News
Myanmar will be ready to take back refugees soon, source claims
Myanmar will soon be ready to take back over 100,000 refugees from nine shelters in Thailand, as the country moves towards democracy, an informed source claimed on 20 June. Details were revealed during the launch of a “World Refugee Day” event at Ban Umpiem Mai shelter ...
Premier decries ‘disrespect’ over ASEAN South China Sea statement
Prime Minister Hun Sen on 20 June slammed reports that Cambodia had succumbed to pressure from China and helped kill a strongly worded ASEAN statement on the South China Sea dispute, even as he parroted Beijing’s pre-emptive dismissal of an upcoming Hague ruling on the issue. ASEAN ...
In Mon State expanding quarries threaten farms
The number of quarries in Mon State is quickly increasing and locals say authorities fail to regulate their environmental impact on farmlands. On a recent afternoon in May, the farmers of Ohn Titbin Village Tract were tending to their betel nut and rubber plantations when a ...
Damming the Nam Tha in Northern Laos
The Nam Tha, or Tha River, begins in northern Laos near the Lao-China border and runs southwest to join the Mekong just south of Huay Xay on the Lao-Thai border. In October 2014, I traveled by motorcycle and longtail boat up the Nam Tha, starting ...
Cambodia’s solar sector set for bright future
The Kingdom’s ability to produce renewable energy boosted with $30m funding from Climate Investments Funds. With almost half the population of Cambodia without access to electricity, the announcement today of $30m in funding for renewable energy projects should come as welcome news. The $8.1-billion Climate Investments Funds, ...
Government declares closing of natural forests
Up to 2.25 million hectares of natural forests in the Central Highlands are not allowed to be open to commercial projects, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. The Government leader announced the closing of natural forests at conference in Dak Lak province’s Buon Ma Thuot city ...
Thaicom told to pay concession fee to ministry
Deputy Prime Minister Prajin Juntong on 20 June told the Information and Communications Technology Ministry and Thaicom to seek agreement over the latter paying an annual concession fee to the ministry for the use of the Thaicom 7 and 8 satellites. Takorn Tantasith, the National Broadcasting and ...
DCA preps new air transport policies
Myanmar will sign air service agreements with the Netherlands and Mongolia this year, and is drawing up new policies that include tackling the profusion of domestic airlines, the Department of Civil Aviation’s director for transport has said. Myanmar boasts 11 airlines and a 12th – a ...
Gov’t signs off on Koh Rong protected habitat
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries signed an agreement late last week designating more than 400 square kilometres as a protected marine management area around the islands, located 20 kilometres off the coast of Sihanoukville in a bid to save the Koh Rong Archipelago’s coral ...
Exporters ask for exchange solution
Yangon business leaders have joined a call for the new government to address exchange rate regulations, which they say are causing difficulties for exporters trying to convert their earnings back into Myanmar kyat. The problem is that the Central Bank only allows lenders to conduct foreign ...
