Asean morning news for January 8

Asean morning news for January 8
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Asean morning newsAsean morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu          @stmarisewudolu

 

Asean economic meeting to focus on 12 top issues
As chair of Asean this year, Thailand is set to host the first senior economic official meeting (Seom) during Jan 12-18 in Bangkok, highlighting 12 key economic issues as top priorities.
— Bangkok Post

Asia trade pact RCEP aims for fall signing, after India elections
After failing to meet an earlier target to sign a deal by November 2018, the 16 member nations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership will meet as early as next month with a new goal of reaching an agreement on the pan-Asian trade accord this fall.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)

As Rakhine crisis festers, Asean must act
On the last Sunday of 2018, acrimonious elections were held in Bangladesh with the likelihood of ripple effects on regional issues.
— Bangkok Post

SE Asia a ‘bright spot’ in global economy
Despite prevailing emerging market jitters, Southeast Asia is one region that offers a “compelling” story as it’s turning out to be a “bright spot” on the global economic stage, a top strategist at British banking giant HSBC said.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer

Preview: A year of elections for Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia will have a busy political calendar in 2019 with voters in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines heading to the polls within the year.
— Asia News Network/ Inquirer.net

Korea, ASEAN set to navigate another 30 years ahead
Back in the 1990s, the world went through unexpected turbulence. A long-standing dichotomy of Cold War ended with two historic moments, the unification of Germany and the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
— The Jakarta Post (paywall)

ASEAN: Outlook for 2019 Part 2
Aside from election fever and concerns over free trade, it is likely that Southeast Asia will play a much bigger role in global geopolitics in 2019.
— The Asean Post

Southeast Asians feel caught in US-China fight for hegemony
Southeast Asians expect China to use their region as a “test bed” for projecting power, a new survey has found, as Beijing and the U.S. increasingly jostle for influence.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)

Waiting for a more proactive Asean
For the rest of 2019, Asean cannot be shy and hide in a corner.
— Bangkok Post

Navigating priorities for Asean in 2019
The New Year will likely see Southeast Asian economies face major economic headwinds namely the US-China trade tensions and the interest rate increases by the US Federal Reserve.
— Khmer Times

ASEAN-Korea Center opens hall for Southeast Asia-related businesses
The ASEAN-Korea Center in Seoul has opened its main hall from this year onward to companies and individuals doing or planning business with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ corporate partners.
— The Korea Herald

Sustainable local tourism shows bright prospects for ASEAN
The ASEAN-Korea Center in Seoul organized a sustainable local tourism course in the tourism village of Nglanggeran, located in the special region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, over the weekend.
— The Korea Herald

How to stop losing the fight against malaria
When it comes to fighting infectious diseases, progress cannot be gauged by the availability of resources; the most important metric is the number of lives saved.
— The Asean Post

Bright outlook for 2019
A reliable industry bellwether, IATA’s annual forecast suggests the global airline industry will garner a USD35.5 billion profit in 2019.
— TTR Weekly

Living like a king
Thanks to rapid development in Southeast Asia, ASEAN’s middle class is set to grow and become a critical segment of society, acting as a vital engine of growth in the region.
— The Asean Post

Michael Vatikiotis and his intriguing insights on Southeast Asia
American journalist Michael Vatikiotis understands Southeast Asia through and through.
— The Jakarta Post

ASEAN Student Council conference in Bangkok
The ASEAN Student Council has organised a conference to inspire the region’s youth to protect the environment, combat corruption and be good citizens.
— Vietnam Plus

 

Cambodia morning newsCambodia morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu          @stmarisewudolu

 

Forty Years On, Khmer Rouge Fall Still Dominates Cambodian Politics
Despite the majority of people in the area being former Khmer Rouge, there are some newcomers who came to do business in Anlong Veng, including restaurants, grocery stores, and entertainment venues.
— VOA Cambodia

Hun Sen touts economic and social achievements
Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday praised his administration for bringing political and social stability to the Kingdom, improving the business climate and turning the country into an attractive investment destination.
— Khmer Times

Conservationist set to receive $20k per year
An American activist receives a $20,000 check for his conservation efforts.
— Khmer Times

See here for more of today’s Cambodia morning news

 

Indonesia morning newsIndonesia morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu          @stmarisewudolu

 

Bank Indonesia’s foreign exchange reserves increase to $120.7 billion in December
Indonesia’s central bank’s foreign currency reserves increased to $120.7 billion in December, it said in a statement on Tuesday.
— Today Online

Indonesia’s conservative Islam regains clout ahead of elections
Religious intolerance is on the rise in Indonesia as conservative Muslims regain political clout ahead of general elections scheduled for April, a sign that the country is re-examining its Islamic foundations.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)

Government allocates Rp15 trillion for disaster fund
The Indonesian government has agreed to allocate Rp15 trillion in budget fund for disaster anticipation and mitigation in the 2019 state budget.
— Antara News

See here for more of today’s Indonesia morning news

 

Lao PDR morning newsLao PDR morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men          @MenSreypov
 

Smart city development on Lao government agenda for 2019
The government has added smart city development to its agenda for this year as landlocked Laos seeks ways to strengthen its economic competitiveness in the coming years.
— FMT

Construction of 15-km Vientiane expressway edges closer
Construction of an expressway linking the city centre to the outskirts is expected to begin next month, a senior government official has said.
— Vientiane Times

