Environment and land
Phnom Penh SEZ to construct factories for hire
In a bid to diversify its revenue stream, Phnom Penh SEZ will restructure its business model by injecting capital into building its own factories that can be leased to tenants of its flagship industrial park, a company representative said on August 23.“Right now, 90 per ...
Vietnam central coast safe for swimming, aquaculture after disaster: study
The results of a study released on August 22 show that Vietnam’s central coast is again safe for swimming and aquaculture, four months after toxic effluents discharged by Taiwan-owned Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corp caused mass fish deaths. Prof Mai Trong Nhuan of the Hanoi National University, ...
Logged forests are havens for endangered species in Southeast Asia
A logged forest isn’t a lost forest, new research reveals. In recent surveys, scientists from Imperial College London found a surprising number of endangered species living in logged forests in Borneo.The forests in question aren’t clear cut, but “selectively logged.” Only a specific tree species ...
Iran pitches huge gas reserves for Asia markets
Iran is pitching its massive gas sector for trade with Asia where it sees a better market for exports than Europe. “Gas prices are more attractive in East Asia than in Europe,” Deputy Petroleum Minister for trade and international affairs Amir-Hossein Zamaninia has said. In August, Japan ...
Korean company looking to crack open cashew nut market
Champassak province farmers will be supported in planting thousands of hectares of cashew nut trees after the provincial Administration Office gave the go ahead for a US$9 million Korean project. Deputy Director of the provincial Agriculture and Forestry Department, Mr Viengsay Sipraphone, told Vientiane Times on ...
Replanting scheme touted
A government announcement that it will promote the replanting of trees in areas reclaimed from unused economic land concessions has drawn a broadly positive response. But Buntenh, a monk and environmental activist, on August 22 said that while the idea was good, it was not clear ...
China promises to shore up border as foreign minister’s trip ends
Foreign Minister Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has ended her five-day trip to China, returning to Yangon on August 21st. The visit, which came after an invitation from China’s Premier Li Keqiang, was Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s first major overseas trip since the National League ...
Korea-Myanmar venture to build 500-acre garment zone
Myanmar-based Olympus Asia Group and Korea’s Panko Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding on August 20 and are looking for land in Yangon, Bago or Ayeywarwady regions. Under the CMP model, a foreign buyer with financial backing and technical expertise will contract a garment factory, usually ...
Chinese dams a threat to Lower Mekong River
One of the main issues facing nations in the Mekong River Commission, including Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, is that China has refused to share information about the operations of its hydropower dams. As a result, the MRC countries are cautious about using their limited ...
China’s three parallel rivers national park threatened by illegal mining
China’s best preserved forests in south-west China’s Yunnan province are under threat from illegal mining, according to a new report. The study by Greenpeace shows mining and industry activity in the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan protected area is destroying pristine forests in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions. ...
