Economy and industry
In light or dark, operations must go on

A photo that was widely circulated on social media this week cast a light onto the sometimes extreme measures taken in Myanmar’s public health sector. In the midst of an electrical blackout, doctors were seen performing an operation at the Mandalay Central Women’s Hospital by ...
Seafood giant TU steps up worker protection

Thai Union Group Plc, one of the world’s largest seafood producers, will stop using subcontractors for shrimp pre-processing and will bring all operations in-house in order to improve worker protection. “From 1 January 2016 onwards, all processing work will be directly controlled by Thai Union, ensuring ...
BBC Burmese channel slammed
BBC Burmese channel has drawn heavy criticism for its radio programme slotted for 12 December, as locals view it as an attempt to revive social division. The outcry followed BBC’s invitation on Facebook for locals to participate its programme titled “Should ex-Senior General Than Shwe be ...
First batch of Lao rice exported to China

Laos on 10 December officially exported its first batch of rice to China, marking the start of rice exportation to China. A ceremony on the event was held in Laos’ southern Savannakhet Province on 10 December. Addressing the ceremony, Lao Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Phet Phomphiphak said ...
NGOs condemn dam power at COP21

Major hydropower projects like the large-scale dams under way in Cambodia’s waterways are a “false solution” to climate change, according to a global coalition of 300 NGOs who are calling on parties at UN climate talks in Paris (COP21) to bar such schemes from climate ...
Malaysia maid pipeline resumes

Cambodia has signed a long-anticipated agreement to resume the legal flow of domestic workers to Malaysia, putting an end to a ban introduced more than four years ago amid reports of serious migrant abuses, which had led to multiple deaths. A statement released on 10 December evening ...
Orange Line plans hit giant bump

The Transport Ministry is planning to review the western section of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority’s (MRTA) Orange Line — from the Thailand Cultural Centre to Taling Chan — after residents refused to relocate. News of the review comes a day after the cabinet approved the construction ...
FDA shutters 22 mom-and-pop drinking-water companies

Unlicensed bottled water companies are being shut down by the Food and Drug Administration for fear they could be bacteria-ridden and contaminated, according to officials. Action is so far aimed at small-time businesses which often operate out of the vendors’ homes. However, the results of a secret ...
Laos' first thermal energy plant marks start of power generation

Laos’ largest power producer, the Hongsa Mine Mouth Power Plant, which has a generating capacity of 1,878 megawatts, on 9 December celebrated the start of commercial operation. Two of the plant’s generators are fully operational while the third is set to come online early next year. Keep reading ...
Thailand's Tasco earmarks $61.8mln for M&A deals in Vietnam, Indonesia

Tipco Asphalt Pcl, or Tasco, a major asphalt manufacturer in Thailand, plans to acquire five companies in Vietnam and Indonesia for a total of $61.8 million, news website Deal Street Asia reported this week. Keep reading ...