Vietnam (Thursday) and Thailand (Friday). The Thailand edition is free in its entirety; the others usually abbreviated for non-paid subscribers.

Please go to https://www.mekongmemo.com/account to select country editions you would like to receive without affecting your overall subscription status.

Apparent Attack Jets Seen at Chinese-Built Base

Satellite images appear to show eight K-8 light attack jets and more than two dozen support vehicles at Ban Keun, the day after the joint training center opened. The Lao air force owns four K-8s. The 2,000-meter runway could be extended to 3,000 meters, which would accommodate bombers, transports and tankers. Beijing is keeping quiet about which aircraft and personnel will be based there. The site is less than 170 km from Thailand's Wing 23 air base at Udon Thani.

Read more: Reuters (satellite imagery), The Diplomat (security implications), Modern Diplomacy (base background), Focus Taiwan (regional concerns)

Assembly Makes Saleumxay Prime Minister

The National Assembly unanimously made Saleumxay Kommasith prime minister and moved Sonexay Siphandone into the assembly presidency, vacant since Xaysomphone Phomvihane died in August. Sonexay had held onto the premiership after the March elections, and state media are offering no explanation for the change beyond the need to fill the vacancy. Saleumxay has been a deputy prime minister since 2022 and was foreign minister from 2016 to 2024. He has also served at the UN and studied in Moscow and Australia.

Read more: The Diplomat (political context), KDH News (leadership change), Thai PBS World (regional view), Laotian Times (domestic details)

Economy Grows 4.8 Percent, Misses Inflation Goal

The economy grew 4.8 percent in the first nine months of 2026, Saleumxay Kommasith told the National Assembly as it appointed him prime minister. The government expects 5.1 percent growth for the full year, missing its 5.5 percent target. Outside forecasts are gloomier, with the World Bank expecting 4.1 percent and the Asian Development Bank 4 percent. Inflation averaged 7.9 percent, well above the government's 5 percent goal. About 3.3 million international visitors arrived during the nine months, leaving the country well short of its annual target of 5 million to 6 million.

Read more: Laotian Times

Rare Earth Zones Named After Chinese Mine Halted

The government has identified two prospective rare earth zones, Bolikhamxay-Khammuane and Sekong-Attapeu, ten days after suspending a Chinese-controlled mine because of compliance problems. Officials have released no estimates of the deposits' size or quality. Lao ore is reportedly being sent to China for processing.

Read more: Rare Earth Exchanges

Police Seize 521 kg of Meth From Private Jet

Police found 521 kg of crystal meth aboard a Learjet at Luang Prabang airport and detained thirteen people. Seven are airport staff who, according to police, moved 23 suitcases through an X-ray machine and onto the jet. The aircraft had arrived empty from Malaysia's Subang airport. Malaysian police believe the drugs were headed for Manila, although one Lao report said the jet was expected to return to Malaysia. Investigators are checking for any connection to the July arrest of a Malaysia Airlines pilot in Indonesia.

Read more: The Star (drug seizure), Malaysiakini (Malaysian investigation), Laotian Times (Lao account), New Straits Times (flight route)

196 Scam Suspects Handed to China, Thailand

Officials have handed over 118 Chinese and 78 Thai detainees to their home countries at the Boten-Mohan checkpoint and the 4th Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge. All but seven face cybercrime or telecom fraud allegations, while the others are accused of entering the country illegally. Police have detained more than 6,200 suspected scammers from more than 25 countries since January.

Read more: Laotian Times (Chinese handover), Laotian Times (Thai handover)

Thailand Backs $55.4 Million Luang Prabang Mekong Bridge

Thailand has approved $55.4 million in financing for an 820-meter bridge across the Mekong between Luang Prabang and Chomphet District. The government is preparing to sign the concessional loan agreement. Construction is expected to start sometime next year and should take four years. The bridge will shave 30 to 45 minutes off the roughly nine-hour trip from Thailand's Nan Province.

