Investment policy and regulation
Foreign investors
Vietnam lists 17 sectors open for foreign investment

The Vietnamese government has published a list of 17 business sectors that are open to foreign investors, with some conditions, in a bid to improve the investment environment following this year’s record inflow of foreign capital. Until now, Vietnam – often criticized for a lack of ...
Starbucks opens doors in airport

The long-awaited Starbucks coffee chain opened its doors to passengers on 22 December in the Phnom Penh International Airport’s new terminal. Keep reading ...
Mekong area needs $3.8b for projects

The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta region will need more than VND86.3 trillion (US$3.83 billion) in the 2016-20 period to develop key infrastructure projects to fuel its economic growth, according to the Ministry of Transport. Around VND65 trillion ($2.8 billion) of the total funding will go to ...
Thailand's Tasco earmarks $61.8mln for M&A deals in Vietnam, Indonesia

Tipco Asphalt Pcl, or Tasco, a major asphalt manufacturer in Thailand, plans to acquire five companies in Vietnam and Indonesia for a total of $61.8 million, news website Deal Street Asia reported this week. Keep reading ...
Vietnam health inspectors to check Pepsi, Coca-Cola products
The Ministry of Health has announced its plan to send inspectors to four of the biggest beverage companies in Vietnam, including Pepsi and Coca-Cola, for a thorough check of their products. Keep reading ...
Lanexang cement Lao factory officially starts production

Lanexang cement Lao factory in Khounkham district of Khammuan province has began production last week and aims to be one of the biggest cement suppliers in Laos. The Yunnan provincial Energy Investment Group Co., Ltd (YEIG) invested US$1.2 billon to build the factory. According to the company ...
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 ...
FDI disbursement in Vietnam up 17.9% in 11 months

Disbursement of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam reached an estimated US$13.2 billion from the beginning of 2015 until 20 November, up 17.9 per cent against 2014. Data from the General Statistics Office showed that the country attracted $20.22 billion worth of FDI during the reviewed ...
Chambers: Corruption a key concern

Corruption is a major concern that must be tackled by the government if it wants to attract foreign investment to Thailand, according to a report by the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand (JFCCT). The report, in which foreign investors expressed their views and concerns about ...
Thai Chamber urges bolder Myanmar approach
Thai businesses want the government to help them enter or expand into the Myanmar market by conducting more official visits to the neighbouring country, according to the AEC Strategy Centre at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce. Centre director Pussadee Polsaram said more official ...