Economy and industry
Low marks for Cambodia’s efforts to combat illicit trade
Cambodia ranked third-worst for illicit trade out of 17 countries in the Asia-Pacific region in a recently released index by the Economist Intelligence Unit that analysed governments’ abilities to combat illegal trade operations. The report, commissioned by the European Chamber of Commerce of Singapore, reviewed countries ...
FDI sluggish as investor mood dims
Foreign direct investment for the whole of 2016 is expected to grow by just 2.7%, indicating that confidence in the Thai economy remains fragile, says Vallop Vitanakorn, vice-chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries. He said the likely FDI growth of 2.7% is low when ...
More powercuts forecast for Yangon
Get ready for the blackouts. A regional minister has acknowledged that decayed powerlines and a surging demand for electricity will once again leave the commercial capital in the dark. Yangon Electricity Supply Corporation had hoped a handful of patchwork measures would help boost the supply but ...
Myanmar’s disappointing new investment law
A new investment law has been rushed through Burma’s Parliament, with the Upper House giving its approval on October 6. According to the Myanmar Investment Commission, the law is expected to take effect soon. Earth Rights International and other civil society groups are concerned that the ...
Four reasons why Asia is a prime target for cybercriminals
From attacks on Ukrainian power grids to central bank heists in Bangladesh and the leak of stolen information from the Democratic National Committee in the U.S., cybersecurity threats have escalated massively in recent years. Governments, companies and individuals are equally susceptible all over the world, but ...
Thai Lion Air's Ho Chi Minh City service gets green light
Thai Lion Air has received the green light from Vietnamese authorities to start a Bangkok-Ho Chi Minh City service that was earlier placed in doubt. Monday’s notification allows the Thai-registered low-cost carrier to maintain its planned flight timetable with the maiden service set to launch ...
Singapore’s data mirrors UN’s in Cambodia’s sand export numbers
Singaporean customs data on sand imports from Cambodia show near identical figures to those recorded by the UN, which last month were dismissed by a top official amid a reporting discrepancy in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The UN data showed $752 million in imports ...
Asian Development Bank announces $45M loan for secondary education
The Asian Development Bank has approved a $45 million loan for Cambodia to overhaul its upper secondary education in order to address the increased demand for skilled workers. Several measures will be undertaken to reform the sector: math, science and information technology curricula will be reviewed ...
ASEAN officials discuss way forward for greater connectivity
ASEAN dialogue partners and delegates gathered in Vientiane on October 18 to discuss ways to put the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 into action. In particular, they considered more effective coordination between sectors, among nations and within the region. Gathering at the 3/2016 ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee ...
Failure of dams leads to flooding in Phnom Penh, Kampong Speu
Thousands of homes in Phnom Penh and Kampong Speu have been flooded after three dams were seriously damaged following two weeks of torrential rain and warnings from government officials. The homes of 1,637 families in nine different Dangkor district communes have been flooded following severe damage ...
