Asean morning news for February 3, 2020

Asean morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu

ASEAN health sector responds to 2019 Novel Coronavirus threat
Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Cambodia have all reported confirmed affected victims.
— Khmer Times

Deaths skyrocket while Beijing delays coronavirus hot zone evacuations (video + photo gallery)
Thailand and several other Asean member states continue waiting for approval from Beijing to launch evacuation flights for their citizens stranded in the heart of the Wuhan novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) hot zone, as the number of confirmed infections approaches 12,000; more than 90 per cent of which have occurred in the last seven days.
— AEC News Today (video + gallery)

Question mark over Asean Para Games after virus death
Government officials are to discuss whether national paralympic athletes should compete at the 2020 Asean Para Games in Manila next month, after the first death from the Wuhan virus was reported in the Philippines.
— FMT News

S. Korea joins efforts to conclude RCEP negotiations this year
South Korea said Sunday it will attend a high-level meeting on a mega Asia-Pacific trade pact this week as part of its efforts to expand its trade network around the globe.
— Yonhap News Agency

Four Nation Anti-Drug Campaign Nets Over 32 Million Meth Pills
Over 32 million meth pills have been seized in a coordinated two-month-long anti-drug campaign by 4 lower Mekong countries.
— Chiang Rai Times

ASEAN’s wetlands, nature’s protectors, need our protection
The ASEAN region is rich with wetlands, and is home to 60 per cent of the tropical peatlands and 42 per cent of mangrove forests in the world.
— Philippine Information Agency

SEA leads in mobile payment usage among Chinese tourists
According to a recent report published by Nielsen and Alipay, 2019 New Trends for Mobile Payment in Chinese Outbound Tourism, Southeast Asia region maintained its leadership in mobile payment usage among Chinese tourists in 2019, reflecting the region’s maturity in mobile payment solutions.
— Borneo Post Online

DOST offers scholarships to Cambodia, Lao, Myanmar grad students
The Southeast Asian community can avail of scholarship programs being offered by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through the “DOST Scholarship Offerings for ASEAN Researchers at Cambodia – Lao PDR – Myanmar (CLM)”.
— Manila Bulletin

Is bioplastic ASEAN’s solution to plastic waste?
It is undeniable that plastic waste contributes to ecological devastation and issues in human health.
— The Asean Post

Fostering ASEAN solidarity
The Information Department of the Prime Minister’s Office, through the International Affairs Unit, as the ASEAN-COCI Secretariat for the Subcommittee on Information (SCI) held ‘Get To Know ASEAN’ at Menglait Secondary School yesterday.
— Borneo Bulletin

No change in custom duty on CPO imported from ASEAN: trade body clarifies
Import duty on crude plam oil (CPO) remain unchanged at 37.5 cent if the edible oil is imported under the ASEAN pact, trade body SEA clarified on Saturday.
— Business Insider

ASEAN workshop offers peek into next 30 years of Korea relations
South Korea and ASEAN forming a cooperative bloc with North Korea is not a mainstream idea in the international diplomatic circle that hopes to bring peace to the Korean Peninsula.
— The Korea Times

ASEAN Secretary-General To Hold Talks With Lavrov During Visit To Moscow On February 2-4
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi is expected to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during his working visit to Moscow on February 2-4, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.
— UrduPoint News

KBank uses digital for Asean retail
Kasikornbank (KBank) looks set to use digital banking to make inroads into the regional retail market, tapping higher-yield business.
— Bangkok Post

No religious freedom in ASEAN?
From last year’s church bombings in southern Philippines which killed at least 20 and wounded scores more, to the decades-old persecution of Myanmar’s Rohingya population which has seen a mass exodus of 1.2 million people fleeing for their lives, religious freedom isn’t exactly one of ASEAN’s strong points.
— The Asean Post

Cambodia morning news

Compiled by Raksmey Khoem @raksmey.aecnews

Cambodian Students in Wuhan City Hope to Come Home
“They called me [Sunday] morning to encourage me to be strong and hold hope,” Pen Barang said. “Before they left the dormitory, they gave all the food they had to me and their generosity made me in tears.
— Thmey Thmey

Hun Sen’s Critics Fear Coronavirus, Ask Him to Reconsider Decision Not to Suspend Flights to China
Scholars and rights activists in Cambodia are urging Cambodia to more carefully consider Prime Minister Hun Sen’s decision not to cancel flights from China for economic reasons amid the novel coronavirus scare.
— Radio Free Asia

PM Chides Cambodians For Wanting To Leave Wuhan, Even As WHO Declared Global Emergency
Prime Minister Hun Sen criticized Cambodians wanting to come back from Wuhan, China, where a pneumonia outbreak has been declared a global emergency, with the premier wanting Cambodian diplomats and students to stay in China to show solidarity with Asian powerhouse.
— VOA

See here for more of today’s Cambodia morning news

Indonesia morning news

Compiled by Justhine De Guzman Uy @justhine.aecnews

Coronavirus: Indonesians from Wuhan arrive in Batam, before taken to Natuna for quarantine
Indonesians evacuated from Wuhan and other cities in China arrived at Hang Nadim Airport in Batam, Riau Islands, on Sunday morning and were immediately directed to passenger planes operated by the Indonesian Air Force to be airlifted to Natuna Island for quarantine.
— The Jakarta Post

Indonesia bars entry to visitors from China amid evacuation protest
Indonesia on Sunday barred entry to visitors who have been in China for 14 days over concern about coronavirus, as citizens evacuated from Hubei province faced protests by some residents on their return home.
— The Jakarta Post

