New Delhi (VNA) – Director General of the ASEAN department at Laos’s Ministry of Foreign ✨Affairs Chatoulong Bouasisavath has emphasised ongoing efforts to integrate digital payment systems across ASEAN, with India being an important partner in this regard.
He said following the successful real-time payments linkage between India and Singapore, similar initiatives are being explored with Malaysia and other ASEAN countries.
Speaking with Indian-based ANI News, the official said that India understands ASEAN and has been helping in the bloc.
He said there is also a proposal this year on digitalisation put up by India. When adopted, it will further cement this ASEAN-India relationship.
He said ASEAN countries have different digital payment systems and are making efforts to integrate them.
If ASEAN can achieve an integrated payment system, it will become easier for tourists who come from India or those who go there as they can use an app for payment, Bouasisavath said.
Regarding economic partnerships, ASEAN remains hopeful that India will reconsider its position on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Bouasisavath said.
This year marks a decade of India’s "Act East" policy which places ASEAN at its core. India has reiterated its full support for ASEAN Centrality, ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), and Laos’s ASEAN Chairmanship’s priorities and deliverables under their theme “ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience”./.
The cargo train ASEAN Express, connecting Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, and China, returned to Malaysia on July 11 after a 14-day trip to Chongqing, China, marking its first completed inbound trip.
Legal harmonisation creates a basis for the formation of a rules-based regional connectivity institution and an ASEAN community united in diversity, held experts at a conference themed “Legal harmonisation of among ASEAN countries towards enhancing comprehensive and sustainable development” held in Ho Chi Minh City on July 10.
Representatives from ASEAN member states are meeting in Laos, the Chair of ASEAN in 2024, to share scaled-up and intensified national disease prevention, preparedness, detection and response measures.
The Ministry of Commerce reported that imports also rose 18% to 29.9 billion USD during the same period, resulting in a trade surplus of 1.1 billion USD. In May alone, Thailand posted a 4.6 billion USD trade surplus with the US and a 4.1 billion USD trade deficit with China.
The World Bank will provide a 2.1 billion USD financing package for Indonesia, focusing oncreating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing access to clean energy across the country.
Member states also reviewed progress on six priority areas for 2025, including the development of an underground cable framework, the follow-up agreement to the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA), the launch of the ASEAN Energy Efficiency Database, and the rollout of an investment platform for sustainable building initiatives.
In March, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met with Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali and said Thailand would commission a feasibility study into hosting a Grand Prix on a Bangkok street circuit from 2028.
The proposed giant sea wall aligns with bilateral cooperation and has been designated a national priority, considering that several regions in Indonesia are experiencing land subsidence of 10–15 centimetres per year.
International flights were cancelled including Jetstar and Virgin Australia flights to cities across Australia, and flights of Air India, Air New Zealand, Singapore's TigerAir and China's Juneyao Airlines.
The partnership aims to strengthen collaboration in the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources, including gold, copper, and manganese, as well as in the development of steel, aluminum, and renewable energy industries.
The Thai cabinet has approved a seven-year EV bus leasing scheme proposed by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) for the capital, with an estimated cost of 15.35 billion THB (over 470 million USD).
Aircraft are prohibited from flying below 6,000 metres in the vicinity of the volcano, and should also remain alert to the presence of volcanic ash, which can disrupt flights.
Laos declared the transfer of the press management functions of five key media agencies and associated personnel to the Propaganda and Training Board of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee.
Univers said in a statement that the new centre will serve as a hub for innovation, bringing together digital intelligence and climate ambition to accelerate Sarawak's transition toward a low-carbon, tech-enabled economy.
The target is to be completely free from plastic waste within two years. This can only be achieved if all parties implement the initiative with strong discipline.
Indonesia is taking new steps to improve protections for fishery workers, amid concerns over low wages, harsh working conditions, and limited access to social welfare.
The 2025 ASEAN- the Republic of Korea (RoK) Connectivity Forum that opened in Jakarta on June 17 reaffirmed a shared commitment to shaping a connected, resilient future by advancing the ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan.
The desk will serve as a service centre providing market intelligence, business licensing guidance, facilitating business cooperation, identifying potential investment projects, and harmonising regulatory policies between the two parties.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim noted that the Asia-Pacific region accounted for half of global energy consumption and 60% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2024. Despite this, regional countries, including eight of ten ASEAN member states, remain committed to climate goals, including net-zero emissions and tripling global renewable capacity by 2030.
