A woman is vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine in Vientiane, Laos. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Laos has warned of recent increases in COVID-19 cases in the community, while Thailand’s daily death toll has exceeded 300 for the first time.
On August 18, the Lao Ministry confirmed 381 new cases of COVID-19, including 48 detected in the community. Savanankhet province saw the highest number of infections, at 152, of which 44 were community cases.
To date, Laos’s total numbers of infection cases and deaths amounted to 11,029 and nine, respectively.
Meanwhile, Thailand logged 312 deaths from COVID-19 on August 18, pushing up the nation’s total to 8,285.
The same day, 20,515 new infections brought its national tally to 968,957. The number of recoveries stood at 753,119.
The Thai Cabinet on August 17 approved a budget of 9.3 billion baht (280 million USD) to pay for a newly signed contract to buy 20 million doses of Pfizer's vaccine, and considered a proposal to buy 10 million more doses of the vaccine. The purchases are part of Thailand’s plan to secure 100 million vaccine doses by the end of the year./.
The authorities in Laos’ capital Vientiane has announced the extension of its school closure order to prevent COVID-19 spread, while Cambodia has posted increases in its number of infections for the third consecutive day after reopening its border with Thailand.
Laos has confirmed 207 new cases of COVID-19 on August 17, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 10,648, according to the Ministry of Health.
Southeast Asian countries need more help in securing COVID-19 vaccines, as the region is struggling to contain record infections and deaths driven by the Delta variant, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has said.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
Talking to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Vietnam’s Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925–2025), Nikulina, who is also a veteran journalist of Russia’s Sputnik News, emphasised the vital role of mainstream journalism in defending the truth and maintaining public trust.
The Ministry of Commerce reported that imports also rose 18% to 29.9 billion USD during the same period, resulting in a trade surplus of 1.1 billion USD. In May alone, Thailand posted a 4.6 billion USD trade surplus with the US and a 4.1 billion USD trade deficit with China.
The World Bank will provide a 2.1 billion USD financing package for Indonesia, focusing oncreating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing access to clean energy across the country.
A woman is vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine in Vientiane, Laos. (Photo: VNA) 
