On 7 January 2026, residents of Huay Pan Village, Pak Ou District, Luang Prabang Province reported the discovery of a large bomb. The landowner had hired an excavator to prepare the site for house construction. During the excavation, the operator uncovered a large bomb and immediately informed the landowner. The landowner then reported the incident to UXO Lao Office in Luang Prabang Province, requesting that UXO Lao technical staff relocate the bomb from the construction site.

Staff of UXO Lao Luang Prabang Office conducted an on-site inspection and technical assessment, confirming that the item was a 250-pound (113-kilogram) MK81 bomb. The bomb was then transported to a designated demolition site in Nam Bak District and is scheduled to be safely destroyed shortly.

Infrastructure development, agricultural production, and the livelihoods of all ethnic groups in Lao PDR continue to face daily risks. Everyone is urged to remain alert and take precautions during activities to prevent risks and accidents caused by unexploded ordnance.