The Nation
Laos' govt to inspect all dam standards, shelve new hydro projects
The government has announced it will examine the safety standards applied to the construction of hydropower dams across the country following the deadly disaster caused by the collapse of a dam in Attapeu province. Keep reading ...
Mekong bursts its banks, flows into Pakxe
The water in the Mekong River is currently above the danger level in Champassak province and has flooded some parts of Pakxe, while in Khammuan province the river has almost reached the danger mark. But in Khammuan it is the Xebangfai River that has overflowed ...
Rising Mekong triggers worries of more devastation
Provinces along the Mekong River are keeping a close watch, as the water levels in the international waterway are increasingly worrying. Authorities in many northern and northeastern provinces are closely monitoring the rising water levels in the Mekong after heavy rains hit large parts of ...
Completion date set for EU dangerous goods training
German International Cooperation (GIZ) says it expects to complete its training project for freight transport and logistics in dangerous goods in more than 80 companies in five Asean countries by the end of this year. With financing from the EU, the “Sustainable Freight and Logistics ...
The role of Asean’s ports in China’s Belt and Road
China’s investments in deep-sea ports in Myanmar and Cambodia will provide critical links in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), but there are also concerns that they could give China undue economic leverage in the region. Keep reading ...
ADB loan to boost highways
Thailand has gained a US$99.4 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to help upgrade some of the country’s highways and improve road safety in the Northeast. []“Transport infrastructure is an important driver of growth for Thailand’s economy,” said Subramaniam. “Improving the country’s road network ...
Experts from Thailand, China clash over the damming of Mekong
Chinese experts who insist that hydropower projects on the Mekong River will benefit all stakeholders met opposition yesterday when a Thai academic argued that locals lose more than they gain since dams impact heavily on every aspect of their lives. Keep reading ...
May presses PM on free and open elections
British Prime Minister Theresa May told Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to continue progress towards free and open elections in Thailand in line with international standards, including lifting restrictions on political parties at an early stage, a Downing Street spokesperson said. []With such a platform, he said, ...
Proposed Lao dam ‘a threat to Thailand’
A new hydropower dam project on the mainstream Mekong River in Laos has been proposed to the Mekong River Commission Secretariat (MRCS), despite concerns over transboundary environmental impacts from the dam and ineffectiveness of the Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA) process. Keep reading ...
Development funding gets the backing of leaders
Leaders of five Southeast Asian nations yesterday collectively pushed forward the setting up of sub-regional development funds in the hope they would increase self-sufficiency by driving construction of “missing-link” projects. The new co-managed funds were proposed at the summit of the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy ...
