AEC Feed

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted that Laos’ gross domestic product will grow at 6.8 per cent this year, less than the government’s projected rate of 7 per cent.
The IMF executive board concluded the Article IV consultation [1] with Laos recently, detailing Laos’ challenges in dealing with the current account deficit, falling foreign currency reserves, and growing public debt.
Lao economists noted that the economy had been impacted by the slow recovery of the global economy, especially that of China, driving down the prices of mining products.
As growth continues to moderate in the near term, inflation is projected to remain in low single digits, aided by a strengthening kip exchange rate.
Nonetheless the IMF executive directors commended Lao authorities for their strong macroeconomic performance and progress on poverty reduction despite economic challenges.
The directors noted that there are significant vulnerabilities in the external, fiscal, and financial sectors, and that risks to the outlook could materialise from a regional growth slowdown, tightening in global monetary conditions, and capital flow volatility. – Vientiane Times

Kampong Ayer residents get Internet connection
Most residents of the Kampong Ayer in Brunei who did not have phone and Internet connectivity at home for over two years due to the repeated theft of copper cables and degradation of infrastructure, can now reap the benefits of up-to-date technology by connecting to the Internet with the fixed wireless technology of Telekom Brunei Berhad (TelBru).
The latest alternative source of connectivity for Kampong Ayer residents, which will provide over 100Mbps in Internet speed based on trial observations, was launched by David Kay, the CEO of TelBru, at the Kampong Ayer Cultural and Tourism Gallery on Friday.
Misle bin Haji Abdul Karim, the acting Brunei-Muara District Officer, Haji Ahmad bin Haji Bujang, the village head of Kampong Lurong Sikuna, and other guests attended the ceremony.
Kay, in his welcoming remarks, said it was a significant milestone in not just TelBru’s own history but also the history of Brunei’s development. 
“We continue to play a supporting role in the country’s Vision 2035 by enhancing the people’s quality of life through the state-of-the-art technology,” he said. – Borneo Bulletin/ANN

Price drops trouble farmers in Dong Nai
Fluctuations in the price of farm produce, due to a lack of long-term production planning and sustainable markets, are causing problems for many farmers in Dong Nai.
Growers of Gia Huong and Cay Mo bananas, mostly in the districts of Trang Bom, Thong Nhat, Dinh Xuan and Long Khanh, have been ready to harvest their produce since February, but traders, mostly in China, have stopped importing the fruit.
As a result, their prices have fallen to between VND1,000 and VND1,200 (US$0.04 to 0.05) per kilo, said Hoang Thi Bich Hang, chairwoman of the Farmer’s Union in the province at a recent forum on sustainable consumption of bananas.
Huong said two other kinds of bananas, Bom and Su bananas, had not faced problems in sales because enterprises in the province buy them to dry for export. – Viet Nam News