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GATHERINGS:
An informed
guide to happenings throughout the region.
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Thai
senate seeks
referendum on
new constitution: Lese Majeste law
From News
Reports:
Bangkok, February 12: The
Senate is seeking a referendum on the
drafting of a new constitution as dictated by the
Referendum Act after the House of Representatives
voted for an opposition-sponsored
motion on November 3, 2022 to seek a
referendum, reports the Bangkok Post.
Senators voted 151 for, 26 against, and 15 abstentions
to form a panel to study a motion to
organise a referendum that would pave
the way for a rewrite of the constitution
that includes the Lese Majeste law.
The Senate called on the government to hold a referendum
on whether a new constitution should be
drawn up by a charter drafting
assembly made up of elected representatives,
saying "the referendum should be arranged on the
same day as the next general election that has
tentatively been set for May 7 by the
Election Commission (EC).
Senators
were critical of voting for the formation of
a panel to study a motion to organise a referendum,
saying "It is a tactic to stall the
referendum"
Sen Kittisak
Rattanawaraha said he supported a referendum
on the drafting of a new constitution, saying he
disagreed with organising the
referendum on the same day as the
general election,
"This could
confuse voters," he said.
The Southeast Asian
Times
China calls emergency
COVID-19 meeting with ASEAN in Laos
From News
Reports:
Beijing, February 19: An
emergency meeting of foreign ministers
from China and the 10 Association of South East
Asian Nations (ASEAN) that was proposed by China is
to be held in Vientiane, Laos on
Thursday and Friday to discuss the
COVID-19 virus epidemic.
The
COVID-19 virus has so far killed 1,869 and infected
73,336 in China and has spread to the 10 ASEAN
member states.
The
meeting that was proposed by China is reportedly
intended to share information and to
improve coordination between China and the 10 ASEAN
member states in order to combat the
COVID-19 virus.
China Foreign
Affairs Minister Wang Yi is reportedly to
discuss China's measures in countering the COVID-19 virus
epidemic at the meeting in Laos, with
focus on strengthening joint
prevention and control measures against the virus.
The meeting is also to explore the idea of
establishing a long term and effective
collaboration mechanism on public
health to safeguard the region, with China Foreign Affairs
Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang saying "
China and Asean countries have been in
close communication since the outbreak
of the Covid-19 virus.
Cambodia's
Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, who will be
attending the emergency COVID-19 virus epidemic meeting,
said that the meeting will be an
opportunity for the foreign ministers
to discuss measures to prevent the spread of
the coronavirus.
"The meeting
will help strengthen cooperation between
ASEAN member states in the midst of this global health
threat," he said.
His said that Cambodia's participation in the emergency
meeting that was proposed by China will
demonstrate Cambodia’s support of
China and confidence in the measures taken
by the China government to address the coronavirus
outbreak.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Vietnam opens consulate
in Macau
From
News Reports:
Hanoi, January 9: Vietnam's Hong Kong Consulate General
launched a consulate office in the Macau
Special Administrative Region of China
on Friday, reports the Vietnam News Service.
Consulate General of Hong Kong, Tran Than Huan, said
at the launching ceremony that the
office aims to better ensure the
rights of Vietnamese citizens and tourists
in the region.
He said that the
consulate office in Macau will provide
easier access to information about Vietnam, saying that
it would boost
friendship and co-operation between Vietnam
and Macau.
The Consulate
General said that the office expected to
recieve support from local organisations including the
Vietnam Fellow Countrymen Friendship
Association in Macau.
More than
20,000 Vietnamse are employed as domestic workers,
in the service industry at Macau's casino's.
Vietnamese also operate tourist and
services companies.
The Southeast Asian
Times
US invites
Vietnam Communist Party General Secretary to
the White House
From News Reports:
Hanoi, July 6, 2015: The General Secretary
of the Central Committee of the
Communist Party of Vietnam will visit
the United States from July 6 to July 10 at the invitiation
of the United States State Department in
a "landmark" visit, Rueters
reports.
General Secretary of the
Central Committee of the Communist
Party Nguyen Phu Trong will meet United States President
Barack Obama at the White House on
Tuesday.
Rueters quotes a
senior state department official
saying that the meeting between the General Secretary
of the Central Committee of the Communist Party
and the President of the United States
"would skirt protocol" because the
General Secretary is "not part of a government".
"Obama saw the visit as crucial", Rueters reports
the senior state department official
as saying.
Rueters also quotes the
senior state department official
saying that "there was a broad agreement that it
made sense to treat General
Secretary of the Central Committee of
the Communist Party Nguyen Phu Trong
as the visit of "the top leader
of the country".
"It's a pretty big
event," Rueters quotes the state
department official as saying.
The Southeast Asian
Times France agrees
to return Aboriginal remains home to
Australia
From News
Reports:
Canberra, November 25:
French president Francois Hollande and
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott have agreed
to work together to return Aboriginal remains to
Australia during the first official
visit by a French head of state to
Australia last week, reports Australian Associated
Press.
The French head
of state and the Australian prime minister
said that a joint expert committee is to be established
to help identify the origin of the
Aboriginal remains held in France.
The head of state and prime minister
said in a joint statement that the
identification process would respect the sensitivities
and values of the two countries and consider
the requests of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander communities including
the French legal system.
"The
French government will examine possible solutions
to enable the return of the Aboriginal human
remains to their community of origin."
the statement said.
Australia
believes the remains of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islanders are being held in Museum collections
around the world including in Europe and
the
United States.
In 2010 a British museum agreed to return 138 sets
of Aboriginal skeletal remains to
Australia including the severed head
of Australian Aboriginal warrior, Yagan,
to the Noongar of South West Western Australia after being
missing in action for about 177 years.
Yagan was shot dead for his resistance
to British settlement on the Swan
river.
The Southeast Asian
Times
"No " to proposal to delete religion from Indonesian
national identity card
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, November
10: Islamic-based political party politicians
oppose the proposal put by the newly selected Home
Minister Tjahjo Kumolo, that national
identity cards (KTP) do not include
the religion of the car holder.
Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) politician Aboebakar Al
Habsy said that not to include the religion of
the card holder on national identity
cards (KTP)
contradicted the
country’s founding philosophy of
Pancasila
“If we believe that Pancasila is our state
ideology and our national identity,
then why should we be ashamed of
including our religion on our national identity card,"
he said
Home
Minister Tjahjo Kumolo also proposed that the regious
beliefs of Indonesian citizens be omitted from
official government documents.
He said that the religion of Indonesian
citizens on national identity cards
(KTP) or in official government documents
should not be imposed.
"It's up
to the people", he said.
The Souheast Asian
Times
The
Wolf bridge: An insult to Thai
monarchy
From News Reports:
Bangkok, October 31: Thai University students,
Patiwat Saraiyaem, 23, and Pornthip
Mankong, 26, were charged in the
Ratrachada Court on Monday, with defamation of
the Thai monarchy in a play titled "The Wolf Bridge"
performed at the Thammasat university in
October 2013, reports the Bangkok
Post.
The students were charged
with insulting the Royal Thai family
in the fictional depiction of the monarchy in a
play performed in commemoration of the 37th and 40th
anniversaries of the October 6, 1976
and October 14, 1973 pro-democracy
student uprisings at Thammasat University.
The prosecution cites nine passages from the plays's
script, a work of fiction that depicts
a fictional monarch, that allegedly
insults the monarchy and as such is in violation
of the lese majeste law.
Patiwat Saraiyaem, actor and Pornthip Mankong, producer
of the play, in detention since arrested on
13 August, have been refused bail are
scheduled to appear in court to enter
pleas on December 29.
The Southeast Asian
Times
World
including
Asean PM's and Presidents
to attend inauguaration of Indonesian
president
From News Reports:
Jakarta, October 18: World Prime ministers,
Presidents and State representatives
including US Secretary of State, John
Kerry and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott will
attend the inauguaration of Joko “Jokowi” Widodo
as President of Indonesiaon on
Monday.
The speaker of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) Zulkifli
Hasan said that representatives from the ten
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) member
nations have also been invited to attend
the swearing in of the former governor
of Jakarta, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo as
president of Indonesia.
"The Prime
Ministers and Presidents of Malaysia,
Singapore, Japan and South Korea are also expected to
attend", he said.
He
said that the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) has also invited "domestic VIP's"
including former Presidents and
Vice-Presidents.
“All chairpersons of political parties
have also be invited,” said the
speaker.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Banned ISIS
flag found flying in Aceh
From News Reports:
Jakarta, September 12: The Islamic State of
Iraq and Syria (ISIS) flag found
flying from a coconut tree in Aceh on
Sunday has been torn down, reports the Jakarta Post.
The discovery of the banned ISIS flag was
reportedly the first in Aceh.
Police chief First Inspecter Azwan said
that the flag of the nationally banned
movement was discovered by chess
players sitting at a food stall near the coconut tree
in the Sungai Raya district of East Aceh
regency in Aceh.
He said that a
bomb disposal team inspected the area before
the flag was taken down.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced Indonesia's
rejection of the State of Iraq and the
Levant (ISIL) and banned the teaching
of ISIL ideology in Indonesia last
month at his parliamentary state-of-the-nation address
and ahead of the 69th anniversary of
Indonesias Independence.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Singapore
passes Trans- boundary Haze Pollution
Act
From News Reports:
Singapore, August, 18: The passing of the 2014
Trans-boundary Haze Pollution Act by
the Singapore parliament last week
will enable Singapore regulators to sue individuals or
companies in neighbouring countries for
causing severe air pollution in
Singapore.
The Act that was first
proposed in 2013 would enable Singapore
to impose fines of up to S$2 million on companies that
cause or contribute to transboundary haze
pollution in Singapore.
Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian
Balakrishnan said that under the Act,
Singapore will have the legal right
under the Objective Territorial Principle to take
legal action against air polluters.
"While neighbouring countries have the sovereign
right to exploit their natural resources
in accordance with their policies they
also have a responsibility to ensure
that "slash and burn" agricultural practices
do not cause damage to Singapore", he said.
The passing of the 2014 Trans-boundary Haze
Pollution Act gives Singapore the
legal power to serve notices on those
that do not have assets or a presence in Singapore.
Indonesia is yet to
ratify an Agreement on Transboundary
Haze Pollution that was signed by ASEAN member counries
in November 2003 in order to
address haze pollution arising from land and forest
fires.
A bill passed in the
Indonesian House of Representatives in
July 2013 gave the Indonesian goverment the power to
seize assetts gained from illegal logging and
illegal clearing of forests for palm
oil plantations.
The new bill,
designed to protect more than 13 million
hectres from deforestation, gave the Indonesian government
a mandate to establish a task force
including police to monitor the
prevention and eradication of deforestation.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Papua
Biak massacre remembered in Sydney
with 136 white carnations
From News Reports:
Sydney, July 5: A ceremony to mark the 16th
anniversary of the Biak Massacre in
West Papua ua on 6 July 1998 will be
held at the Waverley Cliffs cemetery in Sydney on Sunday.
The Waverley
Cliffs community will throw 136 white carnations
from the waverley cliffs into the Pacific Ocean in
memory of the Biak massacre.
A citizens tribunal, hosted by the Centre
for Peace and Conflict Studies (CPACS)
at the University of Sydney last year
on the 15th anniversary of the Biak massacre found
that 136 West Papuan protesters were thrown into
the sea by Indonesian security
forces.
The tribunal heard eye
witness testimony that the West Papuan
demand for the right to vote for independence from
Indonesia was met with gunfire by Indonesian
security forces.
Survivors of the massacre told the international team
of jurists that the unarmed West Papuan
protesters were surrounded and shot by
Indonesian security forces and that
survivors were thrown into the sea on 6 July
1998.
The Southeast Asian
Times
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U.S.
supports Philippines
protest against China
plan for nature reserve
in West Philippine
Sea
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Department
of Foreign Affairs
(DFA) spokesperson,
Angelica Escalona,
said the Philippine
government strongly
protests China's establishment
of the ''Huangyan
Island National Nature
Reserve'' on the Scarborough
Shoal in the West
Philippine Sea Wednesday
September 10, 2025
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From
News Reports:
Manila, September 14: The U.S.
Secretary of State supports the
Philippines protest against the
approved by the State Council
of the People's Republic of China
for a nature reserve on the disputed
Scarborough Shoal in the West
Philippine Sea, saying ''this
is yet another coercive attempt
to advance China’s interests
at the expense of its neighbours
and regional stability,'' reports
the Philippine Inquirer.
''The U.S. stands with our Philippine
ally in rejecting China’s
destabilizing plans to establish
a national nature reserve at Scarborough
Reef,'' said U.S. Secretary of
State, Marco Rubio said on Wednesday.
The State Council of the People's
Republic of China announced plans
for a nature reserve to maintain
diversity, stability and sustainability
of the natural ecosystem of Huangyan
Island, the China name for Scarborough
Shoal or the Panatag Shoal or
Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine
Sea on Wednesday.
China Ministry of Foreign Affairs
spokesperson Lin Jian, said "the
establishment of a national-level
nature reserve on Huangyan Island
falls within China's sovereignty.''
"China does not accept the
Philippines unreasonable accusations
and protests, and urges the Philippine
side to cease its infringements
and provocations,'' he said.
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
spokesperson, Angelica Escalona,
said the Philippine government strongly
protests the approval by the State
Council of China for the establishment
of the ''Huangyan Island National
Nature Reserve'' on the Scarborough
Shoal or the Panatag Shoal or Bajo
de Masinloc in the West Philippine
Sea.
''Bajo de Masinloc is a longstanding
and integral part of the Philippines
over which it has sovereignty and
jurisdiction,'' said spokesperson,
Angelica Escalona.
''The Philippines likewise has
the exclusive authority to establish
environmental protection areas
over its territory and relevant
maritime zones,” said spokesperson,
Angelica Escalona.
Spokesperson, Angelica Escalona,
said ''the Philippines will be
issuing a formal diplomatic protest
against this illegitimate and
unlawful action by China as it
clearly infringes upon the rights
and interests of the Philippines
in accordance with international
law.''
Australia's Western Sydney University
School of Law, Lowell Bautista,
said ''China's announcement for
a nature reserve on the disputed
Scarborough Shoal was less about
environmental stewardship than
power and control.''
"International law and the
2016 arbitral tribunal ruling
makes clear that Beijing has no
lawful basis to impose conservation
measures or regulate activities
in these waters," he said.
"By cloaking its actions
in the language of environmental
protection, China is entrenching
its administrative grip, marginalising
Filipino fishers who have traditionally
relied on the shoal, and reinforcing
its contested claims,'' he said.
"The result is not genuine
conservation, but the further
consolidation of China's presence
and the erosion of the rights
of other coastal states in the
South China Sea,'' said Australia's
Western Sydney University School
of Law, Lowell Bautista.
In July 2016 Judges of the Permanent
Court of Arbitration in the Hague
ruled in favour of the Philippines
against China's claim of "historic
rights" over the South China
Sea.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration
in the Hague decision followed
the Philippine complaint in 2013
that called on the court to intervene
in the Philippine dispute with
China over the right to exploit
natural resources inluding fish
in the West Philippine Sea.
