Laos recorded a trade deficit of USD 129 million in August, marking the eighth straight month of trade deficits in 2024, according to data released by the Lao Trade Portal (LTP).
Dusit International partners with Paljor Global Corp for South Asian expansion
Building on their successful collaboration at Dusit Princess Kathmandu hotel, both companies aim to introduce more Dusit brands and businesses in Nepal – and throughout the region.

BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 September 2024 – Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Paljor Global Corp Private Limited, a leading Nepalese investment firm and luxury carpet manufacturer, to seek opportunities to introduce Dusit’s diverse offerings in Nepal and throughout South Asia.

Building on their successful collaboration at Dusit Princess Kathmandu—owned by Paljor Global Corp and managed by Dusit International—the partnership aims to leverage Paljor Global Corp’s strong presence in the South Asian market to identify and secure hotel projects for management by Dusit Hotels and Resorts, establish distribution channels for Dusit Foods, and collaborate on hospitality education initiatives through Dusit Hospitality Education.
Alongside Dusit Princess Kathmandu, Dusit International also operates the luxury Dusit Thani Himalayan Resort Dhulikhel in Nepal. Both properties opened in July last year. In the hospitality sector, Paljor Global Corp also owns Hotel Tibet Pvt. Ltd., Hotel Tibet International Pvt. Ltd., and Yakety Yak Hostel, Kathmandu.
To further Dusit’s presence in the country, Paljor Global Corp will leverage its network to find opportunities for Dusit’s established brand lineup that includes Dusit Thani (luxury), dusitD2 (lifestyle/midscale), Dusit Princess (midscale), Dusit Suites (upscale/long stay), and ASAI Hotels (affordable lifestyle), as well as recently launched brands Devarana – Dusit Retreats (wellness luxury), and Dusit Collection (bespoke luxury). Beyond Nepal, Paljor Global Corp will actively seek hotel projects for Dusit’s brands in countries such as Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Tibet, Bhutan, and northeast India, where Dusit has either yet to establish a presence or is in the early stages of expansion.
Additionally, Paljor Global Corp aims to collaborate with Dusit’s hospitality education institutions, including Dusit Thani College, which offers a competency-based curriculum rooted in industry-driven learning, and The Food School, Thailand’s first multinational culinary school, to develop and launch a vocational education programme that will help to elevate the next generation of hospitality professionals and empower them to build successful and fulfilling careers.
Dusit and Paljor Global Corp will also seek opportunities for Dusit Gastro, a subsidiary of Dusit Foods, which sources premium ingredients such as organic rice from small-scale farms in northeastern Thailand, and offers high-quality ready-to-cook products, including curry pastes, par-baked pastries, and innovative frozen items, to bring its various products to the hotel, restaurant, café, and catering industry in Nepal.
Leveraging the growing number of Nepalese tourists to Dusit’s home base of Thailand, Paljor Global Corp also aims to create travel packages that include stays at Dusit Hotels and Resorts and visits to local attractions.
“This strategic partnership underscores Dusit’s commitment to South Asia and its ability to leverage strong local partnerships to drive growth and innovation in the hospitality industry,” said Mr Gilles Cretallaz, Chief Operating Officer, Dusit International. “By joining forces with a trusted partner like Paljor Global Corp, we are confident in our ability to deliver exceptional hospitality experiences that resonate with the local market and contribute to the region’s economic development. Together, we will create lasting memories, inspire future generations, and bring food products to market that sustainably meet the needs of the industry.”
Mr Dorje Gyalsten Lama, Chairman, Paljor Global Corp Private Limited, said, “We are thrilled to deepen our collaboration with Dusit International and expand our shared vision across South Asia. By exploring opportunities for Dusit’s exceptional hospitality, education, and culinary offerings, we aim to not only enhance the lives of guests, students, and communities but also set new benchmarks for service and sustainability in Nepal and the region. This collaboration reinforces our commitment to creating meaningful experiences that uplift lives and inspire future generations.”
