Economics

Economics • STORY OF THE DAY • Oct 23, 2019 • 10 min read

Timor-Leste Betting on black

By Sophie Raynor • Oct 23, 2019
Timor-Leste is racing against the clock to develop newly unlocked Timor Sea wealth before its coffers empty. We look at the different roads that could lead the country to prosperity

Economics • STORY OF THE DAY • Sep 11, 2019 • 14 min read

Australia and ASEAN Drawing a line

By Simon Roughneen • Sep 11, 2019
Australia’s attempts to move closer to Southeast Asia have met with limited success so far, but are likely to become more urgent as the China-US rivalry intensifies

Economics • STORY OF THE DAY • Aug 27, 2019 • 11 min read

Vietnam economy Winning the battle, losing the war?

By Simon Roughneen • Aug 27, 2019
Trade-oriented Vietnam has benefitted from the US-China stand-off, pulling in more investment. But growing exports are dominated by a few big foreign players, leaving Vietnam vulnerable to global market swings

Economics • STORY OF THE DAY • Aug 19, 2019 • 11 min read

North Korea A great con?

By Robin Spiess, additional reporting by Veng Sonita • Aug 19, 2019
US President Donald Trump believes North Korea’s beaches would make for great condos and real estate. But with missiles being tested and sanctions in place, will Southeast Asian investors take the plunge?

Economics • Aug 07, 2019 • 14 min read
Microfinance institutions

Left with nothing

With the backing of the world’s development agencies, Cambodia’s microfinance institutions stand accused of driving the nation’s most vulnerable ever deeper into debt – forcing them to sell off their land when the time comes to collect
By Paul Millar and Veng Sonita • Aug 07, 2019

Economics • Aug 05, 2019 • 11 min read
Regional development

Free from darkness

Last year, the fishing village of Kwangko in Indonesia’s remote east was finally connected to the national electricity supply. But to close the gap between east and west, the nation’s infrastructure has miles to go
By Simon Roughneen • Aug 05, 2019

Economics • Aug 01, 2019 • 6 min read
Analysis

Tired of winning

Vietnam has emerged as a key winner of Trump's trade war. But a wrong move could see the nation earning nothing but enemies in its triumph
By Nguyen Khac Giang • Aug 01, 2019

Economics • Jul 25, 2019 • 10 min read
Infrastructure funding

No tax, no spend

Southeast Asia’s governments have some of the world’s smallest tax takes, leaving the region struggling to pay for infrastructure and budget for health and education
By Simon Roughneen • Jul 25, 2019

Economics • Jul 18, 2019 • 10 min read
Poverty

Living on the edge

Scraping through the refuse of Yangon’s slums for scraps to sell, children and adults alike find themselves caught between economic crisis in the countryside and a rapidly developing city that threatens to swallow their makeshift homes
By Lorcan Lovett • Jul 18, 2019

Economics • Jun 27, 2019 • 15 min read
Analysis

Debt traps

Cambodians are sinking deep in debt to meet their basic needs. And with the Kingdom's financial sector so reliant on foreign investment, it won't take much for the house of cards to come crashing down
By David Hutt • Jun 27, 2019

Economics • May 22, 2019 • 8 min read
Belt and Road

How Cambodia can make the most of China’s millions

While Cambodia has benefitted hugely from the many projects funded by China’s Belt and Road Initiative in the Kingdom, it must ensure that it remains open to a wide range of foreign investment
By Robin Spiess • May 22, 2019

Economics • Feb 19, 2019 • 9 min read
China And the West

Too little, too late

China’s Belt and Road Initiative is reshaping the global monetary order – and the West is floundering in the face of it
By Minh Pham, Yves Carmona • Feb 19, 2019