World
- World News
Thailand confirms neutral stance, encourages ‘dialogue’ on Russia-Ukraine
A government spokesman confirmed yesterday that Thailand will remain neutral on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The spokesman said due to the threat by Covid-19, Thailand doesn’t want any international conflict to worsen the public health crisis. He also restated what foreign ministers have said, that all parties should excersise “maximum restraint”. He stressed that PM Prayut has supported a policy of…
- World News
Foreigners wanting to study in Japan likely can by end of May
After about 150,000 foreign students have been kept from studying in Japan, they will likely be allowed to finally enter the country by the end of May. A Japanese government spokesman said yesterday that in March, a new priority entry program will start before the new school year. The spokesman said it’s unclear how many of the 150,000 students who…
- World News
South Koreans vote for new president in scandal-filled election
In the midst of a number of scandals, South Koreans voted for a new president today. The scandals with both candidates have caused so much commotion that they have even agreed to not investigate each other if they win the election. Both candidates’ wives have publicly apologised for separate scandals. The conservative candidate, Yoon Suk Yeol, used to be a…
- World News
Thai Foreign Minister calls for Russia-Ukraine negotiations
Thailand’s Foreign Minister spoke out yesterday, calling for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. He says that even though it will be difficult, every party wants to see the situation return to normal. He said there will be negative consequences if the conflict is not resolved, adding that if the situation does not return to normal soon, it would “cause an…
- World News
Mastercard and Visa suspend services in Russia, Russian banks downplay effects
Mastercard and Visa have announced that they will suspend their services in Russia. Visa cards issued in Russia will also stop working outside the country. The US President Joe Biden said that he welcomes the suspension. Meanwhile, Russian banks are downplaying the effects it will have on their clients. The Russia Central Bank stressed that cards would still operate normally…
- World News
Russians in Phuket granted 1 month extension to stay
Despite Russia banning Facebook in the country just 2 days ago, the Russian Consulate in Phuket has posted on its own Facebook page yesterday to announce that Russian citizens in Phuket can stay at least month longer than the original date on their visa. To do this, Russian travellers must go to Phuket immigration with their original letter from the…
- World News
Russian embassy warns Thais “don’t fight with Ukrainians”, threatens prosecution
Yesterday, the Embassy of Russia in Bangkok posted on Facebook urging Thais not to join the Ukrainian military. The post was originally in Russian, but viewers can see a translated version in English. The embassy alleges that under international law, such ‘merceneries’ who join Ukrainian forces are not qualified as combatants, and have no status as prisoners of war. It…
- World News
Myanmar junta revokes citizenship for National Unity Government members
Myanmar’s junta government announced today that it revoked the citizenships of several members of the country’s opposition government, which it considers a ‘terrorist’ group. This ‘opposition’ is mainly composed of the previously elected government that were overthrown on February 1, 2021. The Bangkok Post did not report the total number of members whose citizenships were revoked. But it included the…
- World News
Russia threatens up to 15 years for ‘fake news’ on military actions in Ukraine
Russia amended its criminal code yesterday and passed a law making the spread of ‘fake’ information a criminal offense. Intentionally spreading so-called fake information about the country’s military actions in the Ukraine can now be punishable with fines, and up to 15 years imprisonment. Russia’s lower house of parliament outlined a ‘sliding scale’ of penalties for people who have discredited…
- World News
Thailand ‘worried’ about Ukraine violence, humanitarian crisis, representative tells UN
After Thailand backed a UN resolution against Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, the country’s Permanent Representative said it is ‘worried’ about the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in the Ukraine. At a special session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, the representative said the violence will impact the rest of the world as well. “…will cause wider impacts for…
- World News
West Papua rebels shoot and kill eight technicians
Gunmen in a mountainous district of Indonesia’s Papua shot and killed eight technicians at a tower owned by a telecoms company on Wednesday. Today, West Papua’s main rebel militia claimed responsibility. One technician had managed to escape and tell authorities about the attack. Police began to track down the attackers, when the West Papua National Liberation Army took responsibility. The…
- Thailand News
Bangkok criminal court won’t let activist study on scholarship in Germany
A student activist facing lèse majesté charges won’t be allowed to study in Germany with a scholarship for a post-graduate program. Ravisara, nicknamed Dear, was charged when she read a statement in German in front of the German Embassy in Bangkok in 2020. When Dear applied to leave the country for a prestigious scholarship program, The Bangkok South Criminal Court…
- World News
United States will invite ‘non-political’ Myanmar representative to summit
A spokesman for the US State Department announced yesterday that the United States supports ASEAN’s decision to invite a ‘non-political’ representative from Myanmar’s junta-ruled government to a summit in Washington this month. The spokesman said that it too will invite a ‘non-political’ representative from Myanmar, in order to hold the country accountable for not following a consensus about human rights…
- 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
38 Thais evacuated from Ukraine to Bangkok, 58 more arriving today
