Hong Kong
- World News
AirAsia cancels all flights to Hong Kong due to Typhoon Saola
AirAsia cancelled all of the flights to Hong Kong today, September 1, due to Typhoon Saola. Several routes in and out of Shenzhen, Macau, and Guangzhou have also been affected by these cancellations. Typhoon Saola is forecasted to be one of the five most powerful typhoons to hit Guangdong province since 1949. With wind speeds exceeding 200 kilometres per hour,…
- World News
Hong Kong policewoman gains Internet fame for beauty and duty
Social media users around the globe are swooning over the beauty of a Hong Kong policewoman, who has quickly become an Internet sensation due to her striking good looks and dutiful on-the-job demeanour. While it’s common to see police officers performing their duties on the streets, one policewoman, in particular, has seriously caught the eye of the online world. The officer’s beauty…
- Thailand News
Thai woman hospitalised after 2 taxi cars hit her in Hong Kong
Two taxis hit a Thai woman travelling in Hong Kong on Sunday, resulting in serious injuries that have left her unconscious and undergoing treatment at a local hospital. South China Morning Post (SCMP) yesterday reported that the 31 year old Thai woman was hit by two taxis in front of the Admiralty central business district at about 10.20pm on Sunday. She…
- World News
Yoga attire of a woman on Hong Kong subway sparks online controversy
In Hong Kong, an online community member sparked a debate after he shared a picture of a woman, captured in secret, wearing yoga pants on a subway ride. Said woman, wearing a black top and skin-tight grey yoga pants, was engrossed in her phone when the picture was taken and put up on a public forum for criticism. The post,…
- Business News
Typhoon Talim forces Hong Kong’s US$5.2 trillion stock market into trading halt
Hong Kong felt the devastating blow of Typhoon Talim as it forcefully swept its US$5.2 trillion stock market off into a trading halt today. Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearings Ltd cited this extreme weather event as the cause for the suspension, a decision markedly disrupting the day’s trading flow. This unprecedented event not only put the scheduled New Media Lab’s…
- World News
Future luminaries unite: Hong Kong Laureate Forum to showcase Shaw Prize scientists
The prestigious Hong Kong Laureate Forum has been pencilled in later this year bringing together over 20 Shaw Prize scientists and approximately 200 young scientists from 30 countries, including Thailand. The event, scheduled for November 13-18, is designed as a global scientific exchange and networking opportunity to cultivate future leaders in science, as stated by the Hong Kong Laureate Forum…
- World News
Hong Kong tragedy: Tourist group’s beach photo shoot turns sad as sudden wave drowns woman
A 43 year old woman was swept away by a large wave while attempting to take a group photo with fellow tourists at Ap Lei Chau Harbour in Hong Kong. Despite immediate efforts to rescue the woman, Sai Jong, the powerful wave proved fatal, leaving the group devastated by the unexpected loss. The event took place at Ap Lei Chau…
- World News
Woman boards Hong Kong Uber in towel, changes while driver watches
A video of a female passenger in a Hong Kong Uber car has gone viral, sparking debate on whether the incident is staged. The woman, seen initially wearing only a towel, changes her clothes in the car and seemingly irritates the driver, resulting in several exchanges of words. The clip’s duration is approximately five minutes and 52 seconds, showing the…
- World News
Hong Kong government seeks high court ban on protest anthem
The Hong Kong government has sought an injunction order from the city’s high court to ban the protest anthem “Glory to Hong Kong,” which emerged during the massive demonstrations in 2019. If the injunction is granted, it would be the first song to be banned in Hong Kong since the handover to China in 1997. The government claims the song…
- World News
UN alarmed by Hong Kong detentions on Tiananmen Square anniversary
The United Nations expressed alarm over detentions in Hong Kong connected to the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. Meanwhile, China stated that the financial hub was progressing from “chaos” to prosperity. Hong Kong police detained 23 individuals yesterday for “breaching public peace” and arrested a 53 year old woman for “obstructing police officers” on the anniversary of the…
- World News
Cathay Pacific fires staff amid discrimination row and foreigner worship claims
Cathay Pacific Airways today dismissed three flight attendants following allegations of discrimination against non-English speakers. The incident occurred on flight CX987 from Chengdu to Hong Kong and led to widespread concern, prompting the airline to issue a sincere apology. Cathay Pacific CEO Ronald Lam announced the staff dismissals after an internal investigation and reiterated the company’s zero-tolerance approach to serious violations…
- Covid-19 News
Hong Kong sees almost double fatal and severe Covid-19 cases in a week
