News
Govt orders action to resolve illegal occupation of land
The government has ordered action to address the illegal occupation and purchase of land, which was one of the outcomes of the government cabinet meeting for January that closed on January 25. Emerging land issues raised have been illegal occupation of lands including land in ...
Vietnamese luxury wooden furniture makers feel pain of regulations and deforestation
A mere 45 minutes northeast of Vietnam’s bustling capital city of Hanoi is the carpentry town of Đồng Kỳ, where conversations take place above the incessant din of electric saws cutting wood. A thin layer of sawdust coats every surface, and after a few hours ...
China warned of risk to banks from One Belt, One Road initiative
Beijing’s plan to invest almost $1tn in infrastructure in some of the world’s poorest countries is raising concerns of risks for the Chinese banks backing the projects. Turmoil in countries such as Venezuela, where China has lent $65bn during the past decade, has led to ...
Vientiane dengue fever rates higher this year: authorities
Health authorities in the capital have admitted that the outbreak of dengue fever is higher this year compared to the same period in 2016. From January 1-24 this year, 70 dengue fever infections have been recorded in Vientiane, while in the same period last year ...
Thai fintech sector calls for state support
The Thai FinTech Association has called on the government to increase its support for local tech startups and financial institutions to enhance their competitiveness and prevent foreign giants from monopolising the fintech market. “It’s time for the government to create a level playing field between ...
679 schools fail basic education test
At least 600 of more than 4,500 schools seeking to be included on a school standard enhancement programme provide poor education quality, according to the Office of the Basic Education Commission, which is introducing the scheme. A total of 679 schools do not meet the ...
Cambodia to protect European patents
Cambodia is set to become the first country in Southeast Asia to recognise and protect European patents after the Minister of Industry and Handicrafts signed an agreement with the European Patent Office on January 24. The agreement, expected to come into effect in July, places ...
Renewed interest in Bangladeshi trade ties
Cambodia and Bangladesh made a fresh push on January 24 to revive dormant bilateral trade initiatives, with Phnom Penh hosting the first-ever conference and exhibition for a delegation of leading Bangladeshi companies. Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Thailand and Cambodia Saida Muna Tasneem admitted trade between the two ...
Sand stats ‘correct’: government
At a government-organised forum on sand exports on January 24, a Ministry of Mines and Energy official said an investigation had been carried out into huge discrepancies in data on sand export from Cambodia to Singapore but that the probe found no irregularities. UN data ...
More tourists, less revenue
The Ministry of Tourism released its annual report on January 24 during its yearly meeting, showing growth continued for the sector in 2016, while launching a campaign to eliminate unlicensed tourist establishments that ministry officials claim slowed revenue collection last year. International tourism arrivals increased by ...
