Asia
- World News
Laos PM visited Vietnam’s capital for three days to enchance bilateral relations
Laos Prime Minster, Phankham Viphavanh, has visited Hanoi for three days to meet with Vietnam’s Pham Minh Chinh on Saturday to enhance bilateral relations between the two nations, according to official reports. The two leaders then discussed ways to improve economic cooperation and agreed to increase connections between their economies, particularly through land-road, railway, aviation, and marine port projects, including…
- Destination Guide
Thailand ranks as the best country in Asia to retire – International Living magazine
Is Thailand the best country in Asia to retire? Some think so. Thailand was ranked as the best country in Asia for retirement in 2022 by International Living magazine. And out of a list of 25 countries, the magazine listed Thailand as number 11, with Panama, Costa Rica, and Mexico topping the list. The magazine’s annual global retirement index is…
- World News
Laos reports first case of Omicron strain, traveller from overseas
Laos reported its first Omicron case yesterday involving a woman who travelled from overseas. The woman’s family member, who was travelling with her, also tested positive for Covid-19, but the Omicron strain was not detected, according to the National Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control. Both travellers are fully vaccinated. Before landing in the capital of Laos, Vientiane the…
- World News
US CDC’s travel advisory changed to “level 4” after Covid situation considered “unknown”
The US’s CDC may have stirred another controversy, at least for Singapore, following its declaration of the Southeast Asian country as an “unknown” threat level, advising Americans not to travel to the country. The travel advisory is now at a level 4: Do not travel. But the “unknown” parked concern and reports say Singapore was in talks with the US…
- World News
At least 20 civilians killed and 40 houses razed in latest army attack in Myanmar
In an alleged attack by Myanmar’s military forces in late-December, at least 20 civilians were slain and nearly 40 houses were razed in the country’s northeastern region of Sagaing, according to local media. Sagaing is where one of the first armed rebellions rose up following the junta’s bloody crackdown on anti-coup protesters. Last month, the military tookover Natchaung village in…
- World News
Vietnam welcomes over 1,700 travellers on the first three days of international flights resumption
Following the resumption of 11 flights by the Civil Aviation Administration last weekend, Vietnam welcomed a total of 1,753 travellers on the first three days from January 1 to 3. According to CAAV, the travellers have landed at Tan Son Nhat, Noi Bai, Da Nang, and Can Tho international airports. In the first phase of restoration, the flights were operated…
- World News
Laos adds 14 more countries to its Travel Green Zone entry scheme
Laos officially reopened to international tourists on January 1, and now the country has added another 14 countries to the Travel Green Zone scheme today, which allows fully vaccinated travellers to visit Laos with just a 24 hour quarantine at their hotel upon arrival. The initial list of countries approved for the Travel Green Zone scheme… China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand,…
- World News
Cambodian PM will not be allowed to meet Myanmar’s ousted leader, junta says
Cambodia’s PM Hun Sen is barred from meeting the former State Counsellor and ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi by the Myanmar military junta when he visits the country this weekend, according to a military spokesperson today. As the spokesperson for General Zaw Min Tun, from the military information team, says that only representatives from the political parties will have…
- World News
Travellers who break Philippines quarantine rules face US$1,000 fine or 6 months in jail
The Philippines has issued a warning to incoming travellers that those who break quarantine rules might face fines of up to 50,000 Philippine pesos (US$1,000) or six months in prison as it prepares to deal with the new strain of Omicron in the wake of a spike in Covid-19 cases. During a television interview yesterday, President Duterte’s spokesperson, Karlos Nograles,…
- World News
Covid is starting to have economic effects, without government lockdowns or border closures
Over the past 2 years (and it is nearly 2 years since the first case of Covid-19 was identified outside of China on January 14, 2020 in Thailand), the economic impact of the virus spreading has been caused almost entirely by governments acting to limit the spread – lockdowns, restrictions and border closures. Now, the latest variant of Covid, Omicron,…
- World News
Vientiane orders to bar New Year gatherings amidst fears of Omicron
Fears of Omicron have prompted officials in the capital of Laos, Vientiane, to prohibit residents from hosting large parties and gatherings during the New Year holiday. The country’s Covid-19 Prevention and Control Office set measures restricting alcoholic beverages at restaurants and entertainment venues. Local authorities are asked to check, monitor, and disband meetings, with violators being detained. Laos reported 962…
- World News
Typhoon Rai death toll raises to almost 400, 83 still missing in the Philippines
Following the destruction caused by Super Typhoon Rai in the Philippines last week, the death toll has risen to 397 and 83 are still missing, according to the official figure released by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council today. Almost 561,500 people have been displaced and 1,147 individuals injured as rescuers from the ground, adding that over half…
- World News
Vietnam reports first case of Omicron
