ASEAN NOW

The Ministry of Public Works and Transport is working on a railway development strategy to modernize and improve train transportation.

Sun Chanthol, Senior Minister of Public Works and Transport, announced the approach at a meeting of the Infrastructure and Regional Integration Technical Working Group.

According to Chanthol, Cambodia's railway development strategy is in line with the country's growing transportation need.

“Rail freight traffic has expanded dramatically in recent years, and I hope to see rail freight expand in Cambodia and assist to minimizing road damage,” he said.

After the railway development strategy is completed, the ministry will submit the document to the government for final approval in the near future.

Cambodia has two railway lines: one between Phnom Penh and Banteay Meanchey, and the other connecting Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville, the country's deep-sea port.

Under the railway development investment scheme, the government granted Royal Railways, a subsidiary of the conglomerate Royal Group, the concession for management.

The ministry has also approved a feasibility study for a railway line between Phnom Penh and Bavet city in Svay Rieng province by China Railway International Group. Bavet City is located near the Vietnamese province of Tay Ninh.

According to the government, the study is now being completed.

The Cambodia Logistics Association's president, Sin Chanthy, praised the government's initiative.

“In order to build the logistics sector, we need efficient transportation infrastructure — roads, railways, and waterways,” he stated.

“Railway development is included in the national logistics master plan, therefore we expect the government and the Public Works Ministry to advance the plan soon,” Chanthy said.

According to a report commissioned by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and released in July, transportation and logistics account for around 8% of Cambodia's GDP, but existing laws have hampered expansion, making it more expensive and lowering competitiveness.

“One of the things we discovered is that logistics expenses account for around a fifth of the overall cost of every commodity sold on average in Cambodia,” said Ruben Maximiano, an OECD senior competition expert.

Cambodia's Commerce Minister is pressuring the Department of Skills to complete draft legislation to safeguard consumers, eliminate unfair competition, and combat fraud.

According to Pan Sorasak, the restrictions will improve and level the playing field in the Kingdom's trade. Officials at all levels, according to the minister, must be professional and accountable to the law. He stated that they should work with the appropriate authorities while avoiding imposing trade hurdles within the country.

Sorasak said that while a consumer protection law is being created, authorities must increase fraud investigations and inspections to prevent the selling of substandard and counterfeit items. He believes that conducting checks just after individuals have died or been harmed as a result of substandard items is insufficient.

He also stated that professional organizations should educate the public about the dangers of tainted alcohol and that laboratories should examine more samples in order to detect drinks laced with methanol.

Adulterated rice wine can harm the liver, kidneys, and brain, resulting in headaches, vomiting, breathing problems, and even loss of consciousness. According to the trade ministry, 28 individuals died from rice wine poisoning between 2016 and 2020, with more than 100 becoming ill.

Despite covid bans and lockdown measures in place throughout multiple areas, Laos recorded 60 road deaths in July.

According to a report by Lao Youth Radio, the number of traffic accidents and deaths across the country increased in July compared to June numbers.

According to the Traffic Police Department, which is part of the Ministry of Public Security, there were more traffic accidents in July than in prior months this year.

Despite numerous regions being under lockdown, 60 individuals were murdered in road accidents in July across the country, with 428 accidents documented.

According to the study, there were 102 traffic accidents in June, with 642 people injured and 726 vehicles destroyed.

Despite the lockdown, the capital of Vientiane saw the most traffic accidents, followed by the provinces of Savannakhet and Champasak.

Speeding, intoxicated driving, drivers abruptly changing directions, and general traffic violations are the leading causes of road accidents in Laos.

The majority of accidents happen on weekends, between 6:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m., and involve people aged 16 to 30.

In June, 37 people were killed in road accidents, with 326 incidents, 429 injuries, and 563 vehicles damaged, costing the Lao economy roughly LAK 4.2 billion.

Despite the second wave of Covid-19 denting the hopeful economic rebound made earlier in the year, Laos' economy is on track for somewhat increased growth in 2021.

According to the latest World Bank Economic Monitor for Lao PDR, A Path to Recovery, GDP growth would reach 3.6 percent in 2021, up from 0.5 percent in 2020.

