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Laos Sees 26 Deaths from Road Accidents Around New Year

People gather at the damaged car after an accident occured (photo: Top Laos Story)

During the New Year celebration period, 26 people lost their lives in road accidents across Laos.

Local retail giant Pet Lovers Centre establishes joint venture with pet crematorium Mandai Pets Sanctuary

The smokeless and odourless cremation facility expands PLC’s suite of offerings for the pet community, and ensures the preservation of the old Nee Soon Post Office heritage building

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 4 January 2023 – Pet Lovers Centre (PLC), the first and largest pet care retail chain in Singapore and Southeast Asia, has announced a joint venture with the first pet crematorium and columbarium in Singapore – Mandai Pets Sanctuary (MPS), broadening their suite of services for pet parents. With a smokeless and odourless cremation facility, a memorial garden and columbarium, MPS will provide grieving pet owners with a tranquil space to send their pets off with respect and dignity.

MPS occupies the former Nee Soon Post Office building along Mandai Road, which has, in the past, served the community for decades. The two-storey colonial-style post office building is one of Singapore’s earliest post offices in the 1800s, and is one of the two cultural heritage buildings located in the Springleaf vicinity. Its conservation is a part of the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s plan for the precinct.

This strategic investment in MPS will further strengthen PLC’s standing as an all-encompassing pet business, which currently includes supplies for pets of all ages, pet health services, grooming centres, pet boarding and transportation, dog training classes, a dog bakery and animal-interest publication – Pets Magazine. The synergies of this new joint venture are expected to lead to a 20% increase in revenue in MPS in 2023.

“Our extensive experience in the pet industry lends us a deeper and keen understanding of the needs of pet parents. With our synergistic joint venture with MPS, PLC is looking beyond offering products and accessories that enhance a pet’s life and the basic services that furkids require, like pet boarding, grooming, relocation and transportation. This next step in our journey with MPS extends our suite of services to meet the entire spectrum of pet ownership needs from cradle to grave. MPS has been a trusted and professional pet crematorium since 1987, and we look forward to working with them to further elevate the exceptional level of care and support to bereaved loved ones as they bid farewell to their beloved pets, in a respectable and deserving way as part of the family,” said Ng Whye Hoe, Group Managing Director of PLC. “We are also honoured to be a part of Singapore’s heritage through the preservation of the former Nee Soon Post Office, providing customers and visitors a sense of nostalgia and tranquillity against a backdrop of lush greenery.”

Key features

The PLC-MPS joint venture will offer the following thoughtfully designed services to ensure a modern, respectful and comforting experience.

  • A 24-hour careline service, islandwide pickup service and round-the-clock safeguarding service will ensure the late pet’s smooth journey – starting from a home or a veterinary office, all the way to cremation.
  • Private and individual pet cremation services will ensure that each pet will get a dignified farewell, and a dedicated Send-Off Lobby with wake and prayer services will allow pet owners to have full privacy and comfort to spend the last moments with their pets before cremation.
  • Post-cremation, pet parents can choose from urn or keepsake options to commemorate and remember their late pets. Different urn designs, as well as columbarium niches, are available for selection. Other unique options include separate dog and cat columbariums, common burial ground services and sea scattering arrangements. In addition, there are future plans to offer combination or family niches for pet parents with multiple pets.
  • Using a QR code system on columbarium niches, pet parents can commemorate their pets after their passing by curating an album of photos and videos. Family members and visitors who visit the columbarium will also be able to scan the code to view these memories.
  • A Memorial Garden, with a serene and comforting atmosphere, will offer pet parents a dedicated space to mourn the loss of their pets before and after the cremation, or during their visits to the columbarium.

For more information, visit www.mandaipetssanctuary.com.

Hashtag: #PetLoversCentre #MandaiPetsSanctuary

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Pet Lovers Centre

(PLC) is collectively the largest and only pet care retail chain in South East Asia. PLC was founded in 1973, and is an award-winning household name today. Besides offering the widest and freshest range of products in the region, its themed “The Pet Safari” stores bring the best pet products and services together under one roof, together with vet-trained pet-care consultants who provide friendly, professional advice on pet care. It formed the Pet Lovers Foundation in 2009 to serve “Pets, People and our Planet”. Our eight subsidiaries represent the best of what the pet industry has to offer, from food and pharmaceuticals to vet care, grooming, travel and lodging.

