News
Thai locals worried about plans to divert water from Mekong
A network of Thais living along the Mekong River have voiced their concern about a plan to divert water from the river to special economic zones. “Careful studies must be conducted before such a plan is implemented,” said network representative Jintana Kaysornsombat, who described the plan as a ...
Thai court holds hope for transboundary justice in the Mekong
The closely watched lawsuit filed by Thai Mekong communities against the Xayaburi Dam’s power purchase agreement (PPA) has reached a critical juncture: the final day that the Administrative Court will accept evidence into the case. It has been just over a year since the Thai Supreme Administrative ...
Ceasefire negotiators dig in for more talks as clashes continue
Nationwide ceasefire talks billed as a last chance to forge a deal before the start of election campaigning look set to continue as both sides of Myanmar’s long-running conflicts haggle over details of the text and who will sign it. U Hla Maung Shwe, a senior ...
China responds angrily to life sentences for illegal loggers
Beijing hit out at long jail sentences handed to more than 150 Chinese nationals for illegal logging in Myanmar, in the latest tremor to shake relations between the neighbours. The mass sentencing, which has sparked outraged editorials in Chinese state-run media, comes after the loggers were ...
Ministry approves nationwide union in Myanmar
The Ministry of Labour has officially approved the Confederation of Trade Unions Myanmar (CTUM) as Myanmar’s first national-level labour organisation, despite many other unions applying for similar status. The ministry said it approved the CTUM application because it had fulfilled all requirements specified in the Labour ...
Caution urged as Myanmar poised to embrace more mining
New mining laws in Myanmar are expected to come into place after November’s national elections, enticing more foreign investment, but rights groups fear local communities could be imperiled without more solid legal protections. Analysts say Myanmar’s mining industry is still at the “frontier” stage of development ...
Controversial Cambodia dam goes ahead despite concerns
Implementation of the Lower Sesan 2 hydropower project in northeast Cambodia is underway despite civil society organisations and local residents expressing concerns over possible serious impacts on the environment and natural resources. Ouch Vibol, project officer of the Culture and Environment Preservation Association, told journalists at the ...
Pollution from copper mining in Northern Laos destroying local livelihoods
A company operating a copper mine in northern Laos’ Oudomxay province is polluting the local environment and destroying the livelihoods of residents, according to villagers, who have called for officials to investigate the firm. A resident of Sawang village, in Oudomxay’s Namo district, told RFA’s Lao ...
Final peace deal eludes Myanmar Government and armed ethnic groups
The latest round of peace talks between Myanmar’s government and armed ethnic groups ended 24 July without finalizing a nationwide peace accord, due to disagreement over the exclusion of six rebel groups and ethnic-proposed amendments, negotiators said. The Union Peace Working Committee, the government’s negotiating team, failed ...
Central bank monitoring weaker baht
The rapid weakening of the baht could cause problems for the real economic sector, says a senior official at the Bank of Thailand. The central bank is closely watching the baht’s movement, though no irregularity been detected so far, said Chantavarn Sucharitakul, the assistant governor overseeing financial ...
