Extractive industries
Vietnam shipyard launches $230m oil rig
PetroVietnam Marine Shipyard JSC in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, a subsidiary of PetroVietnam, launched a US$230-million jackup rig 13 December. Tam Dao 05 weighs 18,000 tons and can drill to a depth of nine kilometers. Keep reading ...
Gas accounts for smaller share
Thailand’s heavy dependence on natural gas for the power sector has been trimmed to 60% from 70% thanks to greater use of coal and renewable sources, says the Energy Policy and Planning Office (Eppo). The coal-fired Hongsa power plant in Laos has helped to increase the ...
Mining destroys local way of life
The mining of minerals has caused serious harm to the public’s environment, experts warned. A recent report presented at a workshop held by the People and Nature Centre (PanNature) and the Vietnam Mining Coalition showed that mining activities is a direct cause of hunger and poverty ...
Authorities introduce new safety measures in Hpakant
Amid warnings of fresh disaster beneath the lowering waste tips, Kachin State government officials and civil society are mobilising to protect local residents and demand accountability from the companies they blame for the death of more than 100 people. Rescuers have abandoned attempts to recover any ...
Mandalay gold rush cancelled
The gold rush has been cancelled, the authorities have announced. The 1000 or so hopeful gold miners who flocked into the village of Kyauk Pha when cable-layers thought they had struck lucky will just have to, well, flock off again. Keep reading ...
PV Oil Laos marks anniversary
A ceremony to celebrate the 5th anniversary of Lao PetroVietnam Oil (PV Oil Laos), a subsidiary of the PetroVietnam Oil Corporation (PV Oil), was held in Vientiane on 30 November. The event was attended by Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Manh Hung and Vice President of ...
Vietnam blocks exports by foreign gold miner over huge back taxes
Two major foreign-invested gold mining companies in the central province of Quang Nam will not be allowed to resume exports until they pay VND387 billion (US$16.93 million) in back taxes, a government spokesman confirmed at a press conference on 27 November. Nguyen Van Nen was responding ...
Vietnam mulls trade remedies against cheap steel imports: report
Vietnam may take remedial action against imported steel as an influx of cheap imports has reportedly threatened the local steel industry. News website Bao Dau Tu reported on 27 November that local producers have received support from Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai. He ordered the Ministry of Industry ...
Relatives of landslide victims urged to reject compensation
A Kachin civil society group is urging relatives of those killed in a landslide near a Hpakant jade mine on 21 November to reject an offer of K600,000 compensation for each victim, and has reiterated threats to press charges against those involved in the mining ...
Kachin civil society group seeks charges over landslide
A Kachin civil society network is seeking to bring charges against the operator of the Hpakant jade mine which dumped the tailings that collapsed in a massive landslide on November 21, according to an area resident. The confirmed death toll from the landslide had risen to ...
