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Asean Morning News

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu    @stmarisewudolu

Most (and least) peaceful Asian countries
While Singapore is seen as the most peaceful country in the world, India, Bangladesh, Philippines and Pakistan rank lowest, according to recently released World Justice Project (WJR) report.
— The Nation

Mobile payment firms struggle to dethrone cash in SE Asia
Bui Mai Phuong is an avid online shopper, ordering anything from clothing to personal-care products from her smartphone.
— Bangkok Post

The great Southeast Asia arms supermarket
When I first arrived in Singapore a dozen years ago, Southeast Asia seemed like a bit of a security backwater.
— Asia Times

ASEAN work to counter social, cultural challenges at root
Strategic directions for dealing with root causes of social issues were the main theme of a conference in Jakarta on May 23 held by the Secretariat of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
— Vietnam Plus

Govt to show ASEAN films in a week-long film festival
As part of Narendra Modi government’s look east policy, the government will celebrate the excellence of cinema by exhibiting films from various ASEAN countries.
— The Asian Age

Fostering a culture of prevention in ASEAN
We are living in a rapidly changing world today where the impact of global challenges reverberates at the regional level.
— The Jakarta Post

Thailand to supply bulk of next rice imports
Thailand will likely supply the bulk of the 250,000 metric tons (MT) of rice as part of the open tender importation scheme to boost the country’s depleted buffer stock, with government saving about P500 million in the process.
— Philippine Star

ASEAN Smart Education and Learning Market: Extremely Fragmented on Account of a Large Number of Educational Institutions
The ASEAN smart education learning market is extremely fragmented on account of a large number of educational institutions offering very similar education.
— openPR (media release)

Major Banks Pilot Successful Thailand-Singapore Blockchain Remittance
A joint effort by major banks in south-east Asia has led to a successful blockchain-powered cross-border funds transfer in real-time from Thailand to Singapore.
— CCN

ASEAN vows to do more to build regional power grid
More work is needed for ASEAN’s power grid to be connected to enhance cross-border electricity trade, officials and experts from energy sectors have agreed here at the ASEAN Power Grid Summit held from Monday to Wednesday.
— Xinhua Net 

Australia’s Asia Gas Conundrum
New gas projects across its north position Australia as Southeast Asia’s future energy supplier – but not without controversy.
— The Diplomat (paywall)

Hanoi to host 16th meeting of Council for Promoting Tourism in Asia
Hanoi will host the 16th annual meeting of the Council for Promoting Tourism in Asia (CPTA) between September 5 and 10.
— NNT 

Mobile wallets in Southeast Asia
The Fourth Industrial Revolution has seen many sweeping changes in the way we interact with one another. This interaction is not limited to human-to-human relationships but is extended to the way we deal with finances; with the idea of digitalising purchases and transactions now a reality.
— The Asean Post 

Cambodia country of honor for 15th China-ASEAN Expo
Cambodia will be the Country of Honor of the 15th China-ASEAN Expo, slated for Sept. 12 to 15 in Nanning, capital of south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
— Xinhua Net

IFC’s draft hydropower SEA report released
The draft strategic environmental assessment (SEA) report which aims to improve the sustainability of the hydropower sector was released by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the government. The Ministry of Electricity and Energy (MOEE) and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MONREC) led the report which has been shared with stakeholders for public review and feedback.
— The Myanmar Times 

ASEAN migrant workers deserve better
Southeast Asia has always been a fluid region. Before modern borders were established, migration within and outside the region was the norm.
— The Asean Post

Cambodia Morning News

Compiled by Sreypov Men    @MenSreypov

Ministries convene to tackle oil price hike
Officials from the Commerce, Economy and Finance, and Mines and Energy ministries are now working together to help those affected by the recent surge in gasoline prices across the country, a spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce said.
— Khmer Times

New passport offices to protect migrant workers
Interior Minister Sar Kheng yesterday said the government is trying to protect Cambodian migrant workers by creating more passport offices and cooperating with international bodies to protect them from labour abuses.
— Khmer Times

Police stepping up operations to combat human trafficking
The National Committee for Counter Trafficking (NCCT) said on Tuesday that operations against human trafficking and sexual exploitation networks are increasing.
— The Phnom Penh Post

See here for more of today’s Cambodia Morning News

Indonesia Morning News

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu    @stmarisewudolu

First Week of Fasting Month, Crime Rate Down 3.5 Percent
Jakarta Metro Police claimed, the number of conventional crime in the first week of Ramadhan this year has decreased, compared to the same period of last year.
— Netral News

BI: Cash Needs for Eid Reaches IDR188 Trillion
Deputy Governor of Bank Indonesia, Rosmaya Hadi said in Jakarta on Wednesday (5/23/2018), ahead of Eid of this year, the national need for cash is estimated to increase 15.3 percent to IDR188.2 trillion compared to the 2017 period of IDR163.2 trillion.
— Netral News

Indonesia lifting all import duties for Palestinian products
Indonesia is opening its market for products from the Palestine by charging zero import duties so as to show concrete support not only politically but also economically.
— The Jakarta Post

See here for more of today’s Indonesia Morning News

Lao PDR Morning News

Compiled by Leakhena Khat    @leakhenakhat

Laos Bananas Admitted to China’s Allowable Imported Fruits List
On May 17, the General Administration of Customs People’s Republic of China (GACC) announced an update to China’s list of allowable imported fruits. Last updated on January 28, 2018, new protocol now allows for the import of Laos bananas.
— Producer Report 

