Laos has overcome a number of issues to bring itself into the capital markets, but needs to be wary of taking on a bigger burden than it can handle.

Concerns are growing that the Laos-China Railway project will bring more debt than local benefits.

Languishing down the development table, land-locked Laos is investing heavily in a joint venture to build a rail link between its capital and the Chinese border. Peter Janssen reports.

As Thailand loses some of its allure, Japan’s big banks are following their corporates into Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, using their Thai subsidiaries as strategic partners. Peter Janssen reports.

The launch of the Asean Economic Community has opened up a new wave of opportunities. However, with Western banks pulling back from Asia and domestic banks all-powerful in the region's more developed markets, it may only be the Greater Mekong region that sees any discernible change to its financial landscape in the near future.

After a five-year spell of growth, Laos's economy stalled a little in 2014. However, with an improving regulatory environment, the launch of the Asean Economic Community and an improving foreign investment outlook, the country can still look forward with some optimism.

The Greater Mekong Delta sub-region of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam has been posting stellar growth figures in recent years, and looks set to continue this trend. However, each country within the region has its own social, political and economic hurdles to overcome. Stefania Palma reports.