Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa steps into the role of Indonesia’s new finance minister at a challenging time, tasked with navigating a 2026 budget already constrained by President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship programs while needing to boost tax revenues by 13.5% without rate hikes and cut the fiscal deficit to 2.48% of GDP.

Chief People Officers are playing an increasingly strategic role in driving business resilience, transformation, and growth. While short-term labour markets show caution due to economic volatility, geopolitical tensions, and rapid technological shifts, the longer-term focus is on workforce transformation and organizational adaptability.

Thailand’s economic growth from 1995 to 2019 was strongly influenced by tourism revenue, visa exemption policies, and trade flows, all of which showed significant positive correlations with GDP, while unemployment had a negative impact.

Thailand’s introduction of a nationwide minimum wage hike in 2012–2013—an increase of over 40%—had significant impacts on worker earnings, employment dynamics, and the sorting between workers and firms.

The February 2025 Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO) elections in Thailand’s Lower North underscored the enduring influence of powerful political families known as Baan Yai, who continue to dominate local politics through entrenched patronage networks and personal credibility.

Indonesia’s content moderation framework, under MOCI Regulation No. 5/2020 and refined by Decree No. 522/2024, faces criticism for its opaque enforcement, broad legal definitions, and potential for overreach, which could stifle free expression. The introduction of the SAMAN system adds new moderation measures at a time when the country’s startup ecosystem is struggling, with investments plummeting from USD 10.9 billion in 2021 to USD 800 million in 2024.

Indonesia’s economy remains resilient despite global headwinds, with medium-term growth projected to average 4.8% annually between 2025 and 2027.

SINGAPORE: It was deja vu Friday (Aug 29) in Thailand when the country’s powerful nine-member Constitutional Court sacked Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra over what it ruled was an ethics violation. 

Indonesia holds significant potential to enhance food and nutrition security through greater integration of blue foods—nutrient-rich aquatic plants and animals—into its food system. Despite being the second-largest fish producer globally and leading ASEAN in production value, the country struggles with underutilization of marine-based food resources due to challenges in infrastructure, distribution, and policy coherence. Small-scale fisheries dominate the sector but face high post-harvest losses and limited access to markets.