BANGKOK (VNS)- Majority of the entries submitted for Asia News Network's logo contest came from Southeast Asia, with the Philippines accounting for 31 per cent of total submissions.ANN's server was swamped on Sunday, the last day in the month-long period of submission, as contestants tried to beat the deadline.More than 1,000 entries have been received including those from Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Nepal, India, Vietnam and as far as the US, Belgium, Great Britain and Mexico."Most of the entries reflect quite a good understanding of the dynamism of Asia and it was very interesting how they symbolized Asia's leap forward on the global stage," said Mr Pana Janviroj, ANN executive director.The elimination round will be conducted via online voting from April 3-26. The top 20 will move to the final round with the winner receiving US$3,000."The editors will definitely have a hard time picking the winner in this eagerly awaited event," said Mr Janviroj, who will serve as one of … [Read more...] about Southeast Asia dominates entries for ANN logo contest
Southeast asia
Viet Nam rolls with Southeast Asia’s tech growth
Thu Huong LeSINGAPORE (Biz Hub) – When Singaporean Alvin Koh was running his coffee shop in Ha Noi's Tay Ho District a few years ago, he noticed that it was nearly impossible to track the number of customers who came back to the shop, in essence, their loyalty to the place.Most of the coffee shops run their loyalty programme using paper cards, which Koh thought was inconvenient for customers because they had to carry too many cards. It was also inconvenient for merchants who could not track the frequency of the coffee-goers."I don't really know how often customers come, whether they come during the weekend or weekdays, or how much they spend," Koh said. "Sometimes the ladies carry too many bags and they don't know where their coffee cards are. Sometimes the paper cards go bad because of the rain."Inspired partially by the Starbucks Loyalty Programme, which enables Starbucks' customers to scan their smartphones at the store to gain reward points, Koh and his 10-member team … [Read more...] about Viet Nam rolls with Southeast Asia’s tech growth
Nielsen: Online video re-shaping Southeast Asia media landscape
Students from Ha Noi Industrial College stream online videos. Vietnamese are connected 15.5 hours a week via the top four devices: smartphones, laptops, desktops and smart TV. - VNA/VNS Photo Minh Tu HCM CITY (VNS) — Nine out of 10 digital consumers in Viet Nam watch online videos weekly as the burgeoning popularity of online video in Southeast Asia is re-shaping the region's media landscape, according to a report from the South Asia Cross-Platform from Nielsen, a global information and insights company. Viewing online video content is a common pastime for digital consumers in Southeast Asia and the majority watch online videos at least every week. Viewing in the region is the highest in Viet Nam, with 91 per cent watching weekly, while Singapore, which has the region's highest internet penetration, recorded the least amount of online video consumption with 56 per cent. The top five online video sources of the Vietnamese are YouTube, 24h, nhaccuatui, VnExpress, and … [Read more...] about Nielsen: Online video re-shaping Southeast Asia media landscape
$10 million to protect critical ecosystems in Southeast Asia
Illustrative image.—VNA/VNS Photo HA NOI (VNS)– The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund has committed to provide another US$10 million in grants to address the environmental crisis engulfing mainland Southeast Asia. The ground-breaking biodiversity fund was launched in 2008. During the first phase, $10 million was invested in efforts to conserve the critical ecosystems in the Indo-Burma Hotspot, which includes the Irrawaddy, Thanlwin (Salween), Chao Phraya, Red, Pearl and Mekong Rivers and Tonle Sap Lake system. Collectively, these systems sustain the economy, cultures and biodiversity of one of the biologically richest and most densely populated regions on earth. The funding strategy was developed by hundreds of conservationists and researchers from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Viet Nam. Past grants were used for many projects, such as one that employed community rangers to address threats to the Saola, one of the rarest animals on Earth, found … [Read more...] about $10 million to protect critical ecosystems in Southeast Asia
Viettel brand 2nd most valuable telecom in Southeast Asia
Viettel Group has significantly improved its position in Brand Finance’s leading telecom companies in Southeast Asia this year to second from seventh last year.According to a report from the UK-based brand valuation company, Viettel is listed 49th among the top 500 telecom companies around the world with a brand value of nearly US$2.7 billion.In the region, Indonesia’s Telkom tops at 40th with a brand value of $4.34 billion. Viettel is followed by Singtel (Singapore), Axiata (Malaysia), PLDT (the Philippines), Maxis (Malaysia).VinaPhone ranks 10th in Southeast Asia and 89th in the world with a brand value of over $1 billion while MobiFone is 17th and 139th and valued at $391 million.Viettel has more than 60 million subscribers in Việt Nam and is preparing to launch 4G services next month. It has 16,000 base transceiver stations for 4G services and the number will rise to 25,000 by the end of April.Brand Finance considered three key factors that impact brand value: … [Read more...] about Viettel brand 2nd most valuable telecom in Southeast Asia
