Asean morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu         @stmarisewudolu

COVID-19 in Asean: update for May 27 — 100,000 Americans dead, Brazil leads the world in daily deaths
As of 00:31 GMT May 27 there was 43,765 active cases of COVID-19 throughout the 10 Asean member countries, an increase of 208, or 0.48 per cent, on the day prior.
— AEC News Today

ASEAN furtively looks on as China introduces Hong Kong security legislation
ASEAN governments are silently observing the deliberation of China’s upcoming national security legislation on Hong Kong, following waves of protests last year over concerns that the special administrative region’s freedom and rule of law are being curtailed.
— The Jakarta Post

Dengue complicates Southeast Asia’s coronavirus fight
Southeast Asian countries are bracing for possible outbreaks of infectious diseases that show symptoms similar to those of the novel coronavirus ahead of the rainy season.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)

Covid crisis stifles political criticism in SE Asia
Covid-19 has spurred the use of fake news laws to censor political criticism in Southeast Asia.
— Bangkok Post

Last Major China-Laos Railway Tunnel Completed On Lancang-Mekong Corridor
The last significant tunnel to be bored to complete the China-Laotian Railway was completed on March 15th, with track now being laid at a rate of 2km per day, despite the on-going Covid-19 situation.
— Silk Road Briefing

ASEAN ministers moot “travel bubbles” to kickstart tourism
South-east Asian countries are considering creating “travel bubbles” with their neighbours to safely resume travel ahead of a vaccine.
— TTG Asia

Asian economies to seek diversification post-Covid-19: report
REDUCING over-reliance on single sectors such as tourism will be part of Asian economies’ diversification efforts in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, argues a May 26 Fitch Solutions report.
— The Business Times

COVID-19 fight continues in Southeast Asia
As of May 27, Laos had reported no new COVID-19 cases in the community for 45 straight days, the country’s national steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control told a press conference in the capital Vientiane on May 27.
— Vietnamplus

Việt Nam helps ASEAN battle the COVID-19 pandemic
This year, the Chairmanship of ASEAN has been taken up by Việt Nam, which is its third time since the country joined ASEAN 25 years ago.
— Viet Nam News

Virus presents Asean with challenges
The outbreak of novel coronavirus poses a significant threat to Southeast Asia and its regional bloc Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
— The Statesman

ASEAN military medicine forces join online COVID-19 response exercise
An online table-top exercise (TTX) on COVID-19 response among ASEAN member states’ military medicine forces was held on May 27, chaired by the Vietnamese Defence Ministry’s Military Medical Department.
— Vietnamplus

Dark data is an invisible carbon footprint
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about some unexpected positive environmental consequences.
— The Business Times

Most SE Asia stocks rise on stimulus hopes, Malaysia leads
Most Southeast Asian stock markets ended higher on Wednesday, led by Malaysia, on hopes of government stimulus measures to boost coronavirus-hit economies, while a drop in shares of the Singapore bourse operator dragged down its benchmark index.
— Bangkok Post

Mask up, sanitise, and avoid crowds: Is this already the norm in ASEAN?
With COVID-19 changing the way we live and work – from being able to hold group meetings to now having to limit the numbers; or even from grabbing lunch with co-workers to now eating solo, we’ve all had to adapt in one way or another.
— Human Resources Online

Children’s programme exploring Southeast Asia on horizon
The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi will organise a programme on May 30 and 31 that helps children explore Southeast Asia, to mark International Children’s Day on June 1.
— Vietnamplus

Cambodia morning news

Compiled by Mark Henry Uy

PM Hun Sen: Cambodian Passport Holders Do Not Require Health Certificate to Repatriate
Prime Minister Hun Sen issued a new resolution that Cambodian passport holders do not require health certificates to return to the Kingdom, according to the premier’s Facebook page on Wednesday morning.
— Fresh News

Road tax on vehicles gears up next month
The General Department of Taxation (GDT) has announced that the window for paying vehicle tax will be from next month until November.
— Khmer Times

Official: 14 Day Self-Quarantine for Arriving Passengers is a Must
All passengers including Cambodians coming to Cambodia must undergo 14-day self-quarantine at their place or home monitored by tasked authorities, or they will face penalty or legal action.
— AKP

See here for more of today’s Cambodia morning news

Indonesia morning news

Compiled by Justhine De Guzman Uy         @justhine.aecnews

Indonesia to enter the first “new normal” phase on 1 June to prevent further economic crash
Indonesia government will enter the first phase of a “new normal” era on 1 June by allowing industries and service providers to resume their operations in accordance with the newly announced COVID-19 health protocols.
— The Online Citizen

Indonesia Covid-19 death toll surpasses 1,400
Indonesia recorded 27 new Covid-19-related fatalities on Tuesday, raising its death toll from the coronavirus to 1,418.
— New Straits Times

Jokowi Warns of Second Wave from People Returning to Jakarta
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has warned of the dangers of a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
— Tempo.co

See here for more of today’s Indonesia morning news

Lao PDR morning news

Compiled by Mark Henry Uy

Two More Covid-19 Patients Due for Release Today
Two of the remaining five Covid-19 patients at Vientiane’s Mittaphab Hospital have tested negative for the virus and are to be discharged today following a secondary test.
— The Laotian Times

