Thailand’s rice exports are expected to recover slightly from an estimated 5.8 million tonnes in 2020, which was the lowest in 20 years due to weak global purchasing power caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a container shortage and the strong baht.
Thailand's event marketing business is expected to lose 5.6 billion baht (186 million USD) worth of revenue in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as compared to the total amount of 14 billion baht per year.
A labour shortage, particularly in manpower-intensive industries such as agribusiness and food processing, is likely to intensify over the long term in Thailand as the COVID-19 pandemic makes it difficult for foreign labourers to move across borders.
Thailand’s cross-border trade, including transit trade, fell by 7.42 percent year-on-year in the first eight months, mainly attributed to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and a slowing economy.
As long as it can maintain the current momentum, Vietnam will be a rising star in the global and regional economy, paving the way to becoming a high-income country in 2045 as it is aiming to do, according to Asia Times.
Asia Times on October 1 ran an article saying that the Vietnamese economy will soon recover after COVID-19 pandemic and become one of the best performers in the world.
Thailand's rubber product exports are expected to fetch 359 billion baht (11.35 billion USD) in 2020, 3.19 percent higher than last year, according to Thai Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit.
Some Southeast Asian countries continued to record sharp rises in the numbers of COVID-19 cases on September 11, with the Philippines still the biggest hotspot in the region.
The State-run Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) is planning to reduce the power generation capacity reserve to 15 percent from 40 percent of total capacity, in a move to curb high power costs.
The Philippines on August 19 confirmed 4,650 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections nationwide to 173,774 – the highest in Southeast Asia.
Thailand's cross-border trade fell by 9.18 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2020 due to lockdown measures and the slowing economies of neighbouring countries.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on August 17 decided to ease lockdown measures in and around the capital Manila as his government promised a “refreshed” approach to fighting COVID-19 that includes intensified testing.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc requested ministries and localities to build effective strategies to cope with COVID-19 in terms of economy and health, while chairing a virtual meeting with permanent members of the Government in Hanoi on August 12.
About 265,000 foreign workers in construction, marine shipyard and processing sectors have been given the green light to return to work in Singapore, said the country’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
As the ASEAN Chair 2020, Vietnam is completing preparations for the 53rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-53) and related meetings in September, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang has said.
Authorities of the central city of Da Nang applied a 14-day quarantine to all staff, patients and their caregivers at the Hai Chau district’s health clinic, starting at 12:00 of August 5.
Young Vietnamese at home and abroad are striving to contribute to the country’s fight against COVID-19 in their own way, believing that everyone has a role to play for the sake of their homeland.
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