World News
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Builders of Laos dam say they’re not responsible for lack of flow in Mekong River
Both the government of Laos and the builders of the Xayaburi dam are dismissing allegations that damming of the Mekong River, for the trial run of electricity generators, is one of the reasons for the sharp drop of water levels in the downstream stretches of the Mekong River. Water levels in the reservoir, 30 metres above the river, is about…
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Road incidents still the biggest killer in Thailand
“A third of the victims were men and most were between the ages of 15 and 24.” Road accidents in Thailand accounted for 20,169 deaths last year. Most of those killed were students and young people. The figures are from the Public Health Ministry, the Royal Thai Police and Road Accident Victims Protection. Motorcycles accounted for 70% of the fatal crashes, followed…
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A year after the Laos dam collapse homeless survivors wait for help
PHOTO: World Rainforest Movement A year ago, a dam at the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy hydroelectric project in southern Laos collapsed under pressure of rising monsoon waters, sending floods downstream and killing over 70 people, though the official toll is lower. 12 months on, thousands are still waiting in temporary camps in the impoverished state. A report by International Rivers…
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Worries over drug-resistant Malaria strains spreading from Cambodia
Drug-resistant forms of malaria-causing parasites are spreading across south east Asia leading to “alarmingly high” treatment failure rates of frontline medication. Scientists say that a strain of Malaria, known as KEL1/PLA1, has evolved and picked up new genetic mutations which may make it more resistant to drugs. They are warning that strains of malaria, resistant to two key anti-malarial medicines, are…
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KL’s Petronas Tower architect Cesar Pelli dies at 92
“It is with great sadness that we announce the loss of our founder, mentor, and great friend, César.” – business partner Fred W. Clarke. From Malaysia to the US, famed architect Cesar Pelli, known for his innovative skyscrapers and use of coloured glass, has died at the age of 92. “He was a gifted architect and teacher, two callings he…
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Mekong River drops to lowest level in a century around Thai, Lao, Myanmar border
Water levels in the Mekong River are now at the lowest point in a century as of July 19, lower than a record set in April 1973. South East Asia’s Stimson Centre claims that, based on recent satellite images, the drastic lowering of the water level in the river has exposed many islets and sandbars adding. The Centre’s report refers…
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Thai PM has “grave concerns”, orders army to be on standby over drought in north
PHOTO: Thai army water trucks are on standby to help northern farmers Acknowledging the severity of the potential crisis looking over northern and north-eastern provinces, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is instructing the armed forces to provide help to areas affected by drought, a situation which may be made worse by the test run of the new Xayaburi dam on the Laos…
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“That’s one small step for man” – Armstrong steps on the moon 50 years ago
Where were you when Neil Armstrong fist stepped on the moon? The momentous, and enormously complex project, proposed by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, came to fruition on July 21, 1969 when Neil Armstrong, then Buzz Aldrin, stepped onto the lunar surface. It was an expensive endeavour with five other missions to follow that would also walk men on…
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Mystery 90 kilogram load was added to cargo flight list on MH370
French investigators looking into the disappearance of the Malaysian Boeing 777, flight MH370, say they have discovered a previously undeclared 89 kilogram load that was only added to the cargo list after takeoff. The sun.co.uk reports that French engineer Ghyslain Wattrelos, who lost his wife and two of his three children in the crash, detailed the claims to judges investigating…
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Former BRN negotiator slams Thailand as being insincere at peace talks
PHOTO: thailandchatter.com A similar number of people have been killed in the Southern Insurgency in Thailand as in the conflicts at the Gaza Strip and West Bank in Palestine over the past 15 years. But the religious and realestate conflict at the southern Thai border with Malaysia has had a lot less international media coverage. One of the Malay negotiators,…
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Singapore’s exports crash in June, the biggest drop in 6 years
Edited from The Straits Times – Asian News Network Singapore’s exports have crashed by double digits for the fourth straight month. June’s figures show shipments in the key electronics sector sinking by 32%. This is the biggest year-on-year drop since shipments sank 33.2 per cent in February 2013. It is also sharply below analysts’ expectations of a 9.6% plunge, according…
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PTT’s expansion plans in Myanmar
PTT Oil and Retail Business (PTTOR) is poised to invest in the Burmese retail market and the construction of a tank depot for oil and liquefied petroleum gas as well as related facilities in Myanmar. The Thai petro-chemical company’s chairman Attapol Rerkpiboon says the first gas station will open in Q4 this year. It recently signed agreements with the subsidiaries…
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More currencies in Asia strengthen – Indonesian rupiah crosses major threshold
The Thai baht isn’t the only Asian currency performing well against some of the western currencies. The Indonesian rupiah has strengthened 0.54% to 13,932 to the US dollar yesterday (Monday) from 14,008 on Friday. It became the best performing currency in Asia, though other currencies in the region have also also strengthened: Yesterday there was improvement of 0.19% for the…
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Vietnam pushing to be leading digital economy in ASEAN by 2030
Excerpts from Viet Nam News – Asia News Network Vietnam wants to be the leading digital economy in ASEAN by 2030. A draft project on national digital transformation by Vietnam’s Authority of Information Technology Application (AITA) is being submitted for approval in November. The project aims to develop the Vietnamese economy based on digital technologies. Speaking at a conference this week to review MIC’s…
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Heading south at speed: The China–Laos railway
by Selina Ho, NUS Laos is dependent on China to bankroll the US$7 billion project, raising concerns of being caught in a debt trap The Kunming-Vientiane link will eventually connect with a railway line to Bangkok, and southward down the Malay peninsula to Singapore The Laos section of the project is now half complete Construction on the China–Laos railway began in…
