News
Over 470 hydropower projects to be cut

The Ministry of Industry and Trade removed 471 hydropower plant projects from its power development plan after reviewing the plan in accordance with a National Assembly resolution passed in 2013. According to the ministry and the people’s committees of provinces nationwide, the projects are mostly small ...
Vietnam to host APEC gathering in 2017
As the APEC leaders’ meeting wraps up in Peru, attention now turns to Vietnam, hosts of next year’s APEC. “It’s ten years since the last time Vietnam hosted APEC, and a lot has changed with the country since then. In the last six or seven ...
Protest seeks K5600 minimum wage
More than 2000 factory workers staged a protest this weekend in Yangon’s Hlaing Tharyar township, demanding that the government increase the daily minimum wage in light of rising costs of living and inflation. “Unless something is done to stop increases to living expenses, soon workers ...
Migration blamed for low voter registration figures

National Election Committee spokesman Hang Puthea on November 20 said the body will likely miss its target of registering 9.6 million eligible voters because of the large number of Cambodian migrant workers who have failed to register. The NEC and political parties have been appealing ...
Japan's PM seeks improved ties with China - government spokesman

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told Chinese President Xi Jinping on November 20 that he aims to improve ties with China by capitalizing on key anniversaries for bilateral relations in the next few years, a Japanese government spokesman said. The two leaders held impromptu talks while ...
Laos, Australia further strengthen customs cooperation

Laos and Australia concluded a customs related agreement in Vientiane last week, aiming to promote customs-to-customs ties between the two countries. According to a press rel ease from the Australia Embassy in Vientiane, Australian Border Force Commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg is visiting the region to further ...
Amended investment law offers tax incentives, shortens concession period
Amendments to the Investment Promotion Law offer more tax incentives and shorter investment concession periods in a bid to attract more investors while ensuring closer scrutiny of their operations. A draft amendment to the law, which was passed by the National Assembly last week, shortens ...
China puts army on high alert after fighting in northeastern Myanmar
China has said its army is on high alert after armed groups in Myanmar attacked military and police posts close to their shared border at the weekend and that it would act to protect its citizens and their property in the area. The official Xinhua ...
Disqualification law not intended to bully EC: Meechai

Chief constitution writer Meechai Ruchupan on November 16 said all independent agencies, including the Constitutional Court, would be treated equally regarding the disqualification of members as stipulated by new organic laws, adding the Constitution Drafting Commission had no intention to bully the Election Commission. The drafters ...
Malaysia silences 1MDB whistleblower in blow to rights

A chorus of international outrage was struck immediately after the sentencing of opposition politician Rafizi Ramli for disclosing part of the Auditor General’s report into the 1MDB corruption scandal, which has severely damaged Malaysia’s reputation in business and politics. London based Amnesty International immediately called ...