People and government
Owners of clinics learn about Lao healthcare law
Many private hospitals and medical clinics in Laos are charging excessive rates for medical treatment because the owners of these hospitals and clinics do not have enough understanding about the Law on Healthcare. In Laos, there are some 17 private hospitals and more than 1,000 clinics ...
Anti-Corruption Unit says no evidence for Bavet checkpoint graft claims
Cambodia’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) has been unable to find evidence corroborating claims that a Health Ministry official has been demanding bribes to allow vehicles to cross the Bavet International Checkpoint in Svay Rieng province, it said in a report obtained on 13 October. Dated 9 October and ...
Rohingya refugee likely back in Myanmar
A Rohingya refugee who landed in Phnom Penh in June as part of a controversial resettlement deal with Australia is likely back in Myanmar after requesting to return home, according to the Interior Ministry. Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak said that the Rohingya man—who, according to the government, ...
Thai 20% corporate tax rate made permanent
The cabinet has made the temporary 20% corporate income tax rate permanent to instil confidence in investors and maintain Thailand’s competitiveness, according to Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak. Keep reading ...
Elephant poachers arrested in Ngapudaw, Myanmar
Two members of an elephant-poaching gang have been arrested in Ngapudaw township in Ayeyarwady Region’s Pathein district, but at least one other person associated with the group remains at large, the Department of Forestry said in a statement released on 13 October. Keep reading ...
Cambodia’s rights defenders under ‘all kinds of threats,’ advocate says

A prominent human rights advocate says Cambodia continues to operate in a repressive environment, with a government that fails to respect local and international standards and laws. Rights workers in Cambodia are under “all kinds of threats, both spiritually and in personal security,” Ny Chakrya, lead ...
Meeting marks Laos' successes in diplomacy

Having diplomatic relations with 138 countries and 124 political parties around the world are seen as major achievements by Laos in the field of foreign affairs and diplomacy over the past 70 years. These achievements were highlighted at a meeting held in Vientiane on 12 October to ...
Little hope for change as IDPs mull elections

International commentators are fond of saying that Myanmar’s 8 November election could bring sweeping changes to the country. But many of the displaced people living in camps in Kachin State do not see it that way. Any hope that an end of conflict might improve matters ...
Yangon real estate enters election shutdown
Real estate agents in Yangon say the property market has fallen totally silent over the past week, with almost no deals signed. While sales have continued to slow since the start of the year, there has been no buying and selling whatsoever over the past week, ...
Vietnam's small businesses not investing in tech apps, security

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Hanoi are neglecting to use information and technology applications and information security, said Dang Vu Tuan, vice director of Hanoi’s Department for Information and Communications. Tuan said SMEs account for about 95 per cent of the city’s 117,000 enterprises, but only ...