World News
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Sponsored 12Go introduces Japan Rail Passes to enhance travel accessibility for international travellers
For those who have travelled throughout Thailand, 12Go is a well-known provider of various trips, though the platform itself has a much wider reach. Ranging from buses to planes, 12Go is undoubtedly a leading booking platform for travel throughout the...
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ASEAN takeaways – 34th Summit in Bangkok
PHOTO: Thai PBS Time to say goodbye. The leaders, minders, security details, media and staff all head back to the ten ASEAN nations following a non-controversial Bangkok Summit held over the weekend, as well as regional plenaries held last Thursday and Friday. The expensive crockery is being put away, the hundreds of flags neatly folded, the chairs stacked and stored,…
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ASEAN’s bid for the 2034 World Cup
Today’s last day of the ASEAN Summit in Bangkok is considering a proposal, from the foreign ministers of the ten member nations to submit a bid to host the football World Cup in 2034. The only Asian hosts of the World Cup so far have been Japan and South Korea, in 2002. Thailand’s Foreign Minister, Don Pramudwinai, says the proposal…
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The Korean Wave – a tsunami of cultural opportunity for ASEAN
BTS, Blackpink, ASEAN, K-Pop by The Star Online – Asia News Network TV drama, pop music, culture, food. The ‘Korean Wave’ is on its way. The Korean Wave was the hot topic at the ASEAN-Korea Media Forum held in Seoul recently, with experts saying that it has, in fact, enhanced cultural exchanges between the republic and the entire region. Korean…
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Myanmar government turns off telecoms in Rhakine State
Burmese authorities have ordered telecommunications companies in Myanmar to shut down internet services in the conflict-torn Rhakine State in western Myanmar. Government soldiers (Tatmadaw) are in a long term civil struggle with ‘ethnic rebels’. Telenor Group announced that the Ministry of Transport and Communications commanded all communication companies to “temporarily” suspend internet services in nine townships in Rakhine and neighbouring…
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Summit this afternoon, banquet tonight – ASEAN leaders assemble in Bangkok
The 34th ASEAN Summit got down to the main agenda today Saturday as leaders from various ASEAN countries arrived in Bangkok for the regional talk-fest. This morning leaders who were in attendance at the Athenee Hotel were Malaysian PM Mahathir Bin Mohamad, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President of The Philippines Rodrigo Duterte, Laos PM…
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Vietnam and Thailand top Asia Pacific destinations for Russians
Vietnam is becoming one of the top destinations in the Asia Pacific region for Russian visitors, with the favourite Thailand still a close second, according to global travel analysis firm ForwardKeys. The ForwardKeys survey reports that Vietnam saw the highest increase in Russian market seat capacity at 153%, followed by Thailand and the Maldives, which saw a growth of 125%…
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ASEAN’s main conferences on today in Bangkok
The 34th ASEAN Summit started yesterday with various break-out meetings before the main leaders’ meeting takes place today and tomorrow. Wireless Road (Witthaya Road) is closed Saturday and Sunday as part of the weekend’s security arrangements. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs, delivered a speech at the opening of the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Network Meeting, one of the important…
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Thai Airways sneaks into Top Ten. Skytrax World’s Best Airlines Awards 2019.
PHOTO: A Thai Airways Airbus A380 Qatar Airways is the world’s best airline in the 2019 Skytrax World Airline Awards. Last year’s winner Singapore Airlines, has been relegated to second place. Asian airlines have taken six of the top ten spots with Thai Airways, despite their local woes, just sneaking into the Top Ten. The Skytrax awards are the most prestigious…
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China-North Korea leaders meet. “Ties good for regional peace”
In a clear signal to the US President, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un has welcomed the Chinese President Xi Jinping in a grand parade. Kim Jong Un and China’s President agreed that amid “serious and complicated” international affairs, strengthening bilateral ties was good for both countries and regional peace, according to North Korean state media. Xi arrived in Pyongyang yesterday…
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34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok – preview
South-east Asian leaders will assemble for the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok this weekend to discuss a range of hot topics. Bangkok’s busy Wireless Road will be closed during the Summit. The event is being held at The Athenée Hotel. Intersections on Wireless, Phloen Chit and Sarasin roads will be closed over the weekend to facilitate the movements and security…
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Thai Army assists with removal of Cambodian border mines
The Royal Thai Army has helped its Cambodian counterparts clear landmines along the Sa Kaew border in Thailand’s east. Together they’ve cleared around 1.72 million square metres in the past financial year. Lt Gen Sitthipol Nimnual, director of the Thailand Mine Action Centre visited the border at Sa Kaew’s Ta Phraya district where the TMAC-Cambodian Mine Action Centre project has…
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Suu Kyi attending ASEAN Summit amid regional storm over Rohingya
PHOTO: ASEAN members will be piling pressure on Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi over the regional Rohingya crisis. Myanmar ‘State Counsellor’ Aung San Suu Kyi is heading to Bangkok to attend this weekend’s 34th Summit of the ASEAN. It’s believed the Rohingya refugee crisis will be a hot topic for discussion at the Summit. Myanmar’s state-run media report that Suu…
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Earthquake rattles northwest Japan, triggers small tsunami
An earthquake has struck Japan’s northwest coast triggering a small tsunami, shaking buildings and cutting power to around 9,000 buildings in the area. The quake struck at 10.22pm. local time at a depth of 12 kilometres. The magnitude 6.4 quake lasted for around 20 seconds. Damage included a landslide that struck a road, according to public broadcaster NHK. Authorities lifted…
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Paris Airshow overshadowed by Boeing’s woes
PHOTO: The new, single-aisle Airbus A321NeoXLR, extra-long-range version Boeing suffered more setbacks whilst Airbus launched an update to their single-aisle line up. Day one at the Paris Airshow. Boeing’s latest creation the 777X will have to wait for General Electric’s specially-constructed new jets to arrive following another delay in testing. The long delay is a blow to Boeing, already struggling…
