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Laos

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
North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Photo: KCNA via AP
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.

Hong Kong economy

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

Asean

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

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.

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Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands during their meeting on the sidelines of the Russia-Asean Summit in Kazan on Thursday. Photo: Sputnik/AP
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.

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.

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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.

Vietnamese deportee Tuan Phan, who spent nearly a year in South Sudan, speaks during a press conference before his departure from Juba International Airport on Friday. Photo: Reuters
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.

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.

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.

On November 11, 2024, the brand-new “Panda Express” tourist train officially debuted in Chengdu. Photo: scol.com
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.

A health worker dries gumboots and gloves under the sun at the Mulago National Referral Hospital isolation unit in Kampala, Uganda, on Monday, amid the Ebola outbreak. Photo: AFP
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.

Singapore

Suspected Filipino scammer reveals how Cambodian ring conned Singaporeans

De Villar Rizalyn Panganiban, accused of taking part in a three-level impersonation scam, gives insights into the gang’s fraud tactics.

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China airliners

Why China’s C909 jet is rapidly being deployed in Xinjiang

The Chinese-made jet debuted in Xinjiang as recently as 2023, but is now being used on more than 120 routes in the region.

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The C909 regional jet has transported more than 30 million passengers since launching a decade ago. Photo: Sina
SCMP Highlights

Japan’s Russia concern, firms pick Malaysia over Singapore: 7 Asia highlights

From Japan’s concerns about Russian military activity to moon bears freed in Laos, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

F-15J Eagle fighter aircraft of the Japan Air Self-Defence Force prepare for take-off at Chitose Air Base, Hokkaido prefecture, in 2017. Photo: AFP

Video | New flooding in Laos cave threatens rescue of remaining villagers

Rescuers say the conditions will complicate the mission to save two remaining villagers after they successfully freed five men trapped in the cave system.

Video | Villagers rescued from flooded Laos cave

The men emerged weak and dazed to an outpouring of emotion from rescuers and relatives.

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Asean

Asian Angle | Where Southeast Asians really want to live, work and travel

While Thailand leads for tourism, Singapore and Japan are the top draws for work, revealing uneven regional soft power dynamics.

People at the Merlion statue in Singapore. The city state has emerged top among Southeast Asians who chose an Asean member as their preferred relocation destination, according to a survey. Photo: AFP
Thailand

5 villagers trapped in flooded Laos cave freed after 10-day ordeal

The men emerged weak and dazed to an outpouring of emotion from rescuers and relatives on the muddy topside. Two others remain missing.

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Asean

Opinion | Why the Philippines walks a delicate balance as Asean chair

Manila’s success at the helm will depend on its ability to make the Association of Southeast Asian Nations more operational than before.

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Video | Five of 7 villagers trapped in Laos cave found alive

A Thai-led rescue team broke through to an area where they found the 5 villagers on a muddy ledge, but two others from the group remain missing.

People trapped in a cave are found alive by rescue workers in Xaisomboun Province, Laos, May 27, 2026, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. Norrased Palasing/via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.
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Thailand

5 of 7 villagers trapped in flooded Laos cave found alive

A Thai-led rescue team broke through to an area where they found the five villagers on a muddy ledge, but two others remain missing.

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A Thai-led rescue team broke through to an area in a flooded Laos cave where they found five of the seven missing villagers perched on a muddy ledge on Wednesday. Photo: Facebook / Thailand Rescue Diver
Extreme weather

Video | Rescuers race to save miners in flooded Laos cave

Thai teams have joined the mission, as rescuers share photos of the treacherous conditions in the cave tunnel.

Animals

After years in tiny cages, 27 moon bears finally taste freedom in Laos

The raid on a brutal bile extraction facility disguised as a zoo was believed to be the largest in Southeast Asian history.

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Thailand

Search in flooded cave for 7 gold-mining villagers in Laos enters sixth day

Thai teams have joined the mission, as rescuers share photos of the treacherous conditions in the cave tunnel.

A rescuer navigates through a flooded cave in Xaysomboun province, Laos, where seven villagers who were mining for gold are trapped. Photo: Facebook/Thailand Rescue Diver
Asean

Over 4,300 Southeast Asian species face extinction threat

Tigers, giant catfish, gibbons and pangolins are among the thousands of ‘critically endangered’ or ‘endangered’ species in the region.

A critically endangered Sumatran rhino calf with its mother at the Way Kambas National Park Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Indonesia. Photo: AFP/Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry
Indonesia

Police raids reveal Indonesia as new hub for scam, gambling syndicates

Hundreds of foreigners have been arrested in Indonesia recently following crackdowns against crime groups in Cambodia and Myanmar.

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US-China relations

US trial hears witness claims of harassment over Chinese ‘secret police station’

Witness testifies he was harassed after holding a protest against the establishment of alleged Fuzhou-controlled facility in New York.

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