Security

BusinessChinaEmbassiesExpat Community LaosExpat RescourcesGovernmentInvestmentsLao EconomyRules and LawSecurity

Some 700 Malaysians Trapped In Laos After Answering Casino Job Ads

Some 700 Malaysians are reportedly being held captive in Bokeo province, Laos and have been abused by the resort managers who are allegedly demanding a large ransom for their release

Read More
Coronavirus / covid-19GovernmentLatest NewsRules and LawSecurity

Police Detain 32 People For Breaking Lockdown Rules

A team of commando police have detained 32 youngsters after they were found drinking and taking drugs at a hotel in Phonsinuan village, Sisattanak district, Vientiane, in blatant violation of the lockdown rules.

Read More
GovernmentInsuranceLatest NewsRules and LawSecurity

Ministry To Increase CCTV Camera Coverage In City

The Ministry of Public Security will increase the coverage of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in the capital, with an aim to improve surveillance, monitor crimes better, and help police deal with anti-social elements.

Read More
Rules and LawSecurity

Police Must Work Harder To Tackle Thefts And Burglaries In Vientiane

The people of the capital of Laos are, by and large, peaceful and law-abiding but as with all other cities around the world, they too face the problem of crimes such as thefts and burglaries.
Of late, the people of Vientiane have been troubled by several instances of car thefts and break-ins and it should be the mission of police officials to investigate these crimes and punish the wrong-doers under the laws of the country.

Read More
Communication (Phone-Internet-etc)PhonesRules and LawSecurity

Telephone Number Registry Checks Planned

A planned review of all mobile telephone numbers registered for use via the nation’s mobile SIM cards is to be led by the Ministry of Post and Communications aiming to ensure records are up to date.

Read More
Lao EconomySecurityTourism

Laos-Cambodia Border Closed Over Tensions

In the latest flare up in tensions between the two countries, Lao authorities temporarily shut a border crossing with Cambodia and dispatched more troops to an undemarcated area on the northern border after Cambodian authorities began renovating an old French border outpost.
According to local officials, Laos shut the Voen Kham border crossing in Stung Treng province’s O’Svay commune on Sunday and ….

Read More
Security

Police Arrest Drug Lord Bigger Than Xaysana

Anti-drug police of the General Department of Police under the Ministry of Public Security, in cooperation with relevant authorities, have arrested Khonepasong Soukkaseum, alias Xiengtheu, a drug lord they claim is bigger than transnational drug kingpin Xaysana Keophimpha.
Mr Khonepasong, 47, Lao national living in Vientiane, was arrested along with three associates on Jan 10, 2017, nine days before ….

Read More
Security

Southeast Asia Will See Upsurge In Terrorism Violence This Year, UN Reps Warn

Without effective collaboration among ASEAN partners, terrorism in Southeast Asia will continue to thrive this year as foreign fighters now in the Middle East return to home soil to continue their campaign.
The warning by two United Nations representatives came following observations of the rise of terrorism activity in the region last year, in countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and …..

Read More
Security

Suspected Drug Lord Linked to Thai and Lao Celebrities

Narcotics suppression chief says many high-society figures implicated after investigation of detainees.
Alleged Lao drug lord Xaysana Keopimpha’s network has cultivated unprecedented connections, with celebrities both in Thailand and Laos believed to have assisted him with money laundering and asset concealment.
“Entertainment figures, socialites and prominent members of Thailand’s luxury-car circles are now …..

Read More
Security

How Did Xaysana Get Away With It So Long ?

The arrest of drug lord Xaysana Keopimpha on January 20 as he disembarked from a flight from Phuket at Suvarnabhumi International Airport has exposed an underground world of crime in Laos that the authorities must find swift and effective ways to dismantle.
Thai police investigators determined that Xaysana, 42, heads a large syndicate smuggling narcotics from Laos via the Thai Northeast and South to other countries in the region. Thailand, it appears, is not ….

Read More
Security

Lao Police Determined To Crackdown On Hit-and-Run Drivers

Following a spate of accidents last year involving hit-and-run drivers which caused loss of life and disabling injuries to victims, traffic police are determined to stamp out the disturbing trend.
According to Vientiane Traffic Police Department there were 26 reported hit-and-run cases in the capital last year and police made 15 arrests. These resulted in 19 fatalities, with 15 people sustaining injuries and a damage bill of …..

