Popular magazines in Laos
Not too long ago I posted about Lao Magazines that are available in Vientiane and the rest of the major cities in Laos. From looking at what my relatives are reading in Vientiane and Champassack provinces as well as what are being put on the table at restaurants and hair salons, I can say the most popular magazines are Update Magazine and Mahason Magazine. Laoteens Magazine is also making waves and a big hit among the teenagers.
Update Magazine has a theme of “Business & Entertainment Magazine” with some articles in both Lao and English language. The magazine has 48 pages and costs 10,00 kip per issue. My cousins like to read the magazine for both entertainment and also for improving their reading in English. I really like the idea of having Lao and English articles. Even I read both versions of the same articles, just to get a better understanding of certain words.
Mahason Magazine is no doubt Update’s number one competitor. While Mahason is bigger in length and width, it has only 40 pages. The lower price of 9,000 kip per issue has forced Udpate to lower its price. To attract more subscribers and buyers, Mahason has a cash giveaway for those with M sticker on their vehicles. 100,000 kip is given to a lucky owner of a car, truck, or moped.
Mahason Magazine May 2007 issue.
Mahason Magazine June 2007 issue.
Mahason Magazine July 2007 issue.
Laoteens Magazine is in the second year of publication. It has a variety of articles, from entertainment to education. This particular issue even has an article on how to surf the internet safely. With 40 pages of content geared toward Lao teenagers, Laoteens Magazine costs 10,000 kip per issue, same as Update Magazine.
In 2006, Update Magazine was proclaimed as the number one magazine in Laos. This year it is quite unclear as to which magazine is the one holding the crown. The number one title could be Update or Mahason. Only the readers can decide. With only a few thousand issues in print for all of the magazines in Laos, it is not difficult to figure out who is the winner.
Have your pick.
Better hurry up and send me your Meal submission as time is running out. 
Hi Darly,
Never seen magazines from Laos before. They are very teeny boppy and remind me of Asain magazines (especially from Thailand). Seems like they prefer the girls to be very "porcelain" skin. It’s so different then in the US, where golden bronze skin is what everyone wants.
Anyway, as for me, I can’t wait for my next issue of Smithsonian magazine to arrive. Am I getting old or what?
Hi Salat,
Funny about what you said about the skin of the girls in the magazine. The next on my list to post is about the ads in these magazines.
I bought these magazines for research purpose mostly and for improving my Lao language.
I hardly read beauty magazines. Can’t afford it and can’t part with 4 or 5 Euros when that’s like a meal for me, lol.
White skin is a big thing in Asia. Even my friends from Philippine say that. They told me a pill to make skin white is a good seller there.
The irony is that most people over here (Western Europe) love to tan…
Weird to see this zine online. I used to write for it when I lived in Vientiane in 2006, helped to get it started. I was the only English writer at the time. Don’t know if they’re still doing articles in English or not?
[...] I didn’t get my Sao Lao magazine as requested. My aunt misunderstood me and thought I wanted Update Magazine with the coverage of Miss Apone Beauty Pageant 2007 [...]
why dont u post the Khuan chai magazine?
Hi Amy,
From reading Update magazine, I saw some articles in both Lao and English. I’ll try to post some of them later.
Hi Air,
I don’t have the Khuan Chai magazine and didn’t know about it until now.