News
Vietnam rules out interest rate cuts despite record-low inflation
The State Bank of Vietnam said it will not lower interest rates any time soon even though inflation has been slowing down. Bank deputy governor Nguyen Thi Hong told a press conference late last week that low inflation is only one of many factors that have ...
Thai Government urged to also help big companies go abroad
The Thai Government should change its mindset about offering help only to small and medium-size firms expanding overseas and extend it to larger companies, said Thiraphong Chansiri, president and chief executive of Thai Union Group. Thiraphong added that a new challenge for companies branching out internationally was ...
Asia's first transgender centre opens in Bangkok
The Thai Red Cross Aids Research Centre has joined forces with US development partners to open the first transgender-specific operation in Asia. The Tangerine Community Health Centre – located on the first floor of the Thai Red Cross Aids Research Centre in Bangkok – strives to be ...
Thai-Chinese railway project on schedule
The 873-km Thai-Chinese railway project for the country’s northeastern line got underway on 30 November as scheduled, Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said. “The project was not delayed,” he said, adding that even though more details would be added to the system design criteria work, everything was expected ...
Woman MPs up, but hluttaw still 90% male
The number of women who will sit in the national parliament next year has more than doubled on current figures, but Myanmar looks set to remain at the bottom of the table in ASEAN for gender equality in national politics with women accounting for just ...
Myanmar navy seizes close to 50 unlicensed trawlers
The Myanmar navy has seized 49 trawlers caught illegally fishing in Myanmar waters since 2013, parliament heard on 30 November. Deputy Minister for Livestock, Fisheries and Rural Development U Khin Maung Aye told MPs eight of the boats were from Thailand and the rest were local. ...
Yangon government faces transparency call on flyovers
Outspoken independent MP Daw Nyo Nyo Thin has called on the regional government to publicly reveal the true cost of controversial flyover bridge projects before the end of its term. She submitted the proposal at a special meeting of the Yangon Region Hluttaw on 30 November. ...
Judge knocks back villagers on Laos dam
A Central Administrative Court judge has given a preliminary opinion dismissing villagers’ demands to have a say in the Xayaburi hydropower dam project, on the grounds that it is not a state-owned project. The judge, whose name court officials declined to reveal, also said that a process ...
'Agencies broke no laws over Mekong dam'
A Supreme Administrative Court judge rapporteur has suggested it will rule in favour of five state agencies accused of violating laws in their handling of the Xayaburi Dam project in Laos. The judge opinion was the case against them be dismissed, as the five state agencies in ...
From commodities to satellites: China, Laos seeing more cooperation
China and Laos have witnessed rapid development in economic, trade cooperation in the past years, evolving from simple commodity trading to a higher level of cooperation. On 21 November 2015, Laos’ first ever satellite was launched into space from Xichang satellite launching center in China. Earlier ...
