Southeast Asia

Anak Krakatoa loses 220 metres of height

Published

6 months ago

December 30, 2018

Anak Krakatoa loses 220 metres of height | The Thaiger

A section of the Anak Krakatoa’s crater (Child of Krakatoa) collapsed after an eruption and slid into the ocean, generating the tsunami last Saturday night.

An analysis by the local volcanology agency found the volcano has lost more than two-thirds of its height.

Anak Krakatoa, which used to stand 338 metres has now been whittled down to 110 metres tall.

The agency estimated the volcano lost between 150 and 180 million cubic metres of material as massive amounts of rock and ash have been slowly sliding into the sea following a series of eruptions.

Before and after satellite images taken by a Japanese satellite shows that a two square kilometre chunk of the volcanic island slid into the waters of the Sunda Strait.

The volcano was a new island that emerged around 1928 in the crater left by Krakatoa, whose massive 1883 eruption and explosion killed at least 36,000 people from the scant records available at the time).

An exclusion zone has been extended from two to five kilometres.

A week after the tsunami, thousands of Indonesian Muslims attended a mass prayer yesterday to remember the victims and pray for the safety of their tsunami-prone hometown.

Authorities say at least 426 people were killed and 23 remain missing in the disaster. Some 7,202 were injured and nearly 1,300 homes were destroyed after the waves crashed into the coastlines of western Java and southern Sumatra.

Find more SE Asian News courtesy of The Thaiger.

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Related Topics:Indonesia Krakatoa Sunda Strait tsunami

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ASEAN

ASEAN meeting reports on global sugar deficit and opportunities for SE Asian countries

Published

11 hours ago

June 18, 2019

The Thaiger

The ASEAN Sugar Alliance says there will be a global sugar deficit of about 2.5 million tonnes in 2019-20, and prices are expected to firm following a number of years of falling prices and surplus stocks.

The prediction was reported at the fourth meeting of the ASEAN Sugar Alliance in Ho Chi Minh City yesterday.

Market analyst, futures trading and risk manager at Thailand’s MITR Phol Sugar Corp, Sasathorn Sanguandeekul, says that a deficit would occur this year mostly due to a reduction in output in major sugar producing countries, including Thailand.

“In 2019-20 with the expectation of reduction in Thailand and India, Asia should have a deficit of around 9.5 million tonnes.”

Output in Brazil, the world’s largest sugar producer and exporter, in 2018-19 “decreased to 26.5 million tonnes due to ageing canes and drought. While sugar production in 2019-20 is forecast to be around 26-28 million tonnes”.

He also noted that Brazil is still maximising ethanol production, reducing sugar output.

Meanwhile, China’s production is expected to be 11.63 million tonnes in 2018-19 and around 11.2 million tonnes in 2019-20, less than its demand. China will likely have to import around 4.5 million tonnes.

Indonesia is another deficit market. In 2018-19, it is expected to produce around 2.37 million tonnes while consumption is expected to increase to 7.11 million tonnes.

Thailand’s production will be around 14.6 million tonnes in 2018-19 and in 2019-20, due to the drought and farmers switching to other crops, its production is pegged at around 13 million tonnes.

According to industry experts, after years of surpluses in the world market, the likelihood of a deficit in 2019-20 will be an opportunity for sugar companies, including TTC Sugar.

“Sugar prices will trade back in the range of 12-13.5 cents per pound in the short run. In the long run, we estimate the range can rise to 12.5-14.5 cent due to the deficit,” said Sasathorn.

Organised by the ASEAN Sugar Alliance and TTC Group, the meeting also discussed regional trade agreements, sugar and health issues, ethanol market development, among other topics.

SOURCE: Vietnam News

Krabi

Porsche smashed up but Malaysian driver escapes injury in Krabi

Published

1 day ago

June 17, 2019

The Thaiger

PHOTOS: Krabi Pitak Pracha Rescue Foundation

A Malaysian tourist has escaped injuries after their Porsche collided with roadside barriers in Krabi yesterday. Krabi Pitak Pracha Foundation reports that they were notified of the incident yesterday in Mueang Krabi.

They arrived to find the damaged sport sedan on the side of the road with much of its front mouldings damage and laying separately on the road. The road side barriers also had damage where the vehicle had swiped them. No injuries were reported.

Thairath reports that the Malaysian driver was taken to Mueang Krabi Police Station for questioning and an alcohol breath test. Several other Porsche’s, all part of a Malaysian driving club, were also waiting at the scene when police arrived.

Porsche smashed up but Malaysian driver escapes injury in Krabi | News by The Thaiger

Malaysia

Malaysia’s Deputy PM sympathises with Azmin’s family over gay sex video scandal

Published

2 days ago

June 16, 2019

The Thaiger

Malaysia’s Deputy PM Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has expressed sympathy for the family of Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, who has been linked to a sex video scandal.

Read The Thaiger story HERE.

She said she rejected any practice of gutter politics as she had experienced it before.

“I reject ‘gutter politics’ because I have been through it and I sympathise with Azmin’s family,” she said when commenting on the confession by Santubong PKR Youth chief Haziq Abdullah Abdul Aziz that it was him in the sex video with, as he claimed, Malaysia’s Economic Affairs Minister.

In his online confession he alleged that Azmin was the other man in the video, but the minister has categorically denied the allegation. In several videos released since the first allegations, the faces of the two men are quite clearly identified.

The Malaysian deputy PM stressed that there was no place for dirty politics as all parties needed to focus on developing the country.

“We Malaysians have to think more about everything because we want to develop our country,” she told reporters after the Aidilfitri open house hosted by her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Meanwhile Anwar Ibrahim quashed rumours that his faction is behind a plot to topple Datuk Seri Azmin Ali by releasing video clips allegedly showing homosexual acts between his deputy and another party man.

The Port Dickson MP said there was no reason for him or his supporters to be involved in such a despicable act.

“There is already an attempt to slander one person and the reason why that happened cannot be justified by another slander.

“What’s the reason for us to do such a thing? Some say it was due to threat, what threat?” said Anwar, who is PKR president.

Anwar has been caught in several high profile allegations, court cases and imprisonment over alleged gay sex acts.

Anwar served as the Deputy PM of Malaysia from 1993 to 1998 and Finance Minister from 1991 to 1998 when he was a member of UMNO, the major party in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition. However, he was removed from his post by then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad (who is currently Malaysia’s PM) and jailed in April 1999.

His prosecution was criticised by human rights groups and several foreign governments, including the US, UK and Australia. Following his release in 2004, Anwar became the leading figure in the opposition and helped coalesce the opposition parties into the Pakatan Rakyat, which contested the 2008 and 2013 general elections.

Anwar began a five-year prison sentence in 2015, after a second sodomy conviction was upheld. Human rights groups again called the conviction politically motivated. However, he received a royal pardon from Sultan Muhammad V, and was released from prison on 16 May 2018.