World News
World news, global politics, business, technology, and culture—stay updated with breaking stories, international trends, and major events. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for global news.
-
Tourism Authority of Thailand says three websites now provide electronic visa-on-arrival
Visitors from some countries can now apply online for a visa-on-arrival, with the Tourism Authority of Thailand saying they’ve added a third website to the previous two offering the service. Thai Residents reports that citizens of Bhutan, China, Taiwan, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Nauru, New Guinea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and Vanuatu can now also apply through www.eVisaThailand.com,…
-
Vietnam extends 15 day visa-free travel for some countries
Vietnam’s tourism operators are welcoming the Vietnam government’s decision to extend the visa-free stays for citizens from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark and Belarus for another three years. The eight countries have already enjoyed visa exemption (for a stay up to 15 days) since 2015, but it was due to expire at the end of this year.…
-
Top 10 Feng Shui master tips to re-organise your home
The ancient wisdom of Feng Shui looks at how the life energy or “qi” in the environment, like our homes, affect our life, health, relationships, and prosperity. In this article, we want to share tips that some famous Feng Shui masters, who are sought after by celebrities, tycoons, politicians, and big brands, recommend to help you re-organise your house. Even…
-
Thailand’s U-turn on agri-chemical ban shows US hitting where it hurts
PHOTO: matichon.co.th The US is piling the pressure on Thailand over its agri-chemical ban, and it appears to be working. A report by the Nikkei Asian Review claims the Kingdom’s proposed ban on three agri-chemicals – Paraquat, Glyphosate and Chlorpyrifos – would have affected American agricultural exports into Thailand. But the US President has weighed into the issue. Following news…
-
Burmese authorities intercept boat carrying 173 Rohingya Muslims
FILE PHOTO: The New Humanitarian Burmese authorities have intercepted a boat and detained 173 Rohingya ‘boat people’ off the southern coast of Myanmar. They believe that the group from the Muslim minority group were heading to sea to seek a better life an avoid persecution. They were intercepted by a Navy vessel who detained the group and charged them ‘travelling illegally’.…
-
UK heads towards Brexit and Thailand ponders an FTA with Britain
Thailand is pondering the possibilities of creating a free trade agreement with the UK after British PM Boris Johnson’s historic victory in the UK election last week, which is expected to pave the way for the passage of the ‘Brexit’ separation form the EU soon. The UK will then have to make separate agreements with each individual country. Traditionally these…
-
Forecasts are in negative territory for south east and wider Asia
PHOTO: asiahouse.org The Asian Development Bank has trimmed its forecasts for economic growth in developing Asia this year and next as growth in the People’s Republic of China and India are weighed down by both external and domestic factors. Closer to home, south east Asia’s growth projections have also been revised down slightly to 4.4% for 2019. Economic woes of…
-
Aung San Suu Kyi shows contempt for case against Myanmar army in international court
PHOTO: LA Times Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has shown contempt for UN judges investigating the genocide case relating to the Myanmar army’s attacks on the Rohingya in 2017. In her speeches she defended the generals she once defied, for their genocide against the muslim minority living in the Rhakine state, west of the country. Her supporters gathered…
-
Bangkok less popular, Taipei heads the list – World’s favourite city for expats
PHOTO: This year’s #1 city for expats – Taipei, Taiwan – Time Out Bangkok has dropped from #5 (in 2018) to #20 this year in the annual Expat City Ranking – a big drop from its former position as a darling of the world expat community. But Asian cities continue to dominate the annual global Top 5 in the Expat City…
-
More direct flights between Vietnam and Thailand amid growth in tourism
PHOTO: Asia 361 Thailand is gearing up to welcome more Vietnamese visitors, with a number of airlines increasing direct flights between both countries and adding some new routes too. The Tourism Authority of Thailand says the additional routes should help boost the number of first-time visitors from Vietnam. The Nation reports that several carriers are launching new services from beyond…
