Millions of Lao Buddhist followers flocked to pagodas near their houses on October 13 for Bun Ork Phansa that marks the end of Buddhist Lent or three-month retreat during the rainy season.
Lao Buddhist followers flocked to pagodas near their houses on October 13 for Bun Ork Phansa that marks the end of Buddhist Lent or three-month retreat during the rainy season. (Photo: VNA)
Vientiane (VNA) – Millions of LaoBuddhist followers flocked to pagodas near their houses on October 13 for Bun OrkPhansa that marks the end of Buddhist Lent or three-month retreat during therainy season.
During Buddhist Lent, which begins on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month,monks are required to remain in their temples, learning dharma and practicingmeditation.
There are neither weddings nor parties in the period, except religious ones.
After Boun Ork Phansa, Buddhist monks return to their social duties and a rangeof major festivals will be held in the next nine months.
In the morning of the festival, people present offerings to resident monks. Inthe afternoon, candlelight processions are held around temples in celebrationof Lay Heua Fai. The Mekong River becomes illuminated with small boats made ofbanana leaves, decorated with flowers candles.
Such rituals have been practised in Laos for thousands of years./.
A ceremony was held at Bang Long Pagoda in Vientiane, Laos, on May 21 to mark the Buddha’s 2563rd birthday, with the participation of hundreds of Buddhist monks, nuns, and followers from the Vietnamese community in the country.
Huong, Tam Chuc and Bai Dinh pagodas are home to beautiful scenery and relics showing the development of Buddhism in Vietnam. They have formed a tourist route attracting pilgrims and visitors.
The Vietnam Red Cross Society and the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) will work together to organise a blood donation and organ donation registration festival at the Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Soc Son district of Hanoi on August 4.
In their statement, the ministers expressed concern over the escalation of tensions in the Middle East since June 13 and welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Iran on June 24. They called on all parties to respect the ceasefire and avoid further escalation of the conflict.
The top three categories of illegal health product listings detected and removed by HSA consisted of medicine for skin and hair conditions (37%); antibiotic, antifungal and antiviral creams, tablets or capsules (15%); and unregistered contact lenses (13%).
Rudy Salim, executive chairman of Prestige Aviation – the company that introduced the EHang 216-S to Indonesia, said its agenda is to continue test flights, so that this can become a future mode of tourism and transportation.
Startup ASEAN platform brings all stakeholders together under one digital roof, expected to promote open innovation, improve access to capital, and strengthen ASEAN’s position as a dynamic and connected innovation powerhouse.
Indonesia as an appealing destination for investment in energy transition. It is Southeast Asia’s largest energy consumer and the region’s fourth most populous country. However, the majority of the country's existing power plants still rely on fossil fuels.
The Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore urged all Vietnamese firms trading with Singapore to seriously comply with its legal regulations, particularly customs requirements.
The Grandma Island soccer team was about to go to compete for Setokok Island, Batam city. In the middle of the trip, the boat was hit by waves and overturned.
Mexico's Nuevo León leaders underscored the state’s keen interest in partnering with ASEAN – a region known for dynamic economic growth, a young population, an expanding middle class, and a growing role in global supply chains.
Thailand has imposed a comprehensive ban on electronic waste imports as it grapples with a burgeoning e-waste problem. A 2021 report from the Pollution Control Department revealed that the country generates over 400,000 tonnes of domestic electronic waste annually.
Phuket airport authorities said the incident did not affect flights or airport operations, and security personnel are also stepping up surveillance in public areas, with CCTV covering all the airport area.
The facility will integrate multiple components, including mining operations, a smelter, high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) processing, and production of precursors and cathodes.
A participant in the Malaysia Economic Forum 2025 said despite challenges, there are significant opportunities in AI, digital transformation, and green technologies, requiring the country to balance both risk and potential thoughtfully.
Themed “emerging trends in terrorism and violent extremism”, the event drew over 200 participants from domestic and international agencies, discussing the rapid evolution of terrorism and the need for stronger regional and global cooperation.
Indonesia aims to start nuclear power generation by 2034, with a government roadmap already in place to develop small modular reactors (SMRs) with capacities ranging from 300 to 500 megawatts.
The package, endorsed on June 24, comprises 481 projects designed to boost GDP by an additional 0.4% and generate temporary employment for about 7.4 million people nationwide.
An Indonesian official emphasised that energy security is extremely essential amid global geopolitical and economic fragmentation, highlighting the need for the energy industry to strengthen resilience and responsiveness in the face of fluctuating oil prices and the shift to clean energy.
ASEAN must deepen collaboration through platforms such as the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) to ensure regional responses keep pace with the rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape.
Lao Buddhist followers flocked to pagodas near their houses on October 13 for Bun Ork Phansa that marks the end of Buddhist Lent or three-month retreat during the rainy season. (Photo: VNA) 
