ASEAN
- World News
Human hair trade exploits ASEAN women
Hair extensions have become an essential part of the multi-billion-dollar hair industry, with estimated annual sales of 250 million to over 1 billion USD. Based on a 2018 Research and Markets report, the global hair, wigs and extension market is expected to surpass 10 billion USD by 2023. Raw human hair has significant commercial value: it’s a coveted commodity to…
- World News
Thai Airways announces cancellation of six routes to four ASEAN destinations
The President of Thai Airways International says the airline is set to cancel six flight routes to Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Myanmar. The Nation reports that Sumeth Damrongchaitham says the routes in question are all from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport to Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Phnom Penh, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh and Yangon. “These routes are all covered by a small number…
- Environment News
Thai PM addresses UN Climate Action Summit, pledges ASEAN support
PHOTO: www.mfa.go.th Thai PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha says the ASEAN region is committed to working with the international community to tackle the issue of climate change. Addressing the UN’s Climate Action Summit in New York, the PM was speaking in his capacity as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Expressing his admiration for the UN secretary general’s efforts…
- World News
Prayut heading to New York for six day trip, including attending UN
Thai PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha and his entourage is leaving for New York to attend the 74th United Nations General Assembly tomorrow. But the PM isn’t travelling alone. The six day trip to the US will also be made by Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai and Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa (and half a plane of ‘others’). According to…
- World News
Thailand industrial property a winner as US-China trade war drags on
Amongst all the bad economic news, Thailand’s industrial property sector is profiting from the protracted US-China trade war, as mainland Chinese manufacturers shift production to ASEAN countries in an attempt to avoid escalating tariffs. Chinese foreign direct investment into the south east Asia sector rose last year by 31.7% to USD 233 million, after declining by 15.7% in 2016-17, according…
- World News
Air Asia celebrates ASEAN Day with a special Airbus A320
AirAsia introduced a ‘Sustainable ASEAN’ colour-scheme on a new Airbus A320 to mark ASEAN Day celebrations last week. Thailand is the Chair for ASEAN, the ten country south east asian trading bloc, for 2019. Alongside the ASEAN Chairmanship logo, the livery features the best of ASEAN tourism icons, helping to advance and support AirAsia’s sustainability partnership with ASEAN nations and…
- World News
US-China trade war accelerates formation of RCEP trade bloc
The escalation of the trade war between China and the US might help push forward negotiations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement. RCEP, once formed, will be the largest trading bloc in the world. Trade ministers from China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and the 10 ASEAN member states met in Beijing last weekend for…
- World News
Weekend RCEP meeting move closer to the world’s biggest trading bloc
PHOTO: Asia Nikkei Whilst the UK looks to walk away from the EU trade bloc and the US continues to ramp up the trade war with China, the formation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which would be the largest trade bloc in the world, continues to gather pace. The RCEP, initiated by ASEAN in 2012, is a proposed…
- World News
Bangkok hosts ASEAN Foreign Ministers meetings from today
The 52nd ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting starts today. Representatives from more than 30 countries will attend the meetings. The regional talkfest is being held at Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre. Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai will chair the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and co-chair the Post Ministerial Conferences with the Dialogue Partners and other meetings. Other meetings include the…
- Business News
Trying to find a pulse in Thailand’s economic health
Thailand’s economy is south-east Asia’s wounded soldier as the newly elected Thai government tries to boost confidence and stimulate the economy after five years of military rule. Certainly the past 12 months have been the most challenging. GDP growth hit a four-year low of 2.8% for Q1 2019 and exports remain weak. Despite having unlimited power for half a decade,…
- World News
The Korean Wave – a tsunami of cultural opportunity for ASEAN
