WEEKLY NEWS DIGEST
Curating news, commentary and resources on development, its environmental and social impacts, and the context affecting the Mekong Region
MEKONG DEVELOPMENT
Cleaning up our act
Asean makes a new push to deal with its world-beating marine plastic waste problem. By Ismira Lutfia Tisnadibrata in Jakarta
CAMBODIA
Pou Sothirak on protecting the Mekong and powering Cambodia
Cambodian academic and former politician Pou Sothirak talks about conservation, safeguarding the Mekong and Cambodia’s potential to transition to solar energy
LAOS
Fifth Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge four percent complete
The brides across the Mekong will link Beung Kan Province in northeastern Thailand to Paksan, Bolikhamxay Province in Laos, Construction of the project began in August 2019 funded by a loan from Thailand’s Economic Cooperation Program and the Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation.
Myanmar
Myanmar junta’s solar tender unlikely to rejuvenate foreign investment
Fitch Solutions believes that the Myanmar military government’s solar project push, the first attempt at stimulating foreign investment since the coup, will not succeed and will do little to turn the gloomy economic situation around.
Thailand
Thailand delays plastic scrap import ban for five years
It seems a compromise solution has been agreed, whereby the ban will come in within five years, but the definition of what constitutes permitted import of plastic scrap has been tightened.
Vietnam
Mekong Delta province to plant 10 million trees in five years
Of the 10 million trees to be grown, more than 8.2 million trees will scatter in urban and rural areas while nearly 1.8 million others covering more than 369ha will concentrate in protection and commercial forests. They include woody, perennial, and multi-purpose trees and others of the mangrove forest, with priority given to indigenous species.