Expanding the railway to southern Laos, rolling out a new school system, reducing poverty, and improving roads and water supply were among the key issues discussed during the First Ordinary Session of the 10th National Assembly this week.
RailFreight
Lawmakers questioned ministers on infrastructure, education, rural development, and environmental protection as the government outlined its priorities for the remainder of 2026.
One of the main proposals came from Champasak lawmaker Alounxay Sounnalath, who urged the government to extend the railway network to southern Laos.
Speaking during the Assembly session, he said expanding the railway would improve transport, support trade and production, and help boost economic growth in the region.
He also called for clearer import management policies, better coordination between central and local authorities, and a fair distribution of the government’s proposed 2,500 new civil service positions, with priority given to healthcare workers and long-serving volunteer teachers.
Roads and Water Supply
The call for railway expansion came as the government outlined broader plans to strengthen the country’s transport infrastructure.
RailFreight
Minister of Public Works and Transport Leklai Sivilay said the government will continue upgrading national highways, provincial roads, district roads, and village access roads to improve transport, reduce accidents, and support trade and tourism.
He said priority will be given to projects that already have funding or signed contracts, while additional financing will come from road maintenance funds, state investment, official development assistance (ODA), and public-private partnerships.
The government also plans to expand community water supply systems, improve urban planning, reduce flooding, and strengthen waste management.
According to Leklai, ministries will also work together to improve road access to tourist attractions and agricultural production areas.
New School System From 2028
Beyond infrastructure, lawmakers also heard updates on reforms in the education sector.
Urban& Regional Planning
Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone confirmed that Laos will begin introducing its new 6+3+3 education system, starting with Grade 6 in the 2028–2029 academic year.
The reform will extend primary school from five years to six years, reduce lower secondary education from four years to three, and keep upper secondary education at three years.
The government is also revising the curriculum for all 12 grades, developing new textbooks and teachers’ guides, restructuring teacher training institutions into a national teacher training university, and preparing to establish the Lao-Vietnam Friendship University and the Lao-Russia Friendship School.
Sonexay said the government will continue addressing teacher shortages and expanding opportunities for volunteer teachers to become civil servants.
Poverty Reduction
The government’s social development agenda also featured prominently during the session.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Santiphab Phomvihane said the government is preparing a new national agenda on rural development and poverty reduction.
The plan aims to lift more than 100,000 families out of poverty by 2030, reducing the national poverty rate from 14.78 percent to a single-digit figure.
The government also plans to remove more than 1,000 villages and 25 districts from the national poverty list while creating four to five model villages in each province.
Santiphab said the strategy focuses on creating stable jobs and incomes, improving infrastructure, expanding access to education, healthcare, and clean water, allocating land, and attracting more domestic and foreign investment into rural development.
Urban& Regional Planning
He said Laos currently has 189,792 poor families, 2,173 poor villages, and 66 poor districts.
Forest Restoration
Environmental protection was another issue raised by lawmakers during the debate.
Members of the National Assembly questioned the government about the continued loss of forest cover linked to mining, hydropower, agriculture, and other development projects.
Minister of Agriculture and Environment Linkham Douangsavanh said forests currently cover 62.56 percent of Laos, and the government aims to increase that figure to 65 percent by 2030.
To reach the target, authorities plan to restore 520,000 hectares of natural forest, plant 200,000 hectares of industrial trees, and continue surveying and allocating forest land while strengthening reforestation efforts funded by development projects.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26_6_2024_a_train_on_the_laos_china_railway_discharges_passengers_at_the_luang_prabang_station_on_june_25.jpg660990Soutsada Xaphouvonghttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSoutsada Xaphouvong2026-07-13 11:16:172026-07-13 11:16:47Railway Expansion, Education Reform Among Key Issues at National Assembly
While the FIFA World Cup dominates football headlines, a Lao youth footballers has returned from Europe with two international titles.
On 5 July, W.I.G NAGA’s under-13 team successfully defended its IberCup title in Portugal, defeating Portuguese side GD Estoril Praia B 4-2 in the final to become back-to-back champions of one of the world’s best-known youth football tournaments.
Soccer
Just weeks earlier, in mid-June, the club’s under-10 team also won the MIC Football 7 tournament in Spain, giving Laos two international youth football titles during a single European tour.
When the players returned to Vientiane on 8 July, parents, supporters, and football fans gathered at the airport to welcome them home.
A picture of WIG NAGA’s Tonjukkit Noysomsy during interview with the Laotian Times
For the coach Tonjukkit Noysomsy, defending the IberCup title was always going to be the team’s toughest challenge.
“We knew it would be very difficult,” he said. “We never underestimated any opponent. We prepared for a long time through training, studying matches, and analysing replays.”
Tonjukkit said the tournament also gave the team an opportunity to introduce Laos to people who knew little about the country.
