71.   But the regional economic crisis, which is still hitting Thailand hard, is expected to keep many people at home.

72.   Casting their vision even wider, they write that past achievements in East Asia double as assurance that the regional economic crisis is not an irredeemable catastrophy.

73.   China has warned countries against accepting Taiwanese aid to help overcome the regional financial crisis.

74.   Central bank governor Gabriel Singson also called on people to be calm and on the banking sector to restrain from profiting from the regional financial crisis.

75.   Corporate borrowers also have been hit hard by higher interest rates since the regional financial crisis broke last year.

76.   De Ocampo described the fund as a facility that could be tapped by Asian countries during regional economic crises.

77.   Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim meanwhile described the meeting as a significant step forward for Asean members to deal with the regional economic crisis collectively.

78.   Earlier, Nzo visited President Suharto at his home, where they discussed the conflict in the half-island territory as well as the regional economic crisis.

79.   Earlier, investment houses had predicted that thrift banks would likely be the first casualties of the regional crisis given their limited resources.

80.   Economists expect the deficit will narrow further as imports continue to contract because of a slowdown in economic activity caused by the regional financial crisis.