Malaysia launches training initiative for ASEAN citizens

Thailand has secured more than 500,000 tons in new rice export orders following trade discussions at the Thailand Rice Convention 2025 (TRC 2025), held recently in Bangkok.

Thailand’s border and cross-border trade reached 632.40 billion THB in the first four months of 2025, marking a 10.7% year-on-year increase.

Indonesia now holds some 31 billion tonnes from an estimated total resource base of 97 billion tonnes.

Thailand's Consumer Confidence Index in April dropped to 55.4 from 56.7 the previous month, attributed to a slow economic recovery, a high cost of living and severe trade conflicts.

The new initiative will create more opportunities and travel options while fostering market competition among airlines in terms of fares and service quality.

Dr Jurai Wongsawat, spokeswoman for the DDC, has said cluster outbreaks of the virus have been identified in several settings: six outbreaks in prisons involving 198 cases, five in schools with 258 cases, two in military camps, totalling 178 cases, and one hospital cluster with 35 cases.

Through a three-pronged strategy, Thailand aims to strengthen its digital infrastructure, establish a secure digital environment that protects user rights and builds public trust, and develop human capital by training professionals and producing AI developers within the next two years.

The top three sectors with the highest closures are general construction with 372 closures, real estate - 184 closures, and restaurants/eateries - 159 closures.

Talking about Vietnam’s role within the bloc, the PM noted that he maintains regular contact with Vietnamese leaders to exchange views on ASEAN-related issues, including the US’s new tariff policy and the situation in Myanmar.

Despite this downturn, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) projects that the Philippines will remain the world's leading rice importer in 2025, with imports expected to rise to 5.4 million tonnes, and further increase to 5.5 million tonnes in 2026.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has announced plans to establish a national labour welfare council that comprises labour leaders and prominent public figures to advise on policies affecting workers’ rights.

The draft budget bill, which is being debated in the house over the next four days, projects a 0.7% rise in spending, and a 0.7% drop in the budget deficit to 860 billion THB, or 4.3% of gross domestic product, from the 2025 fiscal year that ends in September.

Running from May 28-29, the apex event covers a range of topics such as agentic and embodied AI, space satellite and communications, quantum compute, and digital sustainability through a series of plenary sessions.

The subsidy will be distributed over a two-month period to help sustain public purchasing power amid global economic headwinds and in anticipation of increased household spending during the school holiday season.

The initiative, developed in coordination with the US Trade Representative Office, is intended to address longstanding concerns over IP protection and enforcement.

Leftover food from meals distributed to schools across Indonesia reaches 1.4 million tonnes annually.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said the two sides had agreed to take their partnership further by adopting a shared vision leading up to the 100th anniversary of Indonesia-France relations in 2050.

According to the Earthquake Observation Division of Thailand, tremors were detected in Myanmar, China, Vietnam and Thailand’s Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son provinces. Some of the quakes were reportedly felt in several provinces across Thailand, particularly in the northern and northeastern regions.

ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn highlighted the adoption of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future, describing it as a key document that will guide the region’s development and cooperation over the next two decades.

Held under the theme “Inclusive and Sustainable Auditing for a Progressive ASEAN,” the conference served as a strategic platform for sharing knowledge and experiences aimed at strengthening audit frameworks in response to emerging challenges.