Water Throwing Festival

Sand stupas

Cleansing and blessing Buddha statues

Celebration of one's parents

Happy Lao New Year 2567 to everyone!

Image: The sacred Buddha statue of Luangprabang that is brought out to the public during Lao New Year celebrations.  This is a part of the Lao New Year tradition of cleansing and blessing of Buddha statues called song pa.

Saeng's selection of 5 Lao dishes

This is when Saeng did a video for Buzzfeed's Bring Me food channel back in 2020 talking about his selection of five Lao dishes.  Have a look.

Source:  Bring Me (via Youtube, 2020)

The coffee chain taking over Laos

By:  Laoconnection.com, March 1, 2024

If you've visited Laos before you've probably seen and likely visited this store before.

It's lap, not larb

By:  Laoconnection.com, February 20, 2024

Since there is no international set standard of how to write Lao words into English, you'll often see many spelling variations of the same word.  This is often dependent on who's writing and everyone seems to have their own way of writing it out - us included!

How Valentine's Day is celebrated in Laos

By:  Laoconnection.com, February 19, 2024

Like their international counterparts, Lao people will celebrate it on the 14th of February.  However, Valentine's Day is a relatively new celebratory day in Laos in that people have only really taken it on more within the last 5 years or so.

Kpop Star Felix spotted in Laos

By:  Laoconnection.com, February 14, 2024

Felix Yongbok Lee from the famous Korean k-pop band Stray Kids was reportedly spotted in Laos last week.  He chose to spend his Lunar New Year vacation there doing volunteer work.  News outlets and social media in South Korea began reporting the news on February 7, 2024. 

Enjoy the view, flying over Laos - Visit Laos Year 2024

Source:  Piano Relax (via Youtube)

Laos to reap little profit from growth of farm exports

Source:  RFA Lao, February 9, 2024

A 20% year-over-year increase of agricultural exports from Laos in 2023 was largely on the back of Chinese plantations, according to trade officials, meaning that the country will reap few of the profits.

Members of the business community told RFA Lao that the government needs to review its approach to foreign investment while improving its agricultural output to avoid a deepening trade deficit and improve the living standards of farmers in Laos.

Laos urged to join Ottawa mine convention

Source:  The Star (Myannmar), February 12, 2024

Phnom Penh - Ly Thuch, first vice-president of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), has requested that Laos join the Ottawa Convention as the 165th state party, pledging that the kingdom will support Laos’ mine clearance efforts and adherence to the convention.

Laos strongly raises tourist target for this year

Source:  VietnamPlus, February 13, 2024

Vientiane – The Lao Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism hopes 6.2 million domestic and foreign tourists will make trips to the country in 2024, much higher than the initial target of 4.6 million set in late 2023.

Lao Elephant Festival 2024 hoped to attract visitors to Xayaboury

Source:  VietnamPlus, January 4, 2024

The famous Elephant Festival of Laos will run from February 12-18 in the northwestern province of Xayaboury.

Phetphixay Sounvilay, Deputy Governor of Xayaboury, said that the festival, the 17th of its kind, aims to not only continue preserving the beauty of customs, traditional culture and lifestyle of Lao ethnic people, but also raise awareness about the conservation of elephants. It is also an opportunity to attract a large number of domestic and foreign tourists to Laos and the province in particular.

Luangprabang Film Festival - where is it now?

By:  Laoconnection.com, February 12, 2024

New Name

Two years ago, the Luang Prabang Film Festival had to change its name.  For unknown reasons, local Lao officials made the ask to have it changed shortly before the 2022 film festival was set to open.  

Calendar of events - Visit Laos Year 2024

No matter what time of the year you visit Laos, you're sure to find some celebration happening.  The events are a great way to get involved, have fun, participate in or just watch the activities, and learn about Lao culture.

Image:  Lao culture collage

Tempting you to visit - Visit Laos Year 2024

Source: Relaxing Travels 4K (via Youtube)

Laos Attracts Big Celebrity Names

Source:  Jonathan Meadley, Laotian Times, January 24, 2024

From big-name YouTubers to Asian superstars and Hollywood actors, Laos has welcomed some big names to the country over the past year. Here‘s a quick snapshot of the people who visited Asia’s hidden gem in 2023:

World Bank's Public Finance Review of Lao PDR 2023

Title:  Lao PDR 2023 - Forging Ahead: Restoring Stability and Boosting Prosperity - Public Finance Review
By:  World Bank
Publisher, Year:  World Bank, January 9, 2024
Price:  Free download

Publisher's Abstract

The Lao PDR is facing unprecedented macroeconomic challenges, which jeopardize hard-won development gains. Over the past two decades, the country attracted considerable foreign investment and fostered regional integration, which contributed to a long period of high economic growth. Many human development indicators improved during the period 2000–2019, including child and maternal mortality, school enrolment, income poverty, and gender equity. 

Villagers Protest in Xieng Khouang Over Alleged Land Grab

Source:  LaotianTimes.com, January 24, 2024

Villagers of Xang village, Khoun district, Xieng Khouang Province, launched a protest against an alleged land grab by Phengxay Sole Ltd. Company (“the company”) on 22 January.

The 30 minute long video shows spokespeople for the village, including the Village Chief, advocating against the issuing of the land rights certificate to the company.

Get your tickets to Sabaidee Fest 2024

Source:  Sabaidee Fest 2024 (via Youtube)

Riding on the success of last year's incredible success, this year's Sabaidee Fest pre-sale ticket  has already begun in earnest.  Don't miss out!  

More details below and at their website.

High inflation in Laos - it's been worse before

By:  Laoconnection.com, February 6, 2024

For Laos, the start of 2024 has seen continued news of high inflation throughout the economy in many sectors and across a variety of products and services.  

