Aid and development
Bilateral development assistance
No progress on new Vientiane-Champassak highway
One year has passed but the new Vientiane-Champassak highway survey and design has not progressed following a Chinese company signing an agreement with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport. “We are now writing a letter to the company informing them that if they cannot perform ...
Businesses prefer Vietnam-EU FTA over TPP
When comparing Vietnam’s commitments within the Vietnam-EU free trade agreement and the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement, businesses see bigger benefits in EVFTA, especially in government procurement. Tran Quoc Khanh, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, said it was not the initial intention of Vietnam to apply ...
PM challenges EU to follow through on threat to cut aid
Prime Minister Hun Sen on 13 June blithely brushed aside a recent threat from the European Parliament to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to Cambodia over human rights abuses, challenging the body to follow through.“I am never afraid of China because Cambodia has ...
EU to start ASEAN aviation talks
The European Commission is planning to start negotiations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on an aviation agreement soon, having received a mandate from EU transport ministers earlier this week. The EU is hoping to create new airline routes and new business opportunities for European ...
EC, NLA unnerved by referendum-law challenge
The chiefs of the Election Commission and the National Legislative Assembly showed confidence on 9 June the draft charter referendum remained on course despite the latest decision by the Constitutional Court. The controversial words are “violent, aggressive, rude,” which the petitioners find vague and subjective and open ...
Amid turmoil, EU calls for review of aid to Cambodia
The European Parliament on Thursday passed a resolution accusing the Cambodian government of laying politically motivated charges against the opposition and calling for aid cuts if its respect for human rights fails to improve—a loud echo of a resolution it passed just six months ago. “Today, ...
Tender planned for $2b Yangon-Mandalay railway upgrade
A Tender for private companies to work on a US$2.2 billion upgrade of the railway linking Myanmar’s two largest cities will be called at the end of this year, an official said on 23 May. Work on the Yangon-Mandalay railway, led by the Japan International Cooperation ...
Fishery groups step up bid to avoid EU action
Isara Vongkusolkit, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber was gravely concerned about the IUU issue and had tried its best to promote cooperation with private counterparts in the fishing industry to create a traceability system for products. Mr Poj insisted that, whatever ...
PM casts fisheries chief adrift
The regime has decided to remove Thailand Fisheries Department chief Wimol Jantrarotai for making slow progress in addressing illegal fishing amid concerns Thailand is still at risk of being slapped with a red card by the European Union. Keep reading ...
Vietnam seeks Japan’s assistance in climate change response
President Tran Dai Quang asked for Japan’s continued assistance in responding to climate change, especially drought and saline intrusion in the central, Central Highlands and southern regions, while receiving Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Fukada Hiroshi in Hanoi on 19 April. The State leader thanked Japan for ...
