News
Myanmar flood relief donor drowns
A woman from Myanmar’s Sagaing Region drowned while trying to bring supplies to relatives in a flood-ravaged town on 7 August, according to local officials. Ma Ye Ye Tun, 25, was ferrying donations with three other women from Kama village when their boat capsized, U Soe ...
Decline in price of rubber leaves Cambodian farmers scrambling
As of last year, rubber trees occupied more than 357,000 hectares in Cambodia, with more than 90,000 hectares old enough for cultivation. Now, some farmers are regretting their choice of cash crop, after a rough three years in which rubber prices have plummeted. “It’s good for ...
Singapore programme helps Thai flood victims overcome trauma
Over the past three years, an international collaboration facilitated by the Singapore Institute of Mental Health has improved the capacity of mental health workers in China, Indonesia and Thailand to deal with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). One PTSD sufferer was 60-year old Nucharee, a farmer and ...
Thailand's IEA signs deal for largest ASEAN wind farm in south Laos
Thai renewable company Impact Energy Asia (IEA) plans to build the largest wind farm in ASEAN – and generate 600 megawatts on 400,000 rai in southern Laos – under an agreement signed by the Lao government and the company on 7 August. “Called Monsoon Wind Farm, the US$1.5 ...
Thai justice minister suggests Cambodia and Vietnam join “safe Mekong” anti-drug operation
Thai Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya says Thailand and Laos are considering inviting Cambodia and Vietnam to join the “Safe Mekong” anti-drug operation. Gen Paiboon was speaking after attending the 15th bilateral meeting between Thai and Lao delegates on the joint effort to prevent and combat drug ...
Southeast Asia’s biggest-ever drug warehouse raided by Vietnamese, Laotian detectives
After months of tracing and identifying the baron of a drug smuggling ring, forces from Vietnam and Laos raided the organization last month, seizing 5.5 metric tons of drugs – the biggest smuggling case ever uncovered in Southeast Asia. Noticeably, the swoop on the huge drug ...
Vietnam PM encourages Myanmar to grant licences to Vietnamese banks
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung suggested Myanmar to consider granting licences to the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam to open branches in Myanmar. The Prime Minister received Governor of the Central Bank of Myanmar Kyaw Kyaw Maung in Hanoi on 6 August during his ...
Thai PM coy on plans to join TPP
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on 7 August poured cold water on a call by an American business lobby group urging Thailand to join the controversial Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact. The premier said the pros and cons of the new trade bloc need to be considered ...
Governor orders assistance for Phuket flood victims
Residents at Nai Yang are stacking sandbags around their homes amid fears that floodwaters that have yet to subside from torrential downpours over the weekend will rise even further with more rain forecast for Phuket in the coming days. The Nai Yang community was awash with ...
Thai border community donates aid worth 750 million Kyat to Burma’s flood victims
Thai people from Thailand’s border province of Tak, have donated aid worth 750 million kyat in relief items through the Mae Sot-Myawaddy border crossing in Karen State for the people affected by the severe flooding throughout Burma. Mr Sumchai Katiyasanti, governor of Tak province, said all ...
