While many use tattoo to cover their scars, a father in Chengdu went in other direction. He got a long scar tattooed on his chest, reported chengdu.cn on Saturday.

The father, who wishes to remain anonymous, told the tattooist the story: “My son’s two-year-old. He has a long scar on his chest as he just had a heart surgery. I want the same scar mark on my chest too.”

The man said he didn’t want his child to feel shame or embarrassment as the scar is permanent.

He told the tattooist he would like to have the same scar to show support to his son.

The tattooist, surnamed Guo, was touched and promised the father to create a tattoo that will resemble the scar as closely as possible.

Photo: Sina Weibo

Guo said: “Tattoos can mean everything. That father chose this way to show his love for his child is very moving. I bet his son is going to be so grateful.”

The father has refused to be interviewed by media as he thinks what he has done is not such a big deal and wishes to live quietly with his son.

After the tattooist shared the story on Sina Weibo, China’s answer to Twitter, the internet lit up with praise.

Many users commented on the story.

One said: “This is a very cool father with his deep love for his child.” Another said: “It’s the best tattoo ever!”

PUTRAJAYA – Culprits behind the human trafficking activities along the country’s northern borders will be prosecuted after Thailand agreed to extradite them to face charges.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Thai government had agreed to surrender the 10 people identified by Malaysia in the trafficking of Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals, whose remains were found in mass graves on both sides of the border last year.

Thailand’s decision to allow the extradition was conveyed to Malaysia when Thai Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan called on Dr Ahmad Zahid yesterday.

Dr Ahmad Zahid said the international community had accused Malaysia of not taking action against those involved when the mass graves of human trafficking victims were discovered in Wang Kelian last year.

“The extradition will allow us to take the culprits to court. We don’t want the international community to have this notion that Malaysia not only condones but also partakes in trafficking. We certainly don’t tolerate such heinous crime against fellow human beings,” he said.

During the Ops Wawasan Khas in May last year, police found 139 graves around 28 transit camps abandoned by human trafficking syndicates in Wang Burma hill and Wang Perah hill here.

Some of the 10 Thai suspects in this case have already been detained while others remained at large, said Dr Ahmad Zahid, adding that they were expected to be handed over to Malaysia soon once documentation and other processes were completed.

He said that both Malaysia and Thailand had also agreed to look into the issue of dual citizenship held by those residing in border towns, causing security concerns to the Thai authorities.

“I have assured General Prawit that Malaysia will work closely with Thailand to resolve this. Their authorities will identify these people and supply Malaysia with bio­metric thumbprints so that we can cross check to determine who among them also has our citizenship.

“Then we will act accordingly because both Malaysia and Thailand allow its people to hold only one citizenship,” he said.

Dr Ahmad Zahid said that he and General Prawit also discussed terror and extremist activities in both countries and that Malaysia wanted to share its deradicalisation programme with Thailand.

While both governments had established that terror groups in southern Thailand, southern Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia shared an ideological link, he said further investigations need to be done to determine whether these groups worked closely with each other to smuggle arms and people.

JAKARTA – The country’s meteorology agency predicts that hot spots in Riau and Kalimantan causing haze will not affect Batam because of the wind direction.

Last year, haze blanketed Batam in Riau Islands. Hang Nadim International Airport, for example, lost 1.5 billion rupiah (S$150,000) because of flight disruptions caused by the haze.

The head of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) station in Batam, Philips Mustamu, told The Jakarta Post on Sunday that haze from hot spots in Riau and Kalimantan was unlikely to reach Batam. BMKG data showed that wind in Riau Islands province, a different province from Riau, came from the southeast and south.

The BMKG said, however, that haze from hot spots in Riau had blanketed Singapore, which is 20km north of Batam. The agency said Singapore was closer to the source of haze than Batam.

Hang Nadim airports general manager said traffic at the airport remained normal.

Haze is reported to have disrupted flights in Dumai, Riau province, and has started to affect residents in Pontianak, West Kalimantan.

TOKYO – Japanese beer imports to South Korea have been continuously increasing and there is significant room for market development.

Japanese beer is becoming increasingly prominent in South Korea, where its popularity is growing mainly among young people due to its deeper flavours and finer beer head than domestic brews.

Because the main alcoholic drink in South Korea is shochu, a distilled beverage, the overall beer market is not large. However, Japanese beer imports to the country have been continuously increasing and there is significant room for market development due to the drinks’ novelty and good taste.

According to research company Canadean Ltd., the sales volume of beer in South Korea in 2015 was 2.34 million kiloliters – less than half that of Japan. In South Korea, Hitejinro Co. and Oriental Brewery Co. are the top two beer companies, with a more than 80 per cent combined market share.

Imported beer accounts for only about 10 per cent of the market. In 2010, Asahi Breweries Ltd. renewed the TV commercials for its major Super Dry brand to promote the beer head and quality of the product, which sells well at restaurants and convenience stores.

Asahi’s sales in 2015 were 2½ times higher than five years before, at 27,000 kiloliters. The company’s more than 20 per cent share of the imported beer market makes it the top foreign beer in South Korea.

Kirin Brewery Co., Suntory Beer Ltd. and Sapporo Breweries Ltd. followed Asahi by making full-scale entries into the South Korean market. Sales of Japanese beer in 2016 are expected to exceed 50,000 kiloliters.

In a beer garden that Kirin opened in Seoul for a limited time in June, Ichibanshibori Frozen beers – in which fine ice particles mix with the beer head – were popular with female customers. Beers can gain a good reputation via social networking services, according to experts.

However, Japanese breweries are facing fierce competition from other major overseas beer companies, such as China’s Tsingtao Brewery Co. and the Dutch company Heineken. There have also been strong requests from retail stores to lower prices.

It will likely take some time before Japanese beer firms’ operations in South Korea contribute to their profits.