Thailand is advancing its space ambitions through the Satellite Assembly Integration and Testing Center (AIT) located at the Space Inspirium in Sriracha district, Chonburi province. Managed by the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA), the AIT center is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including a clean room and test bench for satellite research and development. Among the users of its services are Mu Space Cor…

Published by Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore     The "Transforming the Singapore Economy" Report celebrates the contributions of the many stakeholders who have contributed to Singapore's economic transformation over the past several years. The Report highlights Singapore's economic transformation efforts since 2016. These efforts have been marked by partnerships within and across sectors, and action across the ec…

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) (24.07.2024) published a consultation paper to subject all REITs to a minimum interest coverage ratio (ICR) threshold of 1.5 times and an aggregate leverage limit of 50%, as it simplifies leverage requirements for the sector. MAS proposes that a minimum ICR of 1.5 times apply to all REITs. This underscores the responsibility of REIT managers in ensuring that REITs can adequately meet their interest paymen…

Dubai Police's Tourist Police Department recently visited the Tourist Police Department in Pattaya, Thailand, to strengthen cooperation and exchange expertise in tourist policing. The Dubai delegation, led by Captain Ahmad Al Fajir, Deputy Director of the Tourist Police Department, was briefed on the duties, community initiatives, and experiences of the Pattaya Tourist Police in preventing crime and enhancing safety and security in tourist areas.…

Salt production in Kampot province has reached over 90,000 tonnes so far this year, an increase of more than 10,000 tonnes compared to the entirety 2023, thanks to favourable weather conditions. The province, known for its salt, has an area spanning more than 3,489 hectares dedicated to local supply....

Sime Darby Bhd and Porsche have announced the expansion of the luxury carmaker's assembly facility at Inokom, Sime Darby's motor vehicle production and assembly facility in Kulim, Kedah. In a joint statement, the partners said the local assembly facility has been expanded to 11,000 sqm to accommodate the increased capacity and introduction of a new assembly line for a second model variant, the plug-in hybrid Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid Coup&e…

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said Tuesday the goal to raise the share of digital payments in retail transactions to 50 percent for 2023 has been achieved. In a statement, the BSP, citing the results of its 2023 Report on E-Payments Measurement, said the share of digital payment transactions to total monthly retail payments in the Philippines grew from 42.1 percent in 2022 to 52.8 percent in 2023. In a separate briefing at the BSP office …

Lychee, one of Vietnam’s major export fruits, has been sold well at Costco stores in Western Australia and South Australia, according to the Vietnam Trade Office in Australia. The tropical fruit was introduced to Australian consumers at Costco stores in the two Australian states on July 20 by the Vietnam Trade Office and 4waysfresh, a privately owned company that supplies vegetables and fruits direct to food processing companies and major …

Thailand’s Satellite Assembly Integration and Testing Centre (AIT) is propelling the nation’s space ambitions and supporting the global satellite industry with cutting-edge facilities, the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) said on Monday. The AIT centre, located at the Space Inspirium in Chonburi’s Sriracha district, features a clean room and test bench for research and development of satellite…

23-26 July 2024 Singapore The inaugural International HealthTEC Week 2024 is a week-long extravaganza, spotlighting the cutting-edge advancements in healthcare technologies within the region. Taking center stage in the dynamic cityscape of Singapore, this event pledges to be a platform for knowledge dissemination, fruitful networking opportunities, and groundbreaking discoveries in the realm of healthcare. More https://bit.ly/4ff8HRW

In 1H24, Malaysia Airports Group's local airport network witnessed a remarkable 40% increase in international traffic compared to the same period in 2023. This growth was fueled by the introduction of six new airlines: Cambodia Airways (KR), Flydubai (FZ), Iraqi Airways (IA), Juneyao Airlines (HO), Thai Lion Air (SL), and Turkmenistan Airlines (T5). Together, these airlines contributed to a total passengermovement of 45 million in the first half…

VGP - Vietjet has signed a purchase contract for 20 Airbus A330neos worth US$7.4 billion at list prices. The order, announced by the low-cost carrier at the Farnborough air show in Farnborough, the United Kingdom, on July 22, is the first widebody one. Vietjet first entered into a provisional deal with Airbus for the purchase of the 20 A330neos at the Singapore air show in February. At the time, the airframer said it expects the first example wil…

