Prime Minister of Laos Sonexay Siphandone and his delegation will attend the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Indonesia, scheduled to take place on May 9-11.
Laos’ Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone will be visiting Labuan Bajo, a fishing town located at the western end of the large island of Flores in the Nusa Tenggara region of east Indonesia, where the 2023 ASEAN Summit is slated to take place.
During the summit, he will participate in several important meetings, including those between ASEAN leaders and representatives of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly(AIPA), ASEAN Youth Organization, ASEAN Business Advisory Council, and a high-level task force discussing the ASEAN post-2025 vision.
This year’s summit will also focus on strengthening ASEAN capacity, approving Timor-Leste’s full membership as an ASEAN member nation, combating human trafficking, and protecting fishing workers.
According to the Indonesian magazine Tempo, the annual event will also see discussions on the health sector, village networks, electric vehicle ecosystems, and payment connectivity in the region.
Former Indonesian Attorney-General and Co-Founder of the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar, Marzuki Darusman, stated that the summit was the appropriate time to evaluate the five points of consensus produced by this Southeast Asian bloc institution to resolve the crisis in Myanmar.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Laoss-Prime-Minister-Sonexay-Siphandone.jpg6271200Soutsada Xaphouvonghttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSoutsada Xaphouvong2023-05-17 09:00:002023-05-09 14:44:19Lao Prime Minister to Attend 42nd ASEAN Summit in Indonesia This Month
Laos has seen a boom in tourism in the first quarter of 2023, with over 800,000 international visitors, according to the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism.
The Tourism Statistics Division of the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism released its latest figures on tourism in Laos, revealing a total of 831,248 tourists visiting the country between January and March 2023.
At 344,405 arrivals, Laos received its most foreign visitors from Thailand, followed by Vietnam at 179,885, and China at 143,312. South Korea and the United States came next with 45,756 and 16,998 visitors respectively.
Laos also saw a significant number of tourists from Europe, with 57,408 visitors in the first quarter of 2023. The majority of these tourists came from Russia with 11,573 visitors, while Africa and the Middle East lagged behind in tourist numbers.
The Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism has set a goal of attracting 1.4 million international visitors by the end of 2023, with a revenue target of up to USD 340 million. Officials have been urged to improve tourism infrastructure in the country and develop new products to achieve this target.
Laos’ tourism industry has recently received a lot of international acclaim for its breathtaking natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. In March, Forbes named Laos as the most charming country in Southeast Asia, highlighting the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Luang Prabang as a must-visit destination.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Laos-Attracts-Over-800000-Tourists-in-First-Quarter-of-2023.jpg6271200Soutsada Xaphouvonghttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSoutsada Xaphouvong2023-05-16 08:30:002023-05-09 14:41:55Laos Attracts Over 800,000 Tourists in First Quarter of 2023
The Ministry of Public Works and Transport has suspended the operations of a new Lao Airlines route to the Nongkhang Airport in Sam Neua, Houaphanh Province.
The ministry issued a notice on Friday stating that the suspension was to ensure safety and comply with the recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The Civil Aviation Department in Laos has informed Lao Airlines State Enterprise to suspend the operation of flights QV701 and QV702 from Vientiane’s Wattay International Airport to Sam Neua, Nongkhang Airport.
Accoding to the notice, the Nongkhang Airport is currently undergoing the process of airport registration and flight safety assessment. Once this is complete, the Civil Aviation Department will approve flight routes to the new airport, according to regulations.
Lao Airlines had earlier announced that the flag carrier will be operating three flights a week to the new airport starting May 12, after the completion of its construction.
In April, an aircraft from the Thai Aviation Company “AEROTHAI” with the registration number HS-AIM successfully landed at the Nongkhang Airport after testing its landing guide system for flights.
Lao Prime Minister to Attend 42nd ASEAN Summit in Indonesia This Month
Prime Minister of Laos Sonexay Siphandone and his delegation will attend the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Indonesia, scheduled to take place on May 9-11.
