News
Vaccine against dengue '100% effective' in test
An experimental vaccine against dengue, the world’s most common mosquito-borne virus, was 100% effective in early trials in Miami, and could speed up the pace of a vaccine against Zika, researchers said on 16 March. Dengue, which is in the same family of flaviviruses as Zika ...
Japan's Aeon said to near agreement to buy Vietnam's Big C chain

Japan’s Aeon Co. is nearing an agreement to acquire French retailer Casino Guichard-Perrachon SA’s Big C grocery chain in Vietnam, people with knowledge of the matter said. Aeon has emerged as the leading bidder after submitting an offer that values the business at more than $800 ...
Thai revenue department announces corporate tax changes
Thailand’s Revenue Department will increase corporate income tax deductions for depreciation and entertainment expenses to alleviate business operators’ tax burden, according to its chief. The planned adjustment seeks to make deductible expenses better reflect the current situation with the aim of encouraging business operators to pay ...
Myanmar-Japan joint venture applies for airline licence
Myanmar’s already cluttered airline industry could be about to welcome another carrier into its ranks. Japan’s ANA Holdings and Shwe Than Lwin-owned Golden Sky World have formed a joint venture and applied to set up an international airline, according to a transport ministry official. Keep reading ...
Local resistance fails to halt Myeik coal-fired power plant

A local company says it will pursue plans to build a 50-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Tanintharyi Region once it has secured permission from Myanmar Investment Commission, despite continuing opposition from the community. Keep reading ...
Polling stations set up for Lao expatriates
Preparations are in place to enable Lao nationals in foreign countries to cast their vote for new members of parliament, with the National Assembly election scheduled to take place this weekend. Lao citizens can vote on Saturday 19 March at Lao embassies and consulates in China, ...
Thai dredging vessels told to retreat from Lao side of the Mekong
The operators of Thai sand dredgers working in the Mekong River close to Khammuan province signed a document last week stating they would not continue to cross the border into Laos. Deputy Head of the Khammuan provincial Administration Office, Mr Vannavong Vongphachan, told Vientiane Times on ...
UXO sector achieves new clearance milestone
The year 2015 was a year of significant progress and innovation for the UXO sector in Laos, thanks to a new evidence-based survey method. The sector has seen a considerable increase in the number of cluster munitions cleared per hectare of land; from fewer than seven ...
Cost of petrol dips as price caps take effect
Prices at the pumps dropped on 15 March as Cambodia’s government’s fuel-pricing formula came into effect, with the country’s major petrol retailers advertising regular gasoline at 3,050 riel per litre, premium at 3,150 riel per litre and diesel at 2,700 riel per litre, in accordance ...
Kratie farmers petition government over land dispute
Five days after Kratie provincial authorities bulldozed some of the homes of 104 families they accuse of living on state land in Chhlong district, about 60 residents delivered petitions around Phnom Penh on March 15, calling for the release of three men who were allegedly ...