Infrastructure
Johanna Powell's Laos river boat death was accidental
Passengers on a river trip in Laos in south-east Asia have told an inquest how their boat sank in seconds, killing a woman from south Wales. Johanna Powell, from Cardiff, was with three friends on the Mekong River near Pak Beng in April. The 37-year-old, a BBC ...
THAI staff threaten strike action
Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) has assured it plans no salary cuts for middle-level and low-level staff amid speculation ground staff plan a strike against the company’s cost-cutting scheme. Rumours of a strike on 25 November spread rapidly on social media via groups of staff, prompting urgent attempts ...
Only 2 out of 22 Vietnam airports are making profits: report
With the exception of Tan Son Nhat and Noi Bai, the other 20 airports around the country have been making losses or barely broken even, local media reported. The troubled airports often operate far below their designed capacities, as they are still in the middle of ...
Chinese premier highlights railway, FTA in talks with Lao, New Zealand PMs
The cooperation on a railway linking China and Laos has been advancing smoothly and the foundation stone will soon be laid to start its construction, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said here on 21 November. Li called the railway one of the new fruits of bilateral cooperation ...
4G spectrum windfall to help farmers
The government will spend part of the revenue from the fourth-generation (4G) spectrum auction to finance the country’s agricultural plan to ease the impact of drought on farmers. Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, who leads the government’s economic team, said on 19 November a portion of revenue from the spectrum bidding ...
Vietnam’s Mekong Delta in dire need of logistics hub
A regional logistics center should be set up in the Mekong Delta to offer professional services to businesses, most of which are currently dependent on Ho Chi Minh City and Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province, according to a seminar held in Can Tho City, ...
Laos drives home pertinent road safety message from international conference
Delegations from multiple continents are meeting in the capital of South America’s most populous country Brazil for the 2nd Global High Level Conference on Road Safety, a two-day international symposium aiming to keep traffic safety efforts on the agenda at a time when there are ...
China's role in promoting regional connectivity appreciated: Thai official
Thailand appreciates China for its constructive role in promoting regional connectivity through various initiatives including the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the launch of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, a senior Thai official said. “We believe that effective connectivity would help promote ...
Smartphone ownership in Cambodia exploded since ’13: study
The number of Cambodians who own at least one smartphone has almost doubled since 2013, helping put Cambodia on track to having more than half of its population accessing the web in about a year, according to a new study. Almost 95 per cent of Cambodians ...
Lower Sesan 2 dam putting livelihoods and environment at risk
The giant Lower Sesan 2 dam is one of the most controversial construction projects in Cambodia. The electricity-generation potential of the Lower Sesan 2 is massive but, for the Mekong River’s aquatic life and nearby villagers, the price of such progress could be colossal. The mighty Mekong River ...