Le 4 Mai 2002

• Mekong River: Activists oppose reef-clearing effort -- Blasting could start here next month (Bangkok Post) --Environmentalists are stepping up efforts to block an operation by Thailand, China, Burma and Laos to clear reefs in the Mekong river for commercial navigation. The Southeast Asia Rivers Networks is to take a field trip to
• ASEAN: Call to boost military ties to enhance trust -- Surayud: Diplomatic relations not enough (Bangkok Post) --Laos, for example, kept its distance from Thailand after an attack on a Lao checkpoint opposite Ubon Ratchathani two years ago. "Lao leaders are reluctant to forge closer relations. We are 'intruders' in economic & social

Le 3 mai  2002

• Hard to win Laos' trust: Army chief (The Nation or BBC MS/FT) --Years of attempting to improve relations with military officials in neighboring Laos, which has cultural affinities with Thailand, had proven fruitless, while relations with some of Thailand's former enemies such as Vietnam were
• Viet Health Ministry grants medical equipment to southern Laos (Vietnam NA)--Vietnam's Consul General in Pakse, Champassak province, Nguyen Van Quy has granted a batch of 70 patient beds & 70 stainless steel chests to the Polyclinic of the Lao southern province of Attopeu as a gift from
• Vietnam, Laos exchange experiences in ideological and political work (Vietnam NA)
  Senior officials of the Lao Propaganda & Training Board have discussed with leaders of Vietnam's central provinces about ideological & political work, Party history study & education. The discussions were made during
• Asean-China tariff cuts likely next year -- Initial round may follow Afta model (Bangkok Post or backup) --Asean members expect to enter the first stage of tariff reductions, under a planned Asean-China Free Trade Area, by early next year... Asean economic officials are scheduled to discuss the plan with Chinese
• S'pore PM wants ASEAN to speed trade links - paper (Reuters/Yahoo! Asia)--Singapore PM Goh Chok Tong wants ASEAN to hasten free trade links with other regional blocs to unlock the markets of the world's larger economies... The export-driven city state has long been a zealot for more open markets
• Singapore voices impatience over ASEAN on trade links (AFP/Yahoo! Singapore)--Singapore PM Goh Chok Tong in remarks published Fri. voiced impatience over the ASEAN for being slow in building trade links outside of the regional bloc. Goh, whose country has been spearheading free trade agreements
• Shooting rabbits and picking flowers (Columbia Star)--Linda and I had been planning to travel overland through mainland South-east Asia – Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Now that peace has come to the area, it is possible to take local transportation throughout

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