-
You introduce new visa requirements? We don’t send any tours.” – Taiwan
PHOTO: Chiang Rai Times “This is not the first time the Thailand Trade and Economic Office has come under fire for enforcing unpopular policies that were introduced without a lot of thought.” It’s now emerged that the proposed requirement for Taiwanese tourists to submit financial statements to obtain a Thai visa happened after the Travel Agents Association of Taiwan threatened to…
-
Thai army takes delivery of Chinese battle tanks
Thailand’s Army has taken delivery of Chinese tanks and armoured personnel carriers, just three months after receiving armoured infantry vehicles from the US. The army received 10 shiny new tanks and 38 armoured personnel carriers from China. All the hardware was taken to the Adisorn Cavalry Centre in Saraburi province for inspection. The government hasn’t officially acknowledged its Chinese acquisitions…
-
BTS is Thailand’s most-streamed act on Spotify for 2019
…and the most streamed K-Pop act in the world. Another year of music is about to play its final chords. Streaming services, a mere curiosity a decade ago, are now the main source of revenue for many artists. In 2019, Streaming music will account for 80% of industry revenues, nearly US$9 billion this year. Bangtan Sonyeondan, better known around the world…
-
Booming regional meth industry – Thailand, Myanmar, China and Laos
“At the same time significant investment has been made in new highways and bridges in an out of Myanmar, Thailand, China, Laos, Bangladesh and Vietnam. This has provided a boom in movement of products like food and clothing. And drugs.” A UN Drugs and Crime report released this year states that the methamphetamine trade is now worth a staggering US$30-61…
-
Family of Burmese rebel leader arrested in Thailand
PHOTO: Major General Tun Myat Naing and his wife Ma Hnin Zar Phyu – The Irrawaddy Thai Immigration police arrested the wife and children of a top commander, Major General Tun Myat Naing of the Arakan Army, an active insurgent group fighting for greater autonomy in western Myanmar. Officials at the Thai Immigration Bureau’s Chiang Mai office arrested Ma Hnin Zar…
-
Thailand delays introduction of new visa requirements for Taiwanese tourists
…and other proposed nationalities as well. Thailand has decided to postpone the requirement for Taiwanese travellers to present financial statements when applying online for a visa. The Taiwan News is reporting that the new requirements are being delayed until at least March, 2020. The Thailand Trade and Economic Office in Taipei has announced that online Taiwanese applicants for travel to…
-
Former Malaysian PM Najib presents his opening testimony
PHOTO: Voice of America Former Malaysian PM Najib Razak was in the witness box for the first time yesterday defending himself on criminal charges linked to a multibillion-dollar scandal at state fund 1MDB (1 Malaysia Development Bhd). Najib, who unexpectedly lost a general election last year to his former mentor and former Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad, is now facing dozens of…
-
China retaliates on pro-democracy bill by imposing sanctions on US
PHOTO: South China Morning Post Following US President Trump’s signing of a bill to protect the rights of Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigners, China has hit back, with foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announcing a suspension of US warship visits and sanctions against American NGOs. “In response to the unreasonable behaviour of the US side, the Chinese government has decided to…
-
Hong Kong Finance Chief warns of first budget deficit since 2004
Hong Kong’s Finance Chief, Paul Chan, says the city is about to record a budget deficit as a result of the protests that have rocked the territory since June, coupled with the ongoing US-China trade war. It will be the first budget deficit in fifteen years, the last one having been caused by the SARS crisis that hit the region hard,…
-
The baht keeps surging – and other predictions for the Thai economy in 2020
The last time the Thai baht’s value against theUSD touched 29 baht/US dollar was back in 2013. But the currency appreciation situation was quite different then. Today it’s floating around 30 baht in its 22nd year as a floating international currency. How will all that affect the Thai economy in 2020? Now the strong baht is a result of the…
-
Mekong River is turning blue. That’s not good.
