Hong Kong
- 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…
- 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…
- World 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
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…
- World 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…
- World News
Thai transwoman climbs down building to escape Hong Kong cops
A video of a Thai transwoman in a sexy dress climbing down the outside of a building in Hong Kong like Spiderman to escape the clutches of law has gone viral. The woman, wearing a sexy see-through pink dress, climbed out onto the window ledge of a third floor building to escape the cops, and was witnessed by dozens of…
- World News
Hong Kong speech therapists jailed over children’s books
Five speech therapists in Hong Kong have been accused of brainwashing children after they wrote children’s books involving sheep and wolves. The five therapists, who are all between 25-28 years old, have been sentenced to 19 months each in prison. The books tell stories about a village of sheep trying to stop a pack of wolves from invading their home.…
- World News
Groups of 8 or more dining in Hong Kong required to Covid test
A new Covid-19 regulation that came into effect yesterday in Hong Kong is drawing ire from groups of diners and restaurants. The new rule requires all members of any group of eight or more dining in restaurants to present a photo of a negative Covid test taken within 24 hours of dining or a text message confirmation of a negative…
- World News
Royal Caribbean offers cruises to Thailand & other Asian locations in 2023
Royal Caribbean has announced a new series of Asian cruises on their ship ‘Spectrum of the Seas,’ setting sail in 2023 and 2024. Beginning in Singapore, travellers can set off on cruises for 5, 7, 9 or 12 nights, visiting various locations in Asia including Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan and Japan. Guests can choose from cruises which make stops…
- Crime News
Hong Kong man goes to Thailand to meet ‘lover,’ gets trafficked to Myanmar
A man from Hong Kong travelled to Thailand in July to meet his “lover” who he met online three years ago. Upon arriving in Bangkok, he was captured by a human trafficking gang and taken to Myanmar, where he was detained, abused, and forced to work as a fraudster for one month. After his family paid a ransom, 28 year…
- World News
Hong Kong seizes 20 million baht of heroin hidden in Thai kickboxing pads
The Customs Office of Hong Kong proved it packs a punch when it seized 20 million baht of heroin hidden in kickboxing pads imported from Thailand and arrested a 40 year old man in the process. The government of Hong Kong reported yesterday that 5 kilograms of heroin, worth about 20 million baht, were seized at Chek Lap Kok International…
- World News
Lots of Hong Kongers are searching for flights to Bangkok
Lots of Hong Kongers have been searching for flights to Bangkok ever since their government announced fewer quarantine days on Monday. From now on, people travelling to Hong Kong will only be required to quarantine in a hotel for three nights, down from seven. The day the government announced this, flight searches out of the territory jumped by 290%, and…
- World News
90% of Hong Kong travellers craving travel to Thailand this year
A recent survey found that a massive majority of people in Hong Kong are dying to visit Thailand and are planning to travel to the Kingdom within the next year. The survey was conducted in partnership with the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Hong Kong office and Klook, and interviewed 3,000 residents in Hong Kong about their thoughts on Thai tourism.…
- China News
Why would Hong Kong chief break electoral law?
The office of Hong Kong’s new chief executive, John Lee, failed to respond to revelations yesterday that he received about US$1.4 million in donations during his election campaign, and broke electoral law. The revelation he received donations is bizarre, to say the least, because he was the only candidate. He ran for the city’s top job against no one! Furthermore,…
- Thailand News
AirAsia Thailand resumes Bangkok – Hong Kong flights, pilots new China route
In August, Thai AirAsia will resume direct flights between Bangkok and Hong Kong. The airline will also pilot a special flight to Guangzhou in China this month, on July 13. Thai AirAsia is a joint venture between Thailand’s Asia Aviation and budget Malaysian airline AirAsia. The airline will operate weekly flights between Bangkok’s Don Muang International Airport and Hong Kong…
- World News
Tropical storm capsizes ship, 27 missing near Hong Kong
Tropical storm Chaba raged through the waters off Hong Kong, capsizing an engineering vessel with a crew of 30 people, most of which are now missing at sea. The powerful storm cracked the ship in half yesterday as the vessel sailed about 160 nautical miles southwest of Hong Kong in the South China Sea. The Hong Kong Government Flying Service…
- China News
China and Taiwan offer conflicting views over Hong Kong rule
China President Xi Jingping, and Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang offered conflicting views on Hong Kong rule as the mainland celebrated the 25th anniversary of its handover from the United Kingdom. The Taiwan chief claims freedom and democracy have disappeared in Hong Kong as he witnessed scenes of today’s celebration in the city’s business hub from Taipei today. “One only has…
- World News
Covid restrictions ease in Hong Kong, with beaches, bars set to re-open
Hong Kong is easing up on some of its Covid-19 restrictions as the infection rate in the territory finally begins to stabilise. From today, beaches and swimming pools can re-open, while bars and karaoke places can re-open from May 19. According to a Coconuts report, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam says beaches, pools, water parks, and water sports centres…
- World News
Death of elderly actor in quarantine raises concerns over Hong Kong’s Covid rules
The death of Hong Kong actor Kenneth Tsang while in mandatory hotel quarantine has raised concerns about the territory’s strict entry requirements. Tsang was found dead in his quarantine room having recently returned from Singapore. While tributes have been pouring in for the late actor, many, including renowned columnist Chip Tsao, have lambasted Hong Kong’s quarantine policy. “If it weren’t…
- World News
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 News
Asia News Today | Both black boxes now found on China plane & lockdown in Shanghai
The latest from the crash site of the Boeing 737 in southern China, more threats from the Burmese Junta, one of the largest cities in the world heads into a Covid lockdown and vanishing glaciers in Indonesia, yes Indonesia. Recovery crews at the site of the China Eastern Boeing 737 that crashed last Monday, have found the second black…
- World News
Asia News Today | China plane crash latest & HK looking to relax restrictions
Investigators are now trying to piece together the final moments of a Boeing 737 flight in southern China yesterday before it plummeted into a hilly area as it was approaching Guangzhou. The China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737 jet, flight MU5735, carrying 132 people crashed in Wuzhou. The sudden nosedive of the plane has left aircraft accident specialists baffled as authorities…
- World News
Hong Kong to ease some Covid restrictions, lift flight ban from April
There may be the tiniest flicker of light at the end of a very dark Covid-19 tunnel in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government has confirmed that from next month, it will ease some restrictions and lift a travel ban imposed on 9 countries deemed high-risk during the Omicron outbreak. They include the US, the UK, France, India, and Nepal.…
