World News
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Sponsored Is private health insurance in Thailand worth it? Real costs vs risks explained
Thailand has a strong healthcare system with both public and private options. Public hospitals offer affordable care, but many people, including expats, choose private health insurance for faster service, modern facilities, and more treatment choices. To decide if private health...
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18 dead from chemical plant fire in India
Yesterday, a fire erupted in a chemical plant in Rune, a city in western India. Reportedly, 37 workers were trapped in the building when the fire started. Alerted to the fire, rescue workers dashed to the scene. They saw plumes of purplish-grey smoke coming out of the building. Firemen broke walls to reach the people trapped inside. Officials say they…
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Myanmar’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi to go on trial next week
The trial of Myanmar’s detained and ousted leader is set to go on next week. The military arrested Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy and a Nobel laureate, in the February 1 coup, saying the reason behind the takeover was due to a fraudulent election. She had won the election for state counsellor in a landslide. 75…
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Fed-up waiting, some Thais have travelled overseas to be vaccinated
While the Thai government continues to big up its vaccination rollout and PM Prayut Chan-o-cha insists there will be enough vaccines for everyone, many Thais have lost faith. And the few who can afford it are flying overseas – at significant cost – to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Coconuts reports that the reasons for doing so are varied… some have…
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Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses concern over violence in Myanmar
With more than 850 people killed by security forces since the February military coup in Myanmar, and the junta’s ongoing clashes with ethnic troops and rebel fighters, Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a statement expressing concern over the violence in the neighbouring country. Along with reiterating the call to end violence and the release of detainees, the ministry’s spokesperson…
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#FreePALESTINE billboard taken down in Bangkok
A billboard in Yan Nawa, a district in Bangkok, has been taken down. It was reportedly put up by a group of Thai Muslims who support the Palestinian cause. The billboard consisted of the Palestinian flag with “#FreePALESTINE” superimposed on the bottom of the flag, as well as the dome of the Al-Aqsa mosque. Reportedly, Thai officials had asked the…
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Burmese coup leader says in interview he’s surprised by backlash
In an interview with a Hong Kong TV channel recently aired on Burmese television, Burmese coup leader Min Aung Hlaing said that he was struggling to control Myanmar after a surprise backlash. The interview by the Chinese language Phoenix Television was just aired Thursday in Myanmar. In the interview, the military leader said he did not anticipate such widespread and…
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Cancellation of the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix for 2021
Race promoter Singapore GP have announced the cancellation of the 2021 Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix due to “ongoing safety and logistic concerns” brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. Colin Syn, Deputy Chairman of Singapore GP says the local GP has attracted fans from over 100 countries. “We understand that our fans were looking forward to another edition…
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Covid-19 sees a rise in dangerous scams in India
While Covid-19 was wreaking havoc across India, some devious scammers saw the desperation of a pandemic crisis as an opportunity. India has frequently been known to be a hotbed for ripoffs and scams, and the Coronavirus pandemic has only worsened the situation. In December an Indian call centre made US $14 million by cheating 4,500 Americans whom they tricked into…
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Man arrested for allegedly smuggling durian into Thailand
Last night, a man was arrested and charged with smuggling durian into Thailand from Myanmar. 25 year old Pairat Wattanom, a Thai Man from the Thai Province Ranong, which is part of the isthmus that has the Andaman Sea on one side and the Gulf of Thailand on the other, has been arrested and waits for the judicial system to…
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India places order for 300 million doses of unapproved vaccine
India signed an order yesterday for 300 million doses of an unnamed Indian vaccine that will cost US $205-206 million. The currently untitled vaccine comes from the Indian firm Biological E, which is in Phase 3 trials. The vaccine has shown “promising results” in the first two phases, says the government. From the government: The arrangement with Biological-E is part…
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US President Biden pledges vaccines donation, 25 million to start
The UN-backed COVAX program, to help supply vaccines around the world, got a boost today as US President Biden vowed that America will donate 25 million vaccines to start. The donation would make up nearly 25% of all vaccines procured through the COVAX program to date. The UN effort seeks to bulk up vaccine supplies in Asia, Africa, and South…
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Train accident kills 9 in China
Early this morning, 9 people were confirmed dead from a railway accident in China’s Gansu Province, a northcentral province south of Mongolia. Reportedly, the train rammed workers. The train was coming from Urumqi and was head to Hangzhou, when it crashed into railway workers around 5:25 in the morning in Jinchang city. Emergency responders were sent to the scene to…
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Indonesian submarine salvage efforts called off
After the tragic search for Indonesia’s missing submarine ending in finding it had sunk with no survivors April 21, the government has officially ended attempts to salvage the sub. The KRI Nanggalla 402 was engaging in live torpedo trainings but disappeared in April with 53 crew members aboard. Days of frantic searches and hopes for survivors came to a close…
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Serbian volleyball player makes racist gesture during Thai match
A volleyball match in the Nations League is making waves after a Serbian volleyball player made a gesture many considered racist during a game with the Thai team. Sanja Djurdjevic was signalling her teammates during the match when she tugged on the corner of her eyes, narrowing them into a gesture that has often been used as a racist jab…
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Vietnam Ministry of Labour cracks down on illegal workers
In the struggles facing Vietnam with a new Covid-19 outbreak, the country has announced a crackdown on illegal foreign workers. The Ministry of Labour – Invalids and Social Affairs has requested tightening on the rules and enforcement of expats working in Vietnam in an official announcement. They urged provincial and municipal officials to get strict on foreign workers and consider…
