Asean morning news for March 14

Asean morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu

More ASEAN nations ban Boeing 737 MAX jets
The European Union (EU) closed its airspace to Boeing 737 MAX planes on Tuesday, joining similar action by nations across the globe following a second deadly accident in just five months.
— The Asean Post

Mike Pompeo Says China Is Blocking ASEAN Members From Accessing $2.5 Trillion Recoverable Energy Reserves
The US has accused China of blocking the ASEAN members accessing more than USD 2.5 trillion in recoverable energy reserves in the South China Sea by illegal construction activities.
— TechGraph (blog)

China-ASEAN trade hits record high in 2018
Total volume of trade between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries hit a record high of 587.87 billion U.S. dollars in 2018, up 14.1 percent year on year, an official with the Ministry of Commerce said Wednesday.
— Xinhua

Thailand Ranked At Top In ASEAN for Conventions
TCEB unveiled recent statistics indicating that Thailand’s conventions sector continues to grow with rising numbers of conferences in broader areas such as technologies and startups following trends in the global business.
— FTN News

Southeast Asian Economy Now More Resilient To External Financial Beatings But Needs Further Trade Exposure
Asian countries such as China and India are globally recognized due to their resilience to external finance-related problems but experts believe constituents in Southeast Asia, in particular, need further exposure outside of the home.
— Business Times

Asean calls for improvement in key biodiversity area identification
A series of workshops held in Bangkok this week aims to help participants identify sites critical to the global persistence of biodiversity in the Asean region.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Gormless ASEAN leaders stumble over humanitarian crises
Five great refugee floods have blighted Southeast Asia over the last half-century — sparked by conflicts in Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, East Timor (also known as Timor Leste) and Myanmar — in tragedies with far-reaching consequences that should have been averted.
— La Croix International

Challenges and opportunities: Democratising ASEAN’s digital sphere
In the last decade, digital technologies have had a profound transformative effect on ASEAN’s economies and societies.
— Asean Today

Southeast Asia’s otters under threat
One of Southeast Asia’s many treasures is its beautiful flora and fauna. Gifted with lush forests and beautiful waters, the region is blessed with diverse wildlife.
— The Asean Post

US businesses in Singapore very confident about growth potential in Asean: Survey
South-east Asian markets continue to remain important to United States businesses, as a poll of 210 business executives in the region showed an increasing percentage expecting profits to increase compared with two years ago.
— The Straits Times (annoying pop-ups)

WTO action, Asean-EU relations review planned over palm oil discrimination
A complaint to the World trade Organisation (WTO) and a review of Asean-European Union (EU) relations are among the more drastic measures to be taken if discrimination against palm oil by the latter does not end.
— Malay Mail

ASEAN+3 singing contest 2019 launched
The ASEAN+3 singing contest 2019, the second of its kind, has been officially launched, open to professional pop singers aged 18-35 from 10 Southeast Asian nations with a view to promoting cultural exchanges in the bloc.
— Vietnamplus

Asean looks forward to larger role by India
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is firming up its policy on the Indo-Pacific even as it looks to India playing a larger role in regional peace and stability and development in the coming years, experts and envoys said at a seminar here on Wednesday.
— Hindustan Times

ASEAN envoys hail historic relations with Turkey
Envoys from seven member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) hailed the grouping’s historic relations with Turkey on Wednesday, highlighting their long-standing bilateral socio-cultural cooperation.
— Anadolu Agency

Cambodia morning news

Compiled by Piseth Pov @piseth6666

EU ambassador bids farewell amid EBA review
Outgoing European Union Ambassador George Edgar yesterday said farewell to Foreign Affairs Minister Prak Sokhonn and despite the potential withdrawal of the Kingdom’s Everything-but-arms preferential trade status, he said the EU is still committed to working with the government.
— Khmer Times

Focus on Jobs and Income, Not Incitement and Propaganda, PM Hun Sen Tells Workers (Video inside)
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday again reminded workers that as long as ones have jobs, ones do not have to care about the ill-intended agenda, propaganda, and incitement of the opposition groups, addressing in a meeting with over 13,000 garment workers in Koh Kong province, southwest of the kingdom.
— Fresh News

Sweden donates $268,000 to Cambodia’s Arbitration Council
Sweden provided $268,000 to the Arbitration Council Foundation (ACF) to boost up Cambodia’s industrial relations and labor market conditions.
— Scand Asia

See here for more of today’s Cambodia morning news

Indonesia morning news

Compiled by Piseth Pov @piseth6666

Indonesia’s February trade deficit seen as smallest in five months – Reuters poll
Indonesia’s trade deficit is seen narrowing in February as exports continued to decline amid falling global demand and soft commodity prices, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday.
— Today Online

Rp1 trillion spent on fighting land fires in 2018
The government spent Rp1 trillion for fighting wildfires on peatlands in South Sumatra province last year, Chief of the National Disaster Mitigation Board (BNPB) Lt. Gen. Doni Monardo said on Tuesday.
— Antara News

In Indonesia, Facebook and Twitter are ‘buzzer’ battlegrounds as elections loom
Almost every day, “Janda”, a self-described Indonesian housewife with 2,000 Twitter followers, dispenses lifestyle tips, complains about city life, and praises how the government of President Joko Widodo has improved her life as a young mother.
— Reuters

