News
Cambodia nearing lower-middle income
Cambodia is expected to reach a GDP per capita of $1,220 this year, putting it on course to being a lower-middle income economy, said Commerce Minister Sun Chanthol. Based on a Ministry of Economy and Finance projection, the figure will be a jump from the 2014 ...
Anti-dredging activists refuse to meet with government
Activists have continued their campaign to drive out sand dredging companies from Koh Kong province’s Botum Sakor district, refusing a meeting with local authorities and instead holding a 100-strong protest outside the district hall. Keep reading ...
Economic land concessions tied to destruction of forests in new report
Cambodia’s most crucial forests are disappearing at a rate of more than 2,000 kilometres a year, as agricultural firms continue to harvest timber by illegal means in protected areas and national parks, according to a study from Washington-based Forest Trends. The report uses satellite imagery to ...
Bridges washed out in upper Myanmar
Heavy rains have broken 21 bridges over rivers and creeks in upper Myanmar, the Ministry of Construction told a press conference yesterday. Keep reading ...
Aid group forced to stop helping flood victims on Ma Ba Tha orders
Hardline monks have flexed their muscles amid the desolation of Sagaing Region’s floods, ordering a prominent aid group to leave the area and describing National League for Democracy and other volunteers as “troublemaking groups”. Flooding has devastated large areas of northern Sagaing Region, with Kawlin the ...
Thousands displaced in Mrauk-Oo, Myanmar
More than 1000 people have been displaced by flooding in Mrauk-Oo township in Rakhine State as a result of heavy rain, a civil society leader in the town reported. Rain was continuing and there were concerns the situation would worsen. Keep reading ...
Vietnam strives to improve its trade statistics for ASEAN
Vietnam will strive to become one of ASEAN’s top five nations in international trade statistics by 2017. This is part of a plan for Vietnam’s integration into the ASEAN Statistics system in the 2016-20 period, as approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. According to the plan’s general targets ...
Thai activists hold alternative 'review' of coal plant
Songkhla residents protesting against plans for a new coal-fired power plant and sea port in Thepa district held their own “public review” 28 July. The move followed their boycott of the third and final public of the third and final public hearing on the Environmental and Health ...
Myanmar police seize '$100m worth of methamphetamines'
Police in the city of Yangon in Myanmar have seized methamphetamine tablets with an estimated value of more than $100m (£64m) in an abandoned truck. Police told state media that they had found almost 27 million tablets. Keep reading ...
Thailand, Myanmar sign visa-free agreement
Thailand and Myanmar signed an agreement on Tuesday to allow citizens with ordinary passports to make visa-free visits of up to 14 days. It will come into effect on 11 August. Keep reading ...
