Laos Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in laos, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Market Entry Strategy
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American companies considering investments in Laos are advised to visit the country several times as personal relationships are essential to locating suitable Lao business partners and avoiding misunderstandings.  In some business sectors, 100 percent foreign ownership is permitted, although many foreign businesses take on a Lao partner or agent and consult closely with law firms regarding local practices.  The U.S. Embassy in Vientiane offers U.S. Department of Commerce export promotion services, including Gold Key Service Matchmaking and Single Company Promotions.

The American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) in Laos was established in 2012 and was rebranded “the American Lao Business Association” in mid-2017.  The American-Laos Business Association received its official registration in June 2018.

The Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI) may help potential entrants into Laos’s market to identify suitable local partners or distributors.  Foreign businesses can also apply for membership.

In addition to the American Lao Business Association, there are business chambers or associations from Australia, China, France, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, the European Union, and the United Kingdom.


 

 

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

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