The Bank of the Lao held an inter-agency review meeting on the implementation of inspections of foreign-exchange transactions and agreed forward plans focused on reducing widespread use of foreign currencies and strengthening the orderly provision of currency-exchange services in line with its rules. The session was co-chaired by the Bank of the Lao’s Foreign Exchange Management Department and the Economic Police Department of the Ministry of Public Security, with participation from the central bank’s head office, monetary policy, commercial bank supervision, payment systems, the anti-money laundering information office, regional branches, and local public security officials. Discussions reviewed nationwide cooperation during the first nine months of 2025 and prioritised completing revisions to the memorandum of understanding between the Bank of the Lao and the Economic Police as an operational basis for conducting foreign-exchange transaction inspections and addressing issues more promptly. Work will continue to finalise the updated memorandum of understanding and translate the agreed direction into implementation plans across the participating units.
Bank of the Lao 2025-09-26
Bank of the Lao reviews foreign-exchange transaction inspections and sets plan to curb widespread foreign-currency use
The Bank of the Lao conducted an inter-agency review meeting to enhance inspections of foreign-exchange transactions, aiming to reduce foreign currency use and improve currency-exchange services. The meeting, co-chaired by the Foreign Exchange Management Department and the Economic Police Department, focused on revising the memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation and expedite issue resolution.