Laos will merge several government ministries, reducing their number from 17 to 13, in a bid to cut costs and improve efficiency, the ruling Lao People’s Revolutionary Party said in a plan released over the weekend.
The party’s Central Committee said the restructuring was “necessary” to streamline and strengthen state affairs.
But state employees said they were “confused” by the decision, noting that they had yet to receive any direct order — and didn’t know what it meant for potential job cuts.
“We haven’t seen any official documents yet,” an official with the Ministry of Planning and Investment said on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity due to fear of reprisal.
“We heard a rumor ... through social media” which said the Central Committee would “reduce employees or offer early retirement,” he said.
Merging ministries
The administration plan released over the weekend called for merging the Ministry of Planning and Investment into the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Energy and Mines into the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
It also said the Ministry of Natural Resources would be combined with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to become the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.
Additionally, the Ministry of Home Affairs was placed under the purview of the Party Central Committee’s Personnel and Organization Committee.
Separately, the government’s media affairs department will now be overseen by the Party Central Committee’s Propaganda and Training Board. The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism will become the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
The changes come as the leadership of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, or LPRP, approach the end of their five-year tenure, with elections for leaders set for next year. Lao is a one-party state, and leaders are selected by party officials.
According to the ruling party’s administration plan, the number of state employees totaled 168,572 in 2024, excluding members of the armed forces. It was not immediately clear how many state employees would be affected by the restructuring.
A Ministry of Home Affairs employee with knowledge of the Administration Plan confirmed to RFA on Monday that a merging had been agreed upon, but wasn’t yet underway.
“We’re keeping our eyes on the news,” said the employee, who also declined to be named. “They should send official notifications and hold press conferences [to proceed with the merge]. But as of now we are working as usual.”
‘A lot to get done’
A high-ranking official with the Ministry of Energy and Mines told RFA that she was unclear how state employees will be structured going forward, and said it may “take some time” to rearrange the workforce.
“We have to wait for the process,” she said, adding that “I hope our new layout will be better.”
The Energy and Mines official also noted that this is not the first time the ruling party has updated its plan, explaining that “it is normal to adjust administration to be on the right track, suitable with current conditions.”
Another official from the Ministry of Energy and Mines could only say that the move had begun, adding that “it must be a lot to get done.”
After the central administration restructuring is completed, the government will turn to rearranging local administration, which is expected to take place in July, state employees told RFA.
The Central Committee has also called on the National Assembly’s Standing Committee to look into reducing the number of parliamentary committees from nine to five for its 2026-2030 term.
In addition to the restructuring, Laos is also amending its Constitution and other laws to regulate state affairs, which the National Assembly will debate and approve during an extraordinary session next week.
Translated by RFA Lao. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster.