Infrastructure
Thai govt websites crash in symbolic act by critics: officials
Several Thai government websites temporarily crashed due to a “symbolic act” by people against plans to introduce a single Internet gateway, officials said on 1 October, a measure critics say will make it easier for the ruling junta to censor the web. Keep reading ...
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 ...
Rail network development plan disclosed
The Lao government has announced that it will pursue the development of at least four rail lines that will turn landlocked Laos into a land-linked nation with the planned Laos-China rail project given as top priority. Minister of Public Works and Transport Dr Bounchanh Sinthavong told ...
Laos segment of China-Singapore railway expected to begin construction in November
A transnational railway linking China and Singapore is set to be constructed. The construction of the segment in Laos will start in November. Keep reading ...
Pollution from coal-fired power plants kills 4,300 Vietnamese every year: study
Diseases linked to pollution caused by a fast growing network of coal-fired power plants kill around 4,300 people in Vietnam each year, according to a new estimate by scientists. A study released at a conference in Hanoi on 29 September claims that once all planned power projects become ...
25 bridges to be built in Vietnam with JICA loans
The Vietnamese Prime Minister has approved the construction of 25 bridges with the second transport sector loan for the national road network improvement project. The bridges’ total investment is about VND1.686 trillion ($75 million), funded by the Japan International Co-operation Agency ODA loans. 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 ...
Government hands down ruling in market dispute
A bitter dispute over the development of the main market in Ratanakkiri province’s Banlung City, which has pitted the city’s governor against a well-connected CPP lawmaker, was resolved by the Council of Ministers earlier this month in favor of the complainant, a wealthy businessman who ...
Government internet gateway plan sparks fury
Activists campaigning for internet freedom have slammed the government’s recent move to develop a single internet gateway to expand state control over online media. Last week, citizens learned of the government’s intention to build a single gateway, after it ordered the Ministry of Information and Communication ...
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 ...