Agriculture and fishing
Report finds economic land concessions affected 17K families
Community representatives, civil society organisations and opposition members have urged the government for more urgent action to resolve land disputes following the release of annual data showing that all 24 provinces were affected in 2014, with hundreds of cases still unresolved. The call came at the launch ...
Thai farmers plea for debt relief if second rice crop again banned
Farmers’ leaders have called for an interest-free debt moratorium of 5-10 years if the government bans the planting of a second rice crop for the third time this year. Thai Farmers Association chairman Wichian Puanglamjiak on 22 September said if the the government asks farmers to not to plant second-crop ...
Vietnamese rubber giant makes deal with Cambodian villagers
A “major breakthrough” has been reached in discussions between Vietnamese rubber giant Hoang Anh Gia Lai and 11 indigenous communities in Ratanakkiri province that have lost land and resources to the company’s plantations. During a three-day meeting with community representatives, NGOs and its own subsidiaries, the ...
Festive period likely to boost rice prices
Rice prices are forecast to increase by as much as 10% late this year and early next year thanks to year-end festive celebrations and lower supply. Chookiat Ophaswongse, an honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said rice prices were likely to rise by 8-10% ...
Vietnam expels Chinese man for illegal mass earthworm hunting
Quang Tri border guards have deported a Chinese man who had asked locals to help him hunt earthworms using an illegal chemical and promised to buy the crawl for a high price. Gan DeQiang, 40, was also fined VND16 million (US$712) for his violations, according to ...
Sweet plans for future of Shan honey
Honey may soon join wine and coffee as among Shan State’s best-known local commodities, as production grows. Myanmar is set to export about 3500 tonnes of the sweet stuff this year, and experts say the “Made in Myanmar” honey label may soon spread. Rabbi Yossi Ives, chief ...
Thailand asked to probe fatal shooting on Vietnamese fishing boats
Vietnam on 17 September demanded Thailand to promptly investigate and handle Thai individuals involving in the fatal shooting of a Vietnamese fisherman at sea last week. Foreign ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh said the ministry has sent a diplomatic note to the Thai embassy in Hanoi to ...
Rice exports: It’s time for the “giants” to leave
Rice exports seem to be the playground of big State-owned corporations, which are able to impose unfavorable conditions on others, especially farmers. The export floor price for rice is stipulated in Decree 109/2011/ND-CP, which is determined under the guidance of the Vietnam Food Association (VFA) based ...
Thai marine police claim 'self defence' in firing on Vietnamese fishermen
Thai maritime police said they opened fire on a Vietnamese fishing boat while trying to intercept another vessel in waters near Malaysia last week, a clash Vietnamese state media said killed a fisherman and wounded two others. Officials from the two countries were quoted on 16 ...
Koreans, Kok An face off in land dispute
A tense stand-off between staff from a South Korean development firm and representatives of tycoon and ruling party Senator Kok An took place in northern Phnom Penh on 16 September, over what the Korean company says is an attempted land grab. More than 20 Korean and ...
