Southeast Asia
- World News
Amnesty International calls on Thailand to help stop Myanmar violence
Amnesty International yesterday called on Thailand to help stop the violence in Myanmar. The organisation marched to the UN building on Ratchadamnoen Nok Road to submit a letter urging the Thai government to help, as Thailand is the host of the 29th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting. The letter listed four demands: The Thai government should use every possible means to…
- World News
Thailand pushes digital payments, rejects US dollar in move towards cashless society
The Bank of Thailand and central banks in four more southeast Asian countries are creating a cross-border payment zone using QR codes so that southeast Asians can make international payments digitally without having to convert and reconvert to US dollars. The bank hopes to bolster the use of digital payments to halve the amount of cash in circulation in Thailand…
- World News
Business exodus from China will ensure Southeast Asia will flourish
One of Thailand’s leading business executives believes Southeast Asia will flourish on the back of Chinese President Xi Jinping securing an unprecedented third term as leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The reelection of President Xi as CCP leader tightened his grip on the mainland and also ensured an exodus of businesses looking to relocate from China to Southeast…
- World News
Starbucks makes its Laos debut with unique local touches
Starbucks today made its debut in Laos, the nation’s first store. The coffee shop opened in the Lao capital of Vientiane at Parkson Mall, an office and shopping development in the heart of the city. The new Starbucks hopes to contribute to Laos’ thriving coffee culture. The store’s architecture is uniquely Laotian, there is a handcrafted, textured door handle. The…
- World News
Death toll up to 98 in Philippines, more storms predicted
The death toll in the Philippines has risen to almost 100 after Tropical Storm Nalgae hit the island nation over the weekend. Reports say 98 people have died as a result of the storm sweeping across the Southeast Asian country. The Philippines disaster agency reported that about half the deaths were recorded in the southern autonomous region of Bangsamoro because…
- World News
VIDEO: Sex doll consecration ceremony infuriates Buddhism officials in Myanmar
Buddhism officials in Myanmar are filing a lawsuit against a group of people who conducted a religious ceremony for two sex dolls at Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, which is considered one of Myanmar’s most sacred sites, on Saturday. A group of people arrived at the temple with two sex dolls dressed in traditional Burmese clothing and wearing tiaras. The group…
- World News
SE Asia foreign ministers to hold emergency talks over Myanmar
Foreign ministers of Southeast Asian countries are set to hold emergency talks over the current state of Myanmar. The talks will be held in Jakarta, Indonesia next week ahead of next month’s ASEAN leaders’ summit in Cambodia. Myanmar has descended into chaos since the military took over in February 2021. Now, reports say there are more than 2,300 killed during…
- Lifestyle
Why is Diwali important to Indians? The mythology behind the festival
You might have heard of India’s “festival of lights” known as Diwali. Many photos show people who celebrate by holding colourful lanterns, or lighting candles. But what exactly is the festival celebrating? What do the lights symbolise? This year’s Diwali festival is coming up on Monday, October 24, and if you have Indian friends, it might be helpful to understand…
- World News
Thai university rankings slide, Singapore first in ASEAN
The latest Times Higher Education report has seen Thailand’s universities slide in rankings with Singapore coming out on top in Southeast Asia. According to the Bangkok Post, Thailand’s rankings were lower than those of tertiary institutions in Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Brunei. The report listed the kingdom’s four best universities in the 801-1,000 band: Chulalongkorn University King Mongkut’s…
- World News
Singapore Air announces new policy for pregnant stewardesses
Singapore Air announced a new policy for pregnant stewardesses. Stewardesses who become pregnant will now be able to keep their jobs at Singapore Air, the airline said in a statement. The statement said that pregnant cabin crew members can now choose to work in “a temporary ground attachment.” The statement said crew members can resume flying duties after maternity leave. Singapore…
- World News
Philippines offers attractive alternative to Thailand’s 10 year LTR visa
The Philippines launched a Special Investors Resident Visa (SIRV) offering permanent residency to any foreigner who invests at least US$75,000 in business or securities. The visa reaps more rewards for a smaller investment than Thailand’s 10 year Long Term Resident (LTR) visa, which hasn’t attracted as much attention as initially hoped since its launch last month. Once a foreigner has invested…
- World News
OnlyFans star sentenced to six years in prison in Myanmar
Insein Prison Court in Myanmar sentenced a model to six years in prison yesterday for posting content online that “harms culture and dignity,” according to the Burmese military junta. Nang Mwe San is the first woman to ever be imprisoned over OnlyFans content in Myanmar. The 33 year old model and former doctor had previously taken part in anti-military protests…
- World News
SE Asia’s traffickers targeting the young and tech savvy
Southeast Asia’s traffickers are targeting young and tech-savvy people to lure them into their devastating scams. The traffickers make adverts promising easy work and cushy benefits, drawing in thousands of young, educated victims. When the victims arrive at their destinations they are held captive and forced to work in online scam centres known as “fraud factories.” These include love scams,…
