IT'S TIME TO PEG OUR CURRENCIES TO THE SINGAPORE DOLLAR

My father and I had a little discussion earlier on the phone about the future of our region's economy.

I was soooo grown up talking about world economics, Southeast Asian investment forecasts, which stocks to buy before 2009 and which ones to dispose before the end of this month. Our relationship pretty much revolve around these subjects before we meet in December (annually) and hand him his share of the loot, I mean...profits.

Our conversation ended abruptly while in the middle of brainstorming the possibility of pegging Southeast Asian currencies to the Singapore dollar.

Yeah, that's a good idea.


C'mon! Aren't we all so sick and tired of all the dramas in America?

Every time they got some sort of an economic dilemma [which NOBODY really know if it's true or not] and considering their major bloopers and blunders in the past decade...do we really have to shake, rattle and roll over helplessly?

Let's peg our currencies to the strongest moolah in the region.

It is NOT impossible. I'll back this up with hard stats on our coming posts.

What do you think, young citizens of AEC?

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FORBES' 10 NEXT GREAT CITIES OF THE WORLD

Here's something for global investors and Real Estate moonies like me...


Forbes Magazine compiled a list of the World's 10 Next Great Cities a few days ago. And guess who made it?

Pffft! Not a clue? --

This list won't make it to BISEAN if at least one of our SEA Cities aren't mentioned!

Ok, ok, let's spill it...

Kuala Lumpur is at No.4 and Bangkok is at No. 9.

There. Take that!

While traditional World cities are suffering from economic slowdown, these 10 cities are blossoming and fast becoming to be the World's most important cities.

Read the full story here or view Forbes' slideshow here.

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***Thanks to TAO for pointing this out =)

ASEAN’S FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENTS

Foreign Direct Investment reflects the confidence of foreign companies/enterprise that their investment is safe in our country.

The ASEAN acquired a total of almost US$52.4 Billion foreign direct investments in 2006. A total of 89% came outside the ASEAN and 11% came within the association.

Where did their investments (89%) go to?

1. Singapore

US$ 22,917,700,000
2. Thailand

$ 7,933,900,000
3. Malaysia

$ 5,591,900,000
4. Indonesia

$ 4,031,700,000
5. Vietnam

$ 2,178,100,000
6. Philippines

$ 2,440,600,000
7. Cambodia

$ 327,700,000
8. Brunei

$ 423,800,000
9. Laos

$ 176,800,000
10. Burma

$ 115,200,000


And where did we invest (11%) among ourselves?

1. Thailand

US$ 2,822,100,000
2. Indonesia

$ 1,524,500,000
3. Singapore

$ 1,137,700,000
4. Malaysia

$ 467,800,000
5. Vietnam

$ 181,900,000
6. Cambodia

$ 155,500,000
7. Philippines

$ 95,600,000
8. Burma

$ 27,800,000
9. Laos

$ 10,600,000
10. Brunei

$ 9,700,000

It all boils down to foreign confidence – our government’s policies to attract them, our discipline as a people, our geographical location, facilities, etc. etc.

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*Data source: ASEAN Secretariat. Data as of August 2007.