About Mandai Pets Sanctuary

(MPS) is a pet crematorium and columbarium that offers pet parents professional and dignified end-of-life services for their pets. Having been the first to introduce standard cremation services in 1987, recognised and approved by the National Environment Agency, MPS operates smokeless and odourless cremation incinerators. Their personalised services include islandwide pickup, private and communal cremation services, and a wide range of urn and keepsake options.

India Makes RT-PCR Test Mandatory for Travelers from Thailand

After observing a surge in Covid-19 cases in China, India has made RT-PCR negative report compulsory for passengers traveling from the six countries of China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand which it deems as high-risk.

Victorio Villar joins MSIG Asia as Head of Technical Services overseeing Underwriting, Reinsurance and Claims

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 3 January 2023 – MSIG Asia today announces the appointment of Victorio Villar as Senior Vice President and Head of Technical Services. Villar is tasked to deliver technical excellence across Underwriting, Reinsurance and Claims to secure continuous profitable growth for the leading general insurer in the ASEAN region.

MSIG Asia’s new Head of Technical Services, Victorio Villar
MSIG Asia’s new Head of Technical Services, Victorio Villar

Based in the Singapore management office, Villar’s remit covers 13 countries and 15 MSIG business units in all 10 ASEAN countries, as well as Hong Kong and Oceania.

Villar brings with him over four decades of Asia Pacific & MENA experience for underwriting of complex Property risks and building large profitable portfolios in the challenging markets of Asia. As a chemical engineer by training, Villar is recognised in Singapore and across the region as one of the leading subject matter experts.

MSIG Asia’s Chief Executive Officer, Clemens Philippi, expresses: “We are very excited that Victorio has decided to join us. With his technical expertise, long-term experience and wide connections he is a great fit to enhance our value proposition. As we gain momentum and seek new areas of growth, Victorio’s in-depth knowledge for underwriting, reinsurance and risk engineering will make a huge difference to our operations.”

In the weeks to come, Villar will be actively involved in the business, engaging with his peers in the regional management office and across the markets. He says: “In today’s challenging and dynamic environment, it has never been more essential for insurers to build a resilient underwriting framework to mitigate volatility and create real value to all stakeholders. The road ahead will be exciting and I look forward to working closely with all MSIG colleagues across all countries and all functions, including Business Development & Digital, to deliver sustainable profitable growth.”

Hashtag: #MSIGAsia #RiskManagement

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About MSIG

MSIG (msig-asia.com) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co Ltd and a member of the MS&AD Insurance Group, Asia’s leading general insurance brand with presence in 50 countries and regions globally. The Group is amongst the world’s top insurance groups based on gross revenue and one of Japan’s leading insurer with A+ Stable credit rating. With over 40,000 employees world-wide, MSIG is represented in all ASEAN markets as well as in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, China, Korea, India and Taiwan.

Bokeo Airport to Start Operations in May 2023

Mr. Phoun and Dr. Sittipat at the Bokeo airport construction site. 

Mr. Phoun Khampha, the director of Bokeo Airport, spoke with GATC Thailand in December at the airport premises and disclosed that it will officially open in May this year.

Could Laos Move Toward Decriminalization of Soft Drugs?

Image by jcomp on Freepik

Amid a spate of recent high-profile moves against ‘soft drugs’ kratom and marijuana, many are left wondering why these should be a priority for law enforcement in Laos, and what the future of drug enforcement in the country will look like.

Green Independent Power Producer NEFIN Supports Tech Giant NI’s 2030 Corporate Impact Strategy to Go Green

NEFIN and multinational tech firm NI to collaborate on an industrial rooftop solar panel system, for NI’s Bayan Lepas Malaysia site to offset 53,000 tons of CO2 over the lifetime of the project

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 3 January 2023 – NEFIN is positioned as a leading green Independent Power Producer, offering customized solar energy systems for land and business owners, as well as, providing comprehensive carbon neutral solutions to multinational corporations across industries. With the exponential growth of technology industries, NEFIN has signed on a project with multinational automated test equipment and virtual instrumentation software provider NI to bolster their progress towards the 2030 Corporate Impact Strategy. Their strategy involves designing their buildings to adhere to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and WELL standards.