The Judges of the Permanent Court
of Arbitration in the Hague ruled
in 2016 that China has violated
the United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
by invoking "historic rights"
in its claim over the West Phillipine
Sea.
China rejected the Permanent Court
of Arbitration in the Hague ruling
saying that "the Permanent
Court of Arbitration in the Hague
has no jurisdiction on this matter."
The
Southeast Asian Times
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New
pro-monarchy Bhumjaithai
government calls for
referendum to determine
new Thailand constitution
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Newly
elected Prime Minister
Anutin Charnvirakul
pro-monarchy Bhumjaithai
Party calls for referendum
to determine amendments
to the 2017 Royal
Thai Armed Forces
(RTAF) drafted Constitution
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From
News Reports:
Bangkok, September 13: Pro-monarchy
Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin
Charnvirakul, who was voted the
32nd Prime Minister of Thailand
on September 5 with 311 votes, more
than double the votes received by
anti-monarchy Shinawatra Pheu Thai
Party of 152 and 27 abstentions,
called for a public referendum to
determine whether the Thai people
agree to a new constitution, reports
the Bangkok Post.
'Constitutional amendment is a core
policy of the government led by
the Bhumjaithai Party,'' said Bhumjaithai
Party leader, Anutin Charnvirakul.
''A public referendum must first
be held to determine whether the
people agree that a new constitution
should be written,'' he said.
He said the Constitutional Court
ruled on Wednesday that Parliament
has the authority to initiate a
new constitution, saying ''but this
must be preceded by a referendum.''
''The initiation of a new constitution
must be preceded by a referendum
to confirm whether the public agree
to adopt a new Constitution,'' he
said.
On Wednesday the Constitutional
Court ruled by a majority of 5 to
2 that under the 2017 Constitution,
Parliament has the authority to
initiate a new constitution, saying
that the initiation or the aspiration
for a new constitution must be followed
by a public referendum in order
to obtain public approval first.
The Constitutional Court ruled that
the drafting of a new constitution
must adhere to the provisions outlined
in Chapter 15 of the Constitution
on constitutional amendments, saying
''Parliament has the power to amend
the constitution, but it cannot
allow the public to directly elect
the drafters of the constitution.''
In December 2024 the anti-monarchy
Shinawatra, Pheu Thai Party, said
the 2017 Royal Thai Armed Forces
(RTAF) drafted Constitution should
be amended section by section, saying
''amendment of the Constitution
section by section would avoid having
to conduct a referendum.''
The anti-monarchy Shinawatra Pheu
Thai Party said ''a referendum presents
insurmountable legal and technical
hurdles in passing a wholesale constitutional
amendment,''
''The bill to prepare the groundwork
for a referendum appears to be giving
lawmakers more trouble than they
need,'' he said.
Shinawatra Pheu Thai Party said
then that at least three referendums
must be organised with an approval
vote before major changes can be
made to the 2017 Royal Thai Armed
Forces (RTAF) drafted Constitution.
''Concern is growing that the process
of arranging the referendums that
mandate sweeping charter amendment
and rewriting the Constitution cannot
be completed in time,'' he said.
Former deputy prime minister Wissanu
Krea-ngam, said then that the best
option was to rewrite the Constitution
section by section, saying, ''rewriting
the Constitution does not require
a referendum.
"If we go down the path of
a referendum, we are bound to run
into a debate about how many must
conducted,'' he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Assets
linked to Malaysia
fugitive financier
used for election
campaign to re elect
U.S. President Barack
Obama
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Former
Wall Street Journal
reporters, Bradley
Hope and Tom Wright,
who played a central
role in exposing the
misappropriation of
1Malaysia Development
Berhad (1MDB) funds,
claim that Low Taek
Jho is residing in
a mansion in Green
Hills in Shanghai
.''Low Taek Jho is
living under a fake
identity in Shanghai
using a forged Australian
passport in the name
of Constantinos Achilles
Veis,'' claimed the
former Wall Street
Journal reporters
on Saturday July 19,
2025
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From News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, September 12: Assets
worth millions of dollars linked
to Malaysian fugitive financier,
Low Taek Jho, who was convicted
in absentia by the Kuala Lumpur
High Court in 2022 for the disposal
of assets involved in the 1Malaysia
Development Berhad (1MDB) state
subsidiary SRS International Sdn
Bhd funds that included conspiring
to make and conceal foreign and
conduit campaign contributions during
the United States former President
Barack Obama, Democratic Party,
presidential election , have been
repatriated to the 1Malaysia Development
Berhad (1MDB) Asset Recovery Trust
Account, reports the Star.
In October 2022 the Kuala Lumpur
High Court sentenced Malaysian fugitive
financiers Low Taek Jho and his
father Larry Low Hock Pen, to prison
in absentia for contempt of court
for the disposal of assets involved
in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad
(1MDB) state subsidiary SRS International
Sdn Bhd funds trial that found ousted
former Prime Minister Najib Razak
guilty of misappropriating funds.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission
(MACC) said in a statement on Wednesday
that the recovered assets totalling
US$8.57million (RM39.1million) are
the result of the Global Diversified
Investment (GDI) forfeiture settlement
with Malaysian fugitive financier,
Low Taek Jho, by the United States
Department of Justice (DOJ).
"Other accounts belonging to
Low Taek Jho family members are
also scheduled for repatriation
in the near future," the Malaysian
Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)
said in a statement.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission
(MACC) said recovered assets totalling
US$8.57million (RM39.1million) together
with the recent US$330million (RM1.4billion)
settlement with JPMorgan Chase and
Co, brings the total amount of assets
recovered by Malaysia to (RM31.19billion.)
"In total, US authorities have
secured over US$1.5billion linked
to Low Taek Jho, with a significant
portion of these funds already returned
to Malaysia," said the Malaysian
Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
In June 2024 the United States Department
of Justice (DoJ) reached agreement
with Malaysian financier fugitive
Low Taek Jho also known as Jho Low,
members of his family, and trust
entities involved in the misappropriation
of RM42 million from the 1Malaysia
Development Bhd (1MDB) state subsidiary
SRS International Sdn Bhd funds
under Malaysia's former ousted Prime
Minister Najib Razak.
The United States Department of
Justice (DoJ) said that Malaysian
financier fugitive Low Taek Jho
also known as Jho Low,
faces criminal charges for allegedly
conspiring to launder billions of
dollars embezzled from the 1Malaysia
Development Bhd (1MDB) and for conspiring
to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices
Act (FCPA) by allegedly paying bribes
to various Malaysian and Emirati
officials and for conspiring to
make and conceal foreign and conduit
campaign contributions during the
United States
Barack Obama, Democratic Party,
presidential election in the District
of Columbia in 2012.
Fugitive financiers Low Taek Jho
and his father Larry Low Hock Pen,
allegedly laundered hundreds of
millions of illicit funds in real
estate in the United States, transferring
$85 million to casinos in Las Vegas
in eight months between 2009 and
2010.
The US Justice Department claims
that more than $1.7 billion from
the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB)
fund was invested in hotels, luxury
real estate in Manhattan, Beverly
Hills and London including $100
million in the 2013 film “The
Wolf of Wall Street" and including
the luxury yacht 'Equanimity' valued
at US$250 million.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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Former
PM Thaksin Shinawatra
returns to Thailand
after fleeing for
Dubai for second time
to face court ruling
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Former
Thailand Prime Minister
Thaksin Shinwatra
arrives at the Supreme
Court in Bangkok on
Tuesday September
9, 2025
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From News Reports:
Bangkok, September 11: Former Thailand
Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra,
returned to Thailand after fleeing
for Dubai for the second time on
Thursday ahead of the parliamentary
vote for the pro-monarchy Bhumjaithai
Party new president on Friday, to
face a Supreme Court Ruling on Tuesday,
reports the Bangkok Post.
Former Prime Minister of Thailand
Thaksin Shinawatra fled Thailand
for Dubai for the first time in
2008 to avoid trial
for nonfeasance and malfeasance
while holding the position of Prime
Minister.
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra,
returned to Thailand for the second
time to face a Supreme Court ruling
on the accommodation provided for
Thaksin Shinawatra at the Police
General Hospital in Bangkok for
one year rather than a Department
of Corrections (DoC) operated prison
on his return to Thailand from Dubai
for the first time in August 2023..
On Tuesday the Supreme Court ordered
former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
to serve one year in a Department
of Corrections (DoC) operated prison,
rejecting the former Prime Ministers'
transfer to the Police General Hospital
in Bangkok for one year.
A letter of complaint was submitted
to the Office of the Ombudsman in
Bangkok against the Thailand Department
of Corrections and the Police General
Hospital in Bangkok for not cooperating
with an investigation by the National
Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC)
and the Medical Council of Thailand
into the accommodation provided
for Thaksin Shinawatra at the Police
General Hospital in Bangkok for
one year rather than a Department
of Corrections (DoC) operated prison
on his return to Thailand for the
first time in August 2023.
Inmates at the Police General Hospital
in Bangkok are legally permitted
to receive treatment outside prison
for 120 days but the Department
of Corrections (DoC) allowed Thaksin
Shinawatra to stay at the Police
General Hospital for 180 days on
his return to Thailand, saying that
conditions in the prison could threaten
his life.
Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
paid all costs for his six-month
stay at the Police General Hospital
in Bangkok, including a VIP room
on the hospital's 14th floor costing
8,500 baht a night.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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MP
in court for violation
of Lese Majeste Law:
Parliamentary privilege
removed after appointment
of pro-monarchy Bhumjaithai
Party leader
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People's
Party MP Chonthicha
Jangrew, left, arrives
at the Bangkok Criminal
Court with former
dissolved Move Forward
Party leader Chaithawat
Tulathon right, on
Monday September 8,
2025
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From
News Reports:
Bangkok, September 10: The Bangkok
Criminal Court sentenced People’s
Party Member of Parliament for Pathum
Thani, Chonthicha Jangrew, to prison
for violation of the Lese Majeste
law and the Computer Crime Act on
November 8, 2020 on facebook on
Monday, ahead of the appointment
of pro-monarchy Bhumjaithai Party
leader, Anutin Charnvirakul, as
Prime Minister, with Member of Parliament,
Chonthicha Jangrew, saying ''parliamentary
privilege could not be used in this
case, '' reports the Bangkok Post.
Thailand King Maha Vajiralongkorn
appointed pro-monarchy Bhumjaithai
Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul
as Prime Minister of Thailand and
the removal of anti-monarchy Paetongtarn
Shinawatra as Prime Minister on
Monday, with
People’s Party Member of Parliament,
Chonthicha Jangrew, for Pathum Thani,
attending the Bangkok Criminal Court
for sentencing for alleged breach
of the Section 112 of the Criminal
Code Lese Majeste law and the Computer
Crime Act on Monday. Member of Parliament,
Chonthicha Jangrew, for Pathum Thani
attended the sentencing at the Bangkok
Criminal Court with Chaithawat Tulathon,
former leader of the dissolved Move
Forward Party.
The Move Forward Party advocated
for the decriminalisation of the
Lese Majeste law that prohibits
defaming, insulting or threatening
the Thai monarchy that was submitted
in a 10 point manifesto to the parliament
in August 2020 by the United Front
of Thammasat and Demonstration and
the Free Youth Movement.
People’s Party Member of Parliament,
Chonthicha Jangrew, for Pathum Thani,
was charged for violation of the
Lese Majeste Law and the Computer
Crime Act for a facebook posting
on November 8, 2020 ahead of the
pro-democracy Free Youth Movement
protest at Parliament House that
called for members to accept deliberation
of a proposed draft amendment to
the constitution that included monarchy
reform.
The Proposed constitutional amendments
drafted by civil group Internet
Law Reform Dialogue (iLaw), included
amendments to the constitution as
submitted in a 10 point manifesto
to the parliament in August 2020
by the United Front of Thammasat
and Demonstration and the Free Youth
Movement.
On Monday People’s Party Member
of Parliament, Chonthicha Jangrew,
for Pathum Thani attended the Bangkok
Criminal Court
to face sentencing of four years
in prison reduced to two years and
six months for violation of the
Lese Majeste law and the Computer
Crime Act on November 8, 2020, saying
her ''parliamentary privilege could
not be used in this case.''
People’s Party Member of Parliament,
Chonthicha Jangrew, for Pathum Thani
referred to the 10 point manifesto
submitted to the parliament in August
2020 by the United Front of Thammasat
and Demonstration and the Free Youth
Movement on Facebook
November 8, 2020 .
The Facebook posting called for
the decriminalisation of the Lese
Majeste law that prohibits defaming,
insulting or threatening the Thai
monarchy and the submission of a
10 point manifesto to the Thai Parliament.
The 10 point manifesto called for
repeal of the criminalisation of
criticism of the Thai King under
the Lese Majeste law, repeal of
the order that transferred army
units to the new King Maha Vajiralongkorn
personal command, repeal of the
law that gave the new King full
control of the crown's reportedly
extensive property holdings and
repeal of the monarchy empowerment
to endorse a military coup.
People’s Party Member of Parliament,
Chonthicha Jangrew, for Pathum Thani,
said that her speeches and facebook
postings were made sincerely, with
goodwill towards the Thailand monarchy
and wished to see the institution
remain strong in Thailand.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Cambodia
congratulates new
Thailand pro-monarchy
PM for victory over
anti-monarchy Pheu
Thai Party
|
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Anutin
Charnvirakul accepts
a royal command appointing
him as prime minister
at the portrait of
Thailand King Maha
Vajiralongkorn Phra
ajiraklaochaoyuhua
at the headquarters
of the Bhumjaithai
Party in Bangkok on
Sunday late Sunday
7 September, 2025
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From
News Reports:
Bangkok, September 9: Cambodian
Prime Minister Hun Manet congratulated
Anutin Charnvirakul on his appointment
as Thailand Prime Minister in a
letter saying ''your resounding
victory is a reflection of the strong
confidence in your leadership,''
after Thailand King Maha Vajiralongkorn
Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua appointed
the pro-monarchy Bhumjaithai Party
leader Anutin Charnvirakul as Prime
Minister of Thailand and the removal
of Paetongtarn Shinawatra as Prime
Minister, reports the Bangkok Post.
''It is my belief that under Your
Excellency’s wise and capable
leadership the Kingdom of Thailand
will achieve greater progress,''
said Cambodia Prime Minister Hun
Manet said in the congratulatory
letter.
''Therefore, it is my sincere
hope that with our shared commitment
to building cordial ties and good
cooperation, our peoples will
enjoy prosperity and thrive in
harmony and joy,'' he said.
''With this spirit, I look forward
to working closely with you to
restore the relations between
Cambodia and Thailand to normalcy,
rebuild mutual trust, and transform
the shared border between our
two Kingdoms into one of peace,
cooperation, development, and
shared prosperity,'' he said.
Cambodia and Thailand reached
a border peace agreement at the
four-day General Border Committee
(GBC) meeting in Kuala Lumpur
in August with the Interim Observer
Team (IOT) that includes the ASEAN
Defense Attaché Observer
Group (Interim) to observe the
implementation of the border ceasefire
agreement made on July 28, 2025
The border peace agreement states
that both Cambodia and Thailand
must avoid unprovoked firing towards
the position on the other side
or on the military, saying ''this
agreement must not be violated
under any circumstances.''
