Economy and commerce
Trade
Yuan devaluation seen reigniting currency wars in Asia
A measure of the region’s 10 most-traded currencies excluding the yen is set to decline for a third year, its longest losing streak since 1997, amid signs the US will raise interest rates for the first time in a decade. The People’s Bank of China’s cut ...
SEZs seek to boost Thai-Laos partnership
Thailand and Laos have pledged to raise bilateral trade to US$8 billion over the next three years, driven mainly by underlined partnerships through special economic zones (SEZs). Thailand plans to develop SEZs in 10 provinces, six of which have been designated in the first phase ...
Thailand, Laos target $8 bn in trade
Thailand and Laos are set to boost bilateral trade to US$8 billion (Bt250 billion) in the next three years, driven mainly by closer cooperation under Asean integration and the setting up of special economic zones. According to the Thai Commerce Ministry, Thai-Laotian bilateral trade rose by 14.32 ...
Rubber oversupply causes price slump in Laos
As rubber plantations mature and the trees are ready to be tapped, Lao growers stand to face a substantial loss amid a slump in the rubber price on the world market. A respected Lao researcher says poor assessment of the market prior to planting the trees ...
Gold prices unchanged at B18,200
Thailand’s Gold Traders Association have announced buying prices at 17,843.32 baht per baht weight for gold ornaments. Keep reading ...
Overseas Vietnamese granted import tax exemption on used cars
According to a new Government decree, a tax exemption on used cars imported to Vietnam has been given for Viet kieu (Overseas Vietnamese), who are intellectuals, experts and skilled workers. Keep reading ...
Thai PM coy on plans to join TPP
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on 7 August poured cold water on a call by an American business lobby group urging Thailand to join the controversial Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact. The premier said the pros and cons of the new trade bloc need to be considered ...
Post-coup Thailand sees economic slump putting pressure on junta
Thailand’s government is under increasing pressure to overhaul the cabinet and bolster the economy as falling exports, eroding consumer confidence and a slump in manufacturing portend one of the region’s slowest expansions. The finance ministry has cut its forecasts for exports and gross domestic product growth ...
Vietnam strives to improve its trade statistics for ASEAN
Vietnam will strive to become one of ASEAN’s top five nations in international trade statistics by 2017. This is part of a plan for Vietnam’s integration into the ASEAN Statistics system in the 2016-20 period, as approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. According to the plan’s general targets ...
With farms, fruit and feed, Vietnam's tycoons explore agribusiness ventures
Some of Vietnam’s top firms are carving out opportunities in its $37 billion agriculture and seafood sector and looking to expand overseas, helped by free trade pacts. “We’ll have global food shortages by 2050. If we invest fundamentally and correctly, this market is infinite,” said Nguyen Duy ...