Asia

  • Thailand NewsThailand retains 10th spot in Asia Power Index 2024

    Thailand retains 10th spot in Asia Power Index 2024

    Thailand maintained its position as the tenth most powerful and influential country in the Asia-Pacific region, according to the Asia Power Index 2024 released by the Lowy Institute. Scoring 19.8 points, Thailand gained 1.1 points from last year but remains in the same ranking as in 2023. The Lowy Institute praised Thailand for its cultural influence and economic relationships, where it…

  • International EducationWhy Asia’s resort destinations are tapping into the growth of international schools

    Why Asia’s resort destinations are tapping into the growth of international schools

    A key indicator of Bangkok’s growing economic maturity is the rapid rise in international schools both in the city and across Thailand and the region. It’s no longer limited to wealthy local families and expatriates, these schools are now drawing in a diverse student body, fueled by the surge in global migration. Branded education is highly prioritised by Thais, contributing…

  • Business NewsThai stock market leads Asia with 6% dollar gain in September

    Thai stock market leads Asia with 6% dollar gain in September

    The Thai stock market has surged to become the top performer in Asia this month, recording a 6% increase in dollar terms. Foreign investors have returned as net buyers, injecting over 20 billion baht (US$595 million) into the market, driven by a combination of domestic and international factors, according to the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET). South Korean and Chinese…

  • Thailand NewsMeet the young Thai trailblazers featured on Forbes list

    Meet the young Thai trailblazers featured on Forbes list

    Seven young Thais have earned their spot on the prestigious Forbes Under 30 Asia 2024 list. These trailblazers join the ranks of 300 influential under-30s from 21 countries, making waves across categories like entertainment, sports, technology, finance, healthcare, and social impact. Among the standout achievers, India leads with 86 honourees, followed by 32 each from China and Japan. Singapore boasts…

  • Business NewsCiti expands medium-sized business operations in Thailand, Asia

    Citi expands medium-sized business operations in Thailand, Asia

    International bank Citi is set to aid the expansion of medium-sized businesses in Thailand and Asia. The move comes as economies in these regions experience high growth rates, presenting lucrative opportunities for companies to penetrate overseas markets. The managing director and head of Citi Commercial Bank (CCB) for Asia North, Australia, and Asia South, Gunjan Kalra, highlighted Asia’s rapid economic…

  • Thailand NewsUN report unveils Asia’s climate catastrophe

    UN report unveils Asia’s climate catastrophe

    Asia, the world’s disaster epicentre, has been hit by an onslaught of climate chaos, reveals a damning United Nations report. Floods and storms reign supreme, leaving devastation in their wake, as the region grapples with scorching temperatures and melting glaciers. In a world heating to unprecedented levels, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) declares Asia as the frontline of the climate…

  • Thailand NewsSingapore tops Asia in World Happiness Report 2024 rankings

    Singapore tops Asia in World Happiness Report 2024 rankings

    Singapore has retained its position as the happiest country in Asia for the second consecutive year, according to the recently released World Happiness Report 2024. The city-state ranked 30th out of 143 surveyed countries globally but stood at the pinnacle in Asia, outshining its regional peers including Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand. Thailand came in seventh…

  • Business NewsThailand aims to be among top five Asian tech ecosystems

    Thailand aims to be among top five Asian tech ecosystems

    Aspiring to rank among Asia’s top five tech ecosystems within the next decade, Thailand is currently focusing on the development of smart industries, particularly in tourism, healthcare, agriculture, and manufacturing, according to a statement by a corporate innovation accelerator. Dr Kid Parchariyanon, CEO and co-founder of RISE, the accelerator, insisted that the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), along with nurturing…

  • Business NewsAsian nations revive Mice industry, Taiwan focuses on preferred destination

    Asian nations revive Mice industry, Taiwan focuses on preferred destination

    As the demand for on-site meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (Mice) activities recovers following the pandemic, Asian countries are preparing their exhibition venues and marketing strategies to welcome international visitors. Northeast Asia has shown significant enthusiasm, with South Korea’s Busan bidding for the World Expo 2030 and Hong Kong unveiling the West Kowloon Cultural District, a 40-hectare area designed to…

  • Business NewsAsian stocks surge as us debt default averted

    Asian stocks surge as us debt default averted

    Asian stocks experienced gains on Friday, following the US Senate’s approval of legislation that prevents a US debt default. The possibility of the US Federal Reserve deciding against raising interest rates this month also contributed to the positive sentiment. Last week, Thai shares fluctuated between 1,521.31 and 1,545.55 points, eventually closing at 1,531.20 on Friday, marking a 0.024% increase from…

