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Asean Morning News

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu    @stmarisewudolu

Emerging Asia hit by biggest exodus since 2008
A falling tide lowers all boats, it seems. Amid an exodus from emerging markets, investors are pulling out of even Asian economies with solid prospects for growth and debt financing.
— Bangkok Post/ Bloomberg

JD.com hastens e-commerce race in Southeast Asia with US$550 million stake sale to Google
Chinese online retailer JD.com has signed on Google as a strategic partner in a move seen to complement the former’s ambitions to expand into Southeast Asia while giving the latter a toehold in a market that it gave up in 2010.
— South China Morning Post

Thailand Proposes New Fund for Southeast Asian Sub-Region
Thailand has proposed starting a new Southeast Asian fund to boost sources of financing for transportation infrastructure and other projects in five Mekong River basin countries.
— Radio Free Asia

ASEAN’s mixed national policies – just another challenge for the auto industry
The ASEAN region will once again outperform the global average for vehicle sales growth. A mixture of internal policies has created particular hotspots in the region, writes Anna-Marie Baisden of BMI Research.
— Automotive World (media release)

Asia Pacific to account for 33.8% of global adspend by 2020
Asia Pacific is said to become the biggest contributor to global adspend growth, accounting for 33.8% of global adspend in 2020, up from 32.6% in 2017, this is according to Zenith’s “Advertising Expenditure Forecasts” for June 2018.
— Marketing Interactive

Select Few Emerging Asian Economies Comfortable With Fed Hikes
Higher US rates are rattling many emerging markets in much the same way past tightening cycles did, but the Federal Reserve’s hawkishness could also bring cheer for a small group of Asian economies that wouldn’t mind seeing their currencies weaken.
— Jakarta Globe

Southeast Asia’s first virtual bank recruiter
DBS has launched a virtual bank recruiter, dubbed Jim, to help its recruiters hire wealth planning managers more efficiently.
— HRM Asia

Trump-Kim meet a gift for Southeast Asia
All the hullabaloo surrounding the historic Trump-Kim summit in Singapore must be discarded if one wants to seriously assess the overall ripple effects, in particular, the four-point statement.
— Bangkok Post 

ASEAN to Grow as China Boosts Imports
China has reassured the world that its stance on encouraging imports will not change, a major development strategy that will not only help domestic industrial upgrades but also stimulate global economic growth.
— Live Trading News 

Sri Lanka can seize ASEAN as next big opportunity
With Sri Lanka pursuing an aggressive trade liberalisation and greater facilitation strategy to diversify exports to lure more foreign direct investments (FDIs), key insights from global and local experts came under the spotlight at the ‘ASEAN: Sri Lanka’s Next Big Opportunity’ forum in Colombo last week.
— Daily FT 

Asia demand for coal ‘justifies new mines in Australia’
Strengthening demand in Asia for thermal coal exports would justify the opening of new mining precincts in Australia and help reduce emissions, according to a new analysis that counters Labor suggestions that the outlook for ­thermal coal is in decline.
— The Australian 

Macroeconomic and Microeconomic ASEAN Cosmetic Chemicals Market Analysis by FMI 2014 – 2020
The growing beauty products market has been increasing the demand for value-enriched cosmetics.
— The Financial

IMGA launches its third edition in Southeast Asia
THE call for entries is now open for the 3rd IMGA SEA competition, the globally recognised awards event celebrating the best mobile games made in the region.
— Digital News Asia

Southeast Asia’s Top 10 Startups
2017 was a bumper year for startups in Southeast Asia. Here are the winners.
— Unreserved Media (blog)

More than 4 million Asians took a cruise last year – a 20% increase.
More than 4 million Asians took to the seas in 2017, aboard an ocean liner. A record-breaking 4,060,000 Asians took an ocean cruise in 2017 according to Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) – a 20.5 per cent increase from the 3,370,000 Asian passengers who boarded a passenger ship in 2016.
— The Thaiger

Cambodia Morning News

Compiled by Sreypov Men    @MenSreypov

Cambodian prince flown to Bangkok hospital after car crash
A Cambodian prince hurt in a car crash that killed his wife was flown to Bangkok for treatment Monday and is expected to recover, a member of his political party said.
— The News

