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

Highlights of the past week • ASEAN and North Korea • Indonesia’s 1Q growth • State control in Thailand • Positive Philippine ratings • Singapore’s sharing economy • Bandar Malaysia • Worker productivity in Vietnam • Education Reform in Myanmar • Hun Sen hospitalised • Laos Leader’s Singapore Visit • Bahrain-Brunei relations

ASEAN

• ASEAN nations spurn US plea to cut ties with North Korea Read
• Don’t blame Asean for acting in its interests Read
• Japan boosts swap deals with Asean Read
• Where Are US-ASEAN Ties Headed in the Trump Era? Read
• ASEAN+3 agree to boost financial cooperation amid global risks Read
• ASEAN and North Korea: Strange Bedfellows? Read
• Asean has invested ‘less than half’ of what it will need Read
• Commentary: Is ASEAN’s economic integration still a work in progress? Read
• ‘ASEAN likely to become world’s 4th-largest economy’ Read
• Combined Asean+3 economies set to grow 5.2% this year: Report Read

Indonesia

• Economy of Indonesia in Q1-2017: Satisfied or Concerned? Read
• Statistics Indonesia: Lower Freeport Production Burdens Economy Read
• Economy grows 5.01% in first quarter Read
• Indonesia’s still a darling for investors ignoring earnings Read
• Indonesia Sees Unemployment Drops by 0.28 Percent Read
• Joko Widodo gets hero’s welcome from compatriots in Hong Kong Read
• Jokowi : Indonesia Lacks Maritime Technology Development Read
• Indonesia, Denmark Launch Wind Resource Map Read
• Azerbaijan, Indonesia to mull expansion of trade ties Read
• Axiata, Thaicom to connect underserved areas in Indonesia Read

Thailand

• Thai export forecast given upgrade Read
• Thai ISPs ask Zuckerberg to block 600 pages Read
• Thai king takes control of five palace agencies Read
• Iran, Thailand Agree to Bolster Economic Ties Read
• Thai April consumer confidence at more than 2-year high – survey Read
• Thai navy defends submarine purchase, shrugs off criticism Read
• Thai police struggle to locate fugitive Red Bull heir Read
• Thai junta chief accepts Trump invite Read
• High hope for tech FDI from China Read
• State control in Thailand intensifies under new King Read

Philippines

• Economic managers laud positive Philippine ratings Read
• Philippines is top economic performer in region – Asean research Read
• India, Philippines to lead Asian growth as workforces rise Read
• Philippine Economy Seen Up 6.4 Percent in First-Quarter Read
• ADB: Brash Duterte no match for able PH economy Read
• Developing halal to boost PH economy Read
• Philippine annual inflation held steady in April at 3.4 pct Read
• Philippines opens wallet wide for public works Read
• Eastern Visayas GRDP growth tops nation at 12.4% Read
• No reason to tweak rates – BSP Read

Singapore

• Singapore’s 2017 economic growth to dip to just 1.9% Read
• Singapore maps out goals for its Asean chairmanship Read
• Singapore, UK share similarities in economic strategies Read
• Education system must be aligned with economy: Ong Ye Kung Read
• Singapore’s unemployment rate: How much higher could it rise? Read
• Heng Swee Keat will head council to transform Singapore’s economy Read
• Singapore private sector growth gathered speed in April: Nikkei PMI Read
• 3 growth strategies for Singapore’s digital economy Read
• Individuals should take charge of own learning journey: Iswaran Read
• The rise of sharing economy – boon or bane in Singapore Read

Malaysia

• Malaysian economy stays resilient, says IMF Read
• Bandar Malaysia, a catalyst for economic growth Read
• Economist: Remove cabotage policy to lift Sabah, Sarawak economy Read
• Malaysia and China to ink MoU on infrastructure deal Read
• Malaysia March Exports Up 24.1% on-Year, Beats Expectations Read
• Malaysia’s zero waste ambition Read
• M’sia, Kazakhstan forging stronger economic partnership Read
• Indonesia Asks Malaysia to Fight Against Palm Oil Black Campaign Read
• Singdollar at lowest this year against ringgit Read
• DFTZ – the wheels of change Read

Vietnam

• Low worker productivity weakens GDP growth in Vietnam Read
• VN-Index falls to 720 on bank losses Read
• State Bank to aid pig farmers Read
• Garment-textile businesses seek to penetrate Russia Read
• Right mix for consumer loans to flourish: experts Read
• Việt Nam Motorcycle Show 2017 opens in HCM City Read
• Moody’s and SP affirms Việt Nam’s sovereign rating Read
• Vietnam manufacturers see rise in overseas orders Read
• Pavements as public goods for public good Read
• VN prepares domestic trade strategy Read

Myanmar

• Why Education Reform is so Important for Myanmar Read
• China seeks up to 85 percent stake in strategic port in Myanmar Read
• Myanmar: The New Hotbed for Satellite Read
• Myanmar coal plant growth could kill 280000: study Read
• Unilever considers Myanmar as growing economy Read
• Trafigura-backed Puma Energy eyes Myanmar expansion Read
• No go yet to Malaysia for Myanmar workers Read
• Amid Speculation of China Tilt, US Reaffirms Ties with Myanmar Read
• Is Myanmar Really Getting Submarines Now? Read
• Vatican and Myanmar establish diplomatic ties Read

Cambodia

• Cambodia’s Hun Sen hospitalised in Singapore Read
• Ground broken for oil refinery Read
• Thai Company Weighs Building Cambodia’s First Steel Mill Read
• ADB guides Vietnam, Cambodia to greater growth Read
• Port unveils $200m expansion Read
• Political inaction risks Phnom Penh’s development Read
• Life insurance market grows Read
• Is this the best way to travel across Cambodia? Read
• Why these extraordinary Cambodian buildings need to be saved Read
• Information Minister Questions Ban on ‘Too Sexy’ Cambodian Actress Read

Laos

• What Did Laos Leader’s Singapore Visit Achieve? Read
• Impoverished Laos Shows Resistance To Becoming A Client State Of China Read
• Lao Workers at Power Plant Resign After Raise is Denied Read
• Singapore hopes to be part of Laos’ growth story: PM Lee Read
• Laos Dam Poses Environmental Dangers to Lower Mekong Basin Read
• Lao Officials Not Doing Enough to Enforce Land Concession Regulations Read
• Can ASEAN Save the Mekong River? Read

Brunei

• Brunei 13th best destination in global Muslim travel index Read
• Brunei set to be largest producer of blue shrimp Read
• Brunei education helped me, says Forbes-listed entrepreneur Read
• Bahrain-Brunei relations discussed Read
• Brunei’s monthly CPI remains stable in March Read
• Big leap in connectivity Read

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