Chapter II. The Socio-Economic Regime
Article 13 (Amended)
The national economy of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic is the market-oriented economy that follows the socialist path which consists of divergent economic forms and various forms of entrepreneurship, with sustainability, equality, competitiveness, and collaboration under the law; it promotes local wisdom, promotes regional and international economic integration to ensure sustainable, robust, and continuous economic growth while ensuring the sustainability of social development and environment, so as to ensure the mental, physical and economic wellbeing of the Lao people.
Article 14
The State promotes investment by all domestic economic sectors in production, commerce, and services, to contribute to the industrial transformation and modernization of, and to develop and strengthen, the national economy.
Article 15 (Amended)
The State promotes foreign investment in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, [and] creates favorable conditions for the injection of capital, for the use of technology and for introducing modern types of management into production, businesses and services.
The lawful assets and capital of investors in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic shall not be confiscated, seized or nationalized by the State.
Article 16
The State protects and promotes all forms of property rights: State, collective, private domestic and foreign investment in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.
Article 17 (Amended)
The State protects the property rights (such as the rights of possession, use, exploitation and disposition) and the inheritance rights of individuals, legal entities and organizations in accordance with the laws.
Land, minerals, water, air, forests and forest products, aquatic life, wildlife and other natural resources all belong to the nation’s community with the Lao government as the centralized and unified representative to manage those resources under laws of Lao PDR.
Article 18 (Amended)
The State manages the economy in accordance with the mechanism of the market economy governed by laws, increasing the role to manage the central sectors, to implement the principle of combining centralized management through the consensus of central authorities with the delegation of responsibilities to local authorities in accordance with the laws and regulations.
Article 19 (Amended)
The State promotes the protection and restoration of the environment which has been destroyed and degraded to develop it so that it may become abundant and sustainable.
All organizations and citizens must protect and preserve the bio-diversity and use natural resources in line with the direction of ensuring sustainability
Article 20 (Amended)
The Lao People’s Democratic Republic implements open policies on economic cooperation with foreign countries in different ways, on a multilateral basis and in different forms on the basis of the [following] principles[:] respect for each other’s independence, sovereignty, equality and mutual benefit.
Article 21 (Amended)
The State attaches great importance to the development of the economy in conjunction with cultural development and sustainable environment by giving priority to human resource development.
Article 22 (Amended)
The State focuses on implementing the policy on the national education in order to build good citizens with competence, knowledge, abilities and technical skills.
The State and society attends to developing high quality national education, to create opportunities and [favorable] conditions in education for all people throughout the country, especially people in remote areas, ethnic groups, women, children, disadvantaged people and disabled people.
The State promotes private sector investment in the development of national education in accordance with the laws.
Article 23
The State promotes preservation of the national culture which is representative of the fine tradition of the country and its ethnic people while accepting selected progressive cultures from around the world.
The State promotes cultural activities, fine arts and invention, manages and protects the cultural, historical and natural heritage and maintains antiques and historical places.
The State attends to improving and expanding mass media activities for the purpose of national building and protection.
All cultural and mass media activities which are detrimental to national interests or the fine traditional culture and dignity of Lao people are prohibited.
Article 24 (Amended)
The State focuses on promoting knowledge and invention in scientific, academic and technological research and development, innovation, [and] protecting intellectual property while building up a community of scientists to promote industrialization and modernization.
Article 25 (Amended)
The State focuses on improving and expanding public health services to take care and promote the people’s health.
The State and society focus on building, improving disease prevention systems, providing health care to all people with quality, creating conditions to ensure that all people have access to health care, especially women and children, poor people and people in remote areas, to ensure the people’s good health.
The State promotes private sector investment in public health services to advanced and modernize them.
All health services are prohibited from violating the laws and regulations.
Article 26
The State and society attend to encouraging, supporting and investing in public sports activities, including traditional and international sports, [in order to] upgrade abilities in sport and to strengthen people’s health.
Article 27
The State and society attend to developing skilled labor, upgrading labor discipline, promoting vocational skills and occupations and protecting the legitimate rights and benefits of workers.
Article 28
The State and society attend to implementing policies on social security, especially towards national heroes, soldiers, retired civil servants, disabled people, [and the] families of those who have sacrificed their lives for the revolution and who have contributed extensively to the nation.
Article 29
The State, society and families attend to implementing development policies and supporting the progress of women and to protecting the legitimate rights and benefits of women and children.
Article 30 (Amended)
The State and society promote opening up the country and developing cultural and historical tourism and eco-tourism to create a tourist industry with unique characteristics as an important economic sector of the nation.
Tourism which is detrimental to the fine culture of the nation or violates the laws is prohibited.