''Cambodia and Thailand agreed
to maintain current military deployments
without further movement as at
the time of the July 28 ceasefire.''
the agreement says.
The Thailand Constitutional Court
dismissed Prime Minister Paetongtarn
Shinawatra, 39, from office on August
29, ruling that the Thailand Prime
Minister had violated ethical standards
in a leaked telephone call with
Cambodia Senate President Hun Sen
on June 15.
'Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra
appeared to kowtow to Senate President
Hun Sen when Thailand and Cambodia
were at the brink of armed border
conflict, '' said the nine judges
of the Constitutional Court.
'Remarks made by Prime Minister
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, particularly
those referring to the Second
Army Region commander and the
use of the term ''we'', suggest
a lack of unity between the government
and the military,'' said the judges
of the Constitutional Court.
''Such behaviour indicates partisanship
and exposes internal divisions,
potentially weakening Thailand’s
position and allowing Cambodia
to interfere in domestic affairs.''
said the Constitutional Court
judges.
The pro-monarchy Bhumjaithai Party
leader Anutin Charnvirakul withdrew
from the coalition government
of the Pheu Thai Party.
on the dismissal of Pheu Thai
Party leader Prime Minister Paetongtarn
Shinawatra, joining the opposition
People’s Party led by Natthaphong
Ruengpanyawut.
The opposition People’s Party
led by Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut
reportedly supported Bhumjaithai
Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul
as the Prime Minister of Thailand
on condition that he would dissolved
the House of Representatives in
four months
after announcing a policy platform
in parliament that would pave
the way for a new charter.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Former
PM Thaksin Shinawatra
flees Thailand for
Dubai ahead of winning
vote for monarchist
Bhumjaithai Party
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Former
Prime Minister of
Thailand, Thaksin
Shinawatra, fled Thailand
for Dubai on Thursday
September 4, 2025
ahead of the parliament
announcement that
the pro-monarchy Bhumjaithai
Party had won the
vote for premiership
over the Shinawatra
Pheu Thai Party on
Friday
|
|
From News
Reports:
Bangkok, September 8: Former Prime
Minister of Thailand, Thaksin
Shinawatra, fled Thailand for
Dubai on Thursday ahead of the
parliament announcement that the
pro-monarchy Bhumjaithai Party
had won the vote for premiership
over the Shinawatra Pheu Thai
Party on Friday, saying he was
flying to Dubai for medical purposes,
reports Reuters.
Former Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra said that he had planned
to fly to Singapore in his private
jet but decided to divert the
flight to Dubai following delays
at Thailand immigration.
''There are bone and lung doctors
who have treated me for a long
time in Dubai and I will also
get a chance to visit friends
in Dubai who I have not seen for
over two years,'' he said.
Former Prime Minister of Thailand
Thaksin Shinawatra said he would
return to Thailand to face a Supreme
Court ruling on Tuesday September
9 on a complaint submitted to
the Office of the Ombudsman against
the Department of Corrections
and the Police General Hospital
in Bangkok.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission
(NACC) and the Medical Council
of Thailand are investigating
Thaksin Shinawatra's accommodation
status at the Police General Hospital
in Bangkok for one year rather
than a Department of Corrections
(DoC) operated prison on his return
to Thailand from Dubai.
Former Prime Minister of Thailand
Thaksin Shinawatra returned to
Thailand from exile in Dubai and
Hong Kong on August 22, 2023 after
fleeing Thailand in 2008 to avoid
trial for nonfeasance and malfeasance
while holding the position of
Prime Minister.
On August 22, 2025 the Bangkok
Criminal Court dismissed charges
against former Thailand Prime
Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra,
for violation of the Lese Majeste
Law and the Computor Crime Act
allegedly committed in an interview
in South Korea in 2015, with the
Criminal Court ruling ''the charges
against Thaksin Shinawatra lacked
sufficient evidence to prove that
the former Prime Minister had
insulted the monarchy.''
In January 2025 a letter of complaint
was submitted to the Office of
the Ombudsman in Bangkok against
the Department of Corrections
Thailand and the Police General
Hospital in Bangkok for not cooperating
with an investigation by the National
Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC)
and the Medical Council of Thailand
into Thaksin Shinawatra's stay
at the Police General Hospital
in Bangkok for one year rather
than a Department of Corrections
(DoC) operated prison on his return
to Thailand
Inmates at the Police General
Hospital in Bangkok are legally
permitted to receive treatment
outside prison for 120 days but
the Department of Corrections
(DoC) allowed Thaksin Shinawatra
to stay at the Police General
Hospital for 180 days on his return
to Thailand, saying that conditions
in the prison could threaten his
life.
Former Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra paid all costs for
his six-month stay at the Police
General Hospital in Bangkok, including
a VIP room on the hospital's 14th
floor costing 8,500 baht a night.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Pro-monarchy
Bhumjaithai Party
wins votes for Prime
Minister over anti-
monarchy Pheu Thai
Party
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The
pro-monarchy Bhumjaithai
Party leader, Anutin
Charnvirakul, was
voted the 32nd Prime
Minister of Thailand
in the parliament
with 311 votes on
Friday 5 September
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok. September 7: The pro-monarchy
Bhumjaithai Party leader, Anutin
Charnvirakul, was voted the 32nd
Prime Minister of Thailand in the
House of Representatives on Friday
with 311 votes, more than double
the votes received by the Shinawatra
Pheu Thai Party of 152 and 27 abstentions,
reports the Bangkok Post.
"I will work my hardest,
every day, no holidays, because
there is not a lot of time,"
Bhumjaithai Party leader, Anutin
Charnvirakul.
"We have to erase problems
quickly," he said.
Bhumjaithai Party leader, Anutin
Charnvirakul, victory is the result
of a pact with the opposition People's
Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut.
Bhumjaithai Party leader, Anutin
Charnvirakul, agreed to hold a
referendum on the amendment of
the constitution and call an election
within four months.
The debate in the parliament began
at 12.30pm on Friday with Klatham
Member of Parliament from Chaiyaphum,
Akkharasaenkhiri Lohweera, saying
that the pro-monarchy Bhumjaithai
Party, Anutin Charnvirakul, premiership
''would help Thailand overcome
political uncertainty, advance
constitutional reform and return
power to the people.''
The Shinawatra Pheu Thai Party
list-MP, Chaturon Chaisang, opposed
Bhumjaithai Party, Anutin Charnvirakul,
nomination saying ''the agreement
between the Bhumjaithai Party
and the opposition People's Party
would effectively place Bhumjaithai
Party, under the control of the
opposition party, undermining
democracy and risking instability
in government.''
The Shinawatra Pheu Thai Party
list-MP for Nan, Cholnan Srikaew,
said that Bhumjaithai Party, Anutin
Charnvirakul, should be disqualified
on constitutional and legal grounds.
He said the Bhumjaithai Party
and Peoples Party pact is a dangerous
compromise that would allow14
million votes to be traded away
to the Bhumjaithai Party that
won only one million votes in
the 2023 election, saying ''inviting
external influence over democratic
institutions.''
People's Party leader Natthaphong
Ruengpanyawut, the final speaker
in the parliamentary debate said
that the next four to six months
would be a turning point in Thailand
politics, saying his party is
committed to building the strongest
opposition in history if necessary.''
''I urge the Shinawatra Pheu Thai
party to join in strengthening
the opposition and moving toward
elections,'' he said.
''The People's Party made its
decision to support the Bhumjaithai
Party, Anutin Charnvirakul, to
unlock the political deadlock
and pave the way for elections
and constitutional reform,'' he
said.
He said that all political parties
must now prepare for the next
election within four to six months,
saying ''their credibility would
depend on keeping promises.''
Mr Natthaphong concluded by saying
all political parties must now
prepare for the next election
within the four- to six-month
timeframe, stressing that their
credibility would depend on keeping
promises.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Former
Premier of Australian
state of Victoria
defends attendance
at Chinese Communist
Party summit that
called for global
governance
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Chinese
Communist Party (CCP)
general secretary,
chairman of the Central
Military Commission
(CMC), President of
China Xi Jinping,
left, and former Australian
Premier of Victoria,
Daniel Andrews, right,
at the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO)
Tianjin Summit 2025
and the 2025 China
Victory Day Parade
from Sunday August
31 to Wednesday September
3, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Canberra, September 6: Former Premier
of the Australian state of Victoria,
Daniel Andrews, defended his decision
to attend the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) Tianjin Summit
2025 including the 2025 China Victory
Day Parade hosted by the Chinese
Communist Party (CCP) from Sunday
August 31 to Wednesday September
3, with the former Australian Premier
of Victoria saying ''it was a chance
to meet and engage with regional
leaders,'' reports Reuters.
Chinese Communist Party (CCP) general
secretary, chairman of the Central
Military Commission (CMC), President
of China, Xi Jinping, invited former
Australian Premier of Victoria,
Daniel Andrews, to attend the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SCO) Tianjin
Summit 2025 where the Chinese Communist
Party (CCP) called for urgent reform
of global governance structures
in a proposal titled Global Governance
Initiative (GGI), with the former
Australian premier saying he had
been invited with foreign dignitaries
including the Malaysian prime minister,
Anwar Ibrahim, and former New Zealand
leaders John Key and Helen Clark.
''I’ve said for years that
a constructive relationship with
China our largest trading partner
is in Australia’s national
interest and hundreds of thousands
of Australian jobs depend on it.
That hasn’t changed,'' he
said.
''And just so there’s no
confusion I have condemned Putin
and his illegal war in Ukraine
from day one. That’s why
he banned me from Russia last
year,'' he said.
''Further, my support for Israel
and Australia’s Jewish community
has been outspoken and unwavering,
and I unequivocally condemn Iran
for its attacks on Australia,
Israel and elsewhere around the
world,'' he said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
of the centre-left Australian
Labor Party (ALP), said it would
have been inappropriate for any
government representatives to
attend, saying ''former Australian
Premier of Victoria, Daniel Andrews
was there in his private capacity.''
''None of my people would have
sat in that position, as simple
as that,'' said Australia Prime
Minister Anthony Albanese.
''What individuals do, very separate
from the government, is a matter
for them,'' he said.
Former foreign minister Alexander
Downer of the centre-right Liberal
Party of Australia accused former
Australian Premier of Victoria,
Daniel Andrews of embarrassing
Australia.
''The former Premier of Victoria
had much in common with the Chinese
leader in his lockdowns of Victoria
during the COVID-19 pandemic,''
he said.
The Australian Greens political
party Senator, David Shoebridge,
said ''you would hope that you
would use your position as a former
leader to push the world closer
to peace, not join a military
parade with a bunch of dictators.''
In 2017 former Premier of the Australian
state of Victoria, Daniel Andrews,
attended a two day summit in Bejing
hosted by the Chinese Communist
Party (CCP) that was attended by
28 world leaders and representatives
from 70 countries, to promote the
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI),
signing an Memorandum of Understanding
(Mou) with Chinese Communist Party
(CCP) in 2018.
In 2019 former Premier of the
Australian state of Victoria,
Daniel Andrews, signed a Belt
and Road Initiative (BRI)
agreement with the Chinese Communist
Party (CCP) becoming the only
state in Australia to support
the program amid criticism from
the Australian Liberal National
Coalition government that accused
the Premier of Victoria, Daniel
Andrews, of failing to act in
Australia's national interest.
The Premier of Victoria said that
the agreement would allow the
state of Victoria's engineering
and design companies to bid for
contracts for the Belt and Road
Inititive (BRI) infrastructure
development investment projects
around the world, saying that
"it is an important opportunity
to showcase Victoria s massive
pipeline of infrastructure projects
and to highlight the ingenuity
and expertise of Victorian companies,"
he said.
Australian Strategic Policy Institute
director, Peter Jennings, said
then that the state of Victoria
may have overstepped the mark
after the Australian federal government
declined to sign up to the China
One Belt One Road (BRI) infrastructure
program.
He said it was wrong for the state
government to sign the agreement
with the One Belt One Road (BRI)
infrastructure program, saying
that "it might have been
unconstitution."
"The agreement between the
state of Victoria and China could
be viewed as a form of inappropriate
political interference by China",
he said.
He said that China did not get
the answer that China wanted from
one jurisdiction, saying "
they went to another jurisdiction
with the effect of undermining
the federal government."
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Indonesia's
president cancels
invitation to
China’s Global
Governance Initiative
summit
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Indonesia
President Prabowo
Subianto, left front
row, Russia President
Vladimir Putin, centre
front row, China President
Xi Jinping, right
front row, at 80th
anniversary of victory
over Japan and end
of World War II, in
Beijing Tiananmen
Square on Wednesday
September 3, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, September 5: Indonesia
President Prabowo Subianto who initially
cancelled his official visit to
the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
(SCO) Tianjin Summit 2025 hosted
by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
from Sunday August 31 to Wednesday
September 3, arrived in Beijing
on Tuesday 2 September, at the request
of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
to attend the China Victory Day
Parade, reports Antara.
Indonesia State Secretary Minister,
Prasetyo Hadi, said that Indonesian
President Prabowo Subianto initially
cancelled the official visit to
the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
(SCO) Tianjin Summit 2025 after
thousands of mostly teenage students
protested in the streets of Jakarta
against members of parliament receiving
a substantial housing allowance.
He said that Indonesian President
Prabowo Subianto accepted the invitation
to attend the Victory Day Parade
in Beijing on September 3, 2025
by Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
general secretary and chairman of
the Central Military Commission
(CMC), President of China Xi Jinping
after initially cancelling the official
invitation to Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) Tianjin Summit
2025.
''A statement cancelling the official
visit was made on Saturday August
31 explaining that the Indonesia
President would remain in Indonesia
to monitor the student riots in
Jakarta Streets,'' he said.
He said that Indonesia President
Prabowo Subianto accepted the invitation
to attend the Victory Day Parade
in Beijing on September 3, 2025
''for at least for one day at the
request of the Chinese Communist
Party (CCP)'' he said.
Indonesia State Secretary Minister,
Prasetyo Hadi, said Indonesia President
Prabowo Subianto would discuss bilateral
relations with China, saying ''the
President will return to Indonesia
the next evening on Wednesday September
3, 2025 .''
Pancasila Ideology Development Agency
(BPIP) member of the Board of Experts
for foreign relations strategy,
Darmansjah Djumala, said ''the Presidents
visit to China for the Victory Day
Parade underscores Indonesia’s
efforts to maintain balanced ties
amid intensifying U.S.-China rivalry
in the Indo-Pacific.''
''Indonesia’s presence should
not be seen as favouring China over
the United States,'' he said.
He said that engaging with all sides
without becoming entangled in great
power conflicts is an example of
Indonesia's independence, saying
''Indonesia's President attendance
may open the door to deeper defence
cooperation with China, expanding
beyond their existing economic ties.''
Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
warned of multilateral system failures
at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
(SCO) Tianjin Summit 2025 that was
attended by six of ten ASEAN member
nations, Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia,
Laos, Malaysia and Vietnam together
with 19 SCO members, observer, and
dialogue partners including India
and Russia.
Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
supported the Chinese Communist
Party (CCP) proposal for Global
Governance Initiative saying ''China's
Global Governance Initiative is
a step toward restoring trust in
multilateralism.''
''A trust deficit in the international
system is due to failures in trade,
financial architecture, and climate
change response,'' he said.
Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
claims that the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) agenda on economic
connectivity, public health, security,
and energy transition aligns with
Malaysia’s position and ASEAN
priorities.
Cambodia reaffirmed commitment to
China’s Global Governance Initiative,
(GGI) for a new global security
and economic order at the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SCO) Tianjin
Summit 2025 hosted by China from
August 31 to September 1, with Cambodia
Prime Minister Hun Manet reaffirming
Cambodia’s unwavering commitment
to actively participating in the
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
(SCO)’s endeavours, and with
Chinese Communist Party (CCP) general
secretary, saying ''global governance
has reached a new crossroads,"
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
ASEAN
nation Cambodia committs
to Chinese Communist
Party new global security
and economic order
|
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Cambodian
Prime Minister Hun
Manet at the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization
(SCO) Tianjin Summit
2025 Tianjin, China
on Monday
September 1, 2025
|
|
From News Reports:
Phnom Penh, September 4: Cambodia
reaffirmed commitment to China’s
Global Governance Initiative, (GGI)
for a new global security and economic
order at the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) Tianjin Summit
2025 hosted by China from August
31 to September 1, with Cambodia
Prime Minister Hun Manet reaffirming
Cambodia’s unwavering commitment
to actively participating in the
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
(SCO)’s endeavours, and with
Chinese Communist Party (CCP) general
secretary, saying ''global governance
has reached a new crossroads,"
reports
Reuters.
Chinese Communist Party (CCP) general
secretary and chairman of the Central
Military Commission (CMC), President
of China Xi Jinping promoted the
Chinese Communist Party (CCP) vision
for a new global security and economic
order for 24 nation participants
including India and Russia, reportedly
in a direct challenge to the United
States.
President of China Xi Jinping urged
participants in the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) Tianjin Summit
2025 ''to continue to take a clear
stand against hegemonism and power
politics, and practise true multilateralism,"
saying "global governance has
reached a new crossroads."
Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Manet
reaffirmed China’s Global Governance
Initiative, (GGI) for a new global
security and economic and that includes
''enhancement of a United Nations
centred and effective global order
based on sovereign equality, the
rule of law, multilateralism, a
people-centred approach, and practical
results.''
''Cambodia stands ready to work
with all partners to advance these
principles and build a community
with a shared future for humanity,''
said Cambodia Prime Minister Hun
Manet.
He said that the gathering at the
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
(SCO)’s stands as a resonant
call to action in the face of increasingly
complex geopolitical realities,
escalating conflicts, and pressing
economic and environmental challenges,
saying ''in this spirit, we must
choose a dialogue over onfrontation,
restraint over escalation, cooperation
over conflict, and share progress
over unilateral gain.''
He said that ensuring security remains
a paramount priority, saying ''for
Cambodia, as a peace-loving nation,
I see great synergy between the
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
(SCO) and the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) in advancing
peace and stability through diplomacy,
consensus, and dialogue.''
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization
(SCO) Tianjin Summit 2025 hosted
by China from August 31 to September
1,
was attended by six of ten Association
of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
including Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia,
Laos, Malaysia and Vietnam.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
ASEAN
nation Malaysia supports
Chinese Communist
Party proposal for
Global Governance
Initiative
|
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Malaysian
Dr Wan Azizah Wan
Ismail, left, spouse
of Malaysia Prime
Minister Anwar Ibrahim,
second left, China
president Xi Jinping,
third left, spouse
China Peng Liyuan,
fourth left, at Shanghai
Cooperation Organization
(SCO) Tianjin Summit
2025 on Sunday August
31, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, September 3: Malaysia,
Association of South East Asian
Nation (ASEAN) member nation,
attending the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) Tianjin Summit
2025 hosted by China from August
31 to September 1, declared Malaysia’s
support for the Chinese Communist
Party (CCP) proposal for Global
Governance Initiative (GGI) calling
for urgent reform of global governance
structures, reports Reuters.
Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
warned of multilateral system failures
at the SCO Tianjin Summit 2025 that
was attended by six of ten ASEAN
member nations Cambodia, Myanmar,
Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia and Vietnam
together with 19 SCO members, observer,
and dialogue partners including
India and Russia.
United Nations Secretary-General,
Antonio Guterres, and Association
of South East Asian Nation (ASEAN)
Secretary-General, Dr Kao Kim
Horne also attended the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SCO)
Tianjin Summit 2025.
Chinese Communist Party (CCP) general
secretary and chairman of the Central
Military Commission (CMC), President
of China Xi Jinping proposed the
Global Governance Initiative (GGI)
saying ''the GGI adheres to sovereignty
equality.''
''All countries regardless of
size, strength and wealth, are
equal participants, decision-makers
and beneficiaries in global governance,''
he said.
Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar
Ibrahim supported the Chinese
Communist Party (CCP) proposal
for Global Governance Initiative
saying ''China's Global Governance
Initiative is a step toward restoring
trust in multilateralism.''
''A trust deficit in the international
system is due to failures in trade,
financial architecture, and climate
change response,'' he said.
Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar
Ibrahim claims the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) agenda on economic
connectivity, public health, security,
and energy transition aligns with
Malaysia’s position and ASEAN
priorities.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
China
accuses Philippines
of causing trouble
in the South China
Sea in exercise with
Australia in West
Philippine Sea
|
|
|
|
|
The
Amphibious Landing
Operation, Exercise
Alon 2025, with Philippines
and Australia in the
West Philippine Sea
from August 15 to
29 ended with the
Philippines and Australia
agreement to undertaking
projects to support
the Philippines' territorial
defense, progress
in maritime security
and the defence of
infrastructure on
Friday August 29,
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, September 2: China accused
the Philippines of courting outside
powers and causing trouble in
the South China Sea at the conclusion
of the 15 day Amphibious Landing
Operation, Exercise Alon 2025
with Philippines and Australia
in the Scarborough Shoal in the
West Philippine Sea ending Monday,
with China Ministry of National
Defense spokesperson, Zhang Xiaogang,
saying ''the Philippines has repeatedly
courted influence from outside
powers to make waves in the South
China Sea, reports the Philippine
Inquiry.
China Ministry of National Defense
spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang accused
the U.S. of supporting the Philippines
in the Philippines claim of sovereignty
over the West Philippine Sea including
Palawan and the Scarborough Shoal.
''At the same time, certain external
countries have instigated and
supported the Philippines to take
irresponsible actions that harm
the shared interests of regional
countries,'' said China Ministry
of National Defense spokesperson
Zhang Xiaogang.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines’
Education, Training and Doctrine
Command, Maj. Gen. Francisco Lorenzo
Jr., said the dual patrol of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP) and Australian Defence Force
(ADF) in the West Philippines
Sea was to exercise the interoperability
of both navies.
''Nothing wrong with that,'' said
Maj. Gen. Francisco Lorenzo Jr.,
Commander, Maj. Gen. Francisco
Lorenzo Jr., said in a joint press
conference after the conclusion
of the Amphibious Landing Operation
(Alon) Exercise at Camp Aguinaldo,
''the drills are backed by the
bounds of the legal framework
of both the Philippines and Australia.''
''There’s nothing wrong with
that,'' said Commander, Maj. Gen.
Francisco Lorenzo Jr.,
Deputy Theater Commander of Australian
Defence Force (ADF) Joint Operations
Command, Major General Paul Kenny,
said at the press conference ''it
is normal for allies and partners
to train together, to build interoperability
and certainly normal for allies
and partners to exercise within
each other’s territories.''
Department of National Defense
Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr
and Australian Deputy Prime Minister
and Minister of Defence
Richard Marles signed a statement
of Intent on Enhanced Defense
Cooperation Agreement (DCA) between
the Philippines and Australia
during the Amphibious Landing
Operation (Alon) Exercise on August
22.
The statement of Intent on Enhanced
Defense Cooperation Agreement
(DCA) aims to increase collective
capability, enhance interoperability,
and strengthen defense ties between
the Philippines and Australia.
The Philippines and Australia
agreed to undertaking projects
to support the Philippines' territorial
defense, progress in maritime
security and defence infrastructure,
and ongoing commitment to joint
military Exercise Alon 2025.
In July 2016 the Arbitration Court
in the Hague ruled in favour of
the Philippines against China's
claim of historic rights over
the South China Sea that includes
the West Philippine Sea.
China reportedly claimed that
the Arbitration tribunal made
an illegal and invalid final verdict
on the South China Sea dispute,
with China Foreign Ministry spokesman,
Lu Kang saying then that the dispute
was not covered by U.N. Convention
on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
because it was ultimately a matter
of sovereignty not exploitation
rights.
The China Foreign Ministry spokesman
said then that "China's position
of neither accepting nor participating
in the arbitration unilaterally
initiated by the Philippines remains
unchanged".
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Thailand
Constitutional Court
dismisses PM Paetongtarn
Shinawatra for lack
of unity between government
and military
|
|
|
|
|
Constitutional
Court dismisses Thailand
Prime Minister Paetongtarn
Shinawatra from office
on Friday August 29,
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, September 1: The Constitutional
Court of Thailand dismissed Prime
Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra,
39, from office on Friday, ruling
that Prime Minister Paetongtarn
Shinawatra had violated ethical
standards in a leaked telephone
call with Cambodia Senate President
Hun Sen in June, reports the Bangkok
Post.
Nine judges of the Constitutional
Court ruled that Prime Minister
Paetongtarn Shinawatra violated
ethical standards in a leaked telephone
call, saying ''Prime Minister Paetongtarn
Shinawatra appeared to kowtow to
Senate President Hun Sen.''
''Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra
kowtow to Senate President Hun Sen
occurred when Thailand and Cambodia
were at the brink of armed border
conflict, '' said the judges of
the Constitutional Court.
The Constitutional Court judges
found that under Section 170 (1)(4)
in conjunction with Sections 106
(4) and (5) of the Constitution,
a minister must be trustworthy,
subject to scrutiny in all aspects,
and must demonstrate manifest
integrity.
''Remarks made by Prime Minister
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, particularly
those referring to the Second
Army Region commander and the
use of the term ''we'', suggest
a lack of unity between the government
and the military,'' said the judges
of the Constitutional Court.
''Such behaviour indicates partisanship
and exposes internal divisions,
potentially weakening Thailand’s
position and allowing Cambodia
to interfere in domestic affairs.''
said the Constitutional Court
judges.
On July 1, the Constitutional
Court suspended Paetongtarn Shinawatra
from duty after a petition was
submitted by 36 senators accusing
the Prime Minister of violating
ethical standards involved in
the Thailand Cambodia border dispute.
Nine Constitutional Court judges
resolved unanimously to accept
the petition from the senators
against Paetongtarn Shinawatra
continuing as Prime Minister,
temporarily suspending Paetongtarn
Shinawatra from office by seven
votes to two.
The petitioners asked the court
to investigate a phone conversation
between Thailand Prime Minister
Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Cambodian
Senate President Hun Sen on June
15.
The petitioners claim that Prime
Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra
made derogatory remarks about
the Thailand Commander of the
Second Royal Thai Armed Forces
(RTARF) Chief of Defence Forces
of the (RTARF), General Songwit
Noonpackdee.
The petitioners claim that Prime
Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra
branded the Thailand Commander
of the Second Royal Thai Armed
Forces (RTARF as an adversary.
''Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra
showed a submissive tone towards
Hun Sen by signalling a readiness
to comply with Cambodian Senate
President Hun Sen's demands over
the Thailand - Cambodia border,''
claim the Senators in the petition.
The Senators claim that Prime
Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra
lacks qualifications and integrity
under Setion 160 (40 and (5) of
the Constitution, saying ''the
Prime Minister lacked honesty
and engagement in conduct that
constitutes a grave breach of
ethical standards.''
Paetongtarn Shinawatra said she
had phoned Cambodian Senate President
Hun Sen after the Constitutional
Court order to prevent more clashes
with Cambodia saying ''I was thinking
only about a way to prevent clashes
and casualties.''
'' I insist that I had no ill
intentions,'' she said.
"I apologise if the approach
I took was unsatisfactory,'' said
Paetongtarn Shinawatrath.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Thousands
of teenage Indonesian
students demand revokation
of housing allowance
for MP's
|
|
|
|
|
Thousands
of teenage students
set fire to the Jakarta
police headquarters
on Friday August 29,
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, August 31: Thousands of
teenage students demanding Indonesian
President Prabowo Subianto revoke
the law that allows Members of Parliament
an extravagant housing allowance,
have protested at Parliament House
in Jakarta since Monday, continuing
at the Jakarta Police Headquarters
on Friday after the death of a taxi
driver, reports Reuters.
Mobile Brigade Corps (Brimob), security
personnel of the Indonesian National
Police fired tear gas at thousands
of stone throwing teenage students
on their way to Parliament House
in Jakarta, protesting against reports
that 580 members of the House of
Representatives had received a housing
allowance of 50 million rupiah ($4,739)
per month since September 2024.
House of Representatives Deputy
Speaker, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, said
the housing allowance was for
Members of Parliament to rent
a property in Jakarta after the
government discontinued its house
program.
''The amount had been thoroughly
considered and adjusted to current
prices in Jakarta,'' he said.
The protest at Parliament House
on Monday moved on to the Jakarta
Police Headquarters on Friday after
Affan Kurniawan, a 21-year-old motorcycle
taxi driver was struck by an armoured
Indonesian National Police vehicle
during violent clashes between the
police and students on Thursday.
The motorcycle taxi driver died
in hospital from his injuries, with
the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation
(YLBHI) deputy chairperson for research,
Arif Maulana, urging the Indonesian
National Police to investigate his
death.
''Police had fired water canon
and tear gas to move the protesters
at Parliament House in Jakarta,''
he said.
The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation
(YLBHI) accused the Indonesian
National Police of deploying the
Mobile Brigade Corps (Brimob)
security personnel, saying ''their
job is to address terrorism.''
''The protesters who are mosty
teenagers were supposed to be
protected,'' he said.
He said the young protesters are
vulnerable and should be protected
instead of intimidated by uniforms
and weapons, saying ''but instead
they were chased, hit and had
their heads shaved.''
''171 students from Bogor, Depok,
and Tangerang cities who were
on their way to Jakarta to participate
in the Thursday protest were arrested,''
he said.
Indonesian National Police senior
commissioner, Ade Ary, accused
protesters of burning flags damaging
the parliament building fence,
vandalising CCTV cameras and defacing
busway dividers, saying that ''351
protesters had been detained for
damaging public facilities.''
