I may be off base on this idea, but was thinking that these countries might be worth making a small investment ($10,000) in as an emerging markets play. It would be money I could afford to lose a lot of or wait for a few years to see take off.

But, how would you do it? Mutual fund? Exchange traded fund?

Appreciate your thoughts and possible recommendations.

there are many mutual funds that specialize in asia....fidelity, and the others all have them....

i had some $$ in an emerging asia markets fidelity fund for a few years.....it went up, it went down and down and down and finally up some... i think i traded it as a loss... this was about 8 years ago... i think i bought it in 1995 just after our first asia trip.... of course everything in 1997 bottomed out...

do your research before however

thanks rhkkmk - agree about the high risk. I was hoping to find a fund that specialized in the small SE Asia countries.

www.kiva.org

Or, you might consider giving the money to charities that support education for children in these countries, such as www.theplf.org

I assume you know that the economic sanctions on Burma prevent any direct investment there.

Thanks, kathie, not up to speed on Burma.

You have to include exchange risks as well since you'll have to convert USD into the local currencies to invest. Also, all the countries you've listed, Cambodia and Myanmar does not really have a stock exchange so the only investment you can do might be from a very generalise investment fund which are often derivatives kind of investment, or very risky. To invest in foreign exchange trade fund you will need to acquire margin trading as USD 10,000 is a small sum to do that.

Hanuman - thanks. I've done very well with the Thai Fund (TTF) and was hoping that there was something similiar out there for these three companies.

Get your financial advice on a travel forum. Very savvy investing.

you never know with whom you may be speaking...

LAleslie, why such a snippy response?

You can often get interesting, and sometimes very profitable recommendations on various internet forums. If you have anything productive to add to this thread, sing out!

I drove by some new condominiums built way out in a field far away from any town in Malaysia and I asked around to find out why this could ever happen and the answer was that some U.S. fund needed Asian content and this was it. Moreover, investing in the Burma regime is obnoxious in and of itself, but now that they are said to be jointly working on a nuclear weapon with No. Korea, it is insanity to help them along. You know in advance who will get the money - the Generals and no one else.

Investing to another place or country is not bad as long as you know that the particular company is in a good condition. The most important is you know its policies and read it carefully and understand it as well.

Hector, investing isn't about talk. It's about numbers. Forums are just talk. Taking advice on a forum is, how can I put this nicely? Idiocy.
I have a nice Nigerian friend I'd like you to meet.

LAleslie, disagree, investing is both art and science, not just numbers.

I've take recommendations from various internet forums, then invested after doing my own research and assessing the timing was right.

As rhkkmk said earlier, you never know who you are talking to - could be a savvy investor!