Gay Laos

From Forbes Laos may be a landlocked country without a tropical coastline, but it makes up for it with stunning mountain scenery, lush rice paddies and the mighty Mekong River which runs through its territory. Still wild and largely untouched, it offers a fascinating array of cultural attractions, outdoor experiences and timeless charm. With its mix of Buddhist temples, colonial architecture and jungle fauna, Luang Prabang is one of the overlooked jewels of southeast Asia. First inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, its heritage has been preserved in time and its traditions remain an enduring attraction. It’s still common to see locals give al…

From The Nation The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is urging tourists to opt for a 15-minute train ride across the Laos border instead of wasting time stuck in traffic on the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge. SRT said on Tuesday that four trains have been plying between Nong Khai and Thanaleng stations since September 16 last year. The train trip costs just 20 baht per person. Tourists are advised to carry their passport or border pass to cross over to Laos and back. The four border trains are: • No 481: Departs Nong Khai at 7.30am and arrives in Thanaleng at 7.45am • No 482: Departs Thana…

From The Star VIENTIANE (Xinhua): The Laos-China Railway Co, Ltd. (LCRC) on Wednesday (March 15) launched its ticketing mobile application, allowing passengers to easily book and manage their journeys on smartphones. The APP supports ticket reservation and cancellation, and provides information on train schedules, stations, and routes.

From The Star VIENTIANE, March 14 (Laotian Times): TUI Care Foundation announced a new EUR10 million (US$10.5 million) project to assist nine least-developed countries, including Laos, in growing their tourism industries at the fifth UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) conference on Tuesday. Program Director of the TUI Care Foundation, Jost Neumann was at the conference to discuss a global partnership to implement the 10-year Doha Program of Action to accelerate the graduation of least developed countries from their categorization as the most vulnerable places in the world. At the event, he spoke to Vientiane Times about the Tourist …

From Radio Free Asia To rein in accelerating inflation that has reached nearly 40 percent, authorities in Laos have ordered all money changing shops to close and allowing only banks to exchange foreign currencies and bans on the import of some kinds of foods that are produced domestically. The country’s National Statistics Bureau reported year-to-year inflation of 39.3% in December 2022, up from 38.5% the month before, making it the highest among the Association for Southeast Asian Nations members. Authorities said they would ban the import of some kinds of pork, beef, fish and vegetables. Trade officials told RFA that authorities were forced to take h…

From The Star VIENTIANE (Xinhua): The Laos National Assembly on Friday (Dec 30) elected Sonexay Siphandone (pic) as the country's new Prime Minister to replace Phankham Viphavanh who has resigned citing health reasons. The Lao cabinet was reshuffled at the conclusion of the fourth ordinary session of the National Assembly (Ninth Legislature) of Laos in Vientiane, according to local TV reports. The assembly approved the nomination from Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith, naming Sonexay Siphandone as the new prime minister, with an overwhelming majority of 149 out of 151 votes. Phankham Viphavanh, 71, said in his speech at the assembly that he was retirin…

From Xinhua VIENTIANE, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- Lao government has announced the cancellation of required results in 48 hours of Antigen Test Kit (ATK) or Rapid Antigen Test for people entering Laos. In addition, travelers entering Laos are no longer required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. According to a report issued on Tuesday from the Center of Information and Education for Health under the Lao Ministry of Health, the announcement aims to facilitate local residents and foreigners who want to depart from Laos or enter the Southeast Asian country. In May, the Lao government announced the reopening of all international border crossings after a loc…

From Vientiane Times VIENTIANE ( Vientiane Times/ANN) — A Russian airline is eyeing Laos as a new potential regional hub — thanks to ongoing international developments, according to a top company official."Given the current international environment, Laos is now a new potential hub for the airline," the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the RUSASIA, Mr Roman A. Virich, said in Vientiane. The top manager of the Russian company, which operates Ural Airlines, spoke in an exclusive interview with Vientiane Times on December 19. He discussed his airline's business strategy and performance of the first Vladivostok- Vientiane flight. Mr Virich said that the Lao governme…

