Economy and Finance
Phnom Penh-SHV Expressway to Implement Full Toll Rates from 1 November
The Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway Company has confirmed it will transition to full toll rates beginning 1 November 2024, concluding a 20% discount period that will end at 00:00 on 31 October. This was detailed in the company’s official announcement, dated 31 October 2024. In continued support of smoother travel, the expressway company will offer Electronic […]
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Indonesia Sets Sights on Becoming Southeast Asia’s Leading Electric Vehicle & Battery Hub
Indonesia has declared its ambition to become the largest electric vehicle (EV) and EV battery hub in Southeast Asia, a move highlighted by the opening of the region’s first EV battery manufacturing facility last July, according to vietnamplus on 28 October 2024. This pioneering plant, a USD 1.1 billion joint venture between Hyundai Motor and […]
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Cambodia’s Tourism Rebounds to Near Pre-Crisis Levels, But Chinese Arrivals Lag Behind Regional Peers
Cambodia’s tourism sector is witnessing a robust rebound in 2024, with international arrivals reaching 4.4 million in the first eight months, a 22.5% surge compared to the same period last year. This strong performance brings the country within 1.6% of its pre-crisis peak of 6.9 million visitors in 2019, highlighting the sector’s steady recovery after […]
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Australia Invests USD 65 Million to Enhance Cambodia’s Economic Growth through CAPED Program
The Australian Government has committed approximately AUD 87 million (USD 65 million) in new grant funding to the Cambodia-Australia Partnership for Sustainable Economic Development (CAPED) program, aiming to bolster Cambodia’s economic resilience and growth. The announcement was made through a press release from the Ministry of Economy and Finance on 17 October 2024. The CAPED […]
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Cambodian Gov’t Reduces 2025 Budget to USD 9.32 Billion Amid Strategic Economic Planning
The Cambodian government has approved a 2025 budget bill totaling approximately 37.95 trillion riels (USD 9.32 billion), marking a reduction from the 38.83 trillion riels (USD 9.54 billion) allocated for 2024. The budget cut came as part of a strategic approach to economic planning. It was endorsed during a cabinet meeting chaired by PM Samdech […]
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CBRE: Cambodian Real Estate Faces Divergent Trends Amid 2024 Economic Growth
Cambodia’s real estate market in the final quarter of 2024 reveals diverse trends, marked by an estimated 5.8% GDP growth rate and 4.3 million international tourist arrivals in the first eight months, yet a decline in construction investment approvals to just USD 2.19 billion, involving fewer than 3,000 projects. The latest report by CBRE Research, […]
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Major Highway Expansion Completed to Boost Thai-Cambodian Trade & Regional Connectivity
The Thai Department of Highways has announced the full completion of the Highway 317 expansion project, upgrading the route from Chanthaburi to Sa Kaeo from two lanes to four lanes. The project, which spans over 16 kilometers and costs approximately USD 26 million, aims to enhance trade and economic growth between Thailand and Cambodia by […]
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PwC Slapped with Record USD 62.2m Fine and Six-Month Ban Over Evergrande Audit Failures
PwC Zhong Tian, the China arm of the global accounting giant, has been fined a record USD 62.2 million and banned from auditing for six months for its failure to identify financial misstatements in China Evergrande Group’s accounts between 2018 and 2020. The penalties, the most severe imposed on an audit firm in China, are […]
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Joint Tourist Port Project Set to Transform SHV’s Transportation & Economic Landscape
HE Deputy PM Say Sam Al, who chairs the Sihanoukville Provincial Government Working Group, is spearheading plans to establish a joint tourist port in Sihanoukville to enhance transportation services and boost the local economy. The announcement was made during a meeting with tourism port business owners on 8 October 2024. The initiative seeks to consolidate […]
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While China Controls Most of the Real Estate Market, Japan Continues to Dominate ASEAN’s Major Economies
Though growing rapidly, Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) in Southeast Asia focuses more on tertiary industries like finance, construction, and real estate. It is particularly prominent in less-developed economies such as Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. According to a recent study by Guanie Lim and Chengwei Xu, China’s FDI in these sectors may complement, rather than […]
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