Vietnam’s first Omicron infection was reported by the country’s Health Ministry today, adding that the person had travelled from the UK to Hanoi and is now quarantined at the 108 Military Hospital. The patient arrived in Hanoi on December 19 and was tested for the virus the next day. Her result came back positive for Omicron, or B.1.1.529 variation, according…
- World News
UN praises Vietnam over its participation in peacekeeping missions
The UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, has praised the country’s collaboration with the UN, as well as the country’s efforts throughout 2021 since it joined the 100 member bloc’s missions in 2014. Lacroix praised Vietnam’s provision of level-2 field hospitals to South Sudan, adding that this is the kind of capacity that the UN needs its member countries…
- World News
Four killed, dozens injured as Typhoon Rai batters central Philippines
In this year’s strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines, four people were killed and dozens more were injured. Super Typhoon Rai, also named “Odette” by the country’s authorities, has battered the central islands of the archipelago. As the storm swept over the Pacific Ocean, 18,000 people have yet to return home out of the more than 300,000 people who sought…
- World News
Laos to reopen to fully vaccinated international tourists in 2022
Laos’s Tourism Ministry yesterday said the government and private sectors are working together to reopen Laos to fully vaccinated tourists in 2022, with specifics on quarantine upon arrival still being discussed. Following the rules outlined by the Prime Minister’s Office last month, the ministry is also encouraging officials to prepare for the return of international tourists. Further information from the…
- Covid-19 News
Australia, Asia, and Africa deal with the Covid-19 Omicron variant
With Omicron spreading around the world, many countries are seeing the new variant spread, as well as Covid-19 in general on the rise. Here are some updates from around Australasia and Africa (a roundup of Europe can be found here): AUSTRALIA 13 cases of Omicron have been identified in a cluster in Sydney after finding the first infection just Friday,…
- World News
5 Omicron cases reported in South Korea
South Korea reported its first five cases of the new “Omicron” virus on Wednesday amongst its 5,000 in a single day as infection rates soared for the first time, raising concerns about a sudden spike. The new variant was followed by a fully vaccinated couple who came back from Nigeria last week and was promptly transmitted to two family members…
- World News
Vietnam to welcome fully vaccinated tourists from Thailand this month
Vietnam is setting up a “travel bubble” scheme with Thailand to allow vaccinated travellers to enter the Southeast Asian country. The head of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Nguyen Trung Khanh, today says his department is working with Thai officials to set up the scheme, adding that the first batch of Thai tourists will arrive in Vietnam this month…
- World News
Philippines prepares for reopening as quarantine lifted for 44 countries
Following the headline on Tuesday that the Philippines is waiving quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated visitors from 44 “green list” countries, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) is reportedly gearing up for the eventual reopening of Philippine borders to international tourists, despite a steady decline in Covid-19 cases in the country. According to the Manila Times, the Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente…
- World News
Philippines waives quarantine for “Green List” countries
The Philippines is waiving quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated visitors from countries classified on the government’s “green list.” The Philippines, home to over 7,000 islands in Southeast Asia, is now accepting fully vaccinated visitors from countries on the “Green List”, but they must submit a negative RT-PCR test done within 72 hours of departure, rather than quarantine or an on-arrival…
- World News
International Criminal Court pauses probe into Philippines president’s bloody war on drugs
The investigation into Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on drugs has been temporarily suspended by the International Criminal Court. The ICC launched the probe into alleged human rights violations during the president’s campaign against illegal drugs where thousands have died since Duterte took office in June 2016. The Court has reportedly halted the investigation to review a deferral request…
- World News
First international tourist group arrives in Vietnam since start of the pandemic
After a two-year hiatus due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the first group of 29 international tourists has arrived at Da Nang Airport in Quang Nam province, under the vaccine passport programme. The Vietnam Airlines charter flight which departed Incheon Airport in South Korea boarded nationals from Australia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, South…
- World News
Phnom Penh governor says public must follow Covid-19 measures during Cambodia’s water festival
The governor of Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh is warning the public to abide by Covid-19 prevention measures while travelling and gathering for the Royal Water Festival, known as “Bon Om Touk,” marking the the end of the monsoon season with celebrations and dragon boat races. The popular three-day festival, begins today and people throughout the country gather for boat races.…
- World News
Singapore vows to continue hosting F1 Grand Prix – Transport Minister
Good news for Formula One enthusiasts in Singapore as the Transport Minister says discussions with Formula One management and race organisers Singapore GP on a new contract are ongoing, despite the cancellation of this year’s race owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. Minister S. Iswaran said at a press conference that Singapore is in talks to host the F1 Singapore Grand…
