Economy and industry
Hydropower review taskforce stalls, waiting for instructions
A Commission member on the taskforce reviewing hydropower projects said the team has yet to hear back from the president about the first submitted report, which is believed to have advised cancelling the controversial, Chinese-backed Myitsone dam. The first report on hydropower projects along the ...
US President-elect Trump vows to withdraw from TPP on first day in office
US President-elect Donald Trump announced on November 21 that he will withdraw the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership on his first day in office. “I’m going to issue a notification of intent to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a potential disaster for our country,” ...
Vietnam to host APEC gathering in 2017
As the APEC leaders’ meeting wraps up in Peru, attention now turns to Vietnam, hosts of next year’s APEC. “It’s ten years since the last time Vietnam hosted APEC, and a lot has changed with the country since then. In the last six or seven ...
Japanese aid package funding three JICA projects
Three projects funded by part of a recently announced US$7.7 billion Japanese aid package are under way, according to the Japanese International Cooperation Institute. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced earlier this month that his country would provide 800 billion yen in aid, loans and ...
Protest seeks K5600 minimum wage
More than 2000 factory workers staged a protest this weekend in Yangon’s Hlaing Tharyar township, demanding that the government increase the daily minimum wage in light of rising costs of living and inflation. “Unless something is done to stop increases to living expenses, soon workers ...
The 5 worst places to be an internet user in Southeast Asia
The power of the internet has been in the spotlight in the last few weeks thanks to the U.S. election – but while American netizens have to contend with fake news and annoying status updates, in many parts of the world just sharing an opinion can ...
Tidal turbines to power remote site in Indonesia
Over the last year a team of Indonesian and international specialists has worked in a remote part of Bintuni Bay, West Papua, Indonesia. The goal was to assess the local electricity situation, renewable energy options, including tidal in-stream power; and to then install a demonstration ...
PM urges Hòa Bình to improve investment environment
Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has urged the northern province of Hòa Bình to improve its investment environment so it can attract investors. Addressing a local investment promotion conference on November 19, the Prime Minister said Hòa Bình enjoys many advantages, such as its location ...
State spending trusted to boost GDP
Despite muted sentiment in the fourth quarter, the government is highly confident the economy could end this year with an estimated growth of 3.2-3.3%. Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said accelerated state spending on infrastructure projects and growing tourism will shore up economic growth in ...
Three Thai airlines face CAAT clampdown
Three Thai-registered airlines are experiencing a financial crunch after their operations were severely affected by a sharp drop in Chinese tourists. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand ordered the three airlines to devise financial rehabilitation plans in response. The number of tourists from mainland China to ...
