- Factories can continue operations during lockdown, official says
Factories are permitted to continue their operations so long as they strictly comply with Covid-19 prevention and control measures, a senior government official has said. Chairman of the National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, Prof. Dr Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune, made the statement on Tuesday after he announced that the lockdown would be extended for another 15 days until May 20. .....More >>>

- Govt to continue suspension of passenger transport
The government will continue to suspend all passenger transportation services by land, water, and air between the capital to provinces and within provinces. The Deputy Minister of Public Works and Transport, Mr Lan Sengaphone,  recently spoke at a press conference in Vientiane in this regard. He said transportation services to the capital and all provinces of Laos have been temporarily ceased by land, ......More >>>

- Unemployment spirals due to Covid-19 outbreak 
There is encouraging news as the number of new cases of Covid-19 reported in some provinces is trending downwards, but the perennial challenge of unemployment in Laos has been further exacerbated by the pandemic. The unemployment rate has increased sharply since the end of 2020 amid measures imposed to prevent the spread of the virus. The unemployment rate has surged from the normal average of 2 percent to 23 percent in 2020 and up to be 25 percent at present......More >>>

- Government to review COVID-19 measures
The government may review some COVID-19 measures announced to the public earlier to help provide jobs and income security to the most affected, increase their resilience, and alleviate poverty. Recently, the government proposed measures to help labourers, who have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 outbreak.  The government considered a reduction in water and electricity tariffs. ...More >>>

- Luang Prabang mulls reduced fees for market vendors
A Luang Prabang provincial official has requested Industry and Commerce offices in 11 districts, as well as the owners of markets, to reduce market service fees in a bid to help vendors during the Covid-19 outbreak. The proposal is in line with the Prime Minister’s Order issued on April 21 on the management of goods prices and service fees. It was introduced to mitigate the effects of the virus outbreak throughout the country, with Luang Prabang being one of the provinces with a relatively high number of Covid-19 cases .....More >>>

- Kaysone city dismisses village chief over violation of Covid-19 protocols
The leadership of Kaysone Phomvihane city in Savannakhet province dismissed the Head of Phonsim village after he allowed the holding of the rocket festival, and is ready to take further action against those involved in violating the Covid-19 prevention and control measures. The Deputy Mayor of Kaysone Phomvihane city and the head of the local Covid-19 Disease Prevention and Control Task Force, Mr Thankeo Phombida, offered an apology and took responsibility for the holding of the rocket festival in Phonsim village on May 2. .....More >>>