Lodkeo Inthakoumman, a Lao athlete with multiple accolades under her belt, won two gold medals at the 83rd Open Track and Field Championships 2023 in Singapore on Thursday.
Lao Athletics Federation reports that 28-year-old Lodkeo finished in first place in the Women’s 10,000-meter run and Women’s 5,000-meter run.
The Lao runner raced ahead of her two competitors from Singapore, including 35 -year-old Máire Nic Amhlaoibh who completed the run at 39 minutes, and 23-year-old Bernice Tan who finished at 46 minutes in the Women’s 10,000-meter run.
Lao athletes won a total of three gold medals at the event, including Xaidavanh Vongsavanh at the Men’s Long Jump, and 2 bronze medals from Silina Pha Aphay, Khanmalaiphone Bounyaveun, Kongkham Kheuabmavong, and Xaidavanh Vongsavanh in Mixed 4×100 Meter Relay.
At 23, Malaysia won the most medals among 7 countries participating in the event, followed by Singapore with 20, Chinese Taipei with 9, Laos and Thailand with 5 each, the Philipines with 3, and South Korea with 4.
Lodkeo holds several running records from the 2013 South East Asian Games in Myanmar, the 2016 ASEAN University Games, the 2017 South East Asian Games in Malaysia, and other local and regional competition programs.
She told the Laotian Times that she hopes to win a medal for running in 1,500, 5,000, and 10,000 meters at this year’s SEA Games in Cambodia.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Lodkeo-Inthakoumman-a-gold-medalist-from-the-83rd-Open-Track-and-Field-Championships-2023.jpg6271200Soutsada Xaphouvonghttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSoutsada Xaphouvong2023-05-03 14:09:002023-05-03 13:14:36Lao Star Runner Lodkeo Inthakoumman Wins Two Gold Medals in Singapore
Lao Airlines resumed its flight service to the central capital of Changsha in China’s Hunan province on Friday, after a long hiatus due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.
The flight from Vientiane to Changsha is set to fly twice weekly on Monday and Friday as an increasing number of tourists and business travelers move across the region. Authorities believe that more connectivity between Laos and China will also boost trade and general economic activity between the two countries.
Director of Lao Airlines’ Commercial Department, Mr. Noudeng Chanthaphasouk, told Vientiane Times on Friday that the Vientiane-Changsha flight was in high demand before the pandemic, and many tourists and businesses used it. Even this time around, despite tickets only being on sale for two days before the first flight, it was 80 percent full.
“Many Chinese operating businesses in Laos come from Hunan province and many of them own shops in the Xang Jieng Market in Vientiane. That’s why the Vientiane-Changsha flight is so popular among businesspeople,” he said.
Mr. Noudeng also mentioned that Lao Airlines has received positive feedback from the Chinese market and plans to add more flights to China, to help facilitate tourism and business-related activities between the two nations. This will not only help revive tourism in Laos but also improve the country’s connectivity with the wider region and grow its economy.
Apart from Changsha, the flag carrier also operates flights to Kunming, and Guangzhou in China and also plans to start its services on more routes like Vientiane to Shanghai, Chengdu, Changzhou and Hangzhou.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Laos-Airlines-Revives-Flights-From-Laos-to-Changsha-China.jpg6271200Soutsada Xaphouvonghttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSoutsada Xaphouvong2023-05-02 02:30:002023-05-02 14:03:23Lao Airlines Restarts Flights From Laos to Changsha, China
Laos and Vietnam security officials met on Monday to strengthen their partnership in overseeing civil society issues, with a particular focus on managing censuses and issuing identity cards.
A delegation from Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security visited Laos’ Deputy Minister of Public Security and Director General of the Police Department, Major General Khamking Phouilamanivong to discuss how the two countries could cooperate in census and identity-card issuance efforts.
The two sides decided on measures that include creating a database that could store vital census-related information for the future, strengthen the relationship between the two countries, and also help in peacekeeping efforts.
At the meeting, the Vietnamese delegation pledged to assist Laos in creating a national database of citizens and issuing modern identity cards to them.
Additionally, the two ministries agreed to continue their joint efforts in suppressing the trafficking of drugs across borders, including identifying the locations used by drug producers and traffickers, apprehending suspects, and bringing cases to court for prosecution.
The partnership between Laos and Vietnam’s public security officials will also focus on tracking down and arresting suspected drug traffickers and creating drug-free villages.