Read more: Laotian Times

Khammouane Prepares UNESCO Geopark Bid

Khammouane is preparing a UNESCO bid for the Hinboun Geopark, a landscape of karst mountains and river caves. Hidden Hands Cave holds more than 285 prehistoric rock art images and opened to the public in June.

Read more: Laotian Times

That's all for this week, thanks for reading. Your voice matters to us. Feel we're missing something? Have additional sources to suggest? Don't hold back- hit reply and tell us what you think.

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The Memo is published weekdays - Cambodia (every Monday), Myanmar (Tuesday), Laos (Wednesday), Vietnam (Thursday) and Thailand (Friday). The Thailand edition is free in its entirety; the others usually abbreviated for non-paid subscribers.

Please go to https://www.mekongmemo.com/account to select country editions you would like to receive without affecting your overall subscription status.

China Opens Air Force Training Center

China has opened a military support center and pilot academy at Ban Keun Airport in Vientiane Province. Beijing says that China and Laos will run the facilities together in order to train Lao Air Force pilots, but its keeping quiet about the specific personnel, equipment and buildings that will be based there. The ministry has been at pains to assure everyone that the operation threatens “no one.” This is China's third publicly confirmed overseas military outpost.

Read more: Straits Times, SCMP, Global Times, Unn UA, Firstpost

U.S. Sets Triple-Digit Duties on Solar Panels

The U.S. Commerce Department has set anti-dumping margins of 65.43 percent on solar cells and panels from Laos, in addition to countervailing duties as high as 153.67 percent. The decision came as the result of efforts by an American manufacturers' group that includes First Solar and Hanwha Qcells. Commerce says Chinese producers moved their assembly work to Southeast Asia after Washington first put duties on their (Chinese) panels in 2012, and that the same producers are now behind shipments from Laos, India and Indonesia. The International Trade Commission is due to decide on October 14 whether U.S. manufacturers have been harmed. A “yes” decision there would clear the way for final orders in November.

Read more: Solarbytes Info

Thanaleng's Filings Tell Three Different Stories

Thanaleng Dry Port's paperwork doesn’t add up. An IFC filing puts its cost at $91.5 million and says Sitthi Logistics owns nearly all of it. But a 2023 presentation by the port's managing director showed a state-owned company holding a one-fifth stake. Developer press releases have also varied wildly, valuing the dry port and adjoining logistics park at all of $727 million, then $195 million and later $547 million. The China-Laos Railway has carried more than 90 million tonnes of cargo since December 2021, but it’s not clear how much of that has physically passed through Thanaleng.

Read more: Indrastra

Facebook Critic Vanishes Before Asylum Interview

Khieo Lapchanh, 26, vanished in Thailand's Samut Sakhon province on September 15, the day before he was due to seek asylum at the UNHCR office in Bangkok. His Khiew Chennel Facebook page managed to gain 159,000 followers by mocking officials over unbuilt roads in Xayaboury and the Siphandone family's hold on power. That brought online warnings telling him to change his behavior, and he later went quiet because he feared for his safety. The Manushya Foundation, which says it helped draft his asylum letter, suspects Lao authorities are behind his disappearance.

Read more: Radio Free Asia

Swine Fever Empties Vientiane's Pork Counters

African swine fever has forced some vendors to stop selling pork at Vientiane's Phontong Market. Beef has jumped LAK 20,000, or about $0.90, per kilogram, and the higher price is keeping customers away. The Agriculture and Environment Ministry reported 14,002 pigs dead or culled by September 24; family farms took nearly 80% of the losses. Damage to the industry is about LAK 58.8 billion (~$2.6M). Pork imports are currently suspended, and restrictions on pork entering the capital are still in force even when they are sourced from areas that outbreaks have been contained.

