Laos is stepping up nationwide reforestation efforts in 2026, with authorities across several provinces preparing to plant more than 10 million trees and restore thousands of hectares of degraded forest land as part of wider climate and environmental protection campaigns.
The initiatives are being launched ahead of National Arbor Day on 1 June and World Environment Day on 5 June, with provincial authorities promoting tree planting, forest recovery, and public participation in environmental conservation.
Authorities across provinces said the campaign aimed to increase forest cover, recover degraded land, improve biodiversity, and encourage long-term public participation in environmental conservation.
Provinces expand forest restoration targets
In Vientiane Capital, the Department of Agriculture and Environment has prepared around 3 million seedlings to support tree planting and forest restoration activities across all nine districts.
The capital aims to plant and restore forests across 405 hectares in 2026, including 300 hectares of commercial plantations and 100 hectares of forest rehabilitation areas. Planting activities will take place along roadsides, in public parks, at schools, at temples, at offices, on state land, and in community spaces on 1 June.
Meanwhile, Attapeu province has prepared more than 4.23 million seedlings as part of its 2026 reforestation plan, making it one of the country’s largest restoration campaigns this year.
Provincial authorities aim to plant 630 hectares of new forest and rehabilitate more than 8,200 hectares of degraded forest land. Activities will include large-scale tree planting along the Xe Khong River in Samakkhixay district, environmental cleanup campaigns, and awareness programs targeting students and local communities.
Officials in Attapeu said the campaign is intended to strengthen public understanding of climate change, droughts, flooding, and the importance of forest conservation.
Elsewhere, Luang Prabang province has also announced plans to prepare around 1 million seedlings for forest restoration activities, while Champasak province aims to plant more than 1.5 million seedlings across the province.
In Salavan province, Ta Oi district plans to plant 218,157 trees across 306 hectares this year. Local authorities have prepared ten species of seedlings.
The 70% Coverage Target
Authorities are placing greater focus on tree survival rates and long-term forest quality, while encouraging public participation in tree care during the rainy season to support forest recovery.
These campaigns align with Laos’ national forestry strategy, which aims to raise forest coverage to 70 percent by 2035. The target comes in response to long-term forest decline linked to agricultural expansion, logging, and infrastructure development.
Over the past two decades, Laos has lost around 58 percent of its intact forest landscapes, putting pressure on ecosystems and increasing climate vulnerability. Officials say reforestation remains central to restoring ecological balance and reducing environmental risks.
With nearly 10 million trees planned across provinces, Laos is expanding its 2026 reforestation drive to restore degraded land and strengthen forest cover. Authorities also stress long-term care of planted trees to support sustainable forest recovery.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webp00Soutsada Xaphouvonghttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSoutsada Xaphouvong2026-05-28 08:51:002026-05-27 11:57:40Laos Targets Nearly 10 Million Trees in Nationwide Reforestation Plan
A new excavation on Laos’ mysterious Plain of Jars in Xieng Khouang has uncovered the densely packed bones of at least 37 people inside a single giant stone jar, offering the clearest evidence yet of how these ancient monuments were used.
Dr. Nicholas Skopal of James Cook University, Australia, in collaboration with Souilya Bounxayhip from the Lao Department of Heritage, led the discovery, which was first published in the journal Antiquity on 17 May. Researchers describe it as one of the most consequential findings in nearly a century of investigation into the site.
The jar, located northeast of Phonsavan in Xieng Khouang Province, stands 1.3 metres high and over 2 metres wide.
Inside, bones from at least 37 individuals were found, including femurs and skulls from 19 people, neatly arranged with longer bones toward the edges. Radiocarbon dating indicates the jar was used between the 9th and 12th centuries AD, supporting a medieval secondary interment practice rather than the previously assumed Iron Age cremations.
Researchers also uncovered glass beads in nearby smaller jars, chemically traced to South India and Mesopotamia, suggesting that the communities on the highlands of Laos were linked to long-distance trade networks across Asia.
