- Japan grants US$3 million for human resource development scholarships
The Japanese government is providing about US$3 million to the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) through grant aid to Laos. An agreement on the project was signed in Vientiane on Thursday between the Director General of the International Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ms Sisomboun Ounavong, and the Chief Representative of the JICA Laos Office, Mr Toshio Nagase, witnessed by officials from the Ministry of Education and Sports and other ministries.Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ms Sisomboun said the main objective of the project was to ....More >>>

- Fuel shortage soon to be resolved, govt says 
The government says the fuel crisis will be resolved in the near future as it will provide Thai baht and US dollars to fuel importers by authorising additional foreign currency payments to oil companies so they can import more fuel.
The announcement came after several emergency meetings in recent days to find solutions to the fuel shortage.
Importers need at least US$100 million each month to buy enough fuel for the country and, in the short-term, the government will seek to provide up to US$60 million. The government is increasing monetary reserves from 30 percent to 40 percent of demand and continuing to ....More >>>

- Govt takes steps to withdraw excess vehicles from leaders 
A number of vehicles are expected to be withdrawn from Party and state leaders as well as senior officials after action has been taken to retrieve surplus cars in accordance with a new regulation. Authorities in charge of the matter met on Tuesday to review the implementation of government decree No. 599 issued in September last year on the regulation of state vehicles. The decree cut the number of vehicles provided to top-four level leaders, while lower-rank officials were no longer allocated an individual vehicle as before. However, the exact number of vehicles that have been withdraw is not yet known because figures are ....More >>>