People and government
Laos hosts first ASEAN-Russia meeting
The First Meeting of the ASEAN-Russia Eminent Persons Group (AREPG) is taking place in Vientiane to review and further enhance relations between ASEAN and Russia. Keep reading ...
Laos moves towards industrialisation

Laos is now moving towards industrialisation and modernisation after experiencing a slight increase in the share that the industrial and service sectors represent in the overall economic structure. In contrast, the agriculture and forestry sector has declined significantly in the past decade as a result of ...
Vietnam province cancels fireworks shows, asks sponsors to donate to poor families
Dak Lak Province in the Central Highlands has canceled two of the three fireworks shows planned for the upcoming Lunar New Year celebration, urging potential sponsors to give that money to poor people instead. A source from the province’s culture and tourism department told Tuoi Tre ...
Vietnam asks China to remove drilling rig

Vietnam has asked China to cease drilling for oil and promptly pull its Haiyang Shiyou 981 drilling rig out of the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin, Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh said on 19 January. Keep reading ...
Oxfam urges Asia to tackle rising inequality to sustain growth
Asian leaders must address rising inequality in all aspects, aid agency Oxfam warned on 19 January, saying ignoring the issue would leave almost 500 million people trapped in poverty and threaten economic growth. “Asia is now at a crossroads. It could continue with the existing policies ...
Borei Keila protesters shout down panel

Five shouting protesters on 19 January morning shut down a meeting of the joint committee for housing solutions in Borei Keila before it could sign cash compensation deals with 56 evicted families. After a long and contentious land dispute, 56 families were set to sign contracts that ...
Thai princess to visit Cambodia

Thailand’s Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will visit Cambodia next month to boost bilateral education ties between the kingdoms, a topic she has worked on since her first visit in 1992. Keep reading ...
Lao tax collectors pay to play

In Laos, where corruption seems like a part of daily life, the locals say tax collectors often stand out as they can be seen driving some of the flashiest cars and living in some of the biggest houses. In this landlocked Asian country with an authoritarian ...
Myanmar recruiters boycott Malaysia

Overseas employment agencies, angry at “bullying” from the Malaysian government, have resolved to boycott the country. Agency chiefs say they will no longer send Myanmar migrant workers to Malaysia, as the recruitment industry has been monopolised by a newly instituted system that has changed the ...
Ministries to be trimmed for ‘efficiency’ under next government
Hoping to reduce bureaucratic red tape, the National League for Democracy revealed that it will slash ministries when it takes control of the government in two months. The ministries have been rushing to compile progress reports with an eye toward easing the transition. But the flurry ...