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

Highlights of the past week • ASEAN and the Rohingya Refugee Crisis • Indonesia’s Tourism • BOT’s Major Currency Dilemma • Rising risks for Philippine economy • Singapore’s gig economy • Taxing Malaysia’s digital economy • Vietnam’s retail market • Credit crunch in Myanmar • Is Cambodia Really Becoming a Dictatorship? • Organic Coffee in Laos • Quest for healthier Brunei

ASEAN

• ASEAN and the Rohingya Refugee Crisis: Time to Act Read
• Strengthening the EU-Asean connectivity agenda Read
• Asean can play larger role in Korean crisis Read
• What Did ASEAN’s Latest Transnational Crime Meeting Achieve? Read
• Asean shines bright in foreign investor surveys Read
• Asean a model for IP cooperation Read
• Digital economy a focus for Singapore as Asean chair Read
• Asean-HK FTA: What it means for Hong Kong and Singapore Read
• Young entrepreneurs lead business growth in ASEAN Read
• ASEAN primed for digital future Read

Indonesia

• Low inflation shows Bank Indonesia is coordinating on policy Read
• Why Populist Islam Is Gaining Ground In Indonesia Read
• Indonesia c.bank cuts key rate again to fire up growth Read
• Indonesia’s Efforts to Boost Tourism Read
• Indonesia Struggles with Widening Wealth Gap Read
• Australia-Indonesia free trade talks going round in circles Read
• Indonesian startup investment hits US$3bil in 2017 Read
• Indonesia’s Startup Landscape Still in Infancy, but Investment Value Growing Rapidly: Report Read
• Deloitte Highlights Indonesia’s Competitive Advantage, but Points to Underinvestment Read
• Ongki Kurniawan Appointed Managing Director at GrabPay Indonesia Read

Thailand

• Digital Thailand Big Bang 2017 sheds light on progress towards country’s digital transformation Read
• Thailand 4.0 wins over companies Read
• Thai junta says police helped Yingluck escape Read
• Community leaders back study to revive Thai canal project Read
• Bond market sees huge influx Read
• Thailand approves law to speed up $45-billion development plan Read
• Thailand’s Central Bank Has a Major Dilemma: Its Currency Read
• Growth of Thai SMEs hinges on streamlining customs Read
• Thailand draws 3.1 million tourists in August, a record for the month Read
• August exports surge fastest in 55 months Read

Philippines

• Economy seen growing 6.7% this year Read
• Philippines Emerges as Southeast Asia’s Lone Rate Hike Candidate Read
• People in the Philippines Still Favor U.S. Over China, but Gap Is Narrowing Read
• Philippines top CEOs: Partner up or part ways Read
• Philippines revives plan to join Trans-Pacific trade bloc Read
• New milestone as Philippine stocks breach 8300 mark Read
• Powering capital markets for more inclusive growth Read
• The best of times? Data debunk Marcos’s economic ‘golden years’ Read
• Philippine martial law protests seek to end Duterte tyranny Read
• Drug war, Islamists ‘rising’ risks for Philippine economy — Moody’s Read

Singapore

• Gig economy a growing segment of Singapore’s workforce Read
• From trade to trains, China and Singapore boost their economic ties Read
• Two-pronged battle plan to keep electronics sector fighting fit Read
• Singapore strongly condemns North Korea missile and nuclear tests … Read
• Singapore non-oil exports surge 17% in August, beating forecasts … Read
• Singapore earmarks S$1.5m to build cybersecurity capability Read
• Why the ageing population could worsen wealth inequality in Singapore Read
• SMU in global search for new president Read
• What makes Singapore brand tick Read
• Singapore salary increases consistent in 2017 amidst challenging market Read

Malaysia

• Najib: Chinese community helps advance economy Read
• Mega port projects risk failure, say industry experts Read
• Economy, not 1MDB, is main worry of Malaysian youth: Poll Read
• Malaysia August retail inflation rate tops view with 3.7% on-year rise Read
• Taxing the digital economy Read
• Glimmer of hope for aviators Read
• Malaysia scraps beer festival following Islamists’ objections Read
• The Changing landscape of manufacturing sector Read
• 3M Malaysia banks on domestic consumption Read
• Analysts laud Malaysia’s commitment to better ties with US Read

Vietnam

• Why Vietnam still attracts emerging-market bulls Read
• Bird trade escalating in VN: study Read
• Will Vietnam let its human rights record stifle trade with the EU? Read
• China’s projects in Vietnam earn reputation for poor quality, delays Read
• Int’l finance conference opens in HCM City Read
• China buys 35% of Việt Nam’s crude oil Read
• Mekong countries emphasise infrastructure connectivity Read
• Tax on income from bank savings proposed Read
• APEC Women and Economy Forum to organise in Huế City Read
• Convenience stores sway VN’s retail market Read

Myanmar

• Rohingya crisis dents Myanmar hopes of Western investment boom Read
• Will Myanmar come under foreign sanctions over Rohingya Muslims? Read
• Myanmar’s problems go far deeper than the Rohingya crisis Read
• Myanmar moves to stave off credit crunch Read
• Is Myanmar’s jade business driving ethnic tensions? Read
• Myanmar-HK ties boosted by CE visit Read
• Yangon’s growing trade demands deeper port to ease logistics woes Read
• OECD: GDP to increase 6.8% in 2017 Read
• Myanmar’s Suu Kyi condemns all rights violations in Rakhine State Read
• Aung San Suu Kyi speaks, but does the world believe her? Read

Cambodia

• Experts Fear Economic Impact of Political Tensions in Cambodia Read
• Cambodia justified in alertness to color revolution Read
• Cambodia’s Hun Sen a master of manipulative, ruthless rule Read
• Is Cambodia Really Becoming a Dictatorship? Read
• Hun Sen tightens grip on power as Cambodia pivots to China Read
• Russia, Cambodia ink nuclear cooperation deal Read
• Vietnam looks to give fishery assistance to Cambodia Read
• Global organisation offers sanctuary for Kaavan in Cambodia Read
• Cambodia selects Angelina Jolie film as Oscar submission Read
• Cambodia Property Market Prepares For Second Real Estate Show Read

Laos

• China, Laos Hold New Defense Meeting Read
• Laos construction workers scramble as dam overflows upstream Read
• Cambodia, Laos eliminate leading cause of blindness Read
• VN, Laos heed border, territorial issues Read
• Coffee growers in Laos are turning to organic farming Read
• Mexico, Colombia & Laos want Russian grain Read

Brunei

• MoH in quest for healthier Brunei Read
• Brunei’s Sultan cautions army of cyber-related threats Read
• Maybank Brunei wins ‘Fastest Growing Foreign Bank Brunei 2017’ Read
• BIBD strengthens local banks in region Read
• Bruneian Founded Watch Start-up Strings Together Tennis And Time Read

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