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Within the ASEAN bloc, Laos lies to the west of Vietnam and is the only landlocked country in the region. According to the Vientiane Times, Laos aims by 2030 to achieve a per-capita GDP of about USD 2,983 and a per-capita income of about USD 2,800. Laos is pursuing international cooperation to support these targets.
One of the plans to move the economy toward the 2030 goal is to expand transport and logistics connectivity with the region. This includes highway links connecting key provinces and the capital Vientiane with China and Hanoi in Vietnam. The plan also calls for feasibility studies for railway projects linking Vientiane with the Vung Ang port in Ha Tinh province, central Vietnam, alongside cooperation to exploit the port through collaboration with Vietnam to form new economic corridors.
Despite being landlocked, Laos already has access to a port through cooperation with Vietnam. On 28 April 2025, the Lao-Vietnam International Port Joint Stock Company held a ceremony to inaugurate and put into operation Berth No. 3 at the Lao-Vietnam International Port in the Vung Ang Economic Zone, Ky Anh town, Ha Tinh.
Berth No. 3 was issued an investment registration certificate by the Ha Tinh Provincial Economic Zone Management Board. The berth has a quay length of 225 meters and can receive cargo ships with a deadweight of 45,000 DWT. Its handling capacity is up to 2.15 million tons per year. The port area covers 43,929 m² of land and 42,000 m² of water.
Putting Berth No. 3 into operation is intended to strengthen infrastructure for socio-economic development in the region and for both Vietnam and Laos, meeting rising demand for goods movement. Together with Berths 1 and 2, throughput at the port is expected to rise from 4.5 million tons per year to over 6.5 million tons per year.
The expansion is also expected to increase the attractiveness of the area for investment and provide a foundation to better serve exports and imports, transshipment, trade, and cooperation with Laos and Northeast Thailand.
According to the Government Portal, the event marks a new development step for the Lao-Vietnam International Port Joint Stock Company and reflects deep, practical commitments between the governments of Vietnam and Laos regarding investment and development of Berths 1, 2 and 3 at the Vung Ang port. The initiative is described as helping Laos access a seaport, supporting international integration, facilitating exports and imports via sea routes, and underscoring economic ties between the two countries.
The project is also positioned as a step toward developing the Vung Ang Economic Zone into a dynamic economic hub, contributing to attracting investment resources and driving socio-economic development in Ha Tinh province and other localities in the region. For Laos, it is described as opening a gateway to the sea market, reducing logistics costs, and strengthening economic competitiveness, while also helping connect Laos with Northeastern Thailand provinces and other areas within the Mekong River subregion.
The project prioritizes modern technology adoption, digital transformation, enhanced governance, operations, and port exploitation. It is expected to continue promoting connectivity and expanding cooperation with domestic and international partners to broaden markets, increase orders, and improve production efficiency.
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