Economy and industry
Revenue, debt alarms sounded in Thailand
Concerns about the private sector’s revenue and debt servicing ability have been raised at a joint meeting of two Bank of Thailand committees. The Monetary Policy Committee and the Financial Institutions Policy Committee held a joint session on 30 November to discuss financial developments and risks to financial ...
Thai PM urged to await verdict before paying constructor of Klong Dan project
A civic group on 3 December petitioned Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to exercise his special power and cancel the Cabinet’s resolution approving the payment of Bt9.6 billion in compensation to the constructor of the corruption-plagued Klong Dan wastewater-treatment project. Keep reading ...
China starts work on Laos railway, eyeing farther horizons
The first Southeast Asian rail project to grow out of China’s transcontinental vision for new economic links got underway on 2 December. The president of Laos, Choummaly Sayasone, dug into a tidy pyramid of white sand at the groundbreaking ceremony in Vientiane for a roughly $6 ...
Companies begin to feel the heat as import costs climb
Myanmar’s plummeting currency has prompted a vicious circle of rising prices in the import-dependent economy, in which even export-driven companies face rising costs, say businesspeople. New laws and regulations are urgently needed to control the kyat, they said, which has fallen by more than 25 percent ...
Scramble behind the scenes as Yangon Stock Exchange nears launch
Just a week before Myanmar’s first modern stock exchange is set to open on 9 December, a much-delayed announcement on the names of securities companies has not yet been made, underwriters have not received licences and domestic IPOs seem a distant dream. Ten companies have been ...
PV Oil Laos marks anniversary
A ceremony to celebrate the 5th anniversary of Lao PetroVietnam Oil (PV Oil Laos), a subsidiary of the PetroVietnam Oil Corporation (PV Oil), was held in Vientiane on 30 November. The event was attended by Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Manh Hung and Vice President of ...
Workers in Thailand get temporary labour permits
Vietnamese migrant workers in Thailand are allowed to register for temporary work permits at the country’s provincial labour departments from 1-30 December, according to the Thai Ministry of Labour. The ministry said on 30 November that the 30-day expansion for Vietnamese guest workers (excluding their companies) aims ...
Thailand 'to reap rewards' from IMF's yuan move
Thailand’s trade and investment will benefit in the long run from inclusion of the yuan in the special drawing rights currency basket of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), says a senior central bank official. Greater use of the Chinese currency would help to slim down foreign ...
Lao garment sector educates on new labour law
Some 25 Lao labour inspectors were trained on new labour law tools in Vientiane to help them educate workers and managers about their workplace rights and obligations on 26 November in Vientiane. The tools and related training programme were developed by the government with support of ...
Unlocking potentials of Laos through China-Laos friendship railway
The long-awaited railway that would connect the landlocked Laos with China would soon become a reality as an agreement was signed between authorities from the two countries for the construction, which is scheduled to start this month. The China-Laos railway will speed up not just the ...
