WEEKLY SUMMARY

 
AseanAffairs     28  August 2011

These were the most important news stories filed by Asean Affairs during the week of August 20-26.

Manufacturing investments up in Malaysia
Total approved manufacturing investments expanded by almost 120 percent year-on-year to RM16.4bil in the second quarter this year, the fastest pace since the first quarter of 2008, bringing the total approvals to RM28.6bil in the first half this year, according to the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (Mida).
READ MORE:http://www.aseanaffairs.com/malaysia_news/investment/manufacturing_investments_up_in_malaysia

Who’s in charge in Myanmar?
Five months after a nominally civilian government took power in Myanmar, the country is awash in uncertainty about who is really in charge.
READ MORE:http://www.aseanaffairs.com/myanmar_news/politics/who_s_in_charge_in_myanmar

Chaos reigns in Thai parliament
A Thai parliamentary session to debate the policy statement delivered by the new Pheu Thai government was thrown into chaos on Wednesday night before it was cancelled for a lack of a quorum.
READ MORE:http://www.aseanaffairs.com/thailand_news/politics/chaos_reigns_in_thai_parliament

Indonesia should receive more capital
Economist A. Prasetyantoko says foreign capital inflows to Indonesia will increase after Moody’s ratings agency downgraded Japan's debt rating on Wednesday.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/indonesia_news/investment/indonesia_should_receive_more_capital

Suu Kyi sees hope of “real change”
Myanmar's democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi said Wednesday she believes the country's army-backed president wants "real positive change" amid warmer relations between the regime and its most famous critic.
READ MORE:http://www.aseanaffairs.com/myanmar_news/politics/suu_kyi_sees_hope_of_real_change

Vietnam to raise minimum wage
Vietnam will increase minimum wages by up to almost half in its major cities from October 1 in a bid to help workers cope with one of the world’s highest levels of inflation.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/vietnam_news/labor/vietnam_to_raise_minimum_wage

Petronas to pull gas from marginal fields
Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) and its production sharing contract (PSC) partners are embarking on a RM15bil upstream project to extract gas from fields off Peninsular Malaysia, which also includes a new 200km pipeline. The company describes the fields as “marginal and challenging”.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/malaysia_news/energy/petronas_to_pull_gas_from_marginal_fields

Aquino pledges stronger defense of sea claims
Philippine President Benigno Aquino on Tuesday vowed a stronger military defense of the country’s West Philippine Sea claims as the Philippine Navy’s newest warship sailed into Manila Bay from the United States.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/philippines_news/security/aquino_pledges_stronger_defense_of_sea_claims

Cambodia signs deals with China
Cambodia has agreed to acquire Chinese-made Z-9 helicopters for US$195 million in one of 26 memorandums of understanding agreed to by the countries.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/cambodia_news/investment/cambodia_signs_deals_with_china

Thailand growth rate revised downward
Economic growth this year has been revised down to a range of 3.5 percent to 4 percent from the previous projection of 3.5 percent to 4.5 percent due to the slow global economy.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/thailand_news/economy/thailand_growth_rate_revised_downward

Laos inflation drops below GDP
The inflation rate in July was 7.13 percent, the first time in three months it has being below target gross domestic product (GDP) growth.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/laos_news/economy/laos_inflation_drops_below_gdp

Major solar investment in Thailand
SunEdison, North America's largest solar energy services provider, plans to invest more than US$100 million next year in solar power plants in Thailand through a local partnership.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/thailand_news/energy/major_solar_investment_in_thailand

Thai auto exports to recover
Exports of Thai-built automobiles continued falling last month on lower production in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan six months ago, according to Surapong Phaisitpattanapong, spokesman for the automobile industry club at the Federation of Thai Industries.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/thailand_news/trade/thai_auto_exports_to_recover

Villagers detained after protest
More than 100 villagers from four provinces were detained and questioned by Phnom Penh officials yesterday morning after they tried to distribute flyers urging the government to protect Prey Lang forest.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/cambodia_news/environment/villagers_detained_after_protest

Philippines FX surplus surges
The Philippines’ foreign exchange surplus surged by sevenfold last month amid inflows from the central bank’s investments, coupled with strong remittances from overseas Filipino workers. READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/philippines_news/economy/philippines_fx_surplus_surges

Income gap-Thai government priority
The new Thai government is determined to promote change, establish a balance in Thai society and narrow the income gap between rich and poor, says Deputy Prime Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong.
READ MORE: http://www.aseanaffairs.com/thailand_news/economy/income_gap_thai_government_priority