Diandra Paramitha

Ten years ago, Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company projected that Southeast Asia’s digital economy would reach US$200 billion by 2025. The region not only met that target, but exceeded it by a wide margin.

Indonesia’s position, which it had held for nearly a decade, has now shifted. In mid-May 2026, Singapore’s stock market capitalization surpassed Indonesia’s, making the city-state the largest stock exchange in Southeast Asia.

For nearly seven years, Viet Nam waited. Since being placed on the FTSE Russell watchlist in 2018, the country had been steadily reforming its market until, in early April 2026, the long-awaited confirmation finally arrived.

Singaporeans can travel to 192 destinations without obtaining a visa before departure. Their neighbors in Myanmar, meanwhile, have access to only 43 destinations. Both are ASEAN members, yet their experiences of international travel are separated by a significant gap.

King Vajiravudh's coronation (Rama VI) of Siam | Credit: Public Domain

In most cities, traffic lights are such a familiar part of daily life that it is difficult to imagine roads functioning without them. Yet there are places around the world that operate entirely without red-yellow-green signals—not because of inadequate infrastructure, but for reasons far more diverse than many would expect.

For Idnoesnians, a meal is not truly complete without sambal. Indonesia's hot sauce market reached a value of USD 73.8 million in 2025 and is projected to grow to USD 108.7 million by 2034, according to IMARC Group. These figures reflect more than just a market trend; they reveal a centuries-long relationship between Indonesian palates and spicy food.

English / Politics & Diplomacy Japan’s Push for Energy Security Is Bringing It Closer to ASEAN, Even Before the Iran War

While global foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 11 percent in 2024, Southeast Asia moved in the opposite direction. The region attracted USD 226 billion in FDI that year, an 8 percent increase from the previous year, and maintained its position as the largest FDI destination among developing regions for the fourth consecutive year.

In 2006, a female Komodo dragon named Flora at Chester Zoo in England laid eggs despite never having been in contact with a male. Around the same time, another female at London Zoo did the same. Neither had mated nor been exposed to a male, yet their eggs successfully hatched.