Highlights: Salavan Provincial Treasury announces appointment and dismissal decisions for several division‑level cadres; Vientiane Party Secretary Asaphanthong leads delegation to visit Vietnam and meets with To Lam; Lao Ambassador to the US Phoukhong hosts New Year event in the US; Minister of Industry and Commerce Malaythong, Provincial Party Secretary Bounzong, and Deputy Prime Minister Thongsaly carry out governmental affairs according to their respective ranks.

I. Political & Party Affairs

01 [Title] Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Sports Thongsaly Witnesses Donation of Educational Materials to National University of Laos
[Content] On May 11, 2026, Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Sports Thongsaly Mangnomek attended and witnessed a donation ceremony; Ms. Nivanna, Chairwoman of Xiaosheng Real Estate and Mining Exploration Sole Co., Ltd., handed over desks, chairs, and other furniture valued at 180 million Kip to the Ministry of Education and Sports, with the materials received by Prof. Dr. Dexanourath Sendouangdeth, President of the National University of Laos. The materials will be used to improve infrastructure at the National University of Laos and to coincide with the university's 30th anniversary celebrations.

02 [Title] Deputy Prime Minister Thongsaly Meets Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lam Thi Phuong Thanh to Discuss SEA Games Preparations
[Content] On May 13, 2026, Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Sports Thongsaly Mangnomek met at his ministry with visiting Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lam Thi Phuong Thanh. Both sides reached multiple consensuses on assisting Laos in preparing for the 36th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in 2031. Laos requested Vietnam's assistance in renovating the National Sports Training Center built with Vietnamese aid in 2009, advancing the construction of a sports science center, and providing short‑term and long‑term scholarships in sports sciences. Both sides agreed that Vietnam would provide 35 to 60 training slots per year in Vietnam for Lao coaches and athletes, increasing to 70 to 100 slots per year during the final preparation period from 2029 to 2030. They also agreed to deepen cooperation in the supply of equipment for medal‑winning sports, management of disability sports, weightlifting and athletics training, and secondary school student football exchanges between the two countries.

03 [Title] Vientiane Party Secretary Asaphanthong Leads Delegation to Visit Vietnam and Meets with CPV General Secretary To Lam
[Content] From May 11 to 16, 2026, Mr. Asaphanthong Siphandone, Member of the Lao Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Vientiane Party Committee, and President of the Vientiane People's Council, led a high‑level delegation from Vientiane to visit Vietnam. Lao Ambassador to Vietnam, Ms. Khamphao Ernthavan, accompanied the delegation. On May 12, Mr. Asaphanthong met at the CPV Central Committee headquarters with CPV General Secretary and State President To Lam, reporting that the purpose of the visit was to deepen practical cooperation between Vientiane and Hanoi, Khanh Hoa Province, and Ho Chi Minh City. On the same day, the delegation met at the Government Office of Vietnam with Member of the CPV Central Committee Political Bureau and Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc, and also laid a wreath at President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum.

04 [Title] Savannakhet Provincial Party Secretary Bounzong Attends Appointment and Dismissal Meeting for Provincial Industry and Commerce Department Cadres
[Content] On May 14, 2026, Mr. Bounzong Oupavongphet, Member of the Lao Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Savannakhet Provincial Party Committee, and President of the Provincial People's Assembly, attended a meeting on the appointment and dismissal of officials from the Provincial Industry and Commerce Department. Mr. Khamvisay Phouyavong, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Head of the Organization Department, read out the decisions of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and the Provincial Government. Mr. Sithon Thoratha was relieved of his duties as Director of the Provincial Industry and Commerce Department and transferred to work in Champon District. Mr. Xidath Phongsavanh was appointed Acting Director of the Savannakhet Provincial Industry and Commerce Department and Acting Secretary of the Department's Grassroots Party Committee.

