Vientiane (VNA) – The Lao Party and State want to do the utmost to ease the impactಌ of the prolonged droughts and salinity in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, Lao Minister of🦋 Energy and Mines Khammany Inthirath told the Vietnam News Agency in an interview.
Laos started releasing water from its dam to help the lower Mekong River basin, including Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region, mitigate the impacts of prolonged drought on March 23, according to the Minister.
The country is discharging a volume of 1,136 cubic metres per second from its four irrigational reservoirs to the lower Mekong River basin between March 23 and the end of May, the Minister said.
He pointed out that drought is also threatening Laos, saying that the level of water in the Mekong River passing through Vientiane has dropped to the lowest in the past 20 years.
Director of Nam Ngum 1 hydro power plant Buavanh Chansavath said the plant is releasing water around the clock, and the discharge of water will continue through May 30.
Drought and salinisation have seriously affected the lives of people in 10 out of Vietnam’s 13 Mekong Delta provinces, with nearly 160,000 hectares of rice damaged and destroyed by the phenomenon since the end of last year.
Currently, China and Thailand are also supplying 2,254 cubic metres and 220 cubic metres per second, respectively, to the lower Mekong River basin, raising the total water discharge to the area to 3,610 cubic metres per second.
The water is expected to arrive in the Mekong Delta in the first week of April 2016.-VNA
Despite a larger scale of plantation, winter-spring rice crops grown in the south are estimated to yield just over 11.36 million tonnes of rice, a decrease of 190,000 tonnes compared with last year.
Laos is releasing water from its dams to the Mekong River to help Vietnam cope with drought and salt intrusion in the Mekong Delta, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on March 25.
The World Bank will provide a 2.1 billion USD financing package for Indonesia, focusing oncreating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing access to clean energy across the country.
Member states also reviewed progress on six priority areas for 2025, including the development of an underground cable framework, the follow-up agreement to the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA), the launch of the ASEAN Energy Efficiency Database, and the rollout of an investment platform for sustainable building initiatives.
In March, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met with Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali and said Thailand would commission a feasibility study into hosting a Grand Prix on a Bangkok street circuit from 2028.
The proposed giant sea wall aligns with bilateral cooperation and has been designated a national priority, considering that several regions in Indonesia are experiencing land subsidence of 10–15 centimetres per year.
International flights were cancelled including Jetstar and Virgin Australia flights to cities across Australia, and flights of Air India, Air New Zealand, Singapore's TigerAir and China's Juneyao Airlines.
The partnership aims to strengthen collaboration in the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources, including gold, copper, and manganese, as well as in the development of steel, aluminum, and renewable energy industries.
The Thai cabinet has approved a seven-year EV bus leasing scheme proposed by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) for the capital, with an estimated cost of 15.35 billion THB (over 470 million USD).
Aircraft are prohibited from flying below 6,000 metres in the vicinity of the volcano, and should also remain alert to the presence of volcanic ash, which can disrupt flights.
Laos declared the transfer of the press management functions of five key media agencies and associated personnel to the Propaganda and Training Board of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee.
Univers said in a statement that the new centre will serve as a hub for innovation, bringing together digital intelligence and climate ambition to accelerate Sarawak's transition toward a low-carbon, tech-enabled economy.
The target is to be completely free from plastic waste within two years. This can only be achieved if all parties implement the initiative with strong discipline.
Indonesia is taking new steps to improve protections for fishery workers, amid concerns over low wages, harsh working conditions, and limited access to social welfare.
The 2025 ASEAN- the Republic of Korea (RoK) Connectivity Forum that opened in Jakarta on June 17 reaffirmed a shared commitment to shaping a connected, resilient future by advancing the ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan.
The desk will serve as a service centre providing market intelligence, business licensing guidance, facilitating business cooperation, identifying potential investment projects, and harmonising regulatory policies between the two parties.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim noted that the Asia-Pacific region accounted for half of global energy consumption and 60% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2024. Despite this, regional countries, including eight of ten ASEAN member states, remain committed to climate goals, including net-zero emissions and tripling global renewable capacity by 2030.
The new halal cooperation arrangement will streamline halal certification and product assurance processes, making it easier for New Zealand exporters to access the Indonesian market.
Illustrative photo (Source: VNA)
