Born to a goldsmith and his wife in present-day North Sulawesi, he studied civil engineering at the Technische Hoogeschool te Bandoeng (THB).

Herling Laoh was born in the town of Tompaso, which was 45 km south-west of the city of Manado, in what is today Minahasa Regency.

[3] He was also the younger brother of Frits Laoh, a politician who also served as transportation minister under Burhanuddin Harahap.

[2] He continued his education to the Prins Hendrik school (PHS), and later the Hogere Burgerschool (HBS).

[2] In May 1928, he graduated from the Technische Hoogeschool te Bandoeng (THB), the predecessor of the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), with a degree in Civil Engineering.

[8] He was briefly replaced by Djuanda Kartawidjaja in the first cabinet of Vice President Mohammad Hatta, who served in an acting capacity, but he returned to his position 13 April 1948.

[10] In 1947, Laoh with Deputy Prime Minister Adnan Kapau Gani left Indonesia to go to Havana, Cuba.