Ms Dolma Tsering Lama, Managing Director, Paljor Global Corp Private Limited, said, “Together, with Dusit Education and Dusit Foods, we aim to make a significant impact. This partnership is not just about expansion; it’s about enhancing lives through education and culinary excellence.”
Hashtag: #DusitInternational
About Dusit International
Established in 1948, Dusit International or Dusit Thani Public Company Limited (DUSIT) is a leading hospitality group listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Its operations comprise five distinct yet complementary business units: hotels and resorts, hospitality education, food, property development, and hospitality-related services.
The group’s portfolio of hotels, resorts and luxury villas includes more than 300 properties operating under a total of eight brands (Devarana – Dusit Retreats, Dusit Thani, Dusit Suites, Dusit Collection, dusitD2, Dusit Princess, ASAI Hotels, and Elite Havens) across 18 countries worldwide. The group also operates culinary schools and hospitality colleges in Thailand, plus catering companies for the education sector in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
Dusit International’s diversified investments in real estate development, hospitality-related services, and the food sector are part of its long-term strategy for sustainable growth, which focuses on three key areas: balance, expansion, and diversification.
For more information, please visit
dusit-international.com.
About Paljor Global Corp Private Limited
Paljor Global Corp Private Limited is committed to driving innovation and excellence in all its endeavours under the visionary leadership of the Chairman (Mr Dorje Gyaltsen Lama). The company is dedicated to enhancing the hospitality industry in the region. With a strategic focus on partnering with leading hotels, Paljor Global Corp aims to elevate standards and deliver exceptional experiences. In collaboration with Dusit International, Paljor Global Corp continues to strengthen its portfolio and expand its reach in the sector.
Salavan, Ubon Ratchathani Provinces Agree on Cross-Border Water Transport Deal

Laos’ Salavan Province and Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani Province have agreed to enhance cooperation on water transport, aiming to improve regional connectivity through key international border crossings.
Asian Development Bank Forecasts Economic Growth for Laos by Year-End Amid Challenges
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has projected that Laos will experience a growth rate of 4.0 percent in 2024, supported by investments in services and clean energy. However, the report highlights ongoing macroeconomic challenges, particularly concerning public debt, which continue to hinder investment prospects and domestic consumption.
In its latest Asian Development Outlook (ADO), the ADB revised its growth forecast for 2025 down to 3.7 percent, compared to the earlier projection of 4.0 percent made in April this year. The report also warns that inflation is expected to rise to an average of 21.5 percent in 2025, largely driven by price adjustments linked to the depreciation of the Lao kip.
“International tourist arrivals are now approaching pre-pandemic levels, boosted by Laos’s ASEAN Chairmanship and Visit Laos Year 2024,” said ADB Country Director for Laos, Sonomi Tanaka. “However, risks to this outlook stem from debt distress, necessitating coordinated, transparent, and sustainable public financial management.”
Despite the Bank of Laos increasing its 1-week interest rate from 8.5 percent in February to 10.5 percent in August and tightening foreign exchange controls, the kip continues to weaken. From January to August, it depreciated by 6.1 percent against the Thai baht and 7.5 percent against the US dollar, placing additional strain on the economy.
As of August, inflation stood at 24.3 percent year-on-year, with the average for the first eight months of 2024 at 25.3 percent. A shortage of skilled labor due to out-migration has further pressured domestic prices and wages, prompting businesses to pass increased costs onto consumers and exacerbating inflationary expectations.
Public debt levels remain critical. While total public and publicly guaranteed debt decreased slightly from USD 13.9 billion in 2022 to USD 13.8 billion in 2023—reducing the ratio from 112 percent to 108 percent of gross domestic product—the ratio of external debt service to total government revenue surged from 27 percent to 43 percent.
Limited refinancing options in 2025, coupled with significant external debt maturities, are expected to constrain public sector access to foreign currency, negatively impacting private sector recovery and household spending.
