Trade
Trade policy and regulation
Board of Investment to propose privileges for smart farmer scheme
Thailand’s Board of Investment (BoI) is set to propose promotional packages to support “smart farmer” projects at its next board meeting. Secretary-general Hiranya Sujinai said packages should combine both the BoI’s investment privileges and other support such as finance, technical assistance and market access development. Keep reading ...
Thai Fisheries officials predict 'no red card' from EU

The Department of Fisheries does not expect Thailand to be hit with a red card by the European Union, citing positive signals from EU representatives over progress in dealing with illegal fishing during their visit to the country this week. Esak Pakdeekong, the department’s deputy chief, said ...
Thai exports to China facing another fall

China’s economic slowdown continues to hurt Thai exports, with shipments to the country expected to contract for the third straight year in 2016. Aat Pisanwanich, director of the Center for International Trade Studies under the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), said Thai exports to China ...
India trade with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam has potential

India’s trade relation with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV) countries has immense potential, and “connectivity” and “economic integration” with regional value chains were crucial in this regard, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on 12 January. Keep reading ...
Rice warehouses are put back on the table in talks with China

Cambodia’s Ministry of Commerce announced last week a $400 million proposal by three Chinese firms to build state-run rice warehousing facilities to increase the Kingdom’s storage capacity. Lacking such capacity has been a longstanding issue that sector experts say has in part hampered ambitions of reaching the ...
Vietnam, partners look to sign Pacific-rim trade pact in February

The Vietnamese government expects to sign an agreement with 11 other nations in early February to finalize their negotiated terms of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, taking another step to turn one of the most ambitious trade pacts into reality. According to local media, Minister of Industry and Trade ...
Vietnam's currency drops to limit of trading band for first time

Vietnam’s dong fell to the limit of its current trading band for the first time, reflecting further pressure to weaken after three devaluations already this year. The currency fell as much as 0.07 percent to 22,547 per dollar in Hanoi, diverging from the State Bank of ...
Vietnam looking at $4 billion trade deficit in 2015

Vietnam could run up a US$4 billion trade deficit for the whole year after three consecutive years of a trade surplus, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) said. The trade deficit would account for 2.4 per cent of total exports, much lower than the set ...
ASEAN sets up EU-style free-flow market

The ASEAN Community was officially declared on 8 December by leaders of the 10 member states of ASEAN in a landmark moment promising greater regional integration for the 48-year-old group. The challenge of this association of nations, marked by diversity, can be seen in the words of ...
Companies begin to feel the heat as import costs climb

Myanmar’s plummeting currency has prompted a vicious circle of rising prices in the import-dependent economy, in which even export-driven companies face rising costs, say businesspeople. New laws and regulations are urgently needed to control the kyat, they said, which has fallen by more than 25 percent ...