Brunei, officially known as Negara Brunei Darussalam (Negara Brunei Darussalam) means Land of Peace, with the capital city Bandar Seri Begawan. Brunei is a small country. With an area of less than 5,800 square kilometers Located in the northern part of Borneo ( the third largest island in the world with parts of Indonesia and Malaysia ), it has a north coast to the South China Sea and the rest of the land is surrounded. With the state of Sarawak of Malaysia Which separates the country into two parts: The west with more than 97% of the population and the east with the area Most of them are natural forests. Brunei has more than 70% of the area is tropical forests. Therefore it is called “The green oasis of Southeast Asia”
Brunei has a population of over 4 hundred thousand only. Most of them are Islamic. And mainly using Malay Social and cultural Is a conservative form The currency used is the Brunei Dollar (BND) .The exchange rate as of March 22, 2016 is 1 BND = 25.7 THB.
Let’s look at the government Brunei has an absolute monarchy. With the Sultan being the Ruler, that is, with the King as the Head of State, Prime Minister and Minister. Ministry of Defense The current head of state is King Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izaddin, Daulah Temple
While Brunei is the second smallest country in ASEAN, it has the second highest per capita income in ASEAN by dependence. Oil and gas exports account for 99% of all exports by Brunei Shell Petroleum, as a result of Brunei’s economic cycle inevitably adhering to the direction of global energy price movements. Present wealth The country’s economy is facing the challenge of a rapidly falling world oil price. But the more critical is A decrease in the amount of crude oil And gas will run out in about a year . Prof . 2028 – 2032, the government had to Brunei. Establish a strategic plan for the development of the Wawasan Brunei 2035 countries with emphasis on Alternative Energy Industry Industry about agriculture and halal food And SME level business etc.
But Brunei’s immediate obstacles to face Is the problem of labor shortage And to rely on foreign workers, there are restrictions on areas including the domestic market that is considered very small. Therefore has a policy of openness and freedom for foreigners to invest 100% in almost every branch Without personal income tax collection And partnership There is no export tax, sales tax, production tax, etc., but only corporate taxes are levied. Recently, a corporate tax was levied at 18.5%, which is the second lowest rate in ASEAN. The government also promotes manufacturing-oriented industries for export. And service sectors beyond the energy industry that Brunei seeks to Pushed to become the center of the petrochemical industry of the region.
Come see the story of Brunei’s gems and gold jewelry market, although not as large as Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam or Cambodia, Brunei is considered to be an ASEAN member country with the highest consumption of Thai gem and jewelry products. Especially Gold jewelry Considering The average import value of THB 503.50 per person, the product has been very popular, including 1 . Pendants 2 . Gold jewelry category 18 – 22 K adorned with diamonds and 3 . Silver jewelry adorned with amethyst gemstones. With emphasis on the size of the jewelry Larger and thicker than that of Thailand, but lightweight. The type of necklaces, bracelets and rings with a flower pattern, while earrings are not popular as Brunei women wear a hijab headdress.
Most of the jewelry market will be bustling in the second half. It is during the Muslim fasting ( Ramadan ), Hari Raya and the wedding season. However, after 2014, it was found that the demand of domestic consumers About the machine The decorations of gold and jewels were greatly reduced. But gold jewelry dealers And jewelers in Brunei such as YGK Jewelery, OKKY Jewelery Sdn Bhd, GH Goldsmith and Jewelers, Phil Goldsmiths and Jewelers, etc. There is hope that the market will return. Let’s grow again At present, the main customers are government officials. Which most will buy Gold jewelry after receiving a bonus at the beginning of the year.
For gold jewelry prices depend on the purity of gold, if it is 24K gold, the average price is approximately 67 BND per gram, 22K gold per gram, 62.5 BND per gram and 21K per gram, 60 BND per gram. Is 24K gold jewelry, the average price is 63 BND, 22K gold price is 59 BND per gram.
In the past, bullion trading was only possible at government-licensed banks such as Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD), under the agency BIBD Securities representing Malaysian bank Al-Rajhi, the bullion importer of PAMP. From switzerland Or gold traders Jewelry licensed by the Ministry of Finance Brunei’s ability to Selling gold bars Usually gold bars do not have an import tax. But there will be a 5% tax on gold imports of any type.
Later in the year . Fri . In 2000, the government has abolished exchange controls. As a result, bullion is no longer regulated or prohibited. Can be traded freely, popular with Brunei residents. This can be seen from the year 2013 gold imports from England were valued at over US $ 1.38 billion. This accounted for 25% of the total imports that year, but only US $ 40 thousand of gold was exported to Malaysia, indicating that Brunei residents were starting to save bullion for savings and investment. more ( including gold ornaments ), the gold price in the world market, according to Brunei, such as at April 15, 2559, by which time the capital. Bandar Seri Begawan at 15:48 . 24K gold price per gram per gram of 22K gold and 53.85 BND 49.36 BND so on.
Although Brunei is a small country in the ASEAN Economic Community But it has great potential because the government supports cooperation. International Multilateralism In particular, for the actions of the international community under the “Millennium Goals”, the Brunei government has also signed an investment promotion and protection agreement with ASEAN member states under the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA) covering: Liberalization, protection, promotion and facilitation in five areas: agriculture, fisheries, forestry, mining and manufacturing. Which emphasizes foreign direct investment And investing in securities Because the Brunei government needs knowledge from experts in various fields. One very interesting strategy for doing business in Brunei is that of foreign franchises. Brunei is a nation popular for its international quality products and services.
If talking about tourist attractions in this ASEAN region Not many people think of Brunei. Because there are options like Singapore, Malaysia or Indonesia. But actually Brunei is not less interesting in terms of history. And nature that can make you fall in love, such as the largest water village in the world, Kampong Ayer, is thousands of years old. And the dome of the Isdana Nural Iman Palace, the residence of the Sultan of Brunei And the royal family, including the government house It is said that this is one of the greatest palaces in the world. There are over a thousand rooms
In addition, there is an iconic place in Brunei: The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque was built in the middle of the 20th century and has a large golden dome. It is the spiritual center Of Muslims in Brunei And there is also a golden mosque, which the Brunei people regard as the holy mosque. And is the largest mosque in the country In terms of places to educate There are museums to choose from, such as the Royal Regalia Museum. Which has gathered many of the sultan’s appliances Silverware, goldware, crowns, monarchs and foreign tributes The Brunei Museum is the largest in the country that tells about the history of Islam. And finally the Museum of Archeology and History To tell about the history of the country Since prehistoric times through the years . Prof . 1984, the country gained independence, and so on.