A Regional Overview
The ADB has upgraded its economic growth forecast for developing Asia and the Pacific to 5.0 percent for 2024, an increase from a previous estimate of 4.9 percent. This positive outlook is attributed to strong domestic demand, robust exports—particularly in semiconductors driven by AI demand—and falling food prices. However, risks such as potential trade tensions between the United States. and China, ongoing issues in China’s property market, and geopolitical tensions persist.
China’s growth forecast remains at 4.8 percent, while India’s is projected at 7.0 percent. Growth in the Caucasus and Central Asia has been revised up to 4.7 percent, and the Pacific’s forecast has been slightly increased to 3.4 percent. Southeast Asia’s growth forecast was lowered to 4.5 percent due to reduced public investments and a slower recovery in exports.
Established in 1966, the ADB is owned by 68 members, with 49 from the region.
Trend Micro Positioned in the Leaders’ Quadrant of the Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Security
Evaluated for completeness of vision and ability to execute

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 September 2024 – Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704) a global cybersecurity leader, today announced it has been positioned by Gartner® in the Leaders’ Quadrant of the 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™: Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP) 1. Trend Micro has been named a Leader 19 times in a row since 2002.
Kevin Simzer, COO at Trend: “The endpoint is crucial for business operations. That makes it a valuable asset to protect, and a key target for threat actors as well. As endpoints grow in number and complexity, a unified solution is needed. That’s why we provide threat protection, detection, and response through a single platform to enhance security, ensure compliance, and lessen the IT workload.”
Trend Vision One™ – Endpoint Security extends the capabilities of traditional endpoint security by safeguarding physical endpoints as well as servers, cloud workloads, and virtual machines. It integrates this with extended detection and response (XDR) for proactive security measures, along with third-party integrations including threat intelligence, SIEM, orchestration, build pipeline, attack surface management, and other solutions.
According to Gartner, “Leaders demonstrate balanced and consistent progress and effort in relation to all Ability to Execute and Completeness of Vision criteria. They offer broad, tightly integrated workspace security capabilities; deep EDR functionality; vendor-delivered service wrappers (such as MDR), and proven management capabilities for enterprise customers. Increasingly, leaders provide holistic XDR platforms that enable customers to consolidate or converge their security tools and incident management capabilities.”
1Gartner, “Gartner® Magic Quadrant™: Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP),” Evgeny Mirolyubov, Franz Stefan Hinner, Chris Silva, Deepak Mishra, Satarupa Patnaik, September 23, 2024.
Gartner Disclaimer:
GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally, and HYPE CYCLE is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved.
The report Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms was published as Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Antivirus in 2005-06, as Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Antivirus, 1H03 in 2003 and as Enterprise Antivirus 2Q02 MQ: Room for Improvement in 2002.
Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
Hashtag: #trendmicro, #trendvisionone, #visionone, #cybersecurity, #gartner, #magicquadrant, #epp, #endpointprotectionplatform, #endpointsecurity
https://www.trendmicro.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/trend-micro-hong-kong-96353768/
https://twitter.com/TrendKon
https://www.facebook.com/TrendMicroLimited
Trend Micro
Trend Micro, a global cybersecurity leader, helps make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Fueled by decades of security expertise, global threat research, and continuous innovation, Trend Micro’s AI-powered cybersecurity platform protects hundreds of thousands of organizations and millions of individuals across clouds, networks, devices, and endpoints. As a leader in cloud and enterprise cybersecurity, Trend’s platform delivers a powerful range of advanced threat defense techniques optimized for environments like AWS, Microsoft, and Google, and central visibility for better, faster detection and response. With 7,000 employees across 70 countries, Trend Micro enables organizations to simplify and secure their connected world.
www.TrendMicro.com.hk
1 in 2 believe that more needs to be done to boost mental health in Singapore: AIA Live Better Study 2024
Singaporeans identify mental health as an important facet of holistic wellness and the lack of resources or support for mental wellness in Singapore is a nod to it being a key priority on the government’s national agenda and an opportunity for companies to do more.

