Economy and commerce
Investment
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 ...
Vietnam health inspectors to check Pepsi, Coca-Cola products
The Ministry of Health has announced its plan to send inspectors to four of the biggest beverage companies in Vietnam, including Pepsi and Coca-Cola, for a thorough check of their products. Keep reading ...
Lanexang cement Lao factory officially starts production
Lanexang cement Lao factory in Khounkham district of Khammuan province has began production last week and aims to be one of the biggest cement suppliers in Laos. The Yunnan provincial Energy Investment Group Co., Ltd (YEIG) invested US$1.2 billon to build the factory. According to the company ...
PV Oil Laos marks anniversary
A ceremony to celebrate the 5th anniversary of Lao PetroVietnam Oil (PV Oil Laos), a subsidiary of the PetroVietnam Oil Corporation (PV Oil), was held in Vientiane on 30 November. The event was attended by Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Manh Hung and Vice President of ...
Thailand 'to reap rewards' from IMF's yuan move
Thailand’s trade and investment will benefit in the long run from inclusion of the yuan in the special drawing rights currency basket of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), says a senior central bank official. Greater use of the Chinese currency would help to slim down foreign ...
Thai Government urged to also help big companies go abroad
The Thai Government should change its mindset about offering help only to small and medium-size firms expanding overseas and extend it to larger companies, said Thiraphong Chansiri, president and chief executive of Thai Union Group. Thiraphong added that a new challenge for companies branching out internationally was ...
FDI disbursement in Vietnam up 17.9% in 11 months
Disbursement of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam reached an estimated US$13.2 billion from the beginning of 2015 until 20 November, up 17.9 per cent against 2014. Data from the General Statistics Office showed that the country attracted $20.22 billion worth of FDI during the reviewed ...
Chambers: Corruption a key concern
Corruption is a major concern that must be tackled by the government if it wants to attract foreign investment to Thailand, according to a report by the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand (JFCCT). The report, in which foreign investors expressed their views and concerns about ...
Thai start-ups in line for incentives
The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Ministry is considering tax incentives for companies investing in tech start-ups in an attempt to stimulate long-term investment. The ministry plans to spend 100 million baht to promote Thailand’s tech start-up industry, said vice-minister Pansak Siriruchatapong. Keep reading ...