News Stories

[Tormenk]

Thai officials refute the canal deal here.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/mobil...l/1856758.html

[ganbaru]

Learning from Uncle Sam: to Russia's annoyance, U.S. hones Ukrainian fighting skills
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0O41IS20150519

Judge sentences 11 Afghan police over lynching of woman in Kabul
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0O40ME20150519

[SeijiSensei]

SingPost is pitching itself as a conduit to the Asian consumer, particularly in countries like Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia.

As postage stamps give way to keyboard clicks, SingPost is redefining the role of the letter carrier, by creating a one-stop shop for retailers’ e-commerce needs in Asia.

In South Korea, SingPost is helping to sell Levi’s jeans. In Singapore, it is stocking Toshiba laptops. In Malaysia, it is delivering Adidas sneakers.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

SingPost is pitching itself as a conduit to the Asian consumer, particularly in countries like Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia.

They have been doing it for years when it comes to sideline income. Initially they rent their places out to insurance agents. Then they sell specialised Singpost goods. Now they are lagging far behind as a consumer carrier as compared to ChinaPost.

In short, it is a slow business decline. Not surprising thiugh, they have to expand out like HKP to provide collaborations with specialised mail carriers like Fedex or DHL. Or become a GLC specialised carrier.

[risingstar3110]

Originally Posted by RRW

http://chinadailymail.com/2015/05/17...l-in-thailand/

I'm not the best when it come to internal politics. But won't this benefit Vietnam greatly? With the shortest shipping route now basically hug on much of their coastline/IMZ, giving them a much better leverage against China?

Not to mention Singapore will lose its strategic location. So doubt it gonna happen

[JokerD]

Originally Posted by risingstar3110

I'm not the best when it come to internal politics. But won't this benefit Vietnam greatly? With the shortest shipping route now basically hug on much of their coastline/IMZ, giving them a much better leverage against China?

Not to mention Singapore will lose its strategic location. So doubt it gonna happen

Vietnam or Cambodia. Although I'm not sure if they have ports in the area to support this.
The Kra canal has been going on and off for a while now. A problem I can see is that the south has a low level insurgency going on. That may put a dent in the works.

[SaintessHeart]

It is out. The Thai said they never agreed to it.

[risingstar3110]

Anyone heard about the Pirate Bay's hydra new logo?

Originally Posted by JokerD

Vietnam or Cambodia. Although I'm not sure if they have ports in the area to support this.
The Kra canal has been going on and off for a while now. A problem I can see is that the south has a low level insurgency going on. That may put a dent in the works.

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

It is out. The Thai said they never agreed to it.

Yeah my point is i don't think the key players are benefited from such project. Unless 20 years from now, both Thailand and Vietnam became the major players in the region, have strong enough economy to invest in their own infrastructure and fund each other for said project. Not to mention Singapore would have to simply bend over without protesting

On term of logistics, it make sense through. Not to mention the path won't have to go through Chinese claimed islands. So sort of reduce their roles and ease the conflicts. Unless it's within US's agenda to weaken Chinese economical position. But once again, IMF and Thailand do not mix

[MrTerrorist]

PayPal Will Pay $25 Million to Resolve CFPB Bill Me Later Claims

I have heard stories on how much PayPal has screwed customers in various ways and thankfully i haven't experience anything like that while using PayPal. Hopefully it stays that way.

[ganbaru]

North Korea modified submarine missile launch photos, says U.S. official
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0O508L20150520

U.S. releases documents recovered in raid that killed bin Laden
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0O51PN20150520

Major banks admit guilt in forex probe, fined $6 billion
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0O50CQ20150520

[SaintessHeart]

Why No One Wants The Rohingyas

While there are human rights groups making a hoo-hah about this, I think the real reason why people actually don't want them is because the Rohingyas have always been seen as troublemakers, since WWII when the British formed the V-Force to tackle the Japanese and they went around using the arms to attack Buddhist infrastructure.

And there is the Pakistan Movement, the Bangladesh Liberation War and today's Rohingya movement which demanded Rakhine to be their own state.

Sins of their fathers much?

[ganbaru]

Crews work to clean California beach fouled by oil pipeline spill
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0O52MY20150521

About 120 guns found at scene of deadly Texas gang fight
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0O51Q420150520

First Republican debate in August will not be open to all
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0O52VC20150521

[Yu Ominae]

As of now, Manila is offering to help them resettle. That won a lot of brownie points with the international community.

Indonesia and Malaysia is softening their stances too. But Singapore rejected to help them on the basis that they don't have enough space and resources to accommodate them.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Yu Ominae

As of now, Manila is offering to help them resettle. That won a lot of brownie points with the international community.

Indonesia and Malaysia is softening their stances too. But Singapore rejected to help them on the basis that they don't have enough space and resources to accommodate them.

Meanwhile we have resources for another 1.5m people.

The problem is with the resettlement though. Philippines, given its economy, is it able to help resettle these refugees? Or are they going to go hungry and start another insurgency?

