Cardboard coffins gaining ground

Singapore

Cardboard coffins gaining ground

Biodegradable patterned paper coffins are emerging as a sustainable alternative to wooden coffins, and though they are popular mostly within minority green circles, major funeral parlours are beginning to pick up on demand. In January, Unity Casket became the first major player to launch a cardboard product. Orders doubled in just four short months, says funeral director William Tan. The appeal of a cardboard coffin lies in its “simplicity, affordability and environmental sustainability”, he adds. Wooden coffins can range anywhere between $300 and $6,000, while cardboard ones start at $300 but are capped at $2,000 for only the most elaborate customisation. The Straits Times

Thailand

Amulets, the Thai soft power

Thai soft power might be manifesting itself in the form of amulets, as its influence extends all the way to China, to the extent that renowned celebrities there are showing interest without any special promotion. This leads to the buying and selling of amulets and talismans evolving into an “auspicious economy” that significantly impacts the Thai economy, especially in terms of tourism and the Buddhist commerce sector, which is worth tens of billions of baht. The amulet market in Thailand has an annual trading value of tens of billions of baht and continues to grow steadily, especially among Chinese tourists, who have a deep respect for Buddhist virtues and a penchant for collecting amulets. The Nation

Vietnam

Northern hotels fully booked

Hotels in northern Vietnam’s top destinations are already fully booked for the five-day Reunification Day (April 30) and Labour Day (May 1), inspiring accommodations to double room rates. The region’s most popular destinations easily accessible by car from Hanoi, including Cat Ba, Sa Pa, Ha Long, and Ninh Binh, have become the most over-booked in the northern region for this year’s holiday as travellers are avoiding inflated airfares, according to travel agencies. Aircraft shortages have already been ballooning domestic air ticket prices this year, long since before the holiday, and the season’s traditional surge in travel and prices has added insult to injury. VN Express

Sri Lanka

10 -15% population asthmatic

Sri Lanka has come to the forefront among the countries suffering from asthma, Sri Lanka Respiratory Disease Specialists’ Association president Dr Neranjan Dissanayake said. He said between 10 per cent and 15 per cent of the country’s population suffers from asthma, and it affects children, young adults and the elderly with great mental and physical discomfort. If asthma is not controlled properly, it can even lead to death. About 95 per cent of asthma cases can be controlled with simple, very cost-effective, high-performance medications, Dr Dissanayake said. But, unfortunately, around 5,00,000 people worldwide die from asthma every year, he added. Daily Mirror