PHOTO: britannica.com Water levels in the Mekong River are now reaching a critical point. The river’s normally brown waters have turned aquamarine, like sea water, and sandbars are emerging, some of them several kilometres long. Arthit Panasoon, president of a conservation group in the northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom, says the rare change in water colour, although it might look…
-
Thailand’s Pulse Clinic now opens in Hong Kong
PHOTO: Jonathan Wong Today is World Aids Day. Whilst the treatments and social acceptance of HIV and AIDS has come a long way since those scary days in the early 80s, stigmas remain, particularly in Asia. The Thaiger would like to commemorate the day by featuring a story about local Thai hero Dr Deyn Natthakhet Yaemim who has made knowledge about…
-
Thailand and Hong Kong sign five trade agreements
PHOTO: TNA.mcot.net Thailand has signed five MoUs (memoranda of understanding) with Hong Kong, in a commitment to forge “greater economic ties between various creative, technological and development agencies” in both countries. The Nation reports that the MoUs were signed by Deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak and Hong Kong CEO Carrie Lam, as they co-chaired the 1st Thailand-Hong Kong Special Administrative Region…
-
Two K-Pop stars sentenced to prison for sexual assault, filming it and sharing it
PHOTO: soompi.com 30 year old K-Pop singer and songwriter, Jung Joon-young, and 29 year old musician Choi Jong-hoon have been convicted of conspiring in the sexual assault of a woman who was incapable of resisting. The decision was handed down by the Seoul Central District Court yesterday. The Court also found Jung guilty of filming women against their will and…
-
Cambodia offers olive branch after letter from Trump
Cambodia’s leader Hun Sen us offering to renew relations with the US after receiving a letter from US President Donald Trump. PM Sen’s offer marks a turnaround in relations with the country he once accused of trying to overthrow him. Hun Sen thanked Trump for assurances that Washington was not seeking “regime change” in Cambodia. “Both countries’ foreign affairs teams…
-
US President Trump signs bill protecting Hong Kong rights
PHOTO: Voice of America Despite fears in some corners that he would attempt to veto it, President Trump has signed into law a US bill in support of pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong. It’s a move that is unlikely to assist in the current negotiations as the trade war between China and the US continues. AFP reports that Trump had…
-
Thai Airways absent from new Top 10 list of world airlines
PHOTO: airlineratings.com The airline review website AirlineRatings has just announced its list of the Best Airlines 2020 and Thailand’s national carrier is absent. In fact Thai Airways isn’t even in the top 20 airlines, as compiled by the website. The Nation reports that the list was drawn up by seven editors with a combined 200 years’ experience in the travel…
-
300 flee over border to Thailand from fighting in Myanmar
PHOTO: Facebook\Day SA About 300 ethnic Mon people have fled from Myanmar into Thailand to escape fighting near their village, between Burmese troops and Mon rebels, according to a border source. Joint forces of Myanmar’s army and the Karen Border Force on Wednesday engaged the rebel army near the Three Pagodas Pass on the Thai border. The incident happened in…
-
Washington says Myanmar may be stocking chemical weapons
PHOTO: Reuters Myanmar is ignoring a convention banning chemical weapons and may have a stockpile left over from the 1980s… this claim coming out of Washington. A senior US State Department official told the annual meeting of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons that Myanmar may still have weapons at a “historic” facility where mustard gas was once…
-
New cruise to Lan Ha Bay, Vietnam
PHOTO: sunlightcruise.com Thailand has Phang Nga Bay, Vietnam has the famous Ha Long Bay and the lesser-known Lan Ha Bay. Vietnamese cruise operator Indochina Sails has a new route starting this December, sailing from Hai Phong to the Lan Ha Bay region, northern Vietnam. They say that joining this new cruise will be more convenient for guests as the home-port…
Broke? Find employment in Southeast Asia with JobCute Thailand and SmartJob Indonesia. Rich? Invest in real estate across Asia with FazWaz Property Group or get out on a yacht anywhere with Boatcrowd. Even book medical procedures worldwide with MyMediTravel, all powered by DB Ventures.