People and government
‘No HIV outbreak’ in Kandal village, say WHO, local authorities
Following consternation this week over the Cambodian government’s decision to cease HIV testing in Peam village, health authorities released a statement on 25 February seeking to ally any fears of an outbreak. In January, five of 47 villagers tested by a local NGO returned positive results, with ...
Critics sceptical of NGO's optimistic findings
Cambodians were optimistic about the economic and political future of the Kingdom, according to a national survey on citizens’ perceptions released on 24 February by the Asia Foundation, although observers on 25 February questioned whether that optimism remains in light of the government’s recent crackdown on the ...
ASEAN integration fuelling trafficking, crime
Southeast Asia is witnessing an explosion of organised crime thanks to increasing economic integration, according to a new United Nations report. The illegal trafficking of people, drugs, counterfeit goods and wildlife is already estimated to exceed US$100 billion a year – more than the GDP of ...
Myanmar Government ignores Amnesty report on rights abuses
The Myanmar government has said it will not respond to Amnesty International’s annual report, in which the rights group on 25 February criticised it for failing to address religious discrimination and human rights abuses. The report also alleged there was an ongoing climate of impunity for ...
Teacher numbers to grow by a quarter under reform plan
In a major nationwide overhaul of education, the government is to hire and train more than 100,000 primary-school teachers to work in a revitalised system, the Department of Education has announced. The extra teachers represent a 25 percent boost to the current workforce, which stands at ...
Southeast Asian delegations jet into Laos for Foreign Minister's retreat
Top diplomats and delegations from across 10 countries commenced descent into the Lao capital Thursday in preparation for Saturday’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers Retreat. Keep reading ...
Call to boycott charter referendum will be illegal: EC
Campaigning to vote for or against the charter draft is legal but any efforts to call for a boycott of the referendum would be illegal, Election Commission (EC) member Somchai Srisuthiyakorn said on 25 February. Keep reading ...
New wave of Myanmar hackers behind Thai website attacks
Myanmar hackers say they have attacked Thai government websites since early January and stolen data, part of a long-running, broader campaign against those critical of Myanmar’s government. The Blink Hacker Group said in Facebook posts and in an email interview that its attacks were in retaliation for ...
60,000 victims identified as Vietnam expands probe into multi-level marketing scam
Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security has ordered police in 27 cities and provinces to join an investigation into a fraudulent multi-level marketing company that managed to scam more than 60,000 people. Colonel Tran Quang Huy said the ministry had initially identified about 45,000 victims, but the ...
FDA vows to ensure fish paste dye-free
Myanmar health authorities have announced another crackdown on the use of chemical dyes in fish paste, setting an April deadline for ensuring markets are free of dangerous brands. Daw Khin Saw Hla, director of the Food and Drug Administration branch in Mandalay, said producers in Ayeyarwady ...
