The Lao People's Democratic Republic: Systemic Transformation and Adjustment

Occasional Papers, May 28, 1996

Source details

Canonical URL

The Lao People's Democratic Republic: Systemic Transformation and Adjustment

Other formats

• Markdown version
• Structured JSON version
• Bundle manifest

Bibliographic details

• Authors: Ichiro Otani, Chi D Pham
• Published: May 28, 1996
• Series: Occasional Papers
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781557755605.084

Overview and historical context

• Authors: Ichiro Otani, Chi D Pham
• Publication date: May 28, 1996
• Core narrative:
  • Faced with a steadily worsening economy, the government of the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic took its first steps toward reforming its centrally planned economy in December 1979.
  • The reform process gathered momentum with the introduction of the New Economic Mechanism in 1985, as the authorities began a series of far-reaching policy reforms in virtually all economic areas.
• Purpose:
  • Provides an overview of the Lao P.D.R.'s experience with systemic transformation and macroeconomic adjustments in recent years and highlights challenges that the country is likely to face in the coming years.

Substantive coverage and themes

• Major topics and subject areas covered in the paper:
  • Balance of payments
  • Banking
  • Commercial banks
  • Credit
  • Economic sectors
  • Exports
  • Financial institutions
  • Foreign direct investment
  • Foreign exchange
  • Imports
  • International trade
  • Money
  • Privatization
• Geographic and thematic keywords:
  • Asia and Pacific, East Asia, Eastern Europe, Mekong
  • Enterprise, enterprise Name, managed enterprise, state enterprise
  • Lao authorities, Lao authority, Lao government
  • Government, State budget Law, profit tax, trade
  • Commercial banks, Credit, Exports, Imports, Foreign direct investment

Contribution and analytical focus

• Analytical contributions:
  • Documents the transition from a centrally planned economy beginning December 1979 through the introduction of the New Economic Mechanism in 1985.
  • Reviews a series of far-reaching policy reforms undertaken by Lao authorities across virtually all economic areas.
  • Synthesizes the Lao P.D.R.'s experience with systemic transformation and macroeconomic adjustments in recent years (relative to publication).
• Emphasis:
  • Highlights challenges that the country is likely to face in the coming years (specific challenges are identified and discussed within the paper).

Publication: Occasional Papers — The Lao People's Democratic Republic: Systemic Transformation and Adjustment, Ichiro Otani and Chi D Pham, May 28, 1996.