Jakarta (VNA)- ASEAN will work on a roadmap to expand itsregional payment connectivity to encompass all member states, according to thebloc’s chair Indonesia.
Earlier,the ASEAN-5, including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, andSingapore, inked an agreement on linking their QR code payment systems.
Speakingat a press conference on May 7, Indonesian Minister of Economic Affairs AirlanggaHartarto said ASEAN would discuss the time frame for other member states tojoin the region-wide payment connectivity.
Accordingto the Bank Indonesia, six Thai banks have connected to Indonesia’s Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS), namely Bangkok Bank, Bank of Ayudhya (Krungsri), CIMBThai, Kasikornbank, Krungthai Bank, and Siam Commercial Bank.
The22nd ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Council meeting agreed on aleaders’ declaration on advancing regional payment connectivity and localcurrency transaction mechanism for ASEAN to be adopted in the upcoming summit inLabuan Bajo.
The ASEAN-5 already have theirrespective instant payment systems: for instance, Indonesia with the QRIS andthe Bank Indonesia Fast Payment. Vietnam is likely to be the next to join theconnectivity. Brunei, Laos, and Cambodia would follow later on./
The 22nd meeting of the ASEAN Economic Community Council (AECC) discussed the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)' role in responding to geopolitical and geoeconomic dynamics.
Cooperation between governments and the private sector is key to strengthen regional economic integration, and it will be a focus of discussions between ASEAN leaders and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) within the framework of the 42nd ASEAN Summit which will be held from May 9-11 in Indonesia.
The 29th ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Council Meeting took place in Bali, Indonesia, on May 7-8, with participants reaffirming their commitments to work together to realise priorities in the ASEAN Community’s socio-cultural pillar with people-centred initiatives.
Ambassador Vu Ho, acting head of the ASEAN Senior Officials' (SOM) delegation of Vietnam, joined his counterparts from other regional countries in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia on May 8 to discuss preparations for the 42nd Summit of the bloc.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Illustrative image (Photo: Internet) 
