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Opportunities in the Lao PDR Richard Taylor President Austcham Lao

Austcham Lao opportunities in the Lao PDR

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Opportunities in the Lao PDR Richard Taylor President Austcham Lao

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Overview

• Market size and structure

• Market Sectors

▫ Mining & Mining Services

▫ Construction & Property

▫ Tourism

▫ Agri-business

• Doing business in Laos

• Austcham Laos

3

The Lao economy has been the fastest growing economy in Asia over the past decade and is closing the per capita income gap with its neighbours

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Per Capita GDP

Lao PDR Vietnam Cambodia

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

14.0%

Laos Growth % GDP

Source: Austcham and World Bank

4

A graphical depiction of the Lao economy shows how heavily dependent the economy is on natural resource industries

Source::: Lao PDR Export Treemap from MIT Harvard Economic Complexity Observatory

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With 250+ mineral concessions supply opportunities exist for mining services. Mining is the largest export sector by sales constituting 36% of exports

8%

20%

36%

20%

14% 2%

Composition Exports 2013

All food

Agriculture

Minerals

Electricity

Manufactures

Other

Source: Austcham and UNCTAD Database

Source: Austcham and Dept Geology MoNRE

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17% CAGR of tourist arrivals has seen the tourism emerge as a dominant sector of the Lao market. Visits are often connected to trips to Thailand

0

1

2

3

4

5

6M

illi

on

Ar

riv

als

Growing Interest from International hotel chains

Source: Austcham and Lao Tourism Association

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Agribusiness is one of the top development sectors for Laos. Thailand is aggressively pursuing expansion into the growing agricultural sector of Laos

0 500 1000 1500

Germany

Japan

India

China

Thailand

Top Trade Partners

Source: Austcham and UNCTAD Database

$0

$20

$40

$60

$80

$100

$120

$140

Mil

lio

ns

Agricultural Exports by Value

Source: Austcham and UNCTAD 2013 data

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Laos scores relatively poorly in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business survey at 178 in 2015 (up 7 places)

Starting a business

Dealing withconstruction permits

Getting electricity

Registering property

Getting credit

Protecting investors

Paying taxes

Trading across borders

Enforcing contracts

Resolving insolvency

Laos

Source: Austcham and World Bank Ease of Doing Business

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Questions?

The Austcham Lao Board with the Hon, Julie Bishop MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs