Technology has changed the way consumers decide about food choices; be it where and when to buy it, or how it should be delivered to them. This in turn influences how the food industry reaches out to its customers today. The challenge for the food industry is to provide highly efficient services while catering to unique customer preferences in different markets across Southeast Asia.

Public transportation in the region will see a drastic change over the next few years.

One of the biggest online retailers on the planet, Amazon is looking to creep into the burgeoning Southeast Asian e-commerce market. According to a TechCrunch report in November 2016, Amazon have been covertly buying assets and making new hires in the region. The report mentioned that Amazon’s plans in the region are led by Steven Scrive, head of Business Development in ASEAN. Singapore witnessed their first move into the region last year with the launch of Amazon Prime in the country.

Southeast Asia is fast going digital in line with the growing global trend. However, a digital future isn’t all a bed of roses. With that progress, comes brand new threats that the region has to be prepared for.A digital ASEANAccording to a report published by consulting firm A.T.

The recent introduction of facial recognition technology by popular low-cost airline, AirAsia, to shorten security queues could also have utility in countering the terrorism threat in Southeast Asia. Even so, effective implementation for that purpose will need to be counterbalanced by sound regulatory laws. The new facial recognition technology, known as the ‘Fast Airport Clearance Experience System’ (FACES) is currently being tested in Johor’s Senai International Airport in Malaysia.

Maintaining water quality, especially in urbanised landscapes, is highly challenging since water bodies are exposed to varying sources of pollutants from urban run-offs and industries. Hence, proper water management is of utmost importance to a nation’s development. Without properly managed water, many areas of the economy will be affected due to the exacerbation of poor population health, loss of jobs and even hygiene issues.

With a growing internet user base and a digital economy that is said to be worth US$50 billion last year alone by Temasek and Google, it is no wonder digital wallets or e-wallets are taking off in the region. Digital wallets allow users to keep their credit cards and bank accounts electronically safe. An e-wallets allows you to make payments on e-commerce websites and also in real-life through QR codes or near field communication (NFC).

Asia, which houses 43% of the world’s population holds only 13% of total global insurance premiums as of 2016, according to the 2017 UBS report, ‘Shifting Asia’. Out of this 13%, ASEAN countries make up just 3.8%, according to the Asia Insurance Market Report 2016 by advisory firm Willis Towers Watson.

Southeast Asia is home to more than 630 million people and is the world’s third largest region. As it is the fastest growing internet population in the world - with more than 3.8 million new users every month – the internet economy here is expected to reach US$200 billion with a total of US$1 trillion added to its GDP by 2025, according to A.T.

The spate of cyberattacks in the region last year was definitely more than enough reason for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to level up their game in cybersecurity.