* Srettha Thavisin voted as prime minister in Thailand
* Philippines c.bank chief says policy easing not on radar

By Navya Mittal
       Aug 23 (Reuters) - Asian currencies were treading water
on Wednesday, with the Thai baht up a touch after the
long-delayed appointment of a prime minister, while caution
reigned ahead of a U.S manufacturing survey and a key speech by
the Federal Reserve chief. 
    The Thai baht, which has been weakening since the
end of July, firmed slightly by 0.2%, while Malaysian ringgit
 eased 0.1%. 
     The post-election deadlock in Southeast Asia's
second-largest economy came to an end after Pheu Thai Party's
Srettha Thavisin was on Tuesday voted in as prime minister at
the head of an unlikely alliance of populists and pro-military
parties. 
    "The successful prime minister confirmation reduces the
biggest domestic risk and uncertainty to Thailand’s growth
outlook," said analysts at DBS in the a note. 
    The next step will be to form a cabinet where a "potential
for some degree of policy disagreement is high, given the
diversity of the coalition government"
    Separately, the region's central bank chief noted that
Thailand's economic recovery is intact but tourism spending and
exports - key drivers of growth - were weaker than expected. 
    Away from Asia, U.S flash PMI readings, due later on
Wednesday, is likely to show the factory sector remained in
contraction, while traders were reluctant to place any major
bets before a crucial speech by Fed Chair Jerome Powell at a
central bank symposium at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, set for Aug.
24-26.
    "Investors might also be positioning for some disappointment
– in that Powell is not expected to deviate much from the “high
for longer” narrative - at Jackson Hole," said analyst at OCBC
in a note. 
    Elsewhere in the region, the Philippine peso eased
0.3%, giving up its modest gains on Tuesday and shares
lost 0.2%. 
    On Tuesday, the Philippine central bank chief said upside
risks to inflation prompted it to keep policy easing off the
radar as "quick reversals in policy rates ....create
uncertainty."
    Shares in a the region were mixed, with equities in South
Korean and Malaysia declining over 0.5% each. Benchmark in
Thailand and Jakarta however, rose 0.2% and 0.4%
each. 
    In Singapore, shares and its currency firmed
0.1 each after data showed July inflation rose 3.8% matching
economists' forecast. 
        
    HIGHLIGHTS 
    ** VinFast shares more than double to highest since market
debut 
    ** POLL-Indian stocks set for muted gains by year-end,
correction likely 
    ** Japan's factory activity shrinks at slower pace in Aug -
PMI
  Asia stock indexes and                            
 currencies at 0413 GMT                        
 COUNTRY  FX RIC        FX    FX  INDE  STOCK  STOCK
                     DAILY   YTD     X      S  S YTD
                         %     %        DAILY      %
                                            %  
 Japan               +0.14  -10.  <.N2  0.17   24.09
                              00  25>          
 China                       3  EC>          
 India               +0.01  -0.2  <.NS   0.09   7.23
                               5  EI>          
 Indones             -0.07  +1.6  <.JK   0.37   1.33
 ia                            0  SE>          
 Malaysi             -0.11  -5.4  <.KL  -0.57  -3.49
 a                             0  SE>          
 Philipp             -0.33  -1.4  <.PS  -0.18  -5.56
 ines                          3  I>           
 S.Korea                     2  11>          
 Singapo             +0.11  -1.2  <.ST   0.11  -2.70
 re                            0  I>           
 Taiwan              +0.06  -3.8  <.TW   0.57  16.93
                               0  II>          
 Thailan             +0.16  -0.9  <.SE   0.15  -7.24
 d                             9  TI>          
 

    
 (Reporting by Navya Mittal in Bengaluru
Editing by Shri Navaratnam)