Vietnam and Thailand are joining forces to redefine regional tourism through the groundbreaking ‘Six Countries, One Destination’ initiative which may lead to simplified visa operations and seamless travel.Southeast Asian tourism authorities have been working together to boost a tourism network among six countries: Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Malaysia. Ho An Phong, Vietnamese deputy minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, held a working session with a Thai delegation led by Dusit Manapan, advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, in Hanoi on January 3, within this framework. The discussion focused on the ‘Six Countries, One Destination’ initiative,…
Author: Asia News Network
Chanasongkhram Police were alerted to a fatal shooting near Wat Bowonniwet Vihara in Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok on Tuesday at 6pm. At the scene, authorities discovered Lim Kimya, 74, a Cambodian national with French citizenship, critically injured from gunshot wounds to his right flank and shoulder. Despite receiving first aid and CPR, Lim succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Initial investigations revealed that Lim was a former opposition MP with the Cambodia National Rescue Party. He had traveled from Siem Reap, Cambodia, by bus with his French wife. Upon arrival at the location, an assailant on a motorcycle approached…
A tragic plane crash Sunday morning at Muan International Airport claimed 179 lives, in what is South Korea’s worst domestic aviation disaster to date. Jeju Air flight 7C 2216, a Boeing 737-800 carrying 181 passengers and crew, was attempting to land when it veered off the runway. Five minutes after the pilot signaled mayday, the plane collided with the perimeter fence and burst into flames, according to the Transport Ministry. According to the Jeonnam Fire Services Headquarters on Sunday, only two crew members — a male and a female — survived the crash. Authorities confirmed the deaths of the remaining…
Societal norms disproportionately emphasise protecting girls online, leaving boys more vulnerable to risks on social media, according to a study. The “Teens, Tech and Trust: Navigating Social Media in Malaysia” White Paper, published by the think-tank Social and Economic Research Initiative, is based on a survey of 185 respondents collected through platforms such as schools and social media. Launched yesterday, it examines the online safety of Malaysian teenagers aged 13 to 17 who actively use platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok and Discord. Insights gathered from focus group discussions show that while girls are closely monitored to protect them from…
Japanese auto giants Honda and Nissan are in preliminary merger talks, media reports said Wednesday. A tie-up would help them better compete against Tesla and other electric vehicle makers, the Nikkei, the Financial Times and others said. The two firms agreed in March to explore a strategic partnership on electric vehicles, a move analysts said was aimed at catching up with Chinese competitors. A Honda spokesman said Wednesday that a potential merger was already among the possibilities being discussed. “We are discussing possibilities for cooperation between Honda and Nissan in the future, in a wide range of fields and in…
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s move to appoint former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra as his “informal adviser” when Kuala Lumpur takes over as Asean chair in 2025 has caused a stir in Malaysia. And while some see it as strategic for the country to tap the experience of the 75-year-old Thai leader and possibly other political bigwigs on regional issues, especially the crisis in Myanmar, others are sceptical about turning to a foreign politician for advice, and a controversial one at that. “I have agreed to appoint (Thaksin) as my informal adviser on chairing Asean, with a team of members from…
In the first half of 2024, Southeast Asia attracted over US$30 billion in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure investments, according to the 2024 e-Conomy SEA Report from Google, Temasek and Bain & Company. The ERIA One ASEAN Startup Whitepaper highlights over $50 billion invested in AI by tech giants including Microsoft, Google, and Amazon since January 2023. This reflects the growing recognition of the region as a burgeoning hub for AI innovation, a shift that could drive the region’s economy forward. ASEAN has projected that AI could boost the region’s gross domestic product by 10 percent to 18 percent, potentially adding…
President Yoon Suk Yeol conceded Wednesday morning to the National Assembly’s request to lift the martial law, as he pledged he would preside over the Cabinet meeting immediately, admitting his surprise declaration of martial law was short-lived. “I will immediately accept the National Assembly’s request and lift the martial law through the Cabinet,” Yoon said in a televised address to the nation at around 4:20 a.m. “I convened the Cabinet immediately, but the quorum has not yet been met because it is too early in the morning. … I will lift the martial law as soon as the quorum is…
Three violent attacks were carried out in Pattani and Narathiwat Wednesday evening and early Thursday in what are suspected to be symbolic attacks related to the Tak Bai massacre case, the statute of limitations on which is due to expire on Friday. The first attack happened in Tambon Chalerm of Narathiwat’s Rangae district on Wednesday evening. Police said three patrol troops were injured when insurgents detonated a homemade bomb planted in a drainage sewer under the road between Ban Kujing Luepah and Ban Bango Luhboh villages. The explosion blew a hole in the road one metre deep and two metres…
Draft of Entertainment Complex Act expected to be presented to the Cabinet by the end of the year and deliberated in parliament early in 2025 Thailand’s Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat told the media this week that the drafting of the Entertainment Complex Act is progressing as planned and should be submitted to the Cabinet for consideration by the end of this year. Once approved, the government will push the bill to Parliament for further deliberation during the regular session, which will reopen in mid-December 2024 and run through April next year. “This bill will be Thailand’s first law to…