Sadly, the cinema-going culture of Laos has all but disappeared over the last twenty years. There was a time when cinemas seating up to five hundred people or more showed a variety of films in the larger cities across the country and going to the movies was an exciting form of entertainment for Lao families. From about 1960 until 1985 [...]

The Lao Brewery Company (LBC) has strongly reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Lao society, with particular focus on the fields of traditional culture, education, sports and the environment. The commitment was made by LBC Managing Director Mr Kissana Vongsay at a press conference on social responsibility held yesterday at the company’s headquarters in Vientiane. Speaking at the event, Mr Kissana [...]

The Embassy of Japan in Laos, in collaboration with the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism and the Japan Foundation, last week held lectures and a workshop about the Japanese art of woodblock printing. The workshop took place at the Laos-Japan Human Resource Development Institute and the National Institute of Fine Arts in Vientiane from June 5-8. According to a press release from the embassy, the Agricultural Training Service Centre in Vangvieng district, Vientiane province also organised some [...]

The Ministry of Public Security held a press conference in Vientiane on Friday to report on the progress of police investigations into the disappearance of Mr Sombath Somphone. The Deputy Director General of the ministry’s General Police Department, Colonel Dr Phengsavanh Tiphavongxay, gave the third briefing on police efforts to locate Mr Sombath since he was declared missing on December [...]

A new online marketplace has just been launched which should make trading secondhand items in Laos more convenient and reliable, whilst offering greater functionality than Facebook groups. The website, Buy Sell Laos, offers a huge range of products that are easy to find. Everyone knows the old adage, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”, and this rings true for [...]

A concrete road running from Chinaimo junction in Sisattanak district through Somhong and Kaengpayang villages along the Mekong to the junction of Thakhek village in Hadxaifong district is set to commence construction soon. The project is being undertaken by the Vientiane Public Works and Transport Department, aiming to help ease traffic flows in that area of the capital, with the [...]

A  45 million dollar, seven level car parking facility is to be constructed in the heart of Vientiane Capital in an effort to solve the parking crisis of downtown, which continues to worsen.The building is planned to be constructed in Hongthong area, occupying a total of 2,546 square metres in Hudsady village of Chanthabouly district, an area densely populated by [...]

The sixth annual Vientiane Furniture Fair commenced on Tuesday, aimed at boosting the integration of furniture markets in Lao provinces with those in neighbouring countries. The fair has been held at Lao-ITECC in previous years, but 2013 is the first year businesses from other countries have displayed furniture at the fair, with more than 20,000 people expected to attend this year. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Head of Vientiane Industry and Commerce Department, [...]

No matter if you’re a serious yoga fanatic or practice just for fun, if you live in Laos don’t miss next week’s Yoga retreat at Ban Sabai running from the 7th to the 9th of June. Inthira Hotels and Resorts, together with Mekong Yoga are offering a unique get-away program combining the wellness of a yoga workshop with the charming and relaxed atmosphere of Ban [...]

Lisa Harmony is an Australian expatriate working and living in Laos. She is employed by the Australian mining company, PanAust as Recruitment and Workforce Planning Superintendent. Lisa shares her experiences moving to Laos and the challenges and rewards faced by an expatriate joining the workforce here.  WLL: Lisa, we understand you grew up in Queensland, Australia where you attended university [...]