Page 3 - Southeast Asia

Nadda elected as Chairperson of 77th Session of WHO Regional Committee

Ministers of Health and delegates from the region's member states have flown to Delhi to deliberate upon key priorities

Southeast Asia's local industries struggle with influx of Chinese imports

In Thailand's Lampang, half the ceramics factories have closed, Indonesia's textile workers face mass layoffs, and Malaysia's 10% e-commerce tax fails to shield manufacturers

PM Modi's visit to Brunei and Singapore: What is India's Act East Policy?

India's Act East Policy focuses on building ties with Asean countries to promote peace, economic collaboration, and cultural ties while also acting as a counterweight to China's growing influence

Politics becoming family biz in Southeast Asia despite large democracies

Tapping into family lore helps with this generation's allure for voters. The child of a formidable political force has been elevated in Thailand, too

Southeast Asia's solar industry boom threatened by US-China trade tensions

Chinese firms that set up factories there over the last decade are now being accused of skirting US import levies on their home market

Indonesia celebrates Nusantara, the new capital struggling to take shape

Located about 800 miles northeast of Jakarta, construction of Nusantara involves five phases, to be completed by 2045, the govt intends to shift some 1.9 mn people from Jakarta to ease congestion

Daughter of former Thai Prime Minister Shinawatra to be nominated as new PM

Thailand's populist Pheu Thai party on Thursday said it will nominate its party leader, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, in a Parliament vote for the country's new leader after former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin was removed by a court order over an ethical violation. Paetongtarn is the youngest daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is seen as force behind Pheu Thai. He was the first Thai politician ever to win an overall majority of seats. The residual popularity of Thaksin is a factor in the support for Paetongtarn. If Paetongtarn is approved by Parliament's vote, which is scheduled for Friday, she will become Thailand's second female prime minister, and the country's third leader from the Shinwatra family after her father and her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra.

Next round of India-Asean trade agreement review talks in November

The next round of talks for the ongoing review meeting of the India-Asean free trade agreement in goods will be held in November, an official statement said on Saturday. The third round of the negotiations was concluded on August 1 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Eight sub-committees have been constituted under the India-Asean Free Trade Agreement Joint Committee for undertaking negotiations on different areas related to the review of the pact. "The next meeting of the AITIGA (Asean-India Trade in Goods Agreement) Joint Committee will be held in India from 19-22 November 2024," the Commerce Ministry said. The AITIGA was signed in 2009. In September 2022, both sides tasked the AITIGA Joint Committee to undertake the review to make the agreement more trade-facilitative and mutually beneficial. During the third round of negotiations in Jakarta, Indonesia, all eight Sub- Sub-Committees dealing with national treatment and market access, rules of origin, standards, technical regulations, custom

Cheap Chinese exports prompt 'protectionist' response from Southeast Asia

Economic discontent towards China has intensified in Southeast Asia as Chinese companies with surplus inventory are selling goods at give-away prices

Akasa eyes flights to Asia tourist hotspots as overseas travel demand rises

The Mumbai-based budget carrier is gearing up to start flights to Kathmandu in Nepal and Bangladesh's capital Dhaka

EAM Jaishankar discusses cooperation, issue of trafficking with Laos PM

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday called on Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and raised the issue of trafficking of Indian nationals through cyber scam centres in the Southeast Asian country and discussed development partnership and cooperation in areas like defence and energy. Jaishankar is in the capital of the Laos People's Democratic Republic to participate in the meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). He called on Siphandone along with fellow foreign ministers attending the meeting. "Pleased to call on Lao PDR (People's Democratic Republic) Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone. Conveyed the warm greetings of Prime Minister @narendramodi. Discussed our development partnership and cooperation in defence, heritage conservation, energy, digital and capacity building," Jaishankar said in a post on X. Jaishankar said he values Siphandone's guidance on further strengthening close bilateral ties that are deeply rooted in shared civilisation

Taiwan detects 4 Chinese aircraft, surge in activity near its territory

Amid the growing threat, Taiwan, starting Monday, began military exercises to test its war-fighting capabilities

At least eight individuals dead as Typhoon Gaemi intensifies, hits Taiwan

A 75-year-old scooter rider collided with a fallen tree and fell to the ground before being rushed to a hospital in Yulin County, where doctors were unable to resuscitate him

Myanmar violence tops discussion as Southeast Asian diplomats meet in Laos

Southeast Asian foreign ministers and top diplomats from key partners including the United States and China were gathering in the Laotian capital on Thursday for the start of three days of talks expected to focus on the increasingly violent civil war in Myanmar, tensions in the South China Sea and other regional issues. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi are expected to hold one-on-one talks on the sidelines of the meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Vientiane, which come as both Beijing and Washington are looking to expand their influence in the region. Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith thanked ASEAN members and partners for their unwavering collective effort that has led to its past achievements and emphasized the importance of the bloc's continuous work to promote peace and stability. In light of the rapid and complex geopolitical and geoeconomic changes, we need to further enhance ASEAN centrality and unity so

India, Singapore well positioned to create change: Prez Shanmugaratnam

India and Southeast Asia are well positioned to create a new era of opportunity, equity and sustainability, despite the resurgence of industrial policies among the major economies, Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam said on Thursday. Working with other responsible middle powers, both regions have the ability to strengthen multilateralism, which, despite its imperfections, has been an arrangement that has served nations both rich and poor well for decades, he said at a dinner celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS), a think tank of the National University of Singapore. Tharman also expressed optimism that Singapore-India relations will continue on an upward trajectory. Industrial policies such as tax breaks and subsidies to promote specific industries domestically are returning at a rate not seen since the 1960s and 1970s, despite having largely failed then, Tharman noted. For instance, the International Monetary Fund tabulated 2,50

Myanmar junta arrests 11 for inflating rice prices, including Japanese

In Tokyo, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters that a Japanese national is being questioned by police in Myanmar's commercial capital Yangon

In a first in Southeast Asia, Thailand passes marriage equality bill

LGBT advocates called the move a "monumental step forward," as Thailand would be the first nation in Southeast Asia to enact marriage equality legislation

US rebukes Vietnam as Putin set to visit country after repeated invitations

Putin is expected to visit Vietnam on Wednesday and Thursday, after repeated invitations from Vietnamese leaders

Southeast Asia emerges as top choice for Indian tourists, finds Oyo report

Southeast Asian countries have emerged as the favourite destinations for Indian travellers planning short vacations abroad, while the United States, Europe, and Australia were among the preferences for long stays, according to a survey released on Monday. According to OYO Global Summer Vacations Travelopedia 2024: Southeast Asia has emerged as the top choice of Indian tourists for shorter stays of 5-7 days, making the most of long weekends and holidays after visa relaxation. The final sample size comprised around 4,000 respondents, providing a data set to analyse emerging trends and preferences in the overseas travel behaviour of Indian tourists. Bali emerged as the top destination with 38 per cent respondents voting in its favour, closely followed by Pattaya, Bangkok, and Dubai. Southeast Asian destinations such as Indonesia and Malaysia emerged as preferred countries following relaxed visa norms, OYO said. Europe and the United States of America emerged as the top choice for ...

Southeast Asian nations account for half of financial frauds in India: MHA

Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar emerge as the new global hotspots of online frauds