The Impact of Covid-19 on Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises in Lao PDR: The First Pandemic Year
Lao PDR recorded its first Covid-19 case in March 2020. The first nationwide lockdown, closing all non-essential businesses, occurred from March 30 to May 4, 2020. While restrictions within Lao PDR eased for the rest of 2020, as of writing, travel in and out of the country remains very limited. In order to accurately reflect the impact of Covid-19 disruptions on micro, small, or medium enterprises (MSMEs), The Asia Foundation’s office in Lao PDR worked with a local team to conduct a survey of the three key sectors of tourism, handicraft/textile, and agriculture. Data were collected in three phases—July 2020, October 2020, and January 2021.
