News
Academics warn that China rail project could lead to bankruptcy
Academics have cautioned that the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima high-speed train project could end in bankruptcy and fail to develop sought-after technology in Thailand. Chulalongkorn University yesterday held an academic forum on the controversial Thai-Chinese partnership, with many academics saying they believed that the government had not completely ...
Vietnam’s black pepper race persists notwithstanding price dip
Though per-kilogram prices of black pepper in Vietnam have dropped 65 percent since their record high two years ago, local growers are still racing to increase production. After peaking at VND200,000 ($8.81) per kilogram in 2015, the price of black pepper in Vietnam has plummeted ...
100 rai of violated land seized by officials on Koh Lanta
Department of Forestry and allied officials on Thursday seized about 100 rai of land in Phuket’s Koh Lanta that had been encroached upon by parties they described as “too powerful, unfazed by law and willing to threaten authorities with death”.More than 30 officials from several ...
Urban water, environment improved steadily
While Vientiane has been improving its drainage network, the water quality in drainage canals and marshes is still declining relative to other cities in Asean, an audience including the city’s Vice Mayor heard in the capital yesterday.Increased discharge of domestic wastewater from urban areas is ...
Asia and the fall of coal
The sudden shift, years ahead of schedule, from coal toward renewables is remaking Asia’s energy economy – with repercussions to be felt across the world. The present – and future – does not look good for what, only a few years ago, seemed like a ...
Vietnamese province declares ‘state of emergency’ as 2,500ha lake threatens to give way
Authorities in Thai Nguyen Province in northern Vietnam have declared a state of emergency as Nui Coc, a massive man-made freshwater lake, threatens to give way due to permeation at any moment. Tens of thousands of residents living in nearby lowlands are susceptible to the ...
Myanmar becomes fastest growing aid recipient in the region
Myanmar are one of the two largest recipients of humanitarian aid to Southeast Asia and is the fastest growing aid recipient in the region, speakers at an aid conference said. U Tun Tun Naing, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Planning and Finance, said that the ...
EU falls short in fighting Asian human traffickers
The European Union is a magnet for human traffickers from Asia and must run better programmes in the region if it is to combat the global trade in people, according to a report by the European Court of Auditors.Despite funding 31 million euros ($34.5 million) ...
Vietnam’s environment protection chief dismissed over Formosa disaster
A chief of environmental protection operations under Vietnam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has been dismissed for his management oversight that had led to the Formosa disaster last year.Luong Duy Hanh, director of the Department of Control of Environmental Protection Activities, has been removed ...
Costs set to torpedo Krabi power deals
The auction results that awarded three private companies contracts to build a Krabi coal-fired power plant and deep-sea port are expected to be revoked after delays pushed construction costs higher. The Electricity Generating Authority (Egat) may have to open a new bid if the new environmental ...
