"Now is a good time for Asia to start discussions on a shared currency to avoid 'intra-regional exchange rate complications,' according to Asian Development Bank President Haruhiko Kuroda. Asian governments have been debating the merits of a shared currency since the region's economies were rocked by a financial crisis a decade ago.

Creating a common currency does involve overcoming hurdles. These include the need to have a common market, some harmonization of macroeconomic policies, a regional central bank that would require countries to give up their currencies and independent monetary policies. Asean members agreed with Japan, PRC and South Korea in May to start a $120 billion foreign-currency reserve pool by end of the year, to be used in times of turmoil."

"Viet Nam currently has 10 telecom network facility companies, more than 40 cable TV service providers, over 60 Internet service providers and over 60 radio and broadcasting stations. Notably, most of them have developed their own networks. The streets also suffer when telecom companies dig them up frequently to lay down pipes and cables. Some thoroughfares in Hanoi are dug up several times a month to fix telecom cables.

Another problem is the construction of cell phone transceiver towers by big telecom networks. Restructuring telecom infrastructure in Viet Nam is no easy task. Whatever decisions are made will directly influence the fierce competition among telecom firms, with implications for companies providing telecom facilities like poles, pipes and cables."

"In the context of the economic situation at home and abroad, and current price levels, PRC's property market, which has undergone a few years of speculative development, cannot easily recover. Under the circumstances, allowing the inflow of foreign investment will only further complicate matters.

The government should be forthcoming with more information to make the public aware of the true conditions in the market. False promotional activities are confusing the people, who need to be made aware of the real picture and cautioned against making any misguided moves. Only when housing prices fall back to levels commensurate with people's capacity to buy, can the sector and the economy move toward lasting prosperity."

"While progress has been made in recent years in improving India's roads, ports, railways, and airports, other parts of its infrastructure -- especially power -- remain woefully inadequate. Even the capital New Delhi is subject to blackouts, with some suburbs in the dark for up to eight hours at a stretch.

Indian infrastructure investment equaled 6 percent of gross domestic product last year, compared with 8.5 percent in China, and hopes are high that the budget to be unveiled on July 6 will include commitments to speed infrastructure development. But with a fiscal deficit headed beyond the targeted 5.5 percent of GDP for the year ending in March 2010, and competing demands from projects such as rural job schemes and campaign promises for the poor, finances are tight."

"If the Indonesian government does not allocate more land to food production and stop the conversion of farmland into industrial and commercial use, the country could face food shortages in the near future, officials have warned. At present, Indonesia has about 7.8 million hectares of rice paddy fields, but food producing land is being converted at a rate of more than 140,000 hectares every year into commercial and industrial areas.

Indonesia was facing three potential crises that could erode food security in the future. These were the degradation of land quality and its conversion, the lack of high-quality human resources in farming and rapid population growth because of the failure of the government's family planning program."

"Investments in water infrastructure must be sustained if Asia is to succeed in reducing poverty and maintaining strong economic growth, the Asian Development Bank said. The global economic slump should not be a reason to cut back on investment in projects aimed at increasing water supply and managing wastewater. Economic growth, population expansion and the influx of people into cities have sharply raised the region's water requirements while increasing pollution risks.

Stagnant investments in the water sector may compromise energy and food security, as well as economies and the environment, creating a significant new threat to both poverty reduction and economic growth. In 2004, 635 million people in the region did not have access to safe drinking water, while 1.86 billion people currently lack access to adequate sanitation."

"The Bangladesh government is considering setting up hydroelectric and wind power plants on a small scale to minimize the acute shortage of power in the short run. A hydroelectric power plant produces power through the use of gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy.

The government is thinking over the prospects of solar power-driven irrigation in the Chalan Bil area. Presently, the demand for power in Bangladesh is about 5,200 MW a day, while generation ranges between 3,200 MW and 4,000 MW."

"A new government program is helping farmers in Afghanistan switch from poppy to saffron, the world's most expensive spice. The province of Herat now has 212 hectares planted in saffron, with annual production approaching 50-70 tons. This is still miniscule, compared to the 7,700 tons of opium that Afghanistan produced on 157,000 hectares in 2008, but it is a start.

It may take more secure international outlets for the saffron before the naturally conservative poppy farmers make the switch in bigger numbers, however. Experts say that saffron is being grown in 16 provinces of Afghanistan, including Balkh and Kapisa, but the bulk of the product comes from Herat, in the west of the country on the border with Iran."

"The government has floated an idea to turn Thailand into an international educational center. The aim is admirable, but there are many things to be done. Thailand will not be able to become an education center if the national education system fails to produce qualified human resources. The government plans to help promote international educational units in several schools, vocational colleges and universities to encourage foreign students to study in Thailand.

The ministry would help schools and colleges to screen international students and set a curriculum to meet the demands of foreign students. However, the plan will not be effective if the rest of the schools and colleges in Thailand fail to keep up with international standards. The massive budget for this purpose will be a waste if the money is aimed mostly at materials, instead of the quality of teachers, library resources and an effective curriculum."

"It is time for Bangladesh to create a 'Road Fund' for better and prompt maintenance of road networks. Non-maintenance of roads and highways is costing the economy about $1 million a day. As a result, business becomes less competitive as transport costs and travel time go up.

Over one-fourth of roads in Bangladesh are in bad shape. Regional roads have deteriorated over the past several years and the strength of the underlying pavement of a majority of the roads is poor. No routine maintenance is carried out as the needed funds are not allocated. Ultimately, it pushes up the cost of maintenance."

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