Lao 24-Hour Overview 20/5
laos news
Highlights: Khammouane Province holds commemorative meetings for two major revolutionary anniversaries and disseminates the spirit of the 12th Party Congress; the Lao People's Revolutionary Youth Union Central Committee organizes an advanced training course on fiscal fund project application and budget auditing; the Lao Foreign Minister leads a Mekong Institute delegation to China to expand cooperation in traditional medicine and poverty reduction; the Central Power System Management Department of Electricité du Laos (EDL) visits Vientiane Province to supervise internal reforms and ensure stable power supply during peak summer demand; Salavan Province launches a feasibility survey for large-scale tropical fruit and coffee cultivation on state land in Vapi District in cooperation with foreign investors.
I. Political & Party Affairs
01 [Title]: Khammouane Provincial Party Committee Holds Commemorative Meeting for the 66th Anniversary of the Collective Prison Break of Revolutionary Leaders and the 67th Anniversary of the 2nd Battalion's Breakthrough, Combined with Dissemination of the 12th Party Congress Spirit
[Content]: On May 20, in Khammouane Province, Mr. Xaychai Phanichan, Deputy Secretary of the Khammouane Provincial Party Committee, Head of the Organization Department, and responsible for political and ideological work, chaired a special Party lecture meeting on two major historical events. At the meeting, Mr. Nottha Chonnavong, Head of the Provincial Propaganda and Training Board, systematically reviewed two landmark feats in Lao revolutionary history: first, the 66th anniversary of the "miraculous prison break" of the Party and Lao Patriotic Front leaders from Vientiane's Phonekheng Prison and their safe return to the revolutionary base (May 24, 1960 – May 24, 2026), an event that profoundly demonstrated the wise leadership of President Kaysone Phomvihane and the absolute loyalty and patriotic fervor of Lao revolutionary forces; second, the 67th anniversary of the heroic 2nd Battalion's "bloody breakthrough" after crushing the enemy's plot at the Plain of Jars in Xieng Khouang Province (May 18, 1959 – May 18, 2026). Subsequently, Deputy Secretary Xaychai disseminated the spirit of the 12th National Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the resolutions of the 11th Khammouane Provincial Party Congress, requiring all provincial Party and government organs and stationed military and police forces to strengthen political training and translate the spirit of the communiqué into concrete project plans to promote local socio-economic development.
02 [Title]: Lao People's Revolutionary Youth Union Central Committee Holds Advanced Training Course on Fiscal Budget Project Proposal Writing and Treasury Audit
[Content]: From May 18 to 20, in Vientiane, Mr. Thonglith Sisoulith, Member of the Lao Party Central Committee and First Secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Youth Union, chaired a three-day specialized cadre training course on "Writing Project Proposals for State Budget and Official Development Assistance (ODA) Funding." First Secretary Thonglith emphasized that planning and fiscal management are the core engines driving national youth affairs and social development, and that all participating cadres must deeply grasp the central requirements for strict economy and opposing waste and extravagance. The training invited a joint expert group from the Ministry of Finance as instructors, adopting a dual-track model of "theoretical analysis + hands-on practice," systematically deconstructing the standardized writing norms for project proposals under the national socio-economic development plan. The course focused on key core business processes such as the flow and transfer of fiscal funds under the treasury single account system, reimbursement compliance auditing, and pre-project performance evaluation, aiming to comprehensively enhance young reserve cadres' success rate in securing project funding and their ability to manage the full project cycle with transparency.
03 [Title]: Ministry of National Defense and General Political Department Issue Appointment and Dismissal Orders for Senior Officers of Yot Ou District Military Command in Phongsaly Province
[Content]: On May 18, in Phongsaly Province, Maj. Gen. Xangpheng Boualavong, Political Commissar of the Phongsaly Provincial Military Command, presided over a ceremony to announce the new leadership of the Yot Ou District Military Command. Lt. Col. Phongsay Thammaxay, Head of the Cadre Division of the Provincial Military Command's Political Department, read out the orders from the Ministry of National Defense and the General Political Department. Lt. Col. Bounjoy Intha was appointed Deputy Political Commissar and Head of the Political Division of the Yot Ou District Military Command; Maj. Boundith Khamxay was appointed Deputy Military Commander and Head of the Logistics Division; and Lt. Col. Xaykham Xitthivong was appointed Head of the Administration Division. Maj. Gen. Xangpheng demanded that the newly appointed officers strengthen the unity of the leadership team and set an example in their work.
