Asean Morning News For December 26

Asean Morning News For December 26
Advertisement
Online English lessons

Asean morning newsAsean Morning News

Compiled by Kongleaphy Keam    @kongleaphy1

 

Asean-China FTA cuts tariffs on 400 more items
Import tariffs on around 400 items traded between Asean and China will be cut to 0-5%, starting from Jan 1, 2018, as part of the continuing stages of the Asean-China free trade agreement (FTA). The pact is expected to help double trade value between the two sides to UScopy trillion (32.7 trillion baht) by 2020.
— Bangkok Post

Hitachi sees its ASEAN business breaching $6 B
Hitachi, Ltd., Japan’s innovative industrial firm, aims to expand business in the ASEAN region from the current level of approximately 500 billion yen ($4.5 billion) to 700 billion yen ($6.19 billion) by 2021.
— Manila Bulletin

Expert: Prospects for improved Asean security in 2018 grim
A Southeast Asian security expert believes the region’s security against terrorism will not improve much next year with the resurgence of al-Qaeda and the ungoverned southern Philippine territory providing space for militant activities.
— Free Malaysia Today

Economic picture brightens for ASEAN and India toward 2018
In the most recent quarterly survey of major economies in Asia by The Japan Center for Economic Research and the Nikkei, economists were mostly upbeat, with growth forecasts rising toward 2018. India’s expansion is expected to pick up as it shakes off the effects of the new goods and services tax. Southeast Asia, too, should see faster growth, helped by a combination of strong exports and solid domestic demand.
— Nikkei Asian Review

ASEAN Cosmetic Chemicals Market size in Terms of Volume and Value 2014 – 2020
The growing beauty products market has been increasing the demand for value-enriched cosmetics. The market is flooded with various cosmetic chemicals. Cosmetic chemicals are the basic ingredients found in cosmetic products including soap, shampoo, lipstick, mascara, deodorants and other beauty products (excluding the products listed under therapeutic goods).
— Sat Pr News

SOUTHEAST ASIA E-COMMERCE MARKET SET TO BOOM
Everyone wants to be on the pulse of what is about to happen. When it comes to e-commerce, businesses are keeping close watch over who will have the next boom. At this time, it looks like all signs point to Southeast Asia.
— Top Ten Wholesale News

Major eyeing CLMV to help drive revenue
SET-listed Major Cineplex Group Plc, operator of the country’s largest cinema chain, is set to expand into Myanmar next year to help boost revenue.
— Bangkok Post

‘Fake news’ can be very dangerous, and events this year in Asia proved it
From elections in Indonesia to Myanmar’s Rohingya crisis to the Philippine drug war, the spread misinformation and disinformation have been used to bolster hate speech, stereotypes and propaganda.
— CNBC

N Korea: An enemy at Asean’s gate?
Southeast Asia is no longer immune from North Korean nuclear destructive force. As tensions heighten by the day, the US, Japan, South Korea and China, in their thoughtful ways, are bringing the looming nuclear threat to the eardrums of all Asean leaders. A frequently asked question: Are they serious?
— Bangkok Post

Ahead Of ASEAN Summit, Delhi Government To Beautify Roads
With Delhi playing host to ASEAN summit next month, the AAP-led city government has directed beautification of all its roads on a war-footing by resurfacing road stretches along with ensuring adequate safety measures.
— NDTV

Cambodia morning newsCambodia Morning News

Compiled by Sreypov Men    @MenSreypov

 

Anti-Corruption Unit head claims officials ‘could not’ stop PM in-law’s cockfighting ring
Anti-Corruption Unit head Om Yentieng suggested his agency was unable to investigate apparent widespread bribe-taking among officials in relation to two large cockfighting rings owned by a relative of Hun Sen, insinuating there were no grounds for an inquiry despite reams of evidence to the contrary.
— The Phnom Penh Post

How democracy died in Cambodia
Premier Hun Sen sated his autocratic tendencies in 2017 by dissolving the opposition, but his nation’s political future is still wholly undecided.
— Asia Times

Cambodia’s citric acid exports prompt investigation in Europe
The European Commission has announced it is investigating the potential laundering of Chinese shipments of citric acid through Cambodia, allowing Chinese manufacturers to flout export restrictions.
— The Phnom Penh Post

See here for more of today’s Cambodia Morning News

 

Indonesia morning newsIndonesia Morning News

Compiled by Sreypov Men    @MenSreypov

 

Japan’s SMFG keen to raise stake in Indonesian bank BTPN to majority
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) is keen to raise its stake to a majority in Indonesian lender BTPN if authorities permit, the Japanese bank’s CEO said, as it aims to roll out full-scale banking operations in emerging Asia markets.
— Reuters

Officially Operating, Airport Train Offers Promotional Tariff of IDR30,000
Starting Tuesday (12/26/2017), the Soekarno-Hatta Airport Train starts to operate. The first train to the airport departed at 03:47 am from Sudirman Baru (New Sudirman) Station a IDR30,000 promotional rate.
— Netral News

Joko Widodo vows to ‘fix’ Indonesia as political heat rises
Home to some of the world’s richest coral reefs, the remote islands of Raja Ampat in eastern Indonesia are no secret among scuba divers. But President Joko Widodo wants to make sure these and other hidden national treasures get more attention.
— Nikkei Asian Review

See here for more of today’s Indonesia Morning News

 

Lao PDR morning newsLao PDR Morning News

Compiled by Leakhena Khat    @leakhenakhat

 

Laos-China Railway Confirmed to Be Completed by End of 2021
Mr Chen Jiandong, an inspector of International Cooperation Department, China Railway, confirmed last week that the construction of the Laos-China railway will be completed by the end of 2021.
Lao News Agency 

