Myanmar, the General and their EV dream

13 Sept 23:51 Key points summarised by AI

Myanmar's military government launched an ambitious plan to promote Electric Vehicle (EV) adoption by implementing tax-free imports and establishing a dedicated task force.
The initiative faces severe criticism and practical challenges, primarily due to Myanmar's chronic electricity shortages, which result in daily planned and unplanned power outages nationwide.
Despite lower purchase prices for EVs due to tax exemptions, significant obstacles remain, including a lack of charging infrastructure, high battery replacement costs, and concerns over warranty and spare parts availability.

Government to start building Chainat-Pasak-Gulf water diversion canal next year

Today 14:58 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's government will launch the "Chainat-Pasak-Gulf" water diversion canal project in fiscal year 2027, a seven-year mega-infrastructure initiative.
This permanent structural solution aims to mitigate recurrent central plains flooding by diverting water from the Chao Phraya River directly into the Gulf of Thailand, significantly reducing flow to major cities like Ayutthaya and Bangkok.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul justifies the long-term investment as a means to reduce future damages and fiscal burdens, contrasting it with the 40-50 billion baht spent annually on short-term flood relief.
Concurrently, the Prime Minister instructed officials to expand drainage capacity into the Tha Chin River and swiftly remove water hyacinths to improve immediate flood management.