Dr. Skopal noted that “the number of individuals suggests the jars were owned by family or extended family groups. They likely served as places where ancestral rites were performed over generations.”
DNA testing is now underway to explore familial links among the remains and gain further insights into the identities and connections of these ancient communities.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webp00Soutsada Xaphouvonghttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSoutsada Xaphouvong2026-05-27 21:42:002026-05-26 12:50:00Remains of 37 People Discovered in Giant Stone Jar in Xieng Khouang
Laos and Japan launched a major upgrade of Wattay International Airport in Vientiane on 22 May, a project valued at over JPY 2.8 billion (USD 17.9 million).
The initiative aims to modernize the country’s main international gateway and strengthen regional air connectivity. Completion is expected by April 2028.
According to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, the project includes upgrades to the runway, taxiways, aircraft parking apron, passenger terminal, air traffic control systems, and aviation safety equipment.
Officials said the expansion will reduce passenger congestion, allow more flights, and bring Laos’ aviation infrastructure closer to international safety standards.
The government plans to incorporate modern engineering technology and enhanced airport facilities, improving the travel experience for both domestic and international passengers.
The project forms part of long-standing cooperation between Laos and Japan, which has supported infrastructure development in Laos for around 60 years.
Earlier in 2026, Japan provided Laos with airport service equipment under the “Economic and Development Program,” launched in 2021. This included 21 types of equipment, such as passenger shuttle buses, baggage handling systems, security scanners, and aviation support vehicles, distributed across airports nationwide.
Officials emphasized that the Wattay modernization aligns with national plans to expand air passenger and cargo transport, strengthen regional connectivity, and support Laos’ growing role as a hub for Southeast Asian aviation.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webp00Soutsada Xaphouvonghttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSoutsada Xaphouvong2026-05-26 12:41:552026-05-26 12:42:10Laos, Japan Launch Major Upgrade of Wattay International Airport
Laos Targets Nearly 10 Million Trees in Nationwide Reforestation Plan
Laos is stepping up nationwide reforestation efforts in 2026, with authorities across several provinces preparing to plant more than 10 million trees and restore thousands of hectares of degraded forest land as part of wider climate and environmental protection campaigns.
The initiatives are being launched ahead of National Arbor Day on 1 June and World Environment Day on 5 June, with provincial authorities promoting tree planting, forest recovery, and public participation in environmental conservation.
Authorities across provinces said the campaign aimed to increase forest cover, recover degraded land, improve biodiversity, and encourage long-term public participation in environmental conservation.
Provinces expand forest restoration targets
In Vientiane Capital, the Department of Agriculture and Environment has prepared around 3 million seedlings to support tree planting and forest restoration activities across all nine districts.
The capital aims to plant and restore forests across 405 hectares in 2026, including 300 hectares of commercial plantations and 100 hectares of forest rehabilitation areas. Planting activities will take place along roadsides, in public parks, at schools, at temples, at offices, on state land, and in community spaces on 1 June.
Meanwhile, Attapeu province has prepared more than 4.23 million seedlings as part of its 2026 reforestation plan, making it one of the country’s largest restoration campaigns this year.
Provincial authorities aim to plant 630 hectares of new forest and rehabilitate more than 8,200 hectares of degraded forest land. Activities will include large-scale tree planting along the Xe Khong River in Samakkhixay district, environmental cleanup campaigns, and awareness programs targeting students and local communities.
Officials in Attapeu said the campaign is intended to strengthen public understanding of climate change, droughts, flooding, and the importance of forest conservation.
Elsewhere, Luang Prabang province has also announced plans to prepare around 1 million seedlings for forest restoration activities, while Champasak province aims to plant more than 1.5 million seedlings across the province.
In Salavan province, Ta Oi district plans to plant 218,157 trees across 306 hectares this year. Local authorities have prepared ten species of seedlings.