There always had been this tenet of "a hungry man is an angry man". I can't help but think they will end up looking down the barrel of an AFP trooper's M16 in the near future.

Malaysia and Indonesia have a better chance of resettling them in their home countries. I suspect that they are keeping an arm's length initially due to not wanting to earn the ire of Myanmar, or draw more boat people to their lands.

[Yu Ominae]

I am not sure. Malacanang has not given more details, except that they will help them due to treaty obligations for humanitarian reasons and for being one out of two Roman Catholic countries due to their track record.

Most people see the latter as the main reason. But SEA netizens are evenly divided, but most of them want their government to help, even if it's just a little bit.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Yu Ominae

I am not sure. Malacanang has not given more details, except that they will help them due to treaty obligations for humanitarian reasons and for being one out of two Roman Catholic countries due to their track record.

Most people see the latter as the main reason. But SEA netizens are evenly divided, but most of them want their government to help, even if it's just a little bit.

I think helping them will end up putting crutches in their hands. I say arm them, send them back, and sell advanced weapons to the Myanmar government on credit to defeat the insurgency. Covertly of course.

Mind that I am applying critique without giving ethical thought to it. Still I think that is the most effective way to end this issue once and for all, albeit bloody, cruel and distasteful.

Otherwise another way is not to solve it at all and sweep it under the carpet.

[Yu Ominae]

The other camp's calling for world leaders to put pressure on Myanmar to stop discrimination.

Of course given the riots and all...

[JokerD]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

I think helping them will end up putting crutches in their hands. I say arm them, send them back, and sell advanced weapons to the Myanmar government on credit to defeat the insurgency. Covertly of course.

Mind that I am applying critique without giving ethical thought to it. Still I think that is the most effective way to end this issue once and for all, albeit bloody, cruel and distasteful.

Otherwise another way is not to solve it at all and sweep it under the carpet.

The fastest way to solve an insurgency is to be very brutal about, they are still opening up to the world so they want to avoid that tag for now. Those guys are now regretting voting for Aung San Suu Kyi I'll bet.

Any major arms seller China will not be selling them arms for that either, since the boarder area still has an insurgency going on. And they don't want to shell themselves:
China lodges protest with Myanmar after artillery shells injure five

Originally Posted by Yu Ominae

The other camp's calling for world leaders to put pressure on Myanmar to stop discrimination.

Of course given the riots and all...

It's between a rock and a hard place, the riots are led by buddhist majority and a crackdown would also bring the world down on them for suppressing religious freedoms, wouldn't it.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Yu Ominae

The other camp's calling for world leaders to put pressure on Myanmar to stop discrimination.

Of course given the riots and all...

It isn't discrimination if one follows history. The Rohingyas have been known to attack the Buddhists since about 70 years ago. Then there is the insurgent case about Rakhine. Pretty much everyone is blind here.

And as JokerD said, there needs to be an effective show of force with proper trials, regarding this as a national emergency. Myanmar doesn't have enough firepower and counterinsurgency capability, unlike Malaysia and Singapore during the communist insurgency where WWII battle hardened SAS soldiers alongside Gurkhas help flatten the Malayan Communists.

Originally Posted by JokerD

The fastest way to solve an insurgency is to be very brutal about, they are still opening up to the world so they want to avoid that tag for now. Those guys are now regretting voting for Aung San Suu Kyi I'll bet.

Any major arms seller China will not be selling them arms for that either, since the boarder area still has an insurgency going on. And they don't want to shell themselves:
China lodges protest with Myanmar after artillery shells injure five

Chian could be like India - send troops in to "assist" in counterinsurgency operations. Remember Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tigers?

It's between a rock and a hard place, the riots are led by buddhist majority and a crackdown would also bring the world down on them for suppressing religious freedoms, wouldn't it.

There is a way. Buy old helicopters from US first, pretend to junta the country then put Suu Kui under house arrest, retrofit the helicopters with machineguns and flechette rockets, then send the army in to gut them. In a year or so, reliquish junta power "under international pressure" and things should go back to normal.

[Yu Ominae]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

It isn't discrimination if one follows history. The Rohingyas have been known to attack the Buddhists since about 70 years ago. Then there is the insurgent case about Rakhine. Pretty much everyone is blind here.

And as JokerD said, there needs to be an effective show of force with proper trials, regarding this as a national emergency. Myanmar doesn't have enough firepower and counterinsurgency capability, unlike Malaysia and Singapore during the communist insurgency where WWII battle hardened SAS soldiers alongside Gurkhas help flatten the Malayan Communists.

I heard about the Rohingya insurgency that has a few homegrown insurgencies. But reading up more on them, it does seem to be based on discrimination in terms of not being treated by proper Burmese to the point of having proper citizenship or being replaced in a job that they earned through hard work such as placed those in the military with those who are Buddhists, as the main religion.

IIRC, the Karens and the Chins are also in the same page because of religious differences.

----

Picking up on this article about a ROK conscientious objector. Been making headlines now.