The Thai government has announced that citizens of and those arriving from South Korea, Italy, Iran, as well as China and two of its territories Macau and Hong Kong, are to experience the kingdom’s most stringent screening.

Indonesia plans to halt its visa exemption policy for citizens of all countries for one month and expand restrictions for those who have travelled to some of the world's countries hardest hit by the COVID-19 outbreak, in an effort to curb the disease’s spread in the country.

Singapore confirmed 23 new COVID-19 cases on March 17, the highest number it has recorded in a day so far.

The Cambodian Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction said the construction industry in the country remains stable despite a serious downturn facing many sectors globally due to impact of COVID-19.

The Philippine Department of Transportation announced on March 17 that it will close all airports on Luzon island, starting from March 20.

Two bombs exploded in front of a government office in Thailand's southern Yala province on March 17, leaving 18 people injured. ​

Cambodia’s State-run Rural Development Bank has approved a 50 million USD credit package for local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are operating in agriculture.

Malaysia has postponed a three-day meeting of finance and central bank officials from APEC countries that was scheduled for March 17-19 because of the COVID-19 outbreak, a government spokesperson said.

Thailand is on course for an economic recession in the first half of this year, with its 2020 GDP being forecast to decrease 0.3 percent from the previous 1.8 percent as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, according to the Siam Commercial Bank’s Economic Intelligence Centre (EIC).

Secretary of Philippines’ Department of Finance Carlos Dominguez III on March 16 announced a 27.1 billion peso (526 million USD) spending plan for everyone affected by the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced on late March 16 that the entire country will be on a movement control order starting from March 18-31 to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Many Southeast Asian countries on March 16 said that they are continuously implementing measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Indonesian tourism sector has suffered losses of at least 1.5 billion USD since January amid growing fears over the COVID-19, said Chairman of the Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) Hariyadi B. Sukamdani.

A meeting of Thailand’s Covid-19 Administration Centre, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, approved a motion to postpone the Songkran holidays from April 13-15 to later dates.