“We have prepared 8.5-by-8 metre plots of land for the families. The concrete foundations of the houses have been designed for two floors, meaning if they have more family members, they can build a second floor.”
Category: Region
Selected environmental stories from media outlets in the Mekong region and beyond.
Horticulture project gets Phase III
By 2022, the Swiss-funded project aims to provide sustainable income growth to 15,000 homestead farmers, 3,000 commercial farmers and 1,200 processors, as well as improve food security and nutrition for 72,000 farmer households, he said.
Chinese Group Proposes Major Garment Manufacturing Hub in Northern Myanmar
A Chinese textile group has submitted a proposal to implement an international textile manufacturing cluster project in a major town in Sagaing Region, an economic hub for Upper Myanmar, at an expected cost of more than US$370 million (493.49 billion kyats).
The World’s Rarest Turtle Has a Shot at Escaping Extinction
Conservationists confirmed that a Swinhoe’s softshell turtle found in Vietnam is female, reigniting hope for saving the species.
Mekong area looks to neighbor as it fights poverty
Bernard Kervyn, regional director of the nonprofit organization Mekong Plus in Vietnam and Cambodia, said he “would be very happy” to work with Chinese organizations to jointly promote poverty alleviation in the Mekong River basin countries.
In Laos, Reform Hopes Peter Out Into Business as Usual
The Lao communist party’s newly selected General Secretary Thongloun Sisoulith once promised change. Now he sits atop a closed and sclerotic system.
China is building border walls with Vietnam and Myanmar to keep people out, but also in
Border closures have become a key feature of the COVID-19 era, but China’s decision to reinforce border walls with its South-East Asian neighbours has stirred up fresh controversy.
Hun Sen: Lakes filled in for national developments
Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced continued operations to fill some lakes in Phnom Penh to create land for developments, though he is against the unrelated practice of damming rivers or blocking waterways.
Thailand rejects new technical report on large-scale Lao Mekong mainstream dam
Thailand called on the developer to conduct an extensive environmental impact assessment and again revise the report before the next prior consultation.
Lao govt to inspect safety of hydropower dams every five years
There are currently 78 operational hydropower plants with a combined installed capacity of 9,972 MW in Laos. According to the Lao Ministry of Energy and Mines, dam builders have to enhance safety systems, both for existing and under-construction dams.