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 September 2024 – AIA Singapore today unveiled findings of the AIA Live Better Study 2024[1] which revealed that Singapore consumers’ overall wellbeing has not shown improvement compared to last year, scoring 61.5 on the Holistic Wellness Index in 2024.
Into its second year, the AIA Live Better Study investigates the current state of wellness, goal-setting behaviour, commitment, level of challenge within each key facet of wellness. Designed and formulated by AIA Singapore, the Holistic Wellness Index is founded on the premise that Singapore consumers’ perspectives towards happiness in life is multi-faceted and spans physical, financial, mental, social and spiritual aspects which help them to live Healthier, Longer, Better lives.
“At AIA Singapore, we understand that holistic wellness is a journey, not a destination. It’s about nurturing a holistic approach to well-being — physical, mental, financial, social and spiritual. In Singapore, the challenges of an imperfect state of wellness are reflected in the daily struggles faced by many, from managing stress to grappling with the rising cost of living[2]. These pressures affect not just individual well-being but the broader happiness index[3] of our nation,” said Irma Hadikusuma, Chief Marketing and Proposition Officer, AIA Singapore
“This is why, we developed AIA Health360, your partner in holistic wellness which provides a comprehensive suite of solutions curated to help you achieve your desired lifestyle at all life stages,” she added.
Mental wellness was identified amongst Singapore consumers as an important aspect of wellness across the five facets with approximately 1 in 2 (51%) Singapore consumers, indicating that they prioritise mental wellness more now compared to before the pandemic.
Critically, 3 in 5 (59%) believe that they need or might need more resources or support for mental wellness with affordability (66%), accessibility (53%) and presence of workplace initiatives (51%) identified as key resources or support that would be helpful to address mental health challenges in Singapore.
As the government is putting in place more initiatives to address mental health issues[4] in Singapore, there is also an opportunity for the private sector to do more. AIA Singapore has been leading the charge since 2019 as the first insurer in Singapore to cover mental health in the AIA Beyond Critical Care insurance plan, offering mental health benefits for employees of corporate clients, and partnering with WhiteCoat to launch Think Well, the region’s first end-to-end digital mental health solution.
More concerted effort by all parties needed to support mental wellbeing in Singapore
Approximately 6 in 10 (58%) Singapore consumers feel that there is stigma towards mental health, and this is most significantly amongst Gen Zs (73%). There is also a critical need for Singapore consumers to seek help to address mental health challenges, instead of trying to deal with it on their own.
While approximately 2 in 5 (37%) Singapore consumers with mental health challenges feel that they can cope on their own, 2 in 5 (42%) cites high costs to be a main barrier stopping them from seeking professional help, and 3 in 10 (32%) think that their mental health does not require professional support[5].
Changing consumer perception to overcome the stigma Singapore consumers have towards mental health may be the key to encouraging them to seek professional help.
Teleconsultation offers a promising alternative for mental health services in Singapore. Approximately half of Singapore consumers (47%) expressed a high likelihood of seeking mental health help through teleconsultation, citing convenience (45%), quick and easy access to support during times of crisis or urgent need (40%), and flexibility in scheduling appointments (37%) as benefits of mental teleconsultation services. AIA Singapore’s Think Well programme, in partnership with WhiteCoat embeds mental health support within all of AIA’s corporate outpatient plans, increasing access to mental health support systems through text, video or in-person consultations.
Discerning gap between financial goals and tangible steps taken to achieve goals
In 2024, there is muted optimism among Singapore consumers when it comes to the nation’s economy, with approximately 6 in 10 (58%) indicating that ‘financial readiness in the long run’ is more important to them as compared to last year.
While Singapore consumers have financial goals set, close to 70% are struggling to achieve financial wellness. More commitment in dedicating time and effort could be taken to help achieve financial wellness,
given that only 1 in 2 (55%) are actively taking steps to stay informed on financial planning, seeking professional financial advice (52%). And, 2 in 5 (41%) are using excel for their financial planning.
72% also believe that they have emergency funds set aside for the future events. However, despite AIA Singapore’s recommendation of six to twelve months’ worth of emergency savings, only 29% of Singapore consumers have sufficient funds set aside.
