Category: Region
Selected environmental stories from media outlets in the Mekong region and beyond.
Why the Mekong matters
China’s growing influence – through its new multilateral institution – is reshaping the environmental and economic future of Southeast Asia
Bureaucratic Chaos Rife in Hours Before Laos Dam Burst
Government ill-equipped to handle the emergency, with notices going up and down the chain of command, redundant communications and general confusion about when to start evacuations.
Disruptive technology could cost Thai jobs
Even if the Thailand 4.0 initiative is successful, its economic benefits would be rather limited. The Thai economy would only expand at 3.1 percent while millions of jobs could be lost.
Activists Claim Chinese Investment Fueling Land Disputes in Cambodia
Yu Veasna, a land rights activist from Sihanoukville, said Chinese investors in the area had encroached on the Prek Toub lake in the town, which was the main water source for the local community.
Incentives needed to attract investment in special economic zones
A recent survey suggests that Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand have also established SEZs and are offering greater incentives than Laos.
China pushing further for Cambodian coastal investment
Despite fears raised by residents over the recent influx of its nationals, an official from the Asian giant on Monday said President Xi Jinping is pushing for further investment in the coastal area.
‘After my release, I want to protect the environment even more’
In Cambodia, the large-scale, unchecked exploitation of natural resources such as land, timber and minerals has long had heavy impacts on the environment, and has prompted environmental activists and affected communities to campaign against the companies involved.