Locals push back

Wichan Khantuwarn, 65, a native of Trat, has felt uneasy since he learned of the government’s decision to set up special economic zones (SEZs) and name the small, easternmost province as one of 10 designated areas. Local people have also voiced concerns that the environment and ecology in Khlong Yai will worsen because of the SEZ.

Myanmar seeks over $100m for Asean connectivity project

Myanmar’s Construction Ministry is seeking the parliamentary approval for a US$120 million loan to upgrade the Kawkareik-Mawlamyine-Thaton Road, a part of the Greater Mekong East-West Economic Corridor. It plans to borrow US$100 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and $20 million from the bank’s Asean Infrastructure Fund.

Over 23,000 Shan State Residents Sign Petition Against Salween Dams

Sai Aw Shan community representatives who organised a petition opposing the construction of the Mong Ton (Tasang) Dam on the Salween (Thanlwin) River have collected the signatures of 23,717 Shan State citizens. The petition was delivered to the Yangon office of the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation (SMEC), the Australian consulting firm responsible for conducting environmental […]

NGO’s plan for ethical land eviction of riverside community

The garbage-strewn, riverside area that contains Chrang Chamres commune may be unsightly, but the local Cham community fears that a future away from their niche in Phnom Penh’s far north would be far worse.

“If our houses are destroyed, how much will the government compensate us?” said Him Tola, deputy chief of the commune’s Chrang Chamres I village.