What plug type is used in Laos?

Type A, Type B, Type C, Type E and Type F sockets, Type A being the most common.

What is the mains voltage in Laos?

230 V at 50 Hz. Anything not marked 100-240 V on its own label needs a converter rather than a plug adapter.

This information may change. Always check the official source.Last verified: August 2026 by Ondřej Kadlec

Sockets are a mixture, and hybrid outlets that take Type A, B and C are common.

Arriving from the United States or CanadaThe plug fits, and the voltage does not: anything not marked 100-240 V needs a converter, not an adapter.
Arriving from the UK or IrelandA plug adapter is enough - the voltage is the same as at home.
Arriving from most of continental EuropePlugs go straight in and the voltage matches. Nothing to pack.
Arriving from Australia or New ZealandA plug adapter is enough - the voltage is the same as at home.

Socket types, voltage and frequency are the nominal domestic supply as published in IEC/TR 60083 and the national standards it lists.

Laotian sockets are hybrids taking American, European and Schuko plugs at 230 V, mostly unearthed.

Sockets in Laos are Type , , , and at 230 V, 50 Hz - hybrid outlets that take flat American pins and round European ones from the same opening.

Almost everything fits and very little is earthed. A Schuko or French plug enters many Laotian sockets without connecting earth at all.
American appliances fit and meet 230 V. Check the label for 100-240 V before plugging in anything that heats.
A Europlug is the safest thing to carry, since it has no earth to lose.
Supply outside Vientiane and Luang Prabang is uneven, with cuts and voltage dips in the evening.
Neighbouring Thailand and Cambodia use different mixtures again, so a universal adapter is worth it.

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Sources (1)

What this guide was checked against. Rules and prices change — follow the official link before you rely on a detail.