FREE ASEAN | ASEANEWS HEADLINES: VIENTIANE, Laos- Govt pledges to reduce budget deficit
The government has announced that it will attempt to lower its fiscal deficit to just 3,098 billion kip in 2022, which is equal to 1.61 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
.
.
The pledge comes as the government continues to ease budgetary tensions and minimise its public debt burden at a time when it is struggling to source more funds to address the shortfall.
.
To achieve its goal, the government has pledged to bolster the amount of revenue collected while also plugging loopholes that could result in the loss of money owed to its coffers.
.
Revenue amassed from sources within Laos must be sufficient to cover domestic expenditure and yield a surplus to repay debts owed both domestically and to other countries, according to an instruction issued by the Ministry of Finance recently.
.
In mid-December, the ministry announced that revenue accumulated in the first 11 months of 2021 amounted to just 24,099 billion kip, equivalent to 87 percent of the target figure. This means the fiscal shortfall for 2021 is projected to rise from the previous target figure of 2.17 percent to 4.33 percent of GDP.
.
In 2022, the government plans to collect 31.59 trillion kip in revenue, representing 16.44 percent of GDP, with expenditure set at 34.96 trillion kip, accounting for 18.05 percent of GDP.
SPACE RESERVE FOR ADVERTISEMENT
_____________________________________________
ASEAN Covid-19 Table – 14 January 2022
Asean as a whole has reported more than 15.5 million COVID-19 cases. Of this, more than 750,000 are active cases as of January 14.
The coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 219 countries and territories around the world and 2 international conveyances.
.<>
1.BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
1.12.22
2. CAMBODIA
<>
Omicron stymies tourism recovery in Thailand and probably Cambodia
.
Even though the tourism industry has started to see optimism from the country’s reopening on Nov 1 last year, a fresh whiplash in travel sentiment from Omicron variant has put the brakes on recovery prospects in 2022.
There remain challenges for business to quickly adapt to weather the storm.
The most likely scenario for Thai hospitality business is U-shaped gradual recovery until 2024, starting with domestic leisure travel which has already resumed, said Boriwat Pinpradab, managing director and partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
READ MORE: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501005359/omicron-stymies-tourism-recovery-in-thailand-and-probably-cambodia/
<>
HEADLINE:
Cambodian premier’s visit to Myanmar sets tone of upcoming ASEAN retreat
1.12.21
Regional faux pas: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (left) and Min Aung Hlaing, who heads the Myanmar military and chairs the junta-led regime in the country, meet during Hun Sen’s visit to capital Naypyidaw on Jan. 7, 2022.(AFP/Stringe
Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) PREMIUM Jakarta ●
Tue, January 11, 2022
.
As the Myanmar crisis continues to loom large, ASEAN foreign ministers are slated to meet for their annual retreat next week in Siem Reap, Cambodia, in a potential setup for a heated discussion following Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s widely criticized visit to Myanmar over the weekend. Cambodia, as the current ASEAN chair, has the complicated task of handling the protracted humanitarian, political and economic crises in an ASEAN member state, nearly a year after the Myanmar military ousted its democratically elected government on Feb. 1, 2021.
Click to read: https://www.thejakartapost.com/world/2022/01/11/cambodian-premiers-visit-to-myanmar-sets-tone-of-upcoming-asean-retreat.html.
___________________________________________________
SPACE RESERVE FOR ADVERTISEMENT
_________________________________________________
3. INDONESIA
1.13.22
.____________________________________________________
SPACE RESERVE FOR ADVERTISEMENT
_________________________________________________
4. LAOS
1.13.22.
|
The Department of Water Supply of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and the East Meets West Foundation in Laos on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding to implement the third phase of the Engaging Public, Private and Women in Water Sanitation and Hygiene Project.
The third phase of the project, which is being funded with US$1.4 million by Charity: Water, will see the installation of water supply systems through contributions from the state, private players and local communities.
The third phase of the project will run from the date of the signing of the MOU until December 31, 2023.
