China to fly back 200 nationals rescued from Myanmar

Over 1, 300 immigrants detained from con areas since January, says Myanmar state advertising

Soldiers attached to the Rachamanu Task Force monitor the border at the Muang Mee surveillance point in Mae Sot district of Tak, across from the entertainment complexes at Shwe Kokko in Myawaddy. (Photo: Royal Thai Army)
The Muang Mee security level in the Mae Sot city of Tak, across from the leisure complexes at Shwe Kokko in Myawaddy, is where troops from the Rachamanu Task Force patrol the border. ( Photo: Royal Thai Army )

As part of a global crackdown on illegal online activities in the region, a Thai security official announced on Tuesday that China would soar 200 of its citizens home from call-centers found in scams along the Thai-Myanmar border.

According to the United Nations, hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to work in these facilities, which have spread throughout Southeast Asia, including the frontier region between Thailand and Myanmar.

According to Maj Gen Thanathip Sawangsaeng, a spokeswoman for the Thai Ministry of Defence, the Chinese party may be flown up on a commercial plane on Thursday from Mae Sot in Tak state, which borders Myawaddy village in Myanmar.

As a senior Chinese official traveled to frontier towns on both sides of the border, Myanmar authorities reported on Tuesday that 273 foreigners were being detained at scam-operating properties nearby Myawaddy.

Although they have been in operation for years, these centers have only recently come under renewed scrutiny following Wang Xing’s rescue and return to China after being abducted in Thailand and lured there with the promise of a job.

Officials from China, Myanmar and Thailand met in Myawaddy this week, including Liu Zhongyi, the assistant public security minister of China, the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar reported on Tuesday.

The representatives discussed the three countries ‘ preventive systems for telecom fraud at a coordination meeting in Myawaddy, according to the statement.

According to the report from the paper, 1, 303 foreigners have been spotted in Myanmar’s 273 detained on Monday and who have been working in scam-dominiums in the Myawaddy region since the end of January.

Since 2021, Myanmar’s powerful military overthrew an elected government, stoking the junta, which has since grown into a wider civil war. Armed groups now control large areas of the nation, including areas of Myawaddy, which are run by the Karen National Army, a militia led by regional warlord Colonel Saw Chit Thu.

He declared,” We will work until the scam centers and human trafficking are eliminated,” which indicated the growing pressure on his group from regional nations.

Thailand has cut electricity, fuel and internet supplies to some border areas, a tactic that China has asked it to continue with, Thanathip said.

A group of 260 scam centre survivors from Myawaddy entered Thailand last week, most of them victims of human trafficking, said Choocheap Pongchai, the governor of Tak.

Two members of the group have been transferred to the police for further investigation, he added.

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Budget 2025: S billion top-up to Changi Airport Development Fund among measures to grow Singapore economy

SUPPORT FOR LOCAL

Mr. Wong also noted that comments on the Singapore Stock Exchange was unfavorable, yet for businesses that were primarily focused on Singapore or Southeast Asia. &nbsp,

The first set of procedures that Mr. Wong has accepted was created by an Equities Market Review Group, which was set up to work on this.

The suggestions include tax breaks for Singapore-based businesses and fund managers who decide to list and expand their economic activities there. &nbsp,

Additionally, a tax incentive may be implemented for fund managers who make significant investments in Singapore-listed securities. This is to encourage more investment in Singapore’s money markets. &nbsp,

Enterprises may even receive more help scaling up and competing on a global level. &nbsp,

To help organizations choose artificial intelligence options, up to S$ 150 million will be set off for a new Organization Compute Initiative. In accordance with this scheme, ready businesses will work with major cloud service providers to gain access to AI tools, computing power, as well as expert consulting services. &nbsp,

A plan will be extended to December 31, 2030 in order to encourage mergers and acquisitions, allowing Singapore companies to make a qualifying merger of the common stocks of another company to receive tax advantages. It was originally scheduled to expire on December 31 of this year.