The number of fatal and severe Covid-19 cases in Hong Kong saw a significant increase last week, nearly double the amount of the previous week, according to health authorities. Despite the rise, experts emphasised that the death rate remains small when compared to the potential daily number of infections. The news coincided with the death of a 13 year old…
- World News
Hong Kong tourist attractions overflow with mainland visitors during holiday
A significant influx of mainland tourists has filled Hong Kong’s top attractions, as queues stretched for hours outside the Peak Tram ticket office at Central. According to a staff member, many visitors resorted to waiting over two hours for a tram ticket to the Peak. This surge of visitors is attributed to the mainland’s five-day holiday, which commenced on Saturday.…
- Thailand News
Young lovebirds ignite passion in public park, unfazed by onlookers
A couple of young lovebirds in school uniforms have been caught on camera sharing an intimate kiss and fondling each other in a public park, seemingly without a care for the surrounding onlookers. The incident became viral on the Internet in Hong Kong after Mirror Media reported it. The 26-second clip reveals the young lovebirds dressed in school uniforms sitting…
- Thailand News
Young Thai-Italian man vanishes in Hong Kong
A mother from Nonthaburi, central Thailand, filed a missing person report yesterday for her Thai-Italian son who disappeared during a trip to Hong Kong last month, reports CH3. The young man, 22 year old Danilo “No” Benjakul, travelled from Thailand to Hong Kong with a friend on March 8 before disappearing without a trace, his 41 year old mother Chotika told reporters last…
- Phuket News
Hong Kong Airlines to launch direct flights to Phuket
Low-cost carrier Hong Kong Airlines will launch a direct flight to Phuket in southern Thailand, starting June 16, 2023. An Airbus A320 will service the direct Hong Kong – Phuket route four times per week to meet rising demand as tourists return to Thailand in full force. The outbound flight will depart from Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) at 8.20pm…
- Koh Samui News
Bangkok Airways to launch Koh Samui – Hong Kong route
Bangkok Airways revealed plans to launch a direct route between Koh Samui in Thailand and Hong Kong, aiming to “generate more revenue from foreign customers.” President of Bangkok Airways Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth revealed that a nonstop Koh Samui – Hong Kong flight is in the works and could launch sometime this year. The airline has also entered discussions to lease more…
- World News
Winnie the Pooh movie banned in Hong Kong amid President Xi links (video)
The British horror film Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey has been cancelled by Hong Kong prompting speculation that the movie was pulled because of the resemblance between the character and Chinese President Xi Jinping. It’s not the first time China has scrapped a movie. US netizens made such comparisons between Winnie the Pooh and President Xi when the latter…
- Thailand News
Hong Kong tourist narrowly survives bungee cord snapping midair in Thailand
Distraught onlookers thought the moment a Hong Kong tourist’s bungee cord snapped after he leapt from a height of ten storeys in Pattaya, Thailand, would surely send him plummeting to his death. But, he survived. One of Mike’s colleagues went first and had a blast, and Mike was up next, raring to go. The staff tied the bungee cord to…
- Crime News
Thai Customs at Bangkok airport nab over 107 million baht of heroin bound for Hong Kong
Thai Customs officials at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Monday intercepted a drug shipment bound for Hong Kong, discovering over 43 kilogrammes of heroin hidden in hill tribe garments. The illicit drugs were estimated to be worth 107.5 million baht. According to Patchara Anultasilp, director-general of the Thai Customs Department, officials grew suspicious of 29 boxes destined for Hong Kong, which…
- World News
Hong Kong launches free airline ticket giveaway to reboot tourism
Hong Kong’s government-supported “Hello, Hong Kong” ticket giveaway of half a million free airline tickets is swamping airline websites. Cathay Pacific, one of the carriers participating in the programme, said it had allocated all 17,400 round-trip tickets from Thailand to Hong Kong within the first hour of the giveaway, even though it was scheduled to last seven days. The airline…
- World News
Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi’s ex-husband accused of dismembering her
Police in Hong Kong search for the ex-husband of socialite Abby Choi after her headless body was discovered in a village house. The home in Tai Po had been rented by her ex-husband’s father recently. The 28 year old model was reported missing on Tuesday. Parts of her dismembered body were found to have been cooked and stored in a…
- China News
Chinese billionaire tech banker Bao Fan is missing
Chinese billionaire tech banker Bao Fan is missing. The disappearance of the China Renaissance renegade chair is not a huge surprise but raises fears of a fresh crackdown on China’s finance industry With billionaire boss either banged up or on the lam, Renaissance, one of the country’s top investment banks has plunged into turmoil. ‘Do not believe the rumours’ Bao…