The Public bus system in Vientiane Capital is putting policies in place to improve its service and ensure that passengers reach their destinations in a timely manner.
Bus operators in the city have agreed to cease picking up and dropping off passengers at random locations and will instead use designated bus stops to ensure punctuality and safety.
Following the announcement of the Vientiane City 2 Bus Service, bus routes in the city, including the southern Route 29 from the Morning Market to Dongdok will pick up and drop off commuters only from bus stops starting in May.
The Vientiane public bus operator said that buses running from Central Bus Station-Dongdok will strive to be a punctual, convenient, and safe mode of travel for passengers who can arrive at their destination on time according to the predetermined schedule of the bus route.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/A-public-passenger-bus-travels-from-Dongdok-to-the-Morning-market.jpg6271200Sylivanla Vongphachanhhttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSylivanla Vongphachanh2023-04-27 10:33:432023-04-24 10:35:33Vientiane Buses to Stop Only at Official Bus Stops From Next Month
TasteAtlas, an experiential travel online guide for traditional food, has ranked Larb among the 50 best-rated salads in the world.
TasteAtlas ranked Larb 11th on the list of 50 best-rated salads in the world describing the cuisine as the unofficial dish of Laos, as the dish originated from the Chinese province of Yunnan before becoming deeply rooted in Lao cuisine. In the present day, it is consumed both in Laos and the bordering Isan, a region in Thailand.
The article says, “Larb typically consists of hand-minced meat, either beef, pork, chicken, duck, or fish, raw or cooked, with a souring agent such as lime juice, fish sauce, and/or padauk, a type of fermented fish sauce. The dish has endless variations and can be found throughout Southeast Asia.”
Som Tam or Papaya Salad from the northeastern part of Thailand (Isan) was ranked sixth on the list even though the article comments that Papaya Salad first appeared in Laos.
The world’s 50 best-rated salads list included Dakos, a traditional Cretan dish from Greece, which was awarded first place.
Other notable salads from Southeast Asia that made it to the list included Pecel and Gado Gado (Indonesia), Bok l’hone (Cambodia), and Phla Kung (Thailand).
Last year, CNN included two delectable dishes from Laos – Ping Khao (or Khao jee) and Naem Khao in the list of the 50 best street foods in Asia.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Larb-Gets-Listed-as-One-of-Worlds-Best-Rated-Salads.jpg6271200Sylivanla Vongphachanhhttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSylivanla Vongphachanh2023-04-26 10:30:442023-04-24 10:32:41Larb Gets Listed as One of World’s Best-Rated Salads
The ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) will be held in Laos next year and the event will focus on aspects like sustainability, digitalization, and labor shortage to improve the tourism industry in Southeast Asia.
Travel Weekly Asia reports that ASEAN Tourism Association (ASEANTA) has been selected to organize the Travel Exchange (TRAVEX), a regional marketplace and fair for ASEAN country members at the Lao-ITECC Exhibition Centre in Vientiane Capital during the ATF.
To this effect, a Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between the Lao Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism (MICT), and the ASEAN Tourism Association (ASEANTA), appointing the latter to organize Travex for ATF 2024.
The ASEAN Tourism Forum will be held in Vientiane Capital on 22-27 January 2024 under the theme, “Quality and Responsible Tourism: Sustaining ASEAN’s Future.” The event has been touted by organizers as ‘an event by the industry, for the industry’.
“ATF 2024 will be an event by the industry, for the industry. We are harnessing the collective creativity of the ASEAN tourism community as a whole,” said Mr. Eddy Soemawilaga, ASEAN Tourism Association President.
“ATF will leverage stronger education conference sessions to raise human capital development as the manpower shortage becomes a glaring issue. Technology, too, will be a core component in an era of sustainability,” he stated.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Feature-Pics-20.jpg6271200Sylivanla Vongphachanhhttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSylivanla Vongphachanh2023-04-25 10:26:032023-05-18 11:23:09Laos All Set to Host Asean Tourism Forum 2024
Vientiane Capital is set to repair and restore its roads in preparation for the 2024 ASEAN summit and other upcoming government meetings.
Mr. Atsaphangthong Siphandone, the Mayor of Vientiane Capital, said at a government meeting that this year, the city would repair various roads and resolve traffic issues in preparation to host the ASEAN Summit next year.
