Country code: 856. The General Post Office (GPO) offers public telephones for national and international calls. There are also card phone booths available.

Roaming agreements exist with a few international mobile phone companies. Check with your service provider. Coverage is sporadic and mainly, though not exclusively, situated around Vientiane.

Internet cafes are located in the major towns and are becoming increasingly common in places frequented by backpackers. High-speed connection is only available in places such as Vientiane and Luang Prabang.

The General Post Office (GPO) is beside the Morning Market in Vientiane. Normal postal service is inexpensive and generally reliable although it can take around two weeks to and from Western countries. A courier service is recommended for urgent or valuable mail.

The Lao media is basically a tool of the government, which owns all of the country's newspapers and broadcast media. Newspapers are not widely read.

• English-language newspapers include the Vientiane Times.
• Le Rénovateur is a French-language newspaper.
• The Lao-language daily is the Vientiane Mai.
• All are state run.

• Lao National TV (TVNL) and Laos Television 3, a joint venture with a Thai company, are the main TV channels.

• Lao National Radio is the national radio station.