As a small, landlocked nation, surrounded by heavily populated economic powerhouses, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) is often overlooked as a foreign investment destination in favor of its neighbors. However, Laos’ shared borders with Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, and China place it in a uniquely appealing geographical position, with the potential to become a vibrant economic hub between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Living up to this potential, Laos has quietly been flourishing, and has been making strides in its anti-corruption framework, in line with its rapidly increasing GDP, in a bid to improve the country’s attractiveness as a foreign investment destination.

Dino Santaniello, a consultant in Tilleke & Gibbins’ Vientiane office, addresses these trends and more in the Laos chapter of The Asia-Pacific Investigations Review 2018, a guide to the important issues in internal and government investigations across the Asia-Pacific, published by Global Investigations Review.

In particular, the Laos chapter covers the influx of foreign direct investment, the government’s anti-corruption plan, economic sectors on the rise, and possible infringements of the UK Bribery Act and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.