- World News
Police rescue two sex trafficked Thai women from Hong Kong flat
Police came to the rescue of two Thai women imprisoned in a Hong Kong flat after falling prey to a sex trafficking scheme. The women, aged 38 and 47 and worked as masseurs, were trapped in a Yau Ma Tei flat in Temple Street after they refused to engage in sex work. A 50 year old Hong Kong woman was…
- World News
Hong Kong cruises into calmer waters
The Silver Spirit became the first international cruise liner to enter Hong Kong harbour in three years, last week. As Hong Kong cruises into an expanding tourism market, the Silversea cruise arrived from Singapore for an overnight stay with 320 passengers from 20 countries onboard. Luxurious German-operated Mein Schiff 5 will dock in Hong Kong four times in early March. …
- Visa Information
Thailand gives 5 year visas to Hong Kong celebrities
Thailand‘s new strategy to lure in tourists is to dish out five-year visas to celebrities and influencers with large social media followings. After Beijing dropped most of its Covid-19 travel regulations last month, Thailand is focussed on drawing back tourists from Hong Kong and China, who were Thailand’s No.1 tourists pre-pandemic. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) hopes to attract…
- Crime News
Thai police seize 30 kilograms of heroin bound for Hong Kong hidden in puppy pads
Thai authorities seized a sizeable 30 kilograms of heroin yesterday in Samut Prakan province, just north of Bangkok, believed to be headed to Hong Kong. Police arrested a Hong Konger and a Thai national during the raid. Officers from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) raided a house in the Kanchanaphisek 39 area of Samut Prakan to find…
- Entertainment
Nepal releases Pattaya’s ‘bikini killer’ – Charles ‘the Serpent’ Sobhraj
Nepal has released Thailand’s “bikini killer,” Charles Sobhraj, a serial killer also known as “The Serpent,” said to be responsible for a string of murders in the 1970s and 1980s. Nepal’s Supreme Court’s spokesperson Bimal Paudel said… “The court has ordered that if there is no other reason to keep him in jail, he should be released and sent back…
- World News
Thai visitors to Japan up fourfold
Thai visitors to Japan are up 26,000. The number of Thai people holidaying in Japan increased from 7,600 in September to 34,000 this month as Japan ended its Covid-19 restrictions and eased visa rules. At least a million Thais are expected to visit in 2023. President of the Thai-Japan Tourist Association Anake Srishevachart expects Japan to welcome more than 100,000…
- Covid-19 News
Thai tour group in Hong Kong disappointed after being stuck dining in hotel room
A 50-member Thai tour group to Hong Kong had a not-so-great experience after being forced to dine in hotel rooms due to current Covid-19 restrictions. The group was supposed to tour the city for four days and three nights as part of a new wave of tourists being welcomed. But, Hong Kong’s Covid measures have proved to be disappointing as…
- Thailand News
Cathay Pacific boosts flights to Thailand
Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways and its budget subsidiary Hong Kong Express are boosting flights to three major tourist destinations in Thailand: Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai. Cathay’s Hong Kong – Bangkok route will be increased from twice to four times per day next month, according to Chairman of Cathay Pacific Patrick Healy. In January, the airline will…
- Covid-19 News
After APEC, Hong Kong leader John Lee tests positive for Covid-19
Attendees of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit were sent home with seven souvenirs, including a photo with the Royal Family. But one leader got an unexpected eighth souvenir that wasn’t particularly welcomed. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee came home from the APEC Summit in Bangkok and tested positive for Covid-19. The highest political office holder tested positive for…
- World News
Tourists not keen on travelling to Hong Kong under current restrictions
It was thought that the relaxation of pre-pandemic measures in Hong Kong would see tourists flocking back but that’s not the case. Travel agents in Hong Kong revealed there is still a dearth of visitors to the special administrative region of China despite the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions. Hong Kong travel agencies made known that tourists are coming back in…
- World News
Hong Kong cancels screening of 2008 Batman flick over Chinese antagonist
Hong Kong is scrapping the screening of The Dark Knight after government censors “recommended” against showing it. The concerns stem from the film’s Chinese antagonist as he is portrayed as being violent. According to the Hong Kong Free Press, parts of the film were shot in Hong Kong, but as Batman arrives in the city to pursue a corrupt Chinese…
- Hot News
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…
- Tourism News
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…
- China News
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…