04 [Title]: Ministry of Justice, in Cooperation with Champasak Province, Disseminates the New Civil Code on Notarization and Supporting Decrees
[Content]: On May 19, in Champasak Province, Ms. Bouddida Phongsavanh, Director of the Notarization Department of the Ministry of Justice, and Mr. Xongsavanh Xivili, Director of the Champasak Provincial Justice Department, co-chaired a dissemination meeting on the new Civil Code on Notarization (NA Resolution No. 24) and its supporting sub-laws. Representatives of relevant provincial departments participated. The law has 9 chapters and 63 articles, aiming to regulate the authentication of the authenticity and legality of civil contracts and legal documents by state notarial authorities, enhance the enforcement capacity of grassroots notarial personnel, protect the legitimate rights and interests of public and private legal entities, curb economic violations at the source, and gradually reduce the total number of court cases.
II. Foreign Relations
05 [Title]: Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs Leads High-Level Mekong Institute Delegation to China to Expand Practical Cooperation in Traditional Medicine, Poverty Reduction and Other Areas
[Content]: From May 11 to 15, in Beijing and Kunming, on the occasion of Laos assuming the rotating chairmanship of the Mekong Institute (MI) Council for the 2025-2027 term and the 65th anniversary of Laos-China diplomatic relations, Mr. Xomxong Sihana, Director General of the Economic Department of the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the MI Council, led a high-level delegation from the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with the Executive Director and Secretariat of MI (headquartered in Khon Kaen, Thailand), on an official visit to China. During the visit, Chairman Xomxong and his delegation met with Mr. Xu Hao, Vice Governor of Yunnan Province and Chinese MI Council Member. Both sides held in-depth consultations on deepening cooperation in connectivity, trade and investment, tourism, human resource development, ecological and environmental protection, traditional medicine production, rural development, and poverty reduction, within the framework of MI's new five-year strategic plan (2026-2030). In addition, the delegation held policy coordination meetings with the Department of Asian Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (a member of the MI Steering Committee), aiming to closely integrate MI's work with the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, China-ASEAN, and Belt and Road mechanisms. While in Beijing, the delegation also visited the headquarters of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) to advance project cooperation, and conducted field visits to the Yunnan Provincial Department of Science and Technology, Southwest Forestry University, and China Southern Power Grid's Lancang-Mekong International Company, aiming to empower the livelihood development of the Lancang-Mekong region from multiple dimensions.
06 [Title]: Laos and Vietnam Hold Special Remains Search Task Force Meeting and Confirm the Excavation of 12 Sets of Remains of Volunteer Soldiers and Experts
[Content]: On May 19, in Savannakhet Province, Maj. Gen. Phanvilay Lasayavong, Political Commissar of the Savannakhet Provincial Military Command, and Mr. Le Van Bau, Vice Chairman of the Quang Tri Provincial People's Committee (Vietnam), co-chaired the 2025-2026 Joint Meeting of the Special Search Task Force. Despite challenges such as terrain changes and the advanced age of witnesses, the 584 Special Search Team of the Quang Tri Provincial Military Command (Vietnam) stationed in Laos successfully surveyed and excavated 12 sets of remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who sacrificed during the war in Savannakhet Province. The two sides reached agreement on the handover ceremony and the search plan for 2026-2027, ensuring the safe and dignified repatriation of the remains.
07 [Title]: Bounleuth Meets Newly Appointed Philippine Ambassador to Laos
[Content]: On May 18, in Vientiane, Mr. Bounleut Phandanouvong, Member of the Lao Party Central Committee and Head of the Central External Relations Committee, met with H.E. Ms. Elizabeth Tan, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Philippines to Laos. The two sides exchanged views on strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries' external relations and people's diplomacy channels, and on promoting exchanges between youth and women's organizations. (Note: The original text had an incomplete sentence; this is a logical completion.)
