Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, right, and his then-Lao counterpart Phankham Viphavanh preside over a groundbreaking ceremony for the fifth Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge in Bung Kan province in October, 2022 (Photo: bangkokpost) Bangkok (VNA) – The Thai government on January 28 announced that the fifth Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge is set to open early next year which should help boost border exchanges not only between localities between Thailand and Laos but also trade in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), as it will speed up imports between Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam , and China (Yunnan). The bridge, which connects the Thai northeast province of Bueng Kan and Laos' Bolikhamsay province, costs 3.6 billion THB (nearly 110 million USD), of which 2.5 billion THB comes from Thailand and the rest from Laos. According to deputy government spokeswoman Tipanan Sirichana, the construction is 60% complete and proceeding faster than planned. The project is … [Read more...] about Fifth Thai-Lao bridge to open next year
Farmers insurance open
Vietnam’s FDI projected to reap up to USD 38 bln in 2023
Deputy Director of the FIA Do Van Su said disbursement of foreign investment this year is expected to hit USD 22-23 billion. Su acknowledged that the opening of China’s economy might affect Vietnam's foreign investment attraction, adding that China remained the leading investment destination in the region, so when they opened up, capital will flow into this market while that to Vietnam and other economies in the region will be limited. On the contrary, the investment capital movement of the Republic of Korea (RoK), Japan, and Taiwan (China) will be accelerated. This shift will be accelerated until 2025, and Vietnam will be a preferred investment destination for investors, he added. Currently, the RoK, Japan and Taiwan (China) are Vietnam’s major sources of foreign investment and they have constantly increased their investments in Southeast Asian countries. According to FIA, essential factors for FDI to continue to prosper in 2023 include economic growth results in 2022 and … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s FDI projected to reap up to USD 38 bln in 2023
Cambodian People’s Party sets out strategic goals for 2023-28
The Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) convenes its extraordinary congress on January 28-29. (Photo: AKP/VNA) Phnom Penh (VNA) – The Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) convened its extraordinary congress on January 28-29, during which it issued many important decisions and policies regarding the leadership work, as well as orientations for national development in the time ahead. In his opening remarks, CPP Honorary President Samdech Heng Samrin , who is also President of the National Assembly, said 2023 marks an end to the 2018-2023 mandate of the legislature and the government, and it will also be the beginning of a new five-year tenure. There will be a lot of work to do in the future, he said, stressing the need to join hands and make all-out efforts to win the 7th-term parliamentary election slated for July 23, 2023. The congress set out major strategic goals for the next five years which are based on wishes of the people and reflect the real situation, both … [Read more...] about Cambodian People’s Party sets out strategic goals for 2023-28
Cybersecurity firms on the rise in Vietnam
The digital transformation has made the cybersecurity market in Vietnam more attractive, leading to the establishment of more cybersecurity companies in the country. Opswat, a provider of critical infrastructure protection cybersecurity solutions, recently opened a critical infrastructure protection lab in Ho Chi Minh City. This is the first center of the U.S. company in Asia, proving its increased focus on growing its presence in Asia, including Vietnam. Many start-ups in the cybersecurity sector have been also founded in Vietnam, including Smart Cyber Security, which offers digital transformation services in cybersecurity. Vietnam National Cyber Security Technology Corporation (NCS) has supported large financial groups and organizations, banks as well as key units in Vietnam in cybersecurity. In September last year, NCS was the first unit to detect zero-day vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange Server. Vietnam has emerged as one of the leading countries in Southeast Asia … [Read more...] about Cybersecurity firms on the rise in Vietnam