Read More
Hotels, Guesthouse & ResortsSecurityTransportation - Vehicles

Risky Roads in Laos

Travellers are warned to not travel overland from Vang Viang to Luang Prabang as a safety precaution, according to the latest Smartraveller advisory issued by the Australian government, Monday.
The Australian advisory did not elaborate other than to say it was recommending travellers avoid overland travel on highway 13 beyond Vang Vieng.
However, a recent Canadian travel advisory advices travellers to ….

Read More
EducationSecurity

Accidental Explosion Kills Lao Military Instructor, Injures 26 Students

A trainer was killed and 26 secondary school students suffered minor injuries in an explosion accident yesterday morning during a military-tactics training drill at a secondary school in northern Oudomxay province, a police officer said.
The tragedy happened as the trainer, Military First Lieutenant Somphone brought both real and fake grenades to the training course held at a secondary school in Xay district. The trainer accidentally took ….

Read More
General InterestLuang PrabangSecurity

Two Children Dead, Three Missing After Bridge Collapses

Two children have died, 52 people have been rescued and three children are missing after they fell into a river in Luang Prabang province on Friday morning when the slatted wooden bridge they were walking on tipped sideways.
Fifty-seven schoolchildren, a teacher, and a motorcyclist fell off the bridge into the Xeng River at around 7am in Vangbay village, after one of the main ….

Read More
Communication (Phone-Internet-etc)PhonesSecurity

Ministry Bans Sale Of Samsung Galaxy Note 7

The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications announced on Tuesday that shops and mobile phone distributors nationwide are to stop importing and distributing the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone.
The ministry also instructed retailers to recall any Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones they had sold previously.
An assistant at LTH Samsungt old that sales of the phone had not been discontinued at the ….

Read More
Lao EconomyNature / WildlifeSecurity

Typhoon Hit Roads Thwart Travellers

Many sections of main roads in central and northern provinces have been blocked or collapsed following landslides caused by the effects of Typhoon Dianmu on the weekend.
Roads falling away or being blocked have hindered buses and other vehicles making their way along major northern routes causing lengthy delays.
In response, local public works and transport sectors are …..

Read More
Nature / WildlifeSecurity

Public Warned To Be On Alert After Mekong River Rise

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Meteorology and Hydrology Department has warned people who live along the banks of the Mekong River from the north to the south to be on alert due to rising river levels.
The warning came out yesterday after the Mekong’s water levels increased rapidly and some people’s rice fields and crops were flooded yesterday but the situation is still ….

Read More
Lao EconomyNGO-Organisations-DevelopmentSecurity

Seven Injured In UXO-Related Accidents This Year

Seven people have been injured in UXO-related accidents so far this year, according to a report from the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) for UXO/Mine Action in the Lao PDR.
NRA Deputy Director Mr Bounpheng Sisawath said that from January 1 to July 19 there had been three UXO-related accidents in which seven people sustained injuries but no ….

Read More
Communication (Phone-Internet-etc)InternetLao EconomyPhonesSecurity

Thai NBTC To Register Lao Mobile Phone Users

The NBTC and Laos’s Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (MPT) signed an agreement in February to cooperate on telecoms cooperation issues.
The NBTC will invest Bt7 million for the system, which will allow mobile phone users to use their fingerprint and ID to register via applications for mobile phones, tablets and …

Read More
Luang PrabangRules and LawSecurity

South Korea Next To Issue Travel Warning For Parts Of Laos

South Korea followed the US and Australia in issuing a travel warning against trips to Laos’ central province of Xaisomboun, as well as traveling on Route 13 that stretches from Kasi to Phou Khoun, part of the road connection between Vientiane and Luang Prabang.
The warning followed a number of recent shootings that involved and killed Chinese nationals working in Laos and already prompted the Laos government to ……

Read More
Ambulance ServiceHealthInsuranceRules and LawSecurity

Vientiane Rescue: The Deadly Streets Of Laos

In the blinding glare of headlights, the traffic keeps coming. Motorbikes swerve dangerously, cars drive down the wrong side of the road – it’s Friday night in Vientiane, the busiest night of the week on the Laotian capital’s roads.
With the country’s economy booming, more people in Laos can afford motorbikes and cars than ever before – and they drive ….

