Thailand is preparing to receive people fleeing fighting in Myanmar and send them back “when they are ready”, the prime minister said on Tuesday, following a series of attacks by Rohingya Muslim insurgents on Myanmar security forces last week.
Thailand was once a popular transit route for Rohingya escaping troubled Rakhine state in northwest Myanmar across the Andaman Sea. Others came by land.
But a 2015 Thai police crackdown on human-trafficking syndicates led to ships with…
With casinos on the cards, study shows Japan must first deal with its pachinko gambling addiction
As many as 900,000 Japanese people may be addicted to “pachinko” gambling or slot machines, according to a new study, raising concerns as the government continues to push forward with legalising casinos.
The nationwide survey of 9,000 men and women between the ages of 18 and 79 was conducted by universities and support groups for people with addiction to pachinko – a form of pinball played on upright boards in vast halls and accompanied by flashing lights and loud music.
After…
UK government launches schemes to encourage public sector staff back to work
The UK government’s equalities office has announced the launch of four public sector schemes to encourage workers who have taken career breaks to return to employment.
Road accident in Thailand saves 88 pangolins
By Supapong Chaolan An accident at traffic lights in Thailand’s Kanchanadit district has proved the salvation of 88 protected pangolins probably intended for use in traditional medicines, and by restaurants, in China. Kanchanadit police station received a report a crash involving three vehicles at traffic lights, with the driver at fault quickly fleeing the scene. The drivers of the other two vehicles, a pickup truck and a sedan, said they had stopped at the…
China’s dilemma: how much pressure can it exert on its historical ally, North Korea?
China hit back this week against fresh North Korea-related sanctions by the United States, which targeted six Chinese firms and one individual for supporting Pyongyang’s weapons programme.
It called on Washington to “immediately correct its mistake” of enacting these sanctions, opening Beijing to renewed criticism that it has been reluctant to exert greater pressure on its authoritarian neighbour.
China has increasingly had to contend with its complicated relationship with the…
Religion, race, politics: what’s causing Malaysia’s great divide?
Religion, political manipulation and preferential policies are widening the cultural divide between Malaysia’s ethnic groups and could be hindering the nation’s chances of unity as the next general election looms.
That’s according to a new research paper – “Fault Lines and Common Ground in Malaysia’s Ethnic Relations and Policies” – that found despite general interethnic goodwill, each race tended to stick to itself when it came to forming…
Pakistan’s foreign minister to discuss Trump’s Afghan plans with Russia and China
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry on Friday said that Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif will soon visit China and Russia for consultations over the new US policy for Afghanistan and South Asia.
Nafess Zakari, a spokesman for the ministry, told a weekly briefing that no date has been fixed for the visits.
“You have already seen the emergence of our new partnership,” he said, referring to Islamabad’s tilt toward Moscow and its strategic partnership with China under the China-…
Uber to resume Philippine service ‘soon’ after agreeing multimillion dollar fine
Uber said on Saturday it expects to resume operations in the Philippines “soon” after regulators agreed to lift a ban slapped against the American ride-sharing giant in exchange for a fine.
The government meted Uber a one-month suspension on August 14 following a tussle over driver permits, sparking public outrage as some 66,000 vehicles were forced off the streets.
Hundreds of thousands of Manila commuters find Uber and its ride-sharing rivals welcome alternatives to the country…
Will BRICS summit stoke behind-the-scenes talks on China-India border dispute?
The leaders of China and India are expected to meet on the sidelines of an emerging markets summit next month, but simmering border tensions mean the talks will be low key, observers say. The BRICS summit – involving leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – in the coastal Chinese city of Xiamen from September 3-5 could give President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a chance for some behind-the-scenes interaction amid the two countries…
Lorry ‘platooning’ trials to take place on major UK roads before end of 2018
Technology that could help heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) travel in close proximity to one another is to be trialled in live trials on major UK roads before the end of 2018, the government has announced.