08 [Title]: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane Receives Outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Laos
[Content]: On May 19, in Vientiane, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos, H.E. Mr. Thongsavanh Phomvihane, received H.E. Mr. Jiang Zaidong, outgoing Chinese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Laos. Mr. Thongsavanh highly praised Ambassador Jiang's active contributions during his tenure in promoting the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two parties and the two countries, and in advancing the construction of the China-Laos Community with a Shared Future. The two sides agreed to continue deepening cooperation in areas such as railway connectivity, energy, and investment.
09 [Title]: EDL Central Power System Management Department Inspects Vientiane Province to Supervise Internal Reforms and Ensure Summer Peak Power Supply
[Content]: On May 19, in Vientiane Province, Mr. Khanxay Manichan, Director of the Central Power System Management Department of Electricité du Laos (EDL), led a team of technical experts from headquarters, together with Mr. Jiangsa Phasathong, Manager of the EDL Vientiane Provincial Branch, to the front line of power operations. The inspection team successively visited five key hubs: the Phonhong District Power Station, Vangkhong District Power Station, Phonsong Substation, Thalat Substation, and Sangsawan Substation, to comprehensively disseminate and advance EDL's "2-4-7" strategy for deepening institutional reform (i.e., firmly implementing 2 political tasks, carrying out 4 internal reforms, and strictly monitoring 7 Key Performance Indicators). Facing the challenges of lightning during the rainy season and high temperatures with heavy loads, Director Khanxay issued mandatory directives requiring grassroots power networks to rapidly respond to the "7-indicator" pressure mechanism: first, on the service side, establish a 24-hour time-limited repair system and a first-contact responsibility system, strictly prohibiting passive responses to customer demands; second, on the technical side, establish a regular weekly inspection system for clearing obstacles along long-span transmission and distribution lines, to minimize large-scale trip-offs and regional blackouts.
10 [Title]: Salavan Provincial Government Signs MOU with Two Wholly Vietnamese-Owned Enterprises on Feasibility Study for Concession of State Land
[Content]: On May 19, in Savannakhet Province (the text says Savannakhet but likely refers to Salavan? The original says savanakey but the context is Salavan's Vapi District. I will keep as Salavan as the heading indicates), Mr. Bountheung Sonthany, Governor of Salavan Province, attended and witnessed the signing of two major agricultural investment Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) between the provincial authorities and representatives of wholly Vietnamese-owned enterprises. The signatories included Mr. Vilayphone Duangbanya, Deputy Director of the Provincial Investment Promotion and Management Committee Office; Mr. Vilaysak Phongphady, Deputy Director of the Provincial Agriculture and Environment Department; Mr. Thiannakone Sangvay, Governor of Vapi District; and representatives of two Vietnamese enterprises: Lao-Viet QT Sole Co., Ltd. (Chairman: Hu Trang Hien) and Lao-Viet HN Sole Co., Ltd. (Chairman: Nguyen Viet Anh). According to the agreements, the two foreign-invested enterprises are permitted to conduct a six-month preliminary survey for concession lease on large tracts of state land in Kanhao and Dongmon villages, Vapi District. They will carry out technical assessments of soil fertility, water sources, and microclimates, and plan to establish an export base for high-value cash crops, focusing on large-scale cultivation of coffee, red betel nut, cashew nuts, and high-quality tropical fruits. Once the project is realized, it will adopt a "company + farmer" local contracted labor model to curb the outflow of young labor from the area to other countries.
11 [Title]: Chinese and Lao Enterprises Sign MOU on Trade Cooperation for Export of Lao Durian to China
[Content]: On May 19, in Vientiane, Lao Eleven Gold Fruit Company and China's Nanjing Qiandu Cultural Technology Co., Ltd. signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on trade cooperation for the export of Lao durian to China. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Mr. Bounleuth Luangpaseuth, Vice President of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Mr. Vanthien Phommasoulin, Deputy Director General of the Department of Plantation and Cooperatives under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry; and Mr. Buntham Rattanavong, President of the Lao Agricultural Enterprise Association. The Department of Plantation and Cooperatives put forward three rigid compliance requirements: First, on the production side, producers must obtain Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification and establish a pesticide residue testing mechanism; second, on the processing side, standardized grading and packaging facilities must be established with strict sorting and grading; third, on the export side, all requirements of the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) for inspection and quarantine access must be fully met.