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ASEAN delegation to visit Myanmar to help find a solution to ongoing crisis
To help find a solution to the ongoing situation in Myanmar following the military coup, an ASEAN delegation will visit Myanmar tomorrow to meet with the leaders of the junta’s State Administrative Council, which has taken the place of the elected civilian government led by the National League of Democracy. Since the February military takeover, an estimated more than 800…
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Philippines confirms delay in imports of AstraZeneca doses from Thailand
The Philippines has announced that the arrival of a first batch of AstraZeneca vaccines being imported from Thailand has been delayed. The delivery of the vaccines, manufactured in Thailand and ordered by the Philippines, has now been pushed back by several weeks. According to a Bangkok Post report, the development gives rise to questions about Thailand’s distribution plans for Southeast…
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It’s a yes: WHO approves Sinovac for emergency use
The CoronaVac vaccine from Chinese firm Sinovac has been approved for emergency use, making it the second Chinese vaccine to be approved by the World Health Organisation. The approval paves the way for more widespread global distribution, particularly as part of the Covax scheme. The scheme aims to provide poorer countries with equal access to Covid-19 vaccines but up to…
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Malaysia imposes lockdown
Starting today, Malaysia imposed a strict lockdown on its country. The region avoided the first Covid-19 wave, thanks largely to decisive action: closing borders, issuing curbs. However, Southeast Asia has become the new Covid-19 epicentre, as their efforts to curb outbreaks have been impeded by recent Covid outbreaks, glacial slow vaccine rollouts, and citizens who have restriction fatigue. Malaysia has…
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Southeast Asia: The new covid-19 epicentre
Some western countries appear to have turned the tide against Covid-19 (China and India have also administered between 640 million and 208 million doses, respectively). The middle East is showing promise in vaccinating its citizens. But health experts predict some countries could be months or even weeks from being able to come out on the other side of their current…
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Border patrols in Thailand’s Deep South tighten following lockdown in Malaysia
Following the lockdown measures in Malaysia, troops in Thailand’s Deep South province of Narathiwat have tightened patrol along the natural border to make sure people are not entering Thailand illegally, evading checkpoints and the mandatory quarantine, to prevent Covid-19 from being spread through the country’s porous borders. Officers will focus primarily border districts Waeng, Su-ngai Kolok and Tak Bai, areas…
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Tokyo Olympics: Spectators must be vaccinated or test negative for Covid
Fans who wish to go to the upcoming Tokyo Olympics will either need to be vaccinated or have tested negative for Covid-19 before they will be allowed into venues. In addition to the requirements for spectators, officials are considering banning cheering, eating, giving high fives, or drinking alcohol, according to the Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun Daily. Those who break the rules…
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All residents in Ho Chi Minh to be tested for Covid following outbreak in the city
A Covid-19 outbreak in Vietnam’s largest city of Ho Chi Minh has driven the Vietnamese government to test all residents for the virus. While infections in Vietnam have remained low, a new cluster linked to a religious mission has been reported in the city and what a local officials call a “very dangerous” new variant was recently found in the…
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Thai soldiers keep watch after bomb explosions in Myanmar border town
Over the weekend, local media in Myanmar reported that 2 bombs exploded near the Thai border. The blasts could be heard by those in Thailand at the Phra Chedi Sam Ong border checkpoint, known as the Three Pagodas Pass, in Kanachaburi’s Sangkhla Buri district. Thai soldiers were deployed to the checkpoint as a precaution. The explosions went off at 10:10pm…
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Full lockdown in Malaysia from tomorrow
From tomorrow, Malaysia goes into full lockdown in an attempt to flatten the curve of Covid-19 infections across the country. PM Muhyiddin Yassin had been resisting calls for a lockdown, saying he was trying to balance public health needs with economic recovery. However, even some businesses in the country’s tourism sector have been pushing for tougher measures. Just hours before…
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Burmese shadow government builds fighting Defence Force
After Myanmar’s Feb 1 military coup threw the country into turmoil, a collection of deposed leaders formed the National Unity Government, who announced they were forming the People’s Defence Force to fight back. Yesterday the new military force was seen in a video of uniformed trainees finishing their instruction and prepared for combat. The video shows about 100 men marching…
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Covid-19 updates from Southeast and South Asia
Around Southeast and South Asia, Covid-19 infections are on the rise, with Thailand’s third wave still raging on and Vietnam experiencing a new outbreak with a newly found hybrid variant just identified. Today, Thailand recorded another 4,528 Covid-19 infections and 24 Covid-19 related fatalities. Vietnam has increased lockdown measures after topping 6,700 total infections, most of which have occurred in the…
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New Covid-19 variant in Vietnam, a hybrid of Indian and UK strain
A combination of the so-called Indian variant and UK variant of Covid-19 with rapid airborne transmission has been discovered in Vietnam. The country, like Thailand, locked down hard and early and largely avoided the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, only to have a new outbreak bring exponentially worse infections and death in April. The discovery of this new strain is contributing…
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Authorities in Thailand vexed at “Thai variant” name
Since Donald Trump first popularised Covid-19 terminology by acerbically referring it to the “China virus”, the geographic naming of Covid-19 strains is a hot button issue, and now it’s Thailand’s turn. A recently discovered variant of Covid-19 has been given the moniker of the “Thai variant” which has drawn immediate condemnation from Thailand’s authorities. The variant was identified by health…
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Malaysia heads into another 2 week full lockdown
Malaysia is going back into a full lockdown for 2 weeks, starting this Tuesday. The Malaysian PM Muhyiddin Yassin announced the nationwide “total lockdown” as the country battles with a new surge of Covid-19. The lockdown will run from June 1 – 14 and only essential and emergency services would remain in operation. According to the prime ministers office, the…
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