News

Cooperative Bank has become the first local lender to sign with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) under its Trade Finance Program, introduced to Myanmar last month. The program will help increase Myanmar’s international trade – the ADB will provide up to US$12 million per year to ...

Outside of Nai Soi village in northern Thailand, more than 14,000 refugees from Kayah State debate elections going on just across the border. While there will be no voting for those in Thailand’s largest refugee camp – most lack ID cards – that doesn’t mean they ...

Volunteers prop up many aspects of the Myanmar healthcare system.  This culture of self-reliance is partially a legacy of the military era where vast spending on defence came at the expense of health or education. While budgets have increased since 2011’s end of outright army rule, Myanmar ...

Authorities in Laos are continuing their investigations into illicit smuggling after dried cannabis weighing some 15 kg bound for Europe via parcel mail was identified by Lao Customs officials at Wattay International Airport in capital Vientiane, local media reported on 7 October. Keep reading ...

Almost a year after placing a ban on renewals of licenses for large, foreign-built fishing vessels, the Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry is devising a post-moratorium national plan of action that will focus on strengthening Indonesia’s maritime policies in the context of regional integration.  Keep ...

After two days of rain the Prachin Buri river overflowed and flooded the old market of Kabin Buri Municipality in Kabin Buri district early on 6 October, reports said.  Keep reading ...

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has released a decision approving waterway infrastructure policies expected to boost the sector’s growth. Domestic waterway transportation plays a vital role in transporting goods and passengers across Vietnam. It creates millions of jobs, but the Ministry of Transport said Government support ...

Trade ministers from the 12 Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) member countries reached final consensus on the world’s largest free trade agreement at Atlanta, the US, on 5 October. After ending negotiations on the TPP deal, all TPP countries will review legal procedures to prepare for the official ...

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the Foreign Ministry to work closely with neighbouring countries to tackle the chronic haze problem gripping Southeast Asia. Short- and long-term solutions are needed to deal with the smog caused by slash-and-burn farming on Sumatra Island in Indonesia, Gen Prayut ...

Twelve Pacific rim countries sealed the deal late 5 October (Thailand time) to create the world’s largest free trade area, with implications for Thailand and for world trade in the 21st century. Working around the clock for days past their deadline, haggard trade ministers announced they reached ...