Thai government calls on people to donate for Lao victims of dam break
Thai government calls all people to donate for Lao victims of dam break
The government of Thailand on July 30 called on all Thai people to donate cash or relief items to survivors of the dam collapse in Attapeu province, southern Laos, which occurred last week.
Transporting food aid to flooded areas in Laos after the dam collapse (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The government of Thailand on July30 called on all Thai people to donate cash or relief items to survivors of the dam collapsein Attapeu province, southern Laos, which occurred last week.
The country’s Ministry of Interior has instructed all 76provinces to set updonation centers to receive cash or material donations which will be sent toAttapeu where the Sepien-Senamnoi hydropower dam burst.
Theministry urged people to donate goods of good quality and will not break ordamage during the delivery process, saying that the shipments of the donatedgoods will continue until the flooding situation in Laos improves.
Meanwhile,Thai company Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Pcl, one of the damconstructors, said in a statement that it had given an initial assistance of1.3 billion LAK (154,000 USD) to Laos.
TheElectricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) also provided relief forabout 3,000 Lao villagers displaced by the disaster. These items included 500bottles of clean water, 500 survival kits and 2 million THB (59,000 USD) incash.
On July 25, Thai PrimeMinister General Prayut Chan-o-cha met with Lao Ambassador Seng Soukhathivong todonate 5 million THB (147,000 USD) for the Lao victims while a total of 1.4million THB donated by Thai firms and people in Laos has been also sent to theLao Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare.
The Sepien-Senamnoi hydropower dam collapsed at 8:00pm onJuly 23, causing massive flooding which completely isolated six villages inSanamxay district of Attapeu province.
Some 587 families with 3,060 people were reportedly made homeless, while morethan 100 people were still unaccounted for.
The 410 MW capacity hydropower plant is being constructed by theSepien-Senamnoi Power Company (PNPC), which is a joint-venture of SKEngineering and Construction (SK E&C) and Korea Western Power (KOWEPO) fromthe Republic of Korea, Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding (RATCH) fromThailand, and Lao Holding State Enterprise (LHSE).
Construction of the project, which is estimated to cost 1.02 billion USD, beganin February 2013 and commercial operations were expected to begin thisyear.–VNA
The Lao government on July 24 declared Sanamxay district in Attapeu province an emergency disaster zone after the collapse of the Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam flooded the district.
Local firm CMVietnam has expressed its readiness to partner with its major contractor, Korean SK Engineering & Construction, and Lao authorities in the search and rescue efforts following the collapse of the Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam in the Lao province of Attapeu on July 23.
Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan has sent a message of condolences to her Lao counterpart Pany Yathotou over the collapse of the Xe Pian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam in Attapeu, Laos on July 23.
Laos authorities have been making every effort to search for missing people after the collapse of the Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam in Attapeu province’s Sanamxay district of Laos on July 23.
As of midday on July 27, search teams had rescued 72 families with 413 people from flooded areas caused by the collapse of the Sepien-Senamnoi hydropower dam in Attapeu province’s Sanamxay district, in Laos.
Total trade between Indonesia and New Zealand in the first half of 2025 reached 963.23 million USD, an increase of 21.56% compared to 792.39 million USD in the same period last year. Of this amount, Indonesia's exports to New Zealand totaled 374.89 million USD, while imports 588.35 million USD
Malaysia, as ASEAN 2025 Chair, marked the bloc’s 58th founding anniversary on August 8 with a vibrant celebration in Cyberjaya, blending an official ceremony with a colorful cultural festival.
Vietnam plays an important role in Southeast Asia’s economic growth and is a key partner of her country in realising the shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region, said Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary of Office of Southeast Asia (OSA) – Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
The 2025 ASEAN Business Community Development (ABCD) Forum, themed “Empowering ASEAN's Next Leap: Digital, Sustainable & Entrepreneurial Transformation” brought together ministers, CEOs, and top industry experts to discuss key regional economic priorities.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Transporting food aid to flooded areas in Laos after the dam collapse (Photo: VNA) 