To empower Singapore consumers with financial knowledge, AIA Singapore provides a suite of resources which includes digital financial planning tools, beyond professional financial advice from AIA insurance representatives.
Health screenings are essential for a proactive approach to physical well-being
In 2024, 60% of Singapore consumers scored themselves between 7-10 (out of 10), on their level of physical fitness, compared to 61% last year. While, more than 4 in 5 (82%)7 are aware of the need to do healthcare screenings recommended for their respective age groups, only half (56%) of Singapore consumers are committed to regular check-ups, and 54% are more willing to spend on regular health check-ups.
According to advice from the Ministry of Health, Singapore consumers are encouraged to partake in regular health screening as a form of preventative measure, ensuring early detection and appropriate intervention, preventing or delaying the onset of certain diseases and complications related to them[6].
Supporting Singaporean’s journey to achieving wellness through holistic methods, AIA Singapore has its award-winning and first in the market wellness programme AIA Vitality, which is an offering under the Live Well pillar of AIA Health360. AIA Vitality has been supporting its members to live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives by rewarding them with exclusive partner rewards and benefits when they achieve fitness milestones through positive behavioural changes. Since its launch in 2013, Vitality members who reported unhealthy results in initial health checks have made significant improvements in their health.
Cultivating meaningful connections for social and spiritual well-being
Singapore consumers’ social and spiritual[7] have remained relatively stable over the past year, with 3 in 5 believing that they are doing well in terms of social or spiritual wellness.
They can improve their social wellness by engaging in open and meaningful conversations with others to strengthen mutual trust, respect and support.
Hashtag: #AIASingapore #HolisticWellness #Holistic #MentalHealth #MentalWellness #FinancialWellness #PhysicalWellness #SpiritualWellness #SocialWellness
https://www.aia.com.sg/en/index
https://www.linkedin.com/company/aia-singapore/?originalSubdomain=sg
https://www.facebook.com/Singapore.AIA/
https://www.instagram.com/aiasingapore/?hl=en
About AIA
AIA Group Limited and its subsidiaries (collectively “AIA” or the “Group”) comprise the largest independent publicly listed pan-Asian life insurance group. It has a presence in 18 markets – wholly-owned branches and subsidiaries in Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR[1], Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan (China), Vietnam, Brunei and Macau SAR[2], and a 49 per cent joint venture in India. In addition, AIA has a 24.99 per cent shareholding in China Post Life Insurance Co., Ltd.
The business that is now AIA was first established in Shanghai more than a century ago in 1919. It is a market leader in Asia (ex-Japan) based on life insurance premiums and holds leading positions across the majority of its markets. It had total assets of US$289 billion as of 30 June 2024.
AIA meets the long-term savings and protection needs of individuals by offering a range of products and services including life insurance, accident and health insurance and savings plans. The Group also provides employee benefits, credit life and pension services to corporate clients. Through an extensive network of agents, partners and employees across Asia, AIA serves the holders of more than 42 million individual policies and 16 million participating members of group insurance schemes.
AIA Group Limited is listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited under the stock codes “1299” for HKD counter and “81299” for RMB counter with American Depositary Receipts (Level 1) traded on the over-the-counter market under the ticker symbol “AAGIY”.
ASUS Introduces All-New Intel Xeon 6 Processor Servers
World-class expertise and engineering combine to deliver next-generation servers ready to empower high-performance computing, peak performance and maximum utilization

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 September 2024 – ASUS today announced its all-new line-up of Intel® Xeon® 6 processor-powered servers, ready to satisfy the escalating demand for high-performance computing (HPC) solutions.
The new servers include the multi-node ASUS RS920Q-E12, which supports Intel Xeon 6900 series processors for HPC applications; and the ASUS RS720Q-E12, RS720-E12 and RS700-E12 server models, embedded with Intel Xeon 6700 series with E-cores, will also support Intel Xeon 6700/6500 series with P-cores in Q1, 2025, to provide seamless integration and optimization for modern data centers and diverse IT environments.