This prediction is lower than the 4% growth anticipated in March 2021, and it is based on a number of assumptions, including economic recovery in bordering countries, increased vaccination rates across the country, and community outbreak mitigation for the rest of the year.

If the Covid-19 outbreak intensifies and strict lockdown measures remain in place, or if Laos is hit by a series of natural calamities like flooding, drought, or livestock disease outbreaks, growth might plummet much further.

Agriculture and industry are driving much of the expansion, with agricultural exports rising and power, mining, and manufacturing exports recovering from last year's trade slowdown. However, in tourism, hospitality, transportation, and other industries, lockdowns and prolonged restrictions on international travel have caused most businesses to struggle, depriving the government of a key source of revenue.

Alex Kremer, the new World Bank Country Manager, remarked, "Lao PDR is doing well to manage the coronavirus and get immunizations out to the entire population." “However, the government's options for stimulating the economy are limited by the possibility of debt problems, a weak market, and low government revenues. Reforms to encourage private investment, tax payments, and trade would be beneficial in this regard.”

According to the article, the kip's depreciation is producing inflation, which has led to concerns about food and basic goods availability. This issue is especially acute for poor individuals living in cities. The report's Impacts of Covid-19 on Businesses and Households section states that employment fell drastically in May of this year, and that over 30% of family businesses had closed since the pandemic began. According to World Bank business surveys, monthly sales plummeted by 48 percent from March to April 2021. Almost half of all businesses have experienced cash flow problems, and more than a quarter plan to go into debt in the next six months.

To mitigate the effects of the economic downturn, the research proposes that Laos accelerate business reforms and trade facilitation so that new infrastructure and trade agreements may be fully utilized. This can be accomplished by simplifying present investment regulations and procedures, improving ease of doing business, cutting transportation and logistics costs, and promoting enhanced product quality, particularly for agricultural exports.

According to the report, expanding government support programs for businesses, as well as better publicizing these programs, would help businesses stay afloat and provide vital income and revenue, while measures to encourage more Lao firms to invest in digital technologies or new delivery methods could help businesses turn crisis into opportunity.

The World Bank publishes the Lao Economic Monitor twice a year.

More than 2.6 million hectares of rainy season rice have been planted, accounting for 101.90 percent of the annual goal. By the third week of August, the country had reached this goal.

On the morning of August 20, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, Veng Sakhon, declared this on Facebook.

The statistic is notable because, according to the Minister, rainy season rice farming only achieved 94.74 percent of the yearly target during the same period last year.

During this year's early rainy seasons, the "light rice" harvest increased by 1,267,791 tonnes, a year-on-year gain of 789,151 tonnes, or roughly 4.2 tonnes per hectare on average, according to the Minister.

Drought, on the other hand, has damaged 67,942 hectares of rice crops in Banteay Meanchey, Pursat, Kandal, and Siem Reap due to a rise in temperature and a lack of rain. This equates to 2.56 percent of the country's total rice fields.

Other crops' targets, according to the Minister, are on track to meet the aim. White maize, sweet potatoes, vegetables, chili, and watermelon all met the national target of 95.66 percent. Red maize, cassava, beans, peanuts, soybeans, sesame, sugarcane, and other industrial crops have achieved 93.46 percent of the national target.

The country anticipates increased agricultural growth as the private sector is portrayed as a key role in the industry's development. Farmers are also being urged by provinces' Departments of Agriculture to switch from conventional farming methods to more efficient ones.

According to the COVID-19 Sub Committee, a Phnom Penh street has been closed for three days to examine a probable breakout of the ‘Delta' variety.

Street 144 in Daun Penh, between numbers 13 and 5, is now being inspected and will be closed for the next three days, from August 19, 2021 to August 21, 2021.

A portion of the Kandal market is included.

Quarantine is required for residents of the afflicted area for 21 days.

In Laos, health officials are in talks with a Chinese drug development business about producing vaccinations against Covid-19.

According to the Center of Information and Education for Health, this information was provided yesterday during a meeting between Lao Minister of Health, Dr. Bounfeng Phoummalaysith, and a representative of China's Stemirna Therapeutics, Mr. Ding Yuefan.