  • Business NewsAsia’s factory demand eases amid China’s faltering recovery and global trade slump

    Asia’s factory demand eases amid China’s faltering recovery and global trade slump

    Factories across Asia experienced a further decline in demand during May, as China‘s sluggish recovery impacted a region already grappling with a global trade downturn. Taiwan’s purchasing managers indexes (PMI) dropped to 44.3 from 47.1 in April, while Vietnam recorded its lowest reading since September 2021, according to S&P Global. South Korea’s factory gauge saw a slight increase in May,…

  • World NewsAsia-Pacific markets to gain from US-Europe supply chain diversification

    Asia-Pacific markets to gain from US-Europe supply chain diversification

    Asia-Pacific emerging markets are predicted to gain from the ongoing supply chain decoupling, as analysts highlight the US and Europe’s efforts to diversify risks in security-related sectors. Steven Cochrane, Moody’s Analytics chief Asia-Pacific economist, recently discussed the decoupling between the US and China within intermediate goods production during an online event. He explained that incentives, rather than government policies, are…

  • Business NewsAsia-Pacific countries need US2 billion annually for climate action, says UN

    Asia-Pacific countries need US$362 billion annually for climate action, says UN

    The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) highlighted the urgent need for significant funding to support climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts in the Asia-Pacific region. ESCAP’s Accelerating Climate Action in Asia and the Pacific report reveals that most countries in the area are inadequately prepared for extreme weather events and natural disasters, which…

  • World NewsSingapore firms eye Central Asia’s growing consumer market for expansion

    Singapore firms eye Central Asia’s growing consumer market for expansion

    Central Asia, a region known for its landlocked countries, may not be the most obvious choice for Singaporean businesses looking to expand their horizons. However, Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) believes that the area’s growing consumer market and young population can offer early-mover advantages for companies, particularly in sectors such as urban infrastructure, technology, and innovative consumer products. Despite Central Asia’s strategic…

  • World NewsClimate change makes deadly Asian heatwaves 30 times more likely, study finds

    Climate change makes deadly Asian heatwaves 30 times more likely, study finds

    Last month’s deadly heatwaves in Bangladesh, India, Laos, and Thailand were made at least 30 times more likely due to climate change, according to a study by the World Weather Attribution group. The research examined the average maximum temperature and the maximum heat index, which includes humidity. The findings revealed that climate change made the humid heatwave at least 30…

  • World NewsOver 50% of Gen Z in Asia, and world, suffers with poor mental health

    Over 50% of Gen Z in Asia, and world, suffers with poor mental health

    The latest findings from the annual AXA Study of Mind Health and Wellbeing 2023 have revealed that over 50% of Gen Z (aged 18-24) suffer from poor mental health in Asia and across the globe. Around the world, 53% of Gen Z is experiencing poor mental health, according to the survey. The survey reported that half of Gen Z in…

  • Thailand NewsManchester City Takes on the Far East: Tour of Thailand and Japan in Mid-July

    Manchester City Takes on the Far East: Tour of Thailand and Japan in Mid-July

    Manchester City, the reigning Premier League champions, are embarking on a journey to Asia as part of their preparations for the upcoming season. The tour, expected to take place in mid-July, will cover both Thailand and Japan, marking their first trip to the Far East since the outbreak of the pandemic. Sportsmail UK reported that the club has already planned…

  • World NewsBangladeshi child plays hide and seek, turns up in Malaysia five days later

    Bangladeshi child plays hide and seek, turns up in Malaysia five days later

    A young boy turned up in Malaysia after becoming trapped inside a shipping container for five days while playing hide and seek in Bangladesh. On January 17, a 45 year old shipping operator opened a container at Port Klang, Malaysia’s largest port, to find a confused, weak Bangladeshi boy named Farim who had travelled over 1,000 miles from home. A…

  • World NewsUN urges Asian countries to save starving Rohingyas adrift at sea

    UN urges Asian countries to save starving Rohingyas adrift at sea

    The UN is calling on Asian countries to save almost 200 starving Rohingya refugees adrift at sea. The group of desperate Rohingyas has been adrift in the Indian ocean for the past month. The boat’s exact location is unclear. But as of Wednesday, the boat was near the Indian territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of…

  • Bangkok NewsBangkok chosen as Asia’s 2nd most cycling-friendly city

    Bangkok chosen as Asia’s 2nd most cycling-friendly city

    Netizens are not convinced with the Independent‘s selection of Bangkok as Asia’s 2nd most cycling-friendly city. Singapore ranked in first place, followed by Bangkok, Osaka in Japan, Xiamen in China, Taipei in Taiwan, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and Beijing in China. Bangkok is a “fantastic city for cycling” thanks to Lumphini Park, Benjakitti Park, and the city’s “brilliant guided cycling…

