BANGKOK — Despite some skepticism in the West that Tokyo has been successful in curbing the spread of coronavirus, Southeast Asian countries are still looking to Japan for direction and help as the pandemic provides an opportunity for Tokyo to form closer ties with the region. The Japanese government’s declaration […]
ASEAN
Thailand leads ASEAN in 5G rollout due to pandemic
BANGKOK — The novel coronavirus pandemic has prompted Thailand’s major telecom operators to rev up deployment of fifth-generation technologies, making it the first country in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations to have commercial 5G services. Thailand’s top two mobile operators Advanced Info Service and True Corp. are racing […]
ASEAN banks prepare for flood of bad loans amid coronavirus havoc
SINGAPORE — Across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, banks are bracing for a tide of nonperforming loans as the coronavirus pandemic rattles companies’ cash flows and creates difficulties in repaying debt. Singapore-based Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. on Friday said its net profit for the first quarter ended March tumbled 43% […]
Fragile ASEAN food supply chains creak under strain of pandemic
SINGAPORE — The chickens supplied by Toh Thye San Farm have shrunk. They used to weigh in at 2 kg, but now they yield only around 1.3 kg of meat. The Singaporean outfit simply lacks the manpower to nurture bigger birds, since Malaysia locked itself down to curb the spread […]
Coronavirus exposes ASEAN divisions on rice security
BANGKOK/MANILA — The rapid spread of new coronavirus cases in Southeast Asia has exposed the region’s divisions on food security, particularly as rice-growing nations move to lock up supplies of the staple. In Thailand, the world’s second-biggest rice exporter, a curfew imposed on April 3 is driving consumers to hoard […]
Indonesia in ‘worst’ position as coronavirus attacks ASEAN bloc
JAKARTA — Evawangi, a doctor at a public hospital on the outskirts of Jakarta, grows more worried every day. Her hospital has seen an increase in suspected coronavirus patients admitted over the past two weeks, but it is quickly running out of protective gear for staff members. Many are donning […]