News
Fire at Arakan state IDP camp leaves hundreds homeless
A fire near Arakan State’s Sittwe Township left hundreds of Rohingya Muslims homeless as it swept through dozens of shelters at the Baw Du Ba internally displaced person camp on 3 May, local sources said. “A total of 392 families stayed in the 49 longhouses. We ...
Mining slump, improper planning blamed for budget tensions
The enormous drop in revenue generated from mining coupled with improper budget planning has been the main cause of the budget tensions Laos has faced over the past few years, Deputy Prime Minister SomdyDouangdy told parliament recently. MrSomdy, who is also Minister of Finance, said revenue ...
Consumers set for squeeze as power costs skyrocket
The use of many power supply sources, including high-priced sources, has caused Electricity of Viet Nam’s costs to soar, leading to the possibility of future power hikes. Dinh The Phuc, deputy head of the Minister of Trade and Industry’s Power Regulation Department, said that, because the ...
ICT forum eyed as FDI springboard
The government is hopeful an upcoming global forum for the information and communication technology industry will provide an avenue for foreign direct investment from global tech companies. The ITU Telecom World Forum 2016, to be held in Bangkok from Nov 14-17, will also allow the Thai ...
Pak Mun Dam: 25 years after World Bank’s loan, problems remains
The Pak Mun Dam was constructed on the Mun River, a tributary of the Mekong River, in Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand. Preliminary construction of the dam began in mid-1990. The dam was met by intense opposition not only by the local communities but also international ...
Deal to develop QSNCC reached
The Treasury Department has come to an agreement with liquor tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, the owner of N.C.C. Management & Development Co, for the second phase of the upgrade of Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. All issues including investment size, the concession period and the overall trajectory ...
Second phase of Nam Ou hydropower project kicks off
The Nam Ou River Basin Hydropower Project located in Phongsaly and Luang Prabang provinces has launched its second phase of construction in Vientiane on April 28, after completing the Nam Ou 2, 5 and 6 hydropower plants during the first phase. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister ...
Energy and electricity merger complete
A merger between the ministries of electric power and energy, ordered by the new government in March, is now complete and the new structure will be submitted to the cabinet for approval, officials said. U Pe Zin Tun will head up the new ministry. The ...
Mekong Delta loses half of silt to upstream dams: scientists
Scientists said the Mekong Delta is suffering from the cumulative impacts of saltwater intrusion, erosion and declining groundwater levels as a result of El Nino and the upstream dams. Tran Cong Lap is among many farmers who are well aware of the impacts said “Saltwater has been ...
Government cancels offshore oil field deal
Mirach Energy, the Singapore firm with a 48-percent stake in one of Cambodia’s offshore oil fields, announced last week that the government had canceled its deal with the firm and invited it to reapply with new investors. “MME noted in the letter to CPHL Cambodia that ...