Alongside mending damaged roads, authorities will also repair traffic lights, clean up pavements, and inspect permissions for construction and urban planning.
Mr. Atsaphangthong said that Vientiane Capital will primarily focus on maintaining cleanliness along the main roads in the city, focusing on the management and protection of public parks and roadside trees, as well as the development of the area around the Patuxay monument.
He added that the main drainage channels in the city will be cleaned and roadside ditches will be filled up to resolve the problem of stagnant water during monsoons. Authorities will also deploy a rescue team to clear out roads after storms.
Lao Ministry of Public Works and Transport plans to spend more than LAK 190 billion (USD 11,256,569) on road repairs and flood management in Vientiane before the ASEAN Summit in 2024.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Motorists-in-Vientiane-Capital-on-Ave-Lane-Xang-near-Patuxay-Monumentt-.jpg6271200Sylivanla Vongphachanhhttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSylivanla Vongphachanh2023-04-24 10:25:392023-04-24 10:25:43Vientiane Capital to Repair Roads Ahead of 2024 ASEAN Summit
The Laos-China Railway company has released the train schedule for inter-country travel between Vientiane Capital and Kunming, which starts on 13 April, just one day ahead of Lao New Year.
The EMU D888/D887 train will transport passengers on the international rail line.
Passengers will depart from Vientiane Capital at 8:08 AM, and arrive in Kunming South Railway station in China at 19:38 PM Lao time.
The train will make several stops along the way, arriving in Vang Vieng at 9:03 AM, then stopping in Luang Prabang at 9:57 AM, and finally at Boten for its last stop in Laos at 12:37 PM.
Once it crosses the border, the train will make three stops in China before finally arriving in Kunming. Stops at Bohan, Xishuangbunna, Pu’er will be made along the way, with each halt lasting about 3-6 minutes.
Tickets will be available for sale starting today, for the inaugural trip which takes off from Vientiane on 13 April.
The LCR reports that it expects to welcome over 200 Chinese tourists into Laos on the historic first international train ride from Kunming to Vientiane Capital.
President of Laos and Party Secretary, Thongloun Sisoulith, gave a speech wishing prosperity and happiness to Lao citizens, expatriates, and foreign nationals living in the country for the upcoming Lao New Year on 14-16 April.
The President began his speech by pointing out the many challenges that Lao people have faced in the past year and the numerous achievements the country has seen as a whole.
He said in his speech, “The past year saw many great things for our country, as Lao people of all ethnicities came together and supported one another through challenges and difficulties. Last year was also a time that our country continued to have political stability and social peace.”
He added, “Economic development continues to grow at a good pace, people’s lives have been improved due to improving cooperation with neighboring countries, and open borders have allowed tourists to come and enjoy our country,” Lao Security News reports.
The President praised all government agencies for their efforts in helping the country move forward over the past year and expressed hope that they will be able to successfully deal with challenges that will arise in the coming year.
He said, “We must simultaneously maintain and enhance the good heritage of our nation, increase our unity, concentrate all our strength, encouragement and intelligence in the mission of protecting and developing our nation, push the implementation of the two national agendas into a more formal form in order to strengthen ourselves, and create a strong foundation in all fields of work in the coming year.”
“On this auspicious occasion to welcome the Lao New Year (the year 2566), I would like to send my best wishes to my compatriots, to the Lao people who live abroad as well as foreigners who live and work in Laos. May you all be happy, free from illness, and see prosperity and progress in all aspects throughout the new year 2566, Happy New Year!”, said the President at the end of his speech.
The Lao New Year is a celebration held annually in Laos on 14-16 April. The first day is the last day of the old year. Houses and villages are properly cleaned on the first day. Perfume, water, and flowers are also prepared for the Lao New Year. The second day of the festival is the “day of no year”, a day that falls in neither the old year nor the new year. The last day of the festival marks the start of the new year. In Laos, Lao New Year is a government holiday, with state offices closed during these three days.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Feature-Pics-2023-04-13T111431.084.jpg6271200Sylivanla Vongphachanhhttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSylivanla Vongphachanh2023-04-14 14:36:522023-04-14 14:36:57President of Laos Wishes Everyone a Happy New Year!
Just a stone’s throw from the mysterious and monolithic That Dam in downtown Vientiane Capital sits Kualao Restaurant, one of the finest Lao restaurants in the country.
