News
Sea waters become polluted as waste discharge increases
The sea waters off Ninh Thuan province are in danger of becoming polluted as big volumes of domestic garbage from thousands of local people are discharged into the sea every day. Large landfills have arisen in the coastal areas of Ca Na, Phuoc Diem and Phuoc ...
Changing Mekong currents compound dam anxieties in Southeast Asia
Several factors are disrupting the terrain for investment in large hydropower dams, and governments should take note. The government of Laos officially submitted the Pak Beng Dam to the Mekong River Commission in mid-November and has begun preparatory work around the future dam site. While ...
US Group to boost ASEAN disaster relief capabilities
On November 17, a U.S.based nonprofit inked an agreement with ASEAN to help boost its disaster relief capabilities.As one of the world’s most disaster prone subregions, Southeast Asia has been working on setting up new institutions to strengthen regional capabilities to respond to natural disasters. ...
Over 470 hydropower projects to be cut
The Ministry of Industry and Trade removed 471 hydropower plant projects from its power development plan after reviewing the plan in accordance with a National Assembly resolution passed in 2013. According to the ministry and the people’s committees of provinces nationwide, the projects are mostly small ...
Geneva meet waiting on labour union input
An International Labour Organization official on Sunday urged local unions to present their views on the contentious Trade Union Law to the body’s Committee of Experts, a request that has so far found little traction. The ILO’s Committee of Experts will meet in Geneva, Switzerland, ...
Salinization threatens Vietnam’s Mekong Delta
Saltwater has intruded into a large section of a major river in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, threatening the livelihoods of local residents. Saline water has spread to some 20 kilometers of the Tien (Front) River, with locals now bracing themselves for an extended drought and further ...
New fertiliser venture aims to satisfy growing demand
Fertiliser manufacturer Nangoku Agriculture Development, a Japanese-Cambodian joint venture, launched operations on November 21 with the aim of supplying locally manufactured fertilisers to Cambodian farmers at affordable prices. Cambodia’s Bayon Heritage Holding Group Co Ltd holds a 60-percent stake in the $2.2-million joint venture with partner ...
New Laos dam draws criticism
News that Laos will move ahead with the proposed 912-megawatt Pak Beng dam, which would be the third mainstream dam in Laos’ Lower Mekong River, has sparked criticism from environmental groups who say downstream countries should decide the fate of potentially harmful development projects. Laos ...
ADB, Microsoft, govt expand economic opportunities for youth
The Asian Development Bank, Microsoft and the Ministry of Education and Sports have signed a Letter of Intent to collaborate and develop a technology platform to provide Lao youth with access to online technical and vocational training resources and employment services. The document was signed ...
Laos joins race against the clock to overcome antimicrobial resistance
Laos and other countries around the world have pledged to take immediate action to combat the spread of antimicrobial resistance. Globally and in the region, the pledge to combat AMR was made with the support and collaboration of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the ...
