News
‘Rise of AI’ may fuel disinformation, threaten democracy
JAKARTA – Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen said growing disinformation had become the most difficult challenge for democracies, and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) would allow propaganda by authoritarian forces to be generated and distributed at an unprecedented rate. “They progressively promote the narrative that democracy has faltered and ...
Adisti Sukma Sawitri/The Jakarta Post
Vietnam set to become Southeast Asia renewable energy leader: Conference
HANOI— With its abundant resources and soaring demand for clean energy, Việt Nam is poised to become a regional leader in renewable energy, a conference organised by Forbes Vietnam heard last Friday. Hà Đăng Sơn, deputy director of the Việt Nam Low Emission Energy Programme II ...
Viet Nam News
Myanmar Military Court Sentences Ex-Publisher to Five Years for Sedition
The former publisher of independent news outlet The Irrawaddy has been sentenced to five years in prison for sedition, marking the latest in a barrage of attacks on the press in Myanmar following the 2021 military coup. Thaung Win was sentenced by the military-controlled Western Yangon District Court ...
Liam Scott
China’s integrated water management approach holds promise for sustainable development in Lancang-Mekong River
China’s integrated water management approach holds promise in addressing resource management challenges and fostering sustainable development in the Lancang-Mekong countries, said a Thai expert. Piti Srisangnam, executive director of the ASEAN Foundation, said China’s emphasis on comprehensive planning, cooperation, and recognizing the interconnectivity of various sectors ...
Khmer Times
CEEC driving energy development in Lancang-Mekong nations
China Energy Engineering Corporation (CEEC), a multinational corporation specializing in energy solutions and services, is actively shaping the landscape of high-quality energy development in the Lancang-Mekong countries. As part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China Energy is deeply involved in the Southeast Asian ...
Kong Arey and Raquel R Bacay
Lancang - Mekong countries augment media cooperation
BEIJING — The 2023 Lancang – Mekong Cooperation Media Summit took place in Beijing on June 27, gathering media agencies from the six countries in the Lancang – Mekong river basin, namely China, Việt Nam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Thailand. The Vietnamese side included representatives of ...
Cambodia PM threatens Facebook ban after posts ruled violent
Cambodia’s leader Hun Sen has quit Facebook and threatened to block it in his country after the platform’s oversight board recommended he be suspended for six months. Hun Sen had called for violence against his political opponents in a video in January which was viewed 600,000 ...
Joel Guinto
Villages and academic collaboration gathers crucial data on Mekong River dam projects’ impact
In a collective stance against two prospective dam projects along the Mekong River, villagers from five communities, researchers, as well as a Thai university, have teamed up. The collaboration aims to gather comprehensive data regarding their local economy, natural resources, and potential downstream impacts. The participation from within ...
Nattapong Westwood
Indigenous and local communities see big gains in land rights, study shows
Land legally designated or owned by Indigenous, Afro-descendant and local communities increased by 102.9 million hectares (254 million acres), larger than the size of Egypt, between 2015 and 2020, according to a new report released by the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI). These groups now own more ...
Dimitri Selibas
Laos to proceed with seventh Mekong dam despite impact concerns
Pressing ahead with its vision to become the “Battery of Southeast Asia,” the government of Laos is going forward with plans to build its seventh of nine mainstream dams on the Mekong River, despite widespread concerns that it could inflict social and environmental damage. The 728-megawatt ...
Translated by Sidney Khotpanya. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster.