Asean Morning News For May 14

Asean Morning News

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu

US-China trade war impacts on ASEAN
ASEAN has played an important role in building prosperity in the region in its 50 years of existence. ASEAN’s gross domestic product now stands at approximately US$2.5 trillion, making the expanded grouping the world’s sixth-largest economy and fourth-largest global trading power.
— The Jakarta Post (paywall)

Changi Airport Terminal 4: Asean’s Best Airport Passenger Handling (HD video)
Terminal 4 at Singapore’s Changi International Airport commenced operating last October and it’s easy to see why the airport constantly takes out the top spot in every major survey of passengers.
— AEC News Today

Why Asia will come out on top as emerging markets get shaken up
The turbulence seen across emerging markets is following a similar pattern to a crisis that rocked global trading more than two decades ago – it involved tequila.
— The Business Times

China agrees on anti-human trafficking cooperation
An action plan to strengthen the prevention of human trafficking to China has been agreed upon between the Cambodian and Chinese governments.
— Khmer Times

Women in ASEAN’s labour force
In Southeast Asia, the lack of gender diversification in the workplace is still a visible problem in both, local and international companies throughout the region.
— The Asean Post

Bira 91 Raises $50M as it Looks to Expand its Footprint in the Global Craft Beer Market
Bira 91, one of the fastest growing craft beer brands out of India, has just received its third round of funding of $50M led by Belgian investment firm, Sofina.
— AEC news Today/ PR Newswire

Asean sets up plan to combat fake news
The 14th Conference of Asean Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI) has upped the ante on the war on fake news with the adoption of a framework that will aim to minimise the harmful effects of such news.
— Inquirer.Net

Assam, India’s expressway to ASEAN
Located in north-eastern India, Assam is one of the fastest-growing states in the country, lying at the heart of India’s Act East Policy. Spread over 78,000 square kilometres, it is fast becoming India’s expressway to Southeast Asia.
— The Asean Post

Asean officials explore benefits of community-based tourism
Twenty representatives from the Lao Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism learned more about community participation in tourism during a three-day workshop in Cambodia last week.
— Vientiane Times

Innovations should always serve humanity
Innovation is a word used frequently in this era of disruption. But aside from the excitement of all the technological advancement, of equal importance is how to harness it to promote humanity, harmony and stability.
— The Nation

ASEAN migrant workers get training for jobs back home
More than 60 migrant workers joined a program in Taipei Sunday that offers vocational training in making Taiwanese trademark dishes and drinks such as beef noodles and bubble tea, to help them prepare for life after they return to their home countries.
— Focus Taiwan

Cambodia Morning News

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Cambodia files first charge under new royal insult law
A primary school principal in Cambodia became the first person to be charged under the kingdom’s new lese majeste law on Sunday over a comment he wrote on Facebook, officials said.
— Yahoo News

Price caps on petrol will continue: ministry
The government on Friday reiterated its commitment to continue capping the price of regular gasoline and diesel, arguing that its fuel price ceilings help reduce living costs for the low income segments of the population.
— Khmer Times

Cambodia: Land of spectacular ruins – Totally Awesome Travel Video
Video travel blogger Benn Tkalcevic has built up quite a following on YouTube due to the spectacular videos of his travels around the world over the past two years, and his latest production, Cambodia – Land of spectacular ruins, is no less awesome than those which precede it.
— AEC News Today (video)

See here for more of today’s Cambodia Morning News

Indonesia Morning News

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu

Trump Indonesia project latest stop on China’s Belt and Road
A billion-dollar Indonesian real estate development with ties to Donald Trump has become the latest project in China’s globe-spanning Belt and Road infrastructure project — just as Washington and Beijing are tussling over trade.
— The Jakarta Post

Deadly Indonesia church suicide bombings committed by one family
A family of 6 including 2 young daughters staged suicide bombings at 3 Indonesian churches during Sunday services, killing at least 13 people and wounding dozens in attacks claimed by the Islamic State group.
— ABS-CBN

The decline of Indonesia’s oil and gas industry
The oil and gas industry has seen turbulent times over the last 10 years, with the 2008 financial crisis as a turning point for the industry as a whole.
— The Asean Post

See here for more of today’s Indonesia Morning News

Lao PDR Morning News

Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat

China-Laos economic, trade cooperation committee holds 9th meeting
The ninth meeting of the China-Laos economic and trade cooperation committee was held on Friday in Lao capital Vientiane.
— Xinhua Net

Minister names new measures to improve ease of doing business
Procedures have been streamlined in a bid to speed up the approval of investment proposals by businesses and enable them to register more quickly.
— Vientiane Times

