Category: Southeast Asia

Hong Kong to release seized Singapore troop carriers

Nine armored personnel carriers belonging to Singapore that were seized in the Chinese territory of Hong Kong will be returned, officials said Tuesday. The Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong received a letter from Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying saying that Hong Kong had completed an investigation of the SAF Terrex infantry carrier vehicles and other equipment and would release them to the Singapore government.

Ramon: Nothing to fear if you speak constructively

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians should not fear speaking out or criticising the Government if it is done constructively, said Centre for Public Policy Studies chairman Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam. The moderate advocate said that no government can serve its people well without listening to the people and seriously addressing the burning issues of the day as well as of the future.

Asian Nations Try to Save TPP Trade Deal

Australia and New Zealand said on Tuesday they hope to salvage the Trans-Pacific Partnership by encouraging China and other Asian nations to join the trade pact after U.S. President Donald Trump kept his promise to pull out of the accord. The TPP, which the United States had signed but not ratified, was a pillar of former U.S. President Barack Obama’s policy to pivot to Asia.

Read Now

Burma is expected to see economic growth of 6.9 percent in 2017, down 1.5 points from a previous estimate, according to the World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects report released earlier this month. The report said that real-term growth in 2016 was estimated to be 6.5 percent, down 1.3 percentage points from an earlier estimate in June last year, the Nikkei Asia Review reported.

Wanted Thai Muslim leader suspected of inspiring militant attacks

More than a decade ago, Sapae-ing Basor was one of Thailand’s most wanted, his face plastered on posters around the south offering 10 million baht, more than US$250,000, for his capture. But when the spiritual leader of many Muslims in insurgency-torn southern Thailand died at 81 in self-imposed exile in Malaysia January 10, it wasn’t just thousands of his followers mourning in mos… More than a decade ago, Sapae-ing Basor was one of Thailand’s most wanted, his face plastered on posters around the south offering 10 million baht, more than US$250,000, for his capture.

Japanese body’s ID confirmed

The parents and girlfriend arrive at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok on Monday to confirm the identity of the body of Sonam Tsuboi, found in the Chao Phraya River on Dec 30. Relatives have confirmed the body found in the Chao Phraya River in late December was the missing Japanese tourist Sonam Tsuboi, 22, and said he would be cremated in Thailand. The parents, aged 57 and 47, as well as the 24-year-old girlfriend of the Japanese man, arrived at the riverside Siriraj hospital in Bangkok to identify the body found at the nearby Wang Lang pier on Dec 30. Accompanying them was Pisit Maiprasert, a consular assistant at the Japanese embassy, who said they were confident that the body was of Tsuboi.

Chao Phraya body ‘likely’ is Japanese suicide

The body of a man found in the Chao Phraya River is believed to be that of a Japanese tourist who went missing in Thailand late last year and is thought to have committed suicide, according to an initial police inspection. His loss of contact with his family since Dec 27 last year, described by his relatives as “unprecedented behaviour”, worried them for weeks until police investigators identified the man’s body Sunday following a preliminary autopsy as that of Sonam Tsuboi, aged 22. The discovery followed checks by investigators with police stations located near Khao San Road, where the man was last seen.

UPDATE 1-Japan’s JX, Petronas start Malaysia LNG train

Jan 23 JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp said its venture with Malaysian state oil firm Petronas has started commercial operations at the ninth liquefaction train at the Petronas LNG complex in Bintulu, Sarawak. The launch of the ninth train comes at a time when U.S. LNG exporters are sending tankers to Asia to fill a gap in the region’s demand as markets have tightened more-than-expected on surging consumption in China and Pakistan, and because of Australia’s struggles to ramp up production.

Myanmar Muslims hope UN envoya s visit will bring change

Muslim villagers in western Myanmar’s troubled Rakhine state said Sunday that they hope positive change will result from a U.N. envoy’s visit to the region, where soldiers are accused of widespread abuses against minority Muslims, including murder, rape and the burning of thousands of homes. U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Yanghee Lee concluded a three-day visit Sunday to probe the situation in northern Rakhine, where an army crackdown has driven an estimated 65,000 Muslim ethnic Rohingya to flee across the border to Bangladesh in the past three months.

Duterte orders troops to blast militants and their hostages

Filipino hostage Glenn Alindajao, left, talks to Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza prior to boarding a plane for Davao city following his release along with South Korean hostage Park Chul-hon… . South Korean hostage Park Chul-hong, center, is greeted by unidentified officials as he prepares to board a plane for Davao city following his release Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, from his kidnappers in the volatile island of J… MANILA, Philippines – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he has ordered his troops to bomb extremists who flee with their captives in a bid to stop a wave of kidnappings at sea, calling the loss of civilian lives in such an attack “collateral damage.”

