Southeast Asia
- World News
Increasing number of Singaporeans think racism is an important issue
The percentage of Singaporeans who think racism in their country is an important issue is growing. While 46.3% thought it was important in 2016, that number has risen to 56.2%. Channel News Asia and the Institute of Policy Studies reported these statistics after surveying more than 2,000 Singapore residents aged 21 and above. CNA says the survey questioned accurate numbers…
- World News
30,000 travellers entered Indonesia between January to February
With the relaxation of Covid-19 travel requirements, Indonesia saw an increase in foreign travellers arriving through their airports and seaports since the beginning of 2022, according to government data released on Friday. Figures from the statistics department revealed 33,600 travellers entered Indonesia through its main channels from January to February. Compared to the same time last year, the country saw…
- World News
Indonesia and Malaysia agree not to compete over palm oil prices
After a meeting yesterday, Malaysian and Indonesian officials agreed that their countries would not compete over palm oil prices. Malaysia’s PM announced the agreement with Indonesia’s president after their meeting. He said that he and the Indonesian president will determine the price together. The two countries account for roughly 85% of the world’s palm oil production. Indonesia is struggling to…
- World News
Thailand and Cambodia will sign MOU to crack down on call centre scams
A Thai government spokesman has announced that Thailand and Cambodia plan to sign an MOU together soon to crack down on call centre scams. The spokesman said the Police Cyber Taskforce recently raided the operational base of a network of four gambling websites in Nonthaburi. He said the network had more than 200,000 clients with 200 million baht a month…
- World News
Pirate-fighting pact bolsters maritime safety in Southeast Asian seas
The seas of Southeast Asia are getting safer, after joint naval patrols in the waters of Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines have successfully deterred piracy in the region. It all comes down to a Trilateral Cooperation Agreement, or TCA, in which the nations pledged to conduct joint anti-piracy patrols in their waters and share information. The result has been a…
- World News
On anniversary of bloodshed, Myanmar army chief vows to “annihilate” opponents
Days after human rights groups published an extensive report accusing Myanmar’s junta chief of targeting unarmed protestors, the Burmese chief vowed today to “annihilate” opponents of the junta. Today is the anniversary of Myanmar’s most violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests. The army chief, Min Aung Hlaing, said the military will “no longer negotiate… and annihilate until the end” groups fighting…
- World News
New report “Nowhere is Safe” accuses Myanmar of sniper attacks
A human rights group, along with Yale Law School’s Scholl Center, accuse Myanmar’s junta chief of creating a special command that deployed snipers to kill unarmed protestors. The groups say this was to create fear. The Scholl Center and Fortify Rights investigated leaked documents and 128 testimonies from survivors, medical workers, witnesses and former military and police personnel, on violence…
- World News
Amidst shortage, cooking oil ‘mafias’ form in Indonesia
As the global price on crude palm oil surges, Indonesia faces a shortage of cooking oil. The Russia-Ukraine crisis has impacted the supply of vegetable oil in Indonesia, making palm oil more expensive. In November last year, the global CPO price was about US$1,300 per tonne. Now, it’s US$1,600 per tonne. Indonesian authorities tried to enforce one price, 14,000 rupiah…
- Press Room
ADB reports Southeast Asian countries well-positioned to bounce back from COVID-19
Press Release The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic pushed 4.7 million people in Southeast Asia into extreme poverty in 2021, as 9.3 million jobs disappeared, compared with a baseline no-COVID scenario, according to a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report presented at the Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS). The Omicron wave could cut the region’s economic growth by as much as…
- World News
Thailand is the 61st happiest country in the world
On a list of 146 countries on the World Happiness Index, Thailand ranks at 61. Finland was ranked the happiest country, while Afghanistan was ranked least happy. Finland has been ranked the happiest country in the world for five years in a row. An editor of the World Happiness Report said after the Covid-19 pandemic, all three acts labeled “acts…
- World News
AirAsia to resume Malaysia-Thailand flights, open 3 routes in April and May
AirAsia plans to resume international flights from Malaysia to Thailand, with 3 new routes opening in April and May. The three new routes include Penang-Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur-Hat Yai on April 13, and Johor Bahru-Bangkok on May 3, according to an announcement on the airline’s website on Tuesday. In an effort to provide passengers with more options to travel to…
- World News
Satun border between Thailand and Malaysia to reopen in April
The Satun border between Thailand and Malaysia will reopen on April 1 to all cross-border traffic. Thailand’s CCSA announced yesterday that more entry points will also be opened under the Test & Go and Sandbox schemes. These entry points include the sea port in Surat Thani for registered Thai vessels and Thai crews, as well as the airports in Hat…
- World News
Cambodia stops requiring Covid-19 tests for international visitors
Today, Cambodia stopped requiring international travellers to test for Covid-19 upon entering the country. Visitors still must be fully vaccinated, with proof of vaccination, to avoid two weeks of quarantine. Cambodian authorities also plan to issue visas on arrival again, which were suspended before due to Covid-19. The country’s Ministry of Health didn’t confirm when this would start, though. Cambodia…
- World News
Vietnam reopens borders to international tourism TODAY (a day late)
The Ides of March came and went without so much as a word on Vietnam’s much anticipated border reopening on March 15. But the news comes today, with the Ministry of Health officially announcing that foreign nationals entering Vietnam now only need to provide a negative Covid-19 test certificate to enter the country and will no longer be required to…
- World News
United States trade dispute on solar products from Thailand, Southeast Asia
Projects in the United States might freeze over a recent dispute on solar panels imported from Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Even though these countries supply the United States with about 80% of its solar imports, the United States’ Commerce Department is scheduled to probe whether the solar products are circumventing tariffs. The probe is over whether Chinese manufacturers are…
- World News
UN High Commissioner accuses Myanmar’s army of war crimes, including burning alive