GeographicReference
“We are proud to represent Laos,” he said. “Many people there knew very little about Laos. During the tournament I often had to explain where Laos is, sometimes even showing them on Google.”
Friendship
a picture of the WIG NAGA team after wining at the IberCup in Portugal, defeating Portuguese side GD Estoril Praia B 4-2 in the final on 5 July. (Photo by Wilaikul NAGA Academy)
Asked what has helped the team succeed, Tonjukkit pointed to the bond the players have built over years of training together.
“These boys have been together for five or six years. They have hearts and fight for each other because they are friends.”
The players train six days a week, with one session before school and another after classes.
But Tonjukkit said winning trophies is only part of what the club is trying to achieve.
“We don’t only teach technical skills,” he said. “The most important thing is that they enjoy football, enjoy playing together, and learn how to be good teammates.”
Soccer
He said the club’s long-term goal is to help develop the next generation
of Lao footballers.
“We don’t want this to be the end,” Tonjukkit said. “Our goal is to develop quality players for the Lao national team and one day help them compete in Asia and on the international stage.”
The team will not have much time to celebrate. Its next challenge is an international tournament in Shanghai, where W.I.G NAGA will face eight invited teams, including youth sides from Spain, Japan, and South Korea.
“We’ll train hard and make sure we’re fully prepared. W.I.G NAGA will never stop developing and will keep fighting.”
Young Players
The welcome home was one of the biggest surprises for the Lao Footballers
A picture of Centre-back Nino (left) and Righer winger Niou (right) during the interview with Laotian Times and Talk2Teen staff.
Right winger Niou said winning the title was unforgettable, but seeing so many supporters at the airport made the moment even more special.
“I feel really happy that we defended our title,” he said. “I am also very excited to see so many fans welcoming us.”
Niou’s teammate and centre-back Nino said the team never expected such a large crowd.
“We didn’t think this many people would come. I’m very thankful.”
The team is already looking ahead to more international competitions.
MeritPrizes & Contests
Following the tournament in China, W.I.G NAGA is expected to compete in the United States, Brazil, and Italy.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_0713-scaled-e1783573987115-1920x1264-1.jpg12641920Soutsada Xaphouvonghttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSoutsada Xaphouvong2026-07-10 11:18:082026-07-13 11:26:39Young Lao Footballers Win International Titles as World Cup Fever Grows
Myanmar’s recently elected President, Min Aung Hlaing, who seized power in the 2021 military coup before being elected earlier this year, wrapped up his first visit to an ASEAN member state, departing Laos on 5 July
The visit produced agreements on tourism cooperation and a sister-city partnership between two capital cities, along with a landmark deal to study a hydropower dam on the Mekong River border between the two countries.
Presidential welcome and official talks
Min Aung Hlaing arrived in Vientiane on 3 July with his wife, Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, and a high-level delegation at the invitation of Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith, to mark the 70th anniversary of Laos-Myanmar diplomatic relations.
A state welcome ceremony followed at the Presidential Palace. Thongloun and Min Aung Hlaing then held official talks covering bilateral cooperation and regional issues, and Thongloun called the visit a milestone in the countries’ seven-decade friendship.
On 4 July, Min Aung Hlaing also met Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and National Assembly President Xaysomphone Phomvihane, who pledged closer parliamentary cooperation.
Laos was the first ASEAN state Min Aung Hlaing had visited since taking office in April.
Myanmar’s junta chief-turned-president seized power in a February 2021 coup and ruled the country as military chief for five years before assuming the civilian post that month following elections.
During the leader’s latest visit to Laos, the two governments signed an agreement on tourism cooperation and another establishing a sister-city partnership between Vientiane and Naypyidaw.
Myanmar also handed over 640 doses of snake antivenom serum to Laos.
Dam study on Mekong border
The visit’s most significant outcome came on the second day, when officials signed a Joint Development Agreement in Vientiane to study a hydropower dam along the 230-kilometer Laos-Myanmar border stretch of the Mekong.
Lao company Phongsupthavy Group Sole Co Ltd and Myanmar’s Primus Sapphire Power Co Ltd will jointly carry out the feasibility study for the proposed 2,790-megawatt dam, expected to take 34 months to complete.
Details of the project, including its exact location and preliminary engineering specifications, have not yet been disclosed.
Luang Prabang Visit
Min Aung Hlaing laid a wreath at the Unknown Soldier Monument in front of the Lao National Assembly, paid homage at the Thatluang Stupa, met the Chairman of the Myanmar-Laos Friendship Association, and attended a Baci ceremony and state banquet hosted by Thongloun.