Support equipment for combating drug trafficking networks was handed over to enhance the capabilities of the Royal Thai Police and the Royal Thai Army. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin oversaw the handover ceremony. These tactical gear and operational equipment included night vision cameras, body-worn cameras, checkpoint equipment, anti-drone systems, solar panels, and 4-wheel drive vehicles. The premier stressed the importance of these tools…

Allianz’s plans to buy a majority stake in Income Insurance have sparked concerns among some Singaporeans over their health insurance plans tied to Income, despite the German insurer’s assurances that there will be no change to national insurance programmes. They also fear that Income’s original social values and mission to provide coverage for lower-income groups will no longer apply once Germany-listed Allianz takes a controll…

AN electronic marketplace to facilitate the procurement of common-use supplies and equipment of national government agencies will soon go live after the enactment of Republic Act (RA) 12009, or the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA)....

Trung Nguyen Legend launched 10 new coffee shops in the US and China during July, promoting Vietnam’s coffee beans and coffee culture to the world. The move follows Trung Nguyen Legend’s efforts to promote “The Tao of Coffee” philosophy to the world through a documentary of the same name produced by Warner Bros. Discovery, and “The Tao of Coffee: From Beans to Beauty” on CNN. The new store openings mark a …

Thidarat Ariyaprasert Commercial Director at SEAC - Thailand’s leader in SMART Learning Invest in people by focusing on skills, personalisation, trust and well-beingI recently had the great opportunity to speak on Game-changing People Management at the TMX conference, one of the largest fairs dedicated to the Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition (Mice) industry. This opportunity allowed me to delve deeper into the dynamics of the i…

They also offer advantages such as greater flexibility and good exposure to particular sectors BETTER value, local networks and specialised knowledge. These are some of the reasons smaller private markets might outperform even as the industry favours larger managers. “It’s not really about the size of the manager; it’s about the skills of the manager,” said Robert Ides, co-founder of European real estate specialist Arete…

Thailand's pet industry continues to show remarkable growth, with the market surpassing 250 billion baht in revenue for 2023, according to recent data from the Department of Business Development, Ministry of Commerce. The pet business sector generated a total revenue of 258.7 billion baht in 2023, a 5.79% increase from the previous year. This growth trend has been consistent over the past three years, with net profits reaching 14.99 billion b…

Digital economy was estimated to account for 18.5 percent of Viet Nam's GDP by the end of June this year, an increase of 2 percent from 2023, according to the Ministry of Information and Communications.  Viet Nam became the fastest growing digital economy in ASEAN in 2022 and 2023, with respective growth rates of 28 percent and 19 percent, a report by Google showed. The growth of the digital economy in Viet Nam continues to impress, last yea…

On 19 July, at about 10.30 am (Singapore Time), the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) was informed by the vessel manager of Singapore- flagged container vessel LOBIVIA that the vessel had been struck by unidentified projectiles while transiting the Gulf of Aden. The resulting fire onboard has been extinguished by the crew. All crew are accounted for and are safe. There are no Singaporeans onboard. LOBIVIA is moving und…

SGX Securities is pleased to welcome the secondary listing of Helens International Holdings Company Limited to Mainboard under the stock code “HLS”. Helens International Holdings Company Limited runs one of the largest bar chain networks in the PRC, known for its own branded alcoholic products and unique customer experience. Its widespread appeal and highly standardised business model have facilitated the establishment of more than 50…

The Week for Business Matching and Introduction of Vietnamese Products at Central Retail Vietnam in 2024 opened at GO! supermarket in HCM City’s District 7 on July 19. The Investment and Trade Promotion Centre of HCM City (ITPC) and Central Retail Vietnam, a member of Thailand’s Central Group, are organising the programme for the first time to assist Vietnamese businesses in promoting and taking their products into the supermarke…

Thailand and the Philippines are set to enhance their trade competition regulation through a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The agreement aims to create a fair environment for trade and investment between the two countries, with a focus on the agricultural and food industries. Radklao Inthawong Suwankiri, Deputy Government Spokesperson, announced that the Office of Trade Competition Commission (OTCC) of Thailand and the Philippine Competi…