Sales of domestic appliances see surge in Southeast Asia
BANGKOK — Demand for small domestic appliances across five key markets in Southeast Asia - Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam - surged by 11 per cent, expanding the industry's worth in this region by 15 per cent to US$431 million in the first six months of this year, according research firm GfK. Consumers snapped up nearly 16 million food preparation machines, irons, rice cookers and vacuum cleaners during this period - over 1.8 million units more than last year. The latest GfK retail audit reported that the industry's strong performance in each of the countries hit double-digit value growth of 14-22 per cent, with Vietnam registering the highest growth while the rest of the markets reported expansion of 14-15 per cent. In terms of volume, Vietnam and Indonesia reflected the highest rise in demand at 18 per cent and 17 per cent over last year. Indonesia, the largest market, alone contributed $145 million or a third of total small domestic appliance sales, with … [Read more...] about Sales of domestic appliances see surge in Southeast Asia
Modelez Kinh Do’s new plant to make sponge cakes for Southeast Asia
Confectioner Modelez Kinh Do has opened a new plant in the northern province of Hung Yen to meet the increasing demand for sponge cakes in Southeast Asia.Stephane Gripon, the company’s managing director, said the plant is an indication of Modelez Kinh Do’s commitment to making Viet Nam a confectionery making hub of the region.The company has said the products made at the plant would be exported to all markets in Southeast Asia.The plant is equipped with a production line that has been certified as achieving good manufacturing practices, a global standard applied for food production.Its first products will hit the market next year.Mondelez Kinh Do came into existence in 2015 when Mondelez International acquired the snack business of local confectionery giant Kinh Do. — VNS … [Read more...] about Modelez Kinh Do’s new plant to make sponge cakes for Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia’s largest theme park to open in Ha Long
Property developer Sun Group will open Dragon Park on January 25, Southeast Asia’s largest theme park by area, in northern Quang Ninh Province’s Ha Long City.Dragon Park, located in the developer’s Sun World Ha Long Park amusement complex, will feature among the world’s most exciting rides. This is also the first park in Asia to be operated by well-known brand Parques Reunidos from Spain, which runs 60 parks in 14 countries.Dragon Park, covering 40 hectares, is expected to provide fun and excitement to visitors of all ages, with a variety of exciting rides.For children, Dragon Park will open a magical world through rides which re-enact fairy tales from their childhoods, such as beautiful Alice’s magic goblet and fairy train. The rich imagination of children will also be developed when they join in the “Tour de Paris”, riding around magnificent Paris.The park’s highlights are the world’s most thrilling rides, such as Asia’s … [Read more...] about Southeast Asia’s largest theme park to open in Ha Long
Southeast Asia tied by heritage
Shared heritage: Images of some World Heritage sites on show at the exhibition. HA NOI (VNS)— Inspirational displays of photos of ancient World Heritage sites and artefacts from throughout Southeast Asia are being used in an exhibition at the site of the millennium-old Thang Long Citadel. While standing in the remnants of the ancient citadel, visitors can join an imaginary tour through five more UNESCO World Heritage sites – Angkor and Preah Vihear in Cambodia, Wat Phou in Laos, and My Son and the Ho Dynasty Citadel in Viet Nam. The idea of the show is to highlight the connections between the sites and populations, in addition to the role of Southeast Asia in global history. It's the result of co-operation between nine museums related to the six UNESCO sites. "We see the need for sharing information and knowledge about these symbols so that everyone can be aware of their outstanding universal value and … [Read more...] about Southeast Asia tied by heritage
Southeast Asia starts to plan for climate change
A forum on fighting climate change was held in Thailand recently. Viet Nam News spoke to Robert Mather, head of the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Southeast Asia Group, about the project. Can you tell us about the project? The project started last year and will last until December 2014. Supported by funding from the European Union, it seeks to strengthen the capacity of local governments and people to plan for and adapt to future climate risks in Cambodia's Kampot and Koh Kong Provinces, Thailand's Chanthaburi and Trat, and HCM City, Ben Tre, Soc Trang, and Kien Giang in Viet Nam. This will enable local government agencies to conduct vulnerability assessments, identify pilot activities to reduce the vulnerability, design, implement, and monitor the success of these activities, and carry out cost-benefit analysis and feasibility assessment for replicating pilot actions over a wider area. It will identify best practices developed by local people and provide … [Read more...] about Southeast Asia starts to plan for climate change