Southeast Asia
- 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…
- Tourism News
Tourism Authority of Thailand: 18 million tourists in 2023
After arriving tourist numbers crossed seven million last month, inching toward the goal of 10 million for the year, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is making middle-of-the-road projections for 2023. While they don’t believe that Thailand will see anything like the 40 million tourists per year they saw before Covid, the TAT is estimating 18 million international arrivals next…
- 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
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
Bomb blasts kill eight at Myanmar’s notorious Insein Prison
Parcel bomb blasts killed eight people at Insein Prison on the outskirts of Yangon in Myanmar at 9.40am on Wednesday. Three prison staff and five visitors were killed, according to the Burmese military junta. Five visitors were killed in the explosions, including four women and a 10 year old girl, who were all relatives of political prisoners. Thirteen visitors, including…
- 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
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
Singaporean food hawker centre makes NYC debut
A Singaporean food hawker centre made its debut in the Big Apple this week. The ‘Urban Hawker’ centre, located in New York City’s midtown Manhattan, sells tasty dishes including chilli crab, oyster omelettes, and Hainanese chicken rice. The centre serves meals meant to represent Singapore’s diverse cultures. The island nation is made up of Chinese, Indian, and Malay people, among…
- 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
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
Burmese junta sentences former UK ambassador to 1 year in prison
After the Burmese junta arrested a former UK ambassador to Myanmar, along with her husband, on August 24, the junta yesterday sentenced them to a year in prison. The former ambassador, Vicky Bowman, is the director of the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business. She served as the UK’s ambassador to Myanmar from 2002-2006. Her husband, Htein Lin, is a Burmese…
- 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,…
- 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
UPDATE: Burmese junta releases statement on charges for former UK ambassador
UPDATE The Burmese junta said in a statement yesterday that it has charged a former UK ambassador to the country with immigration offenses. This news comes after anonymous sources reported yesterday that the former ambassador Vicky Bowman and her husband had been detained in Yangon. Local media reports that the two had been detained on Wednesday night, and are being…
- 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
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
Project proposal for Vietnamese city to become more walkable
Ho Chi Minh City officials are on a mission to make the Vietnamese city more walker friendly. In a proposed new pedestrian street project, the city will block 22 streets to traffic on weekends. The project will be spread into three phases between 2022 and 2025. In the first phase from 2022 and 2023, streets around the International Square roundabout…
- 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
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
Monkeypox arrives in Singapore and South Korea
Cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in Singapore and South Korea. Since the outbreak began in May, Singapore’s case is the first recorded in Southeast Asia. Singapore’s Ministry of Health confirmed that a 42 year old British flight attendant tested positive for monkeypox on June 20. He was in Singapore between June 15 and June 17, and again on June…
- 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
Malaysia’s Cabinet agrees to abolish mandatory death penalty
Malaysia’s Cabinet voted in favour of abolishing the mandatory death penalty. According to proposed changes to the law announced on Friday, the death penalty would not be abolished completely, but Malaysian judges would no longer be forced to issue the mandatory death penalty for 11 types of serious crimes, including drug offences, kidnapping, murder and terrorism. Malaysia’s parliament will still…
- World News
Dengue fever breaks out in Singapore
Dengue fever has broken out in Singapore, as the number of cases has already climbed to more than double the number throughout all of 2021. The city-state’s peak dengue season usually begins on June 1. A spokesperson for Singapore’s Ministry of Health told CNN that on May 28 this year, Singapore already had about 11,670 cases. Throughout all of 2021,…
