People and government
Education, defence top budget
The government’s Bt2.9-trillion budget for 2018 has massive spending of Bt575 billion for upgrading workers’ skills and education, plus related activities, while the Defence Ministry’s budget rises Bt8.8 billion to Bt222 billion. Under the 2018 Budget Bill, passed in its first reading by the National ...
ADB reviews public communications policy
The governments and private stakeholders of Laos, Thailand and Cambodia have now jointly consulted through videoconference, proposals for the Asian Development Bank’s most recent public communications policy review.The Asian Development Bank held the meeting on June 8 welcoming stakeholders including government and private sector counterparts, executing ...
Pak Beng dam project riles locals
Environmental activists will petition the Administrative Court Thursday to help in their protest against the new Pak Beng dam project on the Mekong River in Laos, which could bring both ecological and economic impacts to the region. They want the court to encourage state agencies, ...
Laos, WB sign up to green growth transition
Ministry of Finance and the World Bank on June 7 signed an agreement for more than 316 billion kip (US$38.6) million in credit to support key policy reforms to maintain the country’s strong economic growth. The agreement expects to benefit more people, especially the poor ...
Working group on chemicals and waste meets in capital
The Second Meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Chemicals and Waste was held in Vientiane on June 7 where a variety of topics including waste management and their corresponding facilities were discussed. Speaking at the meeting, the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment’s Director General ...
Germany providing over 423b kip for rural, sustainable economic development
The government of Federal Republic of Germany has agreed to provide grant aid of over 423 billion kip (EUR 45.8 million) for sustainable economic development, rural development and natural resources management in Laos.The financial and technical support by the German government extended to the Lao ...
PM vows purge on weapons smuggling
Stricter measures must be implemented to crack down on weapons smuggling and be applied to all involved, whether they be military personnel or not, says Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has told investigators to identify the mastermind behind a weapons trafficking ...
Indonesia’s plantation lobby challenges environmental law
Palm oil and paper lobby groups have asked Indonesia’s highest court to strike down rules holding plantation firms strictly liable for fires that occur on their land. The groups have also asked the Constitutional Court to eliminate a regulation letting small farmers practice slash-and-burn techniques, the ...
Enterprises urged to pursue sustainable development goals
Government officials urged businesses to achieve sustainable development goals and come up with practical plans at a seminar about environmental protection held on June 5 in Vũng Tàu City. Hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and ...
Courts review starts
The Justice Ministry has launched a 100-day campaign to improve the court system. Ministry spokesman Chin Malin said while the system was widely regarded by outsiders as fair and without corruption, it was now time for a self-assessment to confirm its effectiveness. “It was always our plan ...