The 70% Coverage Target
Authorities are placing greater focus on tree survival rates and long-term forest quality, while encouraging public participation in tree care during the rainy season to support forest recovery.
These campaigns align with Laos’ national forestry strategy, which aims to raise forest coverage to 70 percent by 2035. The target comes in response to long-term forest decline linked to agricultural expansion, logging, and infrastructure development.
Over the past two decades, Laos has lost around 58 percent of its intact forest landscapes, putting pressure on ecosystems and increasing climate vulnerability. Officials say reforestation remains central to restoring ecological balance and reducing environmental risks.
With nearly 10 million trees planned across provinces, Laos is expanding its 2026 reforestation drive to restore degraded land and strengthen forest cover. Authorities also stress long-term care of planted trees to support sustainable forest recovery.
source: https://laotiantimes.com/2026/05/21/laos-targets-nearly-10-million-trees-in-nationwide-reforestation-plan/
Remains of 37 People Discovered in Giant Stone Jar in Xieng Khouang
A new excavation on Laos’ mysterious Plain of Jars in Xieng Khouang has uncovered the densely packed bones of at least 37 people inside a single giant stone jar, offering the clearest evidence yet of how these ancient monuments were used.
Dr. Nicholas Skopal of James Cook University, Australia, in collaboration with Souilya Bounxayhip from the Lao Department of Heritage, led the discovery, which was first published in the journal Antiquity on 17 May. Researchers describe it as one of the most consequential findings in nearly a century of investigation into the site.
The jar, located northeast of Phonsavan in Xieng Khouang Province, stands 1.3 metres high and over 2 metres wide.
Inside, bones from at least 37 individuals were found, including femurs and skulls from 19 people, neatly arranged with longer bones toward the edges. Radiocarbon dating indicates the jar was used between the 9th and 12th centuries AD, supporting a medieval secondary interment practice rather than the previously assumed Iron Age cremations.
Researchers also uncovered glass beads in nearby smaller jars, chemically traced to South India and Mesopotamia, suggesting that the communities on the highlands of Laos were linked to long-distance trade networks across Asia.
Dr. Skopal noted that “the number of individuals suggests the jars were owned by family or extended family groups. They likely served as places where ancestral rites were performed over generations.”
DNA testing is now underway to explore familial links among the remains and gain further insights into the identities and connections of these ancient communities.
source: https://laotiantimes.com/2026/05/19/remains-of-37-people-discovered-in-giant-stone-jar-in-xieng-khouang/
Laos, Japan Launch Major Upgrade of Wattay International Airport
Laos and Japan launched a major upgrade of Wattay International Airport in Vientiane on 22 May, a project valued at over JPY 2.8 billion (USD 17.9 million).
The initiative aims to modernize the country’s main international gateway and strengthen regional air connectivity. Completion is expected by April 2028.
According to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, the project includes upgrades to the runway, taxiways, aircraft parking apron, passenger terminal, air traffic control systems, and aviation safety equipment.
Officials said the expansion will reduce passenger congestion, allow more flights, and bring Laos’ aviation infrastructure closer to international safety standards.
The government plans to incorporate modern engineering technology and enhanced airport facilities, improving the travel experience for both domestic and international passengers.
The project forms part of long-standing cooperation between Laos and Japan, which has supported infrastructure development in Laos for around 60 years.
Earlier in 2026, Japan provided Laos with airport service equipment under the “Economic and Development Program,” launched in 2021. This included 21 types of equipment, such as passenger shuttle buses, baggage handling systems, security scanners, and aviation support vehicles, distributed across airports nationwide.
Officials emphasized that the Wattay modernization aligns with national plans to expand air passenger and cargo transport, strengthen regional connectivity, and support Laos’ growing role as a hub for Southeast Asian aviation.
source: https://laotiantimes.com/2026/05/25/laos-japan-launch-major-upgrade-of-wattay-international-airport/