Nordic News, Business and Life in Asia
Finland has required foreign wild-berry pickers to hold a seasonal work visa since 2025. The rules fall under the Seasonal Workers Act. For the 2026 season, Finland’s Ministry for Foreign …
Finland to tighten visa checks for berry pickers ahead of 2026 season Read More
A military escalation between the United States, Israel and Iran has prompted several Middle Eastern countries to close or severely restrict their airspace, including the United Arab Emirates (Dubai, Abu …
Airspace shutdown: What travellers between Southeast Asia and the Nordics need to know Read More
US and Israeli forces have carried out strikes on targets in Iran, prompting swift reactions from governments across Asia and the Nordic region, Gulf News reports. In Southeast Asia, Malaysian …
Asia and Nordic leaders urge restraint after strikes on Iran Read More
Chiang Mai has been ranked the most affordable city in the world for digital nomads living on a monthly budget of $2,000, according to a February 2026 report by Life …
Chiang Mai named world’s cheapest city for digital nomads Read More
The Embassy of Denmark in the Philippines, together with the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Manila, the Swedish and Finnish embassies in Manila, is supporting a new food rescue project in …
Nordic embassies step up fight against hunger in Manila Read More
Travellers in Southeast Asia are being reminded not to collect souvenir stamps in their passports following a warning from the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). The DFA cautioned that …
Philippines warns against souvenir passport stamps Read More
Finland’s Laurea University of Applied Sciences has opened a separate admissions process in Vietnam. It targets Vietnamese applicants for study programmes in Finland. The university said the process offers more …
Finnish Laurea University opens separate admissions in Vietnam for 2026 intakes Read More
The Embassy of Finland in Yangon will close permanently from 28 February 2026, the ministry said in a statement. After the closure, consular services will be handled by the Embassy …
Finland closes embassy in Yangon on 28 February Read More
As Russia and China race to expand their fleets of icebreakers, NATO countries are scrambling to keep up. And at the center of this growing Arctic power game stands an …
As China expands in the Arctic, Finland gets a key role in Arctic security Read More
Nordic-affiliated companies and Philippine firms working with Nordic partners are now invited to compete for the Sustainability Leadership Award 2026. The award recognizes companies that demonstrate measurable results in environmental …
Nordic-Philippine firms invited to apply for sustainability award Read More
Indonesia’s nationwide ban on elephant riding is being rolled out across conservation and tourism facilities in Bali, Sumatra and Borneo following a government directive issued in December 2025. The policy …
Indonesia’s elephant ride ban now taking effect across Bali and beyond Read More
Flying out of Thailand is about to become more expensive, Bangkok Post reports. From 20 June 2026, the passenger service charge on international departures will rise from 730 baht to …
Thailand to raise airport departure fee Read More
Thailand has ranked 28th in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Countries ranking and is included in Architectural Digest’s list of 20 design-focused countries considered among the best places …
Thailand joins Nordic nations on list of world’s most liveable countries Read More
Citizens of Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland can now enter6 China without a visa for short stays, Travel and Tour World reports. The new policy took effect during the 2026 …
Nordic citizens granted visa-free access to China Read More
Artificial intelligence is placed at the centre of a new exhibition in Finland. Taiwanese artist Yu-Hsuan Yao presents Thank You Babe But a Statistical Midpoint Is Just Not Enough at …
Taiwanese artist in Finland explores AI and the question of authorship Read More
The Embassy of Finland in Bangkok has invited Finnish FoodTech and agri-food technology companies to join a business visit to Thailand from 26 to 28 May 2026. The programme is …
Finnish food-tech companies eye expansion in Thailand Read More
A Finnish company has secured a key role in China’s growing LNG shipping industry, The Digest reports. Finland’s technology group Wärtsilä has won an order to supply LNG cargo handling …
Wärtsilä secures key role in China’s expanding LNG fleet Read More
Around 100 Scandinavians and friends of the Nordics are expected to gather at Bangkok Island Pier on March 28 before setting sail on what organisers describe as a very Nordic …
After a decade, Viking Boat Party returns to Bangkok Read More
Thailand’s plan to cut visa-free stays from 60 to 30 days is now being reviewed again, Bangkok Post reports. Foreign Affairs Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said the caretaker government is reassessing …
Thailand reconsiders 60-day visa-free stay after local complaints Read More
Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, Ville Tavio, is placing China at the centre of discussions as EU trade ministers gather in Nicosia this week, Finnish Government reports. The …
Finland sharpens focus on China at EU trade talks Read More
The Ambassadors of Finland, Denmark and Norway met with Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, Datuk Amar Sri Haji Fadillah Haji Yusof, to discuss …
Nordic ambassadors discuss green energy cooperation with Malaysia Read More
Finland’s Ambassador to Vietnam and Laos, Pekka Voutilainen, has presented his credentials to Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith. The ceremony marked the start of Voutilainen’s official duties in Laos as a …
Finland’s ambassador to Vietnam presents credentials to Laos president Read More
The widely discussed reduction of Thailand’s visa-free stay has now moved from speculation to decision. The Thai government has confirmed that the permitted stay under the visa-exemption scheme will be …
Thailand confirms visa-free stay will be reduced to 30 days Read More
A Filipina teacher who recently relocated to Finland earned a rare four-chair turn during her blind audition on The Voice of Finland. The performance marked a breakthrough moment for Southeast …
Filipina teacher makes breakthrough on Finnish television Read More
New data and investigations show Russian oil being shipped via placeholder destinations and vessels sailing under false flags, affecting both Singapore and Finland. According to Reuters, tankers carrying around 1.4 …
Russian oil tankers draw concern in Singapore and Finland Read More
