Government
What’s Next for the Cambodia-Laos Border Dispute?
Last week, there was a flurry of activity in Cambodia-Laos relations tied to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s anticipated visit to Laos. While both sides discussed a range of issues within their bilateral relationship, the interaction also once again put the focus on the outstanding ...
US House calls on Myanmar to release journalists
The US House of Representatives called nearly unanimously on Thursday (Dec 13) for the government of Myanmar to release Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who were imprisoned one year ago in a landmark free speech case. Keep reading ...
Cambodia to officially launch Asian Cultural Council in Siem Reap
Cambodia, with Unesco support, is set to host the launching of the Asian Cultural Council next month, a government official said yesterday. According to Ek Tha, spokesman for the Office of the Council of Ministers, Deputy Prime Minister Bin Chhin had a meeting on Tuesday ...
Curbing Asia’s Corrupt Governments
Representatives of civil society organizations from nine ASEAN nations have been meeting for the past two days in Bangkok, seeking ways to fast-track implementation of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption in what has to seem like an uphill struggle. Keep reading ...
South China Sea disputes: Makings of a new Cold War?
Tensions in the South China Sea have somewhat abated but the latent flashpoint remains. In mid-October 2018, a near collision took place between a US and Chinese warship. The US has attacked Beijing’s expansionism. In September 2018, Japan conducted its first-ever submarine drills in the ...
Trade war: Focus turns to Thailand to conclude $7 trln RCEP
Six years in the making, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is slated to transform the region into an Asean-centric, comprehensive free trade area, poised to make a large contribution to Asian and global economic cooperation. The RCEP may well become the second major Asia-led trade ...
Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia boost anti-drug cooperation
The 17th trilateral-bilateral ministerial meeting on drug control cooperation between Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia took place in Vientiane on December 6. The event creates a good chance for the three countries to review their past cooperation and learn from the experience in the implementation of the ...
Going Live: Round Table Meeting Reviews Laos’ Development Streamed On Youtube
The long, winding road to widespread and deep-rooted socio-economic development for the benefit of all people in Laos passed a milestone yesterday with the 2018 holding of the annual Round Table Implementation Meeting of Lao policymakers, stakeholders and partners including the United Nations streamed live ...
Laos, Cambodia PMs Agree To Continue Joint Patrols in Disputed Area
The governments of Laos and Cambodia have agreed in Vientiane to continue efforts to de-escalate tensions in a disputed border area. The agreement was made during Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s visit to Vientiane yesterday at the invitation of Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith. Keep reading ...
Is Myanmar Ready to Become a Regional Trade and Supply Hub?
apanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe recently pledged to promote more than 150 quality infrastructure projects in five nations in the Mekong River subregion—Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos—under a new blueprint, the Tokyo Strategy 2018 for Mekong-Japan Cooperation, which will be effective from 2019 to ...