Asean Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Five-year GMS environmental agenda endorsed
Environment ministers from the six member countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) endorsed a five-year environmental agenda that includes more than US$540 million (16.9 billion baht) worth of priority…
— Bangkok Post
Democratic conditions ‘fall sharply’ in Asia
Asia witnessed the biggest deterioration in its democratic conditions of any region in 2017, as minorities in countries including Indonesia and Myanmar suffered.
— Nikkei Asian Review
Iron and steel group urges ASEAN to ban ‘obsolete’ furnaces from China
The ASEAN Iron and Steel Council (AISC) called on Southeast Asian governments to prohibit the entry of “obsolete” induction furnace facilities from China to their countries.
— GMA News Online
Southeast Asia’s airlines feel fuel price pinch
SINGAPORE Airlines in Southeast Asia will have to bear with “meager” profit in 2018 because of rising fuel prices and intense competition, the Sydney-based aviation think tank CAPA said.
— Nikkei Asian Review
Oil price rally puts Asian governments in a tight spot
Rising oil prices in recent months have cast a shadow over several Asian economies, causing inflation to rise in some countries and complicating macroeconomic management.
— Nikkei Asian Review
S. Korea to elevate ASEAN, Indian ties for diplomatic diversification
South Korea launched a state-run research center for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India on Thursday as the country pushes to broaden its close partnership with the southern Asian region, an area that has so far remained under-explored for South Korea.
— Yonhap News
Hungry leaders push Southeast Asia’s minimum wages higher
After more than three decades as Cambodia’s prime minister, Hun Sen added a new routine to his schedule last August: visits to the garment and footwear factories that employ some 700,000 citizens nationwide.
— Nikkei Asian Review
Asean Peace and Reconciliation Research Body to Begin Full Operations in Jakarta
The government of Indonesia and the Asean Institute for Peace and Reconciliation, or AIPR, signed a host country agreement on Thursday (01/02) in Jakarta, marking the start of operations for the research-focused body aimed at strengthening the region’s political-security community.
— JakartaGlobe
ASEAN’S SHIFTING ROLE IN THE EVOLVING LNG MARKET
In this video, S&P Global Platts Director of LNG Market Development Marc Howson, Senior Market Engagement Specialist for ASEAN Jarek Mlodziejewski, and Team Leader for LNG Price Assessments Kenneth Foo share insights around the region’s shrinking LNG production surplus.
— Platts (video)
Border town on fast track for development
The imminent completion of a rail link between Thailand and Cambodia and the opening of two new international border crossings have renewed prospects for commercial growth in Poipet and pushed up real estate prices.
— The Phnom Penh Post
Cambodia Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Chinese Company Plans to Invest in Waste-Incinerating Electricity in Cambodia
During a visit to China, Minister of Commerce Pan Sorasak said China plans to invest in the project of producing electricity from burning waste in Cambodia, while China also allows Cambodia to open a trading center in Beijing and pledged to provide a venue for the establishment of the center.
— Fresh News
Ten New Companies and Factories to Be Established in Cambodia
The Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) has issued a certificate of registration for 10 new companies and factories in Cambodia in January 2018, with a capital of over $73 million, creating more than 9,000 jobs, according to CDC’s Facebook page on Thursday.
— Fresh News
Cambodia’s path toward sustaining long-term growth
After it graduated from Least Developed Country status in July 2016, Cambodia’s economy has remained healthy with a GDP growth rate of 6.9 per cent in 2017.
— East Asia Forum
See here for more of today’s Cambodia Morning News
Indonesia Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Jokowi Asks PLN to Accelerate Electrification in East Indonesia
President Director of state power company PLN Sofyan Basir said that his office will pursue to achieve the 97 percent electrification target by the end of the year. “We will achieve it.
— Tempo
Economy and politics will run separately: Economist
Head Economist of Danamon Bank, Anton Hendranata, believed that the Indonesian economy would not be affected by the political condition throughout this year and the next year, as each sector will run separately.
— Antara
Taxpayers’ voluntary compliance reaches 85% in 2017
Director General of Taxation Robert Pakpahan has said about 85 percent of Rp 1.34 quadrillion (US$99.82 billion) was paid voluntarily by taxpayers last year.
— The Jakarta Post
See here for more of today’s Indonesia Morning News
Lao PDR Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat
Hungarian Bank Provides Laos US$160-Million Loan
Tuesday witnessed the signing of a loan agreement between the Government of Laos and Hungarian National Bank in Vientiane.
— Lao News Agency
Developer asked to provide more details of planned complex in Vangvieng
Vientiane provincial authorities have asked investors to further study the potential environmental impact of a tourism complex that has been proposed for the disused airfield in Vangvieng district.
— Vientiane Times
Huaphan listing additional tourism sites to lure visitors
Huaphan Province’s tourism officials are listing an additional 152 tourism sites to further promote the province as a destination for adventure and learning traditional and ethnic group cultures.