A casual visitor to Vientiane Capital might be forgiven for assuming that the local cuisine consists entirely of common street foods, simply grilled meats, noodles, and the odd bit of larb, or papaya salad. However, nothing could be further from the truth—Kualao, located in a tastefully restored historic French colonial building, offers a truly extensive menu of Lao delicacies.
The menu has a number of highlights, including the outstanding or lam, which is one of northern Lao cuisine’s most famous and iconic dishes. This thick stew is cooked from a sticky rice base and served with meat (although a vegetarian version is available), sliced long beans, and wood ear mushrooms. Flavoring the stew are some rare and exotic ingredients, such as chewy bits of buffalo skin and aromatic peppertree bark. While the flavor is subtly spiced and the dish is pleasantly hearty, the variously chewy, crunchy, and soft ingredients are also a textural treat.
Or lam is a thick stew cooked from a sticky rice base and served with various meat or vegetable.
Kualao also has an admirable commitment to producing its own homemade ingredients. The delectable Luang Prabang-style sausages are grilled such that the skins have that perfect combination of chewiness and crispiness, and they’re served with a savoury jaew paste for dipping. What’s more, the sausages are made in-house, as is the traditional padaek fermented fish sauce used for flavoring a great many of the dishes.
Indeed, there is an entire section of the menu devoted to seasonally available delicacies. Of course, the seasonality means that much of that menu may be unavailable at any given time—presently, the only offering which is ‘in season’ is khai mot, or ant eggs. Diners can choose between an ant egg soup and a koi style dish, which is a kind of Lao salad featuring meat, usually raw, with sliced shallots and other flavorful bits, all tossed in a thin, acidic sauce, not unlike a ceviche. The koi khai mot is a must-have, with the delicious and mild ant eggs popping in one’s mouth, releasing a slightly tangy and nutty flavor. The acidic sauce dressing the dish is also nicely balanced between sour, salty, and savory, prominently featuring the restaurant’s homemade padaek.
Koi khai mot or ant egg salad features a seasonal menu at Kualao.
Mushroom connoisseurs may wish to make a trip to Kualao especially during the rainy season, when matsutake mushrooms are in season in Xieng Khouang, as the menu also features an entire section of preparations of wild-gathered matsutake, known as hed wai in Lao. However, for those of us not fortunate enough in our timing, there is also a house special matsutake-infused lao kao whiskey available year-round. While the drink is reputed to have some health benefits, it is also quite powerful, yet the flavor is subtle and excellent, with a very dry and earthy aroma which recalls the superb flavor of the matsutake. For those who shy away from hard liquor, the restaurant also offers a full wine list.
Seasonal matsutake mushrooms are found in Xieng Khoung and served as food or whisky at Kualao Restaurant.
Guests with a sweet tooth won’t be let down, either, due to the selection of homemade traditional Lao dessert items. The house special dessert is a take on nam wan bua loi, a common market snack that typically features an assortment of balls of rice starch, nuts, and legumes in a cool, sweetened coconut milk soup. The twist here is the addition of fresh fruit which, paired with the less-than-usual sweetness of the coconut milk, makes for a refreshing and healthy dessert.
Homemade Nam wan bua loi in a coconut shell and fresh fruits.
Kualao’s extensive menu offers a wide variety of excellent homemade Lao food, while the beautifully restored historic environs of the building and the tastefully coiffed wait staff add an upscale flair. Lastly, on weekdays from 7:00 pm, a house band, which features two professors of music from the National University of Laos, plays relaxing and melodious traditional Lao music. Additionally, dancers clad in a variety of ethnic garb periodically appear to accompany the musicians, performing the graceful and entrancing movements of traditional Lao dance.
Kualao Restaurant on 134 Rue Samsenthai in Vientiane Capital.
Kualao Restaurant is located at 134 Rue Samsenthai, and opens daily for lunch from 11:00 until 2:00, and again for dinner from 6:00 until 10:00. While walk-ins are certainly welcome, reservations are recommended, particularly during the peak dinner hours when the music and dance performance is ongoing. Private dining rooms are also available.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Phakhao-Kualao2.jpg6271200Sylivanla Vongphachanhhttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSylivanla Vongphachanh2023-04-06 01:13:002023-04-04 13:15:09Experience the Authentic Flavors of Laos at Historic Kualao Restaurant
