News
Local banks draw foreign interest
Vietnamese commercial banks expect to attract foreign investment in their newly-established financial companies thanks to the profitable domestic consumer financial market, according to Dau tu (Investment) newspaper. Despite concerns by shareholders, banks have still tried mergers and acquisitions (M&As) with ailing financial companies, whose non-performing loans ...
Vietnam, Japan produce carbon-free rubber
Vietnamese and Japanese researchers have developed technologies to reduce proteins in natural rubber, thereby permitting the production of high-performance rubber materials and alleviate the environmental burden caused by natural rubber processing. The scientists presented their research results at a session during the International Rubber Conference held ...
Thai border troops primed for possible Myanmar unrest
Thai security authorities along the Myanmar border have been put on alert in preparation for any unexpected incidents or violence following the neighbouring country’s election. The Surasee Task Force of the 9th Infantry Division, responsible for the Thai-Myanmar border area in Kanchanaburi held a meeting with police, ...
Foreigners targeted in 'model trafficking'
Thailand’s Department of Employment is vowing to take legal action against foreigners who work illegally as models in the country. The action comes following a complaint by the Thai Modelling Industry and Agencies Association, saying a number of foreign models, both men and women, disguise themselves as tourists ...
Bangkok's main airport to get huge traffic surge
Suvarnabhumi airport expects to see traffic surge nearly 20% over the next six months on the back of strong high-season travel demand, turning it into one of Asia’s busiest airports. A total of 24.8 million passengers are expected to pass through the country’s gateway airport between 25 ...
Vietnam growth surge masks weak local firms in 2-speed economy
Vietnam’s export-driven economy is set to grow at its fastest pace in eight years in 2015 and it’s foreign firms in the country that are riding the wave, leaving local companies lagging far behind. Foreign-owned businesses shipped 70 percent of Vietnam’s total exports so far this ...
Crowd cheers vote count in Mandalay after fears of rigging
To cheers and boos from the watching public, electoral officials in a Mandalay Region township are counting votes one-by-one in public. The unusual counting method was adopted to allay fears that unqualified voters had been trucked in to rig the result. More than 300 people gathered ...
NLD senses victory following large turnout
First and unofficial results reported late on 8 November from some of the 40,000 polling stations across Myanmar led to celebrations in Yangon by supporters of the National League for Democracy, although the outcome may remain in doubt for days to come. Keep reading ...
New Zealand PM to discuss trade, security in Southeast Asian meetings
Trade and security links will be high on the agenda when New Zealand Prime Minister John Key undertakes a three-nation tour of Southeast Asia next week. Key said Monday he would lead a trade delegation to Vietnam from 14 to 17 November and meet with Prime ...
Reducing trade barriers key goal at ASEAN summit
ASEAN leaders will flock to the ASEAN Summit this month to declare their commitment to the ASEAN Economic Community and sketch out their 10-year strategies to increase the region’s competitiveness and draw more investment. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will lead the Thai delegation to the 14th ASEAN Summit, which will ...