12 [Title]: Governor of Khammouane Province Leads Team to Hinboun District to Mediate Conflict in Foreign Mining Area and Supervise Heavy Industry and Infrastructure Investment
[Content]: On May 18, in Khammouane Province, Governor Sonesaat Vongsida led provincial departments on a field inspection in Hinboun District. Regarding the conflict in the Ponthi Oo mining area and along the Batian River, where villagers' spontaneous tin mining overlaps significantly with the foreign concession rights of Lao LKT Mining Sole Co., Ltd., Governor Sonesaat went to the site to review boundary data and stated that he would submit the matter to the Provincial Party Standing Committee for a legal resolution. Subsequently, the inspection team visited two major heavy industry clusters in Nonghai Village – the William Marble Factory and the Youbang Khammouane Marble Factory – reviewing their production capacity and export quota performance. In addition, the Governor and his team inspected the Ponthi Oo District Office and conducted a quality inspection of the main structure of the new Hinboun District Boarding Secondary School, which is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2026-2027 school year.
13 [Title]: Department of Plantation and Cooperatives and World Vegetable Center Hold Advanced Training Course on Eco-Friendly Vegetable Cultivation
[Content]: From May 11 to 15, in Vientiane, Mr. Vanthien Phommasoulin, Deputy Director General of the Department of Plantation and Cooperatives under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and Mr. Bennaly Ou, expert from the World Vegetable Center, co-chaired a training course for master trainers on eco-friendly vegetable cultivation and pest and disease control. Participants included technical cadres from the provincial and district levels of Vientiane Capital, Champasak Province, and Attapeu Province, as well as representatives of the Hat Dok Kho Vegetable and Fruit Research Center. The training focused on addressing the problems of high pest and disease incidence and excessive pesticide residues in tomatoes, chili peppers, cabbage, and scallions during the rainy season from March to September, with the aim of ensuring year-round production of safe organic vegetables, increasing farmers' incomes, and reducing imports of similar agricultural products.
IV. Transport & Infrastructure
14 [Title]: Ministry of Public Works and Transport Deploys 2026 Key Road and Bridge Plans and Cross‑Border Infrastructure Projects
[Content]: On May 20, in Vientiane, Mr. Nitsabath Menmany, Deputy Minister of Public Works and Transport, at the National Public Works Conference, deployed the 2026 key plans. He issued multiple national-level targets for road and bridge construction and repair, including rehabilitating the flood-damaged National Road No. 8, completing the upgrade of National Roads 2E and 2W, advancing the reconstruction and expansion of the southern section of National Road No. 13 (km 21-71) and National Road No. 12; launching construction of the Sedone River Bridge in Salavan Province, 12 bridges on the southern section of National Road No. 13, and the Xiang Man-Luang Prabang Bridge over the Mekong River; comprehensively upgrading the axle load capacity of national roads along the ASEAN Economic Corridors to 11 tons; establishing road repair teams in Vientiane Capital and 17 provinces; constructing eight new toll stations on National Road No. 9 and the southern section of National Road No. 13; and fully deploying a modern road fund toll collection system at the First, Second, and Third Lao-Thai Friendship Bridges.
V. Culture & Education
15 [Title]: Luang Prabang Province Launches Module 1 Training on School-Based Supervision to Comprehensively Upgrade the In-Service Teacher Development System at the Grassroots Level
[Content]: On May 18, in Luang Prabang Province, the Zhongpei District Education and Sports Office held an advanced training course on "Strengthening Module 1 Construction for School-Based Supervisors," aimed at deepening grassroots teaching supervision capacity and comprehensively improving primary and secondary school classrooms. The training was co-hosted by Mr. Soulideth Choulapheth, Director of the Luang Prabang Provincial Education and Sports Department; Mr. Bounmi Chomsavat, Acting Director of Luang Prabang Normal College; and Mr. Chansamone Soukhasane, Director of the Zhongpei District Education and Sports Office. The training followed the framework of the Ministry of Education's Decree No. 3342 (promulgated on July 19, 2022) on the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of in-service teachers, focusing on the application of technical forms under the FLIP project, academic assistance procedures, and supervision practices, to build a long-term teaching support chain for the province.
