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☆ Vietnam and Laos record hottest temperatures ever as heat wave grips Southeast Asia
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Tara Subramaniam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —Temperature records tumbled across Southeast Asia over the weekend as the region swelters under a weekslong heat wave that has brought misery to millions. Scientists have long warned that heat waves are set to get worse as the impacts of the human-caused climate crisis accelerate. In neighboring Laos, the city of Luang Prabang hit 43.5 degrees Celsius (110.3 Fahrenheit) on Saturday, breaking the national record of 42.7 degrees Celsius (108.9 Fahrenheit) that was only set last month, Herrera said. The Laotian capital Vientiane also broke its all-time record this weekend with a temperature of 42.5 degrees Celsius (108.5 Fahrenheit). Meanwhile in Thailand, Saturday saw the hottest ever temperature recorded in Bangkok – 41 degrees Celsius (105.8 Fahrenheit).

Thailand was the most popular outbound destination for Chinese travelers during the May labour day holiday, data from website Trip.com showed, followed by Japan and South Korea. "There is definitely demand from China for properties in Thailand," said Mesak Chunharakchot, the president of the Thai Real Estate Association. "Chinese are buying houses, sending their children to international schools and having their parents come stay in Thailand to take care of the grandkids." Nearly 270,000 Chinese tourists visited Thailand in March, government data shows, a three-year high, though well below the figure of 985,227 in March 2019, before the pandemic took hold. Therefore some would sell one of the houses in China and buy a property here for retirement."

☆ China's Hozon to produce EVs in Thailand for Southeast Asian market
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BANGKOK, May 6 (Reuters) - China's Hozon New Energy Automobile will make electric vehicles in Thailand for the Southeast Asian market, a Thai official said on Saturday, as it follows others in building facilities in the region's major auto production hub. Hozon signed an agreement with Thailand's Bangchan General Assembly this week to start production of its NETA V model, expected in 2024, Thai government spokesperson Tipanan Sirichana said in a statement. The EV maker launched its NETA V model in the Thai market last year and planned to start offering its NETA U and NETA S models in the near future, Tipanan said. (TSLA.O)Last month, a Thai official said China's Changan Auto (000625.SZ) would invest $285 million in a facility in Thailand. It has set a target that 30% of domestic auto production be EVs by 2030.

“Looking at the medical angle, doctors are even recommending [sex toys], instead of buying a sex service or cheating on partners,” Thanadirek told CNN. The party wants to decriminalize the sale of sex toys, which are considered “obscene” under Section 287 of Thailand’s Criminal Code. Custom officers confiscated at least 500,000 Thai baht ($15,000) worth of goods, including sex toys, e-cigarettes and products made of ivory in February 2015. She acknowledged that some people may have religious or moral concerns about legalizing sex toys but insisted that doing so could have a positive health impact. Thanadirek said the Thai government could collect taxes on imported sex toys, and the country, as a major global producer of rubber, has the potential to become a sex toy production hub.

In Southeast Asia, some countries posted their highest ever recorded temperatures this week, while searing heat in the Indian subcontinent has killed more than a dozen people. Neighboring Myanmar set an April temperature record on Monday as Kalewa, in central Sagaing region, reached 44°C (111°F), Herrera tweeted. April and May are typically the hottest months of the year for South and Southeast Asia as temperatures rise before monsoon rains begin and bring some relief. On Monday, more than 100 weather stations in 12 provinces broke their April temperature record, according to climatologist Jim Yang. Extremely hot temperatures across South and Southeast Asia are expected to continue.

☆ Young Thais who questioned monarchy look to win seats in parliament
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Panu Wongcha-Um | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

They are bringing the issue of the role of monarchy in society into the open. Changing - though not abolishing - those laws is part of the platform of Lookkate's progressive Move Forward party, which is campaigning on reducing the severity of punishments for royal insult and how it is applied. Kanokrat said the protests had put issues such as LGBT rights and the ending of the military conscription on the agenda. They had energised the progressive left while at the same time triggering the rise of a right-wing royalist party, Thai Pakdee, which is campaigning on toughening up the lese majeste law, he said. "We have a real progressive left that connects with street politics and a far-right party that rises as a response."

