Weekly roundup of ASEAN economic news and updates from local and international press.

Highlights of the past week • Turkey and Mongolia to ASEAN? • Chilli mafia in Indonesia • Thailand’s economy ‘juntification’• Philippines Q1 growth • 3 myths about Singapore-China ties • Malaysia’s Q1 growth • Samsung and Vietnam • China-Myanmar joint exercise • Modernisation in Cambodia • China-Laos railway • Brunei’s GDP projection

ASEAN

• China and Asean agree to draft code of conduct in South China Sea Read
• Can Duterte’s Philippines Add Turkey and Mongolia to ASEAN? Read
• Canada welcomes Asean for bilateral meetings Read
• Asean internet economy worth $50B, home to 230M digital consumers Read
• Asean the ‘next frontier’ for e-commerce boom Read
• B&R can complement ASEAN 2025 Read
• ASEAN ministers warn against complacency in tackling haze Read
• ASEAN – Who Are The Biggest Military Spenders? Read
• Emerging Markets Still Attractive But ASEAN Expensive Read
• Asean gets funding boost for sustainable infrastructure projects Read

Indonesia

• Indonesia Raised to Investment Grade by S&P on Budget Curbs Read
• Indonesia promises its neighbours a haze-free year Read
• Indonesia finance minister says growth above 5.6% is ‘critical’ Read
• Indonesia tax office given data access Read
• Hungary, Indonesia to cooperate on education, economy Read
• Chilli mafia hunted by Bank Indonesia Read
• UAE Wants Investment Protection from Indonesia Read
• Indonesia’s April export, import growth slower than expected Read
• China’s Positive Response to Indonesia’s Investment Offer Read
• China Remains Indonesia`s Biggest Non-oil Importer Read

Thailand

• Is Thailand’s economy undergoing ‘juntification’? Read
• Three years after coup, junta is deeply embedded in Thai life Read
• Thai junta pushes for speedy investment spending Read
• Who gets to lease the East? Read
• Timid Thailand may miss the boat Read
• Supachai raps govt on economy, weapons purchases Read
• Junta gets thumbs down for handling of economy: Poll Read
• Real estate bubble ahead, says ex-WTO chief Read
• Thailand’s April tourist arrivals up 7 pct, outlook positive Read
• Thailand Seeks to Block Facebook Pages That Insult Monarchy Read

Philippines

• Philippine economy grows 6.4% in Q1 2017 Read
• Economic expansion slowed in Q1 Read
• Philippines economic growth outlook remains strong -c.bank governor Read
• Palace blames inflation for decline in Filipino optimism Read
• How Philippine entrepreneurs can profit from the trillion-dollar ‘Belt & Road’ Read
• Slow economy drags Philippine share prices lower Read
• Minding the corruption and the debt trap Read
• B&R initiative offers prospects for Philippines’ economic plans Read
• Filipino domestic workers documentary screens in Taiwan Read
• Peso drops further on US, GDP Read

Singapore

• Slump in pharmaceutical sector hits Singapore exports Read
• Outflow of income from SG economy by MNCs and foreign workers Read
• Business sentiment in Singapore improves in Q1 Read
• Larger Singapore firms putting off foreign forays: Survey Read
• Singapore domestic wholesale trade expands 23.5% in Q1 Read
• EU court says Singapore trade deal needs national ratification Read
• The Big Read: The unstoppable march of the gig economy Read
• 3 myths about Singapore-China ties Read
• DBS: The Best Singapore Bank Stock to Buy Read
• Data centers key to Singapore’s digital economy strategy Read

Malaysia

• Malaysia’s economy grows 5.6% in Q1, fastest pace in 2 years Read
• How Malaysia’s Economy Has Grown as Central Bank Chief Marks One Year Read
• Malaysia’s system of racial preferences should be scrapped Read
• Najib: China offers huge opportunities for our businessmen Read
• Of sovereignty, Alibaba and durian diplomacy Read
• China’s investment a boost towards becoming developed nation Read
• Asia Watching Fate of Nafta Amid Trump Review, Malaysia Says Read
• Alibaba to open Malaysia’s first major public cloud data centre Read
• Malaysia is tweaking its data privacy laws Read
• Too many malls, or a dying breed? Read

Vietnam

• Transnationals dominate Vietnam personal care market Read
• Vietnam business leaders losing battle to become competitive Read
• Vietnam ETF Up 7% YTD as Economy Booms Read
• Samsung contributes significantly to Vietnam’s economy: PM Read
• VN beauty industry targets Cambodia, Myanmar Read
• Vietnam’s inflation cooling gradually: HSBC Read
• Vietnam welcomes US investors: President Read
• Vietnam welcomes China hi-tech investment: President Read
• Fitch revises up Vietnam’s credit rating Read
• Norwegian telecom takeovers Vietnamese advertising sites Read

Myanmar

• Time for Myanmar’s economic ‘take off’? Read
• Chinese navy ships visit Myanmar for joint exercises Read
• Myanmar still talk of the town at WEF Read
• China, Myanmar to build cooperation zone Read
• India’s ‘new Silk Road’ snub highlights gulf with China Read
• Bangladesh turn up the heat on Myanmar over Rohingyas Read
• Xi Jinping Meets with State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar Read
• Construction key to creating jobs: Kyaw Win Read
• Aung San Suu Kyi Is Still Myanmar’s Best Hope Read
• After energy warning, Myanmar gets EU assistance Read

Cambodia

• Productivity cuts into growth Read
• Cambodian opposition holds rally ahead of polls Read
• Steady FDI helps keep economy on course Read
• High iodine prices leave Cambodia without iodised salt Read
• Investing in public infrastructure, services key to boost Cambodia’s economy: WB Read
• Modernisation invades Cambodia but not without social costs Read
• Ministry predicts stable GDP growth Read
• The Fall of Cambodia’s Patron-Client Politics? Read
• Axiata sells stake in Cambodian unit for RM285mil Read
• Chinese Companies to Develop New Cambodian Railways Read

Laos

• China-Laos railway construction progressing well: Lao officials Read
• Vietnam urges Laos to rethink Mekong River dams Read
• Laos village takes novel approach to recycling explosives Read
• Laos addresses chemical usage Read
• Laos Puts Family Planning on Its Economic Roadmap Read
• A Visual Tour Of Anthony Bourdain’s Laos Episode Of ‘Parts Unknown’ Read
• Dispute with Laos persists: Cambodia Read
• Xi calls for deeper cooperation with Laos Read

Brunei

• Brunei’s GDP to grow by 0.7pc in 2018: IMF Read
• Fruits of Brunei’s labour can limit import, grow economy Read
• No WannaCry in Brunei Read
• Judo exchange programme to revive martial arts in Brunei Read
• TCY Motors launches Audi Sport Brunei Read
• Brunei employs public toilets grading system to promote tourism Read
• Capital crunch plagues MSMEs Read

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