- World News
Singapore lifts entry curbs for 5 more countries under vaccinated travel lane scheme
Beginning November 29, Singapore will allow vaccinated travellers from five more countries, including Indonesia and India, to enter the country without undergoing a quarantine or isolation period. The effort is part of the country’s vaccinated travel lane scheme and will be expanded to cover travelers from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates beginning early next month, according to…
- World News
Cambodia leads Asia for highest percentage of fully-vaccinated population
Cambodia is topping the list in Asia for the country with the highest percentage of fully-vaccinated individuals in its population. The country’s 16 million-plus population has seen around 82% receiving at least 2 doses of a Covid-19 vaccine since November 3, according to ourworldindata.org. The percentage of those fully-vaccinated has beat out Singapore, Brunei and South Korea by 1%. And,…
- World News
Record drug bust in Laos follows pandemic’s methamphetamine boom
The large haul of methamphetamine was seized by Laos police in what the United Nations considers Asia’s largest single drug bust on record follows the methamphetamine boom in Southeast Asia – particularly in Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia. Despite border closures and other restrictions during the pandemic, those in the illicit methamphetamine trade have not only survived, but have managed…
- World News
Myanmar no-show a focus as ASEAN summit gets underway
The exclusion of Myanmar military leader Min Aung Hlaing from the ASEAN summit is looming over the annual regional meeting, with PM Prayut Chan-o-cha pointing to international focus on ASEAN’s response to the situation. As reported by Reuters, Prayut noted that the role of the regional association in addressing the matter is of “paramount importance”, with action taken to “have…
- Sponsored
Siam Piwat benchmarks MICE industry with “Virtual Inspection” solution, to reinforce its ‘The Icon of Innovative Lifestyle’ vision
Press Release Siam Piwat launches “Virtual Inspection” and “Online Reservation” for its convention spaces, a MICE industry benchmark. Offering absolute exhibition and event destinations, now event organizers from across the globe can virtually inspect the convention spaces and conveniently make instant online reservations. (Bangkok, 28 September 2021) Siam Piwat Co.,Ltd is the owner and operator of global retail destinations –…
- Thailand News
Finding the best roasted coffee in Thailand with Coffee Culture
Sponsored Due to all of the changes happening in our daily routines, as coffee lovers, it has become vital to make sure that we have a coffee maker at both our home and our office. Plus, a few packs of delicious fresh roasted coffee to enjoy. Thailand’s demand for shopping for roasted coffee beans and ground coffee online has never…
- World News
Myanmar’s economy to shrink by 18% due to military coup and Covid-19
The civil unrest following the February military coup, paired with the a spike in Covid-19 infections, is expected to cause Myanmar’s economy to contract by 18% this year, according to the World Bank. Since the military takeover, ousting the country’s elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi of the National League for Democracy, it’s estimated that more than 900 people have been killed…
- World News
Singapore plans to vaccinate 80%, reopen with quarantine-free travel by September
Singapore plans to fully vaccinate 80% of the population and reopen with quarantine-free travel in September. As the Southeast Asian country accelerates its vaccination campaign to hit its target within the next month, officials are preparing to reopen the country and are working to establish travel corridors with countries that have low Covid-19 infection rates. Finance Minister Lawrence Wong told…
- World News
Indonesia now Asia’s Covid-19 epicentre as daily cases exceed India
Indonesia has become the epicentre of Covid-19 in Asia as the daily case count has exceeded India’s. The country reported 56,757 new cases and 982 coronavirus-related deaths yesterday, surpassing India’s count of 39,072 new cases and 544 deaths. With the highest number of daily cases, the archipelago country of 270 million people is now the new Covid-hotspot in Asia, and…
- Tourism News
KLM to increase flights to Middle-East, Asia as border restrictions ease
The Dutch carrier KLM plans to increase its flights to Asian and Middle-Eastern destinations as countries plan for a re-opening of their borders. According to TTR Weekly, the airline’s summer network is almost the same as in 2019, but with a reduction in the number of flights on offer as a result of the pandemic. The airline plans to introduce…
- World News
Balding, once a Caucasian problem, grows in Asian men
While around half of Caucasian men will experience hair loss by middle age, Asian men had largely escaped balding, until now. In Korea only 14% of men experience hair loss, in China, 13% of 30-something men will lose hair, and Japanese men start losing their hair 10 years later than Europeans. But these figures are changing, not due to genetics,…
- World News
Travel bubble between Hong Kong and Singapore starts May 26
A travel bubble between Hong Kong and Singapore will start on May 26, waiving the quarantine period for those travelling between the 2 countries. For those travelling from Hong Kong to Singapore, visitors will need to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, except for travellers who are younger than 16 or who cannot be vaccinated due to medical reasons. Travellers going from…
