Economy and industry
Floating Vientiane pump stations to access river water
Water storage engineers in Vientiane are now installing pumps on boats moored over deep sections of the Mekong River as alternatives to riverbank pumps to access sufficient water supplies. Currently, riverbank pumps are still taking water from the Mekong to reservoirs but the level of water ...
Casio pins faith on Thailand for ASEAN expansion
Tokyo-based Casio Computer Co, a maker of consumer electronics, is committed to investing in Thailand so that it can use the country as a springboard for expansion in Myanmar and Laos. “We [Casio in Japan] are considering expanding our business into other ASEAN members including Myanmar and ...
Setting the right price for investors

Subscription to the initial public offering of Phnom Penh Autonomous Port (PPAP) opened on 12 November. The capital’s port operator aims to raise $5.2 million by floating a 20 per cent stake on the Cambodian stock exchange in December, becoming the third company to list on ...
Business leaders see brighter future in NLD win

Business leaders have welcomed the National League for Democracy’s (NLD) thumping victory in the 8 November election, saying the opposition is well poised to drive economic growth when it forms the next government in March. Industry insiders say that the change of government is certain to lead ...
Thai rice exports to stay strong, say shippers

Thailand’s rice situation is stable thanks to several pending purchase orders under government-to-government (G-to-G) contracts with the Philippines and China, president Charoen Laothammatas said on 11 November. He expects Thai paddy prices will remain steady at 8,000 to 8,500 baht a tonne next year. Keep reading ...
Mynamar trade steady year-on-year despite flooding: ministry

Myanmar’s trade volumes for the first half of this fiscal year match last year’s figures despite devastating flooding in July and August and a six-week embargo on rice exports. Myanmar’s bilateral trade was worth US$16.204 billion over the first six months of fiscal year 2016, placing ...
Vietnam plans Hanoi-Vientiane highway project: report

Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport has started a feasibility study on a 760-kilometer highway to connect Hanoi and Vientiane, local media reported on 11 November. The study conducted by Transport Engineering Design Inc. will help decide whether the route should pass through Nghe An or Ha Tinh, two central ...
Cambodia’s energy policy out of balance: WEC

Expensive and unreliable electricity continues to weigh down Cambodia’s ranking on the UN-accredited World Energy Council’s annual Energy Trilemma Index, according to a report released on 11 November. The Kingdom ranked a low 115 out of 130 countries on the annual index, which assesses countries according ...
Lao Ministry imposes ban on log exports
Laos’ Ministry of Industry and Commerce has imposed an export ban on logs and unprocessed sawn wood following the prohibition instruction given by the government. The move aims to add value to wood resources by processing them domestically before they are exported. Recently, the ministry issued an order ...
Nam Theun 2 dam generates funds for poverty reduction
The Nam Theun 2 hydropower plant, one of the largest in Laos, has generated sizeable revenue for the government and contributed to the alleviation of poverty, according to the International Environmental and Social Panel of Experts. The Nam Theun 2 Panel of Experts released its latest ...