Economy and industry
New maid training DIY
Cambodian recruitment agencies are drawing up more extensive training programs for maids being sent to Malaysia following a lifting of a ban on the practice in December. However, it remains unclear by what standards the programs created by the agencies – many of which have been ...
Authorities move to clear squatters from town water supply
Pyin Oo Lwin officials are cracking down on forest dwellers squatting near a road construction site alongside the city’s only water supply. The township’s Department of Environmental Conservation and Forestry blamed the squatters around Lake Thit Ta Pin Taung for causing forest degradation by lighting forest ...
Putting the brakes on tests
As of 6 January, possessing a licence to drive a motorbike on Cambodia’s roads no longer requires a driving test. Prime Minister Hun Sen on 5 January announced the elimination of the test along with a decision to more than halve the cost of a licence in ...
Businesses want say in union law talks
Employers have requested to meet with a bipartisan committee reviewing the draft trade union law in a bid to air their own concerns about the controversial legislation. So far, the joint committee has only addressed unions’ concerns about the law threatening their freedom to organise – ...
Three holdouts cloud ASEAN's future of open skies
ASEAN’s ambitious open-skies scheme has clearly missed the 2015 year-end deadline, and its full implementation appears elusive. Three members of the 10-nation bloc — Indonesia, the Philippines and Laos– seem reluctant to join the scheme for full liberalisation of Southeast Asia’s aviation sector. Keep reading ...
Downward spiral persists in exports of Lao coffee amid world price slump
The volume of coffee exports from Laos has decreased continually over the past couple of years due to a slump in coffee prices on the world market. Total coffee exports in 2014 reached 26,000 tonnes at an estimated value of US$60 million (Bt16.6 billion), which fell ...
Thailand plans 2m more tonnes of G-to-G rice sales
The Thai government aims to sell over 2 million tonnes of rice this year on a government-to-government (G-to-G) basis. But it admits a renewed attempt to sell rice to Iran may hit a snag because of escalating political conflict in the Middle East. Chutima Bunyapraphasara, Commerce Ministry permanent ...
Somkid: Exports take back seat to local work
The Thai government is focused on stimulating the domestic economy and promoting community-based enterprises in the first half of the year as the global economic recovery appears set to remain sluggish. Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said on 5 January at a cabinet meeting that in light ...
Vietnam beer sales up 10 pct amid rising competition
Vietnam’s beer production grew 10 percent in 2015 to 3.4 billion liters, with a new report saying the pace has slowed down from a decade ago due to competition with foreign brands. Saigon Beer, Alcohol and Beverage Company (Sabeco), the biggest player in the market, produced ...
Ho Chi Minh City now has 7.4 million motorbikes, and counting
Ho Chi Minh City now has 7.43 million motorbikes, putting serious pressure on its transport infrastructure, local media reported, citing the Department of Transport. Compared to 2011, the number of new bikes registered in the city has increased by around 2 million, according to a Tuoi Tre ...
