Thailand: Thai paper plates being ‘dumped’
US paper plate manufacturers have complained that Thai paper plates are being “dumped” into the US market. Reports from the Thai Ministry of Commerce indicate that the American Paper Plate Coalition has submitted a petition to the US Ministry of Commerce and the US International Trade Commission seeking an investigation into an alleged dumping violation of paper plate products originating from Thailand, China and Vietnam. In 2023, more than 220 million Americans regularly used paper plates and cups as food containers at home. This trend is attributed to the preferences of young consumers, who do not want to clean up, besides the growth of food delivery services. The Nation
Kuala Lumpur
More Malaysians going for gig work
The number of Malaysians working in the gig economy reached an all-time high of three million in 2023, sparking concerns of a shortage of skilled workers in the long term if the trend continues. The record numbers, representing more than 17 per cent of the country’s workforce, are 25 per cent higher than the 2.4 million self-employed workers recorded in 2021, according to Maybank Investment Bank Research. The increase is worrying as it comes during a period of low unemployment, when Malaysians should be able to find secure jobs. Figures from the Department of Statistics showed that close to 98 per cent of delivery riders in 2022 were aged 30 and below, with about 40 per cent of them secondary school passouts. The Straits Times
Sri Lanka
UN award for mangrove restoration
Sri Lanka has been recognised as a 2024 UN World Restoration Flagship for its exemplary work in rebuilding and rejuvenating its mangrove ecosystems. Anil Jasinghe, CEO of Sri Lanka’s Climate Change Office, and Prof Sevvandi Jayakody, a senior lecturer at Wayamba University, accepted the award at the sixth UN Environment Assembly held recently in Nairobi, Kenya. The award ‘underscores the country’s adept application of the UN’s Principles for Ecosystem Restoration’. The approach to mangrove restoration focuses on restoring ecosystem services, striving to reestablish equilibrium across the entire ecosystem and enhancing connectivity. Daily Mirror
Cambodia
India flights to boost tourism
The government and the private sector anticipate that the forthcoming direct flights between Cambodia and India will create a new impetus for cultural tourism, trade and investment flow, coinciding with discussions about the possibility of a free trade agreement. The commencement of the initiative is planned between April and June. The plan includes two direct flights, one between Phnom Penh and New Delhi, and another between New Delhi and Siem Reap province, the kingdom’s main tourist destination. Bilateral trade has been on an upward trajectory, reaching $485.7 million in 2023. Cambodia welcomed 68,836 Indian tourists in 2023, up from 34,016 in 2022. The Phnom Penh Post