Read more: Laotian Times

School Fees, Power Bills Push Inflation to 7.8%

Consumer prices went up 7.8 percent in September, a sliver above the 7.7 percent in August. The new school year raised education costs by nearly a fifth, forcing families to pay more for tuition, uniforms and textbooks. Housing, water, electricity and cooking gas also went up by almost a third after the government increased utility tariffs. Officials blamed higher global oil prices for transport costs that are feeding into other goods. Inflation averaged 7.9 percent in the first nine months of 2026, that’s a number that’s down from 8.8 percent in the year-ago period.

Read more: Laotian Times

Attapeu Audit Finds $4 Million in Losses

Attapeu's anti-corruption agency says an investigation covering 2024 and 2025 and 38 people (including 24 state officials) over alleged corruption, currency violations, unlicensed lending and forged project guarantees has found some results. Investigators specifically flagged LAK 90.12 billion (~$4M) that seems to have left the provincial treasury without original supporting documents, though they stopped short of calling it all stolen. Confirmed losses were about $2.9 million. Authorities say they have recovered $949,000 in addition to land, vehicles, gold jewelry and phones.

Read more: Laotian Times

Xaysomboun Finds Gold Under Stone Permits

Stone and sand permits allegedly became cover for gold mining in Xaysomboun, where provincial inspectors found four companies working outside what their paperwork permitted. AFA Exploration Mining and Agriculture Trading Export-Import was processing gold in Thathom District using a stone and sand permit. Authorities say Kesana Herchaleun was running a similar operation in Anouvong District, where a raid resulted in seized equipment and the detention of seven people. Two other companies were also identified for the same practice in Nam Yon Village.

Read more: Laotian Times

Vientiane Seeks Leg-up After LDC Graduation

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Thongsavan Phomvihane struck a confident but needy note at the United Nations by saying that Laos is ready to leave Least Developed Country status by the end of 2026, but also asking the body to keep money flowing even after it happens. Laos has cleared all three UN graduation tests, but Vientiane hasn’t said how much it wants from the Lasting Graduation Support Facility. The government is also planning a 2027 to 2031 UNICEF program focused on health, education and nutrition for women and children.

Read more: Nation Thailand, The Star

Meditation Center Shut Over Buddha Claim

Vientiane shut the KM38 Dharma Practice Center after its longtime head, Thongkeo Soumphonphakdy, decided to declare herself the reincarnation of Maitreya Buddha. Authorities ordered her to appear before a counseling committee and to “correct” the claim online, and also told her that a refusal would bring a nationwide ban on her religious work, but she apparently decided to take her chances. Officials have now cancelled the center's operating authorization, and Pakngum district has taken control of the Sangsai village compound.

Read more: Laotian Times

Central Bank Blocks Cards for Foreign Crypto

The Bank of the Lao PDR is telling banks and payment providers to find and block card codes connected to crypto trading on unauthorized foreign platforms. The central bank says customers have been using international cards to buy crypto on unlicensed exchanges. The notice doesn’t say whether the rules also cover licensed operators such as Bitqik, which still advertises the possibility of making purchases with Visa, Mastercard, or bank transfer. The central bank has had some limits restricting card purchases of crypto since 2018.

Read more: Laotian Times

New Train Makes Boten-Vientiane a Day Trip

Train C95 leaves Boten at 8 a.m. and gets to Vientiane at 11:47, a run of three hours and 47 minutes that allows northern residents to do business in the capital and get home the same night. C96 heads back north at 2:05 p.m. and gets to Boten at 6:32, with stops in Nateuy, Muang Xay, Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng. Passenger traffic on the Kunming-Vientiane line has risen more than 50 percent over the past year.

Read more: The Star, Global Times

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The Memo is published weekdays - Cambodia (every Monday), Myanmar (Tuesday), Laos (Wednesday), Vietnam (Thursday) and Thailand (Friday). The Thailand edition is free in its entirety; the others usually abbreviated for non-paid subscribers.

Please go to https://www.mekongmemo.com/account to select country editions you would like to receive without affecting your overall subscription status.