Later this month, Singapore’s Economic Development Board will launch a Worldwide Founder Programme to encourage foreign entrepreneurs to establish and expand their businesses.

Mr. Wong also made note of the worldwide emergence of a secret credit market that provides creative financing options to businesses. But few of these secret record funds focus on Asia or Singapore-based companies. &nbsp,

In order to provide more funding options for high-growth local businesses, a fresh S$ 1 billion Personal Credit Growth Fund will be established. &nbsp,

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How China can really pivot to the Global South – Asia Times

The Trump administration’s most recent pronouncements have reaffirmed the need for Taiwanese companies to reduce their reliance on the British market.

Trump’s 10 % more taxes on all Chinese exports have consistently invited Chinese measures. And the industry are still concerned that Trump will continue to impose the 60 % tariffs he promised to establish while campaigning. &nbsp,

Trump’s decision to eliminate the$ 800 de minimis hole on items shipped into the US further demonstrated the risk of destabilizing Sino-American business. If he did not hold application at the last minute, the US company of Taiwanese cross-border e-commerce companies like Temu and Shein, making up 60 % of all de minimis items, would have been wiped out overnight. &nbsp,

Western leaders may follow suit to plant a glut of manufactured products that have been rerouted from America as Trump carefully restrains Chinese imports. The European Union’s decision to impose tariffs on “unfairly discounted” Chinese electric vehicles in October 2024 may serve as a launching point for an extremely skewed business partnership with China, particularly as Europe seeks to develop its strategic autonomy in high-value, future-oriented industries supporting its modern and green energy goals. &nbsp,

In fact, the EU has launched a number of anti-dumping investigations into Chinese goods, including wood, after a Commission on EU Competitiveness statement had made it clear that China was a threat to the tech sector in Europe. It would be reasonable to assume that at least some of these will result in sector-specific tariffs on Chinese imports, related to Trump’s recently announced 25 % cover tariff on steel and aluminum goods. &nbsp,

The Chinese trade environment has quickly been shifted from the West to the International South as a result of the more stringent restrictions on Chinese goods in America and Europe. Data shows that, from 2022 to 2023, Chinese exports to the US declined by 22.5 %, with those to Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Canada, Australia, Japan and the Netherlands falling above or near double digits.

Imports to the UAE, India, Turkey, Russia, and Central Asia all increased above or practically triple digits, indicating that business relationships are tighter as a result of shifting supply stores brought on by Western sanctions for the Ukrainian conflict.

Yet as consumers praise the high-quality products China is now provide for low prices, local underdevelopment from South America to Southeast Asia is a result of Chinese shipments of cars and clothes.

But, as China Inc. moves to the International South, it is a victim of a labor shortage that is well-versed in emerging markets. Foreign companies find it challenging to locate their products because there aren’t enough Chinese persons studying, working, and living in several International South countries.

Without “bicultural” workers who can bridge native preferences and Chinese production, Chinese companies may struggle to keep selling goods that satisfy consumer demand. &nbsp,

This grassroots-level transition to the Global South is first and important hindered by the persistent Chinese aversion to American training. Generations of Taiwanese young people have studied and worked in the West since the government’s financial reforms in the late 1970s, before moving back to China to form some of its most creative and successful businesses.

The same haigui phenomenon continues today, with the vast majority of the country’s nearly 1 million strong study abroad population based in the US ( 349, 000 ), Australia ( 166, 000 ), the UK ( 135, 000 ), Japan ( 121, 000 ) and Canada ( 105, 000 ). &nbsp,

In comparison, the number of Chinese acquainted with the Global South is plainly lacking. Despite increasing attention due to pricing and physical contact, Southeast Asia is just home to approximately 50, 000 Taiwanese students, with more than quarter in Singapore. There is little information publicly available about Chinese kids in the Middle East, Africa, and South America, which suggests an underpopulated people. &nbsp,

China’s absence of a grass-roots appearance in the World South is not limited to students. According to estimates, there are nearly 1 million and half a million ethnic Chinese life in Africa and the Middle East, both.

