Shuffling around their tiny slum home which is too small to stand up in, Thanapat Noidee and his wife Papassorn share donated noodles with their sons and worry about bills, as the coronavirus pushes Thailand's poor deeper into penury.The wood and breeze-block hut which is their home stands in the heart of a Bangkok commercial district festooned with five-star hotels and upmarket restaurants.They share the small space in the shadow of the nearby high-rise developments with their children

Violence against women and children is the most prevalent human rights violation. Unfortunately, cases of gender-based violence – especially against women – is nothing new in Southeast Asia.Based on a report by the United Nations University - International Institute for Global Health (UNU-IIGH) in Malaysia, intimate partner violence (IPV) is the most common form of gender-based violence, with 28 percent of women in the region having to deal with it.

A Malaysian man has launched the country's first legal challenge against Islamic laws banning gay sex, a test case supporters said Wednesday could help combat growing persecution of the LGBT community.He was charged last year for allegedly attempting to have "intercourse against the order of nature", and several others in the same case have already pleaded guilty and were caned as a punishment.Critics say the climate is worsening for the gay community in Muslim-majority Malaysi

Muslims across Asia packed out markets as they prepared for the annual Eid ul-Fitr holiday, ignoring coronavirus guidelines even as infections rise. The celebration, the most important in the Muslim calendar marking the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, is preceded by a rush to buy new clothes, gifts and sweet treats for loved ones.It is expected to begin over the weekend in most countries, and Sunday or Monday in Pakistan, depending on when the new moon is sighted.Despite th

A few months ago, investigators from Dog Meat Free Indonesia (DMFI) – a group committed to ending dog meat trade in the archipelagic nation, revealed heart-breaking footage exposing the extreme cruelty suffered by an estimated 13,000 dogs every month in the Indonesian city of Solo. The dogs being shown on camera were heading to the slaughterhouse for their meat.The investigators found that dogs were being slaughtered in unhygienic conditions and were being killed in front of other dogs.

The holy month of Ramadan for Muslims around the world will end this weekend. After about 30 days of fasting from dawn to sunset, an estimated 1.8 billion Muslims across the globe will celebrate Eid-ul-fitr which signifies the end of Ramadan. Eid-ul-fitr is typically celebrated with morning prayers in congregations at mosques, a big feast, mass gatherings of family and friends and also new traditional clothes.

A Malaysian state that is a major nesting site for turtles will ban the trade in their eggs, authorities said Thursday, in a boost for the threatened creatures. Turtles regularly crawl ashore to lay their eggs on beaches in northeastern Terengganu state, and the spectacle of babies hatching and scurrying into the sea is a major draw for tourists.But numbers have declined rapidly over the decades as they are hunted for their meat and shells, while rampant poaching of their eggs is als

The coronavirus crisis has brought chaos to nations across the world. Fears and anxiety amplify as the virus is not only a health threat – but is also severely affecting livelihoods, businesses and the economy in general. Governments have imposed drastic measures to contain the COVID-19 virus such as travel restrictions and citywide lockdowns. Although these curbs have proven to be necessary for some countries – they have devastated local industries and businesses.

Singapore was criticised for being "cruel and inhumane" Wednesday after a death sentence was handed down via video-conferencing platform Zoom.Malaysian drug trafficker Punithan Genasan was Friday sentenced to hang in a hearing conducted remotely due to restrictions in place to combat the spread of the coronavirus, court officials said.The 37-year-old had been found guilty over the trafficking of at least 28.5 grams (1.0 ounce) of heroin, a crime punishable by death under the city-st