- 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…
- World News
Chiang Mai, Thailand rated No.1 city for healthcare in southeast Asia
In a recent online survey, Chiang Mai was rated the No.1 city in Southeast Asia for the overall quality of healthcare. Two more Thai cities made the top 10, with Bangkok coming in at No.3 and Pattaya coming in at No.4. The index uses data from the website Numbeo and works out the results as follows… “Health Care Index is an…
- World News
Cambodian politician leads apocalyptic cult
A Cambodian politician has started an apocalyptic cult. The president of the League for Democracy Party, Khem Veasna, claims that he is a reincarnation of the Hindu god Brahma. The so-called “Brahma” has now “prophesised” that massive biblical-level floods will swallow up all of the Earth, except for his farm in Siem Reap province. Quite a few people believe Khem,…
- Crime News
Police shoot and kill Thai drug suspect in Cambodia car chase
Police shot and killed a Thai drug suspect in Cambodia yesterday while chasing two cars in the capital city of Phnom Penh. The suspect, along with others, had been smuggling 20 kilograms of narcotics, including ketamine. Anti-drug police said the suspects hid the drugs among flowers. The police opened fire on the suspects’ car, killing a Thai man identified as…
- 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…
- Press Room
Southeast Asia startup struggles at heart of this year’s Techsauce Global Summit
Press Release Startup funding, investor confidence and growth were just some of the pain points addressed at this year’s Techsauce Global Summit, which took place at ICONSIAM, Bangkok on the 26 and 27 August. The conference, which is back in physical form following a three-year hiatus, saw over 10,000 attendees, 1,500 startups and 300 speakers in attendance. Techsauce Global Summit acts…
- World News
Former UK ambassador and husband reported detained in Myanmar
The former UK ambassador to Myanmar and her husband have been detained in Yangon, two anonymous sources reported today. A spokesperson for the Burmese junta did not answer calls from Reuters seeking comment on the situation. A British embassy spokesperson has said the embassy is concerned about the arrest. She said… “We are in contact with the local authorities and are…
- World News
Hong Konger stuck in Myanmar pleads for help after being kidnapped in Thailand
A man from Hong Kong has contacted an anti-trafficking NGO pleading for help. He says he is currently detained and being forced to work as a scammer in Myanmar after he was kidnapped in Thailand. The man, 30 year old John, says he has been trapped for three months so far, and “escape is not an option.” John said he…
- World News
Nigerian monkeypox case who fled Thailand is banned from Cambodia for 3 years
Cambodia has ordered the deportation of a 27 year old Nigerian man who recently recovered from monkeypox. The man originally fled Thailand last month, after testing positive for the virus, and because he had overstayed his education visa, which expired in January. Cambodian immigration announced yesterday that he had recovered and they planned to send him back to Nigeria soon.…
- World News
Japanese documentary producer arrested in Myanmar
A Japanese documentary producer was imprisoned with two protesters after joining an anti-government protest in Yangon last Tuesday. The media reported that Toru Kubota, a 26 year old male photographer and documentary filmmaker, was arrested at a protest in the South Dagon Township in the southeastern area of Yangon on July 30. The report said he was arrested while gathering…
- World News
Woman carries sharp knife onto Vietnam Airlines flight
A Vietnamese woman managed to get a sharp knife through airport security and aboard a domestic Vietnam Airlines flight on Monday. The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has launched an investigation into the incident. An elderly lady is pictured peeling fruit with a sharp 20 centimetre knife on Vietnam Airlines flight VN208 from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi…
- 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…
- World News
Burmese military bombs Karen village, kills 2
Peace remains out of sight for minority groups living under the Burmese military. On Friday night, a Burmese fighter jet bombed a Karen village just a few hundred kilometres away from Myanmar’s border with Thailand. Two villagers were killed, 3 were wounded, and 92 were forced to flee to Thailand. Even though the Burmese military had reportedly meant to drop…
- World News
Indonesian villager catches massive crocodile using only a rope
An Indonesian villager has caught a massive crocodile using only a rope on the island of Sulawesi. A video shows the villager, 53 year old Usman, pulling the rope on each side of the crocodile’s mouth. Later, the giant croc is seen with its mouth and claws completely tied up. The beast was discovered to be 4.3 metres long. But…
- World News
Laos to ban public from holding foreign currencies
The Central Bank of Laos plans to ban residents from holding foreign currencies to address problems such as inflation, and the depreciation of the Kip. The Laotian Times yesterday reported that the Governor of the Central Bank of Laos, Sonexay Sitphaxay, promised to solve foreign exchange problems during a press conference on May 27. The governor acknowledged public concern regarding…
- World News
Shopee fires 50% of its Thai staff
E-commerce platform Shopee today announced 50% of its Thai staff are being fired alongside employees from Indonesia and Vietnam. The company, under the Singaporean tech group Sea, did not give a reason for the mass redundancies. DealStreetAsia reported that Shopee has informed all staff on the redundancy hit list to pack up their stuff and wait for an official termination…