Also, the newness of Chinese areas in these areas means they are less morally included, despite obvious challenges in defining Chineseness. The Chinese real existence in the Global South is minute next to the well-established, 5.6 million-strong Taiwanese American society.

Recognizing this lack of familiarity with the Global South requires a two-pronged method. First, Chinese companies may work more closely with each other to use the growing number of international students who attend Chinese universities.

In 2023, China hosted more than 300, 000 American students, with some understanding about the Chinese language and traditions while acquiring professional experience. Foreign companies should positively look to employ these graduates to help them with international expansion plans for their nations and regions of origin.

Next, the Chinese govt may encourage young people to look for study abroad opportunities in the Global South to advance their careers abroad without relying on the West. Measures like recognizing the academic credentials of more prestigious colleges in the International South and awarding government-funded scholarships particularly to non-Western institutions had become steps in the right direction. &nbsp,

Predictably, many Chinese students hoping for the best training their money can buy are wary of the value offered by Global South-based educational establishments. The first step might be to encourage more students to consider Western institutions based on the Global South in order to lessen these concerns.

Due to the combination of English-language programs offered by British and American universities and financial incentives for Chinese students to stay in the city after graduation to advance their careers, Dubai has grown in popularity, if it is still relatively unknown, for young Chinese people.

By this logic, top Western programs in other parts of the Global South, such as Northwestern in Qatar, NYU Abu Dhabi and CMU Africa, deserve more attention. With a mix of Global South students in China and Chinese students in the Global South, China Inc should be able to find a future workforce that is culturally adept at facilitating China’s shifting away from the West.

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Thai casino bill scrutiny concluded

The virtual public hearing is open until March 1 and the Council of State recommends some adjustments.

The Entertainment Complex Bill has been thoroughly examined by the Council of State, the government’s legal expert system, and an virtual public hearing will take place until March 1 to allow events to voice their concerns before it is sent to congress.

” Even though the Council has amended some items in the act, it has added some slight technicalities, such as the requirement that only 10 % of an entertainment facility will be a casino”, said Atavit Suwanpakdee, chair of an expert panel to the Minister of Industry. ” Nevertheless, it is still unclear how many sites may be chosen and in which parts”.

He claimed that while he supports the construction of a full-service pleasure advanced, the size and proportions must be clearly defined. There must be measures to prevent potential problems, he said, referring to gaming addiction and other social issues.

” Writing a law like this]can be difficult as it can create social problems ]”, he said.

According to the Council’s site, the virtual public hearing may be held from Feb 15 until March 1.

The act states that an entertainment complex may have various types of businesses, including accommodations, shopping malls, venues, meeting facilities and a casino.

Additionally, it stipulates that a casino’s natural size may not exceed 10 % of the total land area of an entertainment complex. If the casino is located inside a tower, it can only get up 10 % of the property’s area, the costs says.

A game place must be kept separate from other commercial establishments by a border or entrance gate. Additionally, a control process must be in place at game entrances and exits to verify the identities of customers before entering or leaving.

Passports, national identification cards and various forms of identification may be checked.

Thanakorn Khomkrit, secretary-general of the Stop Gambling Foundation, said that the bill states a game participation need for enjoyment advanced users to adopt.

He even raised questions about the lack of controls and checks and balances in the legislation.

” Amending a bill is similar to writing a plain cheque”, he said. ” The Council’s law-making approach is now in issue for me. ]It is questionable ] whether the Council has made the law tight or free”.

Some international reports demonstrated that legalizing gambling in developing nations may lead to social and economic issues, according to Chittawan Chanagul, an economics professor at Kasetsart University.

He predicted that some areas where casinos are located may experience families becoming insolvent and growing gambling and violence issues.

She pointed to a study on Southeast Asian nations that legalized games.

” There are serious crimes, such as in the Philippines, where there have been robberies, murders and]extortion ]”, she said. It should be noted that legalizing gambling may ultimately cause a number of social issues.

In contrast, some game companies are involved in human trafficking and forced employment, she said, citing analysis.