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ASEAN meeting reports on global sugar deficit and opportunities for SE Asian countries
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…
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Thailand to sit on UN committee from 2020
PHOTO: Thailand’s Foreign Affairs Minister Don Paramudwinai Thailand has been selected as a member of the UN Economic and Social Council from 2020 to 2022 on behalf of Asia and the Pacific region, alongside China, South Korea and Bangladesh. Thailand won 186 votes in the selection process. Thailand’s Foreign Affairs Minister Don Paramudwinai also participated in the session. Last time…
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Malaysia’s Deputy PM sympathises with Azmin’s family over gay sex video scandal
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…
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Thailand’s dengue fever cases “double the five year average” – epidemic declared
“The situation is also the same in Thailand’s neighbour countries.” The Department of Disease Control on Friday has declared a dengue fever epidemic this year. From Jan 1 to June 11 this year there has already been 28,785 reported cases and 43 deaths from the mosquito-borne virus. The deputy director-general of the department says the number of patients was double the…
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ASEAN-Hong Kong, China Free Trade Agreement comes into force
The ASEAN – Hong Kong, China Free Trade Agreement (AHKFTA – that acronym’s never going to fly!), came into force this week for Hong Kong and five ASEAN member states, namely, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Under the AHKFTA, Hong Kong and Singapore will grant tariff-free access and keep their customs duties at zero upon entry into force of…
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Eighteen Burmese illegal migrants found in a Songkhla camp, Thailand
PHOTOS: The Nation Eighteen Burmese illegal migrants have been found at a makeshift camp in forest near Songkhla’s Sadao district waiting waiting to be transported to Malaysia. The 16 men and two women, kept in the woods for four days and told to live on young banana stalks and creek water, were found in a forest area two kilometres away…
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Thai island vs Malaysian island – Phuket vs Penang
Two ‘pearls’ go head to head, including some reflections by guest writer TravellingMitch who’s from the UK Penang was once the ‘Pearl of the Orient’, for most western travellers the only ‘orient’ they would know outside of Singapore and maybe Hong Kong. At the time Phuket wasn’t even known on the tourist map. It was the 1950s and 60s when jet…
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Elephant rides to be banned around Angkor Wat in Siem Reap
Elephant rides around Cambodia’s famous tourist magnet Angkor Wat are being banned. The operator of the local elephant rides around Siem Reap says they have been under pressure from international animal rights organisations, social media and activists to stop the rides. Riding to Angkor Wat at sunrise has been a favourite tourist experience for the past decade. Oan Kiry of…
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Asia’s most challenging golf courses
Golfers fall in love with courses for their beautiful views, world-class services, and impeccable layouts. Some golfers also have a love to hate relationship with all those courses that really test their ability. The Golfscape team has been researching the most challenging courses to play in Asia with the help of journalists, professional golfers, and course designers. Take a look…
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Malaysian diplomat visits Thailand’s deep South to resume peace talks
PHOTO: Tan Sri Abdul Rahim bin Mohammad Noor arrives for talks with Lt-Gen Pornsak Poonsawat, commander of Thailand’s Fourth Army Region – Thai PBS The nominated Malaysian facilitator to continue ongoing peace talks between the Thai government and Mara Patani, an umbrella organisation for Thailand’s separatist groups in the Deep South, wraps up a two day visit to the region today.…
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Malaysian PM dismisses gay sex video implicating his cabinet minister
Malaysian PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad has dismissed the ‘gay sex romp’ videos implicating his Economics Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali with another man. “This is done by people who have political agendas,” said the PM after attending a fund-raising event last night. “Things like these are dirty. If you cannot compete with someone, don’t do something like this.” The…
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Malaysian gay sex video scandal – Cabinet Minister named
Malaysian politics has been thrown into a tizz today as a gay sex video scandal has become the talk of the country. Muhammad Haziq Abdul Aziz, the senior private secretary to Deputy Primary Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, also named the Malaysian cabinet minister with him in the video and said he was “not fit…
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Melbourne named as first non-US city to be an Uber flying-taxi testbed
Flying cars. Long awaited, a thing of 1950s editions of Popular Mechanics and sci-fi, now a small step closer to reality. Uber, the worldwide ride-sharing App, say it is going to use Melbourne, Australia as the first non-US city for its new aerial transportation service. They’ve even claimed 2023 as their launch date for the initiative. Melbourne joins Dallas and…
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PM Prayut receives Royal endorsement at Government House, Bangkok
PHOTO: Thai PBS The newly elected ThaiPM, until now the Prime Minister-elect, has now received royal endorsement from His Majesty the King. The ceremony was held at Government House early this afternoon. Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngarm says that PM Prayut and existing cabinet ministers from the previous government will attend the ASEAN Summit, scheduled for June 20-23 in Bangkok, because…
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Grab adds another layer of riding security in Malaysia. Selfies.
If you’ve used the e-hailing alternative ‘Grab’ you’ll know how easy it is to use as it continues to disrupt traditional taxi and tuk tuk services around the region. In Malaysia they’ve just added another level of security for users and it will be applicable for Thais or other foreigners using Grab when in Malaysia. In Malaysia it will now…
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Helicopters high over Halong Bay, Vietnam
Your visit to Vietnam’s Halong Bay, a cruising Mecca for half a century, can now be enjoyed from above. The Northern Vietnam Helicopter Company will now provide scenic flights over the famous bay, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam. Flights will start at $125 (3,920 baht) for a 12 minute flight – that will take you over six tourist sites,…
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