Energy
Vietnam eyes lower transport prices
The Ministry of Transport is investigating transport companies who have failed to lower prices amid a drop in petrol costs. Since many transport firms have been slow to reduce their fees even after recent hefty petrol price cuts, the ministry has asked local transport departments to ...
Green light for Mekong ‘time bomb’ sparks alarm
Environmental groups have expressed alarm at the Laotian National Assembly’s approval of the concession for the Don Sahong Dam project, which has been described as an “ecological time bomb” about to be dropped on the Mekong River. The Laotian government and the project’s developer, Malaysia’s MegaFirst ...
Laos officially approves controversial dam project
Laos’ parliament has approved the concession agreement for a controversial dam project, with construction expected to begin before the end of 2015, media sources reported earlier this week. Keep reading ...
Government calls for lower fuel prices
The government on 3 September asked fuel retailers to lower petroleum prices, so as to reflect the drop in global prices in the last few months. At a meeting chaired by Chhoun Dara, a secretary of state at the Commerce Ministry, oil companies were given a week ...
Energy efficiency crucial for ASEAN
Governments and the private sector have become increasingly aware of opportunities for significant savings through energy efficiency. Within ASEAN, there is about US$43 billion in potential savings available if member countries adopt a technology intense strategy to drive efficiency. Thailand alone could save more than copy.1 ...
Vietnam cautious on plan to raise crude oil output for growth
While some officials have proposed an increase in Vietnam’s crude output to counter the falling oil prices and achieve an economic growth of 6.2 percent, the government is not yet sure if that is an optimal strategy. The government will continue studying “all relevant factors” to ...
Don Sahong dam gets official approval
The Lao parliament has approved the concession agreement for the controversial Don Sahong hydropower dam and expects to begin construction before the end of the year, according to an official in Vientiane. Keep reading ...
Ministry reveals CSR history for country’s largest oil and gas firms
The corporate social responsibility (CSR) contributions made by international oil companies operating in Myanmar have been made public for the first time, with France’s Total E&P Myanmar at the top of the list. The Ministry of Energy (MoE) has released figures dating back to 1998, on ...
China oil rig to keep drilling in waters disputed with Vietnam
A Chinese oil rig at the center of last year’s standoff between China and Vietnam will continue drilling not far from Vietnam’s coast, China’s maritime safety authorities said on 25 August. The deployment of the $1 billion deepwater rig last year about 120 nautical miles off ...
Dams 'destroying Mekong fish stock'
Fishermen in delta and Northeast Thailand say dams in China and Laos have hit breeding and yields, forcing many to quit. Mekong River fishermen have already suffered dramatically from dams and irrigation works, which have decimated fish stocks and undermined livelihoods that supported families for generations.Nguyen Anh ...