News
World Bank helps Vietnam improve transport, flood control

The World Bank on 29 April approved more than US$500 million in support for improvements to road and bridge connections as well as flood control and sanitation conditions in Vietnam. The project aims to protect more than 255,000 residents and about 5,720 hectares out of 8,390 frequently ...
Billions planned to stem water shortages

Mandalay Region government is to spend billions bringing drinking water to more than 100 villages that they fear could run dry over the next few weeks. U Myo, deputy director of the region’s Urban Development Department, said on 22 April that K172.45 billion provided by the ...
Vietnamese tycoons compete with big foreign companies

In many ‘duels’, it is not the foreign giants with powerful financial capability and experience, but rather the Vietnamese conglomerates who are the winners. With a deal worth VND1.4 trillion, Anco has become the strategic shareholder of Vissan, the move that allows it to officially join the ...
Scenes from a drought

Across the country of Cambodia, water scarcity is threatening health and livelihoods. In what may be the worst regional drought in more than 50 years, brought on by an El Niño cycle exacerbated by climate change, water shortages have been declared in 18 of the ...
Laos yet to formulate drought response plan
An official from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Mrs Sonephet Phosarath said on 28 April that the relevant ministries have an emergency response plan to fight against the worsening drought. “Someday, the Lao government will make a plan to respond to worsening droughts and floods,” ...
Vietnam tells Taiwan firm to dig up waste pipe amid "red tide" disaster
Vietnam has told owners of a Taiwanese-built steel plant to dig up a controversial waste pipe, even after it found no evidence tying its discharge to mass fish deaths that have triggered health fears and public anger. Environment Minister Tran Hong Ha declared illegal the waste ...
Fishery groups step up bid to avoid EU action

Isara Vongkusolkit, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber was gravely concerned about the IUU issue and had tried its best to promote cooperation with private counterparts in the fishing industry to create a traceability system for products. Mr Poj insisted that, whatever ...
Abandoned Rohingya migrants reveal new smuggling route

Police apprehended 13 illegal Rohingya migrants left on a roadside in Chumphon province on 27 April, learning that the Malaysia-bound Muslims were being smuggled on a previously unknown route. Keep reading ...
Bird flu outbreak in Monywa leads to poultry transport ban

After tens of thousands of chickens had to be killed due to an outbreak of bird flu in Monywa, officials are now preventing transportation of poultry and poultry products outside of the affected area. U Kyi Lwin Oo, deputy chair of the Sagaing Region Livestock Federation, ...
Vietnam seeks aid as drought threatens millions

Officials from the country’s agriculture ministry and the United Nations said more than 60,000 women and children in 18 hardest-hit provinces in southern and central Vietnam are facing malnutrition while around 1.75 million people from farming families have had their livelihoods badly hit. Keep reading ...