Swine Fever Reaches Vientiane

African swine fever has spread from Xayabouly to Vientiane Capital, Phongsaly, Houaphanh, Xaysomboun and Luang Prabang. The outbreak has so far killed or forced the culling of 11,369 pigs, and authorities have begun to mandate disinfection of vehicles carrying pigs or pork. Farmers are required to report sick animals and keep their herds on the farm, and of course, anyone found in breach of the rules is looking at fines or legal action. With the disease killing nearly every infected pig, officials say that local pork shortages could be on the way.

Read more: Laotian Times

Ninth Circuit Reopens Baldwin's Casino Tab

The Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals is letting the Lao government keep chasing casino entrepreneur John K. Baldwin and his firm, Bridge Capital, for more than $5 million. The dispute is an old one, going back to 2007, when Baldwin and his co-investor Shawn Scott set out to build a casino business near the Thai border. They opened Savan Vegas near the Friendship Bridge, but a second planned resort, Paksong Vegas, never came to fruition. Three arbitration tribunals ordered Lao Holdings and Sanum Investments to pay a combined sum of more than $5 million. A federal judge rejected the government's attempt to collect from Baldwin and Bridge Capital because their names were not specified in the awards. So, the appeals court didn’t exactly decide that they owe or don’t owe the money, it simply said that a lower court needs to consider whether the two were so entangled with the companies named in the awards that the distinction is irrelevant.

Read more: Casino.org

Champasak Raid Bags 22 Chinese, One Lao

Police in Bachiang Chaleunsouk district detained 23 suspected scammers after a tip from a neighbor. Officers took possession of 49 desktop computers, 237 (!) phones, 27 processors and seven voltage stabilizers from a rented house in Huasae village. Twenty-two of the suspects were Chinese and one was a Lao national.

Read more: Laotian Times

Loei Lines Up for a Mekong Bridge

Lao and Thai officials are looking at the possibility of a 400-meter bridge between Vientiane Province's Banvang checkpoint and Ban Khok Phai in Thailand's Pak Chom district. One potential site is near Highway 211, but officials have approved neither a location nor a budget or timetable. The proposal is the latest in a growing queue of cross-border projects. Thailand has already approved THB 1.78 billion ($55.4 million) for a Xiengman-Luang Prabang bridge, which is expected to open in 2031. A sixth Friendship Bridge between Salavanh and Ubon Ratchathani could start construction in 2029.

Read more: Laotian Times

Thai-Indian Duo Plan Bolikhamxay Solar Farm

Developers are in consultations with villagers in Nam Ngiep and Khuay Oudom over a 100 MW solar plant that would occupy about 140 hectares. Thailand's APDL Solar Power came to an agreement with the government in February to begin a study of the site and has brought in Kosher Climate India as a partner. The plant is one of 12 proposed spots that would be built with the intention of shoring up dry-season electricity supplies as industrial demand continues to rise. The developers are also considering carbon credits, but have yet to decide on a construction date.

Read more: Laotian Times

Vientiane Adopts 43-Point Cluster Bomb Plan

Delegates at the Third Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions adopted the Vientiane Capital Action Plan, setting 43 tasks for 2027 to 2031. The plan runs the gamut from destroying stockpiles, to clearing land, supporting victims and (ahem) finding money for the work. An estimated 80 million unexploded items are thought remain in the ground, mostly cluster submunitions left from the 270 million that were dropped between 1964 and 1973. UXO Lao has made more than 2.08 million items safe since 1996. Conference president Thongsavan Phomvihane, who is also Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, underlined what’s perhaps the most important bit when he said the documents would be judged by what happens after delegates fly home. The delegates departed without any new pledges of donor money.

Read more: The Star

Houaphanh Shares Financial Indiscretions, Champasak Doesn't

Houaphanh's five-year inspection review found that 120 officials had broken party rules or state law, with administrative and corruption cases causing losses of more than LAK 12.8 billion ($570,800). Authorities expelled 45 party members, suspended 28 and disciplined another 37. They have recovered only a little more than a third of the money. Champasak province was somewhat less forthcoming. It reported prosecuting 37 people and inspecting 221 state investment projects, but shared no numbers for losses or recovered money.