  • Politics NewsLast Pakistani in Guantanamo Bay goes home

    Last Pakistani in Guantanamo Bay goes home

    Saifullah Paracha has been in Guantanamo Bay detention centre since he was taken into custody in Bangkok in 2003. The 74 year old was never charged with anything, nor was he accused of any crime, merely “having links” with the al-Qaeda leadership. The oldest inmate at Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba and an innocent man by every legal definition, Paracha…

  • World NewsThai Airways releases details of winter flights itinerary

    Thai Airways releases details of winter flights itinerary

    Thai Airways (THAI) announced its winter flights schedule from October 30 to March 25, 2023, with 34 flights slated to take off from Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok for destinations to Asia, Europe, and Australia. Thailand’s flag carrier has endured a tough time since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world over two years ago. But THAI recently announced a restructuring plan to…

  • Hot NewsUS Navy scammer arrested in Venezuela over scandal in Asia

    US Navy scammer arrested in Venezuela over scandal in Asia

    An alleged United States Navy military contractor has been arrested in Venezuela after fleeing house arrest in the US. The man fled his home country just weeks before being sentenced for his role in a corruption scandal in Thailand and other parts of Asia. The man, Leonard Gleen Francis, known as “Fat Leonard,” had fled from his California home and…

  • World NewsUPDATE: 110 Thais on one flight denied entry into South Korea

    UPDATE: 110 Thais on one flight denied entry into South Korea

    UPDATE The Thai tourists who were denied entry into South Korea have filed a lawsuit against a tour company who they say is responsible for the whole nightmare. Despite forking out loads of cash for the package ‘holiday,’ 71 Thai tourists were detained at the South Korean border for four days and deported back to Thailand. Yesterday, eight Thais on…

  • World News110 Thais on one flight denied entry into South Korea

    110 Thais on one flight denied entry into South Korea

    A total of 110 Thai tourists on a single flight were denied entry into the South Korean island of Jeju and sent back to Thailand yesterday, according to the Korea Times. Since Korea’s post-pandemic “reopening,” a crazy 50% of all Thais arriving in South Korea have been rejected at the border, according to reports. Of the 184 Thai nationals aboard…

  • World NewsJapan keeps hitting new records in Covid-19 cases

    Japan keeps hitting new records in Covid-19 cases

    Japan keeps hitting new records in its number of Covid-19 cases. Yesterday (Friday), there were over 190,000 cases in the island nation. On Thursday, there had been 186,246 cases. Last week, Japan hit a record of 110,600 cases. This news comes as Japan faces a seventh wave of Covid, caused by the BA.5 Omicron sub-variant. BA.5 makes up nearly 100%…

  • World NewsFormer South Korean navy member under fire for fighting in Ukraine

    Former South Korean navy member under fire for fighting in Ukraine

    A former South Korean navy member who fought in Ukraine hasn’t received a warm welcome upon returning home to recover from injuries. The man, Rhee Keun, said that about 10 police officers were waiting for him as he stepped off the plane today. The officers told him to quarantine for a week as a Covid-19 precaution, and said they would…

  • World NewsHong Kong to let in non-residents starting May 1, but with quarantine

    Hong Kong to let in non-residents starting May 1, but with quarantine

    After lifting suspensions on flights from 9 overseas locations on April 1, Hong Kong now plans to let in non-residents from all countries starting May 1. In the past month, average daily arrivals have risen in the territory to about 1,200 from a meagre 300, according to the Hong Kong government’s Covid website. The ban on non-residents has been in…

  • World NewsUPDATE: Boeing 737 carrying 132 passengers crashes into mountains in China

    UPDATE: Boeing 737 carrying 132 passengers crashes into mountains in China

    A Boeing 737 passenger jet carrying 132 people has crashed in China, according to a Chinese state media broadcast earlier today. Reports say the Chinese Eastern Airlines flight MU5735 went missing earlier in the day as it was headed from Kunming to Guangzhou. The plane was carrying 123 passengers and 9 crew. The China Eastern Airlines aircraft plummeted rapidly then…

  • World NewsAsia News Today | Record Covid cases in South Korea, Japan and Australia add extra Russia sanctions

    Asia News Today | Record Covid cases in South Korea, Japan and Australia add extra Russia sanctions

    The Asia-Pacific region has been lagging behind other parts of the world, in regards to Covid recover, but now appears primed for a tourist and business travel comeback. Unlike most of North America and Europe, the omicron variant surge in most locations in the Asia-Pacific region still hasn’t peaked. Countries including South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam…