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.
-
Sponsored Thailand health insurance that covers chronic conditions: What expats need to know
The Thaiger key takeaways Managing chronic conditions in Thailand requires health insurance that covers specialist visits, medications, tests, and hospital stays. Cigna offers high-coverage plans with access to top hospitals, direct billing, and telemedicine support for convenient long-term care. Expats...
-
BTS launch their new album on April 12, appear on Saturday Night Live the next day. Why this matters.
The music business is about to have another one of those seismic shifts in the next month as the power of the music business continues to dribble away from western record company influences to a more democratic, social media-driven, business model. In the past two years, mainly, a small South Korean production house has re-tooled the massive world music business…
-
Preliminary data suggests ‘similarities’ to Lion Air incident – Ethiopian Airlines crash
PHOTO: The ‘black box’ data recorder arrived in Paris last week Preliminary data analysis from the black boxes of last week’s Ethiopian Airlines plane crash has revealed “similarities” to last October’s Lion Air incident. Ethiopian Minister of Transport, Dagmawit Moges, says that investigators recovered all relevant data from the data recorders on board the fateful final flight of the Boeing 737…
-
Just one of the tourists – South Korean President visits Angkor Wat
PHOTO: Yonhap News South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in put on his tourist clothes yesterday and roaming around with thousands of other tourists at Angkor Wat in Siem Reap. The ruins attract millions of visitors each year, making the ruins in Siem Reap province Cambodia’s most popular tourist destination. The world heritage site contains the remains of different capitals of the…
-
Accused Australian killer appears in Christchurch court charged with murder
A 28 year old Australian man smirked as he walked into the Christchurch District Court in New Zealand’s South Island this morning, charged with murder after a carefully planned mass shooting at lunchtime prayers at two mosques. The public was banned from the courtroom for the proceedings, but an angry crowd waited outside the court building. Brenton Tarrant was brought…
-
49 dead as New Zealand reels to shock mass murder in Christchurch mosques
The death toll from todays massacre at two mosques in Christchurch in New Zealand’s South Island, is now 49 with 20+ injured, some critically. The gunman in the Christchurch mosque shooting livestreamed the incident for 17 minutes on Facebook. The shooter identified himself as “Brenton Tarrant”, a caucasian, 28 year old Australias, the NZ Herald reported. The livestream began as…
-
40 killed in two mosques. “One of New Zealand’s darkest days,” NZ PM
At least 40 people have been killed and more than 20 seriously injured after gunmen opened fire in two mosques in Christchurch around lunchtime today. New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described the incident as a terrorist attack saying the suspects held “extremist views” that have no place in New Zealand. She confirmed that thirty people were killed when gunmen stormed…
-
Christchurch mosque massacre: 40 killed in mass shootings
Forty people have now been confirmed dead with dozens more wounded after two mass shootings at mosques in New Zealand’s south island city of Christchurch. One of the attacks live-streamed on Facebook. At least one gunman opened fire on Muslim worshippers at a mosque. The city centre was placed on lockdown following the massacre around lunchtime, NZ time. Officials also urged all mosques…
-
Christchurch mosque shootings – nine dead, many more injured
Here is the latest we know about the Friday afternoon attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand on two mosques. The number of dead is expected to escalate during the afternoon. Two mosques have been attacked by at least one gunman. The shooting began around 1.40pm local time with multiple fatalities. Police say they now have a man in custody but speculate…
-
Facebook won’t build data centres in countries with bad human rights records, except Singapore
Mark Zuckerberg promised in a lengthy blog post that the company wouldn’t build data centres in countries with poor human rights. But he chose to ignore Singapore’s track record in human rights, declaring the city-state home to Facebook’s first data center in Asia to “serve everyone.” “As we build our infrastructure around the world, we’ve chosen not to build data centres in…
-
UPDATE: Thailand grounds Thai Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX fleet