Read more: Laotian Times, Laotian Times

Vientiane Hopes Tourists Will Stay Another Night

Vientiane saw 2.2 million visitors and won $621 million in revenue in 2025, ahead of its targets on both counts. The next opportunity is to get tourists to stay longer than the usual one or two nights. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism and KOICA consultants have tied together visits to temples, markets and riverfront sites into seven routes under a "Slow Tourism" banner and are also studying a city pass modeled on those in Angkor Wat and Hoi An, in addition to Patuxay light shows and riverfront acrobatics to liven up the quiet evenings.

Read more: The Star, The Star (routes and QR guides), Laotian Times (heritage sites)

Chinese Military Medics Tour Four Cities

Chinese military medics trained more than 1,600 army clinicians and cadets in Vientiane, Pakse, Savannakhet and Attapeu in cardiac emergency care and rescue best-practices for mass casualty events. The Peace Train 2026 team is also running clinics at military medical stations and donated supplies to a Vientiane primary school.

Read more: Bastillepost (training), Chinamil (school donation)

Party Cadres Study Vietnam Playbook

Deputy Justice Minister Khamphan Bounphakhom has taken a Party delegation to Hanoi for theory exchanges and field trips as both governments set their longer-term plans. Laos is running its 10th five-year socioeconomic plan, and Vietnam is in the process of getting ready for its 14th National Party Congress. The Vietnamese hosts described the relationship with Laos in dutifully grand terms, saying that the tie-up was vital to both countries' security and development.

Read more: Qdnd

That's all for this week, thanks for reading. Your voice matters to us. Feel we're missing something? Have additional sources to suggest? Don't hold back- hit reply and tell us what you think.

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Share The Mekong Memo

If you value the Mekong Memo, please consider buying (or gifting!) a paid subscription, sharing it on social media or forwarding this email to someone who might enjoy it. Please also “like” this newsletter by clicking the ❤️ below (or sometimes above, depending on the platform), which helps us get visibility on the Substack network.

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The Mekong Memo is proudly presented by:

Horton International is your premier partner for executive search in Southeast Asia. Whether you're a small startup or a global corporation, our reliable and effective recruiting solutions are tailored to meet your unique needs. With extensive experience and offices across the region, we excel at overcoming recruitment challenges and securing top talent for your organization.

Click here to learn how Horton can make your life easier.

The Memo is published weekdays - Cambodia (every Monday), Myanmar (Tuesday), Laos (Wednesday), Vietnam (Thursday) and Thailand (Friday). The Thailand edition is free in its entirety; the others usually abbreviated for non-paid subscribers.

Please go to https://www.mekongmemo.com/account to select country editions you would like to receive without affecting your overall subscription status.

Washington Shuts the Door on Solar Exports

Solar cell exports to the US went from what was previously a rounding error to $400+ million in one year. Washington has decided that’s enough and is now closing the door on them. The Commerce Department has decided on a final anti-dumping margin of 65.43%, in addition to countervailing duties that will range from just over 80% to nearly 154%. The companies that brought the case say much of the production is Chinese-owned and was simply relocated to Laos after earlier duties were put on product from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The new rates will force the closure of some or most factories unless they can be retooled for European projects. The International Trade Commission is deciding on October 14 whether the imports caused material injury; a “yes” decision will bring formal duty orders by November 2.

Read more: Reuters (US duties), Nation Thailand (export boom), TechNode Global (factory impact), PV Tech (market outlook), Metal (duty rates)

Hydropower Goes Abroad While Ventilators Stall

Ventilators in Vientiane's main pediatric emergency ward are forced to cut out until local generators kick in, even though Electricite du Laos sends nearly four-fifths of its hydropower abroad, mostly to Thailand and Vietnam. Exports have more than tripled in a decade and resulted in a windfall $2.65 billion in 2023, but much of the power moves over lines built for foreign buyers in favor of the domestic grid (much of which is way laid out in the 1970s). EDL has exempted households using up to 300 kWh a month from their new 10% VAT on electricity through the end of December 2029, which will be little relief as prices have almost doubled over the past year.

