World News
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Sponsored Why long-term expats in Thailand say insurance is worth every baht
Thailand’s warm weather, low cost of living, and good healthcare attract many long-term expats, including retirees and remote workers. Life here feels easy and affordable, but medical costs can be high if something goes wrong. Private hospitals are popular because...
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Engaged – Japanese driver reverses into ancient privvy
The front page of Tuesday’s UK Guardian features the sad story of Japan’s oldest toilet. A member of the Kyoto Heritage Preservation Association mistakenly reversed his car into the building’s 500-year-old bog door. The man damaged the communal toilet inside the Tofukuji temple in Kyoto when he crashed through the doors in reverse, ending up several metres inside the inconvenient…
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Japan makes path to enlightenment easier with “AI Buddha” tool
Japan has once again made use of its advanced technological skills by creating an artificial intelligence (AI) tool to help those attain enlightenment. The Buddhist tool, aka AI Buddha, brings ancient scriptures’ spiritual guidance to smartphones. According to Bangkok Post, the software was co-developed by a team of religious and computer academics at Kyoto University. The software has been programmed to…
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Chinese government accuses protesters of illegally entering consulate in Manchester
The Chinese government is responding to a video of a Hong Kong pro-democracy protester being assaulted at the consulate in Manchester by saying such protesters illegally entered the grounds. According to Hong Kong Free Press, British police say a group of men came out from the consulate during a peaceful demonstration and dragged one of the protesters inside the building…
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Myanmar junta wants political opponents prosecuted faster
Myanmar’s junta is pushing the courts to prosecute political opponents‘ trials faster despite it impacting defendants’ lawyers’ preparation. The regime has instructed courts to finish all trials of opponents, including the leader of the democratically elected party Aung San Suu Kyi. A Yangon-based lawyer, who spoke anonymously, says this is not always a fair tactic. “It is not always good…
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Silly anti-cheating masks in university go viral
Taking a cue from a Bangkok university, students at Bicol University College of Engineering in the Philippines went viral for silly “anti-cheating” masks they wore for exams. A faculty member decided to bring some levity to the problem of cheating in schools by allowing her engineering students to design masks to prevent cheating, no matter how ridiculous they were. And…
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Australia flip-flops on past decision around Israel’s capital
Australia today flip-flopped on a past decision it made around the capital of Israel, an infamously hot-button issue, several news outlets reported. While Australia recognised West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2018, the Australian government has now reversed this decision. Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong said that Australia is committed to peace between Israel and Palestine and that the country would…
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China Southern Airlines ready for Bangkok takeoff
News breaking yesterday that China Southern Airlines is planning to resume flights to Bangkok signals more good news for the Thailand tourism industry aiming to attract another 12 million foreign travellers before the end of the year. In 2019 more than 12 million Chinese tourists travelled to Thailand, making up one-quarter of the kingdom’s foreign arrivals. There had been a…
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UN Ambassador Princess Sirindhorn advocates food and equality
Acting as a United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Special Goodwill Ambassador, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn called for a focus on food and equality in the Asia-Pacific region. She made remarks to commemorate World Food Day yesterday in a speech. She delivered the address via video as covered by the Bangkok Post and urged the Asia-Pacific region to…
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21 Thai gamblers arrested for illegal hi-lo game in Taiwan
A Thai woman and 20 Thai gamblers were arrested in Taiwan on October 1 for playing at an illegal gaming house. Taiwanese media, United Daily News (UDN) and Mirror Media, reported that police in the Shilin district of Taipei were notified about the operation of an illegal casino at a two-story house rented by a 63 year old Thai woman…
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Death toll rises after Russia’s “kamikaze drones” hit Ukraine capital
UPDATE The death toll following Russia’s “kamikaze drone” strikes on Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv has risen. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said shortly after the attacks that at least one person, a woman, had been killed. The number of people killed has risen to four, according to Reuters. The victims include a woman who was six months pregnant and her…
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Myanmar journalists go into hiding after threats from junta over “incorrect” reporting
Fearing retribution after reporting that the Myanmar junta killed three civilians and wounded 19 others, journalists inside the country are going into hiding. The ruling military threatened to sue the news agencies for the reports that detail the killings as being near a Buddhist pagoda in Mon state last week. According to Radio Free Asia, BBC Burmese and The Irrawaddy online…
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Russian fighter jets crashes into apartment building near Ukraine leaving at least 6 dead
A Russian fighter plane has apparently crashed into an apartment building just outside of Ukraine, killing at least six people and injuring 19. The crash happened in the Russian city of Yeysk shortly after taking off on Monday. According to the Straits Times, the crash engulfed the apartments which left another six people missing. The city of Yeysk is separated…
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Famous US actor Kevin Spacey does about-face in court on sex assault claims
In what seems to be an about-face, famous US actor Kevin Spacey told a federal court that he regretted apologising over an unwanted sexual advance accusation. The now 50-year-old actor told the court that the allegation was “not true” saying that he was never alone with actor Anthony Rapp who made the claims. According to South China Morning Post, the…
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Russia launches “kamikaze drones” into Ukraine capital
Russia launched “kamikaze drones” into Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv this morning. This news comes just after Russia’s President Vladimir Putin claimed on Friday that there was no need for massive strikes on Ukraine. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that at least one person, a woman, has been killed in the attacks, Al Jazeera reported. Klitschko said another person remains under…
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South Korean drug mule dies after ingesting narcotics from split condom
