News
The struggle for the soul of the Mekong River
In June of this year, the FAO’s annual State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture report ranked the Mekong Basin as the world’s most productive freshwater fishery, accounting for over 15% of global annual freshwater fish catch. Meanwhile, WWF Researchers estimate that the contribution actually accounts ...
BRIAN EYLER, ALAN BASIST, COURTNEY WEATHERBY AND CLAUDE WILLIAMS
Cambodian satellite city near Phnom Penh destroying wetlands with 1 million at risk of flooding, report finds
A damning new report shows a multi-billion-dollar satellite city near Phnom Penh threatens to pave over vital wetlands and unleash untreated sewage into the Mekong River, putting more than 1 million people at risk of dangerous floods and water pollution. The project further threatens to upend ...
Erin Handley
The covert industry that is destroying the world’s rivers
Good sand is surprisingly hard to find, and some of the best — the kind used to make glass, concrete and even iPhones — is usually found only in riverbeds and along coasts. Now researchers are discovering that a global boom in sand mining is ...
Cabinet exodus shakes faith in EEC
The recent resignations of economic tsar Somkid Jatusripitak, the former deputy prime minister, and four economic ministers including former Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana, have ignited concerns about planned big-ticket infrastructure development projects such as the government’s flagship Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). The Bangkok Post sat down for an ...
CHATRUDEE THEPARAT
Poverty rate in Laos down to 18.3 per cent
Poverty in Laos continues to decline to 18.3 per cent, as infrastructure accessibility has improved, particularly road electricity, clean water and sanitation access, according to data from the Lao Consumption and Expenditure Survey in 2018-2019. Consumption and expenditure of households in Laos have significantly increased, particularly ...
Vietnam considers scrapping half of coal power plant pipeline in favour of gas and renewables
The coming decade could see Vietnam shelve nearly half of its currently planned coal power plant capacity as alternative sources of energy take up growing shares in its power mix, the government-affiliated research body tasked with drawing up the nation’s next power sector roadmap has ...
Tim Ha
ASEAN loses a third of mangroves in last 40 years
The ASEAN region lost about 33 per cent of its mangrove forests between 1980 and 2020, a decrease of more than 63,000sq km, said the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB). Nations that comprise ASEAN have just around 43,000sq km of mangrove forests remaining. The ACB statement was ...
Khorn Savi
Mekong Delta faces increasing erosion along rivers, canals
The beginning of the rainy season has increased land erosion along rivers and canals in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta. The delta, the country’s largest rice, fruit and seafood producer, has reported a number of cases since May. In past years, landslides would normally occur only during ...
Thailand ranked number one on the Global COVID-19 Recovery Index
Thailand has ranked number one in the world out of 184 countries for its ongoing COVID-19 recovery effort, according to the Global COVID-19 Index (GCI). Published on 28 July, Thailand received an index score of 82.06, putting it on top of the global chart as an ...
Maya Taylor
National policy on child protection to provide equal opportunities to all children
The National Policy on Child Protection System will provide equal opportunity to all children to become qualified human resources contributing to the national development. The ten-year (2019-2028) national policy gather investment on children in a more comprehensive and systematic way, said Vong Sauth, Minister of Social ...