Economy

    23 September 2026
    A parched rice field in Candaba, Pampanga province, Philippines, in 2024. The Asian Development Bank said in its latest economic outlook published Sept. 23 that "likely very strong" El Nino effects this year could pose serious risks to agricultural production in the region. 
    Ship lock testing on Aug. 12: To bridge a 65-meter decline over the course of the Pinglu Canal, engineers built three sets of locks capable of carrying a loaded ship weighing up to 5,000-metric tons. (VCG via Getty Images)
    Big in Asia

    New $11bn canal underscores China's turn toward Southeast Asia

    Construction completed in just 4 years while overseas projects make little headway

    12 September 2026
    Companies in sectors ranging from milk production to soap making have taken advantage of Cambodian consumers boycotting many Thai brands since last year's border clashes. (Nikkei Asia montage/Source photos by Kirisu Farm and Boran Care)
    ASEAN Money

    Cambodian consumer companies cash in on Thai goods boycott

    Local brands seize market share but fake alternatives are proliferating

    8 September 2026
    The National Bank of Cambodia has rejected a request by lenders to extend generous forbearance measures until the end of 2026. 
    Finance

    Cambodian central bank rejects plea to extend loan forbearance measures

    Financial institutions had wanted relaxed rules to last until end of the year

    1 September 2026
    Cambodian officials brief foreign diplomats on Aug. 27, claiming that no large-scale scam sites remain in operation in the country. (Cambodian Ministry of Information)
    Crime

    Cambodia claims to have eradicated all online scam compounds

    Government says 624 sites shut and nearly 30,000 people detained, but rights groups and analysts remain skeptical

    28 August 2026
    Cargo volume at Cambodia's Sihanoukville Port has grown since the country closed its land border with Thailand.  (Photo by Yuji Nitta)
    Transportation

    Cambodia deep-water port cashes in on Thai border closure

    High cargo fees have Japanese companies calling for relief

    8 August 2026
    Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet (left) and U.S. President Donald Trump attend the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur in October 2025. Cambodia has implemented some measures linked to its trade agreement with Washington, according to a U.S. business group.
    Trump tariffs

    ASEAN still implementing parts of US trade deals, business chief says

    Some commitments continue despite frustration over agreement terms

    31 July 2026
    Workers at a China-funded textile and garment factory in Kampong Chhnang Province, Cambodia. The sector remains one of the mainstays of the Southeast Asian nation's economy.
    Economy

    IMF sharply downgrades Cambodia economic forecasts

    Growth to slow to 3% and inflation to double to 5.6%, according to US-based fund

    8 July 2026
    Containers placed by the Thai army block a border road to Cambodia, near Nong Chan in Sa Kaeo province, in May. Thailand's military is strengthening its control over a disputed border area . (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
    Thailand-Cambodia conflict

    Thai-Cambodia border clash fallout hits Japan auto industry

    'Thailand Plus One' economic corridor severed, pushing up production costs

    29 May 2026
    A person harvests river weed, or khai, in the Mekong River along the Thai-Laos border on Feb. 6, 2023
    Opinion

    The debate over Mekong 'control' misses the point

    It is a question of whether cooperation can be made to work for the people who depend on it

    5 May 2026
    Sihanoukville Port has seen an increase in container cargo since the closure of Cambodia's border with Thailand. (Photo by Yuji Nitta)
    Transportation

    Cambodia eyes 7-fold expansion of deep-water port with help from Japan

    Country needs alternate routes due to closure of land crossings with Thailand

    14 April 2026
    Wagyu being inspected and processed. The Japanese beef has become increasingly popular in Asia. (Japan Livestock Products Export Promotion Council)
    Crime

    Wagyu exporters illicitly declare Hong Kong shipments as Cambodia-bound

    Japan detects customs evasion, with operators suspected of trying to cut costs

    12 April 2026
    Cambodia's central bank ordered lenders to offer debt relief to borrowers following a border conflict with Thailand in 2025. Some measures expired in March.  
    Finance

    Cambodia's loan relief ends, fueling concerns over household debt

    From farmers to soldiers, conflict-hit borrowers wary of financial future

    10 April 2026
    The head office of Cambodia's Asia-Pacific Development Bank: Last month, the lender severely restricted the amount of money depositors could withdraw each day. (Nikkei montage/Source photo by Vantha Phoung) 
    ASEAN Money

    Cambodia banking jitters reflect concerns over wider economy

    Soaring nonperforming loan rates and gloomy national outlook weigh on sector

    7 April 2026
    Tuk-tuks wait to fill up with liquefied petroleum gas in Phnom Penh on March 23. (Photo by Ananth Baliga)
    Iran tensions

    LPG shortage hits Cambodian public transport, households

    Soaring prices and scarcity prompt demands for government aid

    24 March 2026
    The National Bank of Cambodia headquarters in Phnom Penh: The central bank has approved the creation of institutions to buy bad bank and microfinance loans.
    Economy

