Myanmar Government Accused of Clearing Rohingya Massacre Evidence

Myanmar has been clearing almost empty Rohingya villages with Bulldozers. The Human Rights Watch has requested Myanmar to stop the bulldozing in order for UN specialists to examine the area for human rights violations.

A divorce contract in Thailand is a contract entered into by divorcing couples who can agree on important issues such as assets, child support and alimony.   

However, the Myanmar government has yet to allow a UN fact find mission to enter the country or the Rakhine state. They refer to their own investigative missions that “no violations or abuses” were found.

Among the 362 villages that were destroyed, some were partially destroyed from previous security force attacks and at least two were still intact. The clearing of the area is seen by international human rights groups as destroying evidence and obstruction of justice.

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Image: Bulldozers on the Ledo Road

Myanmar Prostitutes to Gain More Rights

The Ministry of Social Welfare and Resettlement are looking to revise the current Suppression of Prostitution Act. Under this Act, authorities can arrest those who loiter with the “intent to solicit”. The law was initially propositioned for women to abstain from the sex industry however, resulted in the opposite effect.

The law is also partly responsible for the spread of STD such as HIV among sex workers in Myanmar. Lawmakers want to change the legislation in hopes of providing more protection. Under the Act, prostitutes found with condoms may be prosecuted.

Other harmful effects of this law include sex workers having difficulty getting blood tests, counseling and medical attention. Some of the proposed changes include reducing the penalty of fines and jail time, criminalizing women without consent and criminalizing human trafficking.

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Issues concerning family law in Thailand should be directed to a professional law firm with expertise in family affairs.

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Singapore GST to Rise an Extra 2% in 2020

Heng Swee Keat, Singapore’s Finance Minister, has announced that there are plans for the goods and services tax to rise two more percent to 9% from 2020-2025. He commented that the increase will be a progressive one. The tax will be applied to goods and services in Singapore and other imports worth over $300 USD.

Couples requiring a divorce lawyer in Thailand must meet the grounds of divorce in Thailand, having one of the spouses residing in the country. 

The GST increase will be implemented to close the “gap” for future expenditure on infrastructure, spending, healthcare etc. The apparent two percent increases will boost revenues to 0.7% of the GDP and help to close the gap. The increased rate will take effect when the state of the economy is at its prime.

The increased GST will be applied to public schooling, healthcare, aid to lower income households and seniors. Singaporeans will be offered an offset package to help adjust to the increased rate. There are still discussions on how the import of goods will be dealt with. 

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Cambodia's New Law Protects King from Insults

The National Assembly of Cambodia has held an extraordinary session on Wednesday that will cover changes to the Penal code, draft a law on business development with Laos and Vietnam.

The Penal Code will be amended so that anyone who insults the King or government leaders may receive 1-5 years in prison and a $500-$12,500 fine. Countries such as Thailand and Saudi Arabia have similar laws protecting their King, but the punishments are much more severe.

Expert divorce lawyers in Thailand advise that it matters where the marriage was registered in order to follow the correct jurisdiction proceedings for prenup agreements in Thailand.

The formation of the new laws follows criticism from the Deputy Prime Minister, who compared the King to a “castrated rooster” and was charged with defamation. Law enforcement will not need a formal complaint filed by the King to punish those who insult the royal family.

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Image: President Lee and Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni

Indonesian Parliament Drawing up New Law to Criminalize Gay Sex

Gay sex is currently legal in Indonesia except for the province of Aceh that is ruled by religious Islamic law. However, that is about to change as new legislation will out rule adultery, condom use and same-sex activity. Indonesia’s health ministry has also announced it will amend its medical guide to consider homosexuality as a “mental disorder”.

Politicians for the upcoming 2019 Presidential elections see the draft as an opportunity to cater to the religious base of the nation. Authorities have used anti-pornography laws to criminalize members of the LGBT community. 

Applying for a US visa from Thailand can be complicated and time consuming matter. Contact Bangkok based lawyers that have expertise on US-Thai immigration laws.  

The UN Human Right Chief has criticized the upcoming laws saying it will only “deepen their suffering and create unnecessary divisions” and that these provisions should be removed immediately. The law if passed will allow police to conduct raids and jail those found guilty of adultery for up to five years.

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Child Abduction Act in Convention with the Hague Treaty on Child Abduction

Thailand lawmakers in 2013 took on many of the provisions from the international treaty, the Hague Convention on Child Abduction Law in Thailand. The domestic law, now known as the Thailand Child Abduction Act, will allow an aggrieved parent to file for the return of their child. However, the parent who is filing for their return must be able to prove that the child’s “habitual residence” is the country where the child is being requested back to. 

The Hague Treaty on Child Abdution is a treaty of international law that provides for uniform enforcement of child abduction laws between participating nations. Under the Act, petitions can be submitted to the Thailand Central Authority.

Chaninat & Leeds, a Bangkok based law firm further explains the international treaty in Thailand.

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