Indonesia
- World News
Bali to ban foreigners from renting motorbikes
Governor of the Indonesian island of Bali, I Wayan Koster, said that foreigners will soon be banned from renting motorbikes and scooters on the island. He said he will request all motorbike rental shops to ban foreigners from using their services. The governor has had enough of foreign tourists violating traffic rules… “As tourists, act as tourists, using the vehicles prepared…
- World News
‘Discipline’ vs science: 5.30am school start in Indonesia
The early bird catches exhaustion. Starting school early in the morning has been found in numerous studies to result in a lack of sleep and decreased focus among students. In 2014, a landmark study suggested that school should never start before 8.30am. Additionally, a 2017 study found that starting classes at 10am led to a 20% improvement in the national academic…
- World News
House thief caught by getting wedged in the door for 5 hours
When robbing a place, is there anything worse than getting caught in the act? One Indonesian house thief found out the hard way that there is one thing worse – getting caught in the door. A man in North Sumatra found himself in a tight spot when he got stuck in a heavy door mid-burglary. The 30 year old criminal…
- World News
Man threatens to release sex tape, woman cuts off his penis
An Indonesian man’s short-sighted demand for sex may have cost him his ability to ever have sex again. On Saturday the man’s girlfriend allegedly cut off his penis in a fit of rage after he insisted on sex. The woman was apparently annoyed at her boyfriend earlier, so turned him down for sex. He persisted and threatened to release a…
- World News
Tear gas used again in Indonesian football stadium
Indonesian police apparently have not learned their lesson about the use of tear gas in football stadium crowds. Yesterday they used a water cannon and tear gas to disperse a large crowd of football fans trying to get into a sold-out match. Officials decided to bar spectators after security concerns. The game was between PSIS Semarang and Persis Solo. Fans…
- World News
Papua militants release video of kidnapped NZ pilot
New footage has been released by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), showing that New Zealand pilot, Philip Mehrtens, who was kidnapped last week, is alive and well. The video is the first proof of life since he was reportedly taken captive by Papua insurgents in the remote region of Nduga on Feb. 7. Last week, in the Indonesian…
- World News
Man cut off his penis after child sexual abuse charges
After being accused of child sexual abuse, a man in Indonesia attempted to end his own life in a cringy, gruesome way. The man got into his shower and cut off his penis. The incident took place in the Sikka regency, an area on the island of East Nusa Tenggara (neighbour to the famous Komodo island) on Saturday. The Bola…
- World News
Unlucky car smashed during fight between two lions
You know that feeling when someone smashes into your car and you just KNOW they don’t have insurance? That was definitely the case for an unlucky car owner in Indonesia whose car got caught in the middle of a fight between two lions. The incident took place in Taman Safari Indonesia II Park in Prigen, East Java. It’s a popular…
- Crime News
Molestation charges for Indonesian woman luring boys with PlayStation
A disturbing arrest was made for molestation in Indonesia after a woman was accused of exchanging sexual favours with young boys in exchange for access to PlayStation games. The incident took place in Jambi, the largest city of the province of the same name, on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The woman was taken into custody by police on charges of…
- World News
JD.com to quit Thailand, and Indonesia
China’s largest online retailer JD.com is to quit Thailand, and Indonesia next month, a big blow to its overseas expansion plans. The move follows the trend of Big Tech firms cutting costs as the domestic Internet market slows down. JD Central in Thailand and JD.ID in Indonesia, JD’s joint ventures in the countries, announced the closures on their websites, reported…
- World News
VIDEO: Crocodile helps locate missing boy’s body in Indonesia
In a tragic, shocking outcome, a search and rescue operation in Indonesia was finally able to locate the body of a deceased 4 year old boy, Muhammad Ziyad Wijaya. The child had been missing for two days before the discovery. In a strange twist, it was a crocodile that played a role in the search, as it was seen carrying what…
- World News
Indonesian couple’s suicide note requests no investigation
An apparent double suicide in Indonesia is raising eyebrows as the deceased left a surprising suicide note. The couple was found dead, fully clothed in bed and holding hands after allegedly poisoning themselves. In what appears to be a suicide note the couple left behind, they asked that their death not be investigated. According to police in Ciputat, South Tangerang…
- World News
Jakarta aims to bring more Thai tourists
With tourism in recovery across Southeast Asia, Indonesia’s capital city of Jakarta is bidding to bring more Thai people next year. The head of the Marketing and Attraction Division under Jakarta’s Department of Tourism and Creative Economy espoused the draw of Indonesia’s largest city for international tourists and businesspeople to visit. Jakarta has always been the heart of Indonesia, the…
- Thailand News
What next for Bali as Indonesia bans sex?