Read More
Excursions - VenuesHotels, Guesthouse & ResortsSecurityThailandTransportation - Vehicles

Laos Gets Tough With Foreigners Entering Nation

The Laotian government has issued an urgent order for officials to get stricter on foreigners entering the country.
Everyone entering Laos from tomorrow must have complete documents, said a source at the 1st Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge border checkpoint om March 5th.
The move followed several recent incidents of armed robbers assaulting and killing people and the ….

Read More
Rules and LawSecurity

Police Break Up Gang Of Weapons Dealers

Vientiane police are pursuing their investigations into a network of people allegedly selling weapons in Laos.
Officials will step up efforts to track down other suspects involved in weapons dealing and would seek to obtain more information from those already in police custody.
Police held the press conference to inform the public that they had broken up a gang of weapons dealers and had impounded a number of items they were …..

Read More
Expat Community LaosHotels, Guesthouse & ResortsSecurityThailand

Foreigners Being Arrested For Not Carrying Passports: Thai Police

On Friday, one hundred police officers and tourist police officers raided and roped off an entertainment complex in Chiang Mai, refusing to let tourists go, testing urine for drugs and arresting tourists without a passport on them.
In a separate incident, again more than 100 officers raided Pattaya’s famed Walking Street and took ……

Read More
Rules and LawSecurity

Vientiane Motorists Face Ten-Fold Fines On Roadside Parking

Motorists in Vientiane will face ten-fold fines from now on if they violate a new city ban on the use of pavements, sidewalks or roadsides where parking is prohibited.
In a warning for motorists, this includes all roads where the kerb and channeling is painted red and white, so members of the public will need to think more carefully about where they park their cars.
The new city ban comes into effect this …..

Read More
Excursions - VenuesHotels, Guesthouse & ResortsLifestyleSecurity

Do Not Post Your Airline Boarding Pass Online

If you ever thought of posting a picture of your boarding pass online, especially in social media sites such as Facebook or Instagram, you better think twice.
Technology security expert Brian Krebs, who writes for a renowned cybersecurity news site Krebs on Security, took to his blog last month to warn travellers against posting a picture of their boarding pass online in a bid to …..

Read More
SecurityTransportation - Vehicles

Hospital Struggling With Influx Of Road Accident Victims

Mittaphab Hospital is struggling to cope with a dramatic surge in demand for orthopaedic surgery caused by increasing numbers of road accident victims seeking treatment.
Last year overall in the capital there were approximately 50-60 road accidents per day but this had doubled to around 100-120 per day this year. Of the accident victims 80 percent were treated for …

Read More
Ambulance ServiceSecurityTransportation - Vehicles

More People Die On Vientiane’s Roads

Four people were killed and six others sustained critical injuries in road accidents in the capital over the two-day period from September 9-10.
According to the Vientiane Traffic Police Department, a pick-up truck carrying 17 students overturned on Thursday morning in Donnoun village, Xaythany district, killing two passengers and seriously injuring six others. Other passengers were also injured in the accident. Police said the driver …..

Read More
Security

Police Warn Public Over Thefts: Vientiane

Vientiane police are continuing their warnings to the public about the prevalence of bag snatching and vehicle theft, both of which are occurring almost daily in the capital.
The office’s Interrogative and Investigative Section told Vientiane Times on Tuesday they were receiving frequent reports from district police and village security officials about these problems. “Some victims only provide …..

Read More
Excursions - VenuesSecurity

Military Helicopter Carrying 19 Passengers, Four Crew ‘Missing’ in Laos

A military transport helicopter carrying 19 passengers and four crew members to Houaphan province in northern Laos is missing more than 36 hours after it departed an airport in the capital Vientiane, an Air Force official said Tuesday.
Air traffic control in Vientiane lost contact with the MI-17 helicopter—registration number RDPL-34062—at 1:10 p.m. local time on July 27, shortly after it departed Wattay International Airport, heading for ……

Read More
SecurityUtilities (Water, Electricity etc)

Producers Of Fake Drinking Water Caught

Police officers are now expanding their investigations into four Vietnamese who were caught in the last few days at a house in Nonvai village of Xaysettha district, Vientiane where they were illegally producing fake bottles of Tigerhead drinking water.
According to the police, four Vietnamese were making a fake version of Tigerhead drinking water which comes from the Lao Brewery Company. Two of the four Vietnamese are a …….

Read More
Security

Why Is The United States Still Terrorizing Laos ?

