Prostitution laws in Laosສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ
Laos criminalises both parties. Under Article 260 of the Penal Code (Law No. 26/NA, adopted 17 May 2017), engaging in prostitution is punished with three months to one year of imprisonment or re-education without deprivation of liberty and a fine of LAK 500,000–3,000,000; assisting or facilitating prostitution carries the same custodial range and a fine of LAK 5–15 million, and anyone who purchases sexual services is punished under the same charge. Procuring the prostitution of another for income (Article 254) carries six months to three years, or three to seven years when habitual or when a person under the offender's guardianship is forced into prostitution. No specific offence of advertising adult sexual services was found.
Legal model
Selling and buying prohibited. Selling sex is an offence (criminal or administrative), whether or not buying is.
Article 260 of the Penal Code 2017 makes engaging in prostitution, assisting or facilitating it, and purchasing sexual services criminal offences. Procuring prostitution for income is a separate, heavier offence (Article 254).[1]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | Engaging in prostitution is a criminal offence: three months to one year of imprisonment or re-education without deprivation of liberty, and a fine of LAK 500,000–3,000,000.[1] |
| Buying sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | A person who purchases sexual services is "punished under the same charge" as the person engaging in prostitution, that is, three months to one year or re-education and a fine.[1] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | There is no separate brothel offence in the translation reviewed, but running premises for prostitution falls under procuring the prostitution of others for income (Article 254) and assisting or facilitating prostitution (Article 260).[1] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Generating income by procuring the prostitution of another in any manner is punished with six months to three years and a fine of LAK 10–20 million; three to seven years and LAK 20–100 million when done on a regular basis or when a person under the offender's guardianship is forced into prostitution.[1] |
| Advertising sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | No offence specifically on advertising adult sexual services was found. Advertising for others would amount to assisting or facilitating prostitution (Article 260); advertising child sex tourism is a specific offence (Article 262), and disseminating pornographic material through computer systems is punishable under Article 169.[1] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
Engaging in prostitution is a criminal offence: three months to one year of imprisonment or re-education without deprivation of liberty, and a fine of LAK 500,000–3,000,000.[1]
Confidence: medium. Read in the English translation published by the Lao Official Gazette, which is marked as unofficial; the Lao text was not compared.
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
A person who purchases sexual services is "punished under the same charge" as the person engaging in prostitution, that is, three months to one year or re-education and a fine.[1]
The translation does not say which of the two fine ranges in Article 260 applies to buyers (LAK 500,000–3,000,000 for engaging in prostitution, LAK 5–15 million for assisting or facilitating it).
Confidence: medium. Unofficial English translation; the applicable fine range for buyers is unclear from the text.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
There is no separate brothel offence in the translation reviewed, but running premises for prostitution falls under procuring the prostitution of others for income (Article 254) and assisting or facilitating prostitution (Article 260).[1]
Confidence: medium. Inference: no provision naming brothels was found in the unofficial English translation.
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Generating income by procuring the prostitution of another in any manner is punished with six months to three years and a fine of LAK 10–20 million; three to seven years and LAK 20–100 million when done on a regular basis or when a person under the offender's guardianship is forced into prostitution.[1]
Human trafficking for prostitution or sexual exploitation is a separate offence under Article 215.
Confidence: medium. Unofficial English translation.
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
No offence specifically on advertising adult sexual services was found. Advertising for others would amount to assisting or facilitating prostitution (Article 260); advertising child sex tourism is a specific offence (Article 262), and disseminating pornographic material through computer systems is punishable under Article 169.[1]
Confidence: low. Inference from general provisions; media, internet and advertising regulations were not reviewed.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| Penal Code (Law No. 26/NA), Lao People's Democratic Republic — unofficial English translation Penal Code (Law No. 26/NA of 17 May 2017) Article 215 · Article 254 · Article 260 · Article 262 | Article 260 criminalises engaging in, facilitating and purchasing prostitution; Article 254 procuring; Article 215 trafficking.[1] |
Timeline
- 17 May 2017The National Assembly adopts the Penal Code (Resolution No. 013/NA), replacing the Penal Law; it is promulgated by presidential decree on 26 June 2017.[1]
Sources
- Penal Code (Law No. 26/NA), Lao People's Democratic Republic — unofficial English translation. Lao Official Gazette (Ministry of Justice), 26 June 2017. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026