The first group of 38 Thai citizens evacuated from the Ukraine arrived in Bangkok this morning. Thailand’s embassy in Warsaw, Poland, posted on Facebook yesterday saying another 58 Thais will arrive midday today from Warsaw. Those who arrived this morning were taken to be isolated and an infectious diseases institute in Nonthaburi. There they wait for the results of Covid-19…
- Thailand News
Thais can now work in Saudi Arabia
As of yesterday, Thai workers can now work in Saudi Arabia, and will be protected by Saudi laws. Thailand’s cabinet approved two draft agreements about this yesterday, which will last for five years. They will be extended for another five years unless one or both parties decide against it. Both countries will cooperate to make sure recruitment and employment is…
- World News
Tourism authorities claim Russia-Ukraine conflict will affect industry
After yesterday claiming that the situation in Ukraine wouldn’t affect UK to Thailand flights, officials from the Tourism Authority of Thailand now say the Russia-Ukraine conflict WILL impact tourism to Thailand. TAT’s deputy governor for marketing communications has now told the Bangkok Post that people might decide to cancel trips to Thailand because many airlines have had to divert or cancel…
- World News
UN expert claims Russia, China, and Serbia arming Myanmar junta against civilians
A United Nations human rights expert released a report on Tuesday saying Russia, China, and Serbia are supplying weapons to Myanmar’s junta government, knowing they will be used against civilians. The human rights expert, Thomas Andrews, said Russia and China are providing the junta with fighter jets. Myanmar’s military and Russia’s foreign ministry couldn’t be reached by Reuters on time…
- 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…
- World News
Four migrants in Songkhla discovered to have Covid-19, treated in hospital
Police arrested 22 migrants from Myanmar in Songkhla last night, and four tested positive for Covid-19. They are now being treated at a hospital, while the rest of the migrants in the group await legal measures on charges of illegal entry, and pending deportation. District officials found the 22 men hiding in bushes, and reporters at the Bangkok Post said…
- Thailand News
Thailand will purchase stealth jets if United States okays
Thailand will purchase Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth jets if the United States approves it. In January, Thailand set aside US$413 million for four jets, but one Thai air marshal said Thailand wants to buy as many as eight. A US State Department spokesperson said the department doesn’t confirm or comment on proposed transfers or sales until congress has been formally…
- 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…
- Covid-19 News
Boosters much less effective after 4 months, US officials say
The US Centres of Disease Control and Prevention published a study yesterday that found that third jabs of Pfizer and Moderna lose much of their effectiveness four months after they’re given. The study compared how likely vaccinated and unvaccinated people were to test positive. It found that vaccines were 87% effective for people two months after they had their third…
- Thailand News
Thailand ranks 72 in Democracy Index 2021
The Economist Intelligence Unit has officially deemed Thailand a “flawed democracy” out of four categories: full democracies, flawed democracies, hybrid regimes, and authoritarian regimes. It ranked Thailand 72 out of 167 countries in its “Democracy Index 2021,” which ranks countries for how democratic they are. The EIU says democracy has declined across the globe since 2020. That year, 49.4% of…
- World News
Australia calls for the “immediate release” of economist detained in Myanmar
The foreign minister of Australia says officials are using every opportunity to advocate for the release of Australian professor and economist, Sean Turnell, who was detained in Myanmar last year following the February 1, 2021 military coup. Foreign Minister Marise Payne released a statement yesterday calling on the “immediate release” of Turnell, saying his detention “unjust.” Professor Turnell’s detention is unjust,…
- World News
Australia to finally open to tourists in March
Vaccinated international tourists will finally be allowed to enter Australia again in March. The country’s borders shut exactly two years before that in March 2020. Skilled migrants and international students were only allowed back in December 2021. But now that Covid-19 cases are down in all states except Western Australia, Australia’s home affairs minister says she’s making the opening a…
- World News
Taiwan reports 39 Chinese warplanes including H-6 bomber in air defence zone
Taiwan air force has ordered its fighter jets to dispatch and missile defence systems activated yesterday after dozens of Chinese jets infiltrated the island’s air defence zone with an H-6 bomber. Although Beijing had not released a statement on the event, the warplanes were reportedly seen in the south-western Air Defence Identification Zone, which is self-declared airspace that is monitored…
- World News
New Zealand closes its borders to arrivals over fear of Omicron outbreak
New Zealanders are currently unable to return home as the Covid-19 response minister Chris Hipkins orders a temporary halt to the only route back to the country due to the fully occupied numbers of managed isolation and quarantine, or MIQ, as demands soar following the threat posed by the Omicron strain yesterday. Although the ban would be temporary, no date…
- World News
Australian government mulls deportation of unvaccinated tennis star Djokovic after judge orders his release
The Australian government has exceeded a four-hour time limit to decide whether to deport Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic, after a federal judge ordered his release from detainment on Monday afternoon, allowing the tennis star to remain in the country — at least for tonight. The world No. 1 tennis player has been detained since Thursday for allegedly breaking the…
- World News
France detects new Covid variant “IHU,” believed to be highly transmissible
While the world is grappling with new spikes in Covid-19 cases due to the Omicron variant, scientists in France have discovered another variant. The newly-discovered variant, called B.1.640.2, was found in 12 patients near Marseille and features 46 mutations, making it vaccine-resistant and contagious. Also known as “IHU,” the strain was detected by scholars at the IHU Mediterranee Infection on…
