News

Laos aims to build Mekong dam this year, testing neighbours

11 September 2011
The Nation
Energy / Environment and natural resources / Social development / The poor
Abhisit Government / Ame Trandem / Bali / Burma / Cambodia / Ch Karnchang Pic / Chinese aid / construction / dam / director-general / Electricite du Laos / Electricity Generating Plc / energy / environmental groups / executive vice president / Fishing / Hanoi / Hillary Clinton / hydropower / International Rivers / Laos / Mekong Delta / Mekong river / Mekong River Commission / Ministry of Energy and Mines’ Department of Electricity / Poyry / Poyry Energy AG / PTT Plc / rice growers / rice production / sea levels / Southeast Asia program director / Southern Vietnam / Supamas Trivisvavet / Thai Stock Exchange / Thai-financed / Thailand / Tonle Sap lake / US Secretary of State / Viraphonh Viravong / Xayaburi

Laos wants to start construction this year on the $3.8 billion (Bt115 billion) Thai-financed Xayaburi hydropower plant on the Mekong River after changing the design of the dam to placate neighbouring countries opposed to the project. Laos completed a review of the dam recently to ease ...

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/Laos-aims-to-build-Mekong-dam-this-year-testing-ne-30164984.html

Rice Scheme Will Hurt Thais and Help Vietnam

5 September 2011
The Nation
Economy and commerce
Ammar / Burma / Cambodia / CEO of CP Intertrade / consumers / Deputy Prime Minister / Exporters / Farmers / global market / Kittiratt na Ranong / Pakistan / rice / rice pledging / rice pledging policy / Rice Policy / rice production / rice trade / Siamwalla / Sumeth Laomoraphorn / taxpayers / Thai Government / Thailand / Thailand Development Research Institute / US

Thailand–Consumers face prospect of high prices, low quality rice from Burma, Cambodia: TDRI. While consumers and taxpayers will suffer from the government’s controversial rice policy, Vietnam will substantially gain, the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) has warned. Ammar Siamwalla, a prominent economist, yesterday asked the ...

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/09/05/business/Rice-scheme-will-hurt-Thais-and-help-Vietnam-30164507.html

Region’s links crucial

5 August 2011
The Phnom Penh Post
Economy and commerce / Industries / Tourism
Burma / Cambodia / Chinese aid / Cooperation / Economic growth / GDP / Global Economic Crisis / GMS Railway Coordination Office / Greater Mekong Subregion Ministerial Conference / Infrastructure / Laos / Ministers / Myanmar / Phnom Penh / Rail link / Thailand / Tourism / Transportation links

Improved transportation links will assist further economic growth in the region, as Cambodia’s economy continues to improve, officials said yesterday. Ministers from Cambodia as well as China, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar met yesterday at the 17th Greater Mekong Subregion Ministerial Conference held in Phnom ...

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011080550888/Business/regions-links-crucial.html

Economic Plan for Mekong Region Gets Finalized

5 August 2011
The Cambodia Daily
Economy and commerce
ADB / AIDS / Asian Development Bank (ADB) / Burma / Cambodia / Cham Prasidh / Chhen Kimlong / Chinese aid / Education gap / HIV / Human resource development / Infrastructure projects / Laos / Mekong region / Ministerial meeting / Ministry of Commerce / Obstacles / Peace Palace / Phnom Penh / Putu Kamayana / Rural development / Thailand / Trade expansion / University of Cambodia

Ministers from the six Mekong region nations concluded a two-day meeting yesterday in which they solidified plans for an economic strategy that would span a decade and require billions in investment. Speaking at Phnom Penh’s Peace Palace at the annual ministerial meeting, Minister of Commerce ...

More competition from Thai millers

3 August 2011
The Phnom Penh Post
Agriculture and fishing / Economy and commerce
ASEAN / Battambang Province Rice Millers Association / Burma / Cambodia / Chan Nora / Chan Vuthy / Charoen Laothamatas / Exporters / Farmers / Free-trade agreement / Ministry of Commerce / Ngi Lyheng / Price Hike / rice / Rice Millers / Thai Rice Exporters Association Vice / Thailand / Yingluck Shinawatra

Thai government proposals to pay above market prices to rice farmers could complicate Cambodia’s goal of becoming a major milled rice exporter, according to industry insiders. Pheu Thai party leader Yingluck Shinawatra has announced plans to buy rough rice for a guaranteed price of 15,000 ...

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011080350827/Business/more-competition-from-thai-millers.html

Power Grid Key to Development

1 August 2011
The Cambodia Daily
Aid and development / Asian Development Bank (ADB) / Economy and commerce / Energy / Energy policy and administration / Environment and natural resources / Generation and distribution facilities / Multilateral development assistance
ADB / Asian Development Bank (ADB) / Burma / Cambodia / Chinese aid / Environmental Ministers / Environmental Programs / Greater Mekong Subregion / Infrastructure / Laos / Mekong river / Myanmar / Power Generation / power grid / rural / Thailand

According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) the regional and national power grids are key to development, though plans for their development have come under criticism by a number of NGOs who believe that power generation should be decentralized. The ADB’s Greater Mekong Subregion program ...

Environment Minister Defends Concessions

29 July 2011
The Cambodia Daily
Aid and development / Asian Development Bank (ADB) / Economic land concessions and plantations / Environment and natural resources / Environmental and biodiversity protection / Multilateral development assistance / Protected areas / Protected forest
ADB / agro-farm business / Asian Development Bank (ADB) / Burma / Cambodia / Chinese aid / Environment Minister / Environmental Protection / Forests / Greater Mekong Subregion / Javed Hssain / Koh Kong Province / Laos / Mok Mareth / Thailand

Environment Minister Mok Mareth yesterday defended the recent surge of economic land concessions granted by his ministry inside the country’s enviornmental conservation areas, saying that they would do more to help the areas than hurt them. Mr Mareth’s comments came while responding to questions at ...