News
13 injured including one Chinese in traffic collision in Northern Laos
A traffic accident occurred 12 February in northern Lao Luang Namtha province, injuring 13 people including one Chinese, the Chinese consulate-general in Luang Phrabang confirmed on 13 February. Keep reading ...
The Mekong river: Damned if you do
The Mekong watershed nurtures extraordinary biodiversity, with new species of plants and animals discovered every year. It has also nurtured humans. Tens of millions of people—much of the population of Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam—depend on the Mekong. Planners think the Mekong has a gift to give: hydropower. ...
Myanmar’s health ministry deems Thai cosmetic products ‘unfit for use’
Products of a popular Thai cosmetics brand were found to be “unfit for use,” according to an official announcement by Myanmar’s Ministry of Health on 10 February. “Two products of ‘Forever Young’ cosmetics were found to contain prohibited chemical ingredients that can harm people’s health and [we] ...
Fearing water shortages, Myingyan residents protest reclamation
Myanmar farmers are protesting against a plan they say will reduce their water supply. They say water is so short they have already been forced to abandon growing paddy and switch to beans and pulses. They demand that work to open up land around a nearby ...
Clashes spread in Shan State
Hundreds of civilians in Myanmar’s northern Shan State are reported to have fled a sudden offensive by government forces and separate fighting between two ethnic armed groups, while senior monks are intervening to help villagers trapped in the war zone. The two days of fighting in ...
Ho Chi Minh City businesses will need 19,000 new workers after Tet: report
Ho Chi Minh City will need 19,000 new employees for 1,371 businesses after the Tet Lunar New Year break, a labor center said. Keep reading ...
Thai BJC to seek $6.2 bln loan for Big C purchase; shares drop
Thailand’s Berli Jucker PCL (BJC) said it would seek a short term loan and may consider an equity issue to fund a planned $6.2 billion acquisition of hypermarket operator Big C Supercenter PCL , sending its shares down 5 percent. Berli, controlled by Thai tycoon Charoen ...
ASEAN currencies prove they're not as vulnerable as you think
Typically regarded as the more vulnerable currencies in Asia to external shocks, the ringgit, baht, and rupiah are proving the most resilient on their relatively lower exposure to China and a dovish Federal Reserve. The Malaysian, Thai and Indonesian exchange rates are the top three performers ...
Over 500 people killed or injured by UXO since 2009
Over 500 people have been affected by UXO-related accidents in Laos since 2009, according to a report from the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) for UXO/Mine Action in Laos. The NRA reported that from 2009 until the present there had been 319 incidents involving unexploded ordnance, claiming ...
Cambodian CSOs seek Lao dam discussion at summit
Frustrated by Laos ploughing ahead with its controversial Don Sahong dam despite past promises to consult neighbouring countries, Cambodian civil society representatives have called on Prime Minister Hun Sen, US President Barack Obama and ASEAN chair Le Luong Minh to raise the issue at next week’s ...
