Environment and land

Thailand is ending its sugar subsidy programme after complaints that it dragged down global sugar prices. But both rural farmers and the ruling junta could suffer from the decision. The Thai government has announced that it will end its programme subsidising its sugar industry nearly a ...

Lao authorities confirmed that fish found floating dead in the Nam Ngao river in Huayxai district, Bokeo province died as a result of poisonous chemicals contaminating the river.​ Officials confirmed the findings after samples of the dead fish were brought for analysis last week. The ...

An agricultural service centre, which began construction in Huaphan province on February 18, aimed to enhance the quantity and the quality of crops and animals produced in the province for export to Vietnam. The agricultural service centre is the largest agricultural cooperation project between Vietnam ...

The imposition of Criminal Act 144 in Minbu district, Minbu township Mann oil refinery and oil refineries from Tauksharpin-Kanniyay, Magwe Region will not be suspended pending the enactment of other laws to safeguard the areas, said Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Major General Aung Soe. ...

Ministry of Environment officials on February 22 said an inspection team will be deployed to investigate the recently halted sand-dredging operation for the development of the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port’s new multipurpose terminal, which has affected local families. Danh Serey, director of the ministry’s environmental impact assessment ...

Two breweries in the Mandalay industrial zone were temporarily shut down after they were found to have exceeded the specified wastewater disposal rate, said U Thant Zin Tun, assistant director of the Mandalay regional environmental conservation department. There are four breweries in the industrial zone, ...

Fifteen national and international organizations representing 38 civil society groups met with the National Assembly’s first commission on February 22 to discuss eight major land dispute cases in an effort to find a solution for those affected. Seoung Sen Karona, a human rights monitor and investigator for ...

The Sagaing Division chief minister will likely visit the controversial Letpadaung copper mine later this week after protesters prevented vehicles from leaving the compound on February 21 and demanded the mine cease operations. “We blocked five trucks carrying copper from leaving the mine,” U Pho La ...

The Treasury Department has set lenient conditions for the coming bidding to develop state lands in Mukdahan and Nong Khai provinces into special economic zones to draw bidders. The relaxed conditions include land development experience in wider fields, an extension of development proposal submissions, change ...

The central city of Da nang, in co-operation with the Japanese International Co-operation Agency, will start building a seafood value chain in the city with a fund of 60 million Japanese yen (around VNĐ11 billion or US$528,000). The city’s secretariat said the project, which will ...