People and government

Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Van Khoa hosted a reception for Deputy Governor of Yunnan province of China Li Jiang on May 10. Khoa said Ho Chi Minh City has so far established partnership with seven Chinese cities and provinces, and ...

The 9th Meeting of the Asean Committee on the Implementation of the Asean Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers opened in Vientiane on 10 May. The meeting was organised by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare. Participants also discussed the ...

Lao officials and international researchers met in Vientiane on 10 May to discuss how agricultural research can best be aligned with the priorities laid out in key government documents. According to a document released at the meeting, the ministry’s strategic direction targets food and nutrition security, ...

Freedom of religion and the building of a law on belief and religion in Vietnam were discussed during a meeting between Vice President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Le Ba Trinh and visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour Tom ...

Parliament is taking steps to slash one repressive law used to crack down on activists and will debate heavily revising another later this week. The junta-era, 1975 State Protection Act was revoked by the Pyithu Hluttaw on 9 May after the conclusion that the law was explicitly ...

Most residents of the Northeast understand only a small part of the draft constitution, a public opinion poll found. As many as 54.3 per cent of respondents said they understood less than 20 per cent of the draft’s content, according to survey results released on 9 May by ...

The Global Environment Facility has pledged US$4.7 million to protect Lao wetlands from climate change. Laos has defined two wetland areas under the Ramsar Convention on ‘Wetlands of International Importance’ which covers all aspects of wetland conservation and wise use. These wetland areas are Xe Champone in ...

Academics and activists on 8 May called for the government and its leaders to tolerate criticism as its reaction to being mocked could violate people’s freedom of expression. Public figures must be able to take criticism otherwise they should stay at home and raise grandchildren, said ...

Thailand should nurture at least three technology business start-ups worth US$1 billion each within the next five years, according to an industry white paper. Citing the white paper submitted to the government, Patai Padungtin, president of Thailand Start-up Association, said the country needed to quickly develop the ...

“The prime minister would like to tell all bureaucrats that this was an expensive lesson. They should bear in mind that they have to adhere to righteousness, integrity and the law,” the spokesman said. “Bureaucrats should not allow themselves to become a tool of politicians.” This ...