Sihanoukville Provincial Court Orders to Detain Driver Causing Prince Ranariddh Injured and Wife Deceased
Sihanoukville provincial investigating judge Plong Visal, on Monday, detained a taxi driver, 34, charged of “careless driving” who accidentally hit Prince Ranariddh’s car causing the Prince injured and his wife Ouk Phalla deceased, according to the court’s order.
— Fresh News

Third violator of lèse majesté law arrested
A THIRD person has been arrested under the Kingdom’s newly passed lèse majesté law over the weekend for a series of Facebook posts, according to the municipal court prosecutor.
— The Phnom Penh Post

See here for more of today’s Cambodia Morning News

Indonesia Morning News

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu    @stmarisewudolu

PDTT Allocates Rp 4.8 billion to Four Subdistrics in Ende
The Ministry of Underdeveloped Region and Transmigration is disbursing Rp 4.8 billion for the road development in four sub-districts in Ende District, including Detusoko and Wewaria subdistrict and also Ende and Detukeli District.
— Netral News

Indonesia yet to allow UN Commissioner into Papua
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has expressed concern at not yet being able to visit Indonesia’s Papua region.
— Radio New Zealand

Indonesians’ Eid balloons force flights to divert
Indonesians caught launching big, unmanned hot air balloons could face up to two years in jail or a fine of up to $35,000, authorities said, after balloons launched to celebrate the end of the Muslim fasting month forced pilots to divert flights.
— Reuters

See here for more of today’s Indonesia Morning News

Lao PDR Morning News

Compiled by Leakhena Khat    @leakhenakhat

New law sets public debt at not more than 25 percent of revenue
The government will be the only authority to determine the size of public debt, which must not be over 25 percent of annual state revenue.
— Vientiane Times 

1,089 cases of dengue fever reported so far this year in Laos, 2 killed
A total of 1,089 cases of dengue fever have been reported so far this year in Laos, with two deaths, local daily Vientiane Times reported on Monday.
— Global Times 

Smart card designed to regulate civil servants
The Ministry of Home Affairs is issuing ID cards for officials in various departments, which can be used for multiple purposes, notably to replace ATM and social security cards.
— Vientiane Times 

See here for more of today’s Lao Morning News

Malaysia Morning News

Compiled by Sreypov Men    @MenSreypov

Malaysia could soon export fresh Musang King durians to China
Malaysia’s Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry is expected to receive approval to export fresh whole Musang King durian – known popularly as Mao Shan Wang – to China next year.
— The Straits Times

Malaysia #GE18: Najib’s Fall About Being Truly ‘Malaysian’
The stunning victory of Malaysia’s opposition on May 9, 2018 in the country’s 14th general election and the equally impressive peaceful turnover of power — as the federal government changed hands for the first time in the country’s 60-year history — has put Malaysia in the international spotlight.
— AEC News Today

Jack Ma launches Malaysian office
Alibaba Group has opened its national office here – its first in South-East Asia – marking a new chapter in the company’s strategic cooperation with Malaysia, which housed the group’s first overseas electronic world trade platform (eWTP) hub.
— The Star Online

See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News

Myanmar Morning News

Compiled by Leakhena Khat    @leakhenakhat

Myanmar not meeting ‘minimal standards’
Myanmar has not met the minimum standards in investigating or prosecuting those engaged in the violence against the Rohingyas, said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein yesterday.
— The Daily Star 

Call to boost financial literacy
GIVEN THAT the majority of Myanmar people lack the knowledge to use digital payment platforms, all the players in the finance industry must work together to educate them so the nation can become a cashless society, according to Arturo Planell, country manager of Visa Myanmar.
— The Nation 

Education advocacy group lambasts higher education bill
The National Network for Education Reform (NNER) said the higher education bill proposed by the Ministry of Education does not guarantee academic freedom and is not up to the standards of democracy.
— The Myanmar Times 