Labour officials mull foreign worker regulations
The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and other government bodies yesterday held a brainstorming session on the draft of a labour regulation that addresses the issue of foreign workers in Laos who don’t have legal documentation.
— Vientiane Times

See here for more of today’s Lao morning news

 

Malaysia morning newsMalaysia morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men          @MenSreypov

 

Malaysia Airlines offers up to 30 pct discounts for selected destinations
Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB) is offering up to 30 per cent off on air fares to selected destinations within the airline’s network.
— New Straits Times

Malaysia’s royals to elect new King within 4 weeks after Sultan Muhammad V stepped down
Malaysia’s unique constitutional monarchy means the sovereign is neither absolute nor hereditary, but is elected among the heads of the nine royal houses who rule their own states.
— The Straits Times

Employers to pay less to EPF for workers above 60
The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) today announced that employers will, from now, make a minimum statutory contribution of 4% for employees above 60 years old against the present practice of contributing 6.0% and 6.5%.
— FMT

See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News

 

Myanmar morning newsMyanmar morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men          @MenSreypov

 

Myanmar army to launch ‘crackdown’ on Rakhine rebels: Government
Myanmar has called on its military to “launch operations” against ethnic Rakhine rebels behind a deadly attack on four police stations last week, a government spokesman said Monday (Jan 7), as a surge of violence forces thousands more from their homes.
— Channel NewsAsia

Myanmar to implement digital marketing to attract more visitors
Myanmar is planning to implement digital marketing to develop the country’s hotels and tourism sector, especially to increase promotional work to attract visitors from China’s Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SAR), Xinhua reported quoting local media.
— Mizzima

Myanmar needs to struggle in rice market if GSP rights are revoked: Rice Federation
Myanmar will have to struggle to compete with other countries in rice market if the rights of GSP/EBA (generalized scheme of preferences/ everything but arms) are revoked again, said Ye Min Aung, general secretary of Myanmar Rice Federation, during a talk on “Democracy, Poverty and GSP’ held at the office of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
— Eleven Myanmar

See here for more of today’s Myanmar morning news

 

Philippines morning newsPhilippines morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu          @stmarisewudolu

 

PHL dollar reserves rise to $78.46 billion in December
THE country’s dollar holdings continued to expand in December after registering declines in previous months, as the peso strengthened against the greenback toward the end of 2018.
— Business Mirror

Government task force endorses P25-billion medium-term Boracay action plan
The Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force adopted the Medium-Term Boracay Action Plan on Dec. 21, formally laying out programs for the island’s rehabilitation, the National Economic and Development Authority said Monday.
— Manilastandard.net

Filipino Journalists Protest Police Efforts to Link them to Communists
Filipino journalists on Monday protested recent efforts by the Philippine National Police to link them with communist insurgents in the country, saying the efforts sought to intimidate one of the region’s beacons of free speech.
— Benar News

See here for more of today’s Philippines morning news

 

Singapore morning newsSingapore morning news

Compiled by John Le Fevre          @photo_journ

 

Blockchain incubator programme launches in Singapore
A crypto-currency wallet that works with smart contracts, a digital marketplace to trade renewable energy certificates and an online protocol that uses biometrics to authenticate identities are some of the projects selected for an incubator programme launched yesterday.
— Straits Times

“Seletar cannot use Malaysia’s airspace”–M’sian Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah
Malaysia is staying firm in its stand not to allow Singapore to use its airspace in Pasir Gudang, Johor. Two days before a scheduled meeting between Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah and his counterpart in Singapore, Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Saifuddin reiterated his country’s stand. Malaysia’s English-language newspaper, The New Straits Times, reported on January […]
— The Independent sg

Manufacturing remains integral amid changes in economy: EDB
For all the increasingly sophisticated directions the economy is taking, manufacturing remains an integral part of the mix, according to the managing director of the Economic Development Board (EDB).
— Straits Times

See here for more of today’s Singapore morning news

 

Thailand morning newsThailand morning news

Compiled by John Le Fevre          @photo_journ

 

Saudi asylum-seeker challenges Thailand human rights record as Asean chair year begins (video) *update #6
Just seven days in to its year as Asean chair and Thailand is embroiled in a human rights controversy that threatens to caste a lingering shadow over its custodianship of the region’s 4.5 million people for the next 12 months.
— AEC News Today

Somkid confident of 4-4.2 percent growth rate for 2018
Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak is confident that Thailand’s economy for the year 2018 would grow between 4-4.2 percent, citing several economic indicators which have shown sign of improvements.
— Thai PBS World

Confusion reigns in poll date debate
Confusion has erupted over what the 150-day deadline on the election is following the enactment of the election law, with the uncertainty likely needing a Constitutional Court interpretation, according to political observers.
— Bangkok Post

See here for more of today’s Thailand morning news

 

Vietnam morning newsVietnam morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men          @MenSreypov

 

Vietnam Tourism Arrivals Surge 20%, Hit New Record
Vietnam closed 2018 almost spot on its target of tourist arrivals, counting 15,497,791 international visitors which represented an increase of 19.9 per cent over 2017. The official target for the year was set at 15.5 million.
— Investvine

Vietnam property inventories plunge to US$992 million as of end-2018
The value went down 82.24% from the peak in the first quarter 2013.
— Vietnam Net

Nearly 40,000 flights delayed in 2018
Four domestic carriers, Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet, Jetstar Pacific and the Viet Nam Air Services Company (VASCO), reported a total of 39,632 delayed flights in 2018.
— Vietnam Net

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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