Trade
Trade policy and regulation
Investment grows at SEZs

Over US$1 billion has been disbursed in various business activities and the development of special and specific economic zones, driven by growing regional economic integration. Almost 300 companies from Laos and overseas are now investing in the SEZs, with a total registered capital of almost US$8 ...
Thai garment exports tipped to drop further
Thai garment exports are expected to continue to decline with more Thai manufacturers expanding to neighbouring countries to tap cheaper costs and better tariff benefits. Vallop Vitanakorn, an adviser to the Thai Garment Manufacturers Association, said after expanding investments to Cambodia and Vietnam over the past ...
Industry leaders enthused by reinstatement of US trade benefits for Myanmar

Businessmen, industry leaders and members of government have expressed enthusiasm after statements from President Barack Obama that the US would soon re-admit Burma to the Generalized System of Preferences. President Obama notified the US Congress on September 14 that it would reintroduce Myanmar to the preferential trade scheme ...
Southeast Asia in Africa: A partner for development?

From the turn of the century onwards, Africa has been placed in the centre of the debate over emerging economies in the South. The continent has also been going through a period of economic growth starting from the beginning of the 21st century. Despite such ...
Lao construction companies to benefit from planned railway
Twenty Lao companies will be selected as sub-contractors for construction work on the almost-US$6 billion railway that will link Vientiane to the Chinese border. But these companies must be sub-contracted by Chinese companies, who will supervise their work and provide technical assistance to ensure high quality ...
Targeted strategies to boost exports being devised
The ministry’s International Trade Promotion Department will allocate the largest proportion of its trade-promotion budget for ASEAN markets, focusing on Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. Malee Choklumlerd, director-general of the department, said it had been allocated a budget of Bt2 billion for the upcoming fiscal year, and ...
ASEAN still has much to accomplish, FM Retno says at bloc's 49th anniversary

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations still has much to accomplish in the future as the regional bloc celebrated its 49th anniversary on August 15. Speaking during the celebration at the offices of the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Retno said she believes ...
Decree addresses securities firms

The Government has issued Decree No. 86/2016/NĐ-CP dated July 1, 2016 governing requirements applicable to securities investment and business activities in Việt Nam. The decree applies to securities companies, fund management companies, securities investment companies, foreign securities business organisations, and relevant organisations and individuals in ...
Miles to go

Though foreign investment is soaring and GDP is expected to grow by at least 8% this year and next, both are from a tiny base. Before the army seized power, Myanmar had been one of the world’s leading rice exporters and one of Asia’s wealthiest ...
New restrictions aim to curb rice imports

Cambodia’s Ministry of Economy and Finance announced on 27 June that the government will block all illegal rice imports at its borders and limit legal rice shipments from Vietnam based on production cost. As part of the new regime, only milled rice with a production cost of ...