News
South East Asia – Mekong River Levels Rise After 40% Higher Rainfall
Recorded water levels in the Lower Mekong River Basin (LMB) saw significant increases during the last seven days as a result of heavy rainfall and sudden water releases from dams, the Mekong River Commission (MRC) reported. However, as of 28 July 2021, river levels across all ...
RICHARD DAVIES
NGOs urge transparency for $52 mil US donation for Mekong region
After United States Secretary of State Antony J Blinken announced the US pledge to donate $52 million to Mekong countries for development, NGOs have come forward asking the government to utilise the donation with transparency. NGO Forum executive director Tek Vannara said that the donation will ...
Son Minea
Bad news for Vietnam’s Mekong Delta
The release of recent research from the Netherlands adds an additional insight into what is happening in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, the country’s all-important food producing region that contributes some fifty per cent to its agricultural GDP. In a stark conclusion the research cites 2050 as the Tipping ...
MILTON OSBORNE
Sharing solutions: How a digital toolkit is strengthening Indigenous voices
Technology isn’t always a practical solution for Indigenous communities fighting for their land rights. Some technology requires internet access, which often isn’t available in remote areas. And some technology can be needlessly complicated and expensive, alienating some community members. The Earth Defenders Toolkit is working to help overcome ...
Caitlin Looby
Ethnic communities in Myanmar opposing a coal plant see their fight get harder
Almost two decades ago, Myanmar’s largest coal-fired power plant was built as a joint venture by a group of military-affiliated businessmen and the China National Heavy Machinery Corporation. Since then, it has disrupted the socioeconomic lives of the Pa’O and Taungyo people who are Indigenous ...
Robert Bociaga
Guardians of Nature: Bold and brave women rangers of Cambodia stand tall
As Cambodia marks World Ranger Day on July 31, Khmer Times highlights a handful of bold brave, and resilient women rangers who are standing alongside men to conserve and protect the wildlife and natural resources of the protected forest. Over the years, women have navigated from ...
Sen David
Houses, farmland inundated as rivers burst their banks
Downpours lasting several hours have caused rivers in several provinces to overflow and inundate dwellings, farmland, roads and other property. In Huaphan province, 13 households living alongside the Khan River in Hiem district suffered the effects of flooding after a deluge lasting several hours on July ...
Times Reporters
Is Cambodia’s thirst for sand putting communities and the Mekong at risk?
Sophea Soung has been farming on Boeung Tompoun, one of the few remaining lakes in Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh, since 2009. Every day, her family rises with the sun to float through verdant waters on a slender boat and harvest vegetables, which they then transport ...
Marta Kasztelan, Thomas Cristofoletti
COVID-19 surge hits Asia; Tokyo, Thailand, Malaysia post record infections
The Olympics host city Tokyo, as well as Thailand and Malaysia, announced record COVID-19 infections on Saturday, mostly driven by the highly transmissible Delta variant of the disease. The surge in Delta variant cases is rattling parts of Asia previously relatively successful in containing COVID-19, such ...
Reuters
China poised for Thailand’s solar move
In March, Thailand announced it will draft a master plan to reach net zero carbon emissions. Though it has not set a date for net zero, that deadline will proably be announced in November at the COP26 UN climate talks. According to energy secretary Kulit Sombasiri, talking ...
Tyler Roney