Laos’ Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone will be visiting Labuan Bajo, a fishing town located at the western end of the large island of Flores in the Nusa Tenggara region of east Indonesia, where the 2023 ASEAN Summit is slated to take place.
During the summit, he will participate in several important meetings, including those between ASEAN leaders and representatives of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly(AIPA), ASEAN Youth Organization, ASEAN Business Advisory Council, and a high-level task force discussing the ASEAN post-2025 vision.
This year’s summit will also focus on strengthening ASEAN capacity, approving Timor-Leste’s full membership as an ASEAN member nation, combating human trafficking, and protecting fishing workers.
According to the Indonesian magazine Tempo, the annual event will also see discussions on the health sector, village networks, electric vehicle ecosystems, and payment connectivity in the region.
Former Indonesian Attorney-General and Co-Founder of the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar, Marzuki Darusman, stated that the summit was the appropriate time to evaluate the five points of consensus produced by this Southeast Asian bloc institution to resolve the crisis in Myanmar.
Former Lao Prime Minister Phanhkham Viphavanh participated in the 40th and 41st ASEAN and Related Summits in November 2022 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
source: https://laotiantimes.com/2023/05/09/lao-prime-minister-to-attend-42nd-asean-summit-in-indonesia-this-month/
Laos Attracts Over 800,000 Tourists in First Quarter of 2023
Laos has seen a boom in tourism in the first quarter of 2023, with over 800,000 international visitors, according to the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism.
The Tourism Statistics Division of the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism released its latest figures on tourism in Laos, revealing a total of 831,248 tourists visiting the country between January and March 2023.
At 344,405 arrivals, Laos received its most foreign visitors from Thailand, followed by Vietnam at 179,885, and China at 143,312. South Korea and the United States came next with 45,756 and 16,998 visitors respectively.
Laos also saw a significant number of tourists from Europe, with 57,408 visitors in the first quarter of 2023. The majority of these tourists came from Russia with 11,573 visitors, while Africa and the Middle East lagged behind in tourist numbers.
The Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism has set a goal of attracting 1.4 million international visitors by the end of 2023, with a revenue target of up to USD 340 million. Officials have been urged to improve tourism infrastructure in the country and develop new products to achieve this target.
Laos’ tourism industry has recently received a lot of international acclaim for its breathtaking natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. In March, Forbes named Laos as the most charming country in Southeast Asia, highlighting the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Luang Prabang as a must-visit destination.
source: https://laotiantimes.com/2023/05/05/laos-attracts-over-800000-tourists-in-first-quarter-of-2023/
Transport Ministry Cancels New Lao Airlines Route to Houaphanh
The Ministry of Public Works and Transport has suspended the operations of a new Lao Airlines route to the Nongkhang Airport in Sam Neua, Houaphanh Province.
The ministry issued a notice on Friday stating that the suspension was to ensure safety and comply with the recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The Civil Aviation Department in Laos has informed Lao Airlines State Enterprise to suspend the operation of flights QV701 and QV702 from Vientiane’s Wattay International Airport to Sam Neua, Nongkhang Airport.
Accoding to the notice, the Nongkhang Airport is currently undergoing the process of airport registration and flight safety assessment. Once this is complete, the Civil Aviation Department will approve flight routes to the new airport, according to regulations.
Lao Airlines had earlier announced that the flag carrier will be operating three flights a week to the new airport starting May 12, after the completion of its construction.
In April, an aircraft from the Thai Aviation Company “AEROTHAI” with the registration number HS-AIM successfully landed at the Nongkhang Airport after testing its landing guide system for flights.
Due to the significant setback of about ten years since the airport was approved for its construction in 2013, the airport has not yet made an official announcement regarding its completion.
source: https://laotiantimes.com/2023/05/09/transport-ministry-cancels-new-lao-airlines-route-to-houaphanh/