Abu Sayyaf militants free S. Korean captain, Filipino crew

South Korean hostage Park Chul-hong, seated right, and Filipino hostage Glen Alindajao, left, prepare to answer questions after being flown in Davao from Jolo following their release Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017 from their kidnappers in the volatile island of Jolo in southern Philippines. Park and Alindajao were released Saturday after almost three months in captivity.

Najib Extends Pongal Greetings

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has extended ‘Pongal’ greetings to Malaysians celebrating the event. “As the Malaysian Indian community welcomes the auspicious month of Thai which signifies a new beginning, I take this opportunity to wish our Indian brothers and sisters a very blessed and prosperous ‘Ponggal Vaalthukal’,” he said in his Facebook posting.

MCA remembers Adenan’s deeds

MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai described Adenan as a great leader, statesman and political icon, saying that his death was a “great loss” for Malaysia and Sarawak. “Condolences to Puan Sri Jamilah and family, as well as all the people in Sarawak for the passing of Tan Sri Adenan Satem,” said Liow in a statement.

Sabahans mourn death of ‘Borneo hero’ Adenan

KOTA KINABALU: The sudden death of Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem came as a shock to many in neighbouring Sabah as they looked at him as a champion of state rights for the two east Malaysian states. Always held in high regard for a firm stand for better deals for Sarawak and, by extension Sabah, under the Malaysia Agreement, both Sabah Barisan Nasional and Opposition leaders looked at him as a “Borneo hero”.

Warrant of arrest against supervisor

Labuan: The Special Corruption Sessions Court here has issued a warrant of arrest against a 62-year-old entertainment outlet supervisor who failed to turn up to answer a bribery charge Tuesday. Kenny Chong was nabbed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in 2014 after allegedly being caught in the act of bribing a police officer.

Thailand: Flash floods cause 200-km gridlock as death toll rises to 25

FLASH floods in southern Thailand washed out a bridge on the country’s main north-south highway on Tuesday, backing up traffic for 200 km as the death toll from days of unseasonable rain rose to 25, media reported. More than 360,000 households, or about a million people, have been affected by the floods that have damaged homes and schools and affected rubber and palm oil production, the Department of Disaster Prevention and industry officials said.

East Timor plans to restart border talks with Australia

East Timor plans to negotiate a larger share of the oil and gas wealth in the seabed between the impoverished Southeast Asian nation and Australia by restarting talks on a maritime boundary. East Timor and Australia said in a joint statement on Monday that the tiny half-island country plans to give its wealthy neighbor three months’ notice that a bilateral treaty on sharing Timor Sea oil and gas will be terminated.

12 dead after heavy rains in southern Thailand

Heavy rains continued to hammer Thailand’s flood-ravaged south on Saturday, bringing the death toll up to 12 and leaving thousands of villages partially submerged, authorities said. The flooding, which was roof-high in some areas, has affected more than 700,000 people since it started a week ago, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

Nearly 1 million swamped by relentless southern deluge

FLOODING in lower Thailand has now expanded to leave 10 of the 15 southern provinces inundated, affecting nearly a million people and claiming 11 lives, according to the Interior Ministry’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department. And eight provinces Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Ranong and Phang Nga face more heavy rain until today.

Taichung-Ho Chi Minh flights launch this month

Vietnamese budget carrier VietJet Air will launch a new route later this month, linking Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam with Taichung in Taiwan, as the central Taiwan city seeks to promote itself as an operations base for low-cost carriers. The new route will be officially launched on Jan. 15, with four flights a week – Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday – and a flying time of more than three hours between the two cities, according to the airline.

Frigate assigned to escort Pattaya-Hua Hin ferry

The Royal Passenger Liner ferry leaves Pattaya for Hua Hin on Thursday on its delayed inaugural service, escorted by the frigate HTMS Kraburi. (Photo by Chaiyot Pupattanapong The navy has assigned the frigate HTMS Kraburi to protect the Pattaya-Hua Hin ferry, which made its first trip on Thursday after rough seas delayed the unofficial launch from Jan 1. The frigate was already deployed in the upper part of the Gulf of Thailand, the navy statement said.

