Budget

Are Thais worried about jobs?

In sharing their opinions regarding what their government should prioritise in the 2020 fiscal budget, 65.9 percent of Thais polled by the Super Poll Research Centre placed healthcare as their top concern.

5 November 2019
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What Thais want to see in 2020 Budget

In a few months’ time, the current Thai government’s position could be hanging in the balance. This is thanks to the country’s 3.2-trillion-baht (US$105.6 billion) fiscal 2020 budget which will have its third reading on 9 January next year. The 2020 fiscal year began on 1 October and its first reading was held recently on 19 October. The second and third readings of the budget bill, however, will not be held until 8 and 9 January, respectively.

28 October 2019
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Towards public transparency in ASEAN

Public transparency and accountability are cornerstones of a citizen-centric approach to governance, and while ASEAN countries show some signs of having transparent processes in place, challenges still exist.A citizen-centric approach is one where instead of the bureaucracy second-guessing citizens, they are consulted about their needs and encouraged to participate in policy planning, service designs and deliveries.According to a joint report published this week by the Asian Development Bank

14 September 2019
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Defence market in Southeast Asia

While many countries across the globe are cutting down on their military expenditure, ASEAN member states are heading in the opposite direction. Over the last 15 years, the total defence spending of Southeast Asian countries has doubled in absolute terms, with Thailand and Indonesia becoming witness to military expenditure growth rates of 10% on a year-by-year basis. Connected to the rise in defence spending is an increase in a procurement of armaments.

24 April 2018
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Angpaos, GST and Carbon Tax: A look at Singapore’s Budget 2018

After much speculation, the Singaporean government finally revealed this year’s budget for the country. In his speech, Singapore Finance Minister, Heng Swee Keat talked about three major shifts facing Singapore in the coming decade – a greater emphasis on Asia, the emerging of new technologies and an aging population. The budget that Heng Swee Keat presented featured some surprises as well as some already expected measures.

22 February 2018
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Indonesia jails tax dodgers to meet budget goals

In the Dutch language, gijzeling means to take someone hostage. In Indonesia, that’s how authorities describe their strategy to deal with tax dodgers, throwing dozens of people in jail as part of a national crackdown.Eight months after the government closed an amnesty programme that gave Indonesians a chance to come clean on their tax affairs, it’s taking aggressive action to deal with those who still haven’t paid up.

2 November 2017
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Malaysian bonds at crossroads as budget looms

A nascent recovery in Malaysian bond inflows is set to depend on whether Prime Minister Najib Razak will be able to shrink the fiscal deficit while appealing to voters in an expected election budget.Najib will be able to count on higher revenue from a consumption tax and a recovery in crude prices, giving him room to commit to a balanced budget that would spur Malaysia’s bonds to outperform, according to Investec Asset Management.

25 October 2017
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