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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

last updated:

29 November, 2024

Seven foreigners were hospitalised after drinking cocktails at a five-star hotel in Fiji, health officials said on Sunday. Photo: Shutterstock

Pacific nations

7 foreigners hospitalised after drinking cocktails at 5-star Fiji resort

Guests at the luxury Warwick Fiji resort suffered ‘nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms’, Fiji’s health ministry said.

16 Dec 2024 - 11:40AMvideocam

Singapore

Singapore saw 9,000 phishing takedowns, Meta says in scam centre alert

11 Dec 2024 - 9:46AM

Indonesia

Indonesia’s battle with bootleg liquor reveals hidden health crisis

5 Dec 2024 - 10:00AMvideocam

South China Sea

South China Sea: US alliances mar peace and stability, China envoy tells Asean

Beijing’s ambassador to Asean tells forum Western narrative of ‘Ukraine today, East Asia tomorrow’ increases conflict risk in region.

29 Nov 2024 - 1:44PMvideocam

China’s ambassador to Asean Hou Yanqi has told a forum in Hong Kong the South China Sea is not an issue between China and the Asean nations. Photo: Handout

Asia travel

Laos hostel staff detained after backpackers’ deaths from alcohol poisoning

Six backpackers died in Laos after suspected methanol poisoning, where consuming alcohol remains a concern.

26 Nov 2024 - 6:58PMvideocam

Wellness

Explainer | Methanol poisoning, its symptoms and why it is so deadly

The deaths in Laos of six foreign tourists who had methanol-tainted drinks was a reminder of how lethal the industrial alcohol can be.

26 Nov 2024 - 3:47PMvideocam

Asean

Laos vows justice after tainted alcohol kills tourists

Laotian authorities have promised a full investigation into the deaths of six tourists.

24 Nov 2024 - 4:09PM

Foreign tourists relax with beer and food in Blue lagoon, in Vang Vieng, Laos. Photo: AP

Tourism

Laotian tourist hotspot overshadowed by string of deadly poisonings

The mass poisoning in Vang Vieng in northern Laos has killed at least six tourists and potentially injured scores of others.

23 Nov 2024 - 10:42PM

Australia

Second Australian teen dies after suspected Laos poisoning, death toll now 6

Holly Bowles, 19, died hours after her friend Bianca Jones following a night out in Vang Vieng. Two Danes, an American and a Briton have also died.

22 Nov 2024 - 7:44PMvideocam

Asean

Singapore warns Myanmar not to use Asean for ‘politics of retaliation’

Singapore’s Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said Myanmar’s actions could foster a “politics of retaliation” and urged the junta not to exploit Asean for its own interests.

22 Nov 2024 - 3:33PMvideocam

Singapore’s Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen attends an Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus in Jakarta, Indonesia, in November 2023. Photo: Pool/AP

Australia

Australian tourist dies after drinking tainted alcohol in Laos

The poisoning incident in Vang Vieng has left Bianca Jones, two Danes and an American traveller dead.

21 Nov 2024 - 2:05PM

Bianca Jones died in a Thai hospital after consuming suspected methanol-laced alcohol while holidaying in Laos. Photo: Facebook/BiancaJones

Banking & finance

Laos owes billions to China and it can’t get inflation under control

For three years, prices have risen by more than 20 per cent – forcing a growing number in the Southeast Asian nation to forage for food.

18 Nov 2024 - 1:07PM

China-Asean relations

China leveraging Laos to link up its Southeast Asian economic interests

Premier Li Qiang visited Laos earlier this month, with the relatively undeveloped and small Southeast Asia nation seen as key to China’s plans in the region.

27 Oct 2024 - 9:00AMvideocam

John Lee policy address 2024

Hong Kong to prioritise themed travel, attract high-spending visitors: John Lee

Authorities are seeking to diversify the tourism sector as well as integrate sports and culture.

17 Oct 2024 - 1:18AMvideocam

Hong Kong’s offering of horse racing has made it unique in the region as neighbouring cities such as Singapore and Macau had done away with the sport in recent years, a source says. Photo: Sam Tsang

China-Australia relations

Editorial | Lobsters deal whets appetite for better China-Australia ties

Lifting of ban by mainland China on the Australian seafood raises hopes of a continuing improvement in relations between two countries.

