Laos is preparing to put some of its most beloved traditions and landscapes before the world, with the government announcing plans to seek UNESCO recognition for five cultural practices and three landmark sites over the next five years.
The nominations form part of the broader 10th Five-Year National Socio-Economic Development Plan, but the cultural ambitions stand on their own.
The Traditions on the List
The five traditions being put forward for UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list are part of daily and ceremonial Lao life.
First, the national dish, Larb, which carries its meaning in its name, “luck” and “wealth” in Lao, and appears at every significant moment in Lao life, from weddings and birthdays to the Lao New Year. The Lao Business Women’s Association pushed the nomination forward, submitting a formal proposal through the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in early 2025. A UNESCO decision is expected in September 2026.
If approved, Larb would become Laos’ fourth UNESCO-recognised cultural element, joining traditional dance Fonelamvong Lao (2024), Naga motif weaving (2023), and Khaen music (2017).
Closely tied to those same celebrations is the Sou Khuan ceremony, also known as the Baci, which has also been submitted for consideration.
Rooted in animist beliefs and practiced alongside Buddhism, the ritual is built around the idea that each person has 32 protective spirits, or khouan, which can leave the body during illness, travel, or major life changes. Elders chant blessings around a decorative offering arrangement called a pha khouan, and white cotton strings are tied around participants’ wrists as symbols of protection and unity. It is performed at weddings, births, the Lao New Year, and other milestones.
The nomination has been submitted, but the formal evaluation process has not yet begun.
Rounding out the intangible heritage nominations are Pou Yer – Ya Yer, the mythical grandparents of Lao New Year; Boun Pi Mai Lao itself; and Khao Tom–Khao Lam, the preparation of sticky rice dishes carrying deep ritual and communal significance.
The Sites
Alongside the living traditions, three physical sites are being put forward for World Heritage status, each significant in its own way.
Nakai-Nam Theun National Park, one of the largest protected areas in Southeast Asia, is home to some of the region’s most endangered species across a landscape of extraordinary ecological diversity.
Further north, the Hintang Archaeological Park in Houaphanh Province holds hundreds of ancient stone menhirs whose origins remain only partially understood, lending the site a sense of mystery that matches its cultural weight.
The third site, That Ing Hang in Savannakhet Province, is among the most sacred Buddhist monuments in the country. Built in 1560 by King Setthathirath of the Lan Xang kingdom on the site of a pre-existing Khmer temple, the stupa is believed to enshrine a relic of the Buddha’s collarbone. Its architecture reflects both Lao and Khmer influences, and it has drawn pilgrims for centuries. Restored significantly in the 19th century, it remains an active place of worship today.
UNESCO inscription brings legal frameworks for protection, international funding, and a level of visibility that can change how a place or practice is preserved for generations.
The nominations are expected to be developed and submitted across the 2026–2030 period.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Savannakhet-Sets-Stage-for-Biggest-Ever-That-Ing-Hang-Festival-1.jpg6271200Soutsada Xaphouvonghttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSoutsada Xaphouvong2026-03-15 09:03:002026-03-13 09:55:04Laos to Nominate Five Traditions, Three Sites for UNESCO Status
Bounloth Sodaluck grew up watching rural families in Xayaboury Province struggle to find medical care for their children. Now, decades later, she leads the only Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in northern Laos and has just become the first Lao national to win the Women of the Future Southeast Asia Award in the Professions category.
“This award is for the hospital and our team, who are dedicated to saving kids’ lives,” she said.
It is International Women’s Day, and if there is a story worth telling today in Laos, it is probably hers.
Dr. Pom, as she is known, did not come from a family of doctors or a city with good hospitals. After finishing high school in Xayaboury, she earned a place at the University of Health Sciences in Vientiane. Her focus sharpened during clinical rotations at Lao Friends Hospital for Children in Luang Prabang, where she noticed something that would later mark her entire career.
“Children are not good at telling us how they feel, so we need to pay attention,” she says.
She never left.
This year, LFHC marked its 11th anniversary, and Dr. Pom marked it by leading the team that built the hospital’s first PICU, a unit that now handles the region’s most critically ill children, many arriving from remote provinces with few other options.
The hospital has operated for eleven years on entirely private funding, offering completely free care to every child who comes through its doors.
Beyond the ward, Dr. Pom works as Medical Education Director, training junior Lao doctors and interns with skills she developed through additional study in Vientiane and Thailand.
“If I can give my students the tools and confidence to treat sick children, my impact will multiply,” she says.
Women in Laos have been moving into medicine, law, and public life for years now, often without much noise about it.