BigPay is thrilled to announce its expansion into Thailand, bringing a revolutionary financial solution to travellers and residents alike. BigPay offers everything from saving for trips to making seamless payments worldwide and real-time currency exchange with competitive rates.  The latest e-wallet in town was launched by Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A and Executive Chairman of MOVE Digital, alongside Zubin Rada Krishnan, Group CEO of Big…

By Dr Chiam Sing Yang, Deputy Executive Director, A*STAR's Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) and Technical Director, Singapore Battery Consortium (SBC) You may have noticed more electric vehicles (EVs) on the roads in Singapore. EVs accounted for nearly 20 per cent of new car registrations in Singapore last year, almost double the 12 per cent in 2022, testament to their increasing global popularity. This figure is likely to …

THE PHILIPPINE Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) is still hopeful it could approve at least P200 billion worth of investments this year, despite the steep drop seen in the first half. The statement comes after the investment promotion agency (IPA) reported a 43.6% decline in approved investments to P45.48 billion in the first half, from the P80.59 billion approved a year ago.....

Thailand, through the Ministry of Commerce, is establishing itself as a future food industry leader, focusing on innovative, safe, traceable, and environmentally friendly products. The plan, a collaboration between the government and the private sector, is set to transform agricultural products into a new economic growth engine by meeting the increasing global demand for healthier and sustainable food options. The future food sector in Thailand i…

“As the UAE and Indonesia collaborate and innovate to drive economic growth and social impact in both countries, DIFC as MEASA’s global leading financial centre, is perfectly positioned to facilitate significant opportunities by way of this strategic partnership. Through this agreement with Nusantara Capital Authority, we are forming a new framework to ultimately grow the two financial ecosystems as we come together to drive the futur…

Visitors from 93 countries and territories can now enter Thailand without a valid visa under a new policy effective from Monday this week. The list of countries and territories was published in the Royal Gazette on Monday night, with immediate effect.... https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/general/2830162/visa-free-entry-to-thailand-in-effect-for-93-countries-territories

The ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) revised Việt Nam’s economic growth forecast upward to 6.3 per cent for 2024 in its latest update released on Tuesday. The growth rate is 0.3 percentage points higher than the 6 per cent forecast in April and is the highest among ASEAN countries for 2024.....

"The Tao of Coffee", a philosophy initiated by coffee firm Trung Nguyen Legend, continues to be promoted globally by CNN. The move follows the documentary “The Tao of Coffee”, produced by Warner Bros. Discovery, which aired globally. CNN is one of the most influential television channels and is broadcast in 212 countries. It has been impressed by “The Tao of Coffee” philosophy created by founder and chairman of Trung Ngu…

The heightened investment strategy aligns with Temasek’s sustained focus on pivotal sectors including financial services, healthcare, and technology consumer Having fulfilled its commitment to raise its yearly investment in India by 3x last year at a record $3 billion, Singapore investment firm Temasek is confident of investing a further $10 billion over the next three years at the current run rate....

In this first of a series on the Republic’s chip sector - its biggest manufacturing segment - BT explores where the country stands in the boom in cutting-edge chipsTHE global artificial intelligence (AI) boom is spurring some countries to vie for dominance in making leading-edge microchips – but not Singapore.... More https://bit.ly/3W3I2yK Via businesstimes.com

Banks lent more than 480 trillion VND (18.88 billion USD) to economic entities in June, demonstrating the sector’s efforts in concretising the Government’s credit goal of 5-6% to the end of Q2. According to statistics from the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), outstanding loans as of the end of June neared 14.4 quadrillion VND, up 6% against the beginning of 2024.... More https://bit.ly/4bItxGp Via en.vietnamplus.vn

Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin reported that a recent survey revealed most Thais support reclassifying marijuana as a narcotic due to concerns about its impact on youth. The survey, which involved about 100,000 participants, was conducted from June 11 to 25 as part of a public hearing on the proposal to add marijuana and hemp to the Category 5 Narcotics list. Over 80% of respondents endorsed the plan, which will soon be presented to the …

