Disaster preparedness and emergency response policy and administration

The success and survival of the Mekong River rests with China: the largest, wealthiest state in the region, positioned in the strategically important upstream. As the Mekong enters its fourth year of drought, certainty about China’s cooperation is no longer desirable — it is essential. No ...

Earth’s climate is changing, and one of the main impacts is on the water cycle. For example, there is an elevated risk of more frequent and intense flooding and droughts. Also, the amount of water flowing in individual streams and rivers is changing, and those ...

Authorities are rushing to prevent an oil spill in eastern Thailand from damaging fragile corals, after officials said on Sunday (Jan 30) the leak that began last week was drifting towards more coastal areas. Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Varawut Silpa-archa said it was ...

Climate change and myths about natural disasters Because we are powerless to prevent natural disasters from occurring, catastrophes become extraordinary experiences that must be learned, understood, and lived with as a normal part of daily life. When calamities strike, there is a chance of injury, death, crop ...

Evidence of the climate crisis is everywhere. The Mekong River has recorded historically low dry-season flows for the third year in a row, alongside an increase in the frequency of extreme flood events. Its delta is continuing to sink and shrink, while its riverbanks erode, ...

Villagers who were evicted from their homes in northern Laos to make way for a new hydroelectric dam remain disenfranchised three years on, according to media reports. The villagers relocated from Xayaburi province in 2018 are housed in resettlement towns where they lack enough land and ...

The National Disaster Management Committee is preparing to respond to emergencies caused by heavy rainfall through the prompt provision of assistance and subsequent recovery. Numerous countries around the world including Laos suffer from weather extremes such as floods and earthquakes as well as crop pests and ...

The ambassadors of Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia have called for greater support from the U.S. and the ASEAN regional bloc to address urgent environmental threats to the Mekong River. They also emphasized the need for improved water data sharing by all countries on the river, ...

Some 496 of 700 planned new homes have been completed for flood victims in southern Laos’ Attapeu province, and will be ready for residents in 2021. According to daily Vientiane Times, 496 new homes have now been built for victims of the flood caused by the ...

Laos has pushed for the relevant bodies in Asean countries to accelerate implementation of the Asean initiative to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic and keep the virus in check. Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Saleumxay Kommasith delivered the message on Thursday when he headed a Lao ...