Industries
Lao officials balk at China’s loan terms for railway project
Lao government officials have expressed concern about the interest rate on a U.S. $500 million loan from China to build a multibillion-dollar, high-speed railway through the Southeast Asian nation, and have asked political leaders to negotiate a lower rate, a high-ranking Lao official said. Keep reading ...
Unions agree on minimum wage target
Following weeks of quarrelling, Cambodia’s garment unions on 29 September agreed to demand a monthly industry minimum wage of $168 – only to find themselves miles apart from employers who are refusing to consider an increase beyond the rate of inflation. Leading up to ongoing tripartite minimum-wage ...
Retailers to invest B100bn to make Thailand shopping hub
The Thai Shopping Centres Association said it will invest 100 billion baht to turn Thailand into a regional shopping destination. Keep reading ...
DASTA joins forces with Mekong Institute to advance tourism in GMS
The Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Mekong Institute to strengthen sustainable tourism in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). The Mekong Institute, an intergovernmental organisation in Khon Kaen, Thailand, promotes regional cooperation through capacity-building programmes for the countries ...
Kuwait proposes Laos visa exemption
The Lao and Kuwaiti governments should offer visa exemptions for their citizens as part of efforts to boost the exchange of tourism and trade between the two nations, according to the Kuwaiti ambassador to Laos, Mr Nabeel Aldaheel. The ambassador announced his government’s proposal to the ...
South Laos mulls tourism plan
The four southernmost provinces have drafted a plan to develop and link tourist sites beginning in 2016. Lao News Agency reported the authorities of Salavan, Champassak, Xekong and Attapeu met at the 8th meeting in Salavan province, late last week. Keep reading ...
Thailand urged to streamline passage for Southeast Asian visitors
Thai tourist industry has called on the authorities to provide conveniences for visitors from neighboring states, millions of whom are expected to come over from early next year. Keep reading ...
Vietnam's tourist numbers remain low as criticism mounts
The downward trend has continued. Foreign arrivals to Vietnam reached only 626,000 in September, down 5.8 percent from August, new data from the National Administration of Tourism showed. Even though that was up 8.3 percent from September last year, the overall number for the first nine months ...
State Railway of Thailand gets green light for Airport Rail Link train purchase
The Transport Ministry has given permission for the State Railway of Thailand to continue with its controversial plan to procure seven new trains for the Airport Rail Link. Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said on 28 September the purchase was a matter of urgency. Keep reading ...
Vietnam's industrial production rises 10% in first nine months
The national index of industrial production rose 10 per cent in the first nine months of this year against the same period last year. Further, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the industrial production sector continued its growth, especially in the processing and manufacturing ...
