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WEEKLY SUMMARY

By  David Swartzentruber
AseanAffairs     17 October 2010

These were the most significant stories appearing on Asean Affairs during the week of October 9-15.

Vietnam investment target for Malaysia
Vietnam is a new strategic market for Malaysian businesses to invest in franchises, the Malaysian Franchise Association (MFA) has announced.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/malaysia_news/retail/vietnam_investment_target_for_malaysia

Bank Indonesia content with rupiah's increases
Echoing the views of other Asean central banks, Bank Indonesia says it has no plans to curb capital inflows and is not worried about the rupiah's gains.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/indonesia_news/finance/bank_indonesia_content_with_rupiah_s_increases

Proposed wage increase troubles electronic firms
Electronics industry executives warn that raising minimum wages might result in a flood of foreign workers into Thailand and that some labour-intensive manufacturers might consider relocating to lower-cost countries.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/thailand_news/labor/proposed_wage_increase_troubles_electronic_firms

Philippine peso overvalued?
Anxieties about an overvalued currency are gripping the business community in the Philippines. The peso is poised to trade stronger this week.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/philippines_news/economy/philippine_peso_overvalued

Thailand to tax foreigners' bond income
Thailand is the latest country to remove a 15 percent tax exemption for foreigners on income from domestic bonds.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/thailand_news/economy/thailand_to_tax_foreigners_bond_income

Camera catches illegal Indo forest clearing
A video camera trap installed by the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) and its partners has captured footage linking the destruction of a crucial Sumatran tiger forest to the expansion of palm oil plantations in Indonesia's Riau Province.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/indonesia_news/environment/camera_catches_illegal_forest_clearing

Vietnamese customs goes online
Nearly two-thirds of customs' application forms will be approved online by the end of this year, according to the HCM City's Customs Department. To reach the goal, more than 1,600 businesses took part in a training course on electronic customs in the city yesterday.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/vietnam_news/trade/vietnamese_customs_goes_online

Malaysia Invests in R&D
The Malaysian government will continue to spur research and development (R&D) activities and other innovation fields in its bid to make Malaysia an advanced nation.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/malaysia_news/economy/malaysia_invests_in_r&d

Malaysia & Thai Manufacturers call for curbs on hot money
Manufacturers in Malysia and Thailand have called for measures to control short-term hot money and speculative inflows into financial markets.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/malaysia_news/economy/malaysia_&_thai_manufacturers_call_for_curbs_on_hot_money

Indo court ruling ends book banning by state
An important Indonesian court ruling Wednesday erases a 1963 law on book-banning.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/indonesia_news/media/indo_court_ruling_ends_book_banning_by_state

Strong Philippines peso cuts jobs
Philippine firms are not hiring more people in the fourth quarter because of the expected drop in sales due to a strong peso, according to a survey by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B).
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/philippines_news/economy/strong_philippines_peso_cuts_jobs

No fixed exchange rate for Thailand
The Bank of Thailand will not reintroduce a fixed exchange rate policy as it would be harmful for the country's exchange rate system.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/thailand_news/economy/no_fixed_exchange_rate_for_thailand

By

Paul A. Ebeling, Jnr