News
Laos' sleepy capital awakens to a construction boom
The capital of Laos is a low-rise, low-key city, especially when compared with the hulking high-rises and bustling streets of better-known Southeast Asian cities such as Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. But this once-sleepy city is fast shedding its sedate reputation due to a building boom ...
Thai Government moving quickly on rubber crisis
The Thai government will step up efforts to reduce rubber plantations, particularly on encroached lands as part of measures to tackle the low rubber price. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said his administration will consider whether rubber plantations can be scaled down. Keep reading ...
Severest drought in 20 years hits Khon Kaen
Khon Kaen province is facing its severest water shortage in two decades, with Ubonrat Dam at only 27% of its holding capacity, according to the provincial fisheries office. Keep reading ...
Rice growers drilling wells in dry riverbed
Some rice farmers in Phitsanulok province are drilling wells in their dry riverbed to get around the Irrigation Department’s warning not to grow off-season crops due to the water shortage, insisting it’s the only livelihood they know. Keep reading ...
NLD compiles land-grab lists
Amid indications that the incoming National League for Democracy government will take up the issue of land-grabs, the party’s Mandalay Region has begun compiling a list of farmland seized unlawfully in the region. “We are collecting data on farmland disputes. It will be up to the ...
Dala residents fret over bridge payouts
Dala township residents who agreed to accept compensation in exchange for land needed for a long-awaited bridge are hoping to get paid before the new government takes office. Of the 68 landowners affected, 66 have now agreed the terms offered following protracted negotiations last year. Both sides ...
Ministry of Home Affairs strikes up jade probe
A jade probe led by the government following several deadly accidents at mines in Kachin State has expanded its scope and is now being overseen by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The special investigative team, which was previously under the Ministry of the Environment, is looking into ...
India eyes investment opportunities in CLMV
India is eyeing the huge opportunities in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV) and wants Indian financial institutes to establish branches in the region to boost trade and investment between the two sides. Addressing the third India – CLMV Business Conclave held last week at the ...
Laos hosts first ASEAN-Russia meeting
The First Meeting of the ASEAN-Russia Eminent Persons Group (AREPG) is taking place in Vientiane to review and further enhance relations between ASEAN and Russia. Keep reading ...
Laos moves towards industrialisation
Laos is now moving towards industrialisation and modernisation after experiencing a slight increase in the share that the industrial and service sectors represent in the overall economic structure. In contrast, the agriculture and forestry sector has declined significantly in the past decade as a result of ...
