Thai court closes 2004 mass death case as statute of limitations expires

SEOUL, October 30 (AJP) - A Thai court has closed the case of the 2004 Tak Bai incident, where 78 Muslim protesters died of suffocation during police transport, after the statute of limitations expired on Friday without any suspects facing trial. The Narathiwat court's decision on Monday ends any possibility of prosecution in one of Thailand's deadliest incidents, where security forces arrested about 1,300 protesters and packed them into military trucks, leading to the suffo

October 30, 2024

Online pyramid scheme in Thailand claims nearly 10,000 victims across 20 countries

SEOUL, October 29 (AJP) - A massive online pyramid scheme operated by Icon Group in Thailand has defrauded 9,469 victims of 2.9 billion baht ($82 million) as of Saturday, with victims emerging from 20 countries including China, Myanmar, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States and several European nations, the Bangkok Post reported Monday. The company allegedly lured participants through online sales courses, pressuring them to bulk-purchase health supplements

October 29, 2024

At parliamentary hearing, Duterte defends drug war, refuses to apologize

SEOUL, October 29 (AJP) - Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appeared before a Senate committee on Monday to defend his controversial drug war, refusing to apologize and confronting families of victims who claim their relatives were killed unlawfully by police during his administration. "I will not apologize. Don't question my policy. I did what I had to do for my country," Duterte declared in his first congressional testimony since leaving office in 2022, add

October 29, 2024

Indonesia's forest under threat from biomass export push to Korea, Japan

SEOUL, October 28 (AJP) - Indonesia is accelerating deforestation of its pristine forests to produce biomass fuel, primarily wood pellets, for export to South Korea and Japan, raising environmental concerns over the impact on wildlife habitats, AP reported on Friday. Environmental group Auriga Nusantara revealed that over 14,000 square kilometers have been licensed for biomass production, with 97.4 square kilometers already cleared -- much of which serves as critical habitat for end

October 28, 2024

Storm Trami forces Vietnam to close airports, Philippines death toll hits 130

SEOUL, October 28 (AJP) - Viet Nam shuttered four major airports and halted maritime traffic as tropical storm Trami made landfall in the central region on Monday, with forecasts predicting up to 700mm of rainfall in Quang Binh and Quang Nam provinces. The Civil Aviation Authority closed airports in popular tourist destinations including Da Nang International Airport, Phu Bai, Dong Hoi, and Chu Lai, while authorities evacuated residents from low-lying areas and suspended tourism act

October 28, 2024

Myanmar rebels seize key rare earth mining hub, disrupting military junta's revenue

SEOUL, October 24 (AJP) - The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) has captured Panwa, a major rare earth mining center in northern Myanmar's Kachin state, the rebel group said on Tuesday, after earlier taking control of nearby Chipwe mining area. Myanmar exported about 50,000 tons of rare earth oxide to China last year, becoming the world's largest exporter of the material according to rare earth broker Odd Minet. China halted imports of Myanmar rare earths and exports of ammoniu

October 24, 2024

South Korea reports over 3,000 crime victims in Philippines

SEOUL, October 24 (AJP) - Over 3,180 South Koreans fell victim to crimes including murder and robbery in the Philippines from 2020 through the first half of 2024, yet no safety agreements exist between the two nations, according to parliamentary audit data released on Thursday. The Philippines ranks as the third-highest country for Korean casualties in the Asia-Pacific region, following China (6,054) and Japan (3,621), with total incidents reaching 26,226 across the region. South

October 24, 2024

Philippine court sentences 17 Abu Sayyaf militants to life over 2000 resort raid

SEOUL, October 23 (AJP) - A Philippine court handed life sentences to 17 members of the Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf group for kidnapping 21 people from Malaysia's Sipadan resort in 2000, according to AP and AFP news agencies on Monday. The militants were ordered to pay 300,000 pesos ($5,300) in damages to each victim. The armed group stormed the diving resort on speedboats, taking tourists from Germany, France, Finland, South Africa, and Lebanon, along with Malaysian and Fil

October 23, 2024

20 dead or missing after boat sinks off Myanmar coast

SEOUL, October 23 (AJP) - A passenger vessel carrying around 90 people capsized off Myanmar's southern Tanintharyi region on Sunday, leaving 11 passengers dead and at least 12 missing, reports said. Local residents told media that overloading of passengers and cargo likely caused the disaster, as the boat typically carries only 30 to 40 people. Rescue efforts have been hampered by poor weather and communication conditions in the area, where maritime accidents are frequent due

October 23, 2024

5.8 magnitude earthquake strikes Indonesia's Molucca Sea region

SEOUL, October 22 (AJP) - A moderate earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 hit Tapat island in eastern Indonesia's Molucca Sea on Monday. The United States Geological Survey reported that the quake occurred at 10:24 a.m. at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, though no immediate casualties or damage were reported on the island, which has approximately 50,000 residents. Indonesian authorities confirmed there was no tsunami risk. Indonesia, an expansive archipelagic nation, regularl

October 22, 2024