… and US pilots report their problems whilst flying the 737 Max 8 model aircraft. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand says it is suspending the use of the Boeing Co’s 737 MAX 9 due to safety concerns. The regulator said it will temporarily suspend the use of Thai Lion Air’s Boeing 737 MAX 9s for seven days, starting tomorrow…
-
Only the US and Canada left flying the Boeing 737 Max aircraft*
The US and Canada remain the only two country’s left flying the Boeing 737 Max 8 model aircraft in any substantial numbers (*there are a few smaller airlines and nations but very few remaining). Otherwise most of the world’s aviation authorities have either grounded the planes or closed access to their airspace for the operation of the popular new Boeing…
-
UPDATE: Regulators ground the Boeing 737 Max 8, but not in Thailand
PHOTO: Thai Lion Air won’t be grounding their Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft The digital flight data recorder for Flight ET302 from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to Nairobi, Kenya was located yesterday morning Citizens of 35 countries are among the 157 people killed, including 32 Kenyans, 18 Canadians, nine Ethiopians and eight passengers each from China, Italy and the US Multiple…
-
Ethiopian Airlines crash – a second new Boeing 737 falters after take off
PHOTO: A brand new Boeing 737 Max 800 for Ethiopian Airlines All 157 people on board the Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa that crashed yesterday morning have died, the airline has confirmed. The airline said in a statement… “We hereby confirm that our scheduled flight ET 302 from Addis Ababa to Nairobi was involved in accident today.” The plane is…
-
Will Asian airlines allow female flight attendants to leave the make up and tight clothes at home?
Some regional airlines, principally AirAsia and Vietnam’s VietJet Air are being criticised for putting young female flight attendants in tight-fitting clothes or revealing outfits either on the job or in promotional videos. The local online ‘outrage’ follows an announcement this week that Britain’s Virgin Atlantic has dropped a requirement that female flight attendants wear makeup. This sees Virgin join other major…
-
‘No homosexuals in Malaysia” – Malaysian Tourism, Arts and Culture minister
Malaysian minister grilled in Germany over policy on gays, Jews ahead of travel fair Malaysia’s Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Mohamaddin Ketapi has caused ripples in Germany after making an ill-informed remark about homosexuality. “Homosexuality? I don’t think we have such a thing in our country.” “I cannot answer whether it’s safe or not,” he was quoted as saying by…
-
Singapore Covid-19 patients to have their meals, medicine delivered by robot.
Patients at a Singapore hospital suspected or confirmed to be infected with the Covid-19 coronavirus will soon get their meals and medicines from a robot. What’s more, a second robot is being deployed to clean, and will chat with patients in four languages, as well as “Singlish.” Details of the use of the robot technology were outlined in Singapore’s Ministry…
-
Upstart Chinese start-up shades Samsung and Huawei
A Shenzhen-based manufacturer of flexible displays has launched, and is selling, the first workable flexible screen smartphone, beating Samsung and Huawei into the foldable market. At this week’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Samsung and Huawei made all the noise with their new $2,000 foldable phones. But they very secret with specs and not available for review with people clamoring…
-
A family of three grooms Vietnam’s most edible golf course
One of Vietnam’s leading golf layouts, Laguna Golf Lang Company, is staying at the top of its maintenance game with the talents of a very special group of greenkeepers. A family of water buffalo. As every superintendent worth their salt will tell you, prime conditioning is key to the success of every leading golf course. Dedicated greenkeeping staff at top…
-
Two week+ wait for visa appointments at Thai Embassy in Vientiane, Laos
PHOTO: Waiting to get into the Thai Embassy in Vientiane Expect to wait up to two weeks if you want to visit the Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane, Laos to apply for a tourist or non-immigrant visa. ThaiVisa reports that, since February 1, foreigners applying for tourist, non-immigrant or transit visas, will need to make an online appointment before submitting…
-
Flying into history, the mighty Airbus A380