— Vientiane Times
See here for more of today’s Lao Morning News
Malaysia Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Opportunities for Malaysia to develop maritime economy
Malaysia has the opportunities to further develop its maritime economy, with the support of numerous shipyards, ports and terminals, in addition to a prime geographic location.
— The Star Online
Celcom launches Yoodo digital mobile brand
Malaysia’s Celcom Axiata has launched Yoodo, a new digital mobile brand that is offering what it says is the first mobile service in the country that enables customers to completely customize their mobile plan.
— Telecomasia.net
NeNe Chicken eyeing 20 stores in Malaysia by 2020
South Korea’s largest fried chicken chain, NeNe Chicken, which opened its first outlet in Genting Highlands, intends to open a few more outlets in the country.
— The Star Online
See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News
Myanmar Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat
Myanmar’s military commander-in-chief on the rise
Myanmar’s military chief, Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing, has become the man of the moment in the country’s unfolding political crisis.
— Bangkok Post
Detained Reuters reporters denied bail in Myanmar
A court in Myanmar declined to grant bail yesterday for two Reuters journalists accused of violating the country’s Official Secrets Act, although their defence lawyer said information in documents at the centre of the case was publicly available.
— Gulf-Times/ Reuters
“Not The Right Time”: Myanmar Turns Down UN Security Council Visit
Myanmar’s government has told the Security Council that this month was “not the right time” for a visit by the top UN body to see first-hand the Rohingya refugee crisis, the council president said Thursday.
— NDTV
See here for more of today’s Myanmar Morning News
Philippines Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat
High-Ranking Communist Rebel Is Arrested in Philippines
The Philippine police said on Thursday that they had arrested a top leader of the country’s decades-old Communist insurgency, in the latest signal that President Rodrigo Duterte is not interested in resuming the peace talks he halted last year.
— The New York Times
Time for Duterte to deliver on ‘golden age’ vow
The Philippine economy boomed last year, lifting a country once regarded as ‘the sick man of Asia’ among the region’s most buoyant and vibrant economic achievers.
— Asia Times
Philippines is world’s top social media user: study
For the third year in a row, the Philippines emerged as the country that spent the most time on social media, according to a report by creative agency We Are Social and social media management platform Hootsuite.
— ABS-CBN
See here for more of today’s Philippines Morning News
Singapore Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat
Singapore’s Democracy Ratings Dip, EIU Report
The yearly Democracy Index was released yesterday by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Singapore’s rating dipped from 6.38 for 2016 to 6.32 for 2017.
— The Independent Singapore
Singapore to build capabilities in small satellites: S Iswaran
Singapore could be one of the first in Asia to fly small satellites in formation as part of the newly-opened Satellite Technology and Research Centre’s (STAR) maiden mission, said Trade and Industry Minister S Iswaran at the Global Space and Technology Convention on Thursday (Feb 1).
— Channel NewsAsia
Singapore Overtakes China In U.S. Commercial Investments
Singapore surpassed Chinese investments in U.S. commercial property by $1 billion in 2017, a clear sign of the nation’s steady rise in global investments.
— Forbes
See here for more of today’s Singapore Morning News
Thailand Morning News
Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ
Butt Out! Smoking Ban Hits Thailand Beaches (video)
Thailand’s beaches are among its greatest draw cards for tourists and from today when a beach smoking ban begins being enforced they’re going to start getting cleaner.
— AEC News Today
Polls tell Prawit it’s time to go
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has come under renewed pressure over his luxury watch collection as petitions and online polls have been launched asking people if they think he should resign.
— Bangkok Post
Economy for December continued to grow from November
Driven by tourism and export growth, Thai economy for the month of December continued to expand from a month earlier, said Mr Don Nakorntap, senior director of macro-economics of the Bank of Thailand, said on Wednesday.
— Thai PBS
See here for more of today’s Thailand Morning News
Vietnam Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov
Vietnam raises $6.35b from state enterprise divestments in 2017
Vietnam’s government raised over VND144.5 trillion ($6.35 billion) by divesting its stake in state-owned enterprises (SoEs), including via initial public offerings (IPOs) in 2017, according to an official report released on January 31.
— DealStreetAsia
VN electronics industry growing
The number of workers in the electronics industry is on the rise, and e-businesses will be a critical source of employment in the future.
— VietnamNet Bridge
Ministry seeks to gain $40 billion from agro-forestry-fishery exports
Relevant agencies need to better promote trade and remove barriers so as to earn 40 billion USD from agro-forestry-fishery exports this year, said Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam.
— VietnamPlus
See here for more of today’s Vietnam Morning News
Asean Morning News is the most comprehensive selection of reports on what you need to know from around the Asean Economic Community (AEC) published. All articles are hand curated by the team at AEC News Today. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.
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