News
China using ‘debtbook diplomacy’ to spread its strategic aims in Asia Pacific
The Chinese government is leveraging billions of dollars in debts to gain political leverage with developing countries across Asia and the Pacific, a new report presented to the US State Department claims. Keep reading ...
Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia to Receive NASA Remote Sensing Aid
The US space agency, NASA, has officially launched a project to provide remote sensing data to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, aiding regional environmental and population monitoring as part of a wider effort for sustainable resource management and planning in these countries. Keep reading ...
Better Migration Systems Can Propel Thailand to Grow Faster
Thailand can strengthen its migration policies and systems to support sustained, innovation-driven growth, under its Thailand 4.0 strategy, experts concluded at a presentation of the recent World Bank report, Migrating to Opportunity: Overcoming Barriers to Labor Mobility in Southeast Asia today in Bangkok. Keep reading ...
Mekong Delta needs new vision of tourism development: BCG
Representatives of The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) have suggested Mekong Delta localities set forth a new vision and solutions for tourism development. Keep reading ...
World Bank report urges Thailand to revisit migrant worker policies to pursue 4.0 growth strategy
THAILAND is home to more than 55 per cent of the region’s migrant workers but if the country could back it up with proper policies, it could contribute to economic growth under the much-talked-about Thailand 4.0 strategy, according to a World Bank report. []Migrant workers in ...
Why Southeast Asia’s children are facing an obesity epidemic
Malnutrition is leaving Southeast Asia’s children predisposed to obesity and fatal diseases later in life. With the rise of processed foods and less active lifestyles, these health impacts are only going to get worse unless children become the focal point of change. []At the same time, ...
Leaked report warns Cambodia's biggest dam could 'literally kill' Mekong river
A Chinese-backed plan to build Cambodia’s biggest dam could “literally kill” the Mekong river, according to a confidential assessment seen by the Guardian which says that the proposed site at Sambor is the “worst possible place” for hydropower. Keep reading ...
Myanmar to reduce malaria outbreaks to 85% by 2020
Myanmar will try to reduce malaria outbreaks to 85 percent and mortality rate to 95 percent by 2020, according to the Public Health Department. Two in 1,000 people suffer from malaria but 85 percent could have been reduced compared to 2012. Mortality rate is 0.04 ...
U.S. criticizes China for shielding Myanmar from U.N. action
The United States indirectly criticized China on Monday for shielding Myanmar from strong U.N. Security Council action over a military crackdown against mainly Rohingya Muslims that the U.S. and other countries have denounced as ethnic cleansing. Keep reading ...
Cambodian Electoral Watchdog Group Decides Against Monitoring Genreal Elections
The Committee on Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (Comfrel), a respected independent vote monitor, will not sign up observers for July’s parliamentary elections in face of government restrictions on NGO activities, a senior election observer told RFA’s Khmer Service on Tuesday. Keep reading ...