05 [Title] Bounpheng, Director of the Central Propaganda and Training Board Office, Hosts Training Course on the Government Procurement Website for Fiscal Fund Management
[Content] On May 14, 2026, Mr. Bounpheng Chanthala, Director of the Office of the Central Propaganda and Training Board (CRPP) of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, hosted a training course on the management and application of the government procurement website for fiscal funds at the CRPP headquarters. A representative from the Department of Appraisal and Government Procurement under the Ministry of Finance served as the instructor. A total of 25 administrative and financial officers and technical staff from various departments and divisions of the Central Propaganda and Training Board participated. The training aimed to implement Notification No. 3744/HK dated November 18, 2025, from the Ministry of Finance's Office and the implementation guidelines of Government Procurement Law No. 0477/KG. Mr. Bounpheng emphasized the importance of applying this website to enhance transparency in fiscal budget management, promote fair competition, advance the digitalization of national governance, and prevent misconduct and illegal activities.

06 [Title] Salavan Provincial Finance Department Hosts Appointment and Dismissal Meeting for Division‑Level Cadres of the Provincial Treasury
[Content] On May 15, 2026, Mr. Khamkay Kaisouphan, Deputy Director of the Salavan Provincial Finance Department, chaired the appointment and dismissal meeting for mid‑level cadres of the Provincial Treasury. Mr. Khamphor Xayyasit, Deputy Director of the Provincial Party Committee's Organization Department, read Resolution No. 1184/KG dated March 31, 2026, from the Ministry of Finance. Mr. Xaysana Xaymonty was appointed Head of the Organization, Administration and Finance Division, and Mr. Phiason Nivorak was appointed Deputy Head of that division. Ms. Khamouda Khaophongasa was appointed Head of the Accounting and Audit Division, and Ms. Vilaysack Mousika was appointed Deputy Head of that division. Mr. Xongchay Phongsavanh was transferred and appointed Head of the Budget Expenditure Audit Division, and Mr. Xaypha Phaipasouvanh was appointed Deputy Head of that division. Mr. Xaypasert Vannavong was transferred and appointed Deputy Head of the Treasury Operations Division.

II. Diplomacy & International Relations

07 [Title] Ambassador to the US Phoukhong, Together with Permanent Representative to the UN Thongphan, Host Lao New Year Celebration in the US
[Content] On May 9, 2026, H.E. Mr. Phoukhong Sisoulath, Lao Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States and Canada, and H.E. Mr. Thongphan Savanphet, Lao Permanent Representative to the United Nations, jointly attended a gala dinner in Virginia to celebrate the Lao New Year, Buddhist Year 2569. A total of 450 people attended, including members of the Lao Front for National Construction's Central Committee based in the US and representatives of the Lao diaspora in the US and Canada. Mr. Phoukhong reported on the diplomatic work of the Lao Embassy over the past year, introduced the Lao government's preparations to nominate the New Year as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, and called on overseas Lao to return to invest, do business, or reside in Laos, emphasizing that the Lao government will continue to provide facilitation in visa and other areas to support national development.

08 [Title] Doua, Vice President of the State Audit Office, Leads Delegation to Hanoi to Exchange Experiences with the State Audit of Vietnam
[Content] From May 11 to 15, 2026, Mr. Doua Phonthila, Vice President of the Lao State Audit Office, led a delegation to Hanoi, Vietnam, where he held bilateral talks with Mrs. Ha Thi My Trang, Deputy Auditor General of the State Audit of Vietnam, and visited the 11th Regional Audit Bureau. Both sides briefed each other on their respective socio‑economic development and audit work progress, and clearly agreed to maintain high‑level exchanges in the future while deepening cooperation in performance auditing, audit follow‑up and rectification, and digital transformation. During the visit, technical presentations were exchanged on topics such as issuing audit opinions on the draft state budget, tax auditing of private enterprises, and collection of tax arrears.