This visit to Laos was fourth part of my trip to SE Asia which started with very short stay in Bangkok reported here: https://www.gayguides.com/forums/topic/38515-shortest-trip-ever-but-still-blood-pressure-rising-report/ Followed by 10 days in Cambodia reported here: https://www.gayguides.com/forums/topic/38619-guys-and-ruins-ruins-and-boys-trip-to-cambodia-in-oct-2022 and then 8 days in Thailand reported here : Part 1 -Luang Prabang It was my second visit in the country , last time there in 2013 they did not have a centimeter of rail. Now thanks to LaoChina railway they have most modern trains in all ASEAN I guess. …

From Atlas Obscura Luang Prabang was named a UNESCO world heritage site for its well-preserved French colonial architecture, but its true charms spring from the Lao culture. The streets are filled with Saffron-robed monks, local handicrafts, Buddhist temples, and hawker stalls selling river fish and sticky rice. Visitors flock to the old town’s famous Sai Bat almsgiving—a daily tradition unbroken for hundreds of years, but those who go wandering after the ceremony might discover a new tradition a short walk away—the seasonal bamboo bridges across the Nam Khan River. The Nam Khan winds through Luang Prabang before joining the wide Mekong, and during the rai…

All the more reason for Lao guys to head for the LOS. From The Star VIENTIANE, Sept 6 (Laotian Times): The inflation rate for August has been reported at a whopping 30 per cent with a 2.5 percent increase from July’s figure of 27.5 per cent. The numbers were confirmed by the Lao Statistics Bureau on Tuesday. The price of food and non-alcoholic beverages has surged by 30.2% year on year including that of daily essentials like rice, starch, meat, fat, vegetable oil, fruit, and vegetables. Commercial transport and delivery charges have risen by 51.7% with automobiles, and spare parts becoming even more expensive because of the low exchange rate. Fuel…

From The Straits Times

From The Nation The Thailand-Laos rail project linking the China-Laos railway is on track, with services expected to commence in mid-2023 and both countries agreeing that Thanaleng station in Vientiane’s Hadxayfong district will be an international one, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) said on Wednesday. During the latest meeting last month with representatives from the Lao National Railway Authority, the neighbouring nation agreed to send train operators, maintenance staff and related officials for training in Thailand, the SRT said. The training is expected to be completed by December, after which both countries will discuss train operation…

From The Nation The town of Luang Prabang, which is renowned for Unesco’s listing of its old quarter as a world heritage site, has seen 90 per cent of room reservations made by Thai visitors since Laos lifted all entry restrictions in May. resident of the Luang Prabang Hotel and Guesthouse Association,Toun Sisouphanthavong, said hotels and guesthouses have been almost fully booked due to the large number of Thai visitors coming to Luang Prabang since the government lifted travel restrictions after the Covid-19 outbreak subsided. However, fewer people are arriving from Europe, the Republic of Korea, China and other countries because travel is still difficult …

From the Thaiger Crowds of eager Laotian tourists are flocking to Thailand now that Thailand and Laos have eased travel restrictions this month. Deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek said yesterday that the checkpoint in Nong Khai, which borders Laos in Northeastern Thailand, is now the fourth most popular entry point into Thailand. The top 3 most popular entry points are Suvarnabhumi and Phuket airports, and the crossing in Sadao, in southern Songkhla, which borders Malaysia. Laotian tourists are largely arriving in the Kingdom for shopping and travel, especially in the north-eastern Nong Khai province. Thailand and Laos have been working to repair ec…

From the Thaiger Starting next month, bus travel enthusiasts in Thailand will have 10 bus route options options in Laos. One of the Thailand-Laos bus routes began earlier this month, from Mukdahan to Savannakhet. Now, the president of Transport Co Ltd, Sanyalux Panwattanalikit, has listed 9 new Thailand-Laos routes starting June 15. The new routes will be: Nong Khai to Vientiane, Udon Thani to Vientiane, Ubon Ratchathani to Pakse, Khon Kaen to Vientiane, Bangkok to Vientiane, Nakhon Phanom to Thakhek, Chiang Rai to Bokeo, Loei to Luang Prabang, and a line running between Udon Thani, Udon Thani International Airport, Nong Khai, and Vang Vieng. To buy tickets…

From Bangkok Post Laos will drop Covid-19 entry restrictions for fully vaccinated tourists from Monday after the country reported falling coronavirus cases and deaths, senior officials said. From January travellers had been required to complete seven days of quarantine, present a negative Covid-19 test, and were limited to travelling within certain areas with officially sanctioned tour groups. The relaxed measures will see international checkpoints re-opened for Laotian citizens and foreigners, provided they are fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated visitors must produce a Rapid Antigen Test issued within 48 hours of leaving their origin country. Tourist…

