Academia-industry alliance can boost accountancy in Laos

SURROUNDED by Myanmar, Cambodia, China, Thailand, and Vietnam, the landlocked nation of Laos has often struggled to escape from the shadows of its larger neighbours. However, Laos has steadily opened its doors to the world over the past few decades and has developed ambitious plans to grow its economy.

On a visit to Singapore in 2017, Laos Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith highlighted how his country was determined to turn itself from a "landlocked country to become a land-linked country".

While Singapore companies have been doing business in Laos since the late 1980s, there remains scope for greater links between the two countries. According to a report by The Economist Intelligence Unit, Singapore was only the 18th largest foreign investor in Laos for the period from 2011 to 2015.