Showing 1 - 10 of 11
Forest loss slowing in Indonesia and Malaysia
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 03/05/2021
» The pandemic prevented major countries and corporations from achieving environmental goals last year as they diverted resources toward economic recovery. Global rainforest conservation took one of its largest hits in almost two decades, with primary forest loss increasing by 12% from 2019, according to satellite data from Global Forest Watch.
Crypto regulation must be innovative
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 19/04/2021
» India's government made global headlines last month with news of its proposed ban on the possession, issuance, mining, trading and transferring of cryptocurrencies and crypto-assets. If passed, the law would make India the first country to make cryptocurrencies illegal.
Supply chain bottlenecks in Vietnam
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 01/03/2021
» Vietnam's economy has fared better than that of almost any other country except China during the Covid-19 crisis. It grew by 2.9% last year while most other countries fell into recession.
Banking on the unbanked
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 22/02/2021
» Southeast Asia's fintech scene is going from strength to strength, with the regional industry valued at up to US$100 billion at the end of last year. Yet it has so far only produced a handful of unicorns -- startups valued at more than $1 billion.
Raising the stakes with lab-grown meat
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 21/12/2020
» Singapore recently became the first government to approve the use of lab-grown meat as an ingredient in food. Many have seen the move as a bellwether for the development of a global synthetic meat market -- an innovative sector which in the long term could significantly reduce our reliance on the slaughter of animals for food while significantly reducing carbon emissions.
China rebalancing with 'dual circulation'
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 19/10/2020
» Ever since Chinese President Xi Jinping set markets abuzz in May by raising the idea of a "dual circulation" economy, observers have been exploring the potential of this new economic model for China which has knock-on effects for the rest of the world.
China's economic recovery
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 12/10/2020
» China's economic recovery continues to accelerate, with retail sales growing in August for the first time this year. Investment and property activity also gathered speed and there was a sharp spike in manufacturing production with the steepest rate of growth in new orders since the start of 2011. The Purchasing Managers Index, which includes services, also rose, while unemployment in urban areas dropped, with the 5.6% jobless rate the lowest since January.
The Internet of Bodies
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 06/07/2020
» Surveilling people's health data via wearable devices has gained momentum with contact and health tracking during the coronavirus outbreak.
Opportunity amid crisis
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 13/04/2020
» While many industries around the world continue to be affected by the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak, certain business sectors have benefitted from people and companies changing their behaviour in reaction to the pandemic.
Can Thai fruit restore economic health?
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 09/03/2020
» Thailand's fruit exporters are anxiously hoping that the worst effects of the Covid-19 outbreak will soon be over, as otherwise fruit sales will become another casualty of the virus. Fruit exports have been a star performer for Thailand over the past couple of years, driven mainly by demand from China. In 2018 Thailand's fresh fruit exports to China rose by almost 50% to 700,000 tonnes, and in the first half of last year they rose by a further 123%.