The Bangkok Post
Cabinet to adopt development guideline for Dawei SEZ link
The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) will ask the cabinet to adopt its guidelines on infrastructure development on Tuesday, as the government seeks to start working on the long-awaited link that will connect the Dawei Special Economic Zone in Myanmar with Eastern Economic ...
Time to push China for real Mekong partnership
The Asean summit offers a great opportunity for Mekong riparian countries to press China, a major dialogue partner, on commitments for sustainable development of the region’s most important river. Leading the Chinese delegation is Premier Li Keqiang. He is to meet our prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ...
Nauvarat Suksamran
Egat talks power trade with Cambodia, Myanmar
The state-run Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) is planning to talk with power authorities in Cambodia and Myanmar to trade electricity from Thailand at a combined capacity of 500 megawatts. Patana Sangsriroujana, deputy governor for policy and planning, said Egat has been ordered by Energy ...
Yuthana Praiwan
RCEP abandons year-end goal for deal
Leaders from 16 Asia-Pacific nations including Japan, China and India have effectively given up on achieving the goal of finalising their free trade deal by the end of this year, according to a joint statement issued on Monday. In the statement released after their summit, the ...
Kyodo News
Asean a 'human rights disaster', claim groups
Asean civil society groups on Saturday criticised the deterioration of human rights in Asean as well as the bloc’s principle of non-interference, especially over the Rohingya crisis, which will reportedly receive no mention in the East Asia Summit statement. Phil Robertson, the Asia Deputy Director of ...
Thana Boonlert
RCEP ministers fail to reach agreement
Ministers from 16 Asia-Pacific nations failed to reach an agreement on creating the world’s largest free trade area at their meeting on Friday, a Thai negotiator suggested, but some are optimistic about the chances of a deal by year-end. A senior Japanese government official told reporters ...
Kyodo News
Academics urge govt to boost labour rights protection in response to GSP suspension
Academics say Thailand has not been adequately protecting workers’ rights – both Thai and foreign – and though there is some improvement, existing laws and regulations still limit their rights. Their comments came after the US Trade Representative (USTR) announced last week that President Donald Trump ...
Wichit Chaitrong
Thailand hopes new Mae Sot bridge will boost trade with Myanmar
Thailand is counting on a new bridge connecting with Myanmar to increase border trade between the two countries. Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said after opening the second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge that the new link between Mae Sot district and Myanmar’s Myawaddy will increase border trade to ...
Assawin Pinitwong
New Mekong dam in Laos opens to protests, dried-out downstream
The first hydropower dam on the lower Mekong River began commercial operations in Laos on Tuesday amid protests from Thai villagers who say the Xayaburi Dam and several others in the works will destroy their livelihoods. The 1,285-megawatt Xayaburi Dam’s debut coincides with parts of the ...
Reuters
Mekong River falls to critical level, sand dunes emerge
The water in the Mekong River has fallen to a critical level, recorded at only 1.50 metres on Tuesday, lower than previous years. Sand islands are now exposed along many sections of the waterway. Inadequate rainfall has also left many reservoirs in the province at only ...
Pattanapong Sripiachai