NI-Penang-Site-1-.jpg

Mr. Chong Bor Hung, NEFIN’s Head of Business Development and Managing Director (Malaysia) commented: “This first project at Bayan Lepas will pave the way for more collaborations between NEFIN and NI for their other facilities locally and overseas. NEFIN is endeavoured to achieve carbon neutrality for MNCs across the region, boosting their efforts towards their net-zero carbon emissions goals.”

For more than 40 years, NI has built a legacy of developing automated test and automated measurement systems that help engineers solve the world’s toughest challenges. The partnership with NEFIN will aim to bolster the company’s efforts towards its commitment to putting the company, people, and products to work to make a positive impact on society and the planet. Recognising that Buildings contribute to nearly 40 per cent of annual global greenhouse gas emissions, one of NI’s goals is to lower the environmental impact of their buildings by reducing the overall carbon footprint, protecting biodiversity around the buildings, and mitigating climate change. Additionally, they aim to implement energy efficiency and water conservation measures to improve overall operational efficiency.

Selvam Chinappan, Managing Director of NI Malaysia and Senior Director of APAC Manufacturing says, “NI’s 2030 Corporate Impact Strategy includes goals to achieve Zero Waste at NI-owned buildings, conserve natural resources, protect biodiversity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and design 100% of our new buildings and remodels to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and WELL standards. The rooftop solar system project with NEFIN will aim to improve the energy efficiency of our NI Malaysia in Bayan Lepas, Penang site, and we look forward to future collaborations to further our mission to make our building operations go green.”

The first phase will involve an industrial rooftop solar system instalment on the metal deck rooftop of NI Malaysia in Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia site. The installed system size will be at least 1,200kWp, with a minimum first-year energy production of 1,800 MWh. The aim is to achieve a lifetime generation of around 50MWh, which is equivalent to the planting of around 175,100 trees and offsetting 35,000 tons of CO2 as a result. The second phase located within the same site, is expected to kickstart at the same time. This will advance NI’s sustainability goals by generating an additional 26MWh of clean energy and increase the carbon offset by 18,000 tons of CO2.

Hashtag: #NEFIN

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About NEFIN

NEFIN is a premium green independent power producer (IPP) offering bespoke carbon neutral technologies & financing solutions in Asia Pacific. NEFIN, funded by ACEN Corp., has collectively installed over 3,400 MW of utility-scale, commercial and industrial renewable energy systems. ACEN is listed in the Philippines (PSE: ACEN) and is part of the Ayala Corporation, one of the largest conglomerates in Philippines, founded by the Ayala family in 1834. With its regional and multidisciplinary team, NEFIN offers comprehensive assessments and a full-suite of services to evaluate the ESG impact and commercial viability of projects through innovative approaches to technology under its unified energy management platform.

With a mission of “Achieving Carbon Neutrality for You”, NEFIN is committed to the global climate goals and aims to accelerate the decarbonisation of our client portfolios. NEFIN believes the future of the world is everyone’s responsibility and strives to redefine energy boundaries towards a sustainable future. Please refer to NEFIN’s website for more information and follow us at .

About NI

At NI, we bring together the people, ideas and technology so forward thinkers and creative problem solvers can take on humanity’s biggest challenges. From data and automation to research and validation, we provide the tailored, software-connected systems engineers and enterprises need to Engineer Ambitiously™ every day.

Spackman Media Group Artist Son Suk-ku’s Disney+ Original Drama BIG BET Achieves Highest Rating On IMDb Among Korean OTT Series 

  • Spackman Media Group artist Son Suk-ku latest hit drama, BIG BET, attained the highest rating among Korean OTT series on IMDb, the world’s largest content rating site, with a score of 8.4/10.
  • Featuring Son Suk-ku, who won the JTBC Grand Prize at the 2022 TV Drama Acting Awards, BIG BET was also ranked first in the Top 10 TV Shows on Disney+ Korea as of January 2, 2022
  • Son Suk-ku is also scheduled to star in two upcoming highly anticipated Netflix original K-dramas, D.P. SEASON 2 and MURDEROUS TOY.

