Regional

Seven-Year-Old Becomes Laos’ Youngest Internationally Rated Chess Player

Seven-year-old Bounthiengtham “Jayson” Sengphachan has already done something no Lao chess player his age has done before. The young player from Vientiane Chess Academy recently became the youngest Lao player to receive an official FIDE Rapid rating, a ranking based on performance in faster-paced chess games, scoring 1503 after a...

Thailand’s HIV Cases Pass 550,000, Laos Reports Rising Infections Among Young People

Thailand has recorded 557,993 cumulative HIV cases, health authorities say, even as new infections...

Laos, Vietnam Set USD 4 Billion Trade Goal as Economic Ties Grow

Laos and Vietnam are pushing to take their economic partnership to the next level,...

Former MRC Chief Anoulak Kittikhoun Named First Lao Head of Mekong Institute

Former Mekong River Commission (MRC) Chief Executive Officer Anoulak Kittikhoun has been appointed Executive...

Lao Police Arrest Two Nationals in Cross-Border Heroin Investigation

Two Lao nationals have been arrested in Laos as part of a growing cross-border...

Five More Boats Packed With Refugees Approach Indonesia’s Shores, Air Force Says

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian authorities detected at least five boats packed tight with refugees approaching the shores of Aceh province, officials said...

Airline Passenger Charged with Stealing Over USD 22,000, Triggers Warning for Travelers

Starting a journey is exciting, yet a recent incident on a budget flight from Vietnam to Singapore serves as a cautionary tale, emphasizing the...

Thai LGBTQ+ Community Hopeful as Marriage Equality Bill Is Set to Be Discussed in Parliament

BANGKOK (AP) — Naphat Krutthai and Rasithaya Jindasri have been in a committed relationship for eight years, but only now can they consider getting...

Myanmar Supreme Court Rejects Ousted Leader SUU Kyi’s Special Appeal in Bribery Conviction

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s Supreme Court rejected Monday a special appeal by the country’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi against her conviction in a case in which...

Earthquake in Northwestern China Kills at Least 131 People, Deadliest in Nine Years

BEIJING (AP) — A strong overnight earthquake rattled a mountainous region of northwestern China, authorities said Tuesday, reducing homes to rubble, leaving residents outside in...

High Sugar, Salt Content in Infant Foods Across Seven ASEAN Countries, UNICEF Report Reveals

Children across Southeast Asia are exposed to excessive amounts of sugar and salt contained in commercially produced food, a new study revealed. The research assessed...