Lao News Agency (KPL)
Khaosan Pathet Lao (KPL) is the official state-run news agency of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Established in 1968, KPL assumed its current role following the victory of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party in 1975. In addition to its newswire service, KPL also publishes KPL News, a daily print and digital newspaper that disseminates official information and government announcements.
Media assets
News agency: KPL
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
KPL is wholly state-owned and operates under the direct authority of the central government. According to interviews conducted with Lao journalists and media experts in December 2023, the appointment of KPL’s leadership and editorial staff remains entirely within the remit of government officials, with no independent oversight or formal public service mandate.
On 16 June 2025, the Lao government announced a major restructuring of media governance: press management functions for KPL and four other key state media agencies were formally transferred from the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism to the Propaganda and Training Board of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee. This shift places KPL under direct party oversight, reinforcing ideological guidance and centralized control of messaging.
In October 2024, Vannasinh Simmavong (also spelled Vannasin) was appointed Director General of KPL, succeeding Khampheuy Philapha, who moved on to a senior role in personnel at the Information Ministry.
Source of funding and budget
The agency is heavily dependent on government subsidies, which are estimated to account for between 70% and 90% of its annual operating budget. In recent years, KPL has pursued advertising revenue as a supplementary income stream. However, due to the underdeveloped nature of the Laotian advertising market and the limited reach of independent commerce, these efforts have yielded only modest returns. No official budgetary figures or audited financial statements are publicly available as of mid-2025.
Editorial independence
As the government’s official mouthpiece, KPL plays a central role in shaping the national information environment. Its output is widely reproduced by provincial and local media, many of which rely on KPL as their primary content provider. The agency’s editorial line is tightly aligned with party doctrine and government messaging, serving to reinforce official narratives and policy goals.
There is no statutory framework ensuring editorial independence at KPL. Likewise, no independent mechanisms—such as an ombudsman, media council, or external review body—exist to assess or safeguard the agency’s journalistic integrity. Interviews with local experts in December 2023 confirmed that KPL’s content continues to prioritize state promotion over critical reporting or investigative journalism.
With the shift in governance to the Party’s Propaganda Board, editorial control has tightened further, aligning KPL’s output even more closely with party doctrine and ideological training goals.
July 2025