Nana Backpackers Hostel in Vang Vieng. (Photo: Booking.com)
On 25 November, the Vang Vieng police arrested eight individuals allegedly linked to the deaths of foreign tourists at Nana Backpackers Hostel.
The detained individuals, all employees of Nana Backpacker Hostel, are all Vietnamese nationals between 23 and 44 years old.
The incident, which occurred on 12 November, involved the deaths of six tourists, one American, two Danish citizens, two Australians, and one British national.
Authorities suspect the deaths were caused by poisoning, possibly related to tainted drinks, though investigations are still ongoing.
The Vang Vieng district authorities, working alongside various ministries and organizations, continue to investigate the deaths and collect relevant data to determine the exact cause.
Reports have also surfaced that 12 other foreign tourists in Vang Vieng were hospitalized after consuming contaminated drinks from the same guesthouse. Preliminary tests indicated methanol contamination in beverages such as beer and spirits.
The embassies of Denmark, the United States, and other countries are working to repatriate the victims’ bodies.
Investigations continue, with a special task force working to determine the full scope of the incident. Unofficial reports suggest there may be additional fatalities, but these claims have not been confirmed.
Boon Vanasin, A founder of Thailand's Thonburi hospital and chairman Thonburi healthcare group (photo credit: Kaohoon international)
Thailand’s Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on 22 November for Boon Vanasin, a Thai national founder of Thonburi Hospital and chairman of Thonburi Healthcare Group (THG), along with eight other compatriots. The group is accused of running a fraudulent scheme involving fake medical projects, including hospitals in Laos and Vietnam.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 November 2024 – Coda Bridge, a pioneering Hong Kong-based blockchain platform provider known for its charity project that leverages blockchain technology to ensure accurate tracking of charitable donations, is pleased to announce its expansion into Singapore in collaboration with StraitsX. The upcoming collaboration aims to leverage blockchain technology and smart contract programming to issue Purpose Bound Money (PBM) in the form of meal vouchers to eligible migrant workers and other underserved communities to dine at Dignity Kitchen Singapore.
Coda Bridge’s platform has already seen significant success in Hong Kong, having partnered with Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Hong Kong, and Dignity Kitchen (Hong Kong), a social enterprise that employs physically challenged and disadvantaged people. The Hong Kong project, which was rolled out in May 2024, saw the distribution of HK$500 electronic meal vouchers to beneficiary families of the local chapter of RMHC, redeemable at Dignity Kitchen Hong Kong. The upcoming pilot in Singapore will see Coda Bridge utilise StraitsX’s platform solutions and its Singapore dollar pegged stablecoin, XSGD to power backend acceptance flows of the PBM digital meal vouchers, guaranteeing that charity donations from Ray of Hope reach the intended beneficiaries and are spent specifically for dining at Dignity Kitchen Singapore. Beneficiaries can then use their mobile phone to scan a merchant-presented QR code at Dignity Kitchen and seamlessly pay using their vouchers. At the end of the project, Dignity Kitchen can redeem the digital vouchers collected from beneficiaries and receive cash through a reconciliation process with Ray of Hope.
PBM is a protocol that specifies the conditions upon which an underlying digital currency (such as stablecoins) can be used, which has the capability for money to be directed towards a specific purpose, and the potential to promote increased donation by providing unprecedented transparency and integrity in the donation process.
Using the StraitsX issued stablecoin that is compliant with the forthcoming Singapore regulatory framework, Coda Bridge highlights their commitment to revolutionise the global charity landscape through digital innovation while ensuring continual compliance with evolving regulatory frameworks. In addition, the versatility of StraitsX-issued stablecoin extends beyond commercial use cases such as the recent go-live of a cross-border solution allowing Alipay+ payment partner apps to pay at GrabPay merchants in Singapore. By tapping on the capabilities of programmable money, StraitsX and Coda Bridge envision a future characterized by groundbreaking efficiency in funds transfer across multiple real-world use cases.
This pilot project will run from November 2024 to February 2025. If successful, this innovation in charity donations will expand the use cases of PBM and XSGD with the aim of including more charities and social enterprises within Singapore.