The project aims to aid Laos in its fight against the Covid-19 outbreak by making Covid-19 immunizations more accessible to Lao citizens.

Stemirna Therapeutics was formed in 2016 by a group of Chinese researchers and academics in Shanghai's Zhangjiang Drug Valley.

Stemirna Treatments is the first biotech company in China to provide mRNA therapeutics with a high-end nanoparticle formulation platform, allowing them to provide more effective healthcare and therapeutic solutions.

According to a notice issued by the Ministry of Education, the reopening of schools across the country will begin on September 1st.

According to a notice released by the Ministry of Education and Sports, general education institutions will start on September 1st across the country, including in Vientiane Capital.

General directors, teachers, and personnel in general education institutions across Laos are obliged to obtain two doses of Covid-19 vaccine before opening schools, according to the announcement.

Directors, instructors, and students must wear face masks during school hours, wash their hands with soap or sanitizer, and keep a social distance of at least one meter.

Schools that serve as state quarantine centers for Lao migrants from Thailand, as well as schools in the red zones, will be closed in September.

Schools should be ready to give teaching timetables to their instructors, as well as facilitate student registration for the current academic year, by the fourth week of this month.

Parents have been requested to participate in sending their children to school, as well as to understand and trust the school's Covid-19 prevention and control methods.

Despite the fact that schools in Vientiane Capital were supposed to start earlier, the Vientiane Capital Education and Sports Department issued a notice last week extending the closure of schools owing to fears of Covid-19 spreading throughout the capital.

After verifying 284 new cases of Covid-19 today, Laos has prolonged Covid restriction restrictions till September 2nd.

Dr. Lattanaxay Phetsouvanh, along by Government Spokesperson and Minister of the Prime Minister's Office, Madame Thippakone Chanthavongsa, led the statement by the National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control today.

Over the last 24 hours, 2,456 Covid-19 tests were performed, with 284 instances confirmed.

There were 19 cases of community spread, with two cases in Bokeo and 17 occurrences in Savannakhet.

Meanwhile, there were 265 imported cases, with 82 in Champasack, 66 in Khammouane, 63 in Savannakhet, 44 in Salavanh, seven in Vientiane Capital, one in Luang Prabang, one in Xayaboury, and one in Oudomxay.

There are now 11,313 total cases of Covid-19 in the country, including 4435 active cases.

A Cambodia Airways flight has been canceled after passengers tested positive for COVID-19, according to China's civil aviation agency.

After five passengers tested positive on the trip on August 4, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said Tuesday on its website that flight KR961 from Phnom Penh to Chengdu will be suspended for two weeks, beginning August 23.

According to the CAAC, the airline is not permitted to shift the initial flight allotment to other routes.

If the number of passengers testing positive for COVID-19 reaches five, the CAAC guideline states that flights will be suspended for two weeks.

The President of the Lao National Assembly (NA) has asked Thailand to assist Lao nationals working in Thailand in overcoming the Covid-19 dilemma.

Dr. Xaysomphone Phomvihane, the NA President, made the request via videoconference on Tuesday with Mr Chuan Leekpai, the Speaker of Thailand's lower house of Parliament.

Mr Chuan was also asked by the NA President to press concerned Thai sectors to support Lao workers, particularly in enabling their repatriation to Laos.

According to the most recent figures, around 246,000 Lao workers have returned from Thailand since the pandemic began last year, with over 150,000 expected to return in 2020.

Over the last few months, a big epidemic of Covid-19 in Thailand has resulted in the loss of numerous employment and the forced return of hundreds of Lao workers.

At least 30% of individuals who returned carried the Coronavirus, putting additional strain on Laos' efforts to prevent infection spread.

During the meeting, Dr. Xaysomphone commended Thailand for previously assisting Lao employees and for supplying medical equipment to aid Laos in its fight against the Coronavirus.

The two leaders emphasized how important it is for bilateral connections and collaboration to grow, particularly in economic relations, commerce, investment, tourism, education, and health.

The two sides committed to work together to see that agreements struck by the two countries in previous years are implemented for mutual benefit.

Dr. Xaysomphone also asked Mr. Chuan to press key sectors in Laos and Thailand to settle concerns relating to land and river border delineation between the two nations in order to assure the project's success.

