THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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Briefs

Briefs

Cambodia, Thailand to cooperate on tourism

Cambodia and Thailand will further strengthen tourism sector cooperation to promote flows between the two countries and thirdcountry tourist crossings.
  This was the result of a meeting between the two countries’ tourism ministers in Kampot province last week.
  The two sides also agreed on some key points such as strengthening relations with each other, facilitating travelling, improving the visa process and border crossings, promoting the potential for reciprocal tourism, SingleVisa usage and participation in tourism exhibitions.
  Cambodia Association of Travel Agents president Chhay Sivlin said strengthening cooperation with Thailand is critical for the tourism sector.
  “Thailand has a lot of people and many international direct flights. So if we have good cooperation and use of the SingleVisa [agreement], it will help Cambodia get more tourists,” she said, adding that Cambodia and Thailand are currently seeking to implement the SingleVisa.
  Data from the Ministry of Tourism says in the first eight months of this year, Cambodia received 3.9 million international tourists – up 11.7 per cent year on year – of which Thai tourists, amounting to 210,286, fell 3.9 per cent. Phnom Penh Post 

Indonesia to take part in Riyadh investment conference
Indonesia is set to take part in the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from October 23 to 25, according to Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) head Thomas Lembong.
  "I confirm that I will go there to attend the FII Conference.  I think it is important for me to represent the government in the conference unless there are other directives from the President," he stated. 
  He stressed that attending any event in other countries was in line with President Joko Widodo’s directive to expand the market for Indonesian goods and commodities, as well as to invite investors to put their money in Indonesia, especially in tourism. 
  He expressed his hope that Indonesia’s presence in the event would help attract investors, particularly from the Middle East countries.
  Officials and business leaders from across the globe will reportedly attend the investment summit, despite the withdrawal of some speakers and partners because of Saudi Arabia’s alleged involvement in the disappearance and possible murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
  Lembong said he would represent President Widodo at the conference. "We have to even intensify our dialogue with countries in trouble," he said, referring to Indonesia’s stance on the Khashoggi case.  The Jakarta Post 

BIR files tax evasion case against Uniwide
The Philippines' Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Friday filed a tax evasion case against former high-flying retailer Uniwide Sales Warehouse Club Inc. for failure to pay its dues in 2012.
  In a statement, the BIR said the criminal complaint was filed against Uniwide Sales and its president Jimmy Gow.
  The BIR said the Quezon City-based corporation that engaged in the refreshment parlor business, frozen meat and home appliance retail, as well as textile wholesale, allegedly did not pay a total of 84.3 million pesos in taxes in 2012.
  Uniwide Sales’ deficiency tax liabilities that year included 44.9 million pesos(Bt27 million)in income tax, 38.1 million pesos in value-added tax, and 1.4 million pesos in expanded withholding tax.
  Along with seven other businesses in Quezon City, Uniwide Sales’ “obstinate failure and continued refusal to pay their long overdue deficiency taxes, despite repeated demands, constitute wilful failure to pay the taxes due to the government,” the BIR said.
  Tax evasion is a violation of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended, otherwise known as the Tax Code.
  In 2013, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ordered the dissolution and liquidation of the Uniwide group’s assets.
   According to the SEC, the Uniwide group had been “insolvent” since 2003, as the company had more liabilities than assets. Philippine Daily Inquirer

Indonesia attracts buyers at Hamburg COTECA trade expo
The Indonesian Trade Promotion Center (ITPC) Hamburg, in cooperation with the Indonesian Consulate General in Hamburg and the Indonesian Embassy in Berlin, recently participated in the 2018 COTECA (coffee, tea and cocoa) global trade expo in Hamburg, Germany.
  Head of ITPC Hamburg chief Risnawaty said Indonesia's participation in the expo generated US$14.6 million (Bt475 million) in potential transactions.
   “Through our participation in the COTECA fair, our coffee, tea and cocoa products will be more well-known by drinkers in the Europen Union,” Risnaway said in a press statement on Friday, adding that this year marked the country's fifth participation in the annual event since it first joined the expo in 2010.
  “The large number of visitors and prospective transactions indicates that Indonesia is a well-known producer of coffee, tea and cocoa,” she said.
  Seven vendors – PT Shriya Artha Nusantara, PT Perkebunan Nusantara VIII, Mutigo, Cilacap cooperatives and small and medium enterprises, PT Cahaya Anugerah Pertiwi, PT Mitra Kerinci and  Intana Grafinusa – exhibited their products in the 91-square-metre Pavilion Indonesia.  The Jakarta Post 

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