Economy and industry
Myanmar govt considering renewables: energy minister
The National League for Democracy-led government says it is now considering a number of renewable energy proposals. The Minister of Electricity and Energy U Win Khaing announced the decision after a meeting of the National Renewable Energy Committee this week. He said proposals being considered include 61 ...
CHAN MYA HTWE
As COVID-19 hits global economy, Cambodian workers face layoffs
Cambodian garment workers have had their jobs suspended by the thousands as global markets clench and governments enact drastic measures to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Now, as the US and European economies grind to a halt, local industry insiders warned on ...
ALASTAIR MCCREADY
Vietnam has only weeks left to get its wind market back on track
Previously praised for its attractiveness and gusty growth, Vietnam’s wind market now faces a pivotal moment. Should the Vietnamese government fail to send a clear signal of continued support for the industry in the coming weeks, investors could pull out and the country could miss its ...
Tim Ha
Thailand’s water shortage and inequality crisis
Shortages of water are a huge problem for Thailand. The government’s attempts to promote industrial investment in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) — Chon Buri, Rayong and Chachoengsao — has caused water demand in the region to rise drastically. This has diverted water away from farmers ...
Kanokwan Manorom, Ubon Ratchathani University
Tackling Myanmar’s climate crisis with solar
The ASEAN Post recently published an article on extreme climate in Myanmar and its threat to the locals, agriculture, ecosystems and more. It is said that Myanmar is one of the most vulnerable countries at risk of climate crisis. Extreme droughts and flooding in recent years and ...
Athira Nortajuddin
Thai hospitals roll out ninja robots to help combat Covid-19
Thai hospitals are deploying “ninja robots” to measure fevers and protect the health of overburdened medical workers on the frontlines of the coronavirus outbreak. First built to monitor recovering stroke patients, the machines have been quickly repurposed to help fight the disease, which has so far ...
Alita Sharon
Thai Activists Protest New Xayaburi Dam on Mekong River
A series of dams on the transboundary Mekong River has reduced water levels, damaging fisheries and causing other environmental problems for the people who depend on the waterway for their livelihoods and food. Now, as the latest dam, the Lao-owned Xayaburi, begins operations on the Lower Mekong, a Thai activist group is ...
Construction of China-Laos railway power supply project starts
The power supply project for the China-Laos railway, which was fully carried out on Wednesday (March 18), lays foundation for its scheduled operation in 2021. Along all the four bidding sections of the project in northern Laos, Chinese and Lao engineers cast concrete to cement the ...
Cambodia scraps plans for Mekong hydropower dams
A Cambodian government decision to postpone building new hydropower dams on the Mekong river has been welcomed by campaigners, who say it will provide welcome relief to the tens of thousands of people whose livelihood depend upon its rich resources. Cambodia announced on Wednesday that it would ...
Rebecca Ratcliffe
Dams in the upper Mekong River modify nutrient bioavailability downstream
The number of hydropower dams has increased dramatically in the last 100 years for energy supply, climate change mitigation, and economic development. However, recent studies have overwhelmingly stressed the negative consequences of dam construction. Notably, it is commonly assumed that reservoirs retain nutrients, and this ...
Science China Press