Mr Sisangkhom Khodyotha (right) and Mr Outhan Tailitthi shake hands after signing a joint-venture agreement to establish the State Enterprise for Product Standards Inspection and Quality Certification Co., Ltd. in Vientiane on July 24.                                  --Photo Pathetlao

New venture to lift Lao product standards

A new state-private enterprise has been formed to strengthen product quality inspection and certification, aiming to protect consumers and help Lao products compete in international markets.
The Department of Standardisation and Metrology under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce signed a joint-venture agreement with Lao Standard Control Co., Ltd. last week to establish the State Enterprise for Product Standards Inspection and Quality Certification Co., Ltd.
The new enterprise aims to strengthen Laos’ national quality infrastructure by improving product inspection, testing and certification in line with regional and international standards.
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce said reliable standards inspection and quality certification are essential to protect consumers, ensure public safety, and build confidence in goods produced, imported, exported from, and sold in Laos.
The ministry said the venture also supports the government’s drive to modernise specialised public services while improving the competitiveness of Lao products in overseas markets.
The project comes in response to growing public concern over substandard products. In recent years, consumers have lodged complaints through hotlines operated by the National Assembly and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce about low-quality imported and domestically distributed goods that failed to meet required standards.
As a result, the ministry has made stronger inspection, testing and certification a priority to improve consumer protection and boost confidence in products available on the market.
The joint venture also reflects closer cooperation between the government and the Lao private sector.
Lao Standard Control Co., Ltd. specialises in research, laboratory analysis and testing services, and is expected to help develop modern laboratories, advanced testing equipment and technical systems that meet regional and international accreditation requirements.
Officials say the new enterprise will help ensure imported goods and products sold in Laos are safe, improve state revenue collection by reducing revenue leakage, and increase the value and competitiveness of Lao products in global markets.
Under the agreement, the government will hold a 51 percent stake in the enterprise, while Lao Standard Control Co., Ltd. will own the remaining 49 percent.
The enterprise will be overseen by a five-member board of directors, comprising three government representatives and two company representatives. A government representative will serve as chairman of the board.
Under a decision issued on July 3, the executive board comprises the Director of Lao Standard Control Co., Ltd., Mr Outhan Tailitthi, as director of the enterprise; Head of the National Centre for Standards Certification and Quality Inspection under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Mr Sounthone Chanthadeth, as deputy director; and Deputy Director of Lao Standard Control Co., Ltd., Mr Outhone Tailitthi, as deputy director.
The Director General of the Department of Standardisation and Metrology, Mr Sisangkhom Khodyotha, signed the agreement on behalf of the ministry, while the Chairman of Lao Standard Control Co., Ltd., Mr Outhan Tailitthi, signed for the company.
Minister of Industry and Commerce, Mr Malaythong Kommasith, witnessed the signing of the agreement alongside Deputy Head of the Office of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Head of the State Enterprise Reform Committee, Mr Kikeo Chanthabury, as well as senior officials from the government and private sectors.
The signing ceremony, held in Vientiane on July 24, concluded with both parties reaffirming their commitment to building a transparent, efficient and internationally recognised product standards inspection and quality certification system for Laos.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update July 27, 2026)