Read more: Japan Times (power exports), Laotian Times (VAT break), Laotian Times (battery study)

African Swine Fever Spreads in Xayabouly

African swine fever has killed or forced the culling of more than 5,400 pigs in Xayabouly Province since June. Losses are estimated at LAK 14.9B (~$665,000). Some farmers are apparently persisting in selling meat from dead pigs at cut-rate prices, which is helping the virus to spread. Provincial authorities have tried to stop pig sales and transportation - they’ve set up checkpoints at border crossings and district lines to bring the crisis to a close.

Read more: Laotian Times

Cluster Munitions Summit Opens in Vientiane

More than 800 are meeting in Vientiane for the Third Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Laos is still the most heavily bombed country per person, EVER. US forces dropped about 270 million cluster bombs from 1964 to 1973, and an estimated 80 million failed to explode, and therefore laid dangerously in the soil. Officials reported 25 casualties in 2025, including six deaths that were still caused by decades-old munitions. Globally, the toll is also still rising. The Cluster Munition Monitor reported at least 1,063 people killed or injured last year, and new use was reported in Iran, Myanmar, Russia, Thailand and Ukraine. Delegates to the Conference are expected to come up with a new action plan for 2027 to 2031.

Read more: The Star (conference), Laotian Times (funding), Xinhua (action plan), QDND (Luang Prabang survey), Asian News Network (wartime bombing)

Work Permit Freeze for Bangladeshis

The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare has stopped issuing new work permits, labor visas and labor-import plans for Bangladeshi nationals through the end of this year. The ministry, in its announcement, referenced issues of illegal entry, human smuggling and unauthorized brokers, but did not explain why Bangladeshis specifically were subject to the freeze. Employers who hire without getting approval first will be subject to a LAK 2.5 million ($110) fine per worker. Workers who are caught on unapproved sites could get a LAK 1 million ($44) fine in addition to deportation (employers will have to pay for the trip). Government-approved priority projects with fixed contracts are exempt.

Read more: Laotian Times

Xekong Bauxite Complex Expects 2028 Start

Bigwigs from Vientiane and Hanoi are working out how the Dakcheung bauxite and alumina complex will deal with “red mud”, mining waste and water use before production starts up in 2028. Vietnam-Phuong Group and its subsidiary VLV have been building the Xekong complex since late 2022. The facility is expected to produce a million metric tons of alumina a year at first and double production by 2035. Developers say the plant will create more than 1,000 direct jobs in its first three years. No independent monitoring plan has been announced for Xekong. A separate Bolaven Plateau bauxite venture has been delayed after warnings about displaced communities and lost farmland.

Read more: Laotian Times

Robot Dogs Debut at Peace Train Drills

The sixth "Peace Train" exercise in Vientiane featured search drones, quadruped robot dogs and tracked unmanned vehicles hauling mock casualties through muddy terrain. Chinese state media said it was the first systematic use of equipment like this to the series. A medical train also took advantage of a Chinese AI system to manage triage and treatment planning. As the medics finished up their work, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun hosted his Lao counterpart Khamlieng Outhakaysone in Beijing for a discussion of defense cooperation, but no results of that dialog have yet been shared.

Read more: China Military (medals), Global Times (robot equipment), Global Times (AI triage), CGTN (Beijing talks)

Hanoi Lines Up Meetings with Vientiane

Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Hang is in the process of getting his meetings with Laos set for 2027. Plans include an intergovernmental committee session, political consultations and events to celebrate their 65 years of diplomatic ties.

Read more: Qdnd

That's all for this week, thanks for reading. Your voice matters to us. Feel we're missing something? Have additional sources to suggest? Don't hold back- hit reply and tell us what you think.

