News
China accused of using Belt and Road Initiative for spying
Chinese cyber espionage linked to the Belt and Road Initiative is increasing, with experts warning that Beijing is using the huge infrastructure project to spy on companies and countries as well as to damp down dissent. The country is alleged to have targeted Belarus, the ...
Potential upsides emerge from Lao dam disaster
The July 23 Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy hydropower dam collapse that left at least 35 dead, 99 missing and 6,000 homeless in Attapeu province in southern Laos was an unprecedented manmade tragedy and wake-up call for the communist-run nation. Keep reading ...
Mekong River Body Welcomes Laos' Decision to Suspend New Dam Projects
The Mekong River Commission welcomed on Wednesday a decision by the Laos government to suspend approval of new dams while reviewing all dams currently under construction following the collapse of part of a hydropower project last month. Keep reading ...
Mekong water security sets off alarm bells in the region
Water resource security – which involves the sustainable use and protection of water systems, the mitigation against floods and droughts, and the sustainable development of water resources – is one of the emerging key regional issues in Southeast Asia. Keep reading ...
Deal struck to curb Thai, Lao car fumes
The Thai and Lao pollution control agencies have agreed to work together to reduce air pollution caused by vehicles in the two countries, especially at border checkpoints. A meeting attended by officials from the two countries was held last Thursday near the border post in Nong ...
Satellite data reliable for rainfall monitoring in Mekong River Basin: research
Researchers have proven that satellite data can assist in monitoring rainfall in the Mekong River Basin, the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced Monday. The researchers evaluated the reliability of existing precipitation, or rainfall data, from both high-resolution satellite and reanalysis data, with a ground observations-based ...
Ministry says Mekong floodwaters are receding
The Water Resources Ministry yesterday announced that floodwaters in the Mekong river are receding, while some provincial authorities are still donating money to affected families. A ministry statement said that the water level in the Mekong river in Stung Treng province yesterday was at 10.05 ...
HRW to EU: End migrant abuse
Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged the European Union (EU) to renew efforts to eliminate forced labour and other abusive treatment within the Thai fishing industry, noting that a large number of workers were from Cambodia and Myanmar. Keep reading ...
First soil bank in Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau has established its first ever “soil bank”, also the first of its kind in the Mekong Delta, according to the government’s e-newspaper at baochinhphu.vn. Keep reading ...
Mekong River Commission starts consultation for Pak Ly project, Lao PDR
A six-month consultation process has begun for the proposed 770MW Pak Lay hydropower project on the Mekong mainstream in Lao PDR, the Mekong River Commission has announced, despite Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith’s recent announcement that investments in new hydropower in the country will be suspended. ...