International Workers’ Day celebrations were held all over Rangoon and among migrant communities in Thailand on Thursday, with migrant workers calling for better labour rights and minimum wage.

Hundreds walked the notorious Hellfire Pass on Friday to commemorate Australian soldiers conscripted to build Japan’s “Death Railway” from Bangkok to Rangoon during WWII.

To mark the International Day of Action for Rivers, 14 March, several coordinated demonstrations sprung up along the channel, with locals from all over Burma uniting to demand suspension of the six dams planned for the Salween, one of the last and longest free-flowing rivers in the world.

Human Rights Watch has written to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, heavily criticizing the UN invitation to involve the Burmese army in future international peacekeeping missions.

The arraignment of two journalists based in southern Thailand has been postponed following pleas from rights advocates that charges be dropped.

DVB Interview International spoke to Ambassador Yang Houlan about Chinese investment in the country, local development projects, and China’s involvement in the peace process.