Economy and industry
Japan readies 100bn yen in lending for Myanmar
Japan plans to extend about $994 million in low-interest lending to Myanmar for such projects as railways and water treatment plants, the latest step in Tokyo’s push to bolster ties with the Southeast Asian country. This would mark Japan’s first development financing initiative for Myanmar since ...
Human-induced climate change began earlier than previously thought
Signs of warming appear as early as 1830 say researchers, whose analysis will help build accurate baseline of temperature before influence of human activity. Continents and oceans in the northern hemisphere began to warm with industrial-era fossil fuel emissions nearly 200 years ago, pushing back the ...
Dams inevitably result in species decline, losses on reservoir islands
Hydropower development is booming, with controversial projects unfolding across the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe. Though often presented as a green renewable energy option, dams can cause a litany of negative impacts: disrupting the downstream flow of nutrients, interrupting aquatic migration routes and harming fisheries. They ...
Blind dolphins in Ganga waterway
National waterways, starting with the Ganga, are being pushed as eco-friendly transport; nobody seems to have thought about the effect on the endangered Gangetic River Dolphin or the other life in the river. In March 2016, India passed the National Waterways Act, which marks 106 rivers ...
Egat insists on going ahead with Thepa plant
Construction of the Thepa coal-fired power plant is set to begin in the second quarter of next year, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand said, even though many locals have refused to sell their land despite facing threats. Egat has so far insisted that it will ...
Chin State to focus on trade, SMEs and tourism
The Chin State government will focus on developing three main areas of the local economy over the next five years – trade, small and medium enterprises, and tourism – according to the state minister for development, electricity and industry. Local officials will work with the Union ...
ASEAN trade beckons strict food safety measures
Rising income levels combined with an increase in cross-border trade in Southeast Asia has meant many countries in the region have had to begin strengthening food safety measures in order to meet growing consumer awareness. Under new food safety laws revised in July, the maximum punishment for food poisoning and ...
New bridge slated for Mandalay-Muse highway
A new concrete bridge will be built on the Mandalay-Muse Highway, the main route for border trade through Shan State to China, according to a statement by the Ministry of Information on August 5. The bridge will incorporate a two-lane highway as well as hard shoulders ...
ASEAN to focus on jobs for addicts
ASEAN will deal with the narcotics problem by focusing more on healthcare and jobs for drug addicts as part of the bloc’s 10-year anti-drug action plan, says Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya. He was speaking on August 24 as he chaired the 37th meeting of ASEAN senior ...
Mekong Delta needs $4bn for transport infrastructure
The Transport Development and Strategy Institute under the Ministry of Transport has recently proposed mobilizing over $4 billion to develop infrastructure and logistics systems in the Mekong Delta during the 2016-2020 period. The Delta needs $3.2 billion for 39 road transport projects, $806 million for 23 ...
