Brunei will send 23 athletes to the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) to be hosted by Vietnam this month, according to the country’s Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.
A signboard in downtown Hanoi celebrates the upcoming SEA Games 31 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) –ꦛ Brunei will send 23 athletes to the 31stSoutheast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) to be hosted by Vietnam this month,according to the country’s Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.
It will be the smallest delegation at theregional sporting event in the past 23 years. The athletes will compete in pencak silat,wushu, karate, and e-sports. They are training in a sport village at the HassanalBolkiah national sport complex and scheduled to fly to Vietnam on May 6. Since Brunei hosted the 20th edition in 1999, the countryhas sent at least 60 athletes to each of the subsequent SEA Games. Its contingent was 370 at the SEAGames 20 - its largest ever, followed by that of 271 to SEA Games 23 hosted by thePhilippines in 2005. Brunei participated the SEA Games the first time in 1977 and has since bagged 14 gold, 56 silver and 184 bronze medals in total. It obtained the best results at SEA Games 20 on home soil, clinchingfour golds, 12 silvers and 32 bronzes. In the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines, the country’sathletes secured two gold, five silver and six bronze medals. SEA Games 31, themed “For a Stronger South East Asia”, will be held in the capital city of Hanoi and 11 neighbouring provinces and cities from May 12 to 23./.
Marksman Johnathan Wong is confident that the Malaysian national shooting team can achieve better results at the coming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) after a comprehensive training, Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) reported.
Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, who is head of the National Steering Committee for Organising the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31), on May 3 inspected the preparation work for the upcoming regional sports games in the northern provinces of Bac Ninh and Bac Giang.
With the good progress seen in recent years, Vietnamese track and field team is determined to win the top position at the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) with 15-17 gold medals.
Malaysia, as ASEAN 2025 Chair, marked the bloc’s 58th founding anniversary on August 8 with a vibrant celebration in Cyberjaya, blending an official ceremony with a colorful cultural festival.
Vietnam plays an important role in Southeast Asia’s economic growth and is a key partner of her country in realising the shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region, said Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary of Office of Southeast Asia (OSA) – Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
The 2025 ASEAN Business Community Development (ABCD) Forum, themed “Empowering ASEAN's Next Leap: Digital, Sustainable & Entrepreneurial Transformation” brought together ministers, CEOs, and top industry experts to discuss key regional economic priorities.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Malaysia’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) reached 1.01% of gross domestic product in 2022, a notable increase, with more than 51% contributed by the industry sector. The country is targeting GERD to reach 2.5% by 2030, in line with the national goal of transforming into a high-technology nation.
A signboard in downtown Hanoi celebrates the upcoming SEA Games 31 (Photo: VNA) 