Laos and Thailand have strong ties due to shared traditions, customs, culture, and language, as well as a long land and water border.

Thailand is Laos' largest investor, and the two nations have close economic and trade ties.

Since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1950, their friendship and cooperation has grown gradually, with an increasing number of successful outcomes.

The Bank of Laos (BOL) has published a public notice advising against the use of unregulated cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, which are not linked to genuine currency reserves.

While authorities have already issued a warning to the public about the use of Cryptocurrencies in 2018, many people continue to deal in digital currencies, according to the notice.

Citizens of Laos are forbidden by law from buying or selling cryptocurrencies, according to the notification, and consumers should think about the risks before investing in or buying such items.

Cryptocurrencies are not genuine money, according to the document, and should not be used to pay off debts. According to the notification, this is because cryptocurrencies do not meet the conditions for use as money and are currently unregulated in Laos.

Despite the prior warning, certain Lao businesses continue to accept cryptocurrency as payment for goods and services, as well as promote cryptocurrency investing and trade.

Authorities have warned Lao citizens against using or trading cryptocurrencies, citing the major hazards associated with them, including as their possible use in money laundering and terrorism financing.

The general public has also been warned that the currency is volatile and could be used to fund unlawful activities.

The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MOWRAM) has issued a public health notice, stating that dangerous levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation are expected to exceed level 10, the UV Index alert level.

The ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that the high level of UV radiation will last from Aug. 18 to 24, and that it will be damaging to people, animals, and plants' health.

According to the source, UV radiation will be at its greatest between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

According to the notification, MOWRAM has been closely monitoring this natural phenomenon and is urging the public to be more vigilant.

The ultraviolet index (UVI) is an international standard measurement of the level of UV radiation at a specific location and time, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The UVI scale runs from zero to one hundred; the higher the UVI, the greater the risk of skin and eye damage, and the shorter the time it takes for injury to occur. AKP

Cambodia's economy is expected to rise strongly next year as a result of the government's Covid-19 vaccine campaign.

Aun Pornmoniroth, deputy prime minister and minister of economy and finance, made the forecast during a parliamentary workshop yesterday on developing a macroeconomic policy framework and allocating public funds in the draft law on the national budget for 2022.

Khuon Sudary, the National Assembly's second vice-president, presided over the ceremony.

Pornmoniroth remembered that Cambodia's economic growth was earlier forecast at 4% in 2021, following a contraction of 3.1 percent in 2020. However, growth was reduced to 2.4 percent as a result of the February 20 incident and the Delta new variation.

“Cambodia will have 4.8 percent economic growth in 2022 because [the Kingdom] is able to recover economically quickly thanks to the drive to vaccinate people, create community immunisation, and push for a normalized society,” he stated.

Laos and Myanmar are in talks about repatriating Burmese workers from the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone.

According to the Bokeo Newspaper, officials from Bokeo Province in Laos met with colleagues from Tachilek Province in Myanmar to try to mediate the situation after laborers staged protests in the SEZ earlier this week.

During the discussions, Mr. Kheunphet Vongchan, the Deputy Provincial Governor of Bokeo, stated that laborers from Myanmar working in the SEZ had the same rights as Lao citizens, notably in terms of housing, healthcare, social welfare, and other programs.

“The second wave of Covid-19 has hit Laos, with several enterprises and industries in the SEZ going down, leaving many workers jobless and experiencing hardship,” Mr. Kheunphet said.

Mr. Khuenphet also revealed that hundreds of Myanmar laborers staged a protest in the SEZ last week, prompted by unemployment and dissatisfaction with Covid-19 prevention and control measures implemented during the SEZ's lockdown.

Mr. Kheunphet continued, "The workers demanded that they be permitted to return to their home country and refused to comply with the Covid-19 prevention and control procedures, including the Coronavirus tests and 14-day quarantine requirement before leaving Laos."

Both parties have committed to increase their collaboration and ensure that Myanmar workers continue to follow the Lao government's Covid guidelines.

Myanmar laborers, both legitimate and illegal, will be allowed to return home in the meanwhile.

They will leave the SEZ in batches of 200 and return to Myanmar.