In a new report, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights accused Myanmar’s army of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including burning women and children alive in Kayah State. Kayah State is home to mainly people of the Kareni, or ‘Red Karen’ ethnic group, one of the many ethnic groups fighting for autonomy in Myanmar. The report claimed the…
- World News
Thai woman says she narrowly escaped organ harvesting in Cambodia
A Thai woman alleges organ harvesters in Cambodia drew her blood and were about to cut her open when she was rescued. Police are now warning Thais about accepting jobs overseas as not only can they get wrapped but in an illegal scam operation, but police say organ traffickers have been known to remove kidneys, the liver, and eyes after…
- Thailand News
SEADS 2022: New ADB study on ‘Southeast Asia rising from the pandemic’
Press Release KEY TAKEAWAYS SEADS 2022 will be headlined by experts in government, development, and the private sector to discuss novel approaches that can help countries build back better from the pandemic. #SEADS2022 will focus on actionable solutions supporting three lynchpins of the region’s recovery: addressing debilitating supply chain bottlenecks; rejuvenating the region’s once-flourishing tourism industry, and advancing digital transformation.…
- Sponsored
SEADS provides sustainable solutions for Southeast Asia’s recovery
Press Release The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is hosting the Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS) 2022—Sustainable Solutions for Southeast Asia’s Recovery on the 16th and 17th of March. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming SEADS 2022 event. What is SEADS? The Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS) is an annual flagship knowledge event organized by the Asian Development…
- World News
Philippines to raise the minimum age of sexual consent from 12 to 16
The age of sexual consent in the Philippines is being raised from 12 to 16 years old. President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a bill raising the minimum age in an effort to protect adolescents from rape and sexual assault. The bill says statutory rape is when an adult has sexual contact with a person 16 years old or younger, unless the…
- World News
In the absence of Chinese tourists, TAT pins its hopes on short-haul markets
With the Chinese market showing no signs of a revival any time soon, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is turning to the neighbours. According to a Bangkok Post report, the TAT says it plans to attract 1.5 million tourists from Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Australia. Thanet Phetsuwan says if travel restrictions are eased in Southeast Asia, Thailand should be…
- World News
Myanmar’s army accused of holding children and teachers hostage
On Sunday, a newspaper in Myanmar accused the country’s military of taking 85 children and 10 teachers hostage during fighting with rebels. Reuters could not independently verify the report, and a spokesman for Myanmar’s junta did not respond to requests for comment. But the country’s National Unity Government, which opposes the junta, said some children were younger than five years…
- World News
Two Texas women who allegedly helped stab woman to death arrested in Cambodia
Two women who allegedly helped stab another women to death in Texas in 2020 were caught in Cambodia last week. They had fled to Cambodia after they escaped house arrest in December. The women are Nina Marano and Lisa Dykes. Marano is 50 years old, and Dykes is 58. The woman they allegedly helped murder, Marisela Botello-Valadez, was 23. One…
- World News
Indonesian earthquake survivors need food, shelter, and supplies
Indonesian rescue teams are still searching today for six people who may have been buried under a landslide after a devastating earthquake. The 6.2 earthquake happened on Sumatra Island yesterday morning, and killed at least eight people. At least 86 others have been injured, and 10 people’s injuries were considered serious. A statement by Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency said…
- World News
Cambodia among first countries to give Covid-19 vaccines to children under 5
Yesterday, Cambodia became one of the first countries to give Covid-19 vaccines to children younger than five years old. Children as young as three are now getting vaccines. Most countries haven’t started vaccinating this age group. This month, the United States postponed consideration of vaccinating kids under five. Other countries vaccinating children under five include China, Bahrain, and Cuba. China…
- Thailand News
Thailand’s businesses appeal to government to lower labour import cost
Thai businesses say they need more workers, and have appealed to the Labour Ministry to reduce costs of importing migrant workers from surrounding countries like Myanmar and Cambodia. Labour ministers said business operators are concerned that if not enough workers are brought in on time, their businesses won’t be able to meet orders and will have to pay fines. PM…
- World News
Vietnam’s vaccine passport pilot programme for international travellers enters phase 2
Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has released guidelines for implementing the second phase of its COVID-19 vaccine passport pilot programme to welcome international tourists. Phase 2 will continue from now until the country’s full reopening of arrival and departure tourism activities via air, land, and sea routes, which is set for March 15. Read: Tourism officials in Vietnam…
- World News
Songkhla man arrested on suspicions of trafficking Burmese migrants to Malaysia
Following last month’s arrest of 31 Burmese migrants trying to cross through Songkhla province into Malaysia, police have now caught a man suspected of trafficking them. Yesterday, police in Sadao district arrested Saiyid Ratdaewa after finding him in a house he was renting. Police say they found that Saiyid was a job broker for migrants seeking jobs in Malaysia. Police…
- World News
Bali reopens to international tourists after almost 2 years
Yesterday, Bali reopened to foreign tourists with its first international flight in almost two years. The flight was with Singapore airlines, with 109 foreign travellers, and 47 Indonesians. The foreign travellers are required to quarantine in a designated hotel for three to seven days. There are 27 designated hotels for them to choose from. The governor said he hopes in…
- World News
Cambodia delays internet gateway activists say would “devastate” free expression
The Cambodian government decided to delay implementing an internet gateway that would funnel all web traffic through a state-controlled entry point. Cambodia’s secretary of state for the Telecommunications Ministry said the gateway, which was supposed to be implemented yesterday, is being postponed because of Covid-19. The country’s foreign affairs department attacked foreign media for criticising the gateway, but activists and…
