First EMU3000 intercity train will arrive in June: expected to relieve congestion on east coast line

April 11, 2021April 11, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment public transport, Taiwan Railway Administration

Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) announced today, April 11, that the first of 50 newly-purchased EMU3000 trains will be delivered in June, and priority will be given to reducing congestion on the Eastern Trunk Line. The EMU3000 will function as a multipurpose, non-tilting intercity train, and is expected to increase passenger capacity by 40% on the east coast line, effectively solving the problem of excess demand during peak travel periods. The trains were purchased from Hitachi Corporation, Japan, in a record-breaking

Business and Economy

April 11, 2021April 11, 2021 Phillip Charlier 1 Comment labor-law, Taipei City Labor Department

A bank clerk in Taipei City married the same spouse four times and divorced three times in a 37-day period last year, in order to claim 32 days marriage leave, United Daily News and Liberty Times reported today, April 11. According to a lawyer named Lin who posted about the unusual case on his Facebook page, the bank was issued a fine for only paying for the mandatory 8 days leave for the first marriage. According to Lin, the clerk

Culture

April 11, 2021April 11, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment matsu, religion

After last year’s postponement and reduced numbers due to fear of a novel coronavirus epidemic, the first day of this year’s annual Dajia Mazu pilgrimage saw an estimated crowd of more than 100,000 people packed into the streets of Changhua County. President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), Minister of the Interior Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇), and Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Yuan Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) went to Dajia Jenn Lann Temple in Taichung City Friday afternoon

kidnapping and murder suspect handcuffed and escorted by police officers

Violent Crimes

April 10, 2021April 10, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment homicide, kidnapping, Pingtung County, sexual harassment

A man suspected of having stalked a woman for months before using a car to knock her off her scooter, and kidnapping her, is being detained on suspicion of homicide after the woman’s body was found in Pingtung City yesterday, April 9. A massive search for a 29-year-old woman named Zeng (曾) was launched late Thursday night after witnesses reported seeing a woman bundled into a car after being knocked off her scooter by a man driving a white hatchback

Business and Economy

April 9, 2021April 9, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ASUS, Taiwan Stock Exchange, tech-industry

Taiwan PC manufacturer ASUSTek (TWSE: 2357) announced a consolidated group revenue for March 2021 of NT$45.9 billion, a year-on-year increase of 74% due to continuing strong demand for laptop computers. The company reported today, April 9, that group revenue for the first quarter of 2021 was NT$116.2 billion, a year-on-year increase of 64%. ASUSTek said that the company has a positive outlook on PC market demand and an active growth strategy going forward. In the first quarter of 2021, the

USS Theodore exercises in the South China Sea

Military Affairs

April 8, 2021April 8, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment air-force, China expansionism, PLA, US-navy

US and Chinese military activity around Taiwan intensified April 7, with a US aircraft carrier group exercising in the South China Sea, a Chinese aircraft carrier group operating in waters east of Taiwan, a US destroyer transiting the Taiwan Strait, and Taiwan fighters scrambled against 15 Chinese aircraft entering Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). The Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning, accompanied by a type 055 destroyer, two type 052 destroyers, a type 054 frigate, and a supply ship sailed though

Disaster

April 6, 2021April 7, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Hualien County, train accident, train derailed

A video shown by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) at a press conference today showed that the driver of a train that derailed and crashed Friday had barely 3 seconds to react to an obstacle on the track. The 10-second video shows the train exiting from a tunnel and rounding a curve before a truck that had rolled onto the track comes into view at the six-second mark. The train is then seen colliding with the truck at 9

Disaster

April 6, 2021April 6, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment east-coast, Taiwan Railway Administration, train accident, train derailed

The aftermath of a train crash and derailment in Hualien County was a “purgatory on earth” said an exhausted member of a search and rescue team, as as he exited the tunnel at the end of a long shift. “I have served on many rescue missions, but this is the first time I shed tears.” On the evening of April 2, 2021, around 9 hours after a packed-to-capacity express train travelling at more than 100 kilometers per hour smashed into

Traffic Accidents

April 4, 2021April 6, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment bicycle accident, cross-island highway, cycling, Taroko National Park

A UK national was found without signs of life after crashing his bicycle and falling from the Central Cross Island Highway today, April 4. The Hualien County Fire Department received a report at 9:00 am that a man had fallen from the road edge at the 160.9KM mark of the Hualien section of the highway. The fire department dispatched rescue vehicles to the rescue. Rescue personnel reached the patient by ascending from the road at around the 164 kilometer mark

Health and Safety

April 4, 2021April 4, 2021 Phillip Charlier 5 Comments hydroxychloroquine, Ministry of Health and Welfare

Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration is distributing Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to more than 6,600 community pharmacies for free in a decision made a short time after the World Health Organization issued “strong advice” against using the drug for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19 last month. Taiwan’s health authorities purchased supplies of the drug in large quantities in the first quarter of 2020 as researchers and public health officials around the world initially supported the use of HCQ as a potential

Disaster

April 2, 2021April 2, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Hualien County, train accident, train derailed

At least 48 people are dead, and more than 70 injured after an express train derailed in a tunnel on Taiwan’s east coat near Hualien City this morning, April 2. The number 408 Ziqiang express train from Shulin to Taitung City derailed as it was entering the Qingshui Tunnel between Chongde and Heren stations at 9:28 am. More than 350 people were aboard the 8-carriage train, which was fully booked as today is the first day of 4-day holiday for

First EMU3000 intercity train will arrive in June: expected to relieve congestion on east coast line

Bank clerk married same spouse 4 times, divorced 3 times in little more than a month to claim extra marriage leave

Huge crowds join annual religious procession on first day of Mazu pilgrimage.

Man who stalked woman for months suspected of murder after body found in Pingtung City

Taiwan tech companies report large revenue gains as ICT demand continues to surge

An intense day of Chinese-US military maneuvers around Taiwan

Last 10 seconds of train dashcam shows driver had just a few seconds to react before derailment disaster

Taiwan train crash a “Hell on Earth:” even experienced search and rescue personnel brought to tears

British cyclist found without signs of life after falling from mountain road

Taiwan FDA distributing Hydroxychloroquine for free after WHO declares it ineffective for COVID treatment

Express train crashes and derails in east coast tunnel: Dozens dead