Hashtag: #CodaBridge #StraitsX
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Coda Bridge
Coda Bridge, headquartered in Hong Kong and backed by leading venture capitalists, merges the expertise of seasoned financial and IT professionals. Our company harnesses the power of FinTech to innovate and drive efficiency in digital transactions through our blockchain based Purpose Bound Money platform, tailored for specific financial needs.
Open New research and training center for Southeast Asian professionals and students specialized in food safety issues and water-related health risks (Photo Credit: IRD DaLam)
On 18 to 19 November, the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) held a meeting in Luang Prabang, Laos, with local and French partners to discuss ecosystem sustainability and the One Health approach. The event featured discussions on key issues such as land use, water resources, and biodiversity, with participants including scientists, officials, and donors.
HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 November 2024 – Hoa Sen Home has established itself as a leader in Vietnam’s rapidly growing building materials market. As the official distributor of renowned building materials and furniture brands locally and internationally, it offers a wide range of high-quality products, all backed by exceptional customer service.
Hoa Sen Home is the official distributor of many renowned building materials and furniture brands in Vietnam and internationally.
Hoa Sen Home operates Vietnam’s most significant building materials and furniture supermarket chain, with 115 supermarkets and over 300 stores nationwide. The company provides thousands of products, from basic building materials to finishing materials, including steel sheets, steel pipes, plastic pipes, construction steel, tiles, various types of paints, sanitary wares, hand tools, power tools and household electrical appliances, etc. This extensive product range attracts customers and presents numerous opportunities for suppliers to expand their businesses.
Mr. Stone, Export Manager of ARROW, a leading Chinese sanitary ware company, was impressed after visiting Hoa Sen Home’s supermarkets and stores in Vietnam. “I am amazed by the extremely diverse range of products Hoa Sen Home offers. In stores like these, consumers can find everything they need for their homes. Hoa Sen Group has done a remarkable job in this regard,” said Mr. Stone.
Mr. Cai Xin Yan, General Manager of MONGA, a leading sanitary ware manufacturer in Guangdong Province, China, highly values Hoa Sen Home. “Thanks to its comprehensive network of supermarkets, services, and suppliers, we can collaborate to deliver products efficiently and quickly. We also see that Hoa Sen Home is heading in the right direction, particularly by embracing digital transformation and e-commerce trends to enhance the customer experience,” said Mr. Cai Xin Yan.
Meanwhile, Mr. Sunny, General Manager of EAOH, a leading stainless steel sink manufacturer in Guangdong Province, China, and a strategic partner of major global building materials supermarkets, including The Home Depot (USA), shared: “Hoa Sen Home has been very professional in many areas, from product exchanges and returns to delivery processes and payments. We look forward to deepening our cooperation with Hoa Sen Home.”
Hoa Sen Home, an affiliate of Hoa Sen Group – one of the top 10 largest private enterprises in Vietnam, is the country’s largest and only building materials and furniture supermarket chain. With its expansive distribution network, Hoa Sen Home allows partners to connect with millions of potential customers.
Partnering with Hoa Sen Home is a business opportunity and a chance to strengthen brands in Vietnam’s dynamic market. The partnership promises long-term benefits, fostering a sustainable ecosystem that empowers businesses to thrive in an increasingly competitive environment.
For further information, please contact:
Hoa Sen Home Representative Office in China
➢ Address: Room 911-912, Building 5, No. 7, Guoji Center, Huadu District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong, China ➢ Email: china.office@hoasengroup.vn ➢ Hotline: +86 153 6088 8633
Hashtag: #HoaSenHome #HoaSenGroup
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 November 2024 –Acclaim Insurance Brokers, Singapore’s leading risk consulting and insurance broker, celebrates its 40th anniversary by receiving the prestigious Enterprise 50 Award for the second time, first awarded in 2021. Acclaim remains the only risk consulting and insurance broker in this distinguished ranking.
The accolade underscores Acclaim’s four decades of contributions to Singapore’s business landscape as a trusted provider of corporate risk management and insurance solutions. “This award is a testament to our team’s dedication,” said Founder and Executive Chairman Anthony Lim. CEO and Managing Director Tony Lim added, “It motivates us to continue empowering businesses and raising the bar.”
The Enterprise 50 Award, established in 1995, recognises the nation’s top 50 privately-held companies driving economic growth locally and globally. Organised by The Business Times and KPMG, it is supported by Enterprise Singapore, the Singapore Business Federation, and the Singapore Exchange.
