Indonesia
Policy rate5.75%latest
GDP5.29%Q2 2026
Inflation3.28%Sep 2026
Moved this week
Indonesia · Malaysia · Thailand · Vietnam
Independent, data-driven research on the forces shaping investment in Southeast Asia
SEAIEA examines how government policy, cross-border investment and industrial developments interact to affect business decisions.
Southeast Asia Regulatory Monitor · Week of 24–30 October 2026 · next update pending
Thailand backs rooftop solar and a petrochemical merger as SoftBank eyes Malaysia
Thailand's cabinet approved THB50 billion to help one million households install rooftop solar, and PTT Global Chemical and SCG Chemicals agreed terms to combine their olefins and polyolefins businesses, subject to shareholder and regulatory approval.
Malaysia
Policy rate2.75%latest
GDP5.3%Q3 2026 (adv.)
Inflation1.8%Sep 2026
Moved this week
Thailand
Policy rate1.00%latest
GDP1.9%Q2 2026
Inflation2.82%Sep 2026
Moved this week
Vietnam
Policy rate4.50%latest
GDP9.95%Q3 2026
Inflation5.08%Sep 2026
No change this weekLast update 18 Oct: Investment and licensing rules
Latest insights
All insights →
Owning the Factory Isn’t Enough: The Approvals Behind Market Entry in Four ASEAN Economies
A foreign manufacturer can own its factory outright in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, yet the approvals for trading spare parts and selling maintenance decide whether its business plan works.
Vietnam’s Investment-Law Amendment Seeks to Balance Speed and Predictability
Vietnam’s proposed investment-law amendment seeks to open restricted sectors faster while keeping the rules predictable enough for long-term investors.
What 1,000 Rules and Incentives Reveal About Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is changing the terms for foreign investors.
Indonesia's Two Investment Stories: Record FDI and a Stock Market Under Scrutiny
MSCI's proposal to reclassify Indonesia's stock market and the country's record foreign direct investment measure different things, and the cost of a weaker rupiah falls mainly on businesses earning in rupiah rather than on dollar-earning smelters.
Malaysia's RM226bn data-centre pipeline is built around local capacity
Malaysia's RM225.97 billion data-centre pipeline links construction scale to local-content rules, Malaysian hiring and workforce development.
Sector highlights this week
All highlights →Energy ThailandIn force
Cabinet approves THB50 billion for rooftop solar on one million homes
Manufacturing ThailandProposed · 3 Dec 2026
GC and SCGC agree terms to combine their Thai olefins and polyolefins businesses
Infrastructure VietnamProject lead
Ho Chi Minh City approves 12 projects worth about US$13.6 billion
Key dates ahead
Full calendar →- 4–6 NovVietnam Energy Week
- 11–12 NovSolar & Storage Live Indonesia
- 15 NovChina: comments close on proposed technology export restrictions (Announcement No. 48)
- 16–18 NovASEAN Summit (US President attending 16 Nov)
- 17–19 NovAPEC meetings
- 17–19 NovData Center Asia Malaysia
- 18 NovBank Indonesia policy-rate decision
- 18 NovMalaysia official Q3 GDP release
- 18–20 NovSingapore FinTech Festival
- 18–21 NovMETALEX (machine tools and metalworking)
- 1 DecLong Thanh International Airport: first commercial flights
- 2–5 DecManufacturing Indonesia
- 3–4 DecSEMIEXPO Viet Nam (semiconductors)
- 3 DecGC and SCGC shareholder meetings on their olefins joint venture
- 4 DecUS 15% tariff and minimum import prices on polysilicon products take effect
- 23 DecBank of Thailand policy-rate decision
- 1 Jan 2027China ends export VAT rebates on batteries
- 1 Jan 2027Vietnam minimum-wage rise of 7.8% (if approved)
- 1 Jan 2027Thailand higher excise tax on fully imported EVs (if approved)
- 31 Mar 2027Thailand duty exemption on flood-repair machinery ends
- 1 Apr 2027China cuts the export VAT rebate on new-energy vehicles from 13% to 9%
- 30 Apr 2027MSCI consultation on Indonesia's market status closes
- 30 Jun 2027MSCI decision on Indonesia due (on or before)
Monitor compiled weekly by SEAIEA from official releases and named news sources; every figure on the full monitor links to its source. For information only, not investment, legal or tax advice.