” Having games in developing countries where there are problems levels of corruption, which is the cause of inadequate law enforcement, may lead to money laundering, murder, murder, ransom”, she said. Because the culture doesn’t allow foreigners to enter the country, all of these things may have a ripple effect that may prevent the economies of these nations from growing.

At the Council’s head office on Phra Arthit Road on Monday, members of the Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand, Thai People Protecting the Monarchy, and the Dhamma Warrior Legal Foundation filed a petition opposing the Entertainment Complex bill.

Their petition was received by Ratchani Sungthong, Assistant Secretary-General of the Council of State.

Pichit Chaimongkol, one of the protest leaders, said the groups do not want any casinos established in Thailand.

” Thai laws are not strictly enforced, no matter how good the laws are. If the bill]becomes law], there will be a loophole for shady businesses to use the casinos for money laundering”, he said.

” We will object to the law as much as possible. If it is presented to the cabinet and we submit objections to political parties to demonstrate our position, we will protest at Government House.

Atavit: Unclear how many locations

Atavit: Unclear how many locations

Thanakorn: No blank cheques

Thanakorn: No blank cheques

Chittawan: Cites foreign studies

Chittawan: Cites foreign studies

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Thais effectively barred from entering casinos in new draft regulation  

Draft recommends that Thai players must have fixed payments worth$ 1. 5 million.

If the new draft regulation is approved, casinos in Thailand would effectively admit only foreigners. (Reuters illustration)
If the new review regulation is approved, gambling in Thailand had successfully admit simply foreigners. ( Reuters illustration )

New draft regulations released on Monday showed that Thailand has proposed stringent entry requirements for local gamblers in casinos as it plans to establish a significant gambling sector to increase tourism, which could possibly detract investor interest.

According to the document released by the Office of the Council of State, which governments demand on legal issues, plan, and visits, Thai citizens must have at least 50 million ringgit in fixed payments for at least six months before they can gamble in casinos.

The demands, which also include an entry fee capped at 5, 000 baht, will effectively stop large swaths of the population, where per capita gross domestic product is about$ 7, 300, according to federal data. Most forms of gambling are unlawful in&nbsp, Thailand&nbsp, but illegal betting is rife. According to analysts, private game players are seen as a significant draw for foreign investors because they are closely monitoring the draft law’s specifics.

A Citi statement late last year estimated that about half of people age 20 and more in&nbsp, Thailand&nbsp, had been game players, providing a foundation for the nation to potentially be the world’s fourth largest gambling destination.

An entry fee as high as 5, 000 baht would restrict casino access to upper middle class and wealthier Thai individuals, said Daniel Cheng, a gaming consultant based in&nbsp, Singapore.

” A further 50 million baht bank deposit requirement would render Thai casinos no better than foreigner-only regimes like South Korea’s”, he said.

Between February 15 and March 1, a new set of public hearings for the new draft law will be held. Before being sent to parliament for consideration, the draft law must be approved by the cabinet after it has been approved.

Thailand&nbsp, allows gambling in state-controlled horse racing, the lottery and betting on some sports, such as boxing.

Several countries in Southeast Asia have legalised casinos, but only a few like wealthy&nbsp, Singapore&nbsp, has been successful in drawing global giants such as Las Vegas Sands Corp on the back of robust regulations. The Thai government, led by the populist Pheu Thai party, hopes to attract at least 100 billion baht in new investment, for an annual boost to foreign arrivals by 5 % to 10 % and generate revenue of more than 12 billion baht a year.

According to the draft, there was a restriction that the casino area could only occupy 10 % of the entire complex space.

Tourism is a key driver of Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy. This year, the government expects 38 million foreign arrivals, closing in on its pre-pandemic record of nearly 40 million tourists. However, according to an opinion poll conducted last month, the majority of Thais oppose the casino plan, and some political parties claim that creating a gambling industry would only worsen social issues. &nbsp,

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Simon Davies announced as new SAP regional president, Asia Pacific

  • replaces Paul Marriott, who served as the lead for five years.
  • 25 years ‘ experience in building, selling & APAC is implementing IT options.

