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Laos

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Laos. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Vientiane

Head of State

President Thongloun Sisoulith

Head of Government

Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone

US President Donald Trump signs the “Secure America Act” in June, securing billions in funding for his immigration crackdown. Photo: AFP

US-China relations

US visa revocations hit 175,000, on pace for new record under Trump

State Department says the 2026 total is set to surpass last year’s record as US president presses ahead with his immigration crackdown.

11 Aug 2026 - 6:23AMvideocam

Asean

Asian scam gangs snare educated English speakers with fake job ads: UN agency

29 Jul 2026 - 12:30PMvideocam

Asean

Can Southeast Asia survive more Iran war fuel shocks?

24 Jul 2026 - 6:31PMvideocam

Cambodia

Hun Manet vows to make Cambodia ‘not worth staying’ for scammers

Cambodia has come under significant international pressure over scam compounds, including from both the US and China.

24 Jul 2026 - 11:37AMvideocam

A soldier stands guard inside a compound that is believed to have been used for scam operations in O’Smach, near the Thai-Cambodian border, on March 6. Photo: Reuters

Asia travel

As Laos’ methanol poisoning case begins, friend of victim slams ‘cover-up’

A British man who was blinded in the incident says he feels sorry for the families of the six victims who died, but is ‘not angry’ any more.

24 Jul 2026 - 5:00PM

Myanmar

Myanmar and Laos plan downstream Mekong’s biggest dam yet

A joint study for a 2,790MW hydropower project is more political stunt than power plan, critics say.

22 Jul 2026 - 4:40PM

Indonesia

Indonesia’s AI ambitions test US-China balancing act

Analysts warn joining the new body could limit Indonesia’s access to US-made AI models and proprietary technology.

21 Jul 2026 - 6:41PMvideocam

Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto (left), who represented the country at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on Thursday, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Photo: Xinhua

Asean

Opinion | Southeast Asia must write its own trade rules for China’s ‘flying geese’

As Chinese manufacturers migrate south, Asean has the leverage to dictate terms on local sourcing and skills training.

18 Jul 2026 - 12:00PM

US-China relations

US-China AI rivalry becomes a battle to export competing tech governance visions

Will the world choose Washington’s market-driven approach or Beijing’s open-source model that aims to be accessible and safe?

17 Jul 2026 - 4:00PMvideocam

China trade

China’s power exports to Asean surge 40% in first half of 2026

Myanmar is leading the export surge for China’s power in Asean, with exports to the country nearly doubling in the first five months.

14 Jul 2026 - 7:00PM

High-voltage transmission towers and power lines in Dunhuang, China on June 1. Photo: Zhe Ji

China airliners

China’s C919 on Malaysia Airlines’ radar, but Western certification preferred

Opportunities for Comac’s C919 will increase with certification by Western aviation regulators, a Malaysia Aviation Group executive says.

13 Jul 2026 - 11:00AM

A crowd watches as China's domestically produced C919 passenger jet takes off at an air show in Nanchang, central Jiangxi province, on November 2, 2024. Photo: AFP

Thailand

Wombs for hire: the painful price of Asia’s lawless baby trade

Commercial surrogacy is illegal in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. It is also worth an estimated US$15 billion a year.

12 Jul 2026 - 1:30PM

Myanmar

Myanmar has ‘a mountain to climb’ to woo 2 million tourists a year

Myanmar saw 4.5 million tourist arrivals at the peak in 2015, but the numbers have fallen sharply since the military coup in 2021.

9 Jul 2026 - 3:45PMvideocam

Singapore

Can Singapore and Indonesia’s energy push kick-start regional power grid?

The cooperation could boost both countries’ sustainability goals and help shape regional frameworks for the Asean Power Grid, analysts say.

7 Jul 2026 - 8:30PM

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (left) with Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday. Photo: AFP

Middle East

Opinion | How bitter Persian Gulf rivals can make peace the Asean way

Promoting de-escalation and shared prosperity in the Persian Gulf may seem arduous now. It once looked that way in Southeast Asia, too.

