News

More than 40 civil society organisations urged the World Bank to stop a project worth US$250 million (K380.3 billion) in eastern Myanmar over concerns it could undermine Karen culture and traditions.   The Peaceful and Prosperous Communities Project targets the development of conflict zones in eastern Myanmar.  According ...

Laos continues to struggle with rampant corruption despite recent efforts to eliminate it from the halls of government, according to the country’s State Audit Organization (SAO). At a Lao National Assembly meeting earlier this month, the organization reported massive losses resulting from under-the-table deals made by ...

The Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, in cooperation with UN Cambodia, held the Cambodia Urban Forum for the first time on Wednesday to identify priorities towards smart, sustainable and inclusive urban development in Cambodia. The forum’s information report said the event covered discussions ...

Damage to property in Hongsa and Xaysathan districts of Xayaboury province has been estimated at over 2 billion kip after at least 300 families were affected by an earthquake last week. Director of the province’s Labour and Social Welfare Department, Mr Nouphone Xaypanyachith, said two earthquakes ...

Many Vietnamese enterprises lack understanding about sustainable development goals (SDGs) and are not applying them to their business, Tran Thi Lan Anh, deputy general secretary of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said at a forum held in Ho Chi Minh City on November 25. Associations that represent enterprises ...

THE First Mekong-Republic of Korea (ROK) Summit was held in Busan, South Korea, yesterday co-chaired by President Moon Jae-in, General Prayut Chan-o-cha. The leaders adopted the “Mekong-Han River Declaration for Establishing Partnership for People, Prosperity and Peace” and agreed to continue the Mekong-ROK cooperation based on ...

A special exhibition highlighting the rich ecology surrounding the Mekong region and various uses of the biological resources, such as in skin care and cosmetic products, commemorating the 1st Mekong-ROK Summit in Busan that opened Wednesday for a monthlong run. “Life on the Mekong; Connecting People, ...

On Cambodia’s Tonle Sap, record low water levels have plunged fishing communities into crisis but with warnings of “severe drought”, there are concerns the situation will get even worse. “Every day we can only find about one or two kilogrammes (two or four pounds) of fish, ...

The Mekong River Commission Council yesterday approved a five-year strategy until 2025 which allows Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam to prepare for and manage drought collectively. The approval comes as the MRC’s preliminary data analysis shows that severe to extreme drought is expected to hit countries ...

The swirling currents of the once mighty Mekong, shrunk by drought and increasingly crippled by dams point towards an unprecedented crisis of water governance along the more than 4,900 kilometers of southeast Asia’s longest river. “This is the worst ecological disaster in history of the Mekong,” declared ...