Economy and industry

Majority of European businesses are planning to expand their investment and operations in ASEAN, including the Philippines, as the region grows in global importance and increasing profits, but they also said that trade barriers in the region hamper their ability to reach maximum economic potential, ...

Cambodian financial institutions surveyed yesterday said they were in compliance with the central bank’s revised liquidity coverage ratio requirements as the deadline passed to increase their cash and highly liquid assets to weather any internal or external shocks. The National Bank of Cambodia announced an incremental ...

India and Myanmar have gone to great lengths to paint President U Htin Kyaw’s recent four-day visit as a historic cementing of bilateral ties. The neighbouring countries’ relations, long overshadowed by China’s more aggressive overtures, have forged ahead under the National League for Democracy-led administration. U ...

The Mekong River Commission is still reeling from the blowback over its handling of the consultation process around the Don Sahong and Xayaburi dams in Laos, both of which are expected to have severe environmental consequences on those living downstream. Now, with its budget slashed—its funding ...

The government has ordered some 1,154 family-unit furniture plants across the country to shut down their illegal operations, a government spokesman announced on September 1. Additionally, more than 20 wood processing plants located in or near conservation and protected forests areas were also ordered to close ...

Climate change is threatening the Cambodian rice industry, and it is marginalised communities that will be worst affected unless the government takes action, according to a new study. The study’s authors, Sokuntheavy Hong and Jun Furuya, took historical climatic, socioeconomic and rice-yield data as their benchmark, ...

The Ministry of Mines and Energy is set to issue the country’s first commercial underground mining license to Indian company Mesco Gold in two weeks, despite opposition by residents of two villages concerned about compensation and environmental damage. The company plans to break ground on its ...

Rural development and poverty eradication in Laos could face many challenges in the coming years before getting better in the long term, according to the National Committee for Rural Development and Poverty Eradication. The challenges include unexpected developments and the fact that regional and international integration ...

European investors are increasing their exposure to Southeast Asia, reaffirming the region’s position as a bright spot in the global economy, as companies look to other markets for growth amid lingering concerns in China, according to the EU-ASEAN Business Sentiment Survey. The prospect of European ...

Taiwanese company Formosa Plastics, which caused deadly marine pollution in the central region by discharging untreated effluents, has paid up the US$500 million compensation it promised to, officials said. The environment ministry said on August 31 Formosa had transferred the second half of the promised amount a ...