See here for more of today’s Myanmar Morning News

Philippines Morning News

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu    @stmarisewudolu

Goodbye Panatag Shoal, Hello Huangyan Dao? (HD video)
A ground-swell of discontent is gaining momentum in the Philippines to President Rodrego Duterte’s apparent preparedness to surrender control of Scarborough Shoal (Panatag Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc) to China (who call it Huangyan Dao), with calls for Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels to be sent to protect fishermen.
— AEC News Today (video)

Government loses P51-billion ill-gotten wealth case vs Marcos, cronies
THE Supreme Court (SC) has junked the government bid to collect P51 billion in damages against the estate of the late strongman former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. and his cronies for allegedly conniving to acquire ill-gotten wealth through behest loans.
— Business Mirror

OFW remittances hit $2.35 billion in April 2018
Cash of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) sent through banks stood at $2.35 billion in April 2018, according to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data released on Monday, June 18.
— Rappler

See here for more of today’s Philippines Morning News

Singapore Morning News

Compiled by Leakhena Khat   @leakhenakhat

Singapore top cyber attack target during Trump-Kim talks: Report
Singapore was the top cyber attack target around the world during the Trump-Kim summit, with the country experiencing close to 40,000 attacks during the June 12 meeting, according to data collected by American technology company F5 Networks and its data partner Loryka.
— Today Online 

NTU launches labs studying chronic diseases that affect Singaporeans | Video
Nanyang Technological University (NTU) on Monday (Jun 18) launched a suite of new research centres and laboratories to study the chronic diseases that affect Singaporeans. Cheryl Goh reports.
— Channel NewsAsia 

Fund Singapore Announces Matthias Yeo as Chief Innovation Officer
Fund Singapore Pte. Ltd., an MAS regulated financial institution, is pleased to welcome Matthias Yeo as a partner to the firm. He has been appointed Chief Innovation Officer and Board Advisor.
— AEC News Today/ PR Newswire (media release)

See here for more of today’s Singapore Morning News

Thailand Morning News

Compiled by John Le Fevre    @photo_journ

Thai central bank seen holding key rate again to aid growth: Reuters poll
Thailand’s central bank is expected to leave its policy interest rate near the record low again on Wednesday to encourage more broadly-based economic growth at a time inflation remains low.
— Reuters

Industrial confidence index rises to 90.2
Thailand’s industrial confidence index (ICI) continues to improve, due to on-going economic expansion driven mainly by the country’s manufacturing and export sectors.
— NNT

Bt40 bn readied for pilot smart city
THE government will spend Bt40 billion to develop a smart city in the Phahon Yothin district of Bangkok that will serve as a pilot project for 76 other such cities to be established across the country within five years.
— The Nation

See here for more of today’s Thailand Morning News

Vietnam Morning News

Compiled by Sreypov Men    @MenSreypov

Vietnam outlines ambitious plans to double beverage exports to $900m between 2020 and 2035
The Vietnam Beverage Association (VBA) has backed official plans to double the value of the nation’s alcohol and soft drinks exports between 2020 and 2035.
— Food Navigator

6 free maps of Vietnam
A series of quality maps of Vietnam can come in handy to illustrate ideas or projects for your website or blog, or to create your own maps. Here is a collection of copyright or royalty free, labelled and blank maps of Vietnam to be used directly as is, or to be elaborated upon to create beautiful modern maps to suit your purposes.
— Asean Up

China’s potential control over economic zones leads to more protests in Vietnam
Vietnamese police have arrested eight more people after protests a week ago over a proposed law on special economic zones that protesters fear would fall into the hands of Chinese investors.
— South China Morning Post

See here for more of today’s Vietnam Morning News

The Asean Morning News Roundup and its individual country morning news round-ups are the most comprehensive hand-curated selection of news reports from around the Asean Economic Community (AEC) published. We scour hundreds of local and international news and websites to find the things that you need to know to start your working week day.

We clearly identify the source of the story, whether it is behind a paywall, a media release, or whether the site uses annoying pop-up advertising or auto-play video, in case those things annoy you. It’s all then packaged up in an easy to read format enabling you to make an informed choice of whether you want to learn more by clicking directly through to the original source, or keep on reading the headlines. AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.

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