''Students are urged not to be
easily provoked by calls on social
media to participate in risky
activities, and those spreading
such calls were urged to desist,"
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Thailand
House Armed Forces
Committee summons
Royal Thai Army to
explain disappearance
of diesel fuel
|
|
|
|
|
The
Thailand House Armed
Forces Committee has
called on representatives
from the 18th Military
Circle and the Army
Quartermaster Department
after an internal
army investigation
into unexplained missing
diesel fuel Wednesday
August 27, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, August 30: The Thailand
House Armed Forces Committee has
summoned representatives from the
Royal Thai Army (RTA) to explain
the disappearance of hundreds of
thousands of litres of diesel fuel
from the 18th Military Circle in
Saraburi Province and the Army Quartermaster
Department in Nonthaburi, with the
Pheu Thai Party (PP) representative
for Pathum Thani, saying ''the committee
is investigating at least two incidents
of missing diesel fuel,'' reports
the Bangkok Post.
''The investigation into the disappearance
of diesel fuel reveals a idespread
failure to uphold ethical standards,''
said Pheu Thai Party Member of Parliament,
Chetawan Thuaprakhon.
''The first case of missing diesel
fuel from the 18th Military Circle
in Saraburi province dates back
to 2022 involved 215,000 litres
of diesel,'' he said.
''The Royal Thai Army (RTA) said
that an investigation into the disappearance
of diesel fuel from 18th Military
Circle in 2022 would be conducted
on October 1, 2023,'' he said
''The Royal Thai Army (RTA) extended
the investigation to November 29,
2023,'' he said.
He said that despite repeated requests
by the Thailand House Armed Forces
Committee to the Royal Thai Army
(RTA) to investigate the disappearance
of the diesel fuel, no response
was received.
He said the second case of missing
diesel fuel was reported last year
in 2024, saying ''about 10,000 litres
of diesel went missing from Army
Quartermaster Department in Nonthaburi,''
Member of Parliament, Chetawan Thuaprakhon,
said that Royal Thai Army (RTA)
regulations require losses of fuel
to be investigated and reported
to the Royal Thai Army (RTA) army
chief, saying '' Isn't that misconduct?"
''It could amount to dereliction
of duty under Section 157 of the
Criminal Code,'' he said.
'The Parliamentary committee on
military affairs petitioned the
Defence Ministry, the National Anti-Corruption
Commission (NACC) and the Office
of the Ombudsman to investigate
the Royal Thai Army (RTA) lack of
cooperation on March 27, 2024,''
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Iranian
Ambassador ordered
to leave Australia
for antisemitic arson
attacks in Melbourne
and Sydney
|
|
|
|
|
Iranian
ambassador, Ahmad
Sadeghi, left, leaving
the Iranian Embassy
in Canberra, Australia
on Tuesday 20 August
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Canberra, August 29: The Australian
Prime Minister declared Iranian
Ambassador, Ahmad Sadeghi, persona
non grata and ordered him and
three other officials to leave
Australia within seven days, with
Australia Prime Minister Anthony
Albanese accusing Iran of being
behind antisemitic arson attacks
in Melbourne and Sydney, reports
the Australian Broad Casting Corporation.
''ASIO reached a deeply disturbing
conclusion that Iran directed at
least two antisemitic attacks,''
said Australian Prime Minister Anthony
Albanese at a press conference on
Tuesday.
''Tehran was behind a fire attack
on a kosher cafe, the Lewis Continental
Cafe, in Sydney’s Bondi suburb
in October 2024,'' he said.
''Iran directed an arson attack
on the Adass Israel Synagogue
in Melbourne in December 2024,''
he said.
''These were extraordinary and
dangerous acts of aggression orchestrated
by a foreign nation on Australian
soil,” he said.
''They were attempts to undermine
social cohesion and sow discord
in our community. It is totally
unacceptable,'' he said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony
Albanese said that Australia withdrew
its ambassador to Iran and suspended
the embassy's operation in Tehran.
''Australian diplomats were all
safe in a third country,'' he
said.
''Australia will also legislate
to list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps as a terrorist organization,''
he said.
Australian Security Intelligence
Organisation (ASIO) director general,
Mike Burgess, said Iran’s
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
(IRGC) directed the attack through
a series of cut-outs or third
parties, saying ''some perpetrators
were paid.''
He said ASIO was still investigating
possible Iranian involvement in
a number of other attacks, saying
''ASIO wanted to stress that we
do not believe the Iranian regime
is responsible.''
Iran Foreign Ministry spokesperson,
Esmaeil Baghaei, said that any
inappropriate and unjustified
action at the diplomatic level
by Australia will result in a
reciprocal reaction.''
Iranian Ambassador, Ahmad Sadeghi,
said that Iran is paying the price
for the Australian people’s
support for Palestine, saying ''Canberra
should know better than to attempt
to appease a regime led by War Criminals.''
''Doing so will only embolden
Netanyahu and his ilk,'' he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
New
UN Permanent Representative
of Viet Nam visits
Communist Party USA
headquarters in New
York
|
|
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|
|
Ambassador
Do Hung Viet, Permanent
Representative of
Viet Nam to the mission
of the United Nations,
Ambassador Do Hung
Viet, third from left,
at the Communist Party
USA (CPUSA) headquarters
in New York on Wednesday
August 20, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Hanoi, August 28: The new Permanent
Representative of Viet Nam to
the mission of the United Nations,
Ambassador Do Hung Viet, who presented
his credentials at the 79th session
of the United Nations General
Assembly in New York on July 3,
visited the Communist Party USA
(CPUSA) headquarters in New York
on August 20, with Ambassador
Do Hung Viet commending Vietnam's
socialist development achievements,
reports the Vietnam News Service.
Ambassador Do Hung Viet Permanent
Representative of Viet Nam to
the United Nations, also commended
Vietnam's steadfast stance and
commitment to multilateralism,
international law, and the United
Nations Charter.''
The new Permanent Representative
of Viet Nam to the United Nations,
Ambassador, Do Hung Viet, met
with members of the Communist
Party USA (CPUSA) in New York,
with Communist Party USA (CPUSA)
chairman, Joe Sims, saying ''Communist
Party USA (CPUSA) intends to send
a delegation to Vietnam.''
''The Communist Party USA (CPUSA)
intends to send youth groups to
Vietnam to study Vietnam's socialist
development first hand,'' said
chairman, Joe Sims.
Officials of the Permanent Representative
of Viet Nam to the permanent mission
of the United Nations, and members
of the Communist Party USA (CPUSA)
in New York agreed ''to exchanged
views on international and regional
developments,''
''Vietnam's future socio-economic
developments, includes building
an independent and self-reliant
economy, advancing international
integration, and pursuing an independent,
diverse, and multilateral foreign
policy,'' said Ambassador, Do
Hung Viet.
In March 2025 US Trade Representative
(USTR), Jamieson L. Greer told
the Vietnam Minister of Industry
and Trade ''to improve the Vietnam
trade balance with the United
States after Vietnam Minister
of Industry and Trade reiterating
Vietnam’s request to be recognized
as a market economy under the
US Tariff Law.
''Vietnam must improve the trade
balance with the United States
in order to open up its market
economy,'' said US Trade Representative
(USTR) Jamieson L. Greer in Washington
D.C.
''The US ran a US$123.5 billion
trade deficit with Vietnam in
2024, the third highest deficit
after China and Mexico,'' he said.
Vietnam Minister of Industry and
Trade, Nguyen Hong Dien, said
that the one party state, the
Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV)
of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
''is implementing various solutions
to boost trade and investment
ties with the United States''
and reiterated Vietnam's request
to be recognised as a market economy.
''US recognition of Vietnam as
a market economy would support
Vietnam's exports to enter the
United States,'' he said.
The United States Department of
Commerce rejected the Vietnam
request to be designated a market
economy under the US Tariff Law
following the Vietnam Minister
of Industry and Trade, Nguyen
Hong Dien's, request ''to consider
the removal of Vietnam from the
list of countries with non-market
economies.''
The United States has labelled
Vietnam a non-market economy since
2002 due to state interventions
in trade, pricing and currency,
the European Union has also designating
Vietnam a non-market economy.
Vietnam is on the list of 12 nations
identified by the US Department
of Commerce as non-market economies
including China and Russia that
reportedly have a strong state
intervention in their economies.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Cambodia
charges two Vietnamese
males with drug trafficking
and ammunition possession
|
|
|
|
|
Vietnamese
males Le Thanh Nhi,
22, and Ngo Chong
Huy, 17, were arrested
in Bavet Kandal village,
Svay Rieng Province,
Cambodia for illegal
drug trafficking and
the illegal possession
of ammunition on Sunday
August 24, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Phnom Penh, August 27: Cambodia's
Svay Rieng Provincial Court charged
two Vietnamese males with illegal
drug trafficking and the illegal
possession of ammunition, with
the Anti-Drug Department of the
Cambodian National Police, under
the Ministry of Interior of Cambodia,
working under 10th Anti-Drug Campaign
and the Safe Village Commune policy,
saying they are searching for
four accomplices also believed
to be Vietnamese nationals,''
reports the Phnom Penh Post.
Vietnamese males Le Thanh Nhi,
22, and Ngo Chong Huy, 17, were
arrested at their place of residence
in rented premises in Bavet Kandal
village, Svay Rieng Province in
Cambodia on Sunday.
The Cambodia Anti-Drug Department
seized 6.38 kilogrammes of narcotics,
including methamphetamine, ketamine,
ecstasy and heroin at the rented
premises, saying ''weapons were
also seized,'' said the Cambodia
Anti-Drug Department.
The Anti-Drug Department working
under the 10th Anti-Drug Campaign
and the Safe Village Commune policy
has seized more that five tonnes
of illegal narcotics and chemical
precursors with 4,312 drug-related
investigations nationwide, arresting
10,000 in the last six months.
The Anti-Drug Department plans
to implementing the 10th Anti-Drug
Campaign and the Safe Village
Commune policy under the National
Police action strategy including
border patrols, on land, waterways,
air routes and coastal areas to
prevent illegal drug smuggling
and precursors.
The National Police’s action
strategy includes efforts to trace
and confiscate criminal assets
linked to drug crimes, and applying
money-laundering laws to seize,
freeze and forfeit illicit property
for the state.
Updating outstanding arrest warrants,
collecting photos and profiles
of suspects, issuing red notices
and feeding the information into
shared intelligence systems is
also included in the National
Police’s action strategy.
Under the 10th Anti-Drug Campaign
and the Safe Village Commune policy
under the National Police’s
action strategy attention is reportedly
paid to identifying the leaders
of illegal operations and coordinating
with the relevant agencies on
their arrests.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
U.S.
urges Elon Musk's
SpaceX to block access
to Starlink satellite
internet service in
Southeast Asia
|
|
|
|
|
SpaceX
executive Elon Musk
in Bali to inaugurate
the Starlink satellite
internet service at
a community health
centre in Denpasar
Sunday May 19, 2024
|
|
From
News Reports:
Washington, August 26: United States
senator, Margaret Wood Hassan, member
of the Democratic Party, urged SpaceX
executive Elon Musk to block access
to Starlink satellite internet service
in Southeast Asia, claiming that
criminal organisations in Southeast
Asia have defrauded Americans out
of billions of dollars, with the
senator saying ''SpaceX has a responsibility
to acknowledge any role that Starlink
has played in facilitating transnational
scams emanating from Southeast Asia,''
reports Reuters.
''SpaceX has a responsibility to
block these criminals from using
the service to target Americans,''
said Senator Maggie Hassan.
Senator Margaret Wood Hassan, said
that most Americans have probably
noticed the increasing number of
scam texts, calls, and emails they
are receiving, saying ''Americans
may not know that transnational
criminals halfway across the world
may be perpetrating these scams
by using Starlink internet access.''
Senator Margaret Wood Hassan, said
that scam networks in Southeast
Asia turn to Starlink for its portability,
decentralized infrastructure, and
independence from national telecom
networks, saying ''an investigation
found that 412 devices identified
Starlink as their provider across
eight scam centres that recorded
more than 40,000 logins in Myanmar.''
''A law enforcement operation in
Thailand seized more than 130 Starlink
devices from scam compounds around
the country,'' said the Senator.
Margaret Wood Hassan, said that
a United Nations report has confirmed
that SpaceX executive Elon Musk
can restrict access to Starlink
through ''geofencing'' making the
service unavailable in specific
countries or locations.
''While SpaceX claims that it investigates
and deactivates Starlink devices
in various contexts, it seemingly
has not publicly acknowledged the
use of Starlink for scams originating
in Southeast Asia,'' said the Senator.
''Scam networks in Myanmar, Thailand,
Cambodia, and Laos, have apparently
continued to use Starlink despite
service rules permitting SpaceX
to terminate access for fraudulent
activity,'' said the Senator.
On May 19 2024 SpaceX execitive
Elon Musk, and Indonesia Health
Minister, Gunadi Sadikin, launched
SpaceX satellite internet service,
Starlink, for the Indonesia's health
sector to improve access in remote
parts of the Indonesian archipelago.
The launch included a live speed
test with health workers in remote
areas, and an agreement was signed
for Starlink to be used to provide
connectivity for these critical
sectors.
SpaceX satellite internet service,
Starlink, was launched at three
Indonesian health centres including
two in Bali and one on the remote
island of Aru in Maluku.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Miss
Universe Thailand
2025, Praveenar Singh,
29, launches new unprecedented
chapter for Thailand
beauty pageants
|
|
|
|
|
Miss
Universe Thailand
2005, Natalie Glebova,
43, left, and Miss
Universe Thailand
2025, Praveenar Singh,
29, right, from Saraburi
Province in central
Thailand was crowned
Miss Universe Thailand
2025 in Bangkok on
Saturday August 23,
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, August 25: Praveenar
Singh, 29, from Saraburi Province
in central Thailand was crowned
Miss Universe Thailand 2025 at
the Miss Grand International Public
Company Limited (MGI) Hall in
Bangkok on Sunday, with MGI, President,
Nawat Itsaragrisil, saying ''the
Miss Universe Thailand 2025 pageant
has launched an unprecedented
new chapter for Thailand beauty
pageants,'' reports the Bangkok
Post.
Miss Grand International Public
Company Limited (MGI) President,
Nawat Itsaragrisil, said ''MGI
is openly focused on business
and entertainment, saying ''the
Miss Universe Thailand 2025 pageant
has moved away from the initial
MGI mission of ''world peace''
to ''business and entertainment.''
He said the Miss Universe Thailand
2025 pageant has launched an unprecedented
new chapter for Thailand beauty
pageants, saying ''Miss Universe
Thailand 2025 Praveenar Singh,
29, represents a departure from
typical Miss Universe Thailand
winners.''
''Typical Miss Universe Thailand
winners are either Thai-born or
of mixed Thai-Western heritage,''
he said.
''Miss Universe Thailand 2025
Praveenar Singh, 29, is a naturalised
Thailand citizen of Indian descent,''
he said.
He said the Miss Universe Thailand
2025 pageant has launched a further
precedent, saying Miss Universe
Thailand 2025 Praveenar Veena
Singh, 29, was married in 2022
and divorced in 2024.
''Miss Universe Thailand 2025
Praveenar Singh, 29, is the first
Miss Universe Thailand winner
who has been married and divorced,''
he said.
Miss Grand International Public
Company Limited (MGI) Nawat Itsaragrisil,
who obtained the right to host
the Miss Universe Thailand pageant
for five years on August 4, began
with 77 contestants in the Miss
Universe Thailand 2025 pageant
participating in a training program
to sell MGI selected products
via livestream shopping
Contestants in the training program
were required to sell THB5,000
worth of products via livestream
shopping with beauty contestants
who failed to sell products saying
''forcing beauty queens into a
sales role is inappropriate and
detracts from the prestige of
a beauty pageant.''