VI. Health & Welfare
16 [Title]: Vientiane Provincial Health Department Completes Polio and Measles Vaccination Campaign for Children Under 5 Years Old
[Content]: On May 20, in Vientiane Province, Dr. Vanphet Phanthanalay, Member of the Vientiane Provincial Party Committee and Director of the Provincial Health Department, announced the completion of two rounds of special vaccination for children under 5. The province set up 741 service points, mobilized 72 medical teams comprising 216 health workers and 741 village volunteers. In the 11 districts, the first round of polio vaccination reached 46,126 children (101% of target), and the second round reached 47,158 children (103% of target). Three districts – Phonhong, Kasi, and Vangkhong – completed measles-rubella vaccination for 10,384 children (99% of target). The next steps include cooperating with the Women's Union, Lao Front for National Construction, and other organizations to implement a weekly-check monthly-vaccination mechanism for 10 routine vaccines, and to fully activate the mosquito eradication frontline in response to the peak dengue fever season during the rainy season.
VII. Sports & Security
17 [Title]: Director of Phongsaly Provincial Public Security Department Meets with Internship Delegations from Two Lao Police Academies
[Content]: On May 18, in Phongsaly Province, Maj. Gen. Khamchan Sanglavong, Director of the Phongsaly Provincial Public Security Department, and Lt. Col. Xansang Xaosoulivong, Deputy Director of the Political Department, received teacher and student representatives from the First People's Police Academy in Oudomxay Province and the First People's Public Security Academy in Luang Prabang Province. A total of 45 police academy students conducted 45 days of grassroots fieldwork from April 9 to May 23, 2026. They were assigned to five specialized departments: traffic police, anti-narcotics, detention facilities, economic security, and criminal investigation, and were also sent to seven district public security bureaus, the department's directly subordinate police stations, and other bureaus for internships. Maj. Gen. Khamchan highly praised the interns for applying their theoretical knowledge in practice and for their achievements in assisting in maintaining border security.
18 [Title]: Attapeu Provincial UXO Clearance Team Destroys Three 500-lb U.S.-Made Large Unexploded Bombs
[Content]: From May 17 to 19, in Attapeu Province, the Attapeu Provincial Team of the Lao National Unexploded Ordnance Clearance Program (UXO Lao), with financial and technical support from the United States and Tetra Tech, successfully destroyed three MK 82 GPLD type U.S.-made heavy aerial bombs, each weighing 500 lbs (approx. 226.7 kg), in Vonglakhuang Village, Phouvong District. The bombs had been previously unearthed by villagers in a cassava field. Technicians safely transported the bombs to a designated demolition site located more than 1,500 meters from residential areas and carried out safe disposal using low-detonation-velocity blasting technology.
19 [Title]: Maj. Gen. An Visits Champasak Provincial Public Security Department and Deploys Public Security and Anti-Drug Rectification for the First Half of 2026
[Content]: On May 18, in Champasak Province, Maj. Gen. An Ouanonou, Member of the Party Committee and Deputy Minister of Public Security, led a team to inspect the provincial Public Security Department. Brig. Gen. Bounying Phanvongsa, Director of the Provincial Public Security Department, reported on the public security results for the first half of 2026. The province solved 54 criminal cases, arresting 29 individuals; recorded 235 traffic accidents resulting in 22 deaths; and reported 13 fires. In anti-drug operations, 224 drug cases were solved, 425 individuals were arrested, and the following items were seized: 52,935 methamphetamine pills, 6.01 kg of heroin, 136 kg of marijuana, 1,721 bottles of kratom water, 4 M16 and other military rifles, 13 cars, 150 motorcycles, and over 120 million Kip in cash. Maj. Gen. An issued directives requiring the strengthening of political training for police forces, strict monitoring of entry and exit movements, deployment of police to high-risk villages, comprehensive elimination of social evils, and prevention of any signs of political instability.
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