In a Draconian overhaul of the country’s criminal code, Indonesia criminalized sex outside marriage. The reforms include a ban on cohabitation between unmarried couples and would apply to both Indonesians and tourists. This angered rights activists and prompted protests in Jakarta. However, the reactions in Bali range from scepticism to concern. Santi Aprilia, an Indonesian housewife, told the Guardian… “These…
- World News
Thailand teaches Indonesia how to legalise cannabis
Government officials from Indonesia – a country famous for having some of the strictest drug laws in the world – flew to Thailand to learn about the kingdom’s liberal medical cannabis policies this morning. News that old-fashioned Indonesia is considering legalising medical cannabis comes as quite a shock given that lawmakers in the country approved a Draconian law that bans…
- World News
Sex outside of marriage to carry one year jail sentence in Indonesia
Sex outside of marriage will result in a one-year jail sentence if lawmakers get their way tomorrow in Indonesia. In some of the most Draconian measures introduced in the Southeast Asian nation for decades, lawmakers are set to ratify changes to its criminal code tomorrow. Critics predict will send Indonesia back to the Dark Ages. The Semeru volcano erupted in…
- World News
Searches after Indonesian earthquake, death toll over 160
Searches continue for survivors of the massive earthquake in Indonesia. The death toll has now climbed to over 160 people. The quake struck in Cianjur, about 75 kilometres southeast of Jakarta, at a depth of 10 kilometres and lasted for about one minute. The earthquake measured 5.6 on the Richter scale with the epicentre in the mountains of West Java.…
- World News
Earthquake kills at least 46 in Indonesia
A 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck West Java in Indonesia this afternoon, killing at least 46 people. Over 700 injuries have been reported so far. The death toll is likely to rise, according to the Indonesian Disaster Agency. The quake struck in Cianjur, about 100 kilometres southeast of Jakarta, at a depth of 10 kilometres and lasted for about one minute.…
- Hot News
Putin gets G20 Summit cold feet
Russian President Vladimir Putin may have cold feet as news comes that he may attend the G20 Summit virtually. According to Thai PBS World, Western countries have put pressure on the Summit’s host country of Indonesia to withdraw Putin’s invitation, but it has resisted. The host country says it does not have the authority to withdraw such an invitation without…
- Thailand News
Thai artist scoops UOB Painting of the Year award
A Thai artist yesterday scooped the 41st UOB Painting of the Year award, one of the most prestigious competitions in Southeast Asia. Bangkok-born artist Chomrawi Suksom claimed the illustrious prize for his painting titled Dystopia and prize money of US$32,000. The work, created in oil, acrylic and foil on canvas artwork, is a detailed depiction of a world undergoing constant…
- World News
Missing Indonesian woman’s body found inside giant python
A python swallowed a woman whole in Jambi, on the east coast of Jakarta in Indonesia, on Sunday, according to Indonesian police. Jahrah, a 54 year old worker at a rubber plantation from Betara District, did not return home from work on Sunday. Jahrah’s husband reported Jahrah missing that night. The next day, villagers found a python with a huge…
- World News
Millionaire? Pfft! Indonesia’s second-home visa is for billionaires
Many online have criticised Thailand’s plan to focus on attracting millionaires, but Indonesia seems to think the Thai government is just setting their stall too low. Indonesia launched a “second-home visa” with plans to lure in billionaires, not millionaires. The new visa debuted last week, but the details are still being put into place by the Ministry of Interior, Immigration,…
- World News
Indonesia temporarily bans syrup-based meds for children after discovering fatal ingredient
Indonesia has temporarily banned syrup-based medicines for children after some were found to contain a fatal ingredient. According to The Straits Times, the health ministry is investigating paracetamol syrups that contain diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol ingredients. Those ingredients have been linked to fatal acute kidney injury in children according to the health ministry. The country has seen a spike…
- World News
Indonesian stadium to be demolished after stampede killed 133
It has been announced that the Indonesian football stadium will be demolished after it became the venue of one of the deadliest tragedies ever to occur in a sports stadium. The pandemonium cost 133 people their lives at the beginning of this month, causing Indonesian President Joko Widodo to announce plans to tear down the stadium and rebuild it to FIFA international…
- World News
European tourists apologise for peeing on sacred mountain in Indonesia
A European couple are under fire by Indonesian netizens who are not happy that one of them peed on the sacred Mount Bromo in the Tengger mountains in East Java, Indonesia. According to Coconuts, the pair posted a video on Instagram of their trip to Bromo National Park. In one part of the video, the male tourist is pictured weeing…
- World News
Thailand’s largest group of foreign tourists come from Malaysia
In July, Malaysians made up the largest portion of Thailand’s foreign arrivals, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Thailand welcomed 220,554 Malaysian tourists in July, most of them arriving via the land border crossing in Songkhla province. In a post-pandemic world, Malaysian travel to Thailand has never been easier, with the removal of Thailand Pass and insurance requirements. The…
- Health
Thailand No.1 in the world for a wellness retreat
A new report reveals Thailand is the best country in the world for a wellness retreat. Slingo experts, Using TripAdvisor, conducted research on which countries have the best resort hotels, wellness, and spa activities as well as the keywords in the reviews for each country. Thailand came out on top as the ideal destination for a wellness retreat with a score of…
- World News
PayPal, Yahoo, gaming sites blocked for users in Indonesia
Social media is erupting in Indonesia after the government blocked multiple gaming websites, PayPal, and Yahoo for failing to follow licensing rules in the country. The new regulations, enacted last November, allow authorities to force websites to share data of users and take down unlawful content that is said to disturb public order within 24 hours, or four hours for…
- World News
Indonesian ferry sinks, 13 people aboard still missing
In Indonesia, a local ferry capsized due to bad weather, and search and rescue teams are still looking for 13 missing people that were aboard the boat. The vessel, the KM Cahaya Arafah, was travelling off the coast of Ternate Island in North Maluku, in the southeast of the country near Papua, on its way to Halmahera to the east,…
- World News
Government angry Thailand came last in ‘Land of Smiles’ poll
Thai and foreign netizens have been left stunned after seeing Thailand ranked at the bottom of a Land of Smiles poll conducted by Gallup Global Emotions 2022. The controversial poll even upset the Thai government who hit back, saying the topic wasn’t even included in the official survey report. Singaporean media platform, Southeast Asia Stats, posted a “Southeast Asian Country…