In an era where airlines are now run by accountants instead of pioneers, aviators or passionate flyers, it’s no wonder we’re seeing the passing of an important aviation milestone this week. The Airbus A380, a passenger favourite, failed to ignite the interest it needed to sustain new orders and and a continuation of the program of building, selling and servicing…
-
Kim-Trump summit ‘fail’ over North Korea’s demands to lift sanctions
by Choi He-suk, Korea Herald – Asia News Network US President Donald Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong-un’s summit ended abruptly with both sides failing to reach an agreement. The second day of talks kicked off at 9 am yesterday at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi but the event was cut short when Kim and Trump departed at 1:25 pm.…
-
Thai Airways cancels flights to Pakistan and Europe, temporary
Thai Airways International has cancelled all flights to and from Pakistan and Europe after Pakistan closed its airspace amid rising tensions with India. Latest in the tensions between India and Pakistan HERE. The flights cancelled on Wednesday night were TG341 and TG342 on the Bangkok-Karachi-Bangkok route, the TG345 and TG 346 Bangkok-Lahore-Bangkok flights and TG349 and TG350 Bangkok-Islamabad-Bangkok flights. Thai…
-
Day One in the second Trump-Kim summit in Vietnam
PHOTO: A fake Kim Jong-un has been deported from Hanoi, Vietnam in the lead up to the second Trump-Kim Summit. Vietnam is letting fake Trump stay though.by The Korea Herald – Asia News NetworkUS President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will meet for two hours today in the first day of their second summit, according to Yonhap news agency.…
-
AirAsia adds more Thailand-Vietnam flights
PHOTO: The Golden Bridge in the Ba Na Hills, near Da Nang Thai AirAsia says it’s adding new routes linking Thailand to destinations in Vietnam, as it seeks to increase its market share in the Mekong Region – Cambodia, Southern China provinces, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam The latest promotion supports the launch of a service from Chiang Mai in North…
-
Thai AirAsia looking to purchase stake in local rival Nok Air
Having a cashed-up and aggressive competitor looking to buy a stake in Nok Air will send more shudders down the corridors of the lumbering local behometh, Thai Airways. Asia Aviation, the majority shareholders of Thailand’s low-cost Air Asia franchise Thai AirAsia, says it was considering buying a stake in local rival Nok Airlines. The announcement has sent Nok’s share prices…
-
Golden Triangle drug labs increase shipments 1000% – Speed and Ice pouring over the border
The number of seizures of high-purity crystal methamphetamine are surging into northern Thailand. The demand rises and the methods of detection and enforcement also improve. It’s a vicious circle. Authorities say the number of drug seizures have risen 1000% in just the past 2 years, a stark indication of the growth in industrial-scale production in neighboring Myanmar. Some 18.4 tonnes…
-
Die! Die! Korean Air ‘nut rage’ heiress assaults husband in video
by The Korea Herald – Asia News Network A video clip showing a woman who appears to be Cho Hyun-ah, formerly Korean Air vice-president, shouting at her husband, and photos showing his injuries has been revealed. In the video, the woman shouts “Die! Die!” at her husband, surnamed Park, who filed for divorce last year citing physical and verbal abuse against…
-
Students are dropping out along Cambodia’s border with Thailand
by VOA A Cambodian official has reported that about 23% of children in three provinces along the border with Thailand have stopped attending school. The Cambodian Education Minister Hangchuon Naron was speaking about the student dropout rate. He said that the rate in Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Oddor Meanchey provinces was much higher than in other areas, where rates are…
-
Lion Air flight slips off Borneo runway, landing in poor conditions – VIDEO
Another PR disaster for Lion Air, luckily no fatalities in this latest incident. A Lion Air Boeing 737 with 189 people on board has skidded off a Borneo runway as the pilot tried to land during heavy rain. The Lion Air flight was coming in to land at the Supadio International Airport. The aircraft was carrying 182 passengers and seven crew…
-
Now you can study the success of K-pop band BTS – University of California, Berkeley
PHOTO: BTS members posing with South Korean President Moon Jae In 400 million views, 500 million, 600 million. Just scroll through the group’s songbook on YouTube from the past five years and you will be watching music history in the making – a success built on a new pop genre, new ‘music business’ model and seven young South Koreans hell-bent…
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.