BBC: Burmese refugees sold on by Thai officials

Published on Jan 24, 2013 by Luke Hunt

FAR EAST CORRESPONDENT — An investigation by the BBC has revealed that Thai officials have been selling boat people from Burma to human traffickers. Thousands of Muslim Rohingya have fled to sea in recent months after deadly communal violence in Rakhine State, with many heading east across the Andaman Sea to Thailand. Read more from Jonah Fisher at the BBC. .

Lao Called on Xayaburi

Published on Jan 23, 2013 by Luke Hunt

FAR EAST CORRESPONDENT — Vietnam and Cambodia have finally found their voice. After months of obfuscating their position on the Lao government’s insistence on constructing the Xayaburi Dam and blocking the main stream of the Mekong River, leaders from both countries have pushed diplomatic niceties to the side and finally tackled Vientiane on the issue. Read more in The Diplomat. .

Where’s Sombath? Ask Laos …

Published on Jan 21, 2013 by Luke Hunt

FAR EAST CORRESPONDENT — Rarely the centre of regional media attention, Laos is more often associated with being “tiny” and “land-locked” but this week the Southeast Asian nation has been forced to perform some diplomatic acrobatics to manage a growing storm around the disappearance of activist Sombath Somphone. Read more from Rob O’Brien in Asian Correspondent.     .

Seized Wildlife Trapped

Published on Jan 20, 2013 by Luke Hunt

FAR EAST CORRESPONDENT — The death of an elephant taken in a raid on a private elephant park in Kanchanaburi province in April last year highlights the strain on state agencies charged with taking custody of seized wildlife. The female elephant and 18 others were taken after park owners failed to provide proper identification documents and turned over to the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre in Lampang province to await legal proceedings. Read more from Tunya Sukpanich in Spectrum. .

Bears Win Reprieve

Published on Jan 18, 2013 by Luke Hunt

FAR EAST CORRESPONDENT — A wildlife sanctuary dedicated to bears rescued from bile farms has won a reprieve from the Vietnamese government following a high profile campaign aimed at countering a bid to have the area handed over for private development. The decision was a sorely needed victory for animal rights campaigners and commonsense given the sanctuary was built after an agreement with the government was struck four years ago. Read more in The Diplomat. .