Rentokil Aims to Break the Mosquito Life Cycle

Acting as Aedes Fighters, dedicated volunteers from Rentokil Initial Malaysia have worked together on a mission to eradicate mosquito breeding grounds, reducing the mosquito population, and to create healthier and safer environments for our communities. This nationwide initiative is part of the organisation’s annual corporate social responsibility programme; Community Oriented Health Education Programme , which aims to galvanise the communities in Malaysia into taking actions to preserve a clean and hygienic environment in and out of their residency to keep mosquitoes at bay.

Taiwan leader urges China for ‘calm’ talks as pressure grows

In this photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, President Tsai Ing-wen, right, and Vice President Chen Chien-jen look through name cards of journalists attending an international press conference at the presidential office, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2016, in Taipei, Taiwan. President Tsai urged China to engage in “calm and rational” dialogue to maintain peace, vowing not to give in to Beijing’s recent moves to “threaten and intimidate” the self-ruled island.

Rail progress: Bangkok commuters set to benefit from more route options in 2017

Next year could turn out to be a breakthrough one for commuters travelling between Bangkok and surrounding areas by rail, as many more options look set to become available. At the very least, the one-kilometre so-called “missing tooth”, which will link the end of the recently opened MRT Purple Line at Tao Poon station with the far end of the underground MRT Blue Line at Bang Sue station, should be in service byAugust.

Rail progress: Bangkok commuters set to benefit from more route options in 2017

Next year could turn out to be a breakthrough one for commuters travelling between Bangkok and surrounding areas by rail, as many more options look set to become available. At the very least, the one-kilometre so-called “missing tooth”, which will link the end of the recently opened MRT Purple Line at Tao Poon station with the far end of the underground MRT Blue Line at Bang Sue station, should be in service byAugust.

Officers inspect one of the armoured vehicles from Singapore. Photo: Facebook

Ng Eng Hen also says without elaborating that the Singapore city state has changed its practices to protect its assets The Singapore military had learned a lesson from the seizure of its armoured vehicles by the Hong Kong authorities and had changed its practices to protect its assets, the country’s defence minister said on Friday in a Facebook post. In the post, titled 2016 – A Look Back , Ng Eng Hen described the episode as “a low point in 2016 from the defence perspective”.

Three arrested in rosewood bust

Three Vietnamese nationals arrested for illegal transportation of Timber by Forestry Administration earlier this week and were sent to jail yesterday. Photo supplied Three Vietnamese nationals were charged and jailed yesterday for collecting and transporting more than 150kg of luxury rosewood in Preah Vihear province’s Chheb district.

Money for nothing in Siem Reap

In the tourist game, tuk-tuk drivers play an outsized role in their customers’ food and entertainment choices – and they expect to be paid. The practice of paying tuk-tuk drivers and concierges to push diners to your door is ubiquitous in Cambodia’s tourist capital, say frustrated restaurant owners, and doing no one any favours.

The 14GE objective is not only to remove the UMNO/BN federal…

The 14GE objective is not only to remove the UMNO/BN federal government in Putrajaya but also the UMNO/BN state government in Sabah In September this year, former Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said that if there is a four per cent swing against UMNO/BN in the 14th General Election, the UMNO/BN coalition would lose 45 seats, the majority of which are UMNO seats. This would mean the UMNO/BN coalition getting even less seats than what the Pakatan Rakyat won in the 13th General Election.

Need for deft handling in Hong Kong

It has been clear ever since Chris Patten, the last British governor, left Hong Kong following its handover to China, that the road to the territory’s Government House runs through Beijing. With its current incumbent, the unpopular Leung Chun Ying, announcing that he would not seek a second term as Chief Executive, the field is open to fresh candidates.

Hualien, Taitung named top spots to catch sunrise

The east coast counties of Hualien and Taitung are the two top choices for people seeking to catch the first sunrise of 2016, ezTravel agency said Wednesday. It said that based on its sales of New Year travel packages, other popular destinations are Longpan in Kenting National Park in southern Taiwan, Alishan in Chiayi County, Erliao in Tainan, and Wuling in Nantou County.

Temperature in Tamsui records low of 10.9 C

A strong continental air mass has brought with it lower temperatures, with Tamsui recording 10.9 degrees Celsius twice on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a new low for low lying areas this year, the Central Weather Bureau said. The strongest cold front so far this season sent temperatures as low as 13-14 degrees in northern Taiwan and Yilan in the northeast, 11-12 degrees in coastal areas of those regions and 16 degrees in southern Taiwan, as well as Hualien and Taitung in the east on Wednesday morning, according to the bureau.