This photo taken on October 8, 2024 shows a rice vendor waiting for customers at his shop in Laos' capital Vientiane. Suffocating under a mountain of debt to China, communist Laos is struggling to tame rampant inflation, with food prices rising so sharply that a growing number of households are resorting to foraging. (Photo by TANG CHHIN Sothy / AFP) / To go with 'LAOS-ECONOMY-INFLATION-DEBT,FOCUS' by Thanaporn Promyamyai and Damon Wake (Photo by TANG CHHIN SOTHY/AFP via Getty Images)