On the visit’s final day, Min Aung Hlaing traveled to Luang Prabang, Laos’ UNESCO World Heritage city, and visited temples and other cultural landmarks before departing Luang Prabang International Airport for Myanmar that afternoon, concluding the state visit.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Laos-Myanmar.jpg6271200Soutsada Xaphouvonghttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSoutsada Xaphouvong2026-07-07 11:00:022026-07-07 11:00:25Myanmar’s Leader Wraps First ASEAN Visit in Laos, Signs Mekong Dam Study
Railway Expansion, Education Reform Among Key Issues at National Assembly
Expanding the railway to southern Laos, rolling out a new school system, reducing poverty, and improving roads and water supply were among the key issues discussed during the First Ordinary Session of the 10th National Assembly this week.
RailFreight
Lawmakers questioned ministers on infrastructure, education, rural development, and environmental protection as the government outlined its priorities for the remainder of 2026.
One of the main proposals came from Champasak lawmaker Alounxay Sounnalath, who urged the government to extend the railway network to southern Laos.
Speaking during the Assembly session, he said expanding the railway would improve transport, support trade and production, and help boost economic growth in the region.
He also called for clearer import management policies, better coordination between central and local authorities, and a fair distribution of the government’s proposed 2,500 new civil service positions, with priority given to healthcare workers and long-serving volunteer teachers.
Roads and Water Supply
The call for railway expansion came as the government outlined broader plans to strengthen the country’s transport infrastructure.
RailFreight
Minister of Public Works and Transport Leklai Sivilay said the government will continue upgrading national highways, provincial roads, district roads, and village access roads to improve transport, reduce accidents, and support trade and tourism.
He said priority will be given to projects that already have funding or signed contracts, while additional financing will come from road maintenance funds, state investment, official development assistance (ODA), and public-private partnerships.
The government also plans to expand community water supply systems, improve urban planning, reduce flooding, and strengthen waste management.
According to Leklai, ministries will also work together to improve road access to tourist attractions and agricultural production areas.
New School System From 2028
Beyond infrastructure, lawmakers also heard updates on reforms in the education sector.
Urban& Regional Planning
Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone confirmed that Laos will begin introducing its new 6+3+3 education system, starting with Grade 6 in the 2028–2029 academic year.
The reform will extend primary school from five years to six years, reduce lower secondary education from four years to three, and keep upper secondary education at three years.
The government is also revising the curriculum for all 12 grades, developing new textbooks and teachers’ guides, restructuring teacher training institutions into a national teacher training university, and preparing to establish the Lao-Vietnam Friendship University and the Lao-Russia Friendship School.
Sonexay said the government will continue addressing teacher shortages and expanding opportunities for volunteer teachers to become civil servants.
Poverty Reduction
The government’s social development agenda also featured prominently during the session.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Santiphab Phomvihane said the government is preparing a new national agenda on rural development and poverty reduction.
The plan aims to lift more than 100,000 families out of poverty by 2030, reducing the national poverty rate from 14.78 percent to a single-digit figure.
The government also plans to remove more than 1,000 villages and 25 districts from the national poverty list while creating four to five model villages in each province.
Santiphab said the strategy focuses on creating stable jobs and incomes, improving infrastructure, expanding access to education, healthcare, and clean water, allocating land, and attracting more domestic and foreign investment into rural development.
Urban& Regional Planning
He said Laos currently has 189,792 poor families, 2,173 poor villages, and 66 poor districts.
Forest Restoration
Environmental protection was another issue raised by lawmakers during the debate.
Members of the National Assembly questioned the government about the continued loss of forest cover linked to mining, hydropower, agriculture, and other development projects.
Minister of Agriculture and Environment Linkham Douangsavanh said forests currently cover 62.56 percent of Laos, and the government aims to increase that figure to 65 percent by 2030.
To reach the target, authorities plan to restore 520,000 hectares of natural forest, plant 200,000 hectares of industrial trees, and continue surveying and allocating forest land while strengthening reforestation efforts funded by development projects.
source: https://laotiantimes.com/2026/07/09/railway-expansion-education-reform-among-key-issues-at-national-assembly/
Young Lao Footballers Win International Titles as World Cup Fever Grows
While the FIFA World Cup dominates football headlines, a Lao youth footballers has returned from Europe with two international titles.
On 5 July, W.I.G NAGA’s under-13 team successfully defended its IberCup title in Portugal, defeating Portuguese side GD Estoril Praia B 4-2 in the final to become back-to-back champions of one of the world’s best-known youth football tournaments.
Soccer
Just weeks earlier, in mid-June, the club’s under-10 team also won the MIC Football 7 tournament in Spain, giving Laos two international youth football titles during a single European tour.
When the players returned to Vientiane on 8 July, parents, supporters, and football fans gathered at the airport to welcome them home.
For the coach Tonjukkit Noysomsy, defending the IberCup title was always going to be the team’s toughest challenge.
