Economy and commerce
Investment
‘Thailand 4.0’ should get GDP growth up to potential, World Bank says

The World Bank believes Thailand should be able to achieve long-term annual economic growth of 4-5 per cent if the government can successfully push through its “Thailand 4.0” model. The new economic model would help draw private investment, the Bank’s economist for Thailand, Kiatipong Ariyapruchya, ...
Businesses still struggle with administrative procedures

Vietnam has made some strides in administrative reform but local enterprises are still grappling with administrative procedures relating to taxes, sub-licenses and inspections, heard at a meeting between National Assembly deputies and businesses on October 3. Aside from capital, market and technology, the business community needs ...
Development of SMEs, startups allotted B96m
The Commerce Ministry has vowed to spend 96 million baht next year to help develop startups and raise Thai brand awareness in the world market. According to Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn, the ministry is committed to moving ahead with plans to promote Thai small and medium-sized ...
TrueMoney goes international, targeting Myanmar

Local mobile payment companies are gearing up to extend their payment services overseas after the Bank of Thailand eased foreign exchange rules. The central bank in March eased the regulations to allow companies that hold payment licences under the law regulating e-payment to act as ...
Giant East Asian manufacturers dominate Vietnam’s industrial parks

Giant East Asian manufacturers were major clients of industrial parks across Vietnam in the first half of 2016, according to a report on industrial real estate released on October 4 by Savills Vietnam. The most outstanding projects came from hi-tech product manufacturers of the Republic of ...
Thermal power plants increasing on Hau River

Why are coal-run thermopower plants located on the Hau River? Why do the plants all use Chinese technology? Will there be another Formosa on the Hau River? These are questions raised by environmental experts about the appearance of many coal power plants believed to threaten the ...
Ministry calls meet on rice scheme suspects

The Justice Ministry has invited anti-graft agencies to a meeting next week when it is expected to name the people to be probed in the 853 alleged corruption cases connected to the rice-pledging scheme. The Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission last week said it had received 853 ...
US still urging Cambodia to broaden and clarify union law
The U.S. is continuing to urge the government to change and clarify key parts of a controversial trade union law that took effect in April, including an amendment to cover civil servants, the U.S.’s international labor affairs representative said on October 5. Sarah Fox, who was ...
Large M&A deal could change Vietnam’s sugar industry

Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group HAGL has finally confirmed that it is negotiating with Thanh Thanh Cong on the transfer of its sugar mill in Laos to TTC. As both of them are giants in their field, the deal is expected to lead to big ...
Japanese businesses eye VN agriculture

An increasing number of Japanese firms are interested in investing in Việt Nam, particularly in the agriculture sector, Tanoi Masahiko of Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said at a meeting on September 27. He said the increased number of businesses participating in the ...