Last month, the United States announced a new aid package of $15 million for the unexploded ordnance (UXO) sector in Laos. The aid package—the highest annual amount the US has ever given for UXO cleanup in Laos—brings to total about $85 million the US has given to Laos for UXO cleanup since 1993.
This is a shocking and embarrassingly low figure. The UXO is the result of one of the most intensive bombing campaigns in human history, when the United States dropped two million tons of bombs on Laos from 1964 to 1973. One third of the bombs did not explode on impact, and have killed …..

Read More
Excursions - VenuesHotels, Guesthouse & ResortsSecurityThailand

ICAO Red-Flags Thailand’s Aviation Safety Standard

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on Thursday “red flagged” Thailand for failing to solve significant safety concerns (SSC) on aviation standards within the 90-day deadline after receiving a warning.
The action follows an audit by representatives of the UN agency of the Department of Civil Aviation’s air transport safety certification for Thai-registered airlines in February.
The ICAO found conflict of interest in that the ….

Read More
Expat Community LaosPermitsRules and LawSecurity

Foreign Drivers Should Understand Traffic In Laos: Police

Police authorities have asked foreign visitors to learn the traffic regulations in Laos before driving here in order to avoid road accidents.
The road accidents information sector from Vientiane Police Office reported on Tuesday that the number of road accidents in Vientiane involving foreigners is still low but stressed that they require foreign visitors to learn the Lao traffic regulations before driving here.
“It is still a low number but looking at the reality on the streets every day and you can see that there are several foreigners riding bicycles, motorcycles or even cars breaking the traffic regulations. If it stays like this the ….

Read More
Rules and LawSecurity

Police Seize Almost 3 Million Amphetamine Tablets After Car Chase

Narcotics suppression officials from Vientiane arrested a man on Sunday after finding almost 3 million amphetamine tablets stashed in the SUV he was driving.
As part of drug trafficking investigations in central Vientiane on June 7 officials followed a Toyota Prado that was driving at high speed through Phontong village in Chanthabouly district.
The Vientiane Police Office reported yesterday the narcotics suppression team was ….

Read More
Expat Community LaosHotels, Guesthouse & ResortsSecurity

Edmonton Woman Wants Answers After Bloody Scene In Laos Airport

When Nara Pech called family in Canada for the last time, he said he was stuck at the Laos airport.
“They want me to leave the airport,” he said hurriedly, his voice recorded on a family member’s voicemail sometime after he was dropped off at the airport on Jan. 21.
“They don’t want anybody to know that I’m here. Tell them that the drivers, the taxi drivers, and everything are involved in this. The security guards, everybody. They’re trying to …..

Read More
SecurityTransportation - Vehicles

10 Students Missing After Nam Ngum Ferry Capsizes

Eight girls and two boys were missing yesterday after a small ferry consisting of two wooden longboats capsized while crossing the Nam Ngum river in Pakngum district, Vientiane.
The missing children were primary school pupils from Nabong village who cannot swim well and were crossing the river to take their final year exams at a school in Thakokhai village.
A local resident who asked not to be named told Vientiane Times the ferry was carrying about 40 people, including the skipper, villagers, ……

Read More
Real Estate - Housing -GardeningSecurity

Budget Insufficient To Clean Main Drainage Channels

The main drainage channels in Vientiane need to be cleaned yearly to allow water to flow free and to protect against floods, but some channels were receiving inadequate funding for the work.
The capital has 21 major drainage channels and storm water drains that has to be cleaned and repaired every year.
“The budget should be used to clean and repair all storm water drains and channels several times, but in reality we have to prioritise the …..

Read More
Rules and LawSecurityTransportation - Vehicles

Bike Racers Being Reined In, Police Say

Police officers have responded to public complaints that they are not out on the streets at night to stop youths from racing motorbikes and disturbing the peace in central Vientiane.
Chief of the Commando Security Team at the Vientiane Police Headquarters, Lieutenant Colonel Khamphiew Vatthanaphone, said yesterday they wanted the public to know that they’re working on the problem every day, especially at weekends.
“Today we arrested some members of one group but by tomorrow there will be another group making trouble on …..

Read More
Excursions - VenuesSecurityThailandTransportation - Vehicles

More Countries Join Japan, Korea In Restricting Thai Carriers

The “dominoes” that Transport Minister Prajin Juntong worried would begin falling over a global safety warning about Thailand’s aviation industry have indeed begun to tumble, with China and South Korea now banning new Thai-registered flights and Singapore imposing strict inspections.
The moves by China and South Korea follow a ban by Japan on new flights and aircraft changes by …..