Miss Grand International Public
Company Limited (MGI) president,
Nawat Itsaragrisil, said ''MGI
is openly focused on business
and entertainment, saying ''the
Miss Universe Thailand 2025 pageant
has moved away from the initial
MGI mission of ''world peace''
to ''business and entertainment.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Bangkok
Criminal Court dismisses
Lese Majeste charges
against Thaksin Shinawatra
in South Korea in
2015
|
|
|
|
|
Former
Thailand Prime Minister,
Thaksin Shinawatra,
at the Bangkok Criminal
Court on Friday August
22, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, August 24: The Bangkok
Criminal Court dismissed charges
against former Thailand Prime
Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra,
for violation of the Lese Majeste
Law and the Computor Crime Act
allegedly committed in an interview
in South Korea in 2015, with the
Criminal Court ruling on Friday
''the charges against Thaksin
Shinawatra lacked sufficient evidence
to prove that the former Prime
Minister had insulted the monarchy.''
reports the Bangkok Post.
The Office of the Attorney General
(OAG) charged former Prime Minister
Thaksin Shinawatra under Section
112 of the Criminal Code for alleged
violation of the Lese Majeste
Law and the Computor Crime Act
on a complaint lodged by the Privy
Council of 18 appointed advisors
to the monarchy in 2015.
The Privy Council claimed that
former Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra had allegedly defamed
the monarchy in a foreign media
interview in Seoul, South Korea
on May 21, 2015.
The Office of the Attorney-General
had received advice from the Royal
Thai Police (RTP) at the Technology
Crime Suppression Division on
a complaint from the Privy Council
that Thaksin Shinawatra had accused
the Privy Councillors of supporting
the 2014 coup that ousted the
former Prime Minister Yingluck
Shinawatra, who is Thaksin Shinawatra's
younger sister, in the media interview
in Seoul in South Korea on May
21, 2015.
On Friday the Criminal Court ruled
in favour of former Prime Minister
Thaksin Shinawatra saying ''the
video clip submitted by prosecutors
of the Office of the Attorney-General
as evidence of the alleged violation
of the Lese Majeste Law and the
Computor Crime Act contained limited
excerpts of the full media interview.''
''The court believes that the
full interview in Seoul, South
Korea on May 21, 2015 contained
more content,'' said the Criminal
Court.
The Criminal Court ruled that
the Office of the Attorney-General
prosecution did not prove whether
the media interview in Seoul,
South Korea had been edited or
not, saying ''Thaksin Shinawatra
had not directly defamed then
King Bhumibol Adulyadej in the
video clip submitted by the Office
of the Attorney-General prosecutors.''
The Criminal Court ruled that
testimony given by prosecution
witnesses indicated that the witnesses
had a political bias against Thaksin
Shinawatra, saying ''evidence
from the plaintiff showed the
interview by the defendant did
not defame, insult or threaten
Thailand King Bhumibol Adulyade,
therefore the defendant is not
guilty.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
U.S.
Yangon Embassy visits
waring Kachin State
after Myanmar agrees
to rebuild relationship
with U.S.
|
|
|
|
|
U.S.
Myanmar Embassy Chargé
d’Affaires, Susan
Stevenson, left, at
Yangon War Cemetery
on Remembrance Day
Friday August 15,
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Naypyitaw, August 23: Chargé
d’Affaires of the United
States Embassy in Yangon, Susan
Stevenson, visits Kachin State
capital, Myitkyina, from August
11 to 13 after the ruling Armed
Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar,
engaged the Defence Conseil International
(DCI) Group under the US Foreign
Agents Registration Act (FARA)
to rebuild the Myanmar relationship
with the U.S. on July 31, reports
the Irrawaddy.
The Chargé d’Affaires
of the United States Embassy in
Yangon, Myanmar, Susan Stevenson
visits the Rare Earths Elements
(REE), rich Kachin State, in northern
Myanmar on the border with China,
with United States Embassy spokesperson
saying, ''the Chargé d’Affaires
scheduled visit in January was
postponed due to the armed conflict
between the Kachin Independence
Army (KIA) and Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar.
Yangon United States Embassy spokesperson
said the ''the visit was part
of the United States Embassy Chargé
d’Affaires, ongoing familiarization
travel to better understand local
socio-economic conditions throughout
Myanmar,'' said the US Embassy
spokesperson.
''The Chargé d’Affaires’
wanted to hear the voices of Kachin
State,'' said the US Embassy spokesperson.
''Chargé d’Affaires,
Susan Stevenson did not engage
with Kachin Independence Army
(KIA) officials or members of
Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myamar
during her visit,'' said the US
Embassy spokesperson.
On July 31, ahead of the Chargé
d’Affaires Susan Stevenson
visit to the waring Kachin State,
in northern Myanmar last week
the ruling Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar, engaged the Defence
Conseil International (DCI) Group
under the US Foreign Agents Registration
Act (FARA) to rebuild the Myanmar
relationship with the U.S. after
the transfer of military power
to a civilian interim government
ahead of the general elections
scheduled for December 2025.
The Defence Conseil International
(DCI) Group under the US Foreign
Agents Registration Act (FARA
signed the agreement with Myanmar
Ministry of Information (MOI)
effective July 31 for one year
for a total payment of US$3 million
to transfer military power to
a civilian-led interim government
ahead of the scheduled elections
that have been delayed since the
2021 coup d'état.
Kachin Independence Organization
(KIO) the political wing of the
Kachin Independence Army (KIA),
in Kachin State is one of 10 Ethnic
Armed Organizations that is engaged
in armed conflict against the
Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar
that overthrew the elected League
for Democracy (NLD) government
on February 1, 2021.
Kachin Independence Organization
(KIO) chairman General N’Ban
La said the Kachin Independence
Army (KIA) is engaged in armed
conflict against the Armed Forces
(Tatmadaw) of Myanmar in Kachin
and Shan states and the upper
Sagaing region, saying "the
Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar
is forcibly recruiting militias
to cause dissension between the
ethnic organisations."
"I urge all civilians to
refuse to fight for the regime,"
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Vietnam
rejects U.S. report
on Human Rights Practice
saying ''the report
is based on unverified
information''
|
|
|
|
|
Vietnamese
Ministry of Foreign
Affairs spokeswoman,
Pham Thu Hang, at
press conference Thursday
August 14, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Hanoi, August 20: Vietnam's Ministry
of Foreign Affairs has rejected
the U.S. Department of State 2024
Country Reports on Human Rights
Practice in Vietnam released on
August 12, with Vietnam's Ministry
of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman,
saying ''the U.S. Human Rights
Report is based on unverified
information,'' reports the Vietnam
News Service.
''The U.S. Human Rights Report
is not objective,'' said Vietnam's
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman,
Pham Thu Hang, at a Press conference
in Hanoi on Thursday.
''We regret that the report fails
to reflect Vietnam’s achievements
and progress in protecting human
rights,'' said spokeswoman, Pham
Thu Hang.
Spokeswoman, Pham Thu Hang said
that the Vietnam Communist Party
and State are committed to improving
living standards saying ''the
protection and promotion of human
rights has been a consistent policy
of Vietnam.''
''Fundamental human rights and
freedoms are enshrined in Vietnam’s
Constitution,'' said Ministry
of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman,
Pham Thu Hang.
The U.S. Department of State 2024
Country Reports on Human Rights
Practice in Vietnam released on
August 12, 2025, said in an Executive
Summary ''there were no significant
changes in the human rights situation
in Vietnam during the year,''
with ''significant human rights
violations including arbitrary
or unlawful killings; torture
or cruel, inhuman, or degrading
treatment and punishment; involuntary
or coercive medical or psychological
practices; arbitrary arrest or
detention; transnational repression
against individuals in another
country; serious restrictions
on freedom of expression and media
freedom, including unjustified
arrests or prosecutions of journalists
and censorship; restrictions of
religious freedom; and systematic
restrictions on workers’
freedom of association.''
On August 3, 2024 the US Department
of Commerce rejected the Vietnam
request to be designated a market
economy under the US Tariff Law
following the Vietnam Minister
of Industry and Trade, Nguyen
Hong Dien's, request ''to consider
the removal of Vietnam from the
list of countries with non-market
economies.''
Vietnam is on the list of 12 nations
identified by the US Department
of Commerce as non-market economies
including China and Russia that
reportedly have a strong state
intervention in their economies.
The US has labelled Vietnam a
non-market economy since 2002
due to state interventions in
trade, pricing and currency, the
EU has also designating Vietnam
a non-market economy.
On May 7, 2024 Human Rights Watch
(HRW) Southeast Asia, advocacy
director, John Sifton, said at
the UN Human Rights Council, Geneva,
Switzerland, that ''Human Rights
Watch (HRW) takes no position
on Vietnam's economic status but
the redesignation of Vietnam to
a market economy under the US
Tariff Law is legally contingent
on basic labor rights protections
and the US stated policy on promoting
labour rights.''
''Vietnam’s claims to respect
labour rights relies on empty
words and promises, laws and regulations
that have no connection to the
realities of the county’s
actual labour rights situation,''
he said.
He said that the Vietnam government
continues to call the government-led
Vietnam General Confederation
of Labor (VGCL) a labour confederation
of enterprise-level labour federations
but the VGGL is led by the Communist
Party of Vietnam (CPV) appointees.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
70,000
Cambodian Buddhist
monks support U.S.
President Donald Trump's
nomination for Nobel
Peace Prize
|
|
|
|
|
Cambodian
Buddhist monks stopped
at the U.S. Embassy
in Phnom Penh in a
march from the Royal
Palace to show gratitude
for U.S. President
Donald Trump's efforts
towards ceasefire
on the Cambodia Thailand
border on Friday August
15, 2025
|
|
From News Reports:
Phnom Penh, August 21: Buddhist
monks stopped at the U.S. Embassy
in Phnom Penh in a march from the
Royal Palace to show gratitude for
U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts
towards ceasefire on the Cambodia
Thailand border, with vice-president
of the Cambodian Buddhist Monk Council,
Ven. Chhoeng Bunchhea, saying ''70,000
Cambodian Buddhist monks wholeheartedly
support U.S. President Donald Trump
nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize
in recognition of his historic contribution
to advancing world peace.''
Cambodian Buddhist Monk Council,
Ven. Chhoeng Bunchhea, said that
Buddhist monks are grateful to U.S.
President Donald Trump for his role
in mediating a ceasefire between
Cambodia and Thailand, saying ''the
people of both Thailand and Cambodia
deserve to live in peace and without
fear.''
Phnom Penh Buddhist Monk Khem Sorn
said the Buddhist march on Phnom
Penh stopping at the U.S. embassy
was intended to support the Cambodia
Prime Minister Hun Manet nomination
of U.S. President Donald Trump for
the Nobel Peace Peace Prize, saying
''we want to live side by side with
Thailand as a good neighbour living
with unity and peace with each other.''
' Cambodian Buddhists appeal to
all Buddhist countries, especially
Thailand, to seek peaceful coexistence.''
he said.
He said that if any side wishes
to continue fighting, that is their
choice saying ''but for Cambodians,
especially the monks who follow
Buddhism, our spirit is to protect
peace.''
Cambodia and Thailand reached a
border peace agreement at the four-day
General Border Committee (GBC) meeting
in Kuala Lumpur that ended , with
the Interim Observer Team (IOT)
that includes the ASEAN Defense
Attaché Observer Group (Interim)
to observe the implementation of
the border ceasefire agreement effective
midnight July 29, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump urged
Cambodia and Thailand to immediately
and unconditionally cease fire on
the border to prevent further casualties
ahead of the meeting in Kuala Lumpur
after ceasefire effective midnight
July 29 saying ''when all is done,
and peace is at hand, I look forward
to concluding our tariff agreements
with Cambodia and Thailand.''
The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco
Rubio, said U.S. applauded the ceasefire
declaration between Cambodia and
Thailand announced In Kuala Lumpur,
saying ''we are grateful to Prime
Minister Anwar Ibrahim for his leadership
and for hosting the ceasefire talks.''
"President Trump and I are
committed to an immediate cessation
of violence and expect the governments
of Cambodia and Thailand to fully
honour their commitments to end
this conflict,'' he said.
The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco
Rubio, said the United states will
remain committed to and engaged
in the U.S. and Malaysia
organised process to end the Cambodia
and Thailand border conflict with
Malaysia Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim,
ASEAN chair for 2025 saying that
Malaysia stands ready to coordinate
an observer team to verify and ensure
the implementation of ceasefire
on the Cambodia and Thailand border.
''Malaysia will also consult with
fellow ASEAN members states to participate
in the observation effort, reflecting
a regional commitment to supporting
peace on the ground,'' said the
joint statement.
The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco
Rubio said "we urge all parties
to follow through on their commitments,''
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Muslim
Mindanao bans military
from attending decommissioning
activities with Philippine
government
|
|
|
|
|
Moro
Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF), chair
Murad Ebrahim bans
MILF commanders from
attending or participating
in unilateral normalization
activities with the
Philippine government
Sunday August 17,
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, August 19: The southern
Philippines Mindanao secessionist
movement, the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF), who signed a Comprehensive
Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB),
the Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao (ARMM, with the Philippine
government in 2014, banned MILF
commanders from attending or participating
in unilateral normalization activities
with the Philippine government,
reports the Philippine Inquirer.
''Effective immediately, front
commander, base commander, designated
deputy commanders or heads of
other line agencies and their
representatives shall not participate
in any decommissioning or normalization
activities unilaterally organized
by the national government and
the Office of the Philippines
Presidential Adviser on Peace,
Reconciliation and Unity (Opapru)
without authorization from the
MILF,'' said Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF) chairman, Murad Ebrahim
on Sunday.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF) chairman, Murad Ebrahim,
said MILF commanders were banned
from participating in any decommissioning
or normalization activities after
the MILF July 19 resolution to
suspend the fourth and final phase
of the decommissioning process
until the socioeconomic benefits
promised until the peace agreement
is fulfilled.
He said that 26,145 MILF combatants
have been decommissioned, or 65
percent of the 40,000-strong MILF
forces, saying ''of the 26,145
MILF members not a single one
has successfully undergone transition
to productive civilian life.''
''Other interventions for decommissioning
were not providing except for
P100,000 per combatant,'' he said.
He said that there should be some
showing of substantial compliance
with the socioeconomic interventions
for combatants profiled for decommissioning
under the Annex on Normalization,
saying ''Section C Item 9 of the
Annex on Normalization states
that the decommissioning of MILF
forces shall be parallel and commensurate
with the implementation of the
agreements of the parties.''
In March 2014 the Philippine government
and the southern Philippines Mindanao
secessionist movement, the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front (MILF),
signed a Comprehensive Agreement
on the Bangsamoro (CAB), the Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM,
agreement to the surrender of
weapons in exchange for an agreement
on wealth and power sharing in
the Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao (ARMM).