From Phnom Penh Post Foreigners wanting to enter Laos need to register to get a QR code (Vaccine ID) online at “laogreenpass.gov.la” in order to certify their vaccination status and RT-PCR test result, authorities have announced. The QR code also enables Lao authorities to track the risk status of circle 1 (C1) and circle 2 (C2) of foreign arrivals. To register for the QR code, an applicant needs to fill out a form online, giving passport details, a vaccination or treatment certificate issued not less than six months ago, a hotel booking, life insurance/Covid-19 insurance, and a Covid-19 test certificat…

From Bangkok Post Thailand and Laos have agreed to soon reopen cross-border checkpoints, government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said on Wednesday. The decision was made after Lao ambassador to Thailand Seng Soukhathivong paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister and Defence Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha to mark the occasion of his 4.5 years at Government House. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2269031/laos-agrees-to-reopen-border

From MSN Laos has announced plans to partially re-open its borders to foreign visitors in the new year. The South-East Asian country has been closed to international arrivals for more than 18 months, in an attempt to curb the spread of Covid-19. Fully vaccinated visitors on pre-booked tours will be able to enter Laos from January 1 and visit a select number of destinations, including the capital Vientiane, eco-tourism hotspot Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang, a Unesco World Heritage-listed site in the north of the country. Further destinations will be opened in April and July as vaccination rates in Laos increase. For now, entry will be limited to tourists…

From Reuters / BP Lao police have seized a record haul of illicit drugs in the Golden Triangle region, two security sources in Thailand confirmed on Thursday, in what the United Nations said was Asia's largest single drug bust ever. More than 55 million amphetamine tablets and over 1.5 tonnes of crystal methamphetamine were intercepted by Laos police on Wednesday, who stopped a truck carrying beer crates in northern Bokeo, which borders Thailand and Myanmar, the two sources told Reuters. Jeremy Douglas, Southeast Asia regional representative for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said the discovery was "by far the largest seizure in the hi…

From The Star First of its kind: The Lane Xang train passing the China-Laos borderline inside a tunnel. — Xinhua VIENTIANE: The dream of the Lao people to transform the land-locked country into a land-linked hub in the region is coming true as the streamlined “China-standard” bullet train for the China-Laos railway arrived in Lao capital Vientiane. The electric multiple unit (EMU) train was officially delivered to the Laos-China Railway Co, Ltd, a joint venture in charge of the railway’s construction and operation, at a handover ceremony in the newly-built China-Laos Railway Vientiane Station with the attendance of Chinese Ambassador to Laos Jiang Zai…

From The Diplomat The government of Laos has authorized six companies to trial mining and trading cryptocurrencies, the Laotian Times reported yesterday, despite its stated concerns that such currencies could be used to facilitate illegal activity. According to a report in the Laotian Times, the trial will proceed while a host of ministries work with the Bank of Laos and the state power supply company Electricite du Laos (presumably because of the immense power required to mine cryptocurrencies) to research and decide upon regulations governing the use of these pseudo-currencies in Laos. The findings of the research and consultation between ministries and releva…

From The Toronto Star By Jennifer SizelandSpecial to the Star The thin stern of a pastel-blue-painted boat barely created ripples as the driver propelled us to the moss-fringed mouth of the river cave. We glided past plumes of pale green butterflies, which had gathered to lick salt from the muddy banks, before the damp dark of being inside a karst jolted our senses. My partner and I were midway through a yearlong overland whirl through Asia, and after seven months of life on the road, sailing along a river in Laos felt like the antidote to travel exhaustion. Until then, I had been trying to see and do it all — a hard-to-resist temptation in a continen…

From The Diplomat Building a huge dam just upstream from a legendary UNESCO World Heritage site in an earthquake prone region poses serious risk to the local population and the town of Luang Prabang, warns a leading Thai earthquake specialist. Dr. Punya Churasiri, formerly the earthquake expert at Chulalungkorn University’s geology department, has considerable field research experience in northern Laos. As construction on the dam moved forward, he told The Diplomat, “We worry about what could happen and the possibility of damage to the World Heritage site.” The main developer and builder of the dam is the Thai construction giant CH Karnchang corporation. Th…