Infrastructure
From commodities to satellites: China, Laos seeing more cooperation
China and Laos have witnessed rapid development in economic, trade cooperation in the past years, evolving from simple commodity trading to a higher level of cooperation. On 21 November 2015, Laos’ first ever satellite was launched into space from Xichang satellite launching center in China. Earlier ...
Laos pins economic hopes on extra electricity
As Southeast Asia’s energy demands grow, Laos is banking on increased electricity exports to shore up its economy. The tiny country, which has a population of just under 7 million, has been opening a string of large-scale hydropower stations that will boost its total generation ...
Laos' northern 230 KV power grid put into operation
Laos’ northern 230 KV grid was put into operation on 29 November, a major boost to the country’s building of a unified high voltage grid. The project was constructed by China Southern Power Grid and it is one of the China-Laos cooperation projects within the Belt ...
Eppo eyes two Laos power plants
Thai policymakers plan to purchase an additional power from two hydroelectric plants in Laos with a combined capacity of 1,318 megawatts, according to the Energy Policy and Planning Office (Eppo). They are the Nam Thuen 1 and Pak Beng hydropower project. Director-general Twarath Sutbutr said Eppo also ...
The night the lights went out
Underscoring Cambodia’s heavy dependence on imported electricity, the lights went out not just in Phnom Penh but across provinces nationwide on Thursday, an unprecedented blackout that Prime Minister Hun Sen said was caused by an electrical fault in neighbouring Vietnam. Between about 10pm and 11pm, Phnom ...
Fewer Vietnam traffic accidents in 2015
Vietnam has seen a sharp decrease in the number and the severity of traffic accidents in recent years. Compared to 2011, the number of traffic accidents in 2015 has gone down by 51 per cent, the number of fatalities and injured down by 24 per ...
Thai Prime Minister orders ministers to China to settle rail project
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered key ministers to go to China for negotiations on the delayed Thai-China railway project after China set a high interest rate on loans to finance it. The cost of the project is now estimated to reach around 500 billion baht. Keep reading ...
Lao Government blocks funds for rural road repair in favor of ASEAN projects in the capital
Government authorities in cash-strapped Laos are withholding funds urgently needed to repair flood-damaged roads in the country’s provinces, saying that available resources must be spent on improvements in the capital Vientiane ahead of regional summit meetings next year. Provincial public works and transport departments may also ...
Japan supports the replacement of bridges on Laos' National Road No.9
The Japanese government has provided a grant for the ‘Project for Reconstruction of the Bridges on National Road No 9 in Laos,’ valued at 70 million Japanese Yen (over 4.6 billion kip). The signing ceremony was held on 24 November at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in ...
Vientiane hosts ASEAN journalists' workshop
The “ASEAN journalists to cover the biggest cultural event workshop” was launched on 23 November in Vientiane, and will run from 23-26 November. Media personnel from ASEAN member countries are attending the workshop to exchange their traditions and culture and also share news reporting skills on their biggest cultural events. The ...