Subscribe now

Share The Mekong Memo

If you value the Mekong Memo, please consider buying (or gifting!) a paid subscription, sharing it on social media or forwarding this email to someone who might enjoy it. Please also “like” this newsletter by clicking the ❤️ below (or sometimes above, depending on the platform), which helps us get visibility on the Substack network.

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The Mekong Memo is proudly presented by:

Horton International is your premier partner for executive search in Southeast Asia. Whether you're a small startup or a global corporation, our reliable and effective recruiting solutions are tailored to meet your unique needs. With extensive experience and offices across the region, we excel at overcoming recruitment challenges and securing top talent for your organization.

Click here to learn how Horton can make your life easier.

The Memo is published weekdays - Cambodia (every Monday), Myanmar (Tuesday), Laos (Wednesday), Vietnam (Thursday) and Thailand (Friday). The Thailand edition is free in its entirety; the others usually abbreviated for non-paid subscribers.

Please go to https://www.mekongmemo.com/account to select country editions you would like to receive without affecting your overall subscription status.

Vientiane Raids Net Wins in Scam Crackdown

Police stormed the Yuzhou Smart Hotel in Xaythany District, nabbed 43 people and took 468 mobile phones. It was one of four raids recently in Vientiane Capital. Chinese nationals made up the bulk of the numbers, followed by Burmese suspects. Police say they also found ketamine packets and nitrous oxide tanks at two other locations. The tempo’s barely let up since the ST Vegas case, as a seventh transfer batch of 34 Thai nationals crossed the Friendship Bridge, leaving only seven of the original 373 Thai suspects still in Lao custody. There have been more than 6,000 nationwide arrests since January, running near 1,000 a month from June through August. No ringleaders have been identified so far.

Read more: Laotian Times (ketamine raid), Laotian Times (bridge transfer)

Flood Insurance Pays Fast, But Provinces Beg

More than a million USD was sent to Lao accounts within two business days after updated impact data triggered the SEADRIF Insurance Company's response, which affected more than 375,000 people nationwide. The payout, split between the government and the UN World Food Programme, has brought disbursements for this flood cycle to $2.3 million. Even as the money was being sent, Luang Namtha, Oudomxay and Savannakhet were publicly asking for donations after floods affected more than 2,400 households in Luang Namtha district, 81 villages in Oudomxay, and 177 villages and 40,200 people in Savannakhet. Social media users have asked why officials are asking for donations when a national disaster fund exists.

Read more: Laotian Times (province flood toll), Laotian Times (rain forecast), Insurance Asia (policy terms)

Four Deals in Astana, One Rail Dream

President Thongloun Sisoulith became the first Lao head of state to visit Kazakhstan, and in the process, put his hand to four agreements that cover political consultations, prosecutorial cooperation, digital government, and a sister-city deal between Vientiane and Astana. The biggest item didn’t get a signature yet, though; President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev offered Lao freight carriers access to Kazakhstan's logistics hub in Xi'an and floated the idea of a corridor that would run Lao goods up the China-Laos Railway, through Kazakhstan's Trans-Caspian route and the onward to European markets. That route currently handles about 85 percent of continental China-Europe freight. Tokayev suggested likely cargo would be Kazakh grain, oilseeds, feed and meat heading south, and Lao coffee and rubber heading north. No transport or customs agreement was signed to make any of that regular, but the opportunity for both governments to start writing one is now open.

Read more: Times of Central Asia (export target), Trend (route growth), Astana Times (investment center), Astana Times

SG Adds Lao Forests to Its Carbon Shopping List

A binding Article 6 carbon-credit agreement with Singapore makes Laos the fourth ASEAN country to sign such a deal, after Agriculture and Environment Minister Linkham Douangsavanh and Singapore's Grace Fu approved the agreement by video. Singapore will direct 5% of proceeds into climate adaptation projects and cancel 2% of authorized credits when they’re first issued, removing them permanently from any country's tally. Under the 2025 carbon-credit trading rules, at least 10% of credits from international projects are required to stay in-country, and payments need to run through the Bank of Laos or domestic commercial banks. Laos adds some of the region's densest forest cover to the deal; it is aiming for 70 percent national coverage by 2035, which would turn reforestation and farm projects into hard currency as it gets ready to lose concessional financing tied to its status as a least-developed-country.

