Economy and commerce
Trade
Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand to cut rubber exports
The three Southeast Asian countries grouped in the International Tripartite Rubber Council (ITRC) will cut exports by 615,000 tons in the six months until August 31, 2016. Indonesia agreed to cut its exports by 238,736 tons, while Malaysia and Thailand pledged to reduce their overseas ...
Pacific Rim nations sign giant trade deal amid protests
The US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership, one of the biggest trade deals in history, was signed in New Zealand on 4 February as protestors demonstrated over fears for jobs and sovereignty. The ambitious deal, promising the elimination of nearly all tariffs among the 12 member nations, aims to break ...
Vietnam targets high growth to 2020
Vietnam aims to achieve annual average economic growth of 6.5 per cent to 7 per cent through 2020, striving to turn itself into an advanced industrial country soon, according to the Resolution of the 12th National Party’s Congress. The Resolution, approved and made public at the ...
Price wars to subvert gains made by SMEs
Cambodian entrepreneurs and business leaders on 30 January stressed the challenges for firms in the hospitality and retail sectors that adopt an aggressive pricing policy, suggesting a more value-added approach instead. At the 2nd Global Alumni Convention – a forum that brings together Cambodian graduates who studied ...
Strong Vietnam GDP growth, low inflation forecast for ‘16
Vietnam’s gross domestic product (GDP) will likely grow 6.82 per cent this year, 0.12 percentage points higher than that predicted by the National Assembly last November in its resolution on the socio-economic development plan for 2016, the Centre Institute of Economic Management (CIEM) said on ...
Thai finance ministry trims growth forecast
Thailand’s Finance Ministry trimmed its economic growth forecast for this year to 3.7% from 3.8% and sharply cut its export estimate as global demand slows, a senior ministry official said on 28 January. But growth this year would be supported by government investment and economic stimulus, Krisada ...
Made in ASEAN initiative on the cards
Thailand is set to team up with the Japan External Trade Organization (Jetro) and ASEAN members to push forward the Made in ASEAN initiative, making certain products to the same quality standards. Keep reading ...
Thai rice exporters pessimistic about market prospects
Thai rice exports are expected to have another difficult year as the world market is likely to be volatile amid foreign exchange and oil price risks, according to exporters. Charoen Laothammatas, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said the association projected shipments would slip to 9 ...
Thai bank buys Cambodian MFI in mammoth deal
In what may be the biggest deal in Cambodia’s financial sector history, Thailand-based Bank of Ayudhya has reached an agreement to acquire the local microfinance institution (MFI) Hattha Kaksekar, with the deal expected to be valued at upwards of $140 million. In a statement released on ...
Lower rice exports anticipated
The Thai Rice Exporters Association expects a decrease in the volume of rice exports this year. Keep reading ...