With earnings from mining operations and reformed state firms, a total of USD 13 billion in foreign debt and USD 900 million in domestic debt will be paid off.

According to the Vientiane Times, Minister of Finance Bounchom Ubonpaseuth recently stated in the National Assembly's ninth legislative that the country expects to pay its debts over the next five years, from 2021 to 2025, and then from 2026 to 2030, using newly found revenue streams.

The administration says it would look for new sources of revenue as well as explore the potential for more revenue from the mining and energy sectors.

On Saturday, two children perished after the house they were staying in caught fire in Kampong Chhnang province's Samakki Meanchey district.

The fire started around 9 a.m. on Saturday in Por Rithikrai village, when their grandparents were out shopping and their parents went to work at the factory.

Noeun Chetra, 10, and his seven-year-old sister, Noeun Chantha, were identified as the two siblings by Samakki Meanchey district deputy governor Chhuon Channa.

“At the time of the event, neighbors tried to bang against the door to force it open to rescue them, but they were unable to break through the closed door,” Svay commune police chief Captain Chea Ron said. Suffocation has claimed the lives of the two children.”

He claimed that the people put out the fire, but that the children perished as a result.

The Laos-China Railway is set to open in early December this year, according to Laos' announcement.

Mr. Sonexay Siphandone, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning and Investment, made the statement yesterday at the 10th Laos-China Railway Project Construction Committee Meeting in Vientiane Capital, according to Pasaxon Newspaper.

Mr. Viengsavath Siphandone, Minister of Public Works and Transport, escorted him to the meeting.

Deputy Prime Minister Sonexay stated, "The Laos-China Railway will be completed in November and open and ready for usage by Laos National Day on December 2."

Mr. Sonexay Siphandone continued, "The construction of the Laos-China Railway Project is a key national project and is part of the Belt and Road program, which passes through Laos."

Authorities are currently working to resolve a few last-minute difficulties, such as compensating those who have been harmed by the Laos-China railway project and dealing with locations where the railway crosses roadways.

The Ministry of Public Works and Transport has requested clearance for compensation of more than LAK 465 billion for persons impacted by the Laos-China railway project this year.

For Lao migrant laborers returning from Thailand, the Lao government has spent about LAK 15.82 billion on food, transportation, and other requirements.

Ms. Baykham Khattiya, the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, stated during the first special session of the ninth legislature last week that the Lao government had spent more than LAK 15.82 billion since March 2020 on aiding Lao returnees.

Minister Baykham stated, "The Lao government has worked with the Thai government to ensure that both legal and undocumented Lao employees can return to Laos during the new wave of Covid-19 in Thailand."

“Since March of last year, authorities have set up a huge number of state quarantine centers across the country to accommodate Lao workers who want to return home,” she said.

In order to aid certain returnees who want to work in Laos, authorities continue to collect information and collaborate with key sectors, particularly the Lao National Chamber of Commerce.

Returnees are also sought after by domestic and foreign investment projects, as well as Special Economic Zones, which today require over 6,000 personnel.

As thousands of migrant workers return home from Thailand, where employment opportunities are limited and medical treatment is inadequate, Laos has experienced an increase in instances of Covid-19.

More than 15% of Lao laborers returning from Thailand have been discovered to be infected with Covid-19, according to Deputy Minister Sanong Thongsana.

In Laos, the total number of cases has now surpassed 10,000.

More than 300 people were arrested for meeting in defiance of Royal Government bans against gatherings of more than 15 people at a time.

The Covid-19 virus was found in 385 men and women who were detained and tested.

The arrest occurred on the evening of August 15 at Borey Raksmey, Sangkat Roka Knoung, Daun Keo City, Takeo, according to the police.

The persons had assembled, according to the police, for a meeting with Unicity, a company that sells ‘nutritional' items and has previously been suspected of being an MLM (Multi Level Marketing) scheme.

Two Unicity employees were recently arrested in Kampong Speu province for allegedly attempting to encourage individuals to borrow money in order to participate in the Unicity scheme.

People congregating is a blatant breach of administrative procedures and the Ministry of Health.

All of the folks have been relocated in eight different apartment buildings and are awaiting medical testing.