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 3 January 2023 – Spackman Entertainment Group Limited (the “Group“), one of Korea’s leading entertainment production groups founded in 2011 by media & technology investor Charles Spackman, wishes to announce that BIG BET, starring Son Suk-ku of the Group’s associated company, Spackman Media Group Limited (“Spackman Media Group“), achieved the highest rating on IMDb among Korean OTT series released at the same time.

The Disney+ original drama, BIG BET, scored 8.4 on IMDb, the world’s largest content rating site. The 8-episode drama series premiered exclusively on Disney+ on December 21, 2022 and airs every Wednesday. Featuring Son Suk-ku, who won the JTBC Grand Prize at the 2022 TV Drama Acting Awards held by Good Data Corporation, BIG BET was also ranked first in the Top 10 TV Shows on Disney+ Korea as of January 2, 2022.[1]

BIG BET is headlined by Spackman Media Group artist Son Suk-ku, Choi Min Shik, Heo Sung Tae, Kim Joo Ryung, Lee Dong Hwi and Jo Jae Yoon. The drama relates the eventful life of a man who gains success through the casino industry. The second season of BIG BET is set to be released this year.

Directed by Kang Yoon Sung of the 2017 box office hit THE OUTLAWS, which was co-presented and distributed by the Group’s subsidiary, Novus Mediacorp Co., Ltd., BIG BET was produced by BA Entertainment, C-Jes Entertainment and Arc Media.

Son Suk-ku of Spackman Media Group is also scheduled to star in two upcoming highly anticipated Netflix original K-dramas, D.P. SEASON 2 and MURDEROUS TOY. He is represented by SBD Entertainment Inc. (“SBD Entertainment“), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Spackman Media Group that represents and manages the careers of 12 artists. In addition to Son Suk-ku, SBD Entertainment also represents one of Korea’s rapidly rising young actors, Han Ji-hyun of popular K-drama THE PENTHOUSE 3, who won the Best Rookie Female Actor in the 2021 Brand Customer Loyalty Awards in Korea and endorsed luxury brand Gucci in April 2021.


[1] FlixPatrol, https://flixpatrol.com/top10/streaming/south-korea/2023-01-02/, TOP 10 on Disney+ in South Korea on January 2, 2023

Hashtag: #SpackmanEntertainmentGroup

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Spackman Entertainment Group Limited

Spackman Entertainment Group Limited (“SEGL” or the “Company“), and together with its subsidiaries, (the “Group“), is one of Korea’s leading entertainment production groups. SEGL is primarily engaged in the independent development, production, presentation, and financing of theatrical motion pictures in Korea.

The Company was founded in 2011 by renowned media and technology investor Charles Spackman who served as the Company’s Executive Chairman until 2017. For the past two decades, Mr. Charles Spackman has been a powerhouse in the Korean entertainment industry starting in the early 2000’s with the pioneering success of Sidus Pictures, the largest movie production company at the time and the first to be listed in Korea. Mr. Spackman is also the Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the global investment firm, Spackman Group. For more information, please visit and .

Since its founding, SEGL had produced more than 30 major motion pictures including a number of the highest grossing and award-winning films in Korea, namely #ALIVE (2020), CRAZY ROMANCE (2019), DEFAULT (2018), MASTER (2016), THE PRIESTS (2015), SNOWPIERCER (2013), COLD EYES (2013) and ALL ABOUT MY WIFE (2012).

Our films are theatrically distributed and released in Korea and overseas markets, as well as for subsequent post-theatrical worldwide release in other forms of media, including online streaming, cable TV, broadcast TV, IPTV, video-on-demand, and home video/DVD, etc. Generally, we release our motion pictures into wide-theatrical exhibition initially in Korea, and then in overseas and ancillary markets.

The Group also invests into and produces Korean television dramas. In addition to our content business, we also own equity stakes in entertainment-related companies and film funds that can financially and strategically complement our existing core operations. SEGL is listed on the Catalist of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited under the ticker 40E.