READ MORE: https://www.vientianetimes.org.la/freeContent/FreeConten_Ministry_07_22.php
___________________________SPACE RESERVE FOR ADVERTISEMENT
_________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
SPACE RESERVE FOR ADVERTISEMENT
_________________________________________________
6. MYANMAR
1.12.22
Suu Kyi hit with new convictions, jail term
(FILES) In this file photo taken on March 2, 2021, a protester holds a poster featuring Aung San Suu Kyi as they take part in a demonstration against the military coup in Yangon. – A Myanmar junta court on January 10, 2022 convicted Aung San Suu Kyi of three criminal charges, sentencing her to four years in prison in the latest round of a legal onslaught against the ousted civilian leader. (Photo by AFP)
.
A protester holds a poster featuring Aung San Suu Kyi during a demonstration against the military coup in Yangon. PHOTO: AFP/
,
.
YANGON (AFP) – A Myanmar junta court yesterday convicted Aung San Suu Kyi of three criminal charges, sentencing her to four years in prison in the latest in a slew of cases against the ousted civilian leader.
The Nobel laureate has been detained since February 1, 2021 when her government was forced out in an early morning coup, ending Myanmar’s short-lived experiment with democracy.
The generals’ power grab triggered widespread dissent, which security forces sought to quell with mass detentions and bloody crackdowns in which over 1,400 civilians have been killed, according to a local monitoring group.
A source with knowledge of the case told AFP the 76-year-old was found guilty of two charges related to illegally importing and owning walkie-talkies and one of breaking coronavirus rules.
Junta spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun confirmed the verdicts and sentences and told AFP Suu Kyi would remain under house arrest while other cases against her proceed.
The walkie-talkie charges stem from when soldiers raided her house on the day of the coup, allegedly discovering the contraband equipment.
Yesterday’s sentence adds to the penalties the court handed down in December when she was jailed for four years for incitement and breaching Covid-19 rules while campaigning.
Junta Chief Min Aung Hlaing cut the sentence to two years and said she could serve her term under house arrest in the capital Naypyidaw.
The total six-year jail term would mean Suu Kyi would not be able to participate in fresh elections that the military authorities have pledged to hold by August 2023.
___________________________SPACE RESERVE FOR ADVERTISEMENT
_________________________________________________
7. PHILIPPINES:
Today’s Paper: January 13, 2022
1.14.22
Today’s Paper: January 14, 2022
___________________________SPACE RESERVE FOR ADVERTISEMENT
_________________________________________________
8. SINGAPORE
1.13.22
‘Burning smells’ not caused by haze or industrial incidents: NEA
SINGAPORE – Burning smells reported over the last two days were not caused by hot spots in the region or local industrial incidents, said the National Environment Agency (NEA).
In a statement on Wednesday evening (Jan 12), it added that it was responding to reports of burning smells from residents living in the east of Singapore on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Checks by the agency did not find any local industrial incident that would have contributed to the smell.
<>
It reported that the one-hour PM2.5 concentration readings – which measure the level of particulate matter in the air – remained within the normal band (Band I). The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index levels – which indicate the amount of pollutants in the air – were within the “good” to “moderate” range.
The agency added that it has not received further feedback about this issue since Wednesday afternoon, but will continue to monitor the situation.
”
SPACE RESERVE FOR ADVERTISEMENT
_________________________________________________
9. THAILAND
1.13.22
Call for delay of new tourist entry fee
300-baht charge set for April
PUBLISHED : 13 JAN 2022 AT 06:30
WRITER: DUSIDA WORRACHADDEJCHAI
.
The new 300-baht tourism fee due to take effect in April is drawing mixed reactions from tourism operators as the recovery remains tepid and fragile.
“If the country wants to welcome back tourists, the tourism fee has to be put off until at least 2023 as the sector has to be rebuilt from the ground up because of the Omicron variant,” said Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, president of the Thai Hotels Association.
<>
The tourism fee is expected to generate at least 1.5 billion baht this year from 5 million tourists, of which 1.25 billion would be allocated to tourism sites to upgrade services, such as building accessible facilities for the disabled and providing public toilets, he said.
READ MORE: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2246787/call-for-delay-of-new-tourist-entry-fee
____________________________________________
SPACE RESERVE FOR ADVERTISEMENT
_________________________________________________
10. VIET NAM
__________________________________________________
Ads by: Memento Maxima Digital Marketing
@[email protected]
SPACE RESERVE FOR ADVERTISEMENT
____________________________________________________
