Economy and commerce
Oxfam urges Asia to tackle rising inequality to sustain growth
Asian leaders must address rising inequality in all aspects, aid agency Oxfam warned on 19 January, saying ignoring the issue would leave almost 500 million people trapped in poverty and threaten economic growth. “Asia is now at a crossroads. It could continue with the existing policies ...
With AIIB, nation diversifies funding options
Though it’s extremely early days, experts this week welcomed Cambodia’s membership to the nascent China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, saying it would provide much-needed diversity of funding for the nation’s infrastructure and connectivity needs. Keep reading ...
Walt Disney denies planning Disneyland in Laos
The Walt Disney Company has denied it planned to build a Disneyland in Laos, Khaosod reported. “We continually look for ways to grow our business and as part of that process we have conversations with many different entities,” a US-based company representative said in an email ...
Lao Government approves new SEZ in Luang Prabang
The Lao government has given the green light for a Lao company to set up a special economic zone (SEZ) in Luang Prabang province, bringing the total number of SEZs nationwide to 13. The development is part of plans to create a new town in the ...
China launches new AIIB development bank as power balance shifts
Chinese President Xi Jinping launched a new international development bank seen as a rival to the U.S.-led World Bank at a lavish ceremony on 17 January, as Beijing seeks to change the unwritten rules of global development finance. Despite opposition from Washington, U.S. allies including Australia, ...
Vietnam needs new wave of investments
Greater efforts at a national level are needed to create a new wave of investments in Vietnam, Vuong Dinh Hue, head of the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission, said. Speaking during a recent interview with Vietnam News Agency, Hue said the country’s advancing legal framework and ...
As ASEAN takes symbolic step toward unity, Vietnam officials want new labor barriers
Now that the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) has officially been launched, with the goal of creating a common regional market where skilled workers can move freely, officials in Vietnam began to fear that many Vietnamese are not ready for the tough competition ahead. Speaking at a ...
Furniture fair raises profile of Lao wood products
The Lao Furniture Association hopes that the furniture fair, which opened in Vientiane on 14 January, will attract more domestic and foreign investors in the sector and promote Lao wood products on regional and international markets. The Lao Furniture Association on 14 January officially opened its ...
Champassak tourism continues to flourish
Champassak provincial authorities anticipate the tourism sector will double in the next five years, with visitor numbers expected to comfortably reach the goal of more than 500,000 this year after 400,000 last year. According to an official from Champassak Information, Culture and Tourism Department, recent figures ...
Thai Government sets rubber price limit at B45
The Thai government plans to buy rubber from farmers at a purchase price not exceeding 45 baht per kg. The projected price is about 15 baht lower than the set price demanded by groups of rubber farmers who are calling for 60 baht per kg, roughly ...