Simon Davies has been appointed chairman of the previously established APAC area by SAP Asia Pacific. Based in Singapore, Davies may oversee plan, businesses, individuals, sales, services, partners, and success across Asia Pacific for SAP SE. Paul Marriott is returning to Europe to get closer to his home after five times in the position.

With SAP business models operating in Australia and New Zealand, Greater China, India, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia, Davies may be responsible for overseeing more than 31,000 people across 78 practices.

Across the APAC area, SAP serves leading users, including NEC Corporation, Coles Group, Wipro, Fujitsu Limited, Shiseido, Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation, Himalaya, Cochlear, and Japan Airlines.

Due to this appointment, Davies spent 25 years building, selling, and implementing IT answers in Asia Pacific, working with some of the world’s major technology companies, including Microsoft, Salesforce, and Oracle. He most recently held the position of senior vice president and general director of Splunk for more than three decades. Davis is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and serves on the boards of several pre-IPO tech companies.

Manos Raptopoulos, chief revenue officer for APAC, EMEA, and MEE, said, “Our second book is being fuelled by accelerated sky and AI technology, underpinned by our goal, our persons, and our alliances. Davies combines experience in Asia’s fast-growth, innovation-hungry markets with proven expertise in building high-performance, diverse, and inclusive teams.

Under Davies, I’m confident that SAP APAC will continue to build on the tremendous momentum created under Marriott’s leadership and serve as a resource for innovation and customer success. ”

Davies said, “I’m very excited for this new chapter to begin. We see forward-thinking businesses supporting SAP’s strategic transformation across Asia-Pacific and Japan. Establishing a solid foundation in the cloud and utilizing business data is the first step in the direction of new growth opportunities in fields like sustainability and data analytics. ”

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How Trump’s ‘drill, baby, drill’ pledge is affecting other countries

1 minute ago
Navin Singh Khadka

Environment Correspondent, BBC World Service

Getty Images US President Donald Trump points after speaking during the Unleashing American Energy event at the Department of Energy in Washington DC, USGetty Images

The UN climate summit in the United Arab Emirates in 2023 called for” shift away from fossil fuels.” It received praise as a significant achievement in global climate change.

Barely a year later, however, there are fears that the global commitment may be losing momentum, as the growth of clean energy transition is slowing down while burning of fossil fuels continues to rise.

And now there is US President Donald Trump’s “national energy emergency”, embracing fossil fuels and ditching clean energy policies – that has also begun to influence some countries and energy companies already.

In response to Trump’s “drill, baby, drill” slogan aimed at ramping up fossil fuel extraction, and the US notifying the UN of its withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement, Indonesia, for instance, has hinted that it may follow suit.

Getty Images Pump jacks are seen at dawn in an oil field over the Monterey Shale formation where gas and oil extraction using hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is on the verge of a boom on March 24, 2014 near Lost Hills, California.Getty Images

‘ If US is not doing it, why does we?’

“If the United States does not want to comply with the international agreement, why should a country like Indonesia comply with it?” asked Hashim Djojohadikusumo, special envoy for climate change and energy of Indonesia, as reported by the country’s government-run news agency Antara.

Indonesia has remained among the world’s top ten emitters for many years.

” Indonesia produces three lots of carbon]per people a year ] while the US produces 13 plenty”, he asked at the ESG Sustainable Forum 2025 in Jakarta on 31 January.

” Yes, we are the people being ordered to shut down our energy plants,” we are told. But, where is the sense of justice around”?

Nithi Nesadurai, chairman with Climate Action Network Southeast Asia, said the impulses from her place were concerning.

She claimed that increasing the “richest nation and the largest oil producer in the world” gives another states” an easy reason to increase their personal- which they are already doing” by increasing its production.

In South Africa, Africa’s biggest sector and a big carbon emitter, a$ 8.5bn foreign-aided change initiative from the coal industry was already moving at a snail’s pace, and now there are concerns that it may obtain derailed more.