But the path is rarely straightforward, especially for women from rural areas, where getting to university at all can depend on factors that have nothing to do with ability.
Laos officially opened Bokeo International Airport on 6 March, marking a major milestone in the country’s aviation development and regional connectivity plans.
Located in Ban Nyai Simueangngam, about five kilometers from the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, the airport is the first privately financed international airport in Laos, developed under a Build–Operate–Transfer (BOT) agreement in which the company finances, constructs, and operates the facility.
The airport operates under a 50-year concession granted by the Lao government to Greater Bay Area Investment and Development (Hong Kong), an affiliate of the Dok Ngiew Kham Group, the concessionaire of the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone.
The project covers an area of approximately 300 hectares and carries an estimated construction cost of USD 175 million.
Construction began in September 2020, and the airport was built in accordance with safety standards set by Laos’ Department of Civil Aviation and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The airport features a 2,500-meter runway with a width of 45 meters, with runway shoulders measuring 7.5 meters on each side. The design allows the facility to accommodate most narrow-body aircraft commonly used on regional routes.
Aircraft such as the Boeing 737-900ER and Airbus A320 and A321, which carry up to around 200 passengers, will also be able to operate at the airport.
Economic Growth Goals
Thienthong Sopha, Director of Bokeo International Airport Co. Ltd, said the airport was designed to support economic growth, strengthen transport links, and create new employment opportunities in the region.
Domestic routes are expected to include flights to Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Houaphanh, Xieng Khouang, Savannakhet, and Champasak.
The company is also planning to open international routes to connect Bokeo with major regional destinations including Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Kunming, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Phnom Penh, and Siem Reap.
According to Phoun Khampha, Director of Bokeo (public) Airport, the new facility is designed to handle up to two million passengers annually once fully operational.
Officials say the project will play an important role in supporting tourism, trade, and investment in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, one of Laos’ fastest-growing economic areas.
During the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith officially inaugurated the airport by cutting the ribbon and striking a ceremonial bell nine times to mark the opening.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/485154167_1084635913693533_6447904161804815105_n.jpg7201080Soutsada Xaphouvonghttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSoutsada Xaphouvong2026-03-13 09:17:002026-03-10 11:23:10Laos Opens First Privately Financed International Airport in Golden Triangle Area
Laos to Nominate Five Traditions, Three Sites for UNESCO Status
Laos is preparing to put some of its most beloved traditions and landscapes before the world, with the government announcing plans to seek UNESCO recognition for five cultural practices and three landmark sites over the next five years.
The nominations form part of the broader 10th Five-Year National Socio-Economic Development Plan, but the cultural ambitions stand on their own.
The Traditions on the List
The five traditions being put forward for UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list are part of daily and ceremonial Lao life.
First, the national dish, Larb, which carries its meaning in its name, “luck” and “wealth” in Lao, and appears at every significant moment in Lao life, from weddings and birthdays to the Lao New Year. The Lao Business Women’s Association pushed the nomination forward, submitting a formal proposal through the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in early 2025. A UNESCO decision is expected in September 2026.
If approved, Larb would become Laos’ fourth UNESCO-recognised cultural element, joining traditional dance Fonelamvong Lao (2024), Naga motif weaving (2023), and Khaen music (2017).
Closely tied to those same celebrations is the Sou Khuan ceremony, also known as the Baci, which has also been submitted for consideration.
Rooted in animist beliefs and practiced alongside Buddhism, the ritual is built around the idea that each person has 32 protective spirits, or khouan, which can leave the body during illness, travel, or major life changes. Elders chant blessings around a decorative offering arrangement called a pha khouan, and white cotton strings are tied around participants’ wrists as symbols of protection and unity. It is performed at weddings, births, the Lao New Year, and other milestones.
The nomination has been submitted, but the formal evaluation process has not yet begun.
Rounding out the intangible heritage nominations are Pou Yer – Ya Yer, the mythical grandparents of Lao New Year; Boun Pi Mai Lao itself; and Khao Tom–Khao Lam, the preparation of sticky rice dishes carrying deep ritual and communal significance.
The Sites
Alongside the living traditions, three physical sites are being put forward for World Heritage status, each significant in its own way.
Nakai-Nam Theun National Park, one of the largest protected areas in Southeast Asia, is home to some of the region’s most endangered species across a landscape of extraordinary ecological diversity.
Further north, the Hintang Archaeological Park in Houaphanh Province holds hundreds of ancient stone menhirs whose origins remain only partially understood, lending the site a sense of mystery that matches its cultural weight.
