Environment and natural resources
Damming the Nam Tha in Northern Laos
The Nam Tha, or Tha River, begins in northern Laos near the Lao-China border and runs southwest to join the Mekong just south of Huay Xay on the Lao-Thai border. In October 2014, I traveled by motorcycle and longtail boat up the Nam Tha, starting ...
Government declares closing of natural forests
Up to 2.25 million hectares of natural forests in the Central Highlands are not allowed to be open to commercial projects, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. The Government leader announced the closing of natural forests at conference in Dak Lak province’s Buon Ma Thuot city ...
Gov’t signs off on Koh Rong protected habitat
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries signed an agreement late last week designating more than 400 square kilometres as a protected marine management area around the islands, located 20 kilometres off the coast of Sihanoukville in a bid to save the Koh Rong Archipelago’s coral ...
Laos prepares two sites for world heritage listing
Laos expects to make a submission to Unesco for world heritage listing of the Plain of Jars in northern Xieng Khuang province as well as Phou Hin Nam Nor in central Khammuan province next year. Officials from the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Ministry of ...
Pig farms of CP Group polluting Buoi river in HCMC
The increase in the number of big farms which do outsourcing for CP Group has contributed to serious pollution in many localities. As CP Group, an agribusiness from Thailand, has been expanding its business in Vietnam for many years, the number of pig farms which raise ...
The water conflict on the Mekong
Located at the end of the Mekong River basin, the Mekong Delta in Vietnam is currently experiencing the most severe drought and salinity intrusion in 100 years. According to experts, the principal reason is development activities in Greater Mekong Subregion countries related to the use of ...
DSI looking into Buri Ram forest encroachment
The Department of Special Investigation is considering whether to take over a case of alleged encroachment involving more than 2,000 rai of a forest reserve in Satuk district planted in cash crops by investors. A team of DSI investigators went to Khok Chod national forest reserve ...
Ministry promotes more water efficient crops
Taking precautions against drought, the Ministry of Agriculture is encouraging farmers to stop growing summer paddy in areas where water is scarce, according to deputy minister U Tun Win. Though the previous government wanted farmers to prioritise growing paddy, with water reservoirs near empty in several ...
PM directs crackdown on illegal logging in Khammuan
Prime Minister ThonglounSisoulith travelled to Khammuan province on 13 June to direct local authorities to strengthen their efforts to clamp down on illegal logging and better protect forests for future generations. His visit to the province took place following an incident involving an exploding bus in ...
No authority to prevent new Mekong River projects: MRC
The Mekong River Commission does not have the authority to stop projects even if they have trans-boundary effects, delegates to the fourth Green Mekong Forum said on 13 June, while the Thai Irrigation Department presented a water diversion project to fight poverty. If the MRC member states – ...
