News
Hun Sen nixes ban on dual-national party leaders
In his latest abrupt policy backtracking, Prime Minister Hun Sen used a speech on 7 January to rescind a recently announced plan to ban dual nationals from leading political parties—an effort that had ostensibly been aimed at the self-exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy. On 28 December, Mr. ...
Labour rights groups surveyed ahead of meeting with Thailand
Myanmar labour officials are courting rights groups ahead of scheduled meetings with Thai counterparts later in the week. The consultation with local experts on 7 January will take place just before Thai officials land in Yangon for bilateral meetings on 8 and 9 January aimed at sorting ...
Cambodia’s lightning deaths spike in 2015
Deaths from lightning strikes jumped 42.6 per cent year-to-year in 2015, with 107 people killed and another 77 injured across Cambodia, according to statistics released on 5 January by the National Committee for Disaster Management. The numbers represent a marked increase from 2014, when 75 people died ...
Vietnam bans leasing land inside Cambodia
Vietnam has agreed to ban its citizens from leasing land in Cambodia to avoid increasing tensions along the border following a request from Prime Minister Hun Sen, according to Interior Minister Sar Kheng. Kheng on 6 January said that Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung had agreed ...
Border guards told not to turn blind eye
Cambodia’s top immigration official has warned against corrupt border police allowing foreigners to cross into Cambodia illegally. According to the National Police website, Sok Phal, director of the general department of immigration, warned on 5 January that such practices would be punished without exception. Keep reading ...
Vietnam airlines refuse to cut fares despite cheaper fuel, bigger revenue
Vietnam’s transport minister has called for lower airfares to match a sharp decline in fuel costs, but carriers say their tickets are already affordable. At a meeting on 4 January, Minister Dinh La Thang asked that Vietnam Airlines make its tickets cheaper after the national carrier reported ...
Finance ministry weighs in on controversial dairy back taxes of $30 million
Eight dairy importers and producers in Vietnam may be able to escape back taxesof VND700 billion (US$30.69 million) in a controversial case of import tariff calculations that even officials cannot see eye to eye on. The businesses, including Vinamilk and Dutch-owned FrieslandCampina, said they have imported an ...
Two Malaysian firms plan agarwood venture in Laos
Two Malaysian companies plan to invest US$18 million (RM79 million) for the inoculation of agarwood in Laos that is expected to generate US$200 million in three years. Agriculture transaction company Aseagate (M) Sdn Bhd, forestry management company Richwood Capital Sdn Bhd, together with non-governmental organisation Global ...
Prayut says useless for rubber farmers to protest
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on 7 January warned rubber farmers not to protest, saying he would not comply to their request while they could face legal actions. Keep reading ...
Riots keep Thai embassy in Yangon closed
The Thai embassy in Yangon has extended its closure over security concerns for its staff and Thai nationals after protests which started late last month against the Koh Tao verdict. Keep reading ...