Agreement for the administration
of the Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao (ARMM) by Muslims was
reached at the 32 second round
of talks between Philippine government
and Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF) representatives in Kuala
Lumpur in October 2012.
The agreement allowed for the
establishment of a 15-member Transition
Commission that would thresh out
the details of the preliminary
agreement and draft a law creating
the new Muslim autonomous region
that would be administered by
Muslims.
The parties agreed that the status
quo is was unacceptable and sought
the creation of a new Muslim autonomous
region called the ''Bangsamoro”
to replace that which now exists
and which was created in 1989.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| King
of Malaysia orders Ministry
of Defence to cancel
procurement of Black
Hawk helicopters |
|
|
|
|
King
Sultan Ibrahim, Head
of State of Malaysia,,
the Supreme Commander-in-Chief
of the Malaysian Armed
Forces, centre, at
the at the 60th Anniversary
Parade of Rejimen
Gerak Khas at Kem
Iskandar on Saturday
August 16, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, August 18: The Head
of State of Malaysia, King Sultan
Ibrahim, has ordered the Ministry
of Defence to cancel the procurement
of four Black Hawk helicopters from
Malaysian Aerotree Defence and Services
Sdn Bhd, warning the ministry not
to repeat its past mistakes in procurement
of defence aircraft, reports the
Star.
''The Black Hawk helicopters are
over 30 years old,'' said King Sultan
Ibrahim, who is also the Supreme
Commander-in-Chief of the Malaysian
Armed Forces, at the 60th Anniversary
Parade of Rejimen Gerak Khas at
Kem Iskandar on Saturday.
''Do we want to place our pilots
in flying coffins?,'' he asked.
King Sultan Ibrahim, reminded the
Ministry of Defence not to repeat
past mistakes in the procurement
of defence aircraft citing the procurement
of 88 surplus Vietnam War-era SkyHawk
aircraft in 1984, designed by the
American Douglas Aircraft company
for the US Navy and Marine Corps
in 1952.
''Used aircraft could endanger the
lives of pilots and military personnel,''
he said.
The procurement of 40 of 88 surplus
SkyHawk helicopters under the administration
of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
were modified for Malaysia to serve
Royal Malaysian Air Force squadrons
for ground attack and support missions,
with the remaining SkyHawk helicopters
left in storage or dismantled for
spare parts.
King Sultan Ibrahim urged the Ministry
of Defence to prioritise the quality
of defence assets by scrutinising
proposed deals thoroughly, warning
against simply following the suggestions
of agents, saying ''the Ministry
of Defence is full of agents or
ex-generals turned salesmen.''
''Even textile traders are trying
to sell drones,'' he said.
King Sultan Ibrahim, ordered the
Malaysia Defence Ministry to cancel
the lease of four 30 year-old Black
Hawk helicopters from the Malaysian
Aerotree Defence and Services Sdn
Bhd after the company failed to
meet the delivery date in October
2024.
The four Black Hawk helicopters
from Malaysian Aerotree Defence
and Services Sdn Bhd, were to be
leased to the
Ministry of Defence for five years
at a cost of RM187 million (US$44.4
million.)
''The procurement of defence assets
that were exorbitant in price or
irrelevant to the needs of the armed
forces was a waste of public funds,''
said King Sultan Ibrahim.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Chinese
vessels collide in
disputed South China
Sea in confrontation
with Philippines Coast
Guard vessels
|
|
|
|
|
The
collision of the Chinese
Jiangdao-class coast
guard cutter (3104),
right, with the Chinese
war ship People’s
Liberation Army Navy
Type 052D guided-missile
destroyer (164), right,
in the West Philippine
Sea in the disputed
South China Sea on
Monday August 11,
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Manila, August 17: The collision
of a China Coast Guard vessel with
a China war ship in the West Philippine
Sea in the disputed South China
Sea while manoeuvring between Philippine
Coast Guard vessels near Scarborough
Shoal, has left the China Coast
Guard vessel that accidently struck
the China war ship unseaworthy,
with China Coast Guard spokesperson,
confirming that a confrontation
took place on Monday, reports the
Philippine Inquirer.
China Coast Guard spokesperson,
Gan Yu, said that a confrontation
between the China Coast Guard Vessels
and the Philippine Coast Guard vessels
took place without acknowledging
the collision, saying ''the Philippine
vessels intruded into the disputed
South China Sea.''
''The China Coast Guard took necessary
measures in accordance with the
law, including monitoring and blocking
and controlling the Philippine vessels
to drive them away,'' he said.
Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson,
for the West Philippine Sea, Commodore,
Jay Tarriela, said ''the damage
to the China Coast Guard Vessel
after it struck the Chinese war
ship was so severe that it left
the Chinese coast guard vessel unseaworthy.''
He said the Chinese coast guard
vessel collided with the Chinese
war ship guided-missile destroyer
while in pursuit of the Philippine
Coast Guard vessel, the Suluan and
the Teresa Magbanua, saying ''the
Philippine Coast Guard vessels were
delivering fuel and supplies to
about 35 Filipino fishing boats
near Scarborough Shoal.''
He said the Philippine Coast Guard
vessels and fishermen encountered
hazardous maneuvers and blocking
actions from the Chinese vessels,
saying ''the Philippine Coast Guard
vessel the Suluan was targeted with
a water cannon.''
''The Philippine Coast Guard seamanship
skills allowed the vessel to avoid
the water cannon,'' he said.
The Philippine Foreign Ministry
describes the collision between
two Chinese navy ships in the West
Philippine Sea in the disputed South
China during a Philippine coast
guard vessel mission to Filipino
fisherman in the Scarborough Shoal
on Monday, ''as dangerous manoeuvres
and unlawful interference by Chinese
vessels.''
"Their actions not only posed
a grave danger to Philippine personnel
and vessels, but also resulted in
the unfortunate collision between
the two Chinese vessels," said
Philippine Foreign Minister Maria
Theresa Lazaro.
The confrontation of the Chinese
Coast Guard with the Philippine
Coast Guard vessels in the disputed
South China Sea began on June 17,
2024 two days after the enforcement
of new regulations by the China
Communist Party (CCP) authorising
the Chinese Coast Guard to intercept
and detain foreign vessels and crews
allegedly trespassing in the South
China Sea.
The new regulation allowed the China
Coast Guards vessels to detain alleged
trespassers for 60 days and use
force against foreign ships in waters
claimed by China in the disputed
South China Sea
In July 2016 the Arbitration Court
in the Hague ruled in favour of
the Philippines against China's
claim of historic rights over the
South China Sea that includes the
West Philippine Sea.
China reportedly claimed that the
Arbitration tribunal made an illegal
and invalid final verdict on the
South China Sea dispute, with China
Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lu Kang
saying then that the dispute was
not covered by U.N. Convention on
the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) because
it was ultimately a matter of sovereignty
not exploitation rights.
The China Foreign Ministry spokesman
said then that "China's position
of neither accepting nor participating
in the arbitration unilaterally
initiated by the Philippines remains
unchanged".
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Malaysia
military and civilians
arrested for smuggling
goods from neighbouring
Southeast Asian countries
|
|
|
|
|
The
Malaysian Anti-Corruption
Commission (MACC)
arrested a smuggling
syndicate including
five Malaysian Armed
Forces (ATM) officers
and five civilians
in raid under 'Op
Sohor' on premises
in the Klang Valley
on Wednesday, August
14, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, August 16: The Malaysian
Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)
has arrested a smuggling syndicate
including Malaysian Armed Forces
(ATM) officers, involved in simporting
contraband goods from neighbouring
Southeast Asian countries, with
the MACC saying '' the Malaysian
Armed Forces (ATM) officers are
suspected of providing sensitive
military information to criminal
networks,'' on Thursday, reports
the Star.
''The Malaysian Anti-Corruption
Commission (MACC) arrested five
senior Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM)
officers including two former officers
and five civilians aged between
30 and 55 in raids on premises in
the Klang Valley in collaboration
with the Royal Malaysian Police
(PDRM) under 'Op Sohor' on Wednesday.
More than RM63,000 in cash, packages
of drugs, weighing and measuring
instruments, liquor and imitation
firearms were seized in the raid
under 'Op Sohor' on Wednesday.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission
(MACC) Chief Commissioner Azam Baki
said at a press briefing on Thursday
''the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM)
officers were supposed to safeguard
national security and share information
with other enforcement agencies.''
''If it is true that the Malaysian
Armed Forces (ATM) officer leaked
operational details, this could
seriously compromise enforcement
efforts,'' he said.
He said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption
Commission (MACC) investigation
of the five senior Malaysian Armed
Forces (ATM) officers and five
civilians is centred on corruption,
abuse of power, and money laundering,
saying ''the syndicate’s
activities spanned locations from
the Strait of Malacca down to
Johor.''
Five senior Malaysian Armed Forces
(ATM) officers, two online media
journalists, a company manager
and an administrative assistant
at the Malaysian Medical Association
(MMA) and a foreign woman are
on remand on suspicion of involvement
in a smuggling syndicate operating
in Malaysia.
He said that two of five Malaysian
Armed Forces (ATM) officers in
remand are former officers, saying
''all the Malaysian Armed Forces
(ATM) officers have received bribes
between RM30,000 and RM50,000
per smuggling operation.''
Authorities estimate the syndicate
moved contraband good ranging
from narcotics and illicit cigarettes
and other restricted items worth
up to RM5 million monthly.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption
Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner
Azam Baki said ''several of those
on remand are suspected drug traffickers,''
saying ''the Royal Malaysia Police
Narcotics Criminal Investigation
Department (JSJN) had taken action
against the alleged drug traffickers.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Australia's
strategic investment
in PNG Lombrum Naval
Base to support Pacific
Maritime Security
Program
|
|
|
|
|
Defence
Minister Richard Marles
hands back the Papua
New Guinea Lombrum
Naval Base on Manus
Island to the Papua
New Guinea Defence
Force (PNGD) at a
ceremony attended
by Papua New Guinea
Prime Minister James
Marape on Tuesday
August 12, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Port Moresby, August 15: Australia's
Minister of Defence handed back
the Papua New Guinea Lombrum Naval
Base on Manus Island to the Papua
New Guinea Defence Force (PNGD)
in a ceremony on Manus Island on
Tuesday, with Australia's Deputy
Prime Minister, Defence Minister,
Richard Marles, saying ''the redevelopment
of the Lombrum Naval Base is a strategic
investment in the Pacific Maritime
Security Program, '' reports the
Australia Broadcasting Corporation.
Defence Minister Richard Marles
said the Australia and Papua New
Guinea joint initiative to redevelop
the Lombrum Naval Base supports
the Pacific Maritime Security Program,
saying ''at AU$500 million this
is the biggest infrastructure project
that Australia has ever undertaken
in the Pacific."
''But ultimately we're really pleased
with what has been delivered,''
he said.
"What we have constructed here
is a base that's a great asset for
Papua New Guinea, an asset that
can also be used by Australia,''
he said.
''This is a really big strategic
step for Australia,'' he said.
The redevelopment of the Lombrum
Naval Base that began in 2021 to
support the Pacific Maritime Security
Program includes the provision of
four Guardian class patrol boats
including operational facilities
to the Papua New Guinea Defence
Force (PNGDF), the provision of
electrical generation services,
water and sewerage services on Manus
Island, training facilities and
accommodation for Papua New Guinea
Defence Force (PNGDF).
The Lombrum Naval Base was administered
by Australia under a League of Nations
mandate from World War I, through
the formation of the Papua New Guinea
Defence Force (PNGDF) in 1973 and
independence in 1975.
"This place at the end of the
second World War was one of the
largest US naval bases outside of
the United States," said Australia's
Defence Minister, Richard Marles.
He said that it was always understood
then that Lombrum Naval Base on
Manus Island was the gateway to
the Western Pacific, saying ''and
we've always understood this.''
''The Lombrum Naval Base is a really
strategically significant place
for Australia and obviously Papua
New Guinea, he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| Launch
of Indonesian National
History book postponed
with calls for cancellation
of project |
|
|
|
|
Indonesian
Culture Minister Fadli
Zon at a public forum
on the Indonesian
National History book
project at the University
of Indonesia in Jakarta
on Friday July 25,
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Jakarta, August 14: The proposed
launch of the 10-volume Indonesian
National History book project
Indonesia's Independence Day on
Sunday, was postponed to November
10 to coincide with Indonesia's
National Heroes Day, with Indonesia
Culture Ministry, saying ''the
launch was postponed to give more
time to perfect the draft,'' and
with Human Rights Resource Centre
for ASEAN (HRRC) calling for cancellation
of the Indonesian National History
book, saying, ''the National History
book project is an attempt to
sanitise the past,'' reports the
Jakarta Post.
''The Indonesian National History
book may require two or three
more public discussions before
publication,'' he said.
He said that the Culture Ministry
organised public discussion of
the Indonesian National History
book project with the University
of Indonesia’s Department
of History on July 25.
The Ministry has also organised
public discussion at the State
University of Padang in West Sumatra,
Lambung Mangkurat University in
Kalimantan and the State University
of Makassar in Sulawesi,'' he
said.
''We will continue public discussions
with other history enthusiasts
and historians,'' he said.
On Monday the Commission for Missing
Persons and Victims of Violence
(Kontras), coordinator, Dimas
Bagus Arya, called on the Ministry
of Culture to cancel the National
History book project, claiming
''the National History book is
an attempt by current Indonesian
President, Prabowo Subianto, who
was the former Minister of Defence
and a former commander in the
Special Detachment 88 anti-terror
squad in President Suharto's New
Order regime ''to attempt to manipulate
history.''
''We stand by our initial stance
to cancel the project, not just
because of its lack of transparency
but also for its attempt to manipulate
history,'' said coordinator Dimas
Bagus Arya.
Human Rights Resource Centre for
ASEAN (HRRC) director general,
Marzuki Darusman, and lawyer who
represents the Indonesian Historical
Transparency Alliance that includes
activists and historians against
the
attempt to sanitise the past in
the proposed National History
book has called on Indonesian
President, Prabowo Subianto, to
cancel the project, saying ''the
National History book project
is an attempt to sanitise the
past,''
''We accept this postponement
only as a step towards the project’s
complete cancellation by the government,”
he said.
In November 2024 the Commission
for Missing Persons and Victims
of Violence (Kontras) coordinator,
Dimas Bagus Arya, petitioned the
People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) to examine the plan to award
the title of national hero to
former President Suharto under
the Law on Titles, Medals and
Honors.''
He said that the examination must
be based primarily on a sense
of justice and humanity, saying
''the title of national hero can
only be awarded to people who
have integrity.''
"We looked at a number of
facts and also the crimes committed
by Suharto during his 32-year-old
leadership ranging from gross
human rights violations and also
state violence, the practice of
corruption, collusion and nepotism,
the crime of murder and crimes
against the environment and agrarian
reform", he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| Myanmar's
Rakhine State Arakan
Army will not vote in
Myanmar military elections
in December |
|
|
|
|
Khaing
Thukha, spokesperson
of the Arakan Army
(AA) military wing
of the United League
of Arakan (ULA) in
Rakhine state in western
Myanmar, at a press
conference on Monday
August 11, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Naypyitaw, August 13: The Arakan
Army (AA), the military wing of
the United League of Arakan (ULA)
in Rakhine state in western Myanmar
will not vote in the Armed Forces
(Tatmadaw) of Myanmar election
in December, says Arakan Army
(AA) spokesperson Khaing Thukha,
reports the Irrawaddy
Arakan Army (AA) spokesperson,
Khaing Thukha, said the Arakan
Army will not vote in the Armed
Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar elections
in territories under the United
Nationalities Alliance (UNA),
coalition of Ethnic Armed Organizations,
(EAOs).
