Environment and natural resources
Longer wait for final word on Myitsone dam project
The struggle goes on over whether the controversial Myitsone dam and other hydropower projects along the Ayeyarwady River should be built, following indications that further reports on the projects are needed. A member of the commission for reviewing and scrutinising hydropower projects along the Ayeyarwady ...
Foot-and-mouth affecting cattle
Many cattle in Svay Rieng province’s Svay Chrum and Chantrea districts have fallen ill or died from foot-and-mouth and other diseases over the past few weeks, resulting in the launch of a cattle vaccination campaign. Soun Norng, the deputy police chief of Chantrea district, said ...
Ministries urged to do more to protect forests
Forest activists and community representatives have urged the government to post markers at protected natural areas to prevent encroachment of loggers and the clearing of forest. The proposal was made at a forum on protecting and conserving natural resources on February 6 attended by the Environment Minister, ...
Minister calls for chainsaw import ban to tackle logging
Environment Minister Say Sam Al on February 6 said he would seek approval for a ban on the import of chainsaws in a bid to tackle the country’s persistent illegal logging trade. Mr. Sam Al announced his plans during a morning meeting at the ministry, ...
Ministry to closely monitor agri-business
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry will this year closely monitor domestic and foreign investment in this sector as it believes that many companies have not implemented the agreements made or complied with stipulated feasibility study methods. The ministry will strictly apply management measures to ...
How should Vietnam behave after the US abandons TPP?
Anti-globalization and protectionist attitudes are increasing in some countries, but Vietnam still has an open economy. This means big challenges for Vietnam in upcoming days. US President Donald Trump on January 23 officially pulled out of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, a move that The New ...
The soul of the Mekong is in trouble
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha last week asked reporters why non-governmental organisations, environmental activists and academics continue to protest against the planned blasting of rapids in the Mekong River. He said many of these protesters are outsiders, meaning people who do not live by the riverside, do ...
PM vows to address chronic land issues
Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith has pledged to find solutions to the many land issues that have emerged and the government has formed a taskforce committee to investigate the problems and resolve them. The committee will investigate land concessions, the transfer of land use rights in ...
Marine quality checked
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has asked four central provinces to provide regular reports on marine environment quality. The provinces of Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị and Thừa Thiên Huế have been told that they should seriously implement the instruction to monitor ...
Ecotourism gives impetus to tourism
Some 800,000 foreign tourists last year came to Thailand with the specific purpose of visiting villages, natural sites, communities, and hilltribes across the Kingdom, while more than 2 million Thai tourists also pursued these interests. They mingled well with like-minded travellers who cherished the “ecotourism” ...
