In The News

Poppy Barons on the 'Speed' Boat

Larry Jagan February 16, 2004
The notorious Golden Triangle in Southeast Asia has long produced a large portion of the world's illicit drugs. Although authorities in Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, and Laos have had substantial success in ending opium poppy growing, newer technologies are allowing for the production and trafficking of synthetic drugs. Poppy barons have discovered that trafficking in methamphetamines can be...

Indonesia Urges Global Boycott on Malaysian Timber

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja February 13, 2004
Although Malaysia and Indonesia acknowledge illegal trade of the rare ramin wood from Indonesia to Malaysia, both countries refuse to take responsibility. Malaysia claims the "onus is on Indonesia to upgrade their laws" to prevent smugglers from chopping rare trees; Indonesia accuses Kuala Lumpur of tacitly consenting to the importation of illegal wood. Meanwhile, Indonesia has called...

Jobs Flight? Worry about Industry Flight Instead

Alvin Pang February 12, 2004
Singapore doesn't need to worry about workers leaving, but whole businesses. With a maturing economy based largely on IT, finance, and trade, Singapore no longer attracts budding entrepreneurs looking for the next big thing. And the current outsourcing debacle suggests that no oasis lies on the horizon. To stay competitive, Singapore needs to encourage younger firms to wade into...

'Lean, Mean at 20

Matt Nauman February 11, 2004
Twenty years ago, automobile manufacturers in the US were far from 'lean' in their production facilities. In one California General Motors factory, workers were known for high absenteeism and a "militant" attitude. But that changed in 1984, says this Mercury News article, when Toyota and GM joined forces and decided to import Japanese management practices to an American...

Assembly Fails to Vote on FTA, Troop Bills

Lee Joo-hee February 10, 2004
South Korea's National Assembly was unable to vote on two bills – one on a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) with Chile and the other on Iraq troop deployment – due to arguments over voting methods. During the debate, activists, mostly farmers protesting the two bills, had convened outside the Assembly building. A leader of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions said that he opposed the...

City in Dark on Lack of Bird Flu Info

Damar Harsanto February 9, 2004
Despite a tangible threat of bird-flu transmission from neighboring Vietnam and Thailand where 18 deaths have been confirmed so far, the Jakarta administration is not taking sufficient preventive measures. Residents of the nation's capital say the Jakarta Health Agency's information campaign is half-baked – it does not reach all the city's residents and it fails to provide the...

Thai Credibility Shattered by Deceit

February 7, 2004
When David Byrne, EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, visited Thailand in mid-January to discuss agriculture and trade issues, his meeting with Thai leaders was considered a mutual success. At the time, Byrne had said EU food safety regulations posed no barrier and that the European market is a lucrative one for Thai exporters. Thai officials gave Byrne the impression that all...