Social development
Putting the brakes on tests
As of 6 January, possessing a licence to drive a motorbike on Cambodia’s roads no longer requires a driving test. Prime Minister Hun Sen on 5 January announced the elimination of the test along with a decision to more than halve the cost of a licence in ...
Lao Government officials review drug issues
The Lao National Commission for Drug Control and Supervision is attempting to address drug problems nationwide by working in cooperation with neighbouring countries. The annual meeting of the Lao National Commission for Drug Control and Supervision (LCDC) began on 5 January, to summarise the commision’s work ...
Thai police websites hacked
Hacktivists took over four police websites, including the metropolitan police, on 4 January night, with messages demanding justice. Keep reading ...
Riverside dwellers to get new homes
Families living in huts on the bank of the Ayeyarwady River will soon be able to rent affordable housing from the city, officials say. Twenty-two six-storey housing blocks containing 1584 apartments have been built in nearby Nyaung Kwe ward in Aung Myay Thar San township. The ...
Development partners advise on path to success
The government needs to invest more in education, skill development, health and other basic aspects of development to ensure that Laos graduates from Least Developed Country status. Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, Ms Helen Clark, made the recommendation at a briefing held recently during ...
Military accused of ceasefire breach
In the first reported breach of the nationwide ceasefire agreement, the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) has accused the government of violating the terms of the accord by attacking its forces in the southeast of the state. Colonel Sai La, spokesperson for the Shan State ...
Party advises Youth Union on its political role
The Party Central Committee has called on the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union’s (Youth Union) committees at all levels to uphold their political responsibilities and actively implement the Party’s directives, to ensure today’s youth develop strong political attributes. Member of the Politburo and Party Central Committee ...
Thousands stopped on roads
Cambodian authorities have wasted no time in making sure drivers obey the new Traffic Law that came into force on New Year’s Day, fining or “educating” over 24,000 road users in the first three days, part of a nationwide effort to encourage motorcyclists and others ...
Vietnam stalls policy that requires workers, employers to pay more for social security
Vietnam has delayed a new social insurance policy that aims to increase contributions to the country’s pension fund, following complaints from both businesses and workers. The policy, originally slated to take effect this January, is now waiting for further instructions from the labor ministry and relevant ...
Cambodia's contraception demand ‘unmet’
There is a significant unmet demand for modern contraception among Cambodian women, according to an annual report on family planning in 69 of the world’s poorest countries. Released this month by Family Planning 2020 (FP2020) – a global partnership between governments, NGOs and the private sector ...