    Cambodia approves creation of companies to buy bad debts

    Move comes as nonperforming loans soar in economy battered by tariffs and war

    10 March 2026
    A container is loaded onto a cargo ship at Hai Phong port, Vietnam. ASEAN exporters say they are struggling to cope with the fallout of the U.S. Supreme Court decision to cancel President Donald Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs.
    Trump tariffs

    Southeast Asian exporters recalibrate as US tariff turmoil clouds outlook

    Businesses seek to de-risk while awaiting legal clarity from Washington

    27 February 2026
    From political protests and border conflicts to temperamental economic conditions, 2025 was an eventful year for Southeast Asia.
    Most read in 2025

    Military and trade wars, protests: Top Southeast Asian stories of 2025

    Political upheaval, scam centers and a mixed economic picture also grabbed headlines

    30 December 2025
    Smoke rises following what Thailand said were airstrikes carried out in Cambodia along a disputed border area, in this screen grab taken from a handout video released on Dec. 15.
    Your Week in Asia

    Thai-Cambodia crisis meeting, new Mumbai airport, Myanmar election

    Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

    21 December 2025
    Foreign tourists visit Cambodia's Angkor Wat temple complex on Dec. 17. Visitor numbers to the UNESCO World Heritage site are down more than 20% since border tensions with Thailand flared in May. (Photo by Roun Ry)
    Thailand-Cambodia conflict

    Cambodian tourism suffers as conflict with Thailand nears Angkor Wat

    Foreign visitor arrivals to temple complex down 20% since border tensions flared in May

    17 December 2025
    Ministers and representatives of 12 CPTPP member economies hold a press conference in Melbourne on Nov. 21. (Photo by Rurika Imahashi)
    Trade

    Cambodia applies to join CPTPP after US tariff woes

    Ten countries and regions are in talks or have formally applied for membership

    16 December 2025
    Oeang Seim, 70, a farmer in Cambodia's Pursat province, walks through her cassava chips in order to flip them to ensure even drying. (Photo by Danielle Keeton-Olsen)
    Thailand-Cambodia conflict

    Cambodia's cassava farmers, traders struggle in wake of Thai conflict

    Prices tumble after collapse of crop's key export market as border remains closed

    24 November 2025
    U.S. President Donald Trump gestures to Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during a meeting on the sidelines of ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 26.
    Trump tariffs

    Trump's Malaysia, Cambodia deals link tariff cuts to political loyalty

    US pushes Southeast Asian partners to follow Entity List, shipbuilding measures

    30 October 2025
    Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and his wife, Pich Chanmony, light candles in front of a Buddha statue during the inauguration ceremony for Phnom Penh's Techo International Airport, in Kandal province, on Oct. 20.
    Economy

    Cambodia's new airport eclipsed by scam centers and war

    Tourist arrivals to the kingdom are falling despite the gateway's opening

    29 October 2025
    Cambodian National Bank Governor Chea Serey said the central bank can strengthen the know-your-customer framework, which requires users to verify their identities, to tackle financial scams.
    Interview

    Cambodia seeking dollar independence with digital technology

    Central bank chief says young population contributing to digitalization

    10 October 2025
    The Ban Khlong Luek border checkpoint in Aranyaprathet district, Cambodia: All land crossings between the countries remain closed more than a month after the five-day conflict ended.
    Economy

    Land border closure, migrant worker returns hit Cambodian economy

    Growth estimates downgraded despite government optimism

    12 September 2025
    Cambodia's solar industry has endured a roller coaster ride in the last eight years. It boomed after the U.S. slapped tariffs on China in 2018 and then collapsed in the last two years after Washington imposed tariffs of up to 3,404% on Cambodian-made products. (Source photo by Getty Images)
    ASEAN Money

    Cambodian solar industry booms and busts in fallout from US-China trade war

    Trans-Pacific exports plunge from $2.4bn in 2023 to $4.4m in first half of year

    2 September 2025
    A Nike store in Beijing in April. Shenzhou International is a supplier to the U.S. athletic brand and several others.
    Trump tariffs

    Chinese producer for Nike, Uniqlo warns on tariffs despite higher profit

    Shenzhou International shares sink on margin fears due to Trump 'uncertainties'

    27 August 2025
    A migrant worker dangles from a building under construction in Bangkok. Thai sectors like construction rely heavily on migrants. 
    Immigration

    Thailand seeks new sources of workers following Cambodian outflow

    Kingdom to accept 10,000 Sri Lankans; Nepalis and Bangladeshis could also be on the way

    27 August 2025
    Logos are covered at this PTT gas station in Phnom Penh amid a local consumer boycott of goods and services from Thailand. (Photo by Anton L. Delgado)
    Thailand-Cambodia conflict

    Thai goods and services face boycott in Cambodia over border tensions

    Local franchisees of PTT gas station, Cafe Amazon pressured to change branding

    15 August 2025