In 2024, running a business can be challenging. Especially if you’re a small business in Singapore.  The National Business Survey 2023/2024 by the Singapore Business Federation revealed that rising costs and resource limitations are top challenges for businesses, especially SMEs.  While a large part of a business’ success ultimately depends on a huge range of factors – think product quality, customer service,…

Adani's new mega port in southern India welcomed its first mother ship, signaling the company’s intent to aggressively expand and capture a larger slice of the international maritime trade, an arena currently dominated by China. Billionaire Gautam Adani is charting new waters, with plans to build a state-of-the-art port in Vietnam as part of his ambitious global expansion....

30 July 2024 - Tuesday 2:30 PM - 5:30 PM 160 Robinson Road #06-01, SBF Centre Singapore 068914 Programme Highlights - Common requirements to prepare for trade and exports - Introduction to food testing services for international markets - Preparing your production facility and certification standards.   - Job Development Partner (JDP) Programme, resources available for SMEs Details https://bit.ly/3S7EaLY Source SBF | Singapore Busi…

Sustainability Report 2023/2024 [Published by MAS | Monetary Authority of Singapore] The report sets out our strategy on climate resilience and environmental sustainability to strengthen the resilience of our financial sector to environmental risks, develop a vibrant sustainable finance ecosystem, build a climate-resilient investment portfolio and incorporate sustainable practices in our organisation. Highlights A climate resilient financial sys…

The Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) 2024 will be back for its 9th edition from 6 to 8 November, preceded by the Insights Forum™ [1] from 4 to 5 November. Attended by over 66,000 participants from 150 countries in 2023, SFF 2024 will offer a distinguished lineup of global central bankers, regulators, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, innovators, and influencers to collaborate and shape the future of the gl…

​The Philippines placed first among 50 countries in the “2024 Investor Relations (IR) and Debt Transparency Report” of the Institute of International Finance (IIF).The Washington DC-based institute reported that the Philippines topped the list and improved its ranking to first from third place in 2023, after its score rose to 48.88 out of 50 points in 2024, from 47.8 last year.Ranked after the Philippines were Indonesia with a score…

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports reported significant achievements in tourism for the first six months of 2024, attributing the success to supportive policies from the government.  Thailand welcomed over 17.5 million international tourists from January 1 to June 30, generating more than 825 billion baht in revenue. The government plans to further promote the "IGNITE Thailand’s Tourism" initiative, enhancing the country's tourism pote…

According to an MoU signed on July 3 between the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam (MoST) and the Ministry of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises and Startups of South Korea (MSS), both parties will enhance cooperation on the development of an innovative startup ecosystem. The MoST stated that the MoU comprises 10 key clauses covering fundamental principles and objectives, areas of cooperation, forms of cooperation, financial regulati…

- Derivatives volume rises on robust trading activity in FX and commodities - Singapore stock market caps April-June quarter on strong note Singapore Exchange (SGX Group) today released its market statistics for June 2024. Global market participants continued to turn to SGX Group as their risk-management venue of choice, with robust trading activity in foreign exchange (FX) and commodity derivatives during the month. Singapore’s cash equiti…

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received a phone call today from His Excellency Joko Widodo, President of the Republic of Indonesia. The discussion focused on bilateral cooperation and strategic relations between the two countries, including across economic and investment cooperation that fosters sustainable development and prosperity while benefiting the peoples of both nations. During the call, His Highness and the Ind…

Saudi Arabia’s financial technology sector is attracting a new breed of artificial intelligence startups aiming to take part in the already booming industry.   With presence in seven countries, Singaporean AI-powered startup Dyna.Ai is moving its focus to the Saudi fintech market as it aims to cement its local presence with a domestic office.....

10–12 July 2024 Clark Freeport Zone Pampanga  MICECON is the largest gathering of meetings, incentive travel, conventions, and exhibitions (M.I.C.E.) professionals in the country, and has become a sought-after event as it strengthens all sectors involved in the MICE industry into one cohesive and comprehensive educational program. Over the years, MICECON has become a reliable event for MICE stakeholders which prides itself on having th…