ASEAN

Vietnam, Philippines Reach Upper-Middle-Income Status as Laos Eyes 2035 Target

Vietnam and the Philippines have been reclassified as upper-middle-income economies by the World Bank, leaving Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Timor-Leste as the only ASEAN members still in the lower-middle-income category. The annual income classifications, released on 1 July, place seven of ASEAN's 11 members in the upper-middle-income bracket or higher....

Lao Deputy PM Holds Talks in Myanmar to Deepen Bilateral Ties

Laos and Myanmar are moving to expand bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors following an...

At Least 19 Dead After 7.8-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Southern Philippines

A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Mindanao in the southern Philippines...

Lao Buddhist Organization Tightens Social Media Guidelines

The Lao Buddhist Fellowship Organization has issued new nationwide guidelines governing how monks use...

Thailand, Vietnam Target USD 25 Billion Trade Goal as Ties Enter ‘New Phase’

Thailand and Vietnam pledged deeper economic and security cooperation on 28 May as the...

A Steady Increase in Trade Turnover for Laos and Vietnam in 2022

A 27% increase has been reported from the same period last year, in the first eight months of 2022.  Laos's main export sources are electricity,...

Malaysian Humanitarian Organization Urges ASEAN to Tackle Job Scams

An increasing number of Malaysian citizens have been falling prey to seemingly lucrative job offers by syndicates in countries like Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia,...

International Companies Struggle to Get Dollars in Myanmar

Foreign companies in the country are grappling with an increasing shortage of U.S. dollars, with the military government's unpredictable foreign currency regulations putting their...

Thai Opposition Fails to Strip Senate of its Power to Choose Next PM

Just short of eight votes, opposition parties in Thailand failed in their attempt to prevent the junta-appointed Senate of powers from electing the next...

32 Confirmed Dead in Vietnam Karaoke Bar Fire

The death toll from a fire at a karaoke parlor in southern Vietnam has risen to 32, according to officials on Wednesday. Tuesday night's blaze...

UN Experts Denounce Gender-Discriminatory Citizenship Law in Malaysia

UN experts denounced a recent court decision in Malaysia on Monday that denied women the same rights as men to automatically confer citizenship to...