In February, over 150,000 Chinese tourists travelled to Thailand, the latest data from the Thai Ministry of Tourism show - a three year high but still 85% below February 2019 levels. Chinese tourists used to make up 10% of European arrivals from outside the continent. Flights to Europe are up to 80% more expensive than before the pandemic, according to ForwardKeys, a travel data firm. Chinese tourists making a comeback is crucial for regional economies. Reuters GraphicsPre-pandemic, China was Australia's top source of tourists, but numbers following Beijing's reopening of borders have only trickled back.

☆ New year revelry returns to Thai streets as tourism rebounds
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Devjyot Ghoshal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] People play with water as they celebrate during the Songkran holiday which marks the Thai New Year in Bangkok, Thailand, April 13. Festivities for Songkran, a much-loved Thai festival sometimes described as the world's largest water fight, had been muted or barred for the past few years due mainly to COVID-19 restrictions. ABut as travellers now return to Thailand, the key tourism sector is helping revive Southeast Asia's second-largest economy. Thailand beat its target of 6 million tourist arrivals in the first quarter, recording 6.15 million visitors between January and late March, according to government data. At least 30 million tourists are expected to visit Thailand this year and spend 1.5 trillion baht ($43.74 billion), according to projections by the Tourism Council, an industry body.

☆ Fact Check-Altered video does not show MMA fighter Fallon Fox fracturing opponent’s skull
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A 2013 video of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Fallon Fox has been shared with altered audio of her voice. The video shows an MMA fight between Fox and fighter Ericka Newsome on March 2, 2013. The clip, including the camera angle, fighter outfits and commentator’s narration, match the video shared online (7:01 timestamp). Some users online have also shared side by side photos of Fox and MMA fighter Kay Hansen to claim Fox broke Hansen’s skull (here), (here). Fallon Fox’s voice has been altered in a video on social media, and she did not fracture the opponent’s skull during the fight, Fox told Reuters.

☆ Pollution choking Thailand's north hits tourism, worries public
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CHIANG MAI, Thailand, April 10 (Reuters) - High pollution levels in Thailand's northern city of Chiang Mai and surrounding provinces are keeping tourists away and alarming locals, with the government on Monday urging residents to avoid outdoor activities. For several weeks last month the city was at the top of air quality information platform IQAir's global chart on poor air quality, ahead of Lahore and New Delhi. That is far short of the 80% to 90% expected ahead of this week's Thai New Year holidays, known as Songkran. Addressing the deteriorating air quality in the north, Thailand's health ministry urged the public on Monday to avoid outdoor activities and wear masks that can filter particles. Chiang Mai resident Pathsharasakon Po, 36, said she was concerned about allergies, or even cancer.

[1/5] A woman works inside a cannabis shop, at Khaosan Road, one of the favourite tourist spots in Bangkok, Thailand, March 29, 2023. Thousands of cannabis shops and businesses have sprung up, especially in Bangkok and tourist spots, since Thailand became the first Southeast Asian country to decriminalise the drug. A deluge of marijuana smuggled in from abroad has swamped Thailand, driving down wholesale prices and hurting growers, the industry members said. He did not comment on the scale of smuggled cannabis in the market or its impact on farmers. "A lot of cannabis that's coming in from the U.S. is going to dispensaries in Bangkok or Phuket or Pattaya," she said.

☆ We like the Thai baht 'structurally,' says asset management firm
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWe like the Thai baht 'structurally,' says asset management firmLeong Lin Jing of Columbia Threadneedle Investments says there are a few risks building as the country heads into a general election in May, and explains why it's "long" on the currency "for now."

