In response to high inflation rates (24.9% YoY in March), mainly driven by the depreciation of the kip, Laos’ finance ministry announced an increase in the monthly living allowance for civil servants, retirees, and volunteer teachers. The move will support individuals earning less than USD 80 per month. Meanwhile, Laos, along with Brunei, joined the ASEAN Payment Linkage, expanding the Regional Payment Connectivity (RPC) group to eight ASEAN central banks.