People and government
ASEAN to focus on jobs for addicts

ASEAN will deal with the narcotics problem by focusing more on healthcare and jobs for drug addicts as part of the bloc’s 10-year anti-drug action plan, says Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya. He was speaking on August 24 as he chaired the 37th meeting of ASEAN senior ...
Vietnam seeks deepened ties with Brunei, Singapore

The upcoming State visits to Brunei and Singapore by President Tran Dai Quang aim to realise the foreign policy set forth by the 12th Party Congress and deepen relations with the two ASEAN member countries. Vietnam and Brunei established diplomatic ties on February 29, 1992. Since ...
Policy makers call for recognition of inherited lands
Policy makers have called for recognition of lands which local people have inherited from their parents, despite land titles having not been issued for those lands. They made the calls as policy makers from various organisations shared opinions to improve and finalise the Draft National Land ...
More angels coming in search of worthy investments
Two months since a group of angel investors visited Phnom Penh in search of startup investment opportunities, the organisation behind the initiative is planning an even bigger scouting mission, looking for investment opportunities in the Kingdom’s small but vibrant startup community. Seven members of the Mekong ...
Myanmar transportation, infrastructure weakest in Southeast Asia: World Bank
Myanmar has the weakest transportation and infrastructure in Southeast Asia, according to a report by the World Bank Group. Myanmar ranked 137 among 160 countries in the transportation index in 2014, giving it the lowest position among Southeast Asian countries. Moreover, only 33 per cent of households ...
More Cambodian women trafficked to Saudi, officials say
The number of Cambodian women now thought to be caught in Saudi Arabia’s sex industry after being trafficked in the past year has risen to more than 20, officials said on August 24. However, the government remained tight-lipped about its efforts to rescue the women, while ...
Shan community groups want Salween dams scrapped

Representatives of Shan communities have expressed serious concerns on the ongoing plan to construct a series of hydropower dams on the Salween River, saying many areas are still plagued with ongoing fighting between minority groups and the government. Shan State Rivers Network’s coordinator Sai Khur Hseng ...
Over 300 business people, academia to attend ABIS 2016
More than 300 business people, academia, and speakers from institutes in and out of ASEAN are expected to attend the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit 2016 next month. The number was reported by the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry on August 23. According to LNCCI, ...
Transparent sources, electronic collection keys to revenue collection
The government has stressed the need to clearly define revenue sources and to expand electronic collection methods to assist the budget. The moves aim to ensure all revenue from available sources can be collected for the national budget, minimising problems related to financial leaks. Prime Minister Thongloun ...
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 ...