Environment and natural resources
Illegal logging, encroachment found in Narathiwat
A total of 36 rai of forest on Sankalakhiri mountain range in Chanae district of this southern province has been illegally cleared by encroachers, forest protection officials said. Acting on information from local villagers, Gen Jatuporn Kalampasut, director of the intelligence office of the Region 4 ...
WAEDAO HARAI
Official Order to End Illegal Logging Deemed ‘Show’ by Cambodian Activists
Indigenous groups and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) on Thursday dismissed a recent directive from Cambodia’s government ordering local authorities to end illegal logging, calling the move a “show” aimed at mending its reputation of being too soft on forest crimes. On June 19, Minister of Agriculture Veng ...
RFA’s Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
New monkey species found hiding in plain sight
FOR MORE THAN a century, scientists considered banded langurs, a type of reclusive, tree-dwelling monkey, to be a single species—but new research points to three separate ones. They’ve been hiding in plain sight, due to differences that couldn’t be readily observed. Found throughout Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, ...
RACHEL NUWER
Towards innovative, conflict-sensitive and human rights-based approaches to forest monitoring
The Governments of Myanmar and Finland today launched a trailblazing project designed to allow for monitoring of forests in a manner that is sensitive to local conflicts and protects human rights. The five-year project will be led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United ...
FAO Media Relations Office
River Turns Red in Shan State, Burmese Blame Factories in China
“We have never seen water color changes like this before. This is the first time I have ever seen the water red. We don’t know what China has done!” Environmentalist have raised alarms in Myanmar after the water of the Shweli River separating China and the ...
Endangered banteng still dying from illegal trapping and hunting
The Ministry of Environment has stated since the beginning of this year at least 10 banteng have died in Cambodia’s protected areas due to traps and hunting. The news came after ministry spokesman Neth Pheaktra said yesterday a male banteng was found dead in Sorng Rukhavorn, ...
Pech Sotheary
More than 58,000 hectares of rice in Mekong Delta damaged due to drought
Around 41,900 hectares of the winter-spring rice crop in provinces in the Mekong Delta were affected this year; of which, 26,000 hectares of rice ended in dead loss. On June 20, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) cooperated with the People’s Committee of Long ...
Huynh Loi, Dang Nguyen – Translated by Gia Bao
Mekong River Commission Calls For Water Flow Transparency From China
The Mekong River Commission’s (MRC) annual report, published 16 June, includes a noteworthy statement calling for increased transparency from China over upstream dam operations on the river. The Mekong is Southeast Asia’s longest river and acts as a lifeline to 60 million people. Downtream Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and ...
OOSKAnews Correspondent
The Mekong subregion in Beijing’s strategic calculus
The strategically vital Mekong subregion has been gaining salience in Beijing’s strategic calculations as China faces growing pushback from the US and other countries. The global pandemic appears to be consolidating a few trends in China’s ties with the Mekong nations. In this emerging scenario, it is likely ...
K. YHOME
Falling water levels affecting fish population
The Fisheries Administration has voiced concern over declining fish population caused by the decrease in water levels at lakes and rivers in the Kingdom. In an interview with a local media outlet, its director Hong Hy said yesterday the water levels in many important rivers in ...
Som Kanika