Read More
HousingSecurity

Public Warned About Power Usage In Hot Weather

Senior officials from Electricite Du Laos (EDL) have warned members of the public to take extra precautions and check the condition of their household electrical wiring systems to avoid an overload.
If anyone is worried or suspects their old wiring is substandard or dangerous they can ask officials to do a check to avoid explosions or fires.
“It is critical for all families to be aware of the risk of electrical short circuits and fires which are more likely in the hottest months of the …..

Read More
Security

Lao Authorities Require Gun Re-Registrations to Reduce Illegal Firearms

Lao authorities have put in place a new rule that requires the re-registration of firearms—including those owned by police officers, soldiers and village security officials—in an effort to eradicate illegal firearm possession, an Internal Security Ministry official said.
“All guns will be re-inspected, [including] guns already dispensed internally and guns belonging to society at large,” the official, who is based in the capital Vientiane, but declined to be named, told RFA’s Lao Service.
In Laos, the right to own a gun is not guaranteed by law. Only licensed gun owners, who ….

Read More
Expat RescourcesHealthHospitals & ClinicsSecurityTransportation - Vehicles

Saviours of the Street – Vientiane Rescue

When French paramedic Sebastian Perret witnessed a fatal accident in the Laos capital, Vientiane, in 2010, he was shocked that no ambulance came to help.
Every day, four people die in road crashes across Laos, giving the country one of the region’s worst road fatalities per capita in the region. Many more are injured but most cannot afford to pay a government ambulance to help them.
Unable to ignore the plight of the city’s road crash victims, Perret set up Vientiane Rescue, a volunteer ……

Read More
Security

Businessman, Driver Survive Hail Of Gunfire

Two men have survived a shooting on Friday night, Vientiane Police Office confirmed on Tuesday.
One of the victims was Tong Homsombath, a well known businessman who heads up Tong Construction Company. The car carrying the businessman and his driver was attacked while they were leaving a venue on Kamphaengmeuang road in the evening of February 20. Mr Tong was fortunate to survive unscathed while his driver took ….

Read More
Nature / WildlifeSecurity

Severe Storm Hits Homes, Firms, Schools In Vientiane

Heavy rain and strong winds lashed Vientiane’s Hadxaifong district yesterday morning, damaging hundreds of homes, restaurants and buildings alike.
The storm began early morning at around 5am and lasted for about 30 minutes leaving minor injuries and hundreds of houses and buildings without roofs or power. Over 563 households in total 13 villages were affected by heavy rain, hail stones and …..

Read More
SecurityThailand

Thailand Tightens Border Inspections Of Lao Teens

Thai immigration officials will be closely questioning Lao teenagers entering the country at the Vientiane-Nong Khai Friendship Bridge in a bid to combat human trafficking, Thai-based media have reported.
The Thai authorities said the move was aimed at preventing young people from being lured into the Kingdom by human traffickers for the flesh trade, but Lao authorities said they had not been informed of the fact.
More than 100 Lao girls believed to have been lured into …..

Read More
Security

Over 20 Houses Damaged By Fire In Vientiane

A raging inferno ripped through a crowded neighbourhood in Dongpalane Thong village, Sisattanak district Vientiane on Monday night, gutting more than 20 houses and leaving more than 15 families homeless.
The fire broke out at around 10:30pm on Monday evening and spread rapidly due to the crowded nature of the neighbourhood and also the evening breeze which served to only further fan the ….

Read More
Expat Community LaosSecurity

Canadian Man Dies At Wattay International Airport

Vientiane Police Office reported last week that a Canadian man was found dead on the second floor of Wattay International Airport, Vientiane, on Thursday morning.
Chief of the office’s scientific crime sector, Major Amay Luangpakdy, said investigators found the deceased, aged 28, with three stab wounds to his body, including his stomach, left chest area and the right side of his neck.
The stab wound to the right side of his …..

Read More
SecurityThailand

72 Laos Teens Rescued From Forced Prostitution in Thailand

Seventy-two Lao girls, who were forced into providing sexual services in four karaoke bars in Suphan Buri province of Thailand have been rescued, Thai local media reported last week.
Thai police officers on Wednesday night raided the four establishments which operated as karaoke bars and found them to be fronts for illegal activities, Thailand’s influential newspaper Thai Rath reported.
The girls rescued were between 13 and 20 years old. The four bars were

Read More