The GST hike causes concern among Singaporeans, and many bookstores.(Photo: //www.straitstimes.com/)
Singapore (VNA) - Singapore raisedits goods and services tax (GST) from 8% to 9% on January 1.
The GST hike has caused concern among Singaporeans, andmany bookstores, and art dealers and theatre companies, in the context of high inflation.
According to the Straits Times, people will prioritise cutting"non-essential" spending in their budget.
Booksellers, already struggling with diminishingprofits after years of increasing rentals and printing costs, are mostapprehensive about the GST hike, it said.
Independent art dealers in Singapore are alsofretting about the chillier economic outlook, it added.
With reports of a fall in real median income dueto inflation, they accept that whether people will continue spending on pricierindulgences will depend on 2024’s economic outlook.
In his speech to welcome New Year 2024 on December 31, 2023, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong vowed to build affordable and accessiblepublic housing for Singaporeans, uplift lower-income families and vulnerablegroups, and care for the aging population.
According to Lee, Singapore made 1.2% growth this year and thegross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow 1 to 3% in 2024, Lee said,adding that inflation will hopefully come down though much will depend on theexternal environment./.
Joining the FHA-Food & Beverage expo – a leading food and beverage trade event in Asia that will take place in Singapore on April 23-26 - will provide an opportunity for Vietnamese enterprises to popularise their brands and expand their markets, heard a press conference in Ho Chi Minh City on December 13.
Singapore's robust economic rebound will be a key factor for Southeast Asia's growth next year, according to a quarterly survey of economists compiled by the Japan Centre for Economic Research (JCER) and Nikkei.
Many Singaporean businesses and investors have given priority to Ho Chi Minh City in their operational expansion plans, especially in the fields of finance, trade and high technology.
Singapore's latest spike in COVID-19 cases may be starting to peak but the public needs to stay up to date on vaccinations, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on December 21.
In his article, Oscar Sanchez Serra highlighted President Ho Chi Minh’s founding of the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper on June 21, 1925, which marked the birth of Vietnam's revolutionary press rooted in a bold and far-sighted vision.
Several ASEAN meetings are scheduled to take place in Port Dickson this September, including the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) for ASEAN Plus Three (APT), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the 15th ASEAN Maritime Forum, and the 13th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum.
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered the urgent implementation of a national policy to crack down on all forms of call centre scams, online fraud, and illegal gambling, which are now considered threats to national security.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The GST hike causes concern among Singaporeans, and many bookstores.(Photo: //www.straitstimes.com/) 
