News
Mekong fishing leading to erosion
Intensive shrimp aquaculture and destructive fishing practices have contributed to coastal erosion and reduced biodiversity in Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Ben Tre, Vietnam, according to a community-based project carried out in the region. The project’s community eco-tourism model was implemented in Thanh Phong Commune in ...
Australian-controlled Thai gold mine faces accusations of polluting water supply
An Australian-controlled gold mine in central Thailand is facing fresh accusations of polluting local water supplies with villagers demanding a new investigation into the mine’s operations. The Akara (Chatree) mine is controlled by Sydney-based Kingsgate Consolidated limited and located 280km north of Bangkok. The accusations follow earlier charges ...
Thai customs seize 511 pieces of elephant ivory destined for Laos
More than three tonnes of elephant ivory have been found at a Thai port stashed in a container shipped from Kenya, customs said on Monday, the second huge haul of tusks from Africa in less than a week. The discovery, which would be worth millions of ...
Disaster alert system begins
Starting 30 March 2015, residents of Banteay Meanchey, Pursat and Kampong Thom provinces can enrol in a disaster-response calling service through their phones in anticipation of the impending rainy season. “[In the past] the emergency comes before the information. The other channels we have used are ...
Tiger meat and bear paws on menu for Chinese tourists in Laos, says report
A resort complex in northwest Laos targeting Chinese visitors has become a “lawless playground” for the trade in illegal wildlife ranging from tiger meat to bear paws, an advocacy group has said. Customers “can openly buy endangered species products” in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone on ...
Volumes up, returns down as Laos' mining figures confirm impact of global commodity prices
The hit to the value of Laos’ mineral commodity exports inflicted by lower international prices have been confirmed by figures showing an 8.7 percent decrease in returns despite increasing production, local media has reported. Falling prices for gold, potash and copper inflicted the greatest downward pressure ...
Cambodia: Police to investigate market fire
The Phnom Penh police’s fire brigade is creating a new committee to determine the cause of a blaze at O’Russei market on Sunday night, an official said. The flames, which started at about 10:30pm on the ground floor, completely burned down five stalls and damaged five ...
Road could affect future tiger habitat
Cambodia’s recently approved road project leading to the border with Vietnam in Mondulkiri would do irreversible damage to the province’s protected forest and threaten future attempts to reintroduce tigers to the Kingdom, according to the World Wildlife Fund. In a statement released yesterday, the group said ...
Cambodia: 300 stalls at Old Market scorched
A fire ripped through Phnom Penh’s Phsar Chas, otherwise known as Old Market, on 24 November, destroying about 300 of its 914 stalls and causing an estimated $1.5 million in damages, authorities said, although no one was injured or killed. The blaze began at 7am and ...
Hundreds infected in Yangon cholera outbreak
Health officials were insisting last week a cholera outbreak in Yangon’s South Okkalapa township was under control, after hundreds of patients presented at an emergency clinic and Thingangyun Sanpa Hospital for treatment. The outbreak had originally been diagnosed as gastroenteritis but Dr Tin Thit Sa, an ...