BANGKOK: Sweltering under a blistering sun, people across South and Southeast Asia have been taking cover beneath any shelter they can find as they pray for cooling rains with record temperatures hitting the region. Bangladesh saw its highest temperature for almost 60 years in the past week, while in IndiaContinue Reading
Each visitor could potentially be charged an average of US$6 a day.Continue Reading
In 2019, bullet trains were partially submerged in flooding from Typhoon Hagibis. Homes and highways were caught in landslides. Flooded tunnels trapped people and cars. Dams couldn’t withstand the surprisingly heavy rainfall. Hijioka’s research is focused on flood management, such as diverting water from swelling rivers upstream into rice paddiesContinue Reading
CHIANG MAI: High pollution levels in Thailand’s northern city of Chiang Mai and surrounding provinces are keeping tourists away and alarming locals, with the government on Monday (Apr 10) urging residents to avoid outdoor activities. For several weeks last month the city was at the top of air quality informationContinue Reading
Forest fires have contributed to the problem. The latest, in Chiang Rai province, northeast of Chiang Mai, began on Thursday and has affected 96ha of forest. Home to nearly 130,000 people, Chiang Mai is a gateway to Thailand’s hilly north, visited pre-pandemic by millions of tourists for its historic centreContinue Reading
Rough seas initially delayed the deployment of floating barriers to contain the spill. Oil has been found as far away as the western island of Palawan, more than 350km from where the tanker went down. Some oil has also drifted north to the Verde Island Passage, between Mindoro and theContinue Reading
MAYA BAY, Thailand: On any given day in Thailand’s Maya Bay, up to 40 blacktip reef sharks cruise in the cyan shallows while about 4,000 tourists visit its white-sand beach flanked by towering cliffs. Shark numbers have improved since almost every last one was driven from the bay by theContinue Reading
The Malaysian state of Sabah is determined to ramp up elephant conservation efforts. CNA looks at the challenges of protecting these mammals both in captivity and in the wild.Continue Reading
SEOUL: South Korea revised down its 2030 targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the industrial sector on Tuesday (Mar 21) but maintained its national goal of cutting emissions by 40 per cent of 2018 levels in what it called a reasonable adjustment. This is the first annual and sectoralContinue Reading
Only eight out of 296 regional cities in Southeast Asia – where data is recorded – met the World Health Organisation’s guideline for PM2.5 last year. PM2.5 are tiny particles that can cause serious health problems. Continue Reading