Economy and industry
The next chapter for the Trans-Pacific Partnership
The future of trade and cross border commerce in Asia and the Pacific and the US role in Asia’s economy were put in doubt by Donald Trump’s withdrawal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) economic agreement. The TPP was the economic arm of ...
Demarcation complete, Luang Prabang eyes investment to push SEZ project ahead
Development of a US$1.2 billion special economic zone (SEZ) in Luang Prabang province has faced delays attributed to project demarcation now completed while its developer seeks further investment and financial backing. The plans for the zone include a 23-storey building, schools, hospitals, shopping centre, bank, ...
China’s squeeze on capital outflow felt in Cambodia
Stringent capital controls imposed by China’s central bank last November that scrutinise the outbound flow of money from the mainland have created uncertainty for Chinese investors looking at the Cambodian market and could jeopardise future and existing projects.Read more ...
Human traffickers continue targeting young Lao
Thousands of young people including local factory workers have been lured into the trap of human trafficking, experts in the field have highlighted. Lao Federation of Trade Unions (LFTU) has called for governments in the region, notably those in Mekong Sub-region to work harder in ...
Gov’t: public should be consulted on coal power
The government is currently streamlining its policy for the power sector to ensure the country’s energy security and coal can be one of the options, according to Daw Mi Mi Khaing, director general of Department of Electric Power Planning under the Ministry of Electricity and ...
Land-locked Laos on track for controversial China rail link
Construction of a 414 km railway line linking China to mainland Southeast Asia through Laos is underway in Phonesai village, about 30km north of Luang Prabang, the country’s ancient former capital and modern-day tourism center. A workers’ dormitory has been built under a banner in ...
Academics warn that China rail project could lead to bankruptcy
Academics have cautioned that the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima high-speed train project could end in bankruptcy and fail to develop sought-after technology in Thailand. Chulalongkorn University yesterday held an academic forum on the controversial Thai-Chinese partnership, with many academics saying they believed that the government had not completely ...
Vietnam’s black pepper race persists notwithstanding price dip
Though per-kilogram prices of black pepper in Vietnam have dropped 65 percent since their record high two years ago, local growers are still racing to increase production. After peaking at VND200,000 ($8.81) per kilogram in 2015, the price of black pepper in Vietnam has plummeted ...
Urban water, environment improved steadily
While Vientiane has been improving its drainage network, the water quality in drainage canals and marshes is still declining relative to other cities in Asean, an audience including the city’s Vice Mayor heard in the capital yesterday.Increased discharge of domestic wastewater from urban areas is ...
Asia and the fall of coal
The sudden shift, years ahead of schedule, from coal toward renewables is remaking Asia’s energy economy – with repercussions to be felt across the world. The present – and future – does not look good for what, only a few years ago, seemed like a ...