Engaging men and boys for a more equal post Covid-19 Society
UNFPA Lao PDR Representative Mariam Khan explains how a post-COVID-19 world has an opportunity to achieve gender equality more than ever.
— KPL

Survivors of 2018 Dam Collapse in Laos Begin Receiving Compensation
Nearly two years after the worst dam collapse in Laos in decades, survivors whose villages were washed away are finally being offered land in compensation, district-level authorities in the province told RFA Lao Service.
— RFA

See here for more of today’s Lao morning news

Malaysia morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men         @MenSreypov

Airline’s debt to balloon to $550 bln by year-end
The airline industry’s debt could rise to $550 billion ($1= RM4.36) by year-end, a massive 28 per cent or $120 billion increase over levels at the start of the year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
— New Sarawak Tribune

National creative industry policy must be improved
The National Creative Industry Policy must be re-assessed and improved to spearhead the growth of the national creative industry, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.
— New Sarawak Tribune

Govt defends treatment of foreign workers during Covid19, including undocumented ones
The government has defended its treatment of foreign workers in the country during the Covid-19 pandemic.
— The Star Online

See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News

Myanmar morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men         @MenSreypov

Myanmar Tourism Sector Needs More Govt Support During COVID-19: New Survey
A new survey on the impacts of COVID-19 on the Myanmar tourism sector has revealed that over 80 percent of micro, small and medium-sized tourism businesses (MSMEs) are ‘extremely badly’ affected by the pandemic, while confidence in the government’s ability to provide sufficient support for businesses is very low.
— Irrawaddy

More Myanmar airlines to resume operations
Some domestic airlines in the country said that they will be resuming their operations starting at the end of this month.
— Myanmar Times

MoPFI inks deal on infrastructure collaboration with Infra Asia
Union Minister for Planning, Finance and Industry U Soe Win witnessed the virtual signing ceremony of the agreement between his office and the Infrastructure Asia yesterday for infrastructure development projects in Myanmar.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

See here for more of today’s Myanmar morning news

Philippines morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu         @stmarisewudolu

Despite police claims, drug war killings continue amid COVID-19 lockdown — int’l rights monitor
An international rights watchdog Wednesday said that despite the quarantine caused by the novel coronavirus outbreak, the vigilante-style summary executions linked to President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign against illegal narcotics remained constant.
— Philippine Star

FDI up 12% in January, but seen to dip
FOREIGN direct investments (FDI) started the year on a positive note in early January, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Wednesday.
— Business Mirror

Fearing coronavirus, OFWs in Algeria ask PH gov’t to bring them home
Fearing sickness and longing for their families, Filipinos working in Algeria are appealing to the Philippine government to help bring them home as the coronavirus disease continues to spread in the African country.
— Rappler

See here for more of today’s Philippines morning news

Singapore morning news

Compiled by Justhine De Guzman Uy         @justhine.aecnews

Singapore services sector takings fall 1.1% in Q1
SINGAPORE’S services sector saw receipts fall 1.1 per cent year on year in the first quarter of 2020, in a reversal from the previous quarter’s 4.5 per cent growth, according to a Department of Statistics release on Wednesday.
— The Business Times

New Bill could level playing field between landlords and tenants
Landlords will have to dig deeper to help their pandemic-battered tenants under an upcoming Bill that some observers feel could level the playing field between commercial owners and tenants.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Singapore reports 533 new COVID-19 cases, including 3 Singaporeans or permanent residents
Singapore reported 533 new COVID-19 cases as of noon on Wednesday (May 27), taking its total number of infections to 32,876.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

See here for more of today’s Singapore morning news

Thailand morning news

Compiled by John Le Fevre         @photo_journ

Thai parliament urged to pass record US$60 billion coronavirus stimulus bill
Thailand’s premier on Wednesday urged parliament to approve the kingdom’s biggest-ever stimulus package to revive an economy battered by coronavirus, which has brought tourism to a standstill, slashed exports and left millions jobless.
— CNA

Thailand doesn’t expect UK tourists to return until October
Thailand isn’t expecting overseas tourists to return until October at the earliest, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
— TravelMole

Thai April factory output drops 17.2%, smaller than forecast
Thailand’s manufacturing production index (MPI) declined for a 12th straight month in April, down 17.21% from a year earlier, hit by lower production of cars, petroleum and beer amid the coronavirus outbreak, the industry ministry said on Wednesday.
— Reuters

See here for more of today’s Thailand morning news

Vietnam morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men         @MenSreypov

Finance Ministry wants to cut corporate income tax for small and micro businesses
The Ministry of Finance has proposed the Government cut corporate income tax for small and micro businesses by 30 per cent this year.
— Viet Nam News

One more COVID-19 infection case confirmed, total rises to 327
A 31-year-old man returning from Russia became the latest COVID-19 case in Viet Nam, raising the country’s patient tally to 327, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control reported Tuesday afternoon.
— VGP Ministerial Activities

Vietnam to resume e-visa issuance in July
Vietnam will resume issuing e-visa for citizens from 80 countries starting July 1, according to a government resolution.
— VnExpress

See here for more of today’s Vietnam morning news

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About Asean morning news.

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