Wikus Kruger, director of Power Futures Lab at the University of Cape Town, said there was a “possibility” that decommissioning of old coal-fired power stations would be “further delayed”.

However, he claimed that the clean energy sector was expected to grow even though there was some “walk back” from the transition to renewables.

Getty Images View of Suralaya coal power plant while smoke and steam billows seen from Suralaya village in Banten province, IndonesiaGetty Images

Argentina withdrew its negotiators from the COP29 climate meeting in Baku last November, days after Trump won the US presidency. Since Trump’s announcement to withdraw from the Paris Agreement of 2015, which supports global efforts to combat climate change, has since followed suit.

The Argentine Association of Environmental Lawyers ‘ president, Enrique Viale, told the BBC,” We now anticipate that our oil and gas production will increase.”

” President Milei has indicated that he intends to withdraw from the Paris Agreement and that environmental protection is a part of the woke agenda,” Milei said.

Meanwhile, energy giant Equinor has just announced it is halving investment in renewable energy over the next two years while increasing oil and gas production, and another oil major, BP, is expected to make a similar announcement soon.

Getty Images Solar photovoltaic panels are seen in a tidal flat in Yancheng city, Jiangsu province, China, Getty Images

” American energy all over the world”

Trump has not just said “drill, baby, drill” but also:” We will export American energy all over the world”.

Potential buyers from abroad are already lining up.

India and the US have agreed to significantly increase the supply of American oil and gas to the Indian market.

At the end of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit on 14 February, the two countries issued a joint statement that “reaffirmed” the US would be “a leading supplier of crude oil and petroleum products and liquified natural gas to India”.

A few days after Trump’s inauguration, South Korea, the world’s third largest liquified natural gas importer, has hinted its intention to buy more American oil and gas aimed at reducing a trade surplus with the US and improving energy security, international media have reported from Seoul.

Officials with Japan’s largest power generator, JERA, have told Reuters they too want to increase purchases of liquified natural gas from the US to diversify supply, as it currently imports half of it from the Asia-Pacific region.

The global energy transition may be slowed, according to Lorne Stockman, research director with Oil Change International, a research and advocacy organization for transition to clean energy.” There is definitely a threat that if the US seeks to flood markets with cheap fossil fuels, or to bully countries into buying more of its fossil fuels, or both, the world energy transition may be slowed.

Getty Images Smoke and flames rise from the forest as crews try to extinguish a wildfire in Chico, California, United States on July 25, 2024. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)Getty Images

According to scientists, there can’t be any new fossil fuel extraction and there needs to be a quick reduction of carbon emissions ( roughly 45 % by 2030 from the 2019 level ) if the world is to experience a 1.5 Celsius warming increase compared to the pre-industrial era.

” The economics of energy supply are a key driver of decarbonisation”, said David Brown, director of energy transition practice at Wood Mackenzie, a global energy think-tank.

Natural gas and liquids production are supported by the US energy sector’s abundance of resources. By contrast, import-dependent economies such as China, India, and those in Southeast Asia have a dramatic economic incentive to decarbonise sources of energy”.

Global energy transition investment surpassed $2tn for the first time last year but studies have also shown that the growth of clean energy transition has markedly slowed in recent years, while many major banks continue to finance fossil fuels.

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Morrison Foerster rehires Scott Jalowayski and appoints HK partner | FinanceAsia

Scott Jalowayski is rejoining Morrison Foerster as a partner in the corporate group in its Singapore office. 

 

Jalowayski arrives from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher with over 20 years’ experience advising clients on complex international private equity and M&A transactions, and has practiced in New York, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore.

 

At Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Jalowayski was a founding partner of the firm’s Asia private equity practice and served most recently as co-chair of its global private equity practice group. Jalowayski previously practiced at Morrison Foerster, spending three years in the firm’s Japan office and five years in its Hong Kong office, where he made partner before leaving in May 2008. 

