Social development
Thousands fish for luck in central Vietnam's marsh festival
The Dong Hoa fishing festival, which began dozens of years ago, is a yearly festival celebrated in the fifth month of the lunar calendar at the Vuc Marsh in Xuan Vien Commune, Nghi Xuan District. The marsh spans around a kilometer and is near the Hong ...
Duc Hung
Four Indigenous Environmentalists Questioned in Mondulkiri Court
The Mondulkiri Provincial Court questioned four Bunong environmentalists for several hours on Tuesday over alleged defamation and incitement based on a developer’s complaint. Kroeung Tola, Ploek Phyrom, Ploek Nary and Kloeung Tum were summoned to appear on allegations leveled by Kak Ratana, director of Villa Development, according ...
Khut Sokun
Harnessing the ASEAN youth’s powers for the environment
In the multiverse theory, there exist alternate realities where we have Earths that are untouched, lush, and teeming with biodiversity. But our reality is we only have one Earth, and on this World Environment Day, we once again contemplate its health and existence to ensure that ...
Myanmar Junta's War Crime Displaces Thousands of Civilians in Kachin State
Nearly 6,000 people have fled their homes and approximately 25 have been killed in Kachin and northern Shan states by Myanmar’s regime forces from November 2021 to April, according to the rights group Kachin Women’s Association of Thailand (KWAT). KWAT’s “New Threats from the Air” report ...
NORA AUNG
Thailand seeks stricter controls over nonprofit groups
Thai activist Porntin Say Yom and her neighbours fought more than 10 years to shut down a gold mine in northeast Thailand’s Loei province. “We successfully closed the gold mine because we came together as a group to defend our rights,” Yom said. But in late May, ...
JACK BROOK
PM calls for better development, protection of children
Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh has called for joint efforts by all stakeholders to create conditions and opportunities for the better development of children. The premier made the remarks in a message he delivered to mark the International Children’s Day, which falls on June 1. On this occasion, ...
Times Reporters
Indigenous community mounts legal challenge to Thai coal mine development
Local opposition to a planned coal mine in northern Thailand escalated in April when plaintiffs representing more than 600 villagers filed a lawsuit requesting the revocation of an environmental impact assessment conducted and approved more than 10 years ago. Members of Kabeudin village, an Indigenous Karen ...
Carolyn Cowan
Meet the 2022 Goldman Environmental Prize Winners
Seven grassroots environmental activists will receive the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize today, on May 25. Known as the Green Nobel Prize, the Goldman Prize honors environmental activists from each of the six continental regions. The prize was founded in 1989 by U.S. philanthropists Rhoda and ...
Liz Kimbrough
Indigenous activists among Goldman environmental prize winners
Indigenous activists and lawyers who took on transnational corporations and their own governments to force climate action are among the 2022 winners of the world’s pre-eminent environmental award. Taking on powerful vested interests is a risky business, and the recipients of this year’s Goldman prize demonstrate ...
Nina Lakhani
A win for Kru Ti and the Mekong River
Over the past 20 years, Niwat Roykaew, a teacher, activist and founder of the Chiang Khong Conservation Group in Chiang Rai province has been campaigning to bolster the grassroots movement he initiated to protect the Mekong River, a crucial lifeline for countries in the Mekong ...
PASKORN JUMLONGRACH