15 Oct 2024 - 1:04AM

Cooked Eastern Rock Lobster is displayed at Sydney Fish Markets in December 2023. China’s trade ban on Australian lobsters is to end after more than three years. Photo: Getty Images

China’s C919 passenger plane

China eyes route for C919 into Southeast Asia, with landlocked Laos on the radar

China said it appreciated Laos’ interest in and intention to cooperate on Chinese commercial aircraft without naming the C919 or ARJ21.

15 Oct 2024 - 1:51PMvideocam

Asean

Biden skips Southeast Asia summits – is it a snub or strategy shift?

Biden’s absence does not necessarily indicate weaker US interest in Southeast Asia but rather a shift in engagement strategy, analysts say.

12 Oct 2024 - 1:52PMvideocam

China-Asean relations

Vietnam trip offers Chinese premier chance to mend ties after fishermen ‘attack’

Li Qiang’s visit follows a recent protest over an incident in the Paracel Islands and offers Beijing a chance to keep its neighbour onside.

11 Oct 2024 - 10:45PMvideocam

China’s Premier Li Qiang (left) and his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh at this week’s forum in Laos. The pair will meet again when Li visits Vietnam. Photo: EPA-EFE

China-Japan relations

China’s Li Qiang and Japanese PM Ishiba pledge stable ties in first meeting

Japan’s new ‘military geek’ prime minister is looking to strengthen his country’s defences and roll out security innovations.

11 Oct 2024 - 7:22PMvideocam

Asean

Opinion | Asean neutrality remains key to regional peace amid US-China rivalry

As next Asean chair Malaysia shows, an open door to all, even with intensifying great power competition, is vital to stability and development.

11 Oct 2024 - 5:59AMvideocam

China-Asean relations

Biden administration to raise South China Sea, Ukraine at Asean summit

The US secretary of state is expected to raise both topics in Laos this week, highlighting China’s actions in each.

9 Oct 2024 - 8:26AM

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is headed to Laos for a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Photo: Reuters

Myanmar

‘Evolving’ Southeast Asia scammers stole up to US$37 billion in 2023: UN

The UN says the region has become a hotbed for money laundering, and illegal gambling, with criminal groups using advanced technologies to expand operations.

7 Oct 2024 - 5:35PMvideocam

The transnational organised crime threat landscape in Southeast Asia is evolving faster than in any previous point in history, the UN said. Photo: Shutterstock

Asean

Opinion | Asean needs a plan to navigate choppy US-China relations

The regional grouping is at a crossroads, under pressure from its own citizens to do better amid high anxiety over major power competition.

1 Oct 2024 - 8:30PMvideocam

China-Asean relations

Why China’s belt and road push could give it an edge in Southeast Asia

Infrastructure projects such as high-speed rail could help Beijing keep US from coaxing region into its orbit, analysts say.

28 Sep 2024 - 8:30AMvideocam

Thailand

Tourists in Chiang Mai warned of flood risks amid Thailand’s climate crisis

The country is still dealing with flash floods since Super Typhoon Yagi, which has killed hundreds of people across Southeast Asia.

26 Sep 2024 - 2:13PM

A street in the Chang Khlan area, Chiang Mai, which was flooded due to the Ping River overflowing into urban areas. Photo: dpa

The Philippines

‘Don’t throw stones’: Philippines defence chief calls out China over Typhon

Gilberto Teodoro Jnr challenged China to dismantle its nuclear arsenal before criticising the presence of US missiles in the Philippines.

28 Sep 2024 - 5:13AM

The Typhon, or Mid-Range Capability (MRC), missile system arrives for deployment in Northern Luzon, the Philippines, in April. Photo: US Army/Handout

Vietnam

‘Almost Brexit-like’: Cambodia’s exit from development pact may sour relations

Experts say Prime Minister Hun Manet bowing to opposition pressure casts doubt on his government’s commitment to regional cooperation.

25 Sep 2024 - 3:28PMvideocam

Cambodia

Cambodia protests kill regional development agreement with Laos, Vietnam

The CLV-DTA, formalised in 2004, intended to facilitate cooperation on trade and migration in northeastern Cambodia.

21 Sep 2024 - 7:05PM

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