New areas of cooperation including Mekong development, infrastructure, culture, public health security, agricultural innovations, cyber security, start-ups for young entrepreneurs and digital innovation are on the agenda. More specifically in the case of the Mekong-US Partnership, Thailand can serve as bridge for all donors and recipients.
Category: Thailand
Thailand a smuggling transit hub
Police on Saturday revealed wildlife trafficking gangs are smuggling monkeys out of the country to be served as exotic dishes abroad by using Thailand as a transit point.
Mekong depth set to dip
The National Water Command Centre (NWCC) also issued a warning to provinces along the Mekong River to brace for sharp drops in water levels, as the dam’s operator slashed its discharge rate to 1,854 cubic metres (m³) per second, from 2,525m³, on Friday and Saturday.
Thailand aims at pandemic risks by fighting wildlife trade
Thailand is ramping up efforts to curb trade in wildlife to help reduce the risk of future pandemics, officials said Thursday, though it was unclear whether that would mean an end to all such sales in the wildlife trafficking hub.
Thailand’s gold panners blame Mekong dams in China, Laos as fortune dries up
“I used to find pieces of gold the size of a tamarind seed,’ says Rodjana Thepwong, 64. ‘Now there are only tiny amounts.” I
Park dwellers’ prosecution likely to be delayed
The villagers argued they had lived there for generations until being evicted by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plantation (DNP) more than a decade ago.
HRW, NGOs Call on Thai Firm to Back off on Myanmar Oil Deals
“By expanding business ties with the Myanmar military as it carries out a bloody crackdown, the Thai state-owned PTT has shown little regard for the lives and freedom of Myanmar’s people,” said Shayna Bauchner, an Asia researcher for the watchdog group.
Andaman coast to make UNESCO bid
The nomination process involves the inclusion of the Andaman Marine Protected Areas on Thailand’s tentative list, which will later be presented to the World Heritage Center
Save big cities in Asia from sinking
In Southeast Asia, Jakarta and Bangkok are sinking fast. In fact, Bangkok, located 0.5–2 metres above sea level, is sinking at a rate of 2–3 centimetres each year. It is predicted that a large part of the capital city will be underwater by 2030, 2050, or the conservative estimate of 2100.
Megaprojects threaten water justice for local communities
The study, published in the journal Cities, focussed on the Phu My Hung project in Vietnam, the Amarapura project in Myanmar and Boeung Kak Lake in Cambodia, and is the result of Dr Hawken’s engagement with recent calls from the United Nations for greater accountability in megaprojects globally.