News
Dawei SEZ draws investor interest, but lacks infrastructure
Businesses from China, Thailand, Korea and Japan, including those from the power and logistics sectors, have said they are keen to invest in the Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Tanintharyi, which is near the Thai border. Investor interest in Dawei, which has yet to be ...
Chan Mya Htwe
Taking a closer look at the MRC’s prior consultation process
About 200 people representing civil society, academics, the private sector, governments and development partners have gathered in Laos for the Mekong River Commission’s regional forum. Today, participants discussed the Lao-proposed Luang Prabang hydropower project and An Pich Hatda, chief executive officer of the MRC Secretariat, ...
Pech Sotheary
Are Thailand’s investments abroad sustainable?
Although Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announced Thailand’s commitment to the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) in 2017, outbound investment remains a largely unregulated sector. Thai firms are significant investors in ASEAN countries, and Thailand’s foreign direct investment (FDI) in the region ...
Jason Thomas
NGO reports massive forest clearing in Prey Lang area
The Cambodian Youth Network yesterday said hundreds of hectares of forest land in the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary have been illegally cleared in Stung Treng and Preah Vihear provinces. In a report released yesterday, CYN said it conducted an investigation from July 13 to August 12 ...
Sen David
Govt promotes environmentally-friendly hydro projects
The government is encouraging the building of environmentally-friendly hydropower plants to ensure green growth and sustainable poverty reduction, according to a senior government official. “The government is highly encouraged to promote environmentally-friendly and sustainable hydropower projects,” Deputy Minister of Natural Resource and Environment, Ms Bounkham Vorachit, ...
Ekaphone Phouthonesy
ASEAN start-ups are tackling food waste
There are approximately 124 million people around the world who suffer from acute hunger. According to the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2018 report, without intervention, 50 countries will fail to achieve the United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of zero hunger by 2030. On ...
Liyana Hasnan
Cassava more fruitful than rice in Cambodia, says UNDP study
As a national policy on cassava production nears finalisation, the government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have called on farmers to grow cassava. The government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have called on farmers to grow cassava as a national policy on ...
Thou Vireak
Laos intensifying efforts in agriculture climate change response
The government is accelerating efforts to boost farmers’ yields to meet national food security strategy and production targets by 2020 in response to global climate change. Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Dr Lien Thikeo made the statement during a recent address to mark World Food Day. He ...
Ounkham Pimmata
Southeast Asia turning away from coal power
Countries in Southeast Asia are building fewer coal-fired plants than expected as lenders distance themselves from the polluting technology. A new report from Global Energy Monitor (GEM) finds that new coal capacity has fallen sharply from a peak of almost 13 gigawatts (GW) in 2016 to ...
Christopher Davy
Egat talks power trade with Cambodia, Myanmar
The state-run Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) is planning to talk with power authorities in Cambodia and Myanmar to trade electricity from Thailand at a combined capacity of 500 megawatts. Patana Sangsriroujana, deputy governor for policy and planning, said Egat has been ordered by Energy ...
Yuthana Praiwan
