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Headlines:
Cambodia–Laos Boost Insurance Collaboration
PM Meets Japanese Biz Leaders for Investment
EU Grants €45 Million to Support Development
Mongolia and Laos Explore New Trade Corridor
Health Ministry Pilots SMS Vaccine Reminders
Methanol Poisoning Tragedy Reckoning
Digital Marketing Drives Business Growth
Four Million Visitors and Regional Expansion Plans
Illegal Deforestation as Forest Crimes Persist
Gov’t Calls for Reduced Foreign Currency Use
Agricultural Expansion to Reduce Imports
PM2.5 Levels Pose Serious Health Risks
Cambodia–Laos Boost Insurance Collaboration
Officials in Cambodia and Laos have signed an MoU to improve cross‐border insurance cooperation. The agreement sets up a framework for support in product governance, microinsurance, and digital products, along with sharing of expertise and improvements to defining the market. Both regulators say they want to implement measures to streamline product innovations and ensure efficient claims processing. Neither of these markets is especially sophisticated, so the tie-up should help both countries to stabilize their respective insurance markets and set up better consumer protections.
Read more: Khmer Times
PM Meets Japanese Biz Leaders for Investment
Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone led a roundtable in Tokyo with more than 100 Japanese business representatives. The discussion centered on improving ties and growing bilateral investments, especially in green/ environmental sectors and clean energy. The Japanese leaders got some insight into investment opportunities along with the government's commitment to creating a welcoming investment climate.
Read more: Asianews Network
EU Grants €45 Million to Support Development
The European Union has approved €45 million in grants for Lao over the coming two years (through 2027). The funding is in support of Laos’ 10th National Socio-Economic Development Plan and will be used for education, green economy, and governance improvement. This package is part of a larger commitment that has seen more than €600 million allocated under the Team Europe Strategy. The funding arrives as preparations continue for Laos to graduate from Least Developed Country status.
Read more: The Star
Mongolia and Laos Explore New Trade Corridor
Ministers from Mongolia and Laos met to deliberate a transport corridor between their landlocked nations. Discussions included joining trilateral agreements on international road transport and revisiting ongoing transit projects like the high-speed railway between Laos and China. The talks are part of efforts to improve transport logistics, support regional trade, and ease freight movement.
Read more: Akipress
Health Ministry Pilots SMS Vaccine Reminders
The Lao Ministry of Health has begun a 12‐month pilot that sends SMS messages to parents reminding them of vaccination schedules. The program uses data from the Electronic Immunisation Register developed during the Covid pandemic. It is starting by targeting urban areas with around 50,000 parents to improve compliance for the timely uptake of measles, rubella, and inactivated polio vaccines. This pilot is a first in using digital records to drive public health engagement and improve vaccination coverage for children in Laos.
Read more: Asianews Network
Methanol Poisoning Tragedy Reckoning
Multiple accounts from survivors and families recount the recent methanol poisoning incident in Laos that claimed lives of several foreign travelers. Victims have recounted the terrible health impacts they faced after downing drinks that had been laced with methanol at a backpackers hostel in Vang Vieng. Families of Thai and British victims are upset and frustrated over delayed investigations, and calls are growing louder for better regulation and improved safety protocols for tourist venues.
Digital Marketing Drives Business Growth
A recent study in the International Journal of Business Performance Management shows digital marketing has improved operational and financial performance for Lao SMEs. The analysis used structural equation modeling to show online advertising, social media engagement, and mobile marketing are helping to improve IT infrastructure, operational efficiency, and financial outcomes. Business leaders are being told that they need to ramp up online efforts and take advantage of government support for digital infrastructure to remain competitive in the regional market.
Read more: Phys.org
Four Million Visitors and Regional Expansion Plans
Laos saw a much-needed tourism boom in 2024, drawing more than 4 million visitors—nearly a million more than in 2023. The country’s success is being credited to the 2024 Visit Laos Year campaign, increased international exposure, and visa exemptions for more than 30 countries, including the U.S. and several European nations. The top tourist sources were Thailand, Vietnam, and China. The trend is set to continue this year, with Khammuan province launching new attractions and improving infrastructure to attract more visitors. Plans include upgrading existing sites, adding adventure activities like ziplines and rock climbing, as well as modernizing tourism revenue collection. The province says that it wants to beat last year’s 800,000 visitors and 1,000 billion kip in revenue.
Read more: Laotian Times (National Tourism Growth), The Star (Khammuan Expansion), Bangkok Post (Ecotourism)
Illegal Deforestation as Forest Crimes Persist
Authorities in Oudomxay Province are doubling down efforts to combat illegal forest encroachment, destruction, and fires after recording 674 cases in 2024. Of these, only about a third have been resolved. The crackdown is centered on Hee Phee Mountain National Protected Area, Phu Tho Protected Area, and the Nam Beng – Nam Mao National Forest Reserve, important areas for biodiversity and local livelihoods. Though forest fire damage dropped 57% from 2023, illegal clearing for agriculture is still a major issue that threatens conservation efforts.
Read more: Laotian Times
Gov’t Calls for Reduced Foreign Currency Use
The Bank of Laos is introducing new rules to to reinforce the use of the Lao kip and reduce widespread reliance on foreign currencies. The rules include currency deposit management, foreign exchange controls, and tighter regulations on international money transfers. The initiative demands that currency exchanges happen only through authorized banks and promotes the slogan “In Laos, use only the kip.”
Read more: Laotian Times
Agricultural Expansion to Reduce Imports
Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone has told the agriculture and forestry sectors to improve production levels and increase exports and to cut reliance on imports. He wants to see the development of seed mills, greenhouses, and research labs, more private investment, and improved land-use planning. Challenges remain, including low levels of mechanization, outdated farming methods, and poor dry-season yields.
Read more: Laotian Times
PM2.5 Levels Pose Serious Health Risks
Several areas in Laos have recorded PM2.5 concentrations higher than safe limits, putting sensitive groups in danger, according to the Natural Resource and Environment Research Institute. The highest level, AQI 140, unhealthy for sensitive groups, was seen in Bountay district, Phongsaly province. Other affected areas include Xieng Khuang, Borikhamxay, Vientiane, Saravan, and Xanakham, with AQI values between 104 and 114. The burning of farmland, vehicle emissions, and industrial pollution are the main problems being blamed by authorities.
Read more: Vientiane Times
That’s all for this week, thanks for reading.
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