“We knew it would be very difficult,” he said. “We never underestimated any opponent. We prepared for a long time through training, studying matches, and analysing replays.”
Tonjukkit said the tournament also gave the team an opportunity to introduce Laos to people who knew little about the country.
GeographicReference
“We are proud to represent Laos,” he said. “Many people there knew very little about Laos. During the tournament I often had to explain where Laos is, sometimes even showing them on Google.”
Friendship
Asked what has helped the team succeed, Tonjukkit pointed to the bond the players have built over years of training together.
“These boys have been together for five or six years. They have hearts and fight for each other because they are friends.”
The players train six days a week, with one session before school and another after classes.
But Tonjukkit said winning trophies is only part of what the club is trying to achieve.
“We don’t only teach technical skills,” he said. “The most important thing is that they enjoy football, enjoy playing together, and learn how to be good teammates.”
Soccer
He said the club’s long-term goal is to help develop the next generation
of Lao footballers.
“We don’t want this to be the end,” Tonjukkit said. “Our goal is to develop quality players for the Lao national team and one day help them compete in Asia and on the international stage.”
The team will not have much time to celebrate. Its next challenge is an international tournament in Shanghai, where W.I.G NAGA will face eight invited teams, including youth sides from Spain, Japan, and South Korea.
“We’ll train hard and make sure we’re fully prepared. W.I.G NAGA will never stop developing and will keep fighting.”
Young Players
The welcome home was one of the biggest surprises for the Lao Footballers
Right winger Niou said winning the title was unforgettable, but seeing so many supporters at the airport made the moment even more special.
“I feel really happy that we defended our title,” he said. “I am also very excited to see so many fans welcoming us.”
Niou’s teammate and centre-back Nino said the team never expected such a large crowd.
“We didn’t think this many people would come. I’m very thankful.”
The team is already looking ahead to more international competitions.
MeritPrizes & Contests
Following the tournament in China, W.I.G NAGA is expected to compete in the United States, Brazil, and Italy.
source: https://laotiantimes.com/2026/07/09/young-lao-footballers-win-international-titles-as-world-cup-fever-grows/
Myanmar’s Leader Wraps First ASEAN Visit in Laos, Signs Mekong Dam Study
Myanmar’s recently elected President, Min Aung Hlaing, who seized power in the 2021 military coup before being elected earlier this year, wrapped up his first visit to an ASEAN member state, departing Laos on 5 July
The visit produced agreements on tourism cooperation and a sister-city partnership between two capital cities, along with a landmark deal to study a hydropower dam on the Mekong River border between the two countries.
Presidential welcome and official talks
Min Aung Hlaing arrived in Vientiane on 3 July with his wife, Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, and a high-level delegation at the invitation of Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith, to mark the 70th anniversary of Laos-Myanmar diplomatic relations.
A state welcome ceremony followed at the Presidential Palace. Thongloun and Min Aung Hlaing then held official talks covering bilateral cooperation and regional issues, and Thongloun called the visit a milestone in the countries’ seven-decade friendship.
On 4 July, Min Aung Hlaing also met Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and National Assembly President Xaysomphone Phomvihane, who pledged closer parliamentary cooperation.
Laos was the first ASEAN state Min Aung Hlaing had visited since taking office in April.
Myanmar’s junta chief-turned-president seized power in a February 2021 coup and ruled the country as military chief for five years before assuming the civilian post that month following elections.
During the leader’s latest visit to Laos, the two governments signed an agreement on tourism cooperation and another establishing a sister-city partnership between Vientiane and Naypyidaw.
Myanmar also handed over 640 doses of snake antivenom serum to Laos.
Dam study on Mekong border
The visit’s most significant outcome came on the second day, when officials signed a Joint Development Agreement in Vientiane to study a hydropower dam along the 230-kilometer Laos-Myanmar border stretch of the Mekong.
Lao company Phongsupthavy Group Sole Co Ltd and Myanmar’s Primus Sapphire Power Co Ltd will jointly carry out the feasibility study for the proposed 2,790-megawatt dam, expected to take 34 months to complete.
Details of the project, including its exact location and preliminary engineering specifications, have not yet been disclosed.
Luang Prabang Visit
Min Aung Hlaing laid a wreath at the Unknown Soldier Monument in front of the Lao National Assembly, paid homage at the Thatluang Stupa, met the Chairman of the Myanmar-Laos Friendship Association, and attended a Baci ceremony and state banquet hosted by Thongloun.
On the visit’s final day, Min Aung Hlaing traveled to Luang Prabang, Laos’ UNESCO World Heritage city, and visited temples and other cultural landmarks before departing Luang Prabang International Airport for Myanmar that afternoon, concluding the state visit.
source: https://laotiantimes.com/2026/07/06/myanmars-leader-wraps-first-asean-visit-in-laos-signs-mekong-dam-study/