News
Baht hits 6-year low as BoT eases foreign-investing rules
The baht sank to a six-year low on 28 August as a central bank move to allow domestic investors easier access to overseas markets sparked concern that outflows will increase. Keep reading ...
ThaiNamthip in joint venture for Laos' first Coca-Cola bottling plant
Lao Coca-Cola Bottling Co, a joint venture between ThaiNamthip and Laotian company PT Sole Co, has announced the inauguration of the first Coca-Cola bottling plant in Laos. The plant, located in Saithani district of Vientiane province, will produce sparkling beverages for the Laotian market, including Coca-Cola, ...
Gov’t warns of lawsuit over new illegal logging report
Environment and agriculture ministry officials 26 August warned the authors of a new report accusing the government of colluding with timber magnate Try Pheap to illegally log the protected forests of northeastern Cambodia that they could be sued unless they made changes to the text. Keep reading ...
Parliament approves more than $300m in soft loans
The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw on 26 August gave the green light to US$305 million in new development loans focused on improving electricity supply, water supply and a major highway. MPs approved a $240 million loan from the Asian Development Bank, $20 million from the ASEAN Infrastructure Fund ...
Fighting erupts between Bangladesh, Arakan Army
A skirmish erupted along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border on 26 August between the Border Guard Bangladesh and the Arakan Army ethnic armed group, resulting in the injury of one Bangladeshi border guard. Keep reading ...
Poverty rate falling as services improve, 2014 survey finds
The poverty rate has reduced dramatically in rural households from 27.1 per cent in 2012 to 13.2 per cent in 2014 while access to public services such as vocational and educational training and health care has improved. This was revealed at a workshop held on 26 ...
Cambodian property hotter than ASEAN average ahead of AEC
With the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) set to commence at the end of this year, promising deeper cross-market potential for property investment, the region as a whole is experiencing a cooling effect—with the exception of Cambodia, which shows strong growth numbers according to property consultancy ...
Provincial officials shut down Vietnamese nightclub in northeastern Laos
A Vietnamese-run night club featuring scantily-clothed pole dancers in the historic Viengxay caves in northeastern Laos has closed down a few days after its opening after it received a barrage of criticism on social media, a provincial official said. The nightclub had a soft opening on ...
Thailand bids to lure global giants
The Telecommunications Association of Thailand is to submit proposals by 31 August on the strategies and goals the government needs to transform Thailand into a digital hub in ASEAN. Keep reading ...
New Muslim rebel front calls for revived talks with Thailand
A new umbrella group of Muslim rebels who are waging a bloody insurgency in southern Thailand called on 27 August for a resumption of stalled peace talks but it was unclear whether the Thai military junta would recognise them. Representatives of Mara Pattani, which claims to speak for ...