Global Reach, Tailored Solutions With a network spanning 150 countries and over 500 offices, Acclaim provides tailored insurance solutions to multinational corporations. The firm’s Specialty Practices deliver in-depth risk assessments and customised strategies across diverse insurance classes.
A Commitment to Innovation and Community Guided by core values of courage, creativity, commitment, and collaboration, Acclaim combines risk insight with innovation to help businesses maximise opportunities. Its “Purpose Beyond Profit” ethos is evident in initiatives like the Acclaim Education Fund, supporting tertiary students beyond traditional financial aid.
As Acclaim looks to the future, it continues investing in talent development and delivering impactful risk solutions to meet the evolving needs of businesses worldwide. Hashtag: #insurancebroker #marineinsurancesingapore #cybersecurityinsurancesingapore
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Acclaim Insurance Brokers
Founded in 1983, Acclaim Insurance Brokers is one of Singapore’s largest independent transnational risk consultant and insurance broker. Serving over 2,000 clients across all industries including major infrastructure projects and multinational clients with operations in more than 30 countries. Visit their website to learn more about their comprehensive solutions.
This month, the Mines Advisory Group (MAG)-a humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding organisation–is marking its 30th anniversary of operations in Laos.
Since 1994, MAG has worked with communities and authorities across Khammuan and Xieng Khuang provinces to find, remove, and destroy hundreds of thousands of bombs leftover from the war.
Laos is the most heavily bombed country in the world per capita. From 1964 to 1973, more than two million tons of explosive ordnance were dropped on the country.
The scale of the bombing is the equivalent of a planeload of bombs being dropped every eight minutes, 24 hours a day, for nine years. This included 270 million cluster submunitions, of which an estimated 30 percent failed to detonate on impact, meaning they remain alive, contaminating the land, for decades.
MAG currently employs over 1,200 staff in Laos, many of whom are from communities heavily impacted by the conflict and the subsequent contamination.
Over the last 30 years, MAG’s impact has been transformative, benefitting nearly 1.2 million people by: Clearing over 136 square kilometres of land.
Responding to over 37,000 callouts from people reporting dangerous items.
Finding and destroying over 340,000 items of unexploded ordnance.
Delivering over 4,500 risk education sessions with guidance on how to recognise, avoid, and report threats, reaching more than 153,000 people living in contaminated areas.
“As we celebrate 30 years of MAG’s work in Laos, we are honouring the remarkable dedication of our staff members who have worked hand-in-hand with communities to ensure land can be returned safely to them. Their hard work and commitment to making their communities safer have transformed countless lives. This anniversary is a testament to their efforts and the resilience of the people we serve,” said MAG Laos Country Director, Eli Mechanic.
With approximately 2,000 square kilometres of confirmed hazardous areas still requiring clearance, it is paramount that support for unexploded ordnance (UXO) survey and clearance in Laos continues and people can live and use their land without fear of deadly accidents.
“For over 30 years, the United States has provided more than US$400 million towards UXO clearance efforts and support for victims. We are currently supporting over 200 clearance teams, which have cleared more land this year than in any previous year,” said United States Ambassador to Laos, Heather Variava.
“We are making progress, but we know we need to do more, and we are committed to working with partners like MAG to ensure Laos meets its goal of removing UXO as a barrier to national development.”
The majority of land cleared by MAG of cluster munitions and other UXO is agricultural land.
Humanitarian mine action can and does have an incredible impact on agriculture, development initiatives and food security, with reverberating positive effects on communities previously restricted by the presence of ordnance.
“The UK Government is one of the largest bilateral donors supporting UXO clearance work in Laos,” said United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Laos, Mel Barlow. “We are proud to support MAG and to celebrate their 30-year commitment to life-saving work in Laos. I was privileged to visit their work in Xieng Khuang and learn how this is reducing injuries and returning land to communities, directly contributing to the development of Laos.”
As MAG commemorates this significant milestone, the organisation remains steadfast in its commitment to working with the Lao government, development partners, and conflict-affected communities until the country is free from the threat of unexploded ordnance.
This commitment, along with robust international support and community engagement, is essential in paving the way for a safer and more prosperous future for Laos.