5 Jul 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

An Iranian woman walks past an anti-US mural, depicting an Iranian and US negotiation table, next to the former US embassy in Tehran, Iran, on June 22. Photo: EPA

Thailand

Drug traffickers using social media to hire Thai airline staff as couriers

A Thai Airways flight attendant was charged with importing more than one kilogram of heroin into Australia.

4 Jul 2026 - 7:03PM

US-China relations

Xi Jinping meets foreign leaders: tracker, June 2026

Chinese President Xi Jinping has met more than 20 world leaders this year, reflecting Beijing’s increasing global influence.

1 Jul 2026 - 11:36AM

Hong Kong economy

New Asean Chamber of Commerce launched in Hong Kong will ‘fulfil long-felt need’

New business group launched at the South China Morning Post’s GBA-Asean Summit 2026.

30 Jun 2026 - 7:46PM

Dignitaries, including city leader John Lee (front centre), gather for a group photo at the launch of the new chamber. Photo: May Tse

Asean

Asian Angle | Asean’s side deals in Myanmar risk missing where the power truly lies

Trading collective leverage for isolated bargains blinds the bloc to changing realities on the ground.

27 Jun 2026 - 11:00AM

Singapore

Why Wong-Putin meeting doesn’t mean Singapore’s going soft on Russia

Singapore needs to balance its tough stance on the Ukraine war with its responsibilities towards other Asean nations, experts say.

22 Jun 2026 - 6:58PMvideocam

Asean

Can Russia secure ‘third power’ status in Southeast Asia with energy push?

While energy may be ‘a good opening’ for Russia to boost Asean ties, analysts say its relevance in the region is unlikely to grow.

20 Jun 2026 - 3:24PM

Russian President Vladimir Putin (centre) with Southeast Asian leaders at the Russia-Asean Summit in Kazan on Thursday. Photo: EPA

Extreme weather

Asia’s shaky food supply shudders as ‘super’ El Nino arrives

Every few years, the Pacific runs a fever. This year, it could be worse than anything seen for decades, scientists warn.

20 Jun 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

Africa

Vietnamese deported to South Sudan under Trump’s controversial scheme goes home

At least seven African nations have agreed to accept deportees who are not their own citizens as part of arrangements with the US.

19 Jun 2026 - 7:13PM

Malaysia

Malaysia and Asean tap Russia for energy security, defying Western ‘prejudices’

At the Asean-Russia summit in Kazan, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim signalled the bloc’s willingness to engage with Moscow on trade.

18 Jun 2026 - 6:29PM

Asean

Iran war ‘stark wake-up call’ for fossil fuel-dependent Southeast Asia: IEA

The agency warns that the region’s energy import bill could triple to US$245 billion by 2035 if it does not quickly look for alternatives.

16 Jun 2026 - 11:02PM

The sun sets next to power lines along San Fernando town, north of the Philippines’ capital of Manila. Photo: AFP

China travel

Panda and pet services: China plans over 160 tourist trains to boost consumption

Beijing eyes themed journeys and new on-board services as part of broader efforts to rebalance the economy.

11 Jun 2026 - 6:36PM

Ebola virus

Asia on Ebola alert: could the virus slip through regional defences?

While the risk of Ebola reaching Asia is low, experts urge governments to prioritise early detection over border controls.

10 Jun 2026 - 11:30AM

Myanmar

Deformed fish in river, pollution from rare earth mines in Myanmar fuel fears

Russian and Chinese firms are also competing to be the first to reach a tungsten mine in a conflict zone, sparking concerns of NGOs.

5 Jun 2026 - 4:07PM

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Laos

US visa revocations hit 175,000, on pace for new record under Trump

State Department says the 2026 total is set to surpass last year’s record as US president presses ahead with his immigration crackdown.

Asian scam gangs snare educated English speakers with fake job ads: UN agency

Can Southeast Asia survive more Iran war fuel shocks?

Hun Manet vows to make Cambodia ‘not worth staying’ for scammers

Cambodia has come under significant international pressure over scam compounds, including from both the US and China.

As Laos’ methanol poisoning case begins, friend of victim slams ‘cover-up’

A British man who was blinded in the incident says he feels sorry for the families of the six victims who died, but is ‘not angry’ any more.

