News
Kingdom rejects VN request
Cambodia rebuffed Vietnam’s request to provide nationality to its citizens living in Kratie, Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri and Stung Treng provinces, with officials saying law enforcement is the Kingdom’s responsibility. Chheang Vun, the head of the National Assembly’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, Propaganda and Information, told ...
Kingdom seeks Vietnam’s help to curb timber trade
Cambodia is seeking Vietnam’s help to curb timber smuggling and crack down on forestry crimes along shared borders. National Assembly Foreign Affairs commission chairman Chheang Vun made the request to his Vietnamese counterpart during a two-day conference of parliamentarians from Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos in Vietnam’s ...
Khuon Narim
Human Smugglers Work with Corrupt Thai Officials: UN Report
As much as 80 percent of irregular migrant workers were ferried into Thailand by smuggling services, sometimes with the help of corrupt Thai officials, a recent report by the United Nations said. In a report released at a news conference last week, the UN Office on ...
Pravit Rojanaphruk
No justice in Rakhine
Abdullah keeps track of each time he has nearly died. When asked to introduce himself, he begins to list each brush with death with the same practised air of one listing the experiences on their resume. A Rohingya refugee living in Cox’s Bazar for the ...
Robin Spiess
Nine illegal timber trucks impounded
The National Committee for Prevention and Crackdown on Natural Resource Crimes on Monday impounded nine trucks used to transport timber to Vietnam through Kratie province’s Snuol district. Committee spokesman Eng Hy declined to provide details, citing the ongoing investigation. “We are still working on the case ...
Voun Dara
Mekong River Strikes Another Record Low
In recent weeks, the Mekong River, one of the world’s longest and largest rivers, which has been under peril due to a confluence of development, demographic, and geopolitical pressures, has been at its lowest levels in a century. Dams upstream are holding back much needed water ...
Luke Hunt
Finance Ministry plans rejig of fuel excise tax
The Finance Ministry wants to revamp the structure of the excise tax on fuels to base it on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to protect the environment. Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana delegated the Fiscal Policy Office and the Excise ...
Wichit Chantanusornsiri
Thai animal traffickers keep getting away with crimes, and authorities ask for U.S. help
When Thailand arrested suspected animal trafficking kingpin Boonchai Bach last year, it was hailed by animal rights groups as a watershed day and a chance to unravel Hydra, the vast Vietnamese trafficking ring he was believed to be part of. One animal welfare group compared Mr. Boonchai’s capture ...
Jeff Mordock
Ministry focuses on land grabbing
The Environment Ministry over the weekend reiterated that encroachment upon or the sale of protected land is illegal, noting that more than 20 people have been arrested this year over alleged land grabbing. Environment Minister Say Samal on Saturday posted on his Facebook account stressing that ...
Pech Sotheary
Laos plans regulatory reforms to boost trade at border crossings
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce will continue efforts to improve or remove unnecessary measures and regulations relating to exports and imports to bolster cross-border trade. Officials in charge of trade facilitation met in Vientiane last week for the 2nd Trade Facilitation Committee Secretariat meeting to ...
Bounfaeng Phaymanivong