ADB, Laos ink agreement to support health sector reform
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Lao government have signed an agreement for a US$30 million policy-based grant for the second subprogramme of the Health Sector Governance Programme to help expand healthcare coverage and improve health services.
— Vientiane Times 

Ministry makes education more accessible to rural children
The Ministry of Education and Sports plans to increase opportunities for rural children to access education by building more classrooms and teachers’ dormitories.
— Vientiane Times 

See here for more of today’s Lao Morning News

Malaysia Morning News

Compiled by Sreypov Men    @MenSreypov

Salaries of Malaysian ministers to be cut by 10%: PM Mahathir
Malaysia will cut the salaries of its Cabinet ministers by 10 per cent with immediate effect, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad announced on Wednesday (May 23).
— Channel NewsAsia

Malaysia uncovers debt hidden under Najib raising total to $250bn
The revelation that former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak put a much larger dent in the nation’s finances than previously believed has shaken investor trust, raising concerns that the potentially growing fiscal turmoil will scare foreign money away.
— Nikkei Asian Review

About RM120 million – cash seized from Pavilion Residences finally counted
Sources said officers from the Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) completed the painstaking task of counting the seized cash at its headquarters at Menara 238 along Jalan Tun Razak on Wednesday (May 23).
— The Nation

See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News

Myanmar Morning News

Compiled by Leakhena Khat    @leakhenakhat

New UN envoy to travel to Myanmar next month
The new United Nations envoy for Myanmar will pay a first visit to Naypyidaw next month for talks on the Rohingya refugee crisis, UN sources said on Wednesday (May 23).
— Channel NewsAsia 

Myanmar’s Atrocities Demand New Sanctions
In response to the systematic campaign of murder and rape leading to the forced displacement of some 700,000 Rohingya people from Myanmar, Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel is offering a bill to reimpose U.S. sanctions on the country’s military leaders.
— Foreign Policy 

Myanmar, IFC release draft assessment calling for sustainable hydro development
The International Finance Corporation and government of Myanmar have released a draft strategic environmental assessment intended to help guide sustainability within the southeastern Asia country.
— Hydro World

See here for more of today’s Myanmar Morning News

Philippines Morning News

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu    @stmarisewudolu

Economic crime hits record high in PH
Economic crime hits record levels in the Philippines on wider awareness and understanding of threat, according to a survey.
— Manila Bulletin

PHL competitiveness falls most in Asia
NOTWITHSTANDING relatively robust growth so far, the Philippine economy’s competitiveness ranking suffered the biggest drop in Asia over snags in ease of doing business, “worsening” public finances, as well as tourism, employment and education concerns, according to a research group of Switzerland-based business school International Institute for Management Development (IMD).
— BusinessWorld Online

Robbers steal cash grants worth P2.7M for 4Ps beneficiaries
Robbers took P2.7 million worth of funds for Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries in Tinoc, Ifugao Tuesday night.
— Philippine Star

See here for more of today’s Philippines Morning News

Singapore Morning News

Compiled by Leakhena Khat   @leakhenakhat

Singapore maintains 3rd position in world ranking for competitiveness
Singapore has held on to its spot as the world’s third-most competitive economy in an annual ranking released on Thursday (May 24) by Switzerland-based research group IMD World Competitiveness Centre.
— Channel NewsAsia 

Singapore passport no longer the most powerful in the world, Japan now occupies top spot
The Singapore passport is no longer the most powerful in the world, according to the latest Henley Passport Index. Japan now occupies the top spot and its passport can be used to travel visa-free to a record 189 destinations.
— Business Insider

Singapore is 4th most expensive city in Asia to build in
SINGAPORE is the fourth most expensive city in Asia to build in, behind Hong Kong, Macau and Tokyo, in that order, according to a survey by global design and consultancy firm Arcadis.
— The Business Times

See here for more of today’s Singapore Morning News

Thailand Morning News

Compiled by John Le Fevre    @photo_journ

High-speed airport link auction shapes up
The terms of reference (ToR) for the 224.54-billion-baht high-speed railway linking Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-tapao airports to serve the much-touted Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) scheme are scheduled to be unveiled today.
— Bangkok Post

Junta reform ‘may kill off universal healthcare’
THE MILITARY-LED government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is hostile towards universal health coverage and is planning reform that could weaken the health security of citizens, health experts warn.
— The Nation

Factors align for surge in exports
ECONOMIC researchers are rewriting their forecasts for the performance of the export sector, flagging growth of as high as 8.9 per cent this year on the back of global economic expansion.
— The Nation

See here for more of today’s Thailand Morning News

Vietnam Morning News

Compiled by Sreypov Men    @MenSreypov

Vietnam’s Techcombank readies for market debut after raising $922 mln
Vietnamese lender Techcombank will list its shares on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange next month, the bank said on Wednesday, making it the country’s seventh biggest firm by market value.
— Reuters

Chinese ships were ‘invading’ Vietnamese waters: top defense official
The act was to back China’s nine-dash line which claims most of the South China Sea as its own, the official said.
— VnExpress

Vietnam considering raising import tax on oil products from July 1: traders
Vietnam is considering raising the environment tax levied on oil product imports from July 1, industry sources said Wednesday.
— Platts

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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