☆ INDIA RUPEE Rupee to weaken as oil prices jump on unexpected OPEC+ output cut
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Nimesh Vora | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MUMBAI, April 3 (Reuters) - The Indian rupee is expected to open lower versus the U.S. dollar on Monday after a surprise production cut by OPEC+ fuelled a jump in oil prices. The non-deliverable forwards indicate the rupee will open at around 82.35-82.40 to the U.S. dollar compared with 82.1650 in the previous session. A rise in oil prices directly affects the Indian economy and the rupee as the country imports about 83% of its oil requirements, said Anil Bhansali, head treasury at Finrex Treasury Advisors. According to estimates by some economists, a 10% hike in oil prices leads to an increase in India’s current account deficit by 0.3% to 0.5% of the GDP. Apart from oil prices, the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) policy decision on Thursday and the U.S. jobs report on Friday will be key for the rupee this week.

☆ China's Xi: Ties with Singapore set benchmark for countries in region
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, March 31 (Reuters) - Relations between China and Singapore have set a benchmark for countries in the region, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during talks in Beijing on Friday. China is willing to work with Singapore in further building new "channels" by land and sea, Xi told Lee, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. "Other countries must be able to accept that China today is not what China used to be," Lee told CCTV in an interview ahead of his visit. China is Singapore's largest trading partner, while the island-state is China's biggest foreign investor. Lee's visit to Beijing was his first trip to China since 2019, before the global COVID pandemic broke out.

☆ Factbox: The biggest financial crises of the last four decades
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Fears of banking contagion remain, and investors are worried that global economies will suffer if the effects of higher interest rates torpedo more lenders. Michael Milken had helped popularize the financial instrument, with many using it as a way of funding leveraged buyouts. The country ended up getting external financial support from the International Monetary Fund and a $50 billion bailout from the United States. GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS OF 2008The biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression was rooted in risky loans to shaky borrowers, which started to lose value after central banks raised interest rates in the period leading up to the crisis. EUROPEAN DEBT CRISISSpurred by the 2008 financial crisis, surging debt at some of the major European economies led to a loss of confidence in the region's businesses.

☆ Investors cut bearish bets on most Asian FX as policy rate bets shift
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Savyata Mishra | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The currency firmed on Thursday, following dovish comments from the U.S. Federal Reserve that reined in expectations for more interest rate hikes and lifted sentiment for other Asian currencies. The dollar index slipped to near seven-week lows following the Fed's latest policy statement that no longer says that "ongoing increases" in rates will likely be appropriate. Bearish bets on Singapore's dollar eased to their lowest since Nov. 18, 2021. Short bets on the Indonesian rupiah and the Indian rupee rose slightly from a fortnight ago, while sentiment toward South Korea's won improved. The poll uses estimates of net long or short positions on a scale of minus 3 to plus 3.

☆ A disturbing image of an elephant with a deformed spine shows the brutal toll that tourist rides can have
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Pictures of rescued elephants show the toll of the tourist trade on the hard-working animals. Unlike horses, elephants were not bred to be ridden and tourist treks can cause irreversible damage. Amy Jones/Moving Animals/WFFTPai Lin, the elephant shown on the left, was rescued after more than 25 years in the trekking industry. Boon Chuey, shown below, is another elephant whose spine was deformed by the tourist trade, per the WFFT. Amy Jones/Moving Animals/WFFT"It's important to understand that elephants, unlike horses, are not bred to be ridden.

☆ Investors turn more bearish on Asian FX amid return of King Dollar
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Harshita Swaminathan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Bearish bets intensified on nearly all Asian currencies, with short bets on the South Korean won and the Chinese yuan reaching their highest since November, according to a fortnightly poll of 12 analysts. Short bets on the won were the highest among Asian currencies for the second week in a row. However, the Indian rupee , already the best performing currency in Asia so far this year, bucked the bearish trend as investors dialled back their short bets. Short bets on the ringgit rose slightly. The poll uses estimates of net long or short positions on a scale of minus 3 to plus 3.

