Infrastructure
Laos-China rail expected to begin construction in November
The groundbreaking ceremony to begin construction of the Laos-China rail project to link Laos with China and other ASEAN member counties is expected to begin in November if things go as planned, a minister said on 25 September. Minister of Public Works and Transport Dr Bounchanh Sinthavong ...
Junta mulls 'Great Firewall' for Thailand
Thailand’s junta is facing growing opposition over plans to introduce a single Internet gateway for the country to make it easier to monitor the web and block content. Tens of thousands of people have signed a petition against the proposal, which has been dubbed the “Great ...
Bordering on mass tourism between Thailand and Laos
In the near future, tourists could find it easier to explore the border towns of Thailand and Laos when checkpoints and transportation links are widened for tourism. Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (Dasta) is pushing for more tourism co-operation between border towns of the ...
IFC to lead sustainable hydro in Myanmar
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has signed to advise the government on environmental and social risk management for hydropower projects nationwide. This is the first time anything like this will be done in Myanmar. Commentators say they hope it will serve as the basis for transparent ...
Vietnam draft decree on sea freight transparency worries foreign shipping lines
Several foreign logistics companies have expressed concern about a proposed government decree requiring shipping companies to publicize their freight tariffs to protect exporters and importers, the media reported 21 September. Switzerland-based MSC, French-owned CMA-GM, and Singaporean-owned APL-NOL voiced their opinion through London-headquartered law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus ...
Vientiane to install more CCTV cameras
Vientiane Traffic Police Department confirmed on 22 September that more Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras are set to be installed throughout the city, aiming to help officers investigate crimes in the capital. The department’s Deputy Director Lieutenant Colonel Bounmark Soundalay told Vientiane Times there are now over 200 ...
Permanant border crossing planned from Phayao to Laos
Ban Huak temporary border checkpoint in Phayao province’s Phu Sang border district will be upgraded to permanent status next year to boost trade and investment with Khop district in Sayaboury province of Laos. Waradisorn Onnut, chief of Phu Sang district, said on 23 September that preparations ...
Express road to airport in works
The Ministry of Public Works and Transport on 22 September announced the start of feasibility studies aimed at building an express elevated toll road that would extend from Phnom Penh’s city centre to the airport by 2021. Public Works Minister Tram Iv Tek said that China’s Henan ...
Myanmar launches Thilawa industrial zone
Dignitaries from Myanmar and Japan on 23 September launched the first phase of a huge industrial zone on the outskirts of Yangon, as the long-isolated nation pushes to rapidly accelerate its industrialisation. Housing everything from children’s toy manufacturing to a car assembly plant and a deep-sea port, ...
Top cop says no capacity to convict
A high-ranking police official yesterday bemoaned Cambodia’s lack of capacity to fight cybercrime, just a week after the government’s announcement of a new Anti-Cybercrime Department prompted fears of an online clampdown on dissent. Keep reading ...
