Thailand's Cannabis Revolution

 

In the first country in Asia to legalise medical marijuana, some promise it will alleviate poverty and even cure cancer.

For decades, Thailand was at the forefront of the war on drugs.

Known for flooding the world with drugs from the Golden Triangle, Thailand's laws became so tough, the country now tops the list in Asia for the rate of incarceration.

But recently, the military-led government shocked the world by announcing plans to legalise medical marijuana, or cannabis.

Hong Kong: Endgame

 

Will a new Chinese government national security law finally spell an end to Hong Kong's cherished autonomy?

At 11pm on June 30, 2020, a new national security law came into effect in Hong Kong - just an hour before the 23rd anniversary of Britain's handover of the city to China.

The legislation, which sparked an immediate international backlash, has significantly tightened Beijing's grip on Hong Kong and has stifled the huge protests that began sweeping the territory a year ago.

What is behind Thai protesters' calls for monarchy reform?

Angry demonstrators break the taboo of criticising the king.

They have been rallying almost daily for the past month. Anti-government protesters led by students are attracting different sectors of Thai society.

Their main demand is a change of the entire political system.

That includes the resignation of former army general now Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.

The Great Wall of Japan

101 East investigates the controversies surrounding the building of Japan's enormous tsunami wall.

After the 2011 Fukushima earthquake and tsunami killed about 18,000 people, the Japanese authorities embarked on a radical plan.

At a cost of $12bn, they are building a 15-metre-high anti-tsunami wall across 400 kilometres to divide the land from the ocean.

But it is also dividing local communities.

Is democracy dead in Hong Kong?

Activists decry 'climate of fear' a month after China imposed national security law.

It has been an eventful month since China's government imposed a national security law on Hong Kong.

China's leaders say it is essential to curb months of disruptive protests, but critics say it is the death knell of democracy in one of the most vibrant cities in the world.

Police have detained student activists; 12 democratic candidates have been disqualified from a now postponed Legislative Council election; and despite going into exile, activists overseas such as Nathan Law now face wanted notices if they return to Hong Kong.

Are China and the US headed for a new Cold War?

Tensions are rising as the Trump administration wants the world to stop engaging with China.

Tensions are rising between Washington and Beijing after tit-for-tat consulate closures and a speech on "the China threat" by United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

The US says it wants to disengage with China because it is stealing intellectual property and becoming aggressive with its neighbours in Asia.

In this episode of The Bottom Line, our guest is Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations.

New Zealand: Trapped in the Volcano

We investigate how a luxury cruise turned into a deadly nightmare when a volcano erupted on New Zealand's White Island.

It was meant to be the cruise of a lifetime.

A trip on Ovation of the Seas promised the opportunity to get up close to New Zealand's renowned natural beauty.

But on the afternoon of December 9, 2019, tragedy struck.

Cruise ship passengers and other day-trippers became trapped in the middle of a volcanic eruption on White Island - 21 people died, 19 of them were from the Ovation of the Seas.

Does real democracy stand a chance in Thailand?

Pro-democracy protests are held in Thailand on the anniversary of the revolution that ended absolute monarchy.

It is 88 years since the revolution in Thailand that resulted in the end of the absolute monarchy and the start of democracy.

But it is the army and the royal palace that define much of Thai politics. 

The king by law has few direct powers, but he is very influential.

The prime minister is elected but many Thais question the democratic process. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha took over last year after five years of military rule. 

Could the China-India border dispute trigger a military conflict?

India and China blame each other for confrontations along the Himalayas.

Trouble is brewing at the roof of the world.

India and China both claim territory along the Himalayas.

Their border dispute goes back decades.

The Indian military says in the first week of May, Indian and Chinese soldiers scuffled and threw stones at each other in the Pangong Tso lake and Naku La areas.

Japan: The Age Of Social Withdrawal

101 East examines why more people are withdrawing from society in Japan.

Kenji Yamase spends his days in his bedroom.

The 54-year-old has been a "hikikomori" all of his adult life. The term describes Japanese who rarely interact with society beyond their family.

"It's a sense or feeling that you shouldn't be here. Even if you are here, you feel like you aren't yourself," Kenji says.

South Korea sect leader asks for forgiveness over coronavirus surge

Lee Man-hee, the reclusive founder of the Shincheonji Church at the centre of South Korea’s coronavirus outbreak, has apologised over the virus’s spread. The church became the target of public anger after one of its members, known as Patient 31, tested positive for the virus and infected many others. Lee said the church had tried to prevent the spread of the virus among its members. He spoke a day after the Seoul city government asked prosecutors to begin a murder investigation into him

China On Campus

101 East investigates how China has infiltrated Australia's universities.

Australia's universities are embroiled in a growing geopolitical storm.