 

Jalowayski advises private equity funds, their portfolio companies, and other global and regional investment managers on their investment and M&A transactions in Asia. He has experience across leveraged and unleveraged control acquisitions, minority investments, joint ventures, divestures, and restructurings, and sector, including life sciences and healthcare, interactive and digital media, and technology, alongside real asset and infrastructure enterprises, according to a media release. 

 

“[Scott] strengthens our private equity and M&A capabilities on the ground in Singapore and brings significant, cross-industry experience to Morrison Foerster,” said Paul McKenzie Morrison Foerster mergers & acquisitions partner. 

 

Tabitha Saw co-office managing partner, Singapore at Morrison Foerster, added: “Scott brings to the firm significant private equity and M&A credentials and core relationships in both Southeast Asia and Japan. His presence will deepen our bench in these regions and in industries that are strategic to the firm, including energy transition, renewables, technology, and digital infrastructure.” 

 

In addition, Xiaoxi Lin has joined the firm as a partner in the corporate group based in Hong Kong, brings over 15 years’ experience to Morrison Foerster, with a private equity and M&A practice with established client relationships in the Greater China, Asia, and US markets.

Lin joins Morrison Foerster from Linklaters where he was a partner in its private equity and US public M&A practices. He previously practiced with Kirkland & Ellis and Davis Polk & Wardwell, with experience based in Hong Kong, New York, and Beijing


¬ Haymarket Media Limited. All rights reserved.

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Historic new rights laws fight old bias

Same-sex couples shake stuff up

Experts believe that authorities in Thailand must support the LGBTQ community and confirm the validity of the relationship equality law.

At a recent public website,” Marriage Equality: From Different Stance to Effective Legal Implementation,” organized by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation and Thammasat University, the issues of how to apply the recently passed legislation and ensure inclusivity for all were discussed.

Scientists studying gender studies agreed that society has undergone both positive and negative effects as a result of the marriage equality law’s passage during the website.

Thailand became the first nation in Southeast Asia to permit anyone, regardless of gender and physical preference, to record their marriage and receive the same benefits as heterosexual couples did.

However, there had also been a few growing issues, according to some speakers at the conference, discovering prejudices towards this minority group.

The move, according to Ronnapoom Samakkeerom, a professor in public health and the president of the Foundation for Transgender Alliance for Human Rights, has brought female equality in Thailand closer to reality and some changes in both sociologically and legally.

However, despite the government’s positive attitude towards legalising LGBTQ home position, the legislation has even summoned bias and discrimination that has much prevailed in certain sectors.

Following a picture of a female police officer in uniform kissing while registering their union, Mr. Ronnapoom cited a recent event of a resigned high-rank police inspector who urged the police to honor their professional integrity.

He claimed that what he saw was disgusting, but later changed his claim and claimed it was an unacceptable display of common kissing.

Mr Ronnapoom said it was an instance of” contingent approval” where LGBTQ are accepted only if they comply with certain situations.

He claimed that some state leaders took indifferent actions as a result of the Marriage Equality Law, particularly during the wedding registration process.

In response, he suggested setting up a center to handle issues about state leaders ‘ discrimination.

According to Narut Supawantanakul, a professor at the faculty of learning science and education, the business industry also needs to think about changing staff benefits due to the LGBTQ family status.

Additionally, educational institutions may promote knowledge of individuals with same-sex families and develop a curriculum that promotes LGBTQ issues.

” Thailand even must consider the security of ageing LGBTQ “, said Akra Metasuk, another teacher at the University of Learning Science and Education. He argued that the focus should remain on those who are single, particularly those who have a mental illness, explaining that this team experiences considerably greater grief when living alone.

Today, there are many old LGBTQ living in harsh conditions, including with their own people, who have never been accepted for being who they are, he said. ” Existing care settings are, however, no female diverse or sensitive”, he said.

Transgender people frequently are placed in a hospital with a gender identity that does not suit their gender identity and have received unethical care from health professionals, which prevent them from seeking out the most qualified care when it is most needed.

” Although we have the Marriage Equality rules, a laws alone cannot transform attitudes, especially in healthcare”, he added.

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