These powerful new servers, built on the solid foundation of trusted and resilient ASUS server design, offer improved scalability, enabling clients to build customized data centers and scale up their infrastructure to achieve their highest computing potential – ready to deliver HPC success across diverse industries and use cases.
ESC I8-E11: Ready for the latest Intel Gaudi 3 AI accelerator
Responding to the surging demand of AI training and inference, ASUS ESC I8-E11 accommodates eight Intel Gaudi® 3 AI OCP Accelerator Module (OAM) mezzanine cards, and integrates 24 industry-standard RoCE 200GbE RDMA NICs on every Intel Gaudi 3 accelerator. ESC I8-E11, powered by 5th Gen Intel Xeon processors, features a modular design that reduces cable usage, shortening assembly time and improving thermal optimization. It also boasts high power efficiency with redundant 3000W 80 PLUS® PSUs, ensuring reliable and sustainable power supply to offer exceptional performance, efficiency and versatility for deep-learning tasks.
RS920Q-E12 and RS720Q-E12: Unleashing data for HPC
ASUS RS920Q-E12 is designed to unleash peak performance and features the latest Intel Xeon 6900 series processors, plus up to 96 DDR5 RDIMM 6400MT/s and MRDIMM Gen1 8800 MT/s per 2U system. This server is particularly suited to heavy workloads, ensuring efficient processing and data management. With advanced liquid-cooling technology to maintain optimal performance and prevent overheating, RS920Q-E12 offers stability and reliability in demanding operational environments such as HPC, cloud computing and more.
ASUS also presents RS720Q-E12, another new server with Intel Xeon 6700 series with E-cores or Intel Xeon 6700/6500 series with P-cores, engineered for maintaining high resource utilization and reliability. This server balances resources to optimize I/O throughput, simplifying storage management and offering great scalability. With optimal space utilization and efficient performance, RS720Q-E12 offers excellent performance, especially for the complex semiconductor EDA workloads.
RS720-E12 and RS700-E12: Effortless deployment and exceptional value
ASUS RS720-E12 and RS700-E12 are the latest general-purpose servers, built with the modular and scalable DC-MHS architecture, providing seamless integration and optimization for modern data centers and diverse IT environments. To improve flexibility and security across different data center platforms, RS720-E12 and RS700-E12 with Intel Xeon 6700 series with E-cores or Intel Xeon 6700/6500 series with P-cores incorporate DC-SCM, a versatile baseboard management controller (BMC) module. This innovation shifts common server management, security and control features from the motherboard to a practical, modular component.
RS720-E12 is optimized for GPU support, efficiently handling demanding graphical and computational tasks. With Intel Xeon 6 processors, this server can manage multiple processes simultaneously, ensuring rapid data transfer and improving response times. The exclusive ASUS fan-bar design enhances maintenance convenience, and the optimized I/O throughput minimizes bottlenecks and improves storage and retrieval efficiency.
For effortless deployment and exceptional value, RS700-E12 provides high-speed data access and transfer rates with all-NVMe storage, multi-core processors, and large memory capacity. This server accommodates extensive data demands while maintaining swift access times, ensuring efficient multitasking, and processing of complex workloads.
Availability & Pricing
ASUS Intel Xeon 6 products and services are available worldwide. Please visit the solution page: https://www.asus.com/event/intel-xeon-6-processor-servers/ or contact your local ASUS representative for further information.
Hashtag: #asus
About ASUS
ASUS is a global technology leader that provides the world’s most innovative and intuitive devices, components, and solutions to deliver incredible experiences that enhance the lives of people everywhere. With its team of 5,000 in-house R&D experts, the company is world-renowned for continuously reimagining today’s technologies. Consistently ranked as one of Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies, ASUS is also committed to sustaining an incredible future. The goal is to create a net zero enterprise that helps drive the shift towards a circular economy, with a responsible supply chain creating shared value for every one of us.