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Singapore economy slides closer to recession, figures worse than expected
Singapore’s economy has tanked in Q2, slowing again after hitting the lowest rate since the global financial crisis of 2008 in Q1 this year. The Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry pegged Singapore’s economic growth at a mere 0.1% in the second quarter of this year, well below analysts’ expectations of 1.1%, according to a Bloomberg forecast. It is also a far…
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Talks resume in the ongoing China-US trade spat
By China Daily – Asia News Network There’s been a resumption of talks in the China-US trade.’war’ Analysts are hoping the restart in talks between top negotiators from both nations will deliver a win-win outcome. China’s Vice-Premier Liu He spoke by phone with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Tuesday. According to reports, officials exchanged views…
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Thailand rice exports droop due to strong baht
Rice exports have fallen 12% for the first half of this year, mostly related to the strong Thai currency. An export group says that sales targets for Thai rice will fall short of the 2019 target of 9.5 million tonnes. The Thai Rice Exporters admit they will lucky to reach 9 tonnes in sales this year. Thailand shipped 4.2 million tonnes…
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New airline Vinpearl Air to enter Vietnam’s aviation market
PHOTO: Hà Nội News The Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment in Vietnam granted a business licence to yet another new airline start-up – Vinpearl Air, a member of Vingroup. Vinpearl Air was established on April 22 with headquarters in Hanoi ’s Vinhomes Riverside Long Biên. The airline will have international routes and use 30 aircraft or more. Vingroup and Canada’s CAE Oxford Aviation…
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ASEAN commit to eliminating marine plastic
“At present, four ASEAN members are the world’s top ocean polluters, namely Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand.” At the recent 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok last month the 10 member states of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asia Nations) adopted “The Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris in the ASEAN Region” in an effort to eliminate marine plastic debris in the region. ASEAN…
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Myanmar’s ‘Bagan’ awarded UNESCO World Heritage status
UNESCO has added Myanmar’s ancient capital Bagan, a collection of thousands of temples and stupas, as a World Heritage Site, nearly a quarter of a century after the Buddhist temples were first nominated for listing. The decision finally recognises the importance of the central Myanmar site – which includes more than 3,500 stupas, temples, monasteries and other structures built between…
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Korean passenger from hell ordered to pay Hawaiian Airlines compensation
FILE PHOTO A man, who forced an international flight to return to Hawaii last February, has been ordered to pay the airline more than 5.3 million baht. South Korean Kyong Chol Kim was also sentenced to six months in jail for interfering with flight attendants and crew members, and annoying passengers on the flight. His behaviour on the Hawaiian Airlines flight…
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Thai travel agents post figures showing a drop of 11.5% in inbound traffic
Travel bookings have dropped by 11.46% during the first six months of the year. For the first six months of 2019 the Association of Travel Agents’ member companies handled 2,786,204 customers. That translates into a real loss of 360,470 clients for inbound travel agents based on the turnover of guests at Bangkok’s two gateway airports, Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang. The data is…
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Tropical storm ‘Mun’ to affect north and north-east Thailand
The TMD (Thai Meteorological Department) has issued a warning this morning relating to possible impacts of tropical storm ‘Mun’. The TMD reports that the tropical storm is moving west from Hainan Island in the South China Sea at a speed 20 kph and will make landfall between northern Vietnam and China tomorrow (July 4). It is predicted that the storm…
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China starts to roll out epic 8K TV technology on the back of 5G
HD TV was a huge step up (most of what we still watch on our TVs is HD – high definition). 4K provided us with almost ‘cinematic’ experiences of detail and quality (most modern cinemas use a 5K format… there are variations). Now the Chinese, using the latest 5G technology, are talking of broadcasting an 8K picture quality experience. China…
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20 smuggled Burmese, including children, found in locked Songkhla warehouse
by Santiparp Ramasutra Songkhla Police, in Thailand’s deep south, have rescued 20 scared and hungry Burmese, victims of traffickers who’d locked them inside a warehouse on the Thai-Malaysian border. Residents say they heard the sound of children crying for several days in the usually deserted warehouse in the Sadao district. Pol General Suchart Thirasawat, an inspector-general in charge of an anti-trafficking…
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Burmese migrants released from Thai prison after murder convictions overturned
By Nyein Nyein – The Irrawaddy | PHOTO: Facebook/Htoo Chit Two Burmese migrants, serving six and eight year sentences for the alleged murder of a Thai woman in Ranong, southern Thailand in 2015, have won their appeal in a Thai court. Sein Kadone and Wai Lin, who received eight and six year sentences, respectively, have been in prison for three years…
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Europe’s searing heatwave breaks temperature records
Europeans have their umbrellas out but not for the rain. This time they’re trying to protect themselves from record heat that is sweeping across continental Europe. Many European cities are not designed for the high heat with air-conditioning not a common addition to most homes. Whilst the temperatures, exceeding Fahrenheit 100 degrees, are not uncommon in other parts of the…
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Huawei reassures customers that its roll-out is unaffected by US sanctions
Despite Huawei’s challenges posed by the US ban, the Chinese telecom firm says their 5G network momentum plunges forward around the world. Huawei is assuring governments and customers that its 5G equipment roll out and development will not be affected by the US sanctions. Huawei continue to challenge the US sanctions saying they are unfair and the allegations “lack substantial…
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New Malaysian political sex video appears on Pornhub
PHOTO: Haziq Abdullah Abdul Aziz, sacked and A new video clip showing Malaysia’s former deputy minister’s aide, Haziq Abdullah Abdul Aziz, and a man resembling the Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, has appeared on YouTube, while a nine-minute-plus full version has been uploaded to porn site Pornhub. As with earlier clips, the YouTube video (which may be removed…
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