Production Labels

SEGL owns a 100% equity interest in Studio Take Co., Ltd. (“Studio Take“) which produced STONE SKIPPING (2020) and THE BOX (2021). Its latest film, A MAN OF REASON, is set to be screened theatrically and digitally in North America in the first quarter of 2023 and at theatres in Korea in the fourth quarter of 2022 or first quarter of 2023. A MAN OF REASON premiered in the US at the 42nd Hawaii International Film Festival. The film was also invited to the 47th Toronto International Film Festival, the largest film festival in North America, and the 55th Sitges Film Festival, one of the world’s top three genre film festivals. Studio Take shall also release an upcoming film, THE GUEST, in 2023 tentatively.

SEGL owns Novus Mediacorp Co., Ltd. (“Novus Mediacorp“), an investor, presenter, and/or post-theatrical distributor for a total of 80 films (59 Korean and 21 foreign) including OKAY MADAM (2020), LONG LIVE THE KING (2019), MY FIRST CLIENT (2019), ROSE OF BETRAYAL (2018), THE OUTLAWS (2017) and SECRETLY, GREATLY (2013), which was one of the biggest box office hits of 2013 starring Kim Soo-hyun of MY LOVE FROM THE STARS (2013), as well as FRIEND 2: THE GREAT LEGACY (2013). In 2012, Novus Mediacorp was also the post-theatrical rights distributor of ALL ABOUT MY WIFE (2012), a top-grossing romantic comedy produced by Zip Cinema. In 2018, THE OUTLAWS, co-presented by Novus Mediacorp broke the all-time highest Video On Demand (“VOD“) sales records in Korea. For more information, please visit

The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Greenlight Content Limited (“Greenlight Content“) which is mainly involved in the business of investing into dramas and movies, as well as providing consulting services for the production of Korean content. Through the acquisition of Greenlight Content, the Group’s first co-produced drama, MY SECRET TERRIUS, starring top Korean star, So Ji Sub, achieved #1 in drama viewership ratings for its time slot and recorded double digits for its highest viewership ratings. Greenlight Content was one of the main investors of MY SECRET TERRIUS.

The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Simplex Films Limited (“Simplex Films“) which is an early stage film production firm. The maiden film of Simplex Films, JESTERS: THE GAME CHANGERS (2019), was released in Korea on 21 August 2019. Simplex Films has several line-up of films including HURRICANE BROTHERS (working title).

The Company owns a 20% equity interest in The Makers Studio Co. Ltd., which plans to produce and release four upcoming films, the first of which will be THE ISLAND OF THE GHOST’S WAIL, a comedy horror film.

Talent Representation

The Company holds an effective shareholding interest of 43.88% in Spackman Media Group Limited (“SMGL“). SMGL, a company incorporated in Hong Kong, together with its subsidiaries, is collectively one of the largest entertainment talent agencies in Korea in terms of the number of artists under management, including some of the top names in the Korean entertainment industry. SMGL operates its talent management business through renowned agencies such as SBD Entertainment Inc. (Son Suk-ku, Han Ji-hyun, Park Keun-rok), MSteam Entertainment Co., Ltd. (Son Ye-jin, Wi Ha-jun, Lee Min-jung, Ko Sung-hee, Lee Cho-hee), UAA&CO Inc. (Kim Sang-kyung) and Play Content Co., Ltd. (Hwang-hwi). Through these full-service talent agencies in Korea, SMGL represents and guides the professional careers of a leading roster of award-winning actors/actresses in the practice areas of motion pictures, television, commercial endorsements, and branded entertainment. SMGL leverages its unparalleled portfolio of artists as a platform to develop, produce, finance and own the highest quality of entertainment content projects, including theatrical motion pictures, variety shows and TV dramas. This platform also creates and derives opportunities for SMGL to make strategic investments in development stage businesses that can collaborate with SMGL artists. SMGL is an associated company of the Company. For more information, please visit

The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Constellation Agency Pte. Ltd. (“Constellation Agency“). Constellation Agency, which owns The P Factory Co., Ltd. (“The P Factory“) and Platform Media Group Co., Ltd. (“PMG“), is primarily involved in the business of overseas agency for Korean artists venturing into the overseas market. The P Factory is an innovative marketing solutions provider specializing in event and branded content production. PMG is a talent management agency which represents and manages the careers of major artists in film, television, commercial endorsements and branded entertainment.

Strategic Businesses

The Company also operates a café-restaurant, Upper West, in the Gangnam district of Seoul and own a professional photography studio, noon pictures Co., Ltd.

For more details, please visit