Laos, Vietnam vow to increase bilateral trade
Laos and Vietnam have agreed to work together to increase the volume of trade between the two neighbours, a senior government official has said.
Vientiane Times 

PM pushes for strict land management
Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith has urged all sectors and authorities to close loopholes in the use and management of land, saying land should be protected for successive generations.
Vientiane Times 

See here for more of today’s Lao Morning News

 

Malaysia morning newsMalaysia Morning News

Compiled by Kongleaphy Keam    @kongleaphy1

 

Complicit partners: Who Controls The UMNO–PAS Consortium?
Malaysia’s fourteenth general elections are looming. This time, almost unprecedentedly, they will see the two great Malay political parties — the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and the Malaysian Islamic Party (Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS)) — working implicitly as allies, not rivals.
— AEC News Today

Bangladesh film director held in Malaysia for ‘human trafficking’
The Bangladeshi director was detained on Sunday evening when he went to Malaysia to organise a cultural event, ‘Cinematic Bangladeshi Nights’, in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.
— Prothom Alo

Allocation for SME development outlines five categories
The RM20 billion allocation approved for the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) under Budget 2018 outlines five key categories in order to accelerate their growth.
— The Borneo Post

See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News

 

Myanmar morning newsMyanmar Morning News

Compiled by Kongleaphy Keam    @kongleaphy1

 

UN passes new resolution on Myanmar despite opposition from China-Russia
The UN General Assembly on Sunday urged Myanmar to end a military campaign against Muslim Rohingya and called for the appointment of a UN special envoy, despite opposition from China, Russia and some regional countries.
— Dhaka Tribune

Property taxes a small but lucrative target for reform
Taxes collected by municipalities from owners and occupiers are structurally sound and administratively straightforward, but play a much smaller role in Myanmar than they could.
— Frontier

Kubota to join $92 million project to improve water supply system in Yangon
Farming and construction equipment manufacturer Kubota Corp. has said it will build water supply infrastructure in Myanmar’s commercial capital of Yangon together with other Japanese and South Korean partners, to meet growing industrial and household demand for clean water in line with the Southeast Asian country’s economic development.
— The Japan Times

See here for more of today’s Myanmar Morning News

 

Philippines morning newsPhilippines Morning News

Compiled by Leakhena Khat    @leakhenakhat

 

Rodrigo Duterte’s son quits as vice mayor over drug smuggling links
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s eldest son has quit as vice mayor of the southern city of Davao, citing his being linked to a drug smuggling case by opponents and personal problems from a failed marriage as reasons for the move.
ABC

China expands in West Philippine Sea, Philippines relies on ‘good faith’
The Philippine continues to rely on Beijing’s “good faith” after a Chinese government report said that it “reasonably” expanded its islands in the disputed West Philippine Sea.
Philstar 

36 bodies retrieved in mall fire; govt probe set
The Justice Department ordered a criminal investigation Monday into a shopping mall fire that killed 37 people, including call center staff from an American firm.
Manila Standard

See here for more of today’s Philippines Morning News

 

Singapore morning newsSingapore Morning News

Compiled by Leakhena Khat   @leakhenakhat

 

News Analysis: Keppel O&M’s fines a new blow to resurgent sector
This Christmas is going down in history as perhaps the most disquieting for Singapore’s stock market and its embattled offshore and marine (O&M) sector.
The Straits Times (paywall)

Singapore on track to beat 2016 visitor arrivals record this year
Visitor arrivals to Singapore hit about 13 million in the first three quarters of 2017 – but finding ways to keep tourists coming back and to attract new visitors has kept the Singapore Tourism Board on its toes.
Channel NewsAsia (video)

Li Shengwu and Li Hongyi are no longer on speaking terms but remain Facebook friends
Singapore’s founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew’s grandsons Li Shengwu and Li Hongyi are no longer on speaking terms, despite once being described as “very close”.
The Independent Singapore 

See here for more of today’s Singapore Morning News

 

Thailand morning newsThailand Morning News

Compiled by John Le Fevre    @photo_journ

 

Thai Red Cross appeals for blood donations
The Thai Red Cross Society is organizing a blood drive ahead of the New Year Festival when the number of road accidents is high.
— News Today (video)

Thailand’s Dark Side: Why You Really Shouldn’t Visit Koh Tao
“Amazing Thailand” – so the slogan goes. But while Thailand shines brightly on many fronts – its exuberant capital, mesmerising beaches, bucolic countryside, lip-smacking food – it is mirrored by a dark side, a far cry from the tourism authority’s vision of paradise.
— The Independent

Festive spending pegged to hit 13-year high of B159bn
A recovering economy and government incentives are expected to push spending during the year-end celebrations to a 13-year high of 159 billion baht, according to the latest survey of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC).
— Bangkok Post

See here for more of today’s Thailand Morning News

 

Vietnam morning newsVietnam Morning News

Compiled by Sreypov Men    @MenSreypov

 

SBV wants ATMs to run efficiently before Tet
The State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) has asked the relevant agencies to ensure all automatic teller machines (ATM) are operational in the months approaching Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, when there is high demand for cash transactions.
— Bizhub

Vietnam instant noodle market controlled by three big brands
Fifty instant noodle manufacturers exist in Vietnam, but the market is controlled by three big players, namely Acecook, Asia and Masan.
— VietnamNet Bridge

Typhoon Tembin moves from Philippines to Vietnam as death toll rises to 230
Hundreds of thousands of people in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta have been evacuated as the region braces for the arrival of Tropical Storm Tembin, which left more than 230 people dead in the Philippines.
— ABC News

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.

 

Support independent media by sharing using these tools. Do not steal our content

Make a comment

Your email address will not be published.