News
Lao ministry sets target yields for agriculture
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is asking farmers around the country to grow 4.2 million tonnes of rice this fiscal year, seeking to boost commercial production and ensure food security. According to the figures provided by the ministry, 2.1 million tonnes of the total rice ...
Storm fells 100 poles in Ayutthaya
A brief and savage storm blew down about 100 power poles in three districts of Ayutthaya province on Friday, damaging vehicles, residences and shops. No fatalities were reported. The freak storm struck Bang Pa-in, Uthai and Wang Noi districts at about 3pm. The areas with the heaviest ...
UN rights body decries Thai deportations to China
The United Nations on 20 November slammed Thailand’s deportation of two Chinese refugees, and Vietnam’s reported transfer of nine North Korean nationals to China, warning they were at risk of “grave human rights violations”. Ravina Shamdasani, a spokeswoman for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human ...
Young leaders tackle migration, terrorism at summit
Young leaders gathering for a summit in Bangkok have voiced their concern over pressing global problems from migration to terrorist attacks, with vibrant discussion on identifying root causes and taking action to resolve the problems. Addressing how young people can play a role in protecting migrants’ ...
4G spectrum windfall to help farmers
The government will spend part of the revenue from the fourth-generation (4G) spectrum auction to finance the country’s agricultural plan to ease the impact of drought on farmers. Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, who leads the government’s economic team, said on 19 November a portion of revenue from the spectrum bidding ...
Rare giant catfish signals hope for species
A group of Cambodian fishermen caught quite a surprise earlier this month: a massive Mekong giant catfish, the first one seen in the country in a year. Caught near Phnom Penh, the fish was nearly seven feet long and weighed an estimated 200 to 250 pounds ...
ASEAN Summit: Heavy workload awaits leaders starting to arrive
A gruelling workload and hectic pace awaits 18 heads of states and governments who will be arriving here today to attend the 27th ASEAN Summit and related summits. The two days in Kuala Lumpur is no holiday for them, with 10 summits and 59 documents to pore ...
More than 100 faint at Kandal toy factory
Nearly 120 workers at a Kandal province toy factory fainted on 19 November morning, with officials citing a nearby farmer spraying his fields with pesticide as the cause. “The farmer of the rice field outside the factory area sprayed the liquid pesticide onto his rice, and then ...
Cambodian groups urge 'free and fair' election pledge
A coalition of election monitoring NGOs on 19 November urged the government to endorse an international commitment to free and fair elections, and to evaluate the Kingdom’s elections according to its standards. Koul Panha, executive director of election watchdog Comfrel – part of the umbrella group Electoral ...
Construction feud embroils local government in Ratanakkiri
The governor of Ratanakkiri’s Banlung town was sued on 18 November by a local resident and army veteran for allegedly seizing construction materials and violating private property rights without a court warrant. Kory Prel, 46, who served in the army and provincial police for more than 30 ...