Lao Nationals, Foreign Residents No Longer Need To Complete Immigration Forms
General Department of Police, Ministry of Public Security has issued the notice No 707/502, dated Apr 26, 2018 urging directors of police office at the provincial police headquarter in Luang Prabang, Savannakhet, and Champassak to cancel asking Lao people and foreign nationals residing in the Lao PDR to complete immigration forms when they leave or enter the country at the four main international airports.
— Lao News Agency

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Malaysia Morning News

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Mahathir is back—good news or bad for sustainability in Malaysia?
The world was shocked when the former prime minister swept to victory in last week’s general election. What could his return to power mean for the environment?
— Eco-Business

Mahathir girds for volatile start to Malaysian market trading
Malaysia’s new government is girding for a volatile start to trading on Monday when local currency, debt and equity markets open for the first time since the stunning election defeat of the coalition that had ruled the country for six decades.
— Reuters

Bank Negara expects economy to remain strong post-election environment
Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) expects Malaysia’s economic outlook to remain strong despite the post-14th general election (GE14) environment, given its resilient and robust financial system.
— New Straits Times

See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News

Myanmar Morning News

Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat

19 dead in Myanmar rebel attacks
An attack on a police post Saturday in Myanmar by ethnic rebels left 19 dead and dozens more injured, according a government spokesman.
— CNN

Myanmar riot police break up anti-war protest in Yangon
Riot police in Yangon used batons on Saturday to break up a protest in support of victims of fighting in the northern Myanmar state of Kachin, arresting several of the organizers.
— Reuters

Beijing condemns fighting between Myanmar army, rebels near China border
China on Sunday condemned fighting in Myanmar between government troops and ethnic militants near the Chinese border, that left 19 people dead and caused others to flee into its territory.
— South China Morning Post

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Philippines Morning News

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu

DOF denies China asking for Philippines natural resources as loan collateral
Loans and other financing support granted by the Chinese government to the country do not involve any of the Philippines’ natural resources as collateral, the Department of Finance (DOF) said.
— Philippines Star

Remittances likely grew in March despite deployment ban
MONEY sent home by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) likely kept growing in March despite a deployment ban to Kuwait, HSBC Global Research said.
— BusinessWorld Online

Supreme Court ousts Sereno in historic ruling
Maria Lourdes Sereno has become the first Chief Justice to be ousted by the Supreme Court.
— CNN Philippines

See here for more of today’s Philippines Morning News

Singapore Morning News

Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat

4G ministers to take centre stage this week as Parliament sits
When Parliament sits on Monday (May 14) following a mid-term break, the fourth generation (4G) ministers will take centre stage, laying out how they will go about meeting the tasks before them and the Government’s plans to tackle issues highlighted in the President’s Address last week.
— Today Online

S$900 million North-South, East-West MRT line power supply project to be completed by 2023
An extensive project to renew the power supply system of the North-South and East-West MRT lines will cost nearly S$900 million and take five years to complete after work begins later this year, said Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan on Friday (May 11).
— Today Online

See here for more of today’s Singapore Morning News

Thailand Morning News

Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ

Thai junta’s slow investment spending could drag on growth
Erratic delivery of public investment has left Thailand plodding behind faster-growing Southeast Asian economies, yet regulations introduced by the military-led government have made it even harder for state agencies to spend this year.
— Reuters

Thai activists drop protests, vow to resume if deal with junta fails
A Thai anti-government movement vowed on Sunday to resume its protests unless the ruling junta keeps the promises it made in return for the group agreeing to end more than a week of demonstrations ahead of a coup anniversary later this month.
— Reuters

First digital bank branch launched
Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) launched BIBD NEXGEN, its new digital banking concept, at The Mall, Gadong.
— The Nation

See here for more of today’s Thailand Morning News

Vietnam Morning News

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

PM hopes for Vingroup’s contributions to domestic auto industry
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc expressed his hope that Vingroup conglomerate will contribute to the development of the domestic automobile sector with the establishment of its VinFast automobile and electric motorbike manufacturing complex.
— Nhan Dan Online

Banks eye consumer finance
Several banks are keen to establish consumer finance arms to grab a bigger share of a market that is expected to reach VNĐ1,000 trillion (US$4.38 billion) by 2020 and grow at 29 per cent annually.
— Viet Nam News

Backlash on MoF tax plan
Experts’ reactions to the Ministry of Finance’s (MoF) tax adjustment draft have been mixed, while the business community struggles to keep up with the variety of proposed tax hikes.
— Viet Nam 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.