ASEAN is a region with a population of 634 million, half of which are below the age of 30, and touted as one of the fastest growing internet regions in the world. So can the region harness it digital potential?

“Advancing ASEAN in the Digital Age,” produced by CARI CIMB ASEAN Research Institute, in collaboration with the ASEAN Business Club, sets out to capture the ideas and perspectives of business and thought leaders as well as policymakers on the how the digital age will impact the economic prosperity of the region.

The publication contains 37 articles, including those by heads of government, prominent business leaders from 19 companies and from nine ASEAN countries.

Contributing to the publication is Dr Sok Siphana, Managing Partner of SokSiphana&associates (a member of ZICO Law).

In his article, “Advancing ASEAN in the Digital Age: A Cambodian Perspective,” he brings into focus Cambodia’s history with technology and what efforts are being made to stay competitive with its neighbours.

“As a latecomer to the digital economy, Cambodia faces strong competition from far superior rivals as close as neighboring Thailand and Viet Nam. Cambodia’s e-commerce and fintech scene is more nascent and lags behind most other markets in Southeast Asia, but this is changing fast. The momentum for catch up is felt rapidly in the sector.”

“Cambodia, which was once a country synonymous with conflict and poverty, now boasts more than two decades of impressive growth. According to the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, approximately 8 million out of the country’s 15 million people have now access to the Internet and it expects that number to reach 9.5 million by 2020. Already, Cambodia has made the necessary shift towards innovation and solution development in its efforts to contribute to the highly competitive digital economy of ASEAN in the decades to come.”

To read the full article, click ">here.

CIMB ASEAN Research Institute (CARI) was established in 2011. CARI is the first independent, transnational research institute dedicated solely to the advancement and acceleration of the ASEAN integration agenda. For more information, visit http://www.cariasean.org/