News

Expanding paternity leave in Southeast Asia

Statutory rights to maternity leave are available to working women in 185 countries, but only 78 offer statutory rights to paternity leave. Nordic countries set the global benchmark for policies that support men’s involvement in parenting, but paternity leave is fast becoming a hot topic ...

Marian Baird, Elizabeth Hill and Lisa Gulesserian

Chinese media is misleading the public on the impacts of hydro in Laos

Last month, the New York Times ran a piece of propaganda and misinformation masquerading as news. The piece was entitled “Employment on Hydropower Project in Laos Delivers Better Lives,” and it was created and paid for by the China Daily, the English-language mouthpiece for the People’s Republic ...

Debt and misery stalk the delta’s salt farms

Life’s hard for the salt farming communities in the far south of Ayeyarwady Region, where services are basic, food is scarce and debt is never-ending. It’s a 90-minute motorbike journey south from the Ayeyarwady delta town of Labutta before you get the first glimpses of the ...

Kyaw Lin Htoon

High-speed rail project mired in land issues

The high-speed train project to link up three major airports is still mired in land expropriation and eviction problems concerning 20% of the land required for construction despite it being expected to begin operation in five years. If the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) fails to ...

Govt ready to host Asean summit

Thailand is getting ready to welcome regional leaders ahead of the Asean Summit next week. All the leaders of the 10 member countries will attend the 34th Asean Summit on June 22 and 23 in Bangkok, said Suriya Chindawongse, director-general of the Department of Asean Affairs. Thailand ...

Melodies by the Mekong

It was a significant Thursday night. An iconic Filipino choral group performed at Cambodia’s iconic Chaktomuk Theatre, symbolising the power of music in connecting two nations whose culture, history and language vary. Agnes Alpuerto and Som Kanika join the friendship concert by the Philippine Madrigal ...

Agnes Alpuerto and Som Kanika

Thailand, Laos sign agreement on 5th friendship bridge across Mekong River

Thailand and Laos on Friday signed an agreement on building the fifth friendship bridge between Thailand’s Bueng Kan province and Laos’ Bolikhamsai province. Thailand’s Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith and Lao Public Works and Transport Minister Bounchan Sinthavong presided over the signing ceremony on Friday. Arkhom said Thailand’s ...

Myanmar launches anti-child labour campaign

THOUGH more than 600,000 children are still engaged in work that harms their health, safety and well-being, Myanmar is trying to implement a national-level project to eradicate child labour, Nyunt Win, director-general of the factories and general labour laws inspection department, said. “Myanmar is undertaking several ...

Khine Kyaw

‘Huge potential for partnership between Manipur and Myanmar’ - Manipur Chief Minister

There is huge potential for partnership in cultural tourism between Manipur and Myanmar as Manipur shares strong cultural affinities with Myanmar. Investments in infrastructure, skill development and film production have great potential while simultaneously promoting traditional and cultural art forms, and generating employment for the ...

China’s Belt and Road Initiative criticised for poor standards and ‘wasteful’ spending

China’s massive infrastructure spending in Southeast Asian nations under the Belt and Road Initiative has run into a series of problems including substandard work and money wasted on unprofitable projects, a new report has warned. The Belt and Road Initiative, launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping ...

Teddy Ng

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