News
Money flows: Who's investing in Laos, and what problems do they present?
A nation disadvantaged by geography, Laos has turned to intense infrastructural development and foreign direct investments to accelerate economic growth. As the landlocked nation opens its doors to foreign money, who is it inviting, and what troubles lay ahead? Once an ancient kingdom and a hub ...
Pei Ying Loh & Zenn Wong
Mekong Delta lands $26 million aquaculture investment
Due to take place in Hòn Đất district of Kiên Giang province in 2023–2026, it is budgeted to cost VNĐ624 billion (US$26.6 million) – enough to provide infrastructure like irrigation works, roads and power supply systems. The project is set to include shrimp/rice farming and production ...
The Fish Site
Four years after Laos’ worst dam catastrophe, survivors still live in limbo
Four years after a dam collapse that caused Laos’ worst flooding in decades, survivors who lost everything say they are tired of waiting for the government to provide them with new homes and arable land. On the night of July 23, 2018, billions of cubic feet ...
RFA Lao; Translated by Max Avary. Written in English by Eugene Whong
Three busted for illegal fishing practices
Police in Pursat continued to crackdown on illegal fishing practices as the country moves towards the total suppression of fishery crimes and fishing malpractice. Police from the Bakan District Police Inspectorate of Pursat Provincial Police said yesterday that they arrested three fishermen at Ta Chan Dam ...
Khmer Times
Tonle Sap, Mekong water levels continue to rise amid flood warnings
The water levels of the Mekong and Tonle Sap has risen and is likely to continue to rise after more than a month of persistent rainfall, raising flood alerts in various parts of the country. Chan Yutha, Spokesman and Secretary of State of the Ministry of ...
Khmer Times
Why Vietnam Should be Worried About Laos’ Economic Crisis
Laos is facing one of its worst economic crises in many years. Last month, inflation hit a 22-year high of 23.6 percent, according to official reports. Consequently, the price of fuel, gas, and gold has increased by 107.1 percent, 69.4 percent, and 68.7 percent, respectively, compared to June 2021’s price. Long ...
Khang Vu
US Adds Vietnam, Cambodia, Brunei to Human Trafficking Blacklist
Human trafficking worsened considerably in Southeast Asia in 2021, with the United States government adding Vietnam, Cambodia, and Brunei to its trafficking in persons blacklist and downgrading Indonesia. In this year’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, released on Tuesday, the U.S. State Department scrutinized 188 nations’ efforts ...
Sebastian Strangio
Mekong Delta province declares coastal erosion emergency
The southernmost province of Ca Mau has announced a state of emergency following the erosion of 2.7 km (1.67 miles) of coastal embankment. The declaration came Wednesday with five dike sections along its western coast in Tran Van Thoi and U Minh districts on the verge ...
An Minh
Ecotourism Community Builds Mangrove Walkway
Teuk Chob Khnar Por ecotourism community in Seam Reap is building a kilometer-long wooden walkway across the mangrove forest to boost tourism but is short of funds and manpower. The area in Khnar Por commune has freshwater mangrove trees growing on 98 hectares out of 1,022 ...
Po Sophea
Myanmar seeks Russian assistance in push for nuclear energy
Myanmar is pursuing greater economic cooperation with Russia including on nuclear energy, as U.S. and European sanctions increasingly isolate them from the rest of the world. Myanmar leader Sen. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing on July 11 met with Alexey Likhachev, director general of Russian state energy ...
Nikkei staff writers