Myanmar and Laos plan downstream Mekong’s biggest dam yet

A joint study for a 2,790MW hydropower project is more political stunt than power plan, critics say.

Indonesia’s AI ambitions test US-China balancing act

Analysts warn joining the new body could limit Indonesia’s access to US-made AI models and proprietary technology.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Southeast Asia must write its own trade rules for China’s ‘flying geese’

As Chinese manufacturers migrate south, Asean has the leverage to dictate terms on local sourcing and skills training.

US-China AI rivalry becomes a battle to export competing tech governance visions

Will the world choose Washington’s market-driven approach or Beijing’s open-source model that aims to be accessible and safe?

China’s power exports to Asean surge 40% in first half of 2026

Myanmar is leading the export surge for China’s power in Asean, with exports to the country nearly doubling in the first five months.

China’s C919 on Malaysia Airlines’ radar, but Western certification preferred

Opportunities for Comac’s C919 will increase with certification by Western aviation regulators, a Malaysia Aviation Group executive says.

Wombs for hire: the painful price of Asia’s lawless baby trade

Commercial surrogacy is illegal in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. It is also worth an estimated US$15 billion a year.

Myanmar has ‘a mountain to climb’ to woo 2 million tourists a year

Myanmar saw 4.5 million tourist arrivals at the peak in 2015, but the numbers have fallen sharply since the military coup in 2021.

Can Singapore and Indonesia’s energy push kick-start regional power grid?

The cooperation could boost both countries’ sustainability goals and help shape regional frameworks for the Asean Power Grid, analysts say.

Opinion | How bitter Persian Gulf rivals can make peace the Asean way

Promoting de-escalation and shared prosperity in the Persian Gulf may seem arduous now. It once looked that way in Southeast Asia, too.

Drug traffickers using social media to hire Thai airline staff as couriers

A Thai Airways flight attendant was charged with importing more than one kilogram of heroin into Australia.

Xi Jinping meets foreign leaders: tracker, June 2026

Chinese President Xi Jinping has met more than 20 world leaders this year, reflecting Beijing’s increasing global influence.

New Asean Chamber of Commerce launched in Hong Kong will ‘fulfil long-felt need’

New business group launched at the South China Morning Post’s GBA-Asean Summit 2026.

Asian Angle | Asean’s side deals in Myanmar risk missing where the power truly lies

Trading collective leverage for isolated bargains blinds the bloc to changing realities on the ground.

Why Wong-Putin meeting doesn’t mean Singapore’s going soft on Russia

Singapore needs to balance its tough stance on the Ukraine war with its responsibilities towards other Asean nations, experts say.

Can Russia secure ‘third power’ status in Southeast Asia with energy push?

While energy may be ‘a good opening’ for Russia to boost Asean ties, analysts say its relevance in the region is unlikely to grow.

Asia’s shaky food supply shudders as ‘super’ El Nino arrives

Every few years, the Pacific runs a fever. This year, it could be worse than anything seen for decades, scientists warn.

Vietnamese deported to South Sudan under Trump’s controversial scheme goes home

At least seven African nations have agreed to accept deportees who are not their own citizens as part of arrangements with the US.

Malaysia and Asean tap Russia for energy security, defying Western ‘prejudices’

At the Asean-Russia summit in Kazan, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim signalled the bloc’s willingness to engage with Moscow on trade.

Iran war ‘stark wake-up call’ for fossil fuel-dependent Southeast Asia: IEA

The agency warns that the region’s energy import bill could triple to US$245 billion by 2035 if it does not quickly look for alternatives.

Panda and pet services: China plans over 160 tourist trains to boost consumption

Beijing eyes themed journeys and new on-board services as part of broader efforts to rebalance the economy.

Asia on Ebola alert: could the virus slip through regional defences?

While the risk of Ebola reaching Asia is low, experts urge governments to prioritise early detection over border controls.

Deformed fish in river, pollution from rare earth mines in Myanmar fuel fears

Russian and Chinese firms are also competing to be the first to reach a tungsten mine in a conflict zone, sparking concerns of NGOs.

Opinion | Southeast Asia must write its own trade rules for China’s ‘flying geese’