Green forest fire notification in Laos

Supply-chain Risk Briefing: Laos Forest Fires

1. Summary

Medium-scale forest fires occurred in Laos for approximately 8 days from April 5th to 13th. Given the dry season characteristics of Southeast Asia, there are concerns about potential fire spread and cascading effects on neighboring countries.

2. Supply-chain impact

• Agricultural commodities: Potential disruption to regional agricultural supply if damage occurs to production areas of Laos' major exports including coffee, rice, and timber
• Transportation infrastructure: Possible delays in Mekong River basin logistics networks and Thailand-Vietnam overland transport routes if road controls are implemented due to fires
• Power supply: Risk of disruption to electricity imports by Thailand and other neighboring countries if fires spread around Laos' hydroelectric facilities
• Air quality deterioration: Concerns over flight delays due to haze spread and deteriorating manufacturing production environments

3. Watch points

• Spread scope: Confirmation of fire suppression completion status, scale of affected areas, and proximity to major industrial complexes or agricultural regions
• Cross-border impact: Tracking haze spread to Thailand, Vietnam, and southern China regions and transportation infrastructure operational status