Laos welcomes more than 800,000 foreign visitors in Q1
Laos welcomed nearly 831,250 foreign tourists in the first quarter of this year, according to the country's Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism.
The Nang Sangkhane (Miss Lao New Year) procession, one of the activities that attract many Lao people and tourists during New Year celebrations. (Photo: VNA)
Vientiane (VNA) – Laos welcome꧃d nearly 831,250 foreign tourists in the first quarter of this year, acc🌱ording to the country's Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism.
Thailand took the lead in the number of visitors with 344,405, and was followed by Vietnam and China with 179,885 and 143,312, respectively. The number of European tourists topped 57,400 and those from Russia reached 11,573. The tourism industry of Laos has recently received much praise from media publications around the world as it is considered one of the most attractive destinations in 2023. With the number of visitors arriving in the country in the first quarter, the Lao government will most likely fulfill its goal of attracting 1.4 million foreign tourists this year, thereby contributing to speeding up the recovery of the industry as well as the national economy, which has been heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic ./.
After a quiet period due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism industry in Laos is showing signs of rapid recovery, especially at the ancient capital of Luang Prabang - a World Cultural Heritage - in the northern region of the country.
In the context of severely hot weather together with air pollution caused by forest fires as well as the burning of fields by people, the Lao Ministry of Health (MoH) has issued a notice warning residents about diseases caused by heat and pollution.
Fourteen Buddha statues, 22 swords, and a gong believed to be antiquities were recently discovered by local residents inside a cave in Nadee village in Viengthong district, the central Lao province of Bolikhamxay, Lao media reported on April 28.
Laos's inflation rate in April dropped to 39.89%, a slight fall from the average rate of 40.85% in the first quarter of this year, according to the Lao Statistics Bureau.
Themed “emerging trends in terrorism and violent extremism”, the event drew over 200 participants from domestic and international agencies, discussing the rapid evolution of terrorism and the need for stronger regional and global cooperation.
Indonesia aims to start nuclear power generation by 2034, with a government roadmap already in place to develop small modular reactors (SMRs) with capacities ranging from 300 to 500 megawatts.
The package, endorsed on June 24, comprises 481 projects designed to boost GDP by an additional 0.4% and generate temporary employment for about 7.4 million people nationwide.
An Indonesian official emphasised that energy security is extremely essential amid global geopolitical and economic fragmentation, highlighting the need for the energy industry to strengthen resilience and responsiveness in the face of fluctuating oil prices and the shift to clean energy.
ASEAN must deepen collaboration through platforms such as the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) to ensure regional responses keep pace with the rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape.
Speaking at the launch of the Indonesia Economic Prospects June 2025 edition on June 23 in Jakarta, Turk noted that Indonesia’s gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 4.9% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
Anti-dumping duties will continue to be imposed on producers from China and Japan while those on relevant exporters from the RoK and Vietnam will be terminated, starting from June 23.
A specialist police unit has acquired a fleet of off-road vehicles to help officers navigate rough, unpaved terrain – and flood waters – to respond more quickly to public security incidents.
The pact covers goods, services, investments, intellectual property rights, customs facilitation, competition policy, sanitary and phytosanitary, trade and sustainable development, government procurement and economic cooperation.
The talent programmes mark another milestone in the technical partnership between PETRONAS and the Energy Institute, which focuses on three pillars: promoting decarbonisation and operational excellence through innovative solutions, enabling informed decision-making with expert advice, and nurturing the next generation of energy professionals.
The firefighters found an active blaze at the lorry depot located in the city of Pasir Gudang near the state capital of Johor Bahru, with flames spreading quickly due to strong winds and igniting a neighboring disused oil storage area.
Investigators believe the operation is part of a broader scam network involving romance scams, where victims are lured into fake relationships and persuaded to transfer money.
Ambassadors, Consuls General, along with staff and their families, joined traditional sports and cultural activities of Southeast Asia and performances bearing regional identity, thus contributing to strengthening unity and the ASEAN community spirit in New York.
In his post on social media the same day, Hun Manet said energy companies would be able to import sufficiently from other sources to meet domestic fuel and gas demands in the country.
The Nang Sangkhane (Miss Lao New Year) procession, one of the activities that attract many Lao people and tourists during New Year celebrations. (Photo: VNA) 
