Asian Legal Review

Watched by tourists and locals, thousands of monkeys in Lopburi in central Thailand feasted on two tonnes of fruit and vegetables after the town’s Monkey Festival resumed following a two year hiatus caused by the pandemic.Hundreds of macaques, also known as long-tailed monkeys, were seen climbing on people and up stacks of fruit, munching away on bananas and pineapples.The feast, which cost over 100,000 baht (US$3,000), is an annual tradition for locals to thank the monkeys for doing their part…

The Chinese army has carried out a “naval and air force combat readiness patrol” near the Taiwan Strait following a contentious visit to the island by a group of American lawmakers, a spokesperson said.Tensions between Beijing and Washington have soared over the fate of self-ruled Taiwan, which China has vowed to one day retake, by force if necessary.Taiwan to set up veterans office in US, Tsai tells Congress groupA group of American lawmakers arrived on the island on Thursday offering support…

South Korea said on Saturday it will restrict arrivals from South Africa and seven other nations over concern about a new Covid-19 variant identified in the region.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said that from November 28 the issuance visas for those from eight nations in southern Africa would be restricted while South Korean citizens returning from the region would be quarantined.The eight countries subject to the new restrictions are South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia,…

As the six month enforcement ‘grace period’ on UK gender pay gap (GPG) reporting requirements ends, more employers have published their pay gap data – with some bigger firms going above and beyond minimum legal requirements and reporting on other diversity metrics including class, sexual orientation, ethnicity and disability on a voluntary basis.

The European Union is a step closer to imposing fresh regulations on digital giants, after proposed rule changes were approved by a committee of MEPs.

A Malaysian lawmaker was this week summoned for investigation by the police after making a speech in parliament in which he said there were growing calls for secession within the eastern state of Sabah over perceived discrimination by the federal government.After his summons, at a press conference in parliament, Azis Jamman of the opposition Warisan party in Sabah expressed disappointment over the police’s move and said he stood by his words.He also questioned why he was the only MP called in…

Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to launch their first land-based vaccinated travel lane (VTL) on 29 November.

Singaporean father of three YJ works as a warehouse supervisor and used to earn an additional S$1,000 (US$730) a month setting up banners and dismantling fixtures at trade shows and events. That vanished when Covid-19 hit and international travel stalled last year.With Singapore now opening its borders to 21 places – offering vaccinated residents and tourists the option of quarantine-free travel – and the return of large exhibitions and conferences, the 49-year-old is hopeful that the lost work…

The Philippines has rejected a demand from China that it remove a naval vessel grounded on a shoal in the South China Sea that has been the centre of heated exchanges between the two countries in recent days.Philippine defence chief Delfin Lorenzana on Thursday said Beijing’s demand that it remove the BRP Sierra Madre from the Second Thomas Shoal – part of the disputed Spratly chain of islands – was “baseless” and it was China that was the “trespasser” in the area.The Philippines deliberately…

The UK government has announced its strategy to speed up the parliamentary approval process for the final sections of the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail project.