☆ INDIA RUPEE Rupee scales near 3-wk high as Chinese yuan boosts Asian FX
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Anushka Trivedi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MUMBAI, March 1 (Reuters) - The Indian rupee hit a near three-week high against the dollar on Wednesday after a stronger Chinese yuan sparked a rally in Asian currencies. The rupee rose 0.20% to 82.50 per dollar, having strengthened up to 82.37 at one point, near its 55-day moving average of 82.3514 and at its highest level since Feb. 10. There were a "decent" amount of inflows into the market, and the broader sentiment was better, while a pullback in the dollar index helped the rupee, said a dealer at a private bank. Hence, the local unit is likely to stay in the range of 82.60-83.00 in the near term, Krishnamurthy said, noting that technically, only a break of either side on a daily close basis would trigger a directional move. Asian currencies and equities rose in response, while the dollar index fell 0.5%.

Domestic spending has increased and the government will accelerate large project investment to help growth, Arkhom Termpittayapaisith told a Radio Thailand programme. Southeast Asia's second-largest economy expanded a weaker-than expected 2.6% last year, lagging that of others in the region as its tourism sector just started to pick up. Headline inflation should return to the central bank's target range of 1% to 3% this year, helped by government measures and lower food prices, Arkhom said. A baht exchange rate of 34 to 35 per dollar is helpful for export prices despite falling export volumes, he added. Reporting by Orathai Sriring, Kitiphong Thaichareon and Satawasin Staporncharnchai; Editing by William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Bearish bets on Asian FX return on renewed woes over Fed rate hikes - Reuters poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Tejaswi Marthi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] A Singapore dollar note is seen in this illustration photo May 31, 2017. However, recent comments from the Fed about hiking rates for longer dampened sentiment. They turned bearish on the Thai baht , Asia's best-performing currency this year, the Singapore dollar and the Malaysian ringgit for the first time in three months. The poll uses estimates of net long or short positions on a scale of minus 3 to plus 3. The survey findings are provided below (positions in U.S. dollar versus each currency):Reporting by Tejaswi Marthi in BengaluruOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Indian cenbank onshore, offshore intervention helps rupee outperform-traders
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Nimesh Vora | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] A security guard stands next to the logo of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) inside its headquarters in Mumbai, India, February 8, 2023. "Without the RBI, there is little doubt that the rupee would be significantly lower," a currency and rates trader at a Singapore-based hedge fund said. This trader and two others that Reuters spoke to did not want to be identified on account of their internal policies. "The RBI's offshore presence, alongside what it is doing onshore, is making speculators stay away from the rupee," a trader at a Mumbai-based private sector bank said. A trader at a second private sector bank said one of the largest public sector banks has been "on both sides" in the onshore market, making the rupee "fairly unresponsive".

☆ Captain of Thai Soccer Team Rescued From Cave Dies at 17
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Alyssa Lukpat | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Duangphet Phromthep , the captain of the Thai youth soccer team that drew international attention when it was rescued from a flooded cave in 2018, died in England on Tuesday, officials said. Mr. Phromthep had been living in England to attend a soccer academy about 75 miles northwest of London, years after he and his teammates were freed from the dark cave in northern Thailand. A team of international divers saved the boys after they had wandered into the cave with their coach and got trapped by rising waters for more than two weeks.

☆ Captain of Thai Soccer Team Rescued from Cave Dies at 17
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Alyssa Lukpat | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ Bullish bets on Asian FX ease as Fed rate-hike concerns weigh - Reuters poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Himanshi Akhand | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Long positions on the South Korean won , the Singapore dollar and the Indonesian rupiah eased, while market participants turned bearish on the Indian rupee , according to a fortnightly poll of 10 respondents. The dollar is currently hovering near a one-month high after blockbuster U.S. jobs data last Friday boost expectations that the Fed may continue to hike rates to tame inflation. Investors also scaled back long bets on China's yuan , to a near one-month low, the Malaysian ringgit as well as Asia's best-performing currency this year, the Thai baht . Meanwhile, investors turned slightly bearish on the Indian rupee as concerns over a rout in local equities filtered into money markets. The poll uses estimates of net long or short positions on a scale of minus 3 to plus 3.

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