Luang Prabang - an UNESCO World Heritage site in Laos. (Photo: Xinhua)
Vientiane (VNA)🍰 – Laos is targeting to attract atleast 2.7 million foreign tourists in 2024 to stimulate post-pandemic economicgrowth, according to authorities.
Lao Deputy Minister of Information, Culture, and TourismOunthuang Khaophan said that the Lao government has given tourism a pivotalrole in its socio-economic development strategy. Next year is chosen to be Visit Laos Year, which symbolises the country’s robust commitment to revitalise the industry which was heavilyhit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ounthuang said that to accomplish that ambitious goal, theministry is collaborating with central and local authorities to conceptualise adiverse range of activities. Besides festivals, the ministry is also working toupgrade existing tourist attractions and build new ones to further attractvisitors. It has organised training courses for tour guides across the countryto help align their skills with the rising demands of the tourism sector. According to the Tourism Development Department of Laos, thecountry welcomed over 1.67 million foreign visitors in the first half of thisyear, exceeding the target of 1.4 million visitors that the country set for the whole year. Notably, the number of visitors from the ASEAN countriesaccounted for the majority. Thailand ranked first with nearly 670,000 arrivalsto Laos and Vietnam, second with nearly 340,000 arrivals./.
A conference to exchange experiences on front works and to review the implementation a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Kon Tum province and Laos’s Attapeu and Sekong provinces on cooperation opened in Kon Tum on August 23.
Authorities of Laos and Thailand have discussed a feasibility plan to construct a 160-kmexpressway from the central Lao province of Savannakhet to Lao Bao border gate of Vietnam, Lao media reported.
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered the urgent implementation of a national policy to crack down on all forms of call centre scams, online fraud, and illegal gambling, which are now considered threats to national security.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
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.
Luang Prabang - an UNESCO World Heritage site in Laos. (Photo: Xinhua) 
