Thailand
Tourists are flocking back to Southeast Asia — but the robust recovery is showing signs of cracks
After more than two years of lockdowns and border controls, Southeast Asia is finally experiencing some semblance of the old days of travel. Flights are steadily returning to 2019 levels in the region’s major economies, with Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia being the most popular destinations this year, according to the flight data analytics firm Cirium. […]
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Thailand makes marijuana legal, but smoking is discouraged
Thailand’s government has warned that those eager to light up for fun that smoking in public could still be considered a nuisance, subject to a potential 3-month jail sentence and 25,000 baht ($780) fine. Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images Thailand made it legal to cultivate and possess marijuana as of Thursday, like a […]
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Thousands of people are leaving Hong Kong — and now it’s clear where they’re going
They stuck it out during the political protests of 2019. Then they lasted through nearly two years of pandemic. But this year, they say they’ve had enough. Residents of Hong Kong are leaving the city in droves in 2022 — not because they want to, several told CNBC, but because Covid restrictions and what they see […]
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Returning to the office can be costly. Here are 3 ways to beat rising costs
According to a new survey by Cisco, 75% of respondents said they save money on food and entertainment through hybrid work schedules. D3sign | Moment | Getty Images Hybrid work arrangements are popular these days for many reasons — and one of them is that they can save workers thousands each year. A new survey […]
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Southeast Asia’s e-commerce market is still in its ‘opening act,’ says venture capital firm
Southeast Asia’s e-commerce ecosystem is still at a “very, very nascent stage” and many more business models and companies will be formed in the region, said the founding partner of a venture capital firm. “We’re talking about single-digit digital penetration, as compared to the overall commerce penetration,” Amit Anand of Jungle Ventures, a Southeast Asian […]
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Op-ed: It’s time for the World Bank to get back to the business of doing business
The World Bank’s “Ease of Doing Business” report tracked and encouraged improvements in the business climate around the world. Then it got canceled. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images The following commentary is co-authored by Curtis S. Chin, former U.S. ambassador to the Asian Development Bank and inaugural Asia Fellow of the Milken Institute, and […]
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Americans view these Asian countries as safer now than before the pandemic
A new study shows American travelers view many Asian nations as safer travel destinations now than they did four years ago. South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, China and Vietnam rose in the annual safety rankings published by travel insurance provider Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection. The survey in the 2022 “State of Travel Insurance Report” also […]
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3 ways hiring this ‘under-tapped pool’ of talent can benefit Asia’s workforce
Businesses around the world have been facing labor shortages as many people quit their jobs — and Asia is no exception. A 2021 Mercer survey found that employers from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand observed a higher turnover rate, especially at the mid-career level, when compared with previous years. The Great Resignation isn’t ending […]
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