Economy and commerce
Small and medium enterprises (SME)
From bombs to bracelets, this jewelry line is clearing land mines
“After the war, we live afraid of unexploded bombs, and we’re very careful when we go and do anything,” says Somechit Phouangsavat, an artisan from Ban Naphia, also known as War Spoon Village, in Laos. The 32-year-old works alongside 30 other artisans at Article 22, a company ...
Cambodia's business rankings edge up
Cambodia improved its ranking for the ease of doing business from 133 last year to 127 in 2015, making marked progress in the number of days and procedures required to start a business, though it is still ranked well below the world average, according to ...
World Bank drops post-coup Thailand's business ranking
Post-coup Thailand barely retained its position among the World Bank’s top 50 economies worldwide and has ranked third among ASEAN countries on the ease of doing business during the past year. In its annual Doing Business 2016: Measuring Quality and Efficiency survey, Thailand fell three places from the ...
Thai Cabinet approves another 5 billion
The Thai Cabinet has approved more measures worth Bt5 billion to support small and medium-sized enterprises in a bid to increase their competitiveness, Industry Minister Atchaka Sibunruang said. Keep reading ...
Vietnam's small businesses not investing in tech apps, security
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Hanoi are neglecting to use information and technology applications and information security, said Dang Vu Tuan, vice director of Hanoi’s Department for Information and Communications. Tuan said SMEs account for about 95 per cent of the city’s 117,000 enterprises, but only ...
State support for 70,000 SMEs
Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak has set a target of supporting 70,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) next year. The goal includes helping to create 10,000 start-ups. Among the 70,000, 50,000 are healthy but need some help from the government to expand, while 10,000 are in ...
Vietnam launches $1-million fund for startup incubators
The Ministry of Science and Technology on Friday announced a 1-million-euro (US$1.12 million) fund for Vietnamese incubators of tech startups, local media reported. Keep reading ...
Borrowing costs in Vietnam remain too high despite very low inflation: businesses
High borrowing costs have eroded profitability of many companies in Vietnam this year, a business group said, calling for a rate cut and better access to loans. The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry said at a meeting in Hanoi on 22 September that 60 percent of ...
New bourse rules to lure SMEs
Cambodia’s market regulator has released listing criteria for a new trading platform – with reduced accounting and capital requirements – aimed at making it easier for small- and mid-sized firms to list on the fledgling stock exchange, Sok Dara, deputy director general of the Securities ...
Guarantees for SME lending set to jump
Loan guarantees for small and medium-sized enterprise (SMEs) are expected to surge 67% to 10 billion baht a month in the wake of the new credit guarantee portfolio scheme by Thailand’s state-owned Credit Guarantee Corporation. Keep reading ...
