Social development

By banning alcohol sales near universities and technical colleges, Thailand is putting the nation at the forefront of efforts in Asia to curb booze consumption. Under amendments to the Alcohol Control Act endorsed by the government and to be implemented nationwide, bars, clubs and retailers will ...

Plans to build an 800-megawatt coal power plant near some of Thailand’s most popular beaches have sparked protests and a hunger strike by activists who say officials aren’t considering its impact on the pristine environment that makes the area an international tourist destination. More than 100 members ...

A Myanmar court has fined two journalists 1 million kyat ($800; £514) each, after finding them guilty of defaming the president. Nine other staff from the Myanmar Herald were acquitted in the case, which was filed by the information ministry last November. Keep reading ...

Eleven opposition activists, including a US citizen, were handed lengthy prison sentences yesterday for their roles in a protest at Phnom Penh’s Freedom Park last year that turned violent and left dozens injured. In a decision that came as a surprise to many, judge Lim Makaron ...

African footballers as young as 14 are being trafficked to Asia and forced to sign contracts, the BBC has learnt. Six minors are still with top Laos side Champasak United, after it imported 23 under-age players from West Africa to an unregistered football academy in February, ...

A Phnom Penh Municipal Court deputy prosecutor has decided to charge prominent human rights monitor Ny Chakrya in a case that rights groups have labeled a bald-faced attempt to suppress criticism of the Kingdom’s judiciary. The case stems from two Siem Reap Provincial Court officials who accused Chakrya ...

Six ethnic Montagnard Christians who fled Vietnam and illegally entered Cambodia to seek refugee status have arrived safely in the capital Phnom Penh, the provincial coordinator for Adhoc has said. The coordinator said the group fled Gia Lai province in Vietnam’s Central Highlands on 16 July and arrived ...

Government policy regarding compulsory education, foreign language teaching in primary schools, rights and obligations of teachers and students were highlights at the National Assembly (NA) debate on the amendment to the Law on Education. The assembly took a half day yesterday to debate the latest draft ...

Cambodia’s prime minister has added his voice to growing outrage over a vicious attack by a businessman on a female TV star that was captured on video. Hun Sen called property tycoon Sok Bun’s actions intolerable and warned that his wealth would not help him escape ...

Proceedings have ended in the controversial trial of two Thailand-based journalists facing criminal defamation charges for reporting on the alleged involvement of Thai naval forces in human trafficking. The charges against Alan Morison, the 67-year-old Australian editor of independent Thai news website Phuketwan, and reporter Chutima Sidasathian, ...