09 [Title] Kikeo, President of the Lao Front for National Construction, Meets Turkish Ambassador to Laos Ouya
[Content] On May 13, 2026, Mr. Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune, Member of the Lao Party Central Committee Political Bureau and President of the Lao Front for National Construction, met with H.E. Mrs. Ouya Yasar, Turkish Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Laos. Mrs. Ouya congratulated Mr. Kikeo on his new position and on the successful convening of the 12th National Congress of the Lao Front for National Construction, and briefed him on Turkey's aid progress in Laos through TIKA in the fields of healthcare, education, agriculture, and disaster prevention and reduction. Mr. Kikeo thanked Turkey for donating dry food through the Lao Front to 238 disaster‑affected families in Champasak Province. Both sides agreed to continue deepening their bilateral friendly cooperative relations.

10 [Title] Minister of Industry and Commerce Malaythong Meets Swiss Ambassador to Laos Pedro to Discuss FTA, Economy, Trade, and Investment Cooperation
[Content] On May 13, 2026, Lao Minister of Industry and Commerce Malaythong Kommasith met with H.E. Mr. Pedro Zwahlen, Swiss Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Laos, who was paying a farewell call. Mr. Malaythong thanked Switzerland for its policy‑level assistance in clean production, sustainable tourism promotion, and support for small and medium‑sized enterprises in coping with the COVID‑19 pandemic. Both sides raised the possibility of exploring a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and held discussions on enhancing trade facilitation, e‑commerce, clean energy, and green mineral cooperation. They also reviewed the import‑export structure between Laos and Switzerland, including Laos' imports of gemstones, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals from Switzerland, and Laos' exports of mixed gold, gold bars, clothing, footwear, and tea to Switzerland. It was reported that from 2008 to the present, Switzerland has invested in 12 enterprises in Laos in general investment sectors (excluding special economic zones and concessions), with a total investment value of 1.15 billion US dollars, of which manufacturing accounts for five‑eighths.

11 [Title] Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Linkham Meets Turkish Ambassador to Laos Ouya
[Content] On May 14, 2026, Lao Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Linkham Duangsavanh met in his ministry's reception room with H.E. Mrs. Ouya Yasar, the newly appointed Turkish Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Laos. Both sides reviewed Turkey's previous practical cooperation with the Lao Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute on rice crop variety improvement. They reached a consensus to continue deepening bilateral cooperation, proposing to promote trade and business exchanges in the agriculture and forestry sectors between the two countries by organizing seminars to connect business communities and investors.

III. Sports & Security

12 [Title] Department 509 of Ministry of Public Security and Unitel Sign Agreement to Upgrade National Population Database Network
[Content] On May 13, 2026, Maj. Gen. Khenchan Phommasa, Director of the Department of Civil Registration and Grassroots Development (Department 509) of the Lao Ministry of Public Security, and Mr. Chanthavisay Thammavong, Deputy Director of Information Technology of Star Telecom Company Limited (Unitel), jointly attended and witnessed the signing ceremony. Col. Thongkham Sisouphanthong, Deputy Director of Department 509, and Mr. Chanthavisay formally signed the contract for the provision of intranet network services. The aim is to advance e‑government and the digital citizen ID project and to address data transmission lags experienced during 2024‑2025. Under the contract, Unitel will upgrade the dedicated line bandwidth at 166 locations across Laos from 2 Mbps per site to 5 Mbps per site, and will increase the bandwidth between the primary and backup data centers (DC‑DR) to 200 Mbps and install a backup link.

13 [Title] Aloun, Vice Principal of the Integrated Sports School, Attends Annual Arts Competition
[Content] On May 13, 2026, the Lao Integrated Sports School held its 2025‑2026 academic year arts competition at the College of Sports. Mr. Aloun Xaysensou, Vice Principal of the school, along with all teaching staff and students, attended. The competition aimed to foster creativity among sports students and enhance unity within the school. After judging, Mr. Bounyalit Xayavong, a grade 12 boxing student, won first place; Mr. Bobby Phoutthavong, a grade 12 weightlifting student, won second place; and Mr. Outh Vilay Pimpasert, a grade 11 sepak takraw student, won third place.

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