See here for more of today’s Indonesia morning news

Lao PDR morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Laos needs ‘best practice’ logistics
LAOS will need to pay serious attention to making logistics more efficient through the application of the world’s best practices, as the country is now integrated regionally and internationally, a top business chamber official said.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Plan Launched To Help Laos Integrate Into Global Trade
The European Union Ambassador to the Lao PDR Léon Paul Faber, the Minister of Commerce and Industry Khemmany Pholsena and EIF Executive Director Ratnakar Adhikari launched on Mar 11 the strategic plan 2019-2022 of the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF): Forging New Paths for Least Developed Countries in global and regional trade.
— KPL

Lao Government Slaps Wrists of 7 Vientiane Officials for Public Project Fraud
Seven high-ranking current or formal officials in Laos’ Vientiane province have been warned and publicly identified for their involvement in several fraudulent development projects.
— Radio Free Asia

See here for more of today’s Lao morning news

Malaysia morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Not guilty, Najib says it again on money laundering charges
Former prime minister Najib Razak today maintained his plea of not guilty to three counts of money laundering amounting to RM27 million of SRC International funds five years ago.
— FMT

All 111 schools in Pasir Gudang closed indefinitely
All 111 schools in Pasir Gudang, Johor, have been ordered to close effective today until further notice, said Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik. Maszlee in a statement tonight said the action was based on current situation and information received from the State Disaster Management.
— The Borneo Post

Most Malaysians debt-ridden from uncontrolled spendings
A research by the Universiti Malaya Social Well-being Research Centre (SWRC) shows that the majority of the people of this country are burdened with debt due to uncontrolled spending.
— The Sun Daily

See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News

Myanmar morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Renewed calls for constitutional change in Myanmar’s ‘military-state’
Constitutional change was a 2015 election campaign promise of Myanmar’s National League for Democracy (NLD) and Aung San Suu Kyi. As the 2020 elections loom large, they are now revisiting the proposal to recapture the attention and support of the people.
— East Asia Forum

MoU on official rice exports to China to be signed soon
Under a program between Myanmar’s Yangon and China’s Kunming, a Memorandum of Understanding on official rice exports to China will be signed soon, said U Aung Htoo, Deputy Minister of Commerce. “We plan to sign the MoU for the export of rice and broken rice to China by this month or next. Negotiations are at the final level now,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
— Myanmar Times

Local fuel prices soar amidst the increase of global oil price
Fuel prices are increased by Ks80 per liter in compared with the prices on February 12 due to the increase of global oil price, according to fuel stations.
— Eleven Myanmar

See here for more of today’s Myanmar morning news

Philippines morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu

Philippines cuts 2019 GDP growth target, cites budget squabble
The Philippines on Wednesday cut its 2019 GDP growth target to 6-7%, from 7-8%, citing a delay in final legislative approval of the budget, and the economic planning chief said growth might fall to below 5%.
— Bangkok Post

Duterte fails to break budget impasse
Not even a meeting with President Duterte could break the impasse among lawmakers over this year’s stalled budget program.
— The Philippine Star

El Niño wreaking havoc in the Philippines
El Niño is parching farms and drying up water supplies in the Philippines, with the southern island of Mindanao taking the brunt of the irregular weather pattern that causes sudden drought-like conditions.
— Asia Times

See here for more of today’s Philippines morning news

Singapore morning news

Compiled by Piseth Pov @piseth6666

Singapore 2019 growth trimmed to 2.5% by forecasters; easing of US-China tensions seen as upside risk: MAS survey
The Singapore economy is expected to expand by 1.9% y-o-y in 1Q19, according to the March survey of professional forecasters by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).
— The Edge Singapore

Singapore, US regulators agree on mutual recognition of derivatives trading venues
SINGAPORE regulators and their US counterparts have agreed to mutually recognise certain derivatives trading venues in either market, hewing to reforms undertaken by the Group of 20 (G-20) bloc.
— The Business Times

Singapore is best in Asia for quality of living, personal safety: Survey
Singapore continues to offer the best quality of life in Asia, an annual survey by consulting firm Mercer has found, but worldwide, it is still ranked at 25th. It also ranks highest for personal safety.
— Today Online

See here for more of today’s Singapore morning news

Thailand morning news

Compiled by Piseth Pov @piseth6666

Thailand bans Boeing 737 MAX flights for 7 days
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand said on Wednesday it is suspending the use of the Boeing Co’s 737 MAX 9 due to safety concerns.
— Bangkok Post

Phuket: Double-digit growth dwindles
Despite registering a record high 9 million passenger arrivals at Phuket’s gateway international airport in 2018, performance data indicates that a slowdown in growth rates is on the horizon for Thailand’s top island destination.
— TTR Weekly

Dengue fever sweeps through northeast Thailand; 7 deaths, over 9,000 diagnosed
A dengue fever outbreak in northeastern Thailand has the government on high alert.
— Coconuts Bangkok

See here for more of today’s Thailand morning news

Vietnam morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Electricity demand in VN rises faster than GDP growth
Statistics show that the rise in demand for energy in Vietnam is double the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate, participants heard at a workshop in Hanoi City on March 12.
— VietNamNet Bridge

Thua Thien-Hue to invest 82 mlm USD in rural industry
The central province of Thua Thien-Hue has decided to invest nearly 1.9 trillion VND (82 million USD) into a project on rural industry development through 2025.
— VNA NET

VN Association of Financial Investors proposes ways to hike State budget revenue
The State budget revenue may reach US$100 billion in the next 15 years if the Government takes drastic measures to reform State-run enterprises and create a level playing field for foreign enterprises, according to the Vietnam Association of Financial Investors (VAFI).
— VietNamNet Bridge

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.

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