As the ASEAN chair for 2018, one of Singapore’s priorities is promoting the region’s growing digital economy. The figures are promising. South-east Asia’s digital economy holds strong potential, and is expected to exceed US$200 billion by 2025. Digital technologies present ASEAN member states with the...
By Simon Tay and Cheryl Tan City-state seeks cooperation boost despite differences over Trump, China and Myanmar refugees Singapore is settling into its one-year rotating chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations at a time when the region's economic growth is outperforming the world. But the...
Dr Surin Pitsuwan 28 October 1949 – 30 November 2017 Words cannot express how sorry we are at the sudden passing of our dear friend, Dr Surin Pitsuwan, former ASEAN secretary-general and Thailand foreign minister. Dr Pitsuwan was a strong proponent of ASEAN, and believed in its...
From the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) to the recent UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the subject of consuming and producing sustainably continues to draw considerable interest. In particular, Sustainable Development Goal 12 seeks to encourage companies to adopt and publicly...
Regional leaders inaugurated an ASEAN (Association of South-east Asian Nations) Community at the end of last year to bring their 10 countries closer — not only for economic integration, but also on security and political issues as well as social and cultural affairs. One test for...
Many turbulent events in 2015 were symptoms of a world lacking in optimism and growth, and facing possible changes in the global order. Even as social and economic uncertainties continue, competition is increasing among major powers, especially between the US and China. There is not much...
COUNTRIES IN Asean, including Thailand, should not seek to choose between the majors powers or to be neutral, but should be close to both the United States and China, a Singaporean academic said yesterday. "I don't think it's in Thailand's interests to be too close to...
The recent military coup in Thailand that ousted the government of Yingluck Shinawatra has attracted international concern and controversy. The US, the European Union and Australia were vocal in their criticism of the situation, called for elections to be held as soon as possible, and...
It appears that Southeast Asia might face slower days ahead. The region’s predicted growth rate has been reduced to 4.7 per cent, according to a report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The revised forecast attributes the downgrade to political and economic road bumps in...
The latest episode in Thailand’s military coup saga is the exodus of undocumented Cambodian migrant workers from the country. These workers have largely fled in fear of government persecution due to their legal status in the country. Reports accusing the Thai military junta of killing...