BTS, Blackpink, ASEAN, K-Pop by The Star Online – Asia News Network TV drama, pop music, culture, food. The ‘Korean Wave’ is on its way. The Korean Wave was the hot topic at the ASEAN-Korea Media Forum held in Seoul recently, with experts saying that it has, in fact, enhanced cultural exchanges between the republic and the entire region. Korean…
- World News
Summit this afternoon, banquet tonight – ASEAN leaders assemble in Bangkok
The 34th ASEAN Summit got down to the main agenda today Saturday as leaders from various ASEAN countries arrived in Bangkok for the regional talk-fest. This morning leaders who were in attendance at the Athenee Hotel were Malaysian PM Mahathir Bin Mohamad, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President of The Philippines Rodrigo Duterte, Laos PM…
- World News
Bangkok’s Wireless Road closed for two days – 34th ASEAN Summit
Wireless Road (Witthayu Road), one of Bangkok’s most congested and popular stretches of road, will be closed for two days during the 34th ASEAN Summit. Thailand is hosting the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok on June 22 and 23 when it will welcome the regional leaders of the 10 ASEAN member countries – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Philippines,…
- World News
ASEAN launches $1 billion investment for green projects
South East Asian governments, the Asian Development Bank and major development financiers have launched a new US$1 billion (32 billion baht) initiative to spur green infrastructure investments across the region. The launch ceremony was witnessed by Thailand’s Minister of Finance Apisak Tantivorawong and ADB President Takehiko Nakao. Senior officials from ASEAN and private sector partners also joined the ceremony. ADB…
- Thailand News
Two key tests for the Land of Smiles in 2019
Thailand faces two major challenges in 2019 – conducting a general election and chairing the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN). Mishandling either task would invite serious damage to both the country and the wider region, according to a New Year editorial in The Nation. “Junta chief General Prayut Chan-o-cha has made a bad start in tackling the first challenge,…
- Bangkok News
Buddhist blessings ring in the new year for ASEAN
by Phatarawadee Phataranawik With Thailand chairing ASEAN throughout 2019, the Culture Ministry is fostering unity among the bloc’s 10 members by bringing to Bangkok relics and statues of the Buddha from around Asia to be ritually blessed. “Thailand is for the first time hosting this grand annual New Year blessing ceremony,” said Kittiphan Phansuwan, director of the ministry’s Religious Affairs…
- World News
Thailand pushes for bigger ASEAN role in Rohingya crisis
by Supalak Ganjanakhundee, Singapore South East Asia’s leaders have been meeting in Singapore this week in the lead up to the next ASEAN Summit. The Rohingya crisis has been the main talking point. Thailand says it wants to take on a greater ASEAN role in resolving the Rakhine crisis, as the group grapples with the plight of 700,000 Rohingya Muslims…
- World News
Malaysian Cabinet agrees to abolish death penalty
PHOTO: Screenshot from “Apprentice” (2016) by Junfeng Boo Malaysia’s acting Law Minister Liew Vui Keong told the Malaysian Parliament yesterday that the Cabinet has agreed to scrap the death penalty, including for murder. But Deputy PM Wan Azizah Wan Ismail told reporters that the government would review abolishing it for murder, an opinion that was hers and not representative of…
- World News
PM Prayut pushes for greater ASEAN connectivity
Sounding very Prime Ministerial, Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha today pledged to push for greater connectivity to strengthen business and investments in ASEAN when Thailand assumes the chairmanship of the regional trade block next year. Speaking at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Singapore, Gen Prayut said as chairman of ASEAN, Thailand will work to make the regional grouping an…
- World News
Mahatir drops in on an old friend
During the 1980s both men were the Prime Ministers of their respective countries. Now, both in their 90s, the two re-united yesterday for a casual catch-up. The two met in Bangkok yesterday to recall their long-standing friendship. The visitor was 93 year old Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad and the host Privy Council President, 99 year old General Prem Tinsulanonda. Mahathir…
- World News
Thailand takes over the chair for ASEAN next year. What’s at stake?
“As Thailand takes over the ASEAN chairmanship next year, it is important for the country to drive ASEAN forward to achieve the utmost benefits for Thais and peoples across the ASEAN region.” The integration story of Southeast Asian nations, widely known as ASEAN, began in 1967 and has since brought about significant changes to the Southeast Asian region. For decades,…
