Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) reports that after the liberation of Laos, the Lao News Agency significantly expanded its staff, drawing personnel from Vientiane, graduates of the Law and Administration College, and former government employees dedicated to the revolutionary cause. A new office was subsequently established in Ban Xiang Nhon village, Xetathirath Road, Vientiane.
From 1976 to 1982, the Lao News Agency and the *Voice of the People* newspaper operated jointly, named "Voice of the People - Lao News Agency," with Sissanam Xenyanuvong as its director. During this period, the agency underwent several upgrades: establishing local newsrooms covering most provinces, a foreign language newsroom (French and English) responsible for external liaison, a photoroom capable of publishing photo magazines, and a technical department capable of receiving and sending news from abroad, while also introducing modern equipment.
In early 1983, following a resolution of the Party Central Committee, media organizations were separated from relevant departments, and the National Information, Newspaper, Radio and Television Committee was established. The Lao News Agency and *Voice of the People* newspaper merged the following year to form the Lao News Agency General Administration. In accordance with the decree of the Council of Ministers in 1984, Bounthong Phongsay was appointed Director General.
In terms of operational development, the Lao News Agency (KPL) established cooperation with ministries and provinces nationwide to accelerate information exchange and enrich news content. Since the 1990s, its technological infrastructure has been continuously improved, gradually replacing telegrams with telephones, computers, and fax machines for local news exchange, and replacing telegrams and shortwave broadcasts with computer and satellite transmission for international news exchange. Since 2009, the agency has established a direct online system and a news product service network, further expanding domestic and international news exchange channels through data transmission systems, achieving unified control and efficient dissemination of news, articles, and images.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, the Lao News Agency has actively fulfilled its duties in a complex environment, closely following the guidelines of the Party and the State, continuously optimizing news content, launching new products, and improving quality. In 2012, the KPL completed its organizational restructuring, establishing 10 departments, and simultaneously upgraded its print operations, developing its foreign-language newspaper, *KPL News*, into a bilingual (English and French) daily newspaper. In 2017, in line with media trends, Lao News Agency ceased publishing its print foreign-language newspaper and shifted its focus entirely to online and internet channels for news dissemination. Since 2015, it has used the brands "Lao Patt Lao" and "KPL News" to publish diverse news content on its official website and social media platforms such as Facebook. The quarterly magazine *Lao* had previously ceased publication due to budget issues, but resumed publication in 2012 with funding from the Vietnam News Agency. It later achieved self-financing, only to cease publication again in 2020.
Regarding technological upgrades, the Lao News Agency's official website has undergone several revisions and name changes, from www.kplnet.net in the 2000s, to www.kpl.net.la in 2010, and then to www.kpl.gov.la in 2014, while also building its own server system. In 2014, with the assistance of the Vietnam News Agency, it completed a server system upgrade and website update, fully integrating its communication technology control system and ushering in a new chapter of international development.
Since its establishment 58 years ago, the Lao News Agency has successfully completed its various tasks, comprehensively reporting on major domestic and international events, important activities of the Party and the State, and actively promoting infrastructure construction achievements and various sporting events and conferences. From 2021 to 2025 alone, it published over 33,000 news articles, contributed over 21,000 articles to Lao newspapers, collected and copied over 92,000 images, and produced over 1,330 online videos. Currently, its official website receives over 34 million visits, covering more than 100 countries and regions worldwide; its Facebook page has over 387,000 followers, with some videos exceeding 100,000 views; and it has produced over 11,600 foreign language news articles and published over 10,700 research briefs.
Today, the Lao News Agency's technical level is in line with international standards, its reputation is renowned globally, and its functions continue to strengthen, boasting a rich array of news products including Lao newspapers, online news, videos, and social media accounts. For more than fifty years, generations of media workers have remained steadfast in their posts, fulfilling the lofty responsibilities entrusted to them by the Party and the State with their wisdom and abilities, and promoting the continuous development and progress of news agencies.