In recent months, pro and anti-Beijing groups have clashed on campuses amid rising concerns over the Chinese government's expanding power abroad.

Universities earn billions of dollars a year from student fees and research collaborations with China, but there are growing fears these lucrative arrangements may be putting academic institutions, and even national security, at risk.

Coronavirus Outbreak: 'We need facts not fear'

We ask China Global Television Network anchor Wang Guan about China's response to the spread of the virus.

In December 2019, the first case of the coronavirus was discovered in Wuhan, China. Since then, it has spread to dozens of other countries and resulted in tens of thousands of people being infected and hundreds of deaths.

When the virus began to spread, Chinese citizens who tried to warn others about the illness were accused of lying and told by police to stop their "illegal activity". Since then, China's top officials have admitted there were shortcomings in response to the virus and recognised they must improve their national emergency management system.

Thailand's Master Forger

101 East gains exclusive access inside a Thai prison to speak to one of the world's most notorious passport forgers.

He has created new identities for many people.

An expert at crafting fake passports, the man, known as "the Doctor", has helped drug dealers, criminals and terrorists move freely across borders.

Thai police have called his forged passports the "best on the market". 

Now behind bars in a Thai prison, the Doctor is speaking out for the first time, revealing the secrets of his trade in this exclusive interview.

"My job could fool the immigration and any agent in the airport and pass through, no problem," he boasts.

Singapore: Top of the Class

101 East goes inside Singapore's schools to find out why the nation's students top the global leader board.

Singapore's education system is renowned for creating the world's smartest students.

It is the envy of nations around the world, but what is the secret to its students' success?

Supporters point to a culture that values education and holds teachers in high esteem.

But it is a high-stakes game - only the top students make it into the best schools.

Twelve-year-old Xuan is preparing for a national exam that will determine which secondary school he attends.

North Korea's Ghost Ships

We investigate why fishing ships from North Korea, discovered with dead bodies onboard, are washing up on Japan shores.

A growing number of North Korean fishing boats are washing up on the shores of Japan.

Sometimes there are survivors but often they carry a tragic cargo of corpses from the so-called "Hermit Kingdom".

Shizuo Sato recalls the day he made a grim discovery on Japan's west coast.

"We've known of many ghost ships found in this area," he says. "We all thought that if it's a dead body, it must be a North Korean."

These mysterious "ghost ships" are a diplomatic, logistical and financial nightmare for Japan, costing millions of dollars in police investigations, clean-up operations and repatriation of survivors and human remains.

Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi: 'Defending the indefensible'

We discuss Aung San Suu Kyi's appearance at the International Court of Justice with rights activist Maung Zarni.

This week Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi appeared at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to defend her country against accusations of genocide, in a lawsuit brought by The Gambia.

The Nobel peace laureate rejected the allegations that Myanmar's military - that for 15 years kept her under house arrest - committed genocide against the mostly Muslim Rohingya minority in her country as "incomplete and misleading".

Burmese human rights campaigner Maung Zarni has lived in exile for more than 20 years and was one of the first people to accuse Myanmar of genocide. He believes Aung San Suu Kyi is "defending the indefensible" and wants to see her in the dock at the International Criminal Court.

Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi: 'Defending the indefensible'

We discuss Aung San Suu Kyi's appearance at the International Court of Justice with rights activist Maung Zarni.

This week Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi appeared at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to defend her country against accusations of genocide, in a lawsuit brought by The Gambia.

The Nobel peace laureate rejected the allegations that Myanmar's military - that for 15 years kept her under house arrest - committed genocide against the mostly Muslim Rohingya minority in her country as "incomplete and misleading".

In the Absence: South Korea's Sewol Ferry Disaster

An unflinching look at South Korea's Sewol ferry disaster as it unfolds and its ramifications on a nation.

A disaster began to quietly unfold at 8:49am on April 16, 2014.

The Sewol ferry, bound for Jeju Island in South Korea, began to sink. On board were 476 passengers, including 325 students on a school trip. Mobile phone footage records students struggling to stay on their feet in their cabins, the atmosphere calm but uncertain.

Dashcam footage showed cars sliding across the car deck as the ship tipped.

A passenger had made an emergency call at 8:52am, and through radio communications the authorities were notified. The ferry continued to sink.

Plundering Cambodia's Forests | 101 East

101 East investigates how illegal loggers are plundering some of Cambodia's last remaining forests.

Cambodia has witnessed some of the most rapid deforestations in the world over the past decade.

But a brave local activist is desperately trying to save some of the country's last remaining forests.

Leng Ouch has infiltrated logging syndicates across the country and recorded reams of damning evidence using hidden cameras, drones, GPS trackers and informants.

His data indicates an environmental apocalypse carried out by powerful syndicates who seem to operate with near-total impunity on a national scale.