Investment

The Laotian government has given the green light to a special economic zone in the southern city of Pakse, a 625-hectare site dedicated to small and midsize Japanese companies. Businesses operating there will have corporate taxes waived for 10 years starting in the first profitable year, among ...

Largely clueless about the government’s economic plans, a majority of the Thais believe officials should go on the road to publicise their initiatives to reignite the economy, a poll released on 17 September concluded. The survey of 1,200 people nationwide by the University of the Thai Chamber ...

Shares in Mega First Corp Bhd soared 19 sen or 9.22% to as high as RM2.25 on 17 September on news that it has secured a power plant project in Laos worth RM2.15 billion. At 2.53pm, Mega First narrowed its gains to trade at RM2.22, still up 16 ...

Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli on 17 September met with leaders from Thailand, Myanmar and Laos ahead of an annual expo and business summit between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in southwest China. They will attend the 12th China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment ...

Power and quarry player Mega First Corp Bhd said an 80%-owned unit has secured a 25-year hydropower concession in Laos. The 260MW run-of-river project will cost the firm about US$500mil (RM2.15bil) and the company planned to fund it using internally generated funds and long-term debt. Keep reading ...

Foreign investors are being wooed to invest more in Myanmar to take advantage of the country’s ASEAN membership and geographic location, which should enhance its attractiveness after the election in November. “By the end of this year, the ASEAN Economic Community will be launched. That means our market will ...

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his Lao counterpart Thongsing Thammavong on 13 September attended the opening of a large potash mine in Laos. It will be one of Vietnam’s largest international projects. The ground breaking ceremony was held in Nongbok district in Khammouane province. Keep reading ...

Lao Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Ltd., a joint venture between Coca-Cola bottler in ThailandThaiNamthip Limited and Lao firmPT Sole Co., Ltd., recently inaugurated the first Coca-Cola bottling plant in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic at a ceremony presided over by Mr. Muhtar Kent, Chairman and CEO ...

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc received Lao Minister of Planning and Investment Somdy Douangdy in Hanoi on 10 September, during which he proposed that Laos support the implementation of Vietnam-invested projects there. Keep reading   ...

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will revise down its GDP growth forecast for Thailand to lower than 2.9% this year following the country’s slower-than-expected performance in the first half.  However, the new growth forecast, due to be announced on 22 September, will be higher than 2.5%, ...