The third site, That Ing Hang in Savannakhet Province, is among the most sacred Buddhist monuments in the country. Built in 1560 by King Setthathirath of the Lan Xang kingdom on the site of a pre-existing Khmer temple, the stupa is believed to enshrine a relic of the Buddha’s collarbone. Its architecture reflects both Lao and Khmer influences, and it has drawn pilgrims for centuries. Restored significantly in the 19th century, it remains an active place of worship today.
UNESCO inscription brings legal frameworks for protection, international funding, and a level of visibility that can change how a place or practice is preserved for generations.
The nominations are expected to be developed and submitted across the 2026–2030 period.
source: https://laotiantimes.com/2026/03/04/laos-to-nominate-five-traditions-three-sites-for-unesco-status/
Lao Woman Builds Northern Laos’ First Pediatric ICU, Wins Regional Award
Bounloth Sodaluck grew up watching rural families in Xayaboury Province struggle to find medical care for their children. Now, decades later, she leads the only Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in northern Laos and has just become the first Lao national to win the Women of the Future Southeast Asia Award in the Professions category.
“This award is for the hospital and our team, who are dedicated to saving kids’ lives,” she said.
It is International Women’s Day, and if there is a story worth telling today in Laos, it is probably hers.
Dr. Pom, as she is known, did not come from a family of doctors or a city with good hospitals. After finishing high school in Xayaboury, she earned a place at the University of Health Sciences in Vientiane. Her focus sharpened during clinical rotations at Lao Friends Hospital for Children in Luang Prabang, where she noticed something that would later mark her entire career.
“Children are not good at telling us how they feel, so we need to pay attention,” she says.
She never left.
This year, LFHC marked its 11th anniversary, and Dr. Pom marked it by leading the team that built the hospital’s first PICU, a unit that now handles the region’s most critically ill children, many arriving from remote provinces with few other options.
The hospital has operated for eleven years on entirely private funding, offering completely free care to every child who comes through its doors.
Beyond the ward, Dr. Pom works as Medical Education Director, training junior Lao doctors and interns with skills she developed through additional study in Vientiane and Thailand.
“If I can give my students the tools and confidence to treat sick children, my impact will multiply,” she says.
Women in Laos have been moving into medicine, law, and public life for years now, often without much noise about it.
But the path is rarely straightforward, especially for women from rural areas, where getting to university at all can depend on factors that have nothing to do with ability.
source: https://laotiantimes.com/2026/03/08/lao-woman-builds-northern-laos-first-pediatric-icu-wins-regional-award/
Laos Opens First Privately Financed International Airport in Golden Triangle Area
Laos officially opened Bokeo International Airport on 6 March, marking a major milestone in the country’s aviation development and regional connectivity plans.
Located in Ban Nyai Simueangngam, about five kilometers from the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, the airport is the first privately financed international airport in Laos, developed under a Build–Operate–Transfer (BOT) agreement in which the company finances, constructs, and operates the facility.
The airport operates under a 50-year concession granted by the Lao government to Greater Bay Area Investment and Development (Hong Kong), an affiliate of the Dok Ngiew Kham Group, the concessionaire of the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone.
The project covers an area of approximately 300 hectares and carries an estimated construction cost of USD 175 million.
Construction began in September 2020, and the airport was built in accordance with safety standards set by Laos’ Department of Civil Aviation and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The airport features a 2,500-meter runway with a width of 45 meters, with runway shoulders measuring 7.5 meters on each side. The design allows the facility to accommodate most narrow-body aircraft commonly used on regional routes.
Aircraft such as the Boeing 737-900ER and Airbus A320 and A321, which carry up to around 200 passengers, will also be able to operate at the airport.
Economic Growth Goals
Thienthong Sopha, Director of Bokeo International Airport Co. Ltd, said the airport was designed to support economic growth, strengthen transport links, and create new employment opportunities in the region.
Domestic routes are expected to include flights to Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Houaphanh, Xieng Khouang, Savannakhet, and Champasak.
The company is also planning to open international routes to connect Bokeo with major regional destinations including Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Kunming, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Phnom Penh, and Siem Reap.
According to Phoun Khampha, Director of Bokeo (public) Airport, the new facility is designed to handle up to two million passengers annually once fully operational.
Officials say the project will play an important role in supporting tourism, trade, and investment in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, one of Laos’ fastest-growing economic areas.
During the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith officially inaugurated the airport by cutting the ribbon and striking a ceremonial bell nine times to mark the opening.
source: https://laotiantimes.com/2026/03/09/laos-opens-first-privately-financed-international-airport-in-golden-triangle-area/