Reid Kirchenbauer

Philippines: Soon the Best Place to Retire in Asia?

Philippines: Soon the Best Place to Retire in Asia?

Last updated August 14th, 2023.   With old age (hopefully!) brings peaceful years of traveling the world. But the best places to retire probably aren't in your home country. Selecting which country to retire abroad isn't always easy. Thankfully, expats have tons...

Philippines GMO Ban Leaves Asia Shocked

Philippines GMO Ban Leaves Asia Shocked

New laws could halt genetically modified organism (GMO) agriculture in the Philippines. Actually, this GMO ban would stop new farming technology in Southeast Asia as a whole. That's because the Philippines is ASEAN's regional pioneer in the field. Back in late 2015,...

3 Economic Trends in China You Should Expect

3 Economic Trends in China You Should Expect

Update for September, 2018: This post was written back in 2016 and all our predictions on economic trends in China were accurate. But we aren't quite as bullish going forward. We're now looking at frontier markets like Vietnam and Cambodia for stronger growth.  ...

Advertising in ASEAN: Biggest Mistake Marketers Make

Advertising in ASEAN: Biggest Mistake Marketers Make

Last updated April 16th, 2019.   Companies around the world want to seize the ocean of opportunities that Southeast Asia now represents. That's especially true with the launch of the ASEAN Economic Community. Learning how to advertise in the ASEAN region is a...

ASEAN Economic Community is Here: What Now?

ASEAN Economic Community is Here: What Now?

Last updated November 19th, 2019.   The long-awaited ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) launched several years ago, back in 2015, with Southeast Asia officially merging its ten member nations into a single trading bloc. Such a move would otherwise offer immense...

Best Countries to Invest in 2016

Best Countries to Invest in 2016

Update for January, 2022: We've finally entered a new decade as 2022 begins. Here's our updated article with the top countries to invest in 2022.   The ability to predict the future would be useful in the stock market. Such a power would let you accumulate wealth...

Thai Startups: Southeast Asia’s Next Big Market?

Thai Startups: Southeast Asia’s Next Big Market?

Last updated July 5th, 2023. Startups in Thailand have a lofty goal: to lead innovation in Southeast Asia.  With almost 700 million people and rapid economic growth, Southeast Asia increasingly draws talented entrepreneurs and investors with deep pockets.  Malaysia,...

Singapore Best Country for Business? Not for Long

Singapore Best Country for Business? Not for Long

Update for 2023:  As predicted, Singapore lost its first place spot to New Zealand soon after we published this article. You might be interested in reading our list of countries that could be the next Singapore.   For the past decade, Singapore has led the world...

Thailand Economy Seeks Revival from FDI

Thailand Economy Seeks Revival from FDI

Last updated December 5th, 2018.   Previously a high-growth market in Southeast Asia, the Thai economy is no longer what it used to be. That's especially true with declining tourism numbers and a GDP growth rate well below the regional average. A brief look at...

Yangon Real Estate Market Flat-Lined: Will it Revive?

Yangon Real Estate Market Flat-Lined: Will it Revive?

Last updated February 20th, 2021.   The Yangon real estate market is one of Asia's least dynamic... especially if you're a foreign property buyer in Myanmar. But recent times saw a shockingly weak performance in the local property market, followed by a pandemic...