A post dated 16 February 2026 set out FAQs on China’s visa-free entry arrangements for ordinary passport holders. The guidance says citizens of 50 countries can enter visa-free for up …
China’s embassy releases guidelines on updated visa-free entry policy Read More
As darkness fell over Bangkok, Scandinavians and Thai guests filled the Danish Embassy’s garden for an open-air night of Nordic cinema at the 2026 Nordic Film Festival. Friday the 13th …
Hundreds gathered at the Danish Embassy: Here’s what happened after sunset Read More
Chinese New Year 2026 begins on 17 February and marks the start of the Year of the Horse. Across China and in several Nordic cities, public events, themed dinners and …
Chinese New Year: What you can experience in China and the Nordic countries Read More
Finnish food company Atria has delivered the best financial performance in its history following the launch of chicken exports to China, Xinhua Net reports. In 2025, net sales rose to …
China breakthrough sends finnish food giant to record year Read More
Guests from the Nordic community in Bangkok were invited to the opening ceremony of the Nordic Film Festival at the Royal Danish Embassy in Thailand on Thursday night on 12 …
Nordic Film Festival opens at Royal Danish Embassy in Bangkok Read More
Thailand is preparing to roll back one of its most generous entry policies. The government plans to reduce visa-free stays from 60 days to 30 days for citizens of 93 …
Big change for nordic travellers: Thailand plans to cut visa-free stay Read More
The captain of a Hong Kong-registered cargo ship has pleaded not guilty in Hong Kong court. He faces charges linked to damage to undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. Reuters …
Newnew Polar Bear captain pleads not guilty in Hong Kong Read More
Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs and its missions provided consular services to about 245,000 Finnish people in 2025, the ministry annouces in a press release. The ministry’s 24/7 service was …
Finnish foreign ministry releases 2025 report Read More
Taipei Representative Office in Finland has opened applications for Taiwan’s 2026 Huayu Enrichment Scholarship. The scholarship supports Mandarin study in Taiwan. It offers a monthly stipend of 28,000 NTD for …
Taiwan office in Finland opens 2026 scholarship applications Read More
Thailand has dropped nine places to 116th in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), with its score declining slightly from 34 in 2024 to 33 out of 100 in 2025, …
Thailand slips further behind Nordic countries in corruption ranking Read More
Finland is strengthening its education partnership with Malaysia following high-level talks in Kuala Lumpur between Finnish officials and Malaysia’s education minister, Fadhlina Sidek, according to the Embassy of Finland in …
Finland explores deeper education ties with Malaysia Read More
In Nordic democracies, election night usually brings clarity. Votes are counted, winners are declared, and within hours the political direction is clear. In Thailand, the first morning after an election …
Thailand heads for coalition talks after election Read More
Ambassadors from Finland and Sweden were among diplomats from more than 20 countries who recently visited Catanduanes, an island province in the eastern Philippines, as part of an effort to …
Nordic ambassadors discover hidden Philippine island in rare diplomatic visit Read More
Hong Kong lost 3–1 to Finland on Sunday at Victoria Park in a Davis Cup World Group I playoff in tennis. The defeat means Hong Kong will play in World …
Finland beats Hong Kong in global tennis tournament Read More
Nordic Film Festival will take place again next week in Thailand, according to the embassies of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. The festival has been held in previous years and …
Nordic Film Festival in Bangkok returns Read More
As questions linger over the situation along the Thailand-Cambodia border, Thai authorities have moved to reassure European partners – including Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway – about safety conditions in …
Border concerns lead to review of Nordic travel advisories Read More
Alcohol sales were banned nationwide in Thailand last weekend in connection with the parliamentary election. This weekend, the same restrictions will once again be in force, according to the Royal …
Alcohol ban returns this weekend ahead of Thailand election Read More
Finnish Sisu Auto and Singaporean ST Engineering signed an expression of interest at the Singapore Airshow on 3 February 2026. The companies said it sets a framework for closer technology …
Finnish Sisu Auto and Singapore’s ST Engineering deepen Arctic vehicle partnership Read More
The Thai-Finnish Chamber of Commerce (TFCC) is organising a field trip to Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) for Finnish business representatives on Thursday 13 February 2026. The visit is designed …
Thai-Finnish Chamber of Commerce arranges field trip for Finnish delegation Read More
A group of eight parliamentarians from seven European countries arrived in Taiwan on 1 February for a six-day visit, Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported. The delegation includes lawmakers from Lithuania, …
Parliamentarians from seven European countries begin six-day Taiwan visit Read More
Finland is considering restrictions on children’s access to social media platforms, drawing inspiration from Australia’s recently introduced ban, as concerns grow over the impact of digital platforms on young people. …
Finland looks to Australia as debate grows over banning children from social media Read More
China’s President Xi Jinping told Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo that China and Finland should uphold a UN-centred international system. He also called for advancing a multipolar world order, according …
Xi Jinping urges Finland to back UN system Read More
The Thailand and Nordic countries Innovation Unit (TNIU) is a relatively new Thai embassy-based initiative that aims to strengthen cooperation in areas such as innovation, sustainability and green transition between …
A Nordic-Thai innovation unit is exploring new possibilities of embassy cooperation Read More
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has arrived in Beijing for an official visit to China from 25 to 28 January, at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang. According to …
Finnish prime minister arrives in Beijing for four-day visit to China Read More
Thai immigration police, working with several agencies and representatives of the Finnish Embassy, have rescued an 11-year-old Finnish girl from a house in Sa Kaeo province after authorities were alerted …
Finnish girl rescued in Sa Kaeo in Thailand: Finland confirms consular case Read More