Read more: The Star (Singapore deal), Laotian Times (emissions targets)

Luang Prabang Economy Grows Even As Tourists Vanish

Luang Prabang's economy was able to manage 3.9 percent growth in the first half of 2026 even though tourist arrivals were brutalized by a drop of almost half compared to last year. The province produced LAK 11.67 trillion ($520 million) in output, which is more than half its annual target. Ag and forestry made up two fifths of the performance and the Laos-China Railway did much of the rest of the work, as it delivered 1.3 million passenger trips and more than 564,000 tonnes of freight through the province over the six month period. Provincial authorities have also forwarded a revised UNESCO conservation plan to the agency and are expanding their the tax base to include convenience stores, restaurants, cafes, hotels and guesthouses before the year end.

Read more: Laotian Times

Vat Phou Returns to State Control

Ying Sokxay ran ticket booths, golf carts and parking at Vat Phou for 15 years before their concession expired. The company asked for more time, but Champasak denied the request by taking advantage of the 2021 National Heritage Law that bans commercial deals on national heritage sites without a ministerial sign-off. So, now the provincial Department of Information, Culture, and Tourism gets to run day-to-day operations at the 1,000-year-old temple complex, which saw nearly 750,000 visitors last year. Officials say sanitation and visitor-service upgrades are on the way.

Read more: Laotian Times

Five Copycat Brands Banned

The Food and Drug Department banned five cosmetic brands, Vaseilina, Care Man, Lvx, Clsorup, and Leimiya & Shampoo, after authorities said they came into the country unregistered and carried packaging that mimics well-known products. We sincerely hope that the loss of access to these products does not bring inconvenience to our readers. Sellers had been flogging them on social media with “unusually” low prices.

Read more: Laotian Times

PLA Medics Arrive for Peace Train Drill

A 150-member Chinese military medical contingent arrived in Vientiane for a 17-day exercise with the Lao People's Army. It’s being called "Peace Train-2026," and it’s the sixth edition since 2017. More than 700 participant will be rehearsing a super typhoon rescue scenario using medical trains and unmanned rescue equipment. After the exercise wraps up, the team is expected to move on to Vientiane, Savannakhet, Champasak and Attapeu provinces for a spell of patient treatments and academic lectures.

Read more: Global Times, Chinamil, Bastillepost

Beijing and Vientiane Improve Police Ties

Chinese Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong hosted his Lao counterpart, Vanthong Kongmany, in Beijing this week where the two of them agreed to more cooperation on China-Laos Railway security in addition to tamping down on online gambling, telecom fraud, and the illicit drug scene. Vanthong thanked Beijing for its "long-standing support and assistance." Wang also met Uzbekistan's internal affairs minister Aziz Tashpulatov in his security push.

Read more: The Star

Cluster Munitions Treaty Comes Back to Vientiane

Vientiane is hosting the Third Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, an event that will bring more than 500 delegates back to the city that hosted the treaty's first meeting of states parties. Deputy PM Thongsavan Phomvihane, who also chairs the country's UXO/Mine Action authority, said the country is "100 percent ready" for the task. Organizers will be expecting visiting donors to pony up cash to fund more clearance work and help open farmland that remains too dangerous to plow.

Read more: The Star

That's all for this week, thanks for reading. Your voice matters to us. Feel we're missing something? Have additional sources to suggest? Don't hold back- hit reply and tell us what you think.

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If you value the Mekong Memo, please consider buying (or gifting!) a paid subscription, sharing it on social media or forwarding this email to someone who might enjoy it. Please also “like” this newsletter by clicking the ❤️ below (or sometimes above, depending on the platform), which helps us get visibility on the Substack network.

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