ADB brings bicycle sharing to ASEAN
November 9, 2012 by TTRweekly Staff
Filed under Mekong Region, News, Pacific
MANILA, 9 November 2012: Asian Development Bank and the Government of Japan, Thursday, formally launched a bicycle-sharing scheme which will be tested in three cities in ASEAN.
Based on the success of the test phase, the scheme could be adopted across the Asia Pacific region.
Davao in the Philippines and Vientiane in Lao People’s Democratic Republic have been selected as demonstration sites, while the third yet to be identified city will be in Indonesia. The cities were selected after consultations with local, national and international stakeholders.
ADB identifies transport shortcomings.
October 26, 2012 by TTRweekly Staff
Filed under Myanmar, News, Transport
NAY PYI TAW, MYANMAR, 26 October 2012: Myanmar’s broken and neglected transport sector needs a top-to-bottom overhaul to prepare for an expected boom in demand for quality roads, railways, airports and transport services in coming years, says a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) study.
“For the benefits of Myanmar’s anticipated growth to reach people in all corners of the country, its network of roads, railways, inland waterways and airports will need a coordinated path to improvement,” said ADB Transport and Communications Division in the Southeast Asia Department director, James Lynch.
“This is vital not only for the country’s development, from the cities to the remote rural areas, but also to transform the country into a land bridge linking Southeast Asia and South Asia.”
Central Asia ministers meet in China
October 25, 2012 by TTRweekly Staff
Filed under News, South Asia
WUHAN, PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, 25 October 2012: Ministers from 10 nations spanning the Caucasus, Central, East, and South Asia will gather here, 29-31 October, to discuss how to boost connectivity and cooperation in their region through to 2020.
Discussions will focus on development of road, railways and cross border connections to ease trade and transport through the region. In directly it will ultimately make the region more accessible for tourism expansion.
The meeting marks the 11th gathering of the ministers of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan under the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Programme.
Legal status haunts Mekong office
June 13, 2012 by Don Ross
Filed under Mekong Region, News, Thailand
CHIANG RAI, 13 June 2012: The annual Mekong Tourism Forum kicked of Tuesday evening at a welcome dinner hosted at the town’s Mae Fah Luang Arts and Cultural Park.
Chiang Rai province’s governor, Tanin Subhasaen welcomed around 200 delegates and representatives from the Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the official host of the MTF this year.
The forum’s Thursday session will focus on the emerging role Myanmar will play in regional tourism following the lifting of sanctions and the introduction of reforms after national elections earlier this year.
Japan pledges aid to Mekong
April 25, 2012 by AFP
Filed under Mekong Region, News
TOKYO, 25 April 2012: Japan said earlier this week it has pledged US$7.4 billion in aid over three years to help five Mekong states, in an attempt at fostering development in a resource-rich region also being courted by China.
“The stability and prosperity of East Asia will not be possible without the stability and prosperity of the Mekong region,” Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda told a press conference following a summit in Tokyo.
“The Japanese government will recognise the Mekong region as a significant destination of assistance and continue its cooperation strongly.”
TOLL suspends train ops in Cambodia
March 22, 2012 by TTRweekly Staff
Filed under Cambodia, News
MANILA, 22 March 2012: Toll Group of Australia and Royal Group of Cambodia (Toll Royal Railways) have decided to suspend all train operations in Cambodia for one year beginning this April according to an Asian Development Bank statement released Tuesday.
Last year’s heavy flooding caused construction delays and there are delays in land acquisition, resettlement and equipment mobilisation processes due to local community protests and objections to rail project.
Despite the delays the southern rail line linking Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville Autonomous Port should be ready for cargo traffic, this October, while the line from Phnom Penh to Bat Deung in Kampong Speu province is expected to be completed this May.
Cambodia crack down on charities
PHNOM PENH, 23 August 2011 – The Asian Development Bank on Friday defended two land rights organisations in Cambodia that have been rapped by the government for criticising an ADB-funded railway redevelopment project.
The attacks on the two groups, who monitor the relocation of families living near the railway tracks, come as the government is preparing a controversial law to regulate the activities of campaigners and charity workers.
“ADB views recent developments with the utmost seriousness,” the bank said in a statement after the local Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT) charity was slapped with a five-month suspension and international group Bridges Across Borders Cambodia (BABC) was given a government warning over a critical report. Read more
Asia resilient to global slowdown
SINGAPORE, 23 August 2011 – Asia’s economic growth will likely be hurt by the slowdown in the United States and Europe, but the impact should be minimal, the Asian Development Bank said Tuesday.
ADB chief economist Changyong Rhee said the development institution is expected to slash its economic growth forecast for Asia’s developing economies this year and next.
“Definitely, it’s going to slow down and we have already started to see some slowdown in exports from Asia,” he told journalists in Singapore. Read more
Fears over Myanmar deep-sea port plan
YANGON, 13 June 2011 – Mechanical diggers on the pristine beaches near the sleepy fishing town of Dawei are a sign that change is coming to the remote corner of Myanmar — but not necessarily for the better.
The area has been chosen for a vast port complex that is the latest example of how foreign investment from Asian allies like China and Thailand is transforming the military-dominated nation despite western sanctions.
Some believe the 10-year, US$8 billion Dawei Development Project, led by a Thai industrial giant, Ital Thai Group could invigorate the country’s impoverished economy and revolutionise regional trade.
Third friendship bridge nears completion
June 7, 2011 by Wanwisa Ngamsangchaikit
Filed under News, Thailand
BANGKOK, 7 June 2011 – Thailand’s Highways Department reported last week that construction of the third Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, 8 km north of Nakhon Phanom’s town centre, should open for traffic 11 November.
The department’s bridge construction bureau confirmed work on the bridge and support roads, both in Thailand and Laos, was 89.15% compete and around 4.38% ahead of the construction schedule.
Once open, heavy goods vehicles and tankers will by-pass Nakhon Phanom entirely, which should ease traffic in the centre of this riverside town.
