The Lao Government has allowed the re-opening of all local and traditional border checkpoints to facilitate trade and travelling of people in border areas after more than three years of closure to fight COVID-19.     

An announcement of the Foreign Ministry said provinces can re-open local and traditional checkpoints under their management but must still ensure strict supervision and inspection to prevent the import of non-essential goods and illegal imports.

On May 9 this year, Laos re-opened all international border gates to facilitate import-export activities and attract tourists, thus helping with post-pandemic economic recovery.

As a result, the number of international arrivals to Laos has surged, rocketing from nearly 36,000 in May to almost 172,000 in June.

Source: VNA