Thousands on virus lockdown at China-backed plant in Indonesia
More than 40,000 workers at a vast Chinese-controlled industrial complex in Indonesia have been quarantined over fears about the spread of a deadly coronavirus strain which has killed more than 200 people in China, it said Friday.
— The Jakarta PostIt’s just totall,y fuckinbg tuid to crop out then thing you are trying to show — THERNM

See here for more of today’s Indonesia morning news

Lao PDR morning news

Compiled by Raksmey Khoem @raksmey.aecnews

Laos Suspends Visas at Checkpoints Bordering China
The Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a notice to all checkpoints bordering China to temporarily suspend the issuance of tourist visas to those entering the Lao PDR from China.
— The Laotian Times

Lao PM calls for better trained workforce, labour data improvement
The premier gave the advice when speaking at the 8th meeting of the National Commission for Human Resource Development held in Vientiane on Wednesday, according to the Pasaxon newspaper.
— ANN/Vientiane Times

Chinese tourist arrivals diminish in neighbouring Bokeo
Head of the province’s Information, Culture and Tourism Department, Dr Somkhit Vongpanya, told Vientiane Times yesterday that people from Thailand were continuing to visit Bokeo, but the number of Chinese visitors had fallen off.
— ANN/Vientiane Times

See here for more of today’s Lao morning news

Malaysia morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Malaysia Airlines offers full refund for flights to and from mainland China
Malaysia Airlines today announced it will permit cancellations with full refund as well as free ticket alterations on flights to and from mainland China.
— The Borneo Post

Half of Malaysia’s Banking Assets to be Islamic in Next Decade
Malaysia can expect half of its banking assets to be Islamic by 2030 as the industry’s growth outpaces conventional banking, according to a lenders’ association.
— Bloomberg

Malaysia records RM409.14m fund outflow amid Wuhan virus outbreak
Foreign investors were net sellers in the local equity market last week, recording a total net outflow of RM409.14 million from Jan 28-30 against a net inflow of RM23.48 million from Jan 20-23.
— The Edge Markets

See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News

Myanmar morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Myanmar Evacuates 59 Students From Virus-Hit Wuhan, China
All but four of the 63 Myanmar students who had been stranded in Wuhan, the center of the coronavirus outbreak, were evacuated on Sunday and are in quarantine in Mandalay.
— Irrawaddy

Myanmar students flown home from coronavirus-stricken Wuhan
Dozens of Myanmar students were evacuated from the coronavirus-stricken Chinese city of Wuhan early Sunday, government officials said, the latest foreign nationals to be flown home from the region.
— Reuters

Myanmar could be India’s gateway to Southeast Asia
On January 17 and 18, China’s President Xi Jinping visited Myanmar, the first visit by a Chinese president to Myanmar in 19 years.
— Asean Today

See here for more of today’s Myanmar morning news

Philippines morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu

Coronavirus: Philippines reports first death outside China as Duterte orders travel ban on visitors from mainland, Hong Kong
The Philippines has reported the first coronavirus death outside China, hours after a senator said the country would issue a sweeping travel ban that included Hong Kong.
— South China Morning Post

Philippines detects first African swine fever outbreak in southern province
Blood samples taken from pigs in a southern province in the Philippines, the world’s 10th-largest pork consumer, tested positive for the African swine fever virus, the Department of Agriculture said on Sunday (Feb 2).
— CNA

CebuPac tracks fellow passengers of nCov-positive individuals
As the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the second case of novel coronavirus (2019 nCov) in the Philippines on Sunday, Cebu Pacific (CEB) is now tracking everyone who was on the same flights with the two confirmed cases last January 21.
— Philippine News Agency

See here for more of today’s Philippines morning news

Singapore morning news

Compiled by Justhine De Guzman Uy @justhine.aecnews

No new cases of Wuhan coronavirus in Singapore, total remains at 18: MOH
The number of Wuhan coronavirus cases in Singapore remained at 18 with no new cases reported on Sunday (Feb 2), the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a daily update.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Singapore to bar travellers who have been to China for past 14 days or with China passport from entering or transiting
From Sunday (2 Feb) onwards, all travellers arriving from mainland China who had been there in the past 14 days, as well as anyone with a China passport, will be barred from entry or transit in Singapore.
— The Online Citizen

About 30,000 work pass holders from China yet to return after Chinese New Year break: Josephine Teo
About 30,000 work pass holders who are of Chinese nationality left Singapore over the Chinese New Year break and have not returned, said Manpower Minister Josephine Teo on Sunday (Feb 2).
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

See here for more of today’s Singapore morning news

Thailand morning news

Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ

Medical team to evacuate Thais from Wuhan city
The government has prepared medical teams, nurses and medical supplies to go on a flight to evacuate Thai nationals from Wuhan city.
— NNT

Cocktail of flu, HIV drugs appears to help fight coronavirus: Thai doctors
Thai doctors have seen success in treating severe cases of the new coronavirus with combination of medications for flu and HIV, with initial results showing vast improvement 48 hours after applying the treatment, they said on Sunday.
— CNA

See here for more of today’s Thailand morning news

Vietnam morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

nCoV: Vietnam reports 8 infected cases, quanrantines 27
Vietnam has recorded eight people infected with the Wuhan coronavirus (nCoV) and 27 others are in quarantine as of February 2, according to the latest data of the Vietnamese Ministry of Health.
— The Hanoitimes

Vietnam bans all flights to and from China over coronavirus
Vietnam declared a public health emergency over the coronavirus epidemic on Saturday and said it would halt all flights to and from China.
— Reuters

nCoV to cause long-term impacts on Vietnam – China economic relations
This is the right timing for Vietnam to restructure economic sectors, said Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh.
— The Hanoitimes

See here for more of today’s Vietnam morning news

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