A South Korean drug mule died after the condoms he ingested carrying illegal narcotics ripped open in his stomach. The South Korean media platform Hankook Ilbo reported last Wednesday, October 12, that the drug courier died while smuggling narcotics from Thailand to Malaysia and his home country. The South Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) confirmed that they found the 50…
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Prisoners killed in fire at Iran’s most notorious prison
Prisoners have been killed in a fire that broke out at Iran’s most notorious prison on Saturday. Four prisoners were killed by the fire that started at Evin Prison in Tehran on Saturday, state media reported. Another 61 prisoners have been injured, according to state media. State media reported that four of the injured prisoners were in critical condition. The…
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Lift restrictions, South Korea told, or lose Thai tourists
South Korea must lift travel restrictions if it wants to lure Thai tourists back to the country says Thailand’s tourism industry. South Korea lifted some travel restrictions since the Covid-19 pandemic started to ease on April 1 this year but it has not gone far enough, the Thai tourist board insist, adding they must go further otherwise those travellers will…
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Singapore reviewing import of 16 insects for food
A host of new insects are up for approval to be imported into Singapore for human consumption. The Singapore Food Agency is reviewing 16 separate insects and insect products that can be imported now for use in animal feed and for people to eat. It may sound disgusting, but the insects underwent thorough scientific review before approval according to the…
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Thailand has the world’s worst pension system
Thailand often ranks highly in best destination polls and once again the Land of Smiles has come out on top – for having the worst pension system in the world. Iceland is ranked as having the world’s best pension while Singapore is No.1 among Asian countries as having the best pension. The American asset management firm, Mercer, revealed the survey…
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Xi tells world to stop interfering in China’s internal affairs
President Xi Jinping sprung no surprises in his opening speech at China’s 20th Party Congress in Beijing yesterday. The Chinese leader emphasized his commitment to the mainland’s zero-Covid-19 policy, safeguarding national security, attracting talent, and a pledge toward the one country, two systems principle of socialism with Chinese characteristics in Hong Kong, Macau, and the eventual reunification of Taiwan. In…
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Not so smug now – expat life in the grip of Truss
If you are British, and an expat, one of the few things you used to feel smug about was the government “back home.” The nutters may occasionally take over the asylum, but it’s a good strong asylum, fit for purpose. Mother of parliaments. The United Kingdom doesn’t usually have generals taking charge, water cannons in the streets, movie-star presidents or…
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Red flag – the profitable end of Hanoi’s car-crash F1 GP
With the possible exception of a Qatar World Cup, few sporting sagas could be more absurd and inappropriate than the story of the never-to-be Hanoi Grand Prix, as told by Australia’s Fox Sport. Vietnam has no tradition whatsoever in the sport of Formula 1, nor any motorsport for that matter. The moment plans for a Hanoi Grand Prix were announced,…
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Border officials, tour operators carve up latest visa run bounty
Thai and Cambodian border police at Aranyaprathet and Pong Nam Ron detailed rules for those who wish to extend their stay in Thailand by 45 days. The new stamp can be extended for a further month at immigration offices for 1,900 baht (US$50). The scheme is popular with Brits, European Union citizens, Americans and Australians. Borey San, Cambodian clearance officer,…
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Sweet smell of success – customs officers celebrate durian/heroin bust
Customs officials at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport snatched over 7 kilograms of heroin they say was bound for Taiwan. Thai customs have been working closely with international logistics agencies to lessen the flow of drugs through the country, greatly increasing with the massive increment in cross-border e-commerce and the billions of parcels now in transit from warehouses worldwide. The big bust…
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School ferry sinks on Cambodian Mekong, 14 children dead
An overloaded ferry capsized on the Mekong River in Cambodia, killing at least 14 children. The incident took place southeast of the capital city of Phnom Penh on a ferry that was transporting children home from school. The victims were between the ages of 11 and 14 years old. The wide and long Mekong snakes through Cambodia – as well…
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No more Mr Nice Guy – dazed Putin seeks to emulate US glory in Vietnam
The United States had been secretly bombing Cambodia for years, though it wasn’t much of a secret to the Cambodians when The New York Times exposed the practice in May 1969. President Richard Nixon and national security advisor Henry Kissinger believed they had a game changer that would bring the victory the army failed to deliver, but of course, they…
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Three arrested in India in occult human sacrifice case
In the southern Indian state of Kerala, police arrested three people accused of murdering two women allegedly as an occult human sacrifice. Authorities say that the people taken into custody confessed to the crime. A 60 year old traditional healer and masseur and his 52 year old wife were believed to have worked with an occult practitioner to improve their…
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North Korea’s Kim watching Russia’s Putin closely after nuclear threats
North Korea’s leader is observing the moves of Russia as it moves toward normalising nuclear threats. The government has set off more than 40 missile launches this year while threatening pre-emptive nuclear strikes on Washington and Seoul, world leaders say it may be looking at Russia as its inspiration. As Russia is a nuclear-armed member of the UN Security Council,…
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Florida school shooter gets life in prison, avoids death penalty
A shooter who killed 17 people at his former high school in the state of Florida in the US, has avoided the death penalty for his crimes. The US jury decided that Nikolas Cruz should spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole. According to the Straits Times, the jury deliberated for a full day…
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Thailand’s LTR visa needs reworking to attract foreigners
Thailand is still confident its updated Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa will attract affluent foreigners despite more attractive LTR visa options in other countries. On September 1, Thailand launched a revised LTR visa, joining other nations such as Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, targeting rich foreigners. The Thai government cut the cost of the 10-year LTR visa in half, from…
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