Social development
Energy-drink ad exposes uncomfortable truth in Thai society
A TV commercial for an energy drink has become a social phenomenon in Thailand as it depicts the privileged elite being humbled, to the delight of the majority here. In the commercial for Lipovitan D, a drink from drugmaker Osotspa Taisho, a wealthy young woman ...
Oz offender ban may be felt in Cambodia
The Australian government on May 30 announced plans to ban those listed on the country’s national sex offender registry from travelling abroad – a plan that would nullify the passports of 20,000 offenders, including those who may be living or travelling in Cambodia. Australian Foreign Minister ...
At 97, this Vietnamese grandma has mastered the Internet
At first glance, it’s easy to dismiss Le Thi as just another raddled old woman. At 97, she has lost almost all her teeth and a severe hunchback impedes her movement. She spends most of her time lying in bed on her side, slowly chewing ...
Japanese life insurers take hit from BOJ's negative rate policy
The Bank of Japan’s negative interest rate policy dealt a blow to Japanese life insurance companies last fiscal year, with premium income shrinking at 11 out of 15 major players. Basic profit — a measure of profitability from core operations — decreased at seven groups for ...
Day care wait lists still growing in much of Japan
Day care waiting lists have declined slightly overall but still grew on the year in 16 of 34 major Japanese municipalities, suggesting that the government remains far from its goal of clearing the chronic backlog. The Nikkei surveyed 20 cities and Tokyo’s 23 wards, with ...
Free speech takes a hit ahead of the Thai vote
An explosion at a military hospital in Bangkok on the third anniversary of the ruling junta underscored Thailand’s delicate political situation ahead of the first full-fledged election in seven years. The kingdom’s two largest political forces have remained deeply split since the coup that brought ...
Elderly get timely food, medicines
Poor elderly folk living in Mandalay City are being cared for with medicines and food during this season when temperatures can soar, said U Soe, secretary of the Ma Naw Kyar Phyu Blood Donor and Charity Association. “We help provide essentials to the poor and ...
Zinc deficiency rampant in VN women, children
Vietnamese people are zinc deficient at an alarming rate, especially pregnant women and young children.The information was announced on Monday at a symposium to welcome Việt Nam Micronutrient Day (June 1-2).A survey conducted in 2015 showed that nearly 70 per cent of children under five ...
Doctors' deaths spur call for new law
Medical networks have urged the government to roll out a law regulating working conditions for medical staff after the deaths of several doctors were linked to their heavy workloads and poor working environment.Read more ...
ISPs escape liability for illicit content in new Act
Local internet service providers (ISP) and foreign social networking companies will be exempt from liability for illegal content under Thailand’s new Computer Crime Act 2017, says a legal expert.The new Computer Crime Act, which goes into effect today, does not have a mandate to impose ...