While the Lao government has the goal of getting inflation to 9% for 2024, it remains in the double digits at the time of this writing.  The average inflation in 2023 was 31.2%, according to the Lao Statistics Bureau.

As bad as the inflation rate currently is in Laos, is this the worst inflation the country has seen?

Education in Laos - 3 connected challenges

Source:  World Bank, January 29, 2024

BCEL Launches New Payment App for Tourists During Visit Laos Year 2024

Source:  Namfon Chanthavong, Laotian Times, February 2, 2024

Banque pour le Commerce Exterieur Lao Public (BCEL) has unveiled the EZyKip application in a bid to streamline currency exchange for tourists visiting Laos during Visit Laos Year 2024.

Most slithery new book

Title:  The Snakes of Laos
By: Patrick David, Alexandre Teynié, Gernot Vogel
Publisher, Year:  Edition Chimaira, 2023
ISBN:  9783-89973-129-3
Price:  258€

If you're into snakes found in Laos and have a few hundred dollars to put down, then this book could be for you.  Not only is the price jaw-dropping but physically it comes in at a whopping 4.3kg (9.5Ibs) and contains 900+ pages that's chalk full of details and pictures.

This book is likely to be the most definitive publication on this reptile for the country of Laos and will likely become the go-to reference for years to come for anyone looking for information on snakes found in the region.  The level of research and detail is impressive.

Laos earns US$1.4 billion from agricultural exports in 2023

Source:  Vientiane Times, February 2, 2024

Laos earned more than US$1.4 billion from the export of agricultural produce last year, exceeding the target for 2023 by 20.18 percent.

Reporting on developments in the sector, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Mr Thongphat Vongmany said the value of production in agriculture and forestry grew by 3.4 percent in 2023, accounting for 21.4 percent of gross domestic product.

Fears grow that dam across Mekong River in Laos could harm World Heritage site of Luang Prabang

Source: David Rising, Associated Press, February 1, 2024

Photo Source:  AP, January 28, 2024

LUANG PRABANG, Laos (AP) — Landlocked Laos doesn’t have the famous beaches of its neighbors to attract tourists, but instead relies on the pristine beauty of its mountains and rivers and historical sites to bring in visitors.

Champa Meuang Lao - Free Lao-English Magazine

This magazine continually gets better and better!  For those who don't know, it's Lao Airlines official inflight magazine.  Some people might assume these types of magazines might be a bit of a bore but in this case, we can't get enough of it.  It's a beautiful magazine.

How different Southeast Asian cultures preserve meat

Source:  CNA Insider (via Youtube)

Vehicles Queue Up at Petrol Stations as Vientiane Residents Fear Upcoming Fuel Shortage

Source:  Chono Lapuekou, Laotian Times, January 23, 2024 (updated January 24, 2024)

Over the weekend, Vientiane Capital started experiencing an increase in the number of vehicles lining up at petrol stations, raising worries about an upcoming fuel shortage. Residents’ reports suggest that numerous stations have exhausted their diesel stocks, with some now encountering shortages in both diesel and gasoline.

Laos holds festival to promote food products in foreign markets

By:  Xinhua News, January 24, 2024

VIENTIANE -- An annual Lao Food Festival has been launched here to attract foreign visitors to experience local food products and promote Lao food in the international market.

The festival runs for five days from Tuesday to Saturday with the theme of "Tasting Lao food, visit Laos year 2024," said Lao national TV on Wednesday.

Focusing on the Lao community and mental health

Instagram has become a great way to connect with the Lao community.  For those who use this social media, here's one worth checking out.  They discuss a variety of issues from entertainment to mental health and healing - all with a focus on the Lao community.  It's called HealingOutLaod.  Check them out!

A journey of discovery on the Mekong through Laos

 Source:  Deutsche Welle (via Youtube)

Very useful Lao/English Buddhist book

Title: Short Dictionary of Religious and Buddhist Terms Lao-English  / ວັດຈະນານຸກົມນ້ອຍ ຄວາມເຊື່ອ ແລະ ພູດທະສາສນາ ລາວ-ອງກິດ
By:  Patrice Ludwig / ເພັດ ລາດວິກ
Price:  FREE

Laos opens up about mental health amid poor professional support

Source:  SoutheastAsiaGlobe.com
By:  Beatrice Siviero, May 3, 2023

A field of new services and awareness groups sprouted during the loneliness of the Covid-19 pandemic. But with only one licensed psychiatrist in all of Laos and a lack of educational pathways to produce more, mental health issues often go untreated.

Lao-American Author Releases Children's Book "Noy's Journey to Belonging"

By:  EINPresswire.com and Beautiful Potential Consulting LLC, November 16, 2023

UNITED STATES, November 16, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Renowned Lao author Niphaphone Laura Robertson (formerly Sanavongsay) has unveiled her latest literary work, "Noy's Journey to Belonging: A Quest for Courage," aimed at addressing the scarcity of Lao literature in educational curriculums. Inspired by the Teaching Equitable Asian American Community History (TEAACH) Act of Illinois, Robertson's mission is to promote cultural representation and educate others about the history of Laos.

Laos government targets lower inflation rates in 2024

Source:  Laotian Times, December 29, 2023

Despite the country’s persistent efforts to curb inflation, Laos experienced an average inflation rate of 31.2 per cent throughout 2023. But the central bank and the Lao government are committed to taking action and reducing the rating by 9 per cent in 2024.

The latest report from the Lao Statistics Bureau reveals that inflation stood at 24.4 percent in December, although it showed a slight decrease from 25.24 percent in November.