''We will not let the election
be held in the territories that
we control,'' he said.
Arakan Army (AA) spokesperson
Khaing Thukha said ''the Ethnic
Armed Organizations, (EAOs) have
liberated 14 of 17 of Rakhine
State townships including Paletwa
Township in neighbouring Chin
State,'' saying ''the Arakan Army
(AA) are fighting Armed Forces
(Tatmadaw) of Myanmar in Kachin
and Shan states on the Myanmar
China border.''
He said that the Armed Forces
(Tatmadaw) of Myanmar declaration
of martial law would not affect
the Ethnic Armed Organizations,
(EAOs) goal of capturing all the
townships in Rakhine State, saying
''intense clashes are going on
for control of the No. 32 Police
Battalion in Kyaukphyu Township.''
He said the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar is conducting artillery
attacks in Sittwe, Pauktaw, and
Ponnagyun townships, saying ''the
Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar
have destroyed over 11,000 buildings
in Rakhine State, including houses,
schools, and hospitals.
On August 1, 2025 the Armed Forces
(Tatmadaw) of Myanmar State Administration
Council (SAC) chairman Senior
General Min Aung Hlaing, announced
the Myanmar general elections
in December 2025, after delaying
the elections since the takeover
of the elected League for Democracy
(NLD) government and the declaration
of Martial Law on February 1,
2021,
''Anyone who orates, speaks, organizes,
incites, protests or distributes
letters to disrupt any part of
the electoral process shall be
punished with three years to 10
years in prison including a fine,''
he said
''Anyone who threatens, obstructs,
abuses or severely hurts any personnel
of the election commission, candidates
or voters could be sentenced to
three years to life in prison,''
he said.
''Whoever destroys or damages
any equipment or materials used
in elections, including ballot
papers, or any related building
or structure, could get five years
to life in prison,'' he said.
''If the action results in the
death of a person, each person
involved shall be sentenced to
death,'' states the new law.
''A security committees will be
formed to monitor the activities
of internal and international
organizations that may threaten
security during the election period,''
he said.
Arakan Army (AA) spokesperson
Khaing Thukha condemned the Armed
Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar in
April 2021 after the take over
of the elected League for Democracy
(NLD) government on February 2021,
saying then "the Armed Forces
(Tatmadaw) of Myanmar are killing
innocent civilians."
"It's time for ethnic armed
organisations to join hands to
protect civilians from the military
regime," he said.
He said then that innocent civilians
are being brutally shot and killed
by the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar, saying, "Arbitrary
arrests and looting of people’s
property are on the rise."
We strongly condemn the inhumane
acts of the Burmese army and police,”
he said
The
Southeast Asian Times
| Philippine
Ambassador to U.S. calls
on 300,000 undocumented
Filipinos to apply for
voluntary deportation |
|
|
|
|
Overseas
Filipino Workers and
migrant Filipinos
at the Philippine
Consulate in New York
call for the release
of 38 undocumented
Filipinos detained
by US Immigration
and Customs Enforcement
(ICE) Sunday July
27, 2025
|
|
From News Reports:
Manila, August 12: Philippine Ambassador
to the United States has called
on about 300,000 undocumented Filipinos
detained by the United States Immigration
and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to
apply for voluntary departure, saying
''undocumented Filipinos in the
U.S. should contact immigration
lawyers.'' with New York Philippine
Consular Office, saying ''there
is a backlog of Filipinos who have
applied for voluntary deportation,''
reports the Philippine Inquirer.
Philippine Ambassador to the United
States, Jose Manuel Romualdez, encouraged
Filipinos classified as non-citizens
to apply for voluntary departure,
saying ''the Philippine Embassy
in the U.S. is cooperating with
the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) in the deportation
of illegal Filipino immigrants,
saying ''undocumented Filipinos
in the US should be proactive and
contact immigration lawyers.''
He said that illegal Filipino
immigrants should contact immigration
lawyers saying, ''the Filipino-American
Lawyers Association has volunteered
to help our kababayan.''
''I think at the end of the day,
the laws of the United States
must be respected, just like we
expect U.S. citizens who come
to the Philippines to respect
our laws,'' he said.
He said a large number of Filipinos
are concentrated on the West Coast
of the U.S. in California, saying
''we do have some Filipino's here
on the East Coast.
New York Consular consul Rovald
Valdez, of the Assistance to Nationals
(ATN) said that the consulate
is processing the travel documents
of two Filipino's, saying ''the
Consulate is awaiting guidance
from the U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding
the status of their deportation.''
''There is a backlog of Filipino's
who have applied for voluntary deportation,''
he said.
He said an undocumented Filipino
detained in Massachusetts, is awaiting
deportation, saying ''the Filipino
was convicted in the U.S. of rape,
aggravated rape of a child, rape
of a child with force, four counts
of indecent assault and battery
on a child under 14, two counts
of indecent assault and battery
on a person over 14.''
''The consulate is also monitoring
the arrest of a Filipino in Los
Angeles by the Federal Bureau
of Investigation (FBI) on terror
charges for his alleged involvement
with ISIS,'' he said.
He said the Filipino green-card
holder was arrested for sending
money to self-identified ISIS
members.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| New
Zealand and Australia
want closer defence
cooperation in the Pacific
under ANZAC Treaty |
|
|
|
|
Australia
Prime Minister Anthony
Albanese, left, and
New Zealand Prime
Minister Christopher
Luxon, right, in Queenstown,
New Zealand after
bilateral leaders
meeting Saturday August
9, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
August 11: New Zealand and Australia
want closer defence cooperation
in the Pacific under the Australian
and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC)
Treaty that was founded in the First
World War, with New Zealand Prime
Minister saying he wants Australia
and New Zealand to operate as one
Australian and New Zealand Army
Corps (ANZAC) force on Saturday
at the bilateral leaders meeting
in Queenstown, New Zealand, reports
Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
New Zealand Prime Minister, Christopher
Luxon, and Australian Prime Minister
Anthony Albanese want closer defence
cooperation after Chinese Communist
Party (CCP) warships sailed east
of Sydney within Australia's EEZ
and into the Tasman Sea between
Australia and New Zealand in February.
New Zealand Prime Minister, Christopher
Luxon, said New Zealand wants Closer
Defence Cooperation with Australia,
saying ''Australia is New Zealand's
only ally.''
"The world seems really uncertain
and fractious, and actually, we
have no greater friend than Australia,''
he said.
''A big focus for us has been
inter- operability with Australia.
We want to be a force multiplier,''
he said.
He said New Zealand wanted one
ANZAC force operating within the
Pacific region.
New Zealand Prime Minister, Christopher
Luxon, and Australian Prime Minister
Anthony Albanese said ''Australia
and New Zealand face the most unpredictable
and dangerous strategic environment
in decades,'' saying ''the New Zealand
and Australian alliance is underpinned
by the ANZUS Treaty in protecting
and advancing our shared interests
in our region.''
Australia Prime Minister Anthony
Albanese said ''Australia and
New Zealand stand together, a
relationship going back to the
ANZAC's,''
New Zealand Prime Minister, Christopher
Luxon, and Australian Prime Minister
Anthony Albanese said ''the alignment
of Australia’s National Defence
Strategy and New Zealand’s
Defence Capability Plan, is a basis
to drive inter operability, saying
''to better position New Zealand
and Australia to promote our shared
security, deter actions inimical
to our interests, and respond with
decisive force if necessary.''
''Closer defence cooperation has
moved towards an increasingly
integrated ANZAC force including
star?ranked officer exchanges
and an increased tempo of exercises,
operations and presence together
in the Indo-Pacific region.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| The
Southeast Asian Times
wishes its readers
a happy Christmas
and all the best for
the New Year with
a special thankyou
to its treasured letter
writers |
|
|
| MEDIA CHECK |
| Cambodia-China Journalist Association
(CCJA)
launched
in
Phnom
Penh ...open
here |
|
|
|
Darwin
reporter
John Loizou
asks a
survivor
of the
1965 killings
in Bali
"why didn't
you try
to stop
them"
in "Remembering
the slaughter
in Paradise"
........open page here
|
|
| Kang-Fu
the Red
Kangaroo
is relentless
in his fight
to
protect
Australia's
sovereignity...Open
page
here | |
| Bombed
by
the Americans
for Christmas
in 1972,
Ha Noi Bach
Mai hospital
is still
a war zone...Christina
Pas
reports...Open
page
here | |
| Indigenous
Australians
in the northern
Queensland
town of
East Trinity
aim for
economic
independence
from
eco-cultural
tourism,
reports
Christine
Howes in
"Australian
indigenous
eco-cultural
tourism
venture
wins best
small project
national
award
"
...open
here
| |
| Kavi
Chongkittavorn
talks about
the UK
application
to become
an ASEAN
dialogue
partner
in "New
dynamics
of Aseans
external
ties,"
with consensus
yet to be
reached
on admitting
a
former
colonial
master of
four
ASEAN
member countries
into the
Southeast
Asian bloc....open
| |
| Esther
Samboh talks
about
the
choise between
thousands
dying
of
Covid-19
or from
hunger in
densely
populated
Jakarta
in the new
normal in
"Medics
dying, infections
soaring
- it's still
the economy"
...open
page
here | |
| Australian
reporter,
Chris Ray,
investigates
why Australia
dropped
five spots
in the World
Press Freedom
Index...open | |
| Read
what Son
Nguyen has
to say about
the impact
of China's
virus on
Vietnam's
economy
in
"When
the
economy
gets sick"
open
here | |
| Has
the ancient
Syrian city
of
Palmyra
suffered
a fatal
blow, or
will it
rise again?
asks Australian
reporter
Chris Ray...
Open
page
here | |
|
Darwin
reporter
John Loizou
asks a
survivor
of the
1965 killings
in Bali
"why
didn't
you try
to
stop
them"
in "Remembering
the slaughter
in
Paradise"
........open
page here
| |
| "Goodbye
America"
says B.A.
Hamzah as
he calls
for Asians
to determine
their own
political
destiny
in "Time
for Asia
to
set it's
own course,
minus the
U.S."...open
here | |
| Is
prescribed
burning
of
grasslands
in northern
Australia
out of control?
......Chris
Ray reports
...
open page
here | |
| "Rockefeller
and the
Demise of
Ibu
Pertiwi"
by Kerry
B. Collison
"is
undoubtedly
fictional
but by no
means improbable,
"
says Johannes
Nugroho
....open
page
here | |
Viet
Nam is
planning
to go nuclear
by the year
2020.reports
John
Loizou
in
"Calculating
the costs
of nuclear
energy in
Vietnam"
...open
page here
| |
|
The
founder
of the
Revolutionary
Front
of Independent
East Timor
(Fretilin),
Mari
Alkatiri,
the now
former
Prime
Minister
of Timor
Leste,
after
losing
the May
12, 2018
election
to the
National
Congress
for Timorese
Reconstruction
(CNRT)
party,
led by
Xanana
Gusmao,
has accused
the opposition
of a coup
attempt.
Twelve
years
ago Mari
Alkatiri
also accused
the opposition
of a coup
attemp
claiming
then that
the
crises
that led
to his
resignation
was the
result
of a conspiracy.
"I
have no
doubt
about
that"
he told
Darwin
reporter
John Loizou
in an
interview
in Dili
on 6 November
2006
......open
page here
| |
|
Cuba's
302
physicians
in East
Timor
work at
five hospitals
and remote
villages
throughout
the republic...writes
Darwin
reporter
John Loizou
...open
page here
| |
| Benedict
Anderson,
a man
without
a country,
dies in
Indonesia
Jeet Heer
reports.....open
page
here | |
|
Thousands
of Northern
Australia's
indigenous
rock art
sites
are under
threat
from buffalo,
fire and
feral
animals.
Tim Lee
reports
........open
page here
| |
| Copy
of
letter
29 May 2012
from Vietnam
Womens Union
to
International
Olympic
Committee...open
here | |
| The
Southeast
Asian Times
wishes its
readers
a
happy
Christmas
and all
the best
for the
New Year
with a special
thankyou
to its treasured
letter
writers
| |
| The
Southeast
Asian
Times
wishes
its readers
a happy
Christmas
and all
the best
for the
New Year
with a
special
thankyou
to its
treasured
letter
writers
|
|
Published
by Pas Loizou Press
Darwin Northern
Territory
Australia
PASLOIZOUPRESSDARWIN@bigpond.com
|
The
Southeast
Asian
Times cannot
be
bought
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Oz $ buys
|
|
Updated
daily.
Prices indicative only
|
US...0.7582
Brunei...1.0310
Cambodia...3,115.36
China..Yuan..5,0710
East Timor...0.7582
Euro..0.6794
HongsKong...5.8808
Indonesia Rupiah.9,997.47
Japan..78.8528
Laos..6,140.58
Malaysia Ringgit.....3.0900
Myanmar..923.19
Viet Nam Dong..16,849.44
Singapore
properties listed for sale in Myanmar
From News Reports:
Yangon, November 25: Singapore's largest property developer, the
Far East Organization, is to partner with Myanmar's property sales and marketing company, Min Zin Agency, in
Yangon to sell condos in Singapore.
Managing director of the Min Zin Agency in Yangon, Ko Kyaw Min
Zin, said that Singapore's Far East Organization has expanded
its sales and marketing efforts into Myanmar.
“The Far East Organisation has been selling their Singapore properties
to Myanmar buyers since 2009,” he said.
The Far East Organisation reportedly have over 750 properties
in Singapore’s residential, hospitality, retail, commercial and
industrial sectors,
including 45,500 or one in every six private homes in Singapore
listed with the Min Zin Agency in Yangon.
The Southeast
Asian Times
China to invest in rail and road construction
in Indonesia
From News Reports:
Jakarta, November 10: Indonesia's Railway
Corporation (PT KAI) and state construction company PT Jasa Marga
signed a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with China Investment Fund (CIF) to develop indonesia's
railway services and toll road construction.
Witness to the signing, coordinating Minister for the Economy
Sofyan Djalil, said that the MoU will provide the groundwork for
further cooperation between China Railway and P KAI and China
Investment Fund (CIF).
"The MoU is the first step towards further development of public
services between China and Indonesia" he said.
Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia, Xie Feng said that the MoU would
spark more cooperations between China and Indonesia and would
bring about "real benefits to the public."
The Southeast Asian Times
Penang health department
shuts down soya bean factory
From News Reports:
Penang, October 19:
Five Penang food factories including a 100 year old
soya bean factory at Tanjong Bungah were ordered closed
by the state health department for failure to observe health
standards.
State health, food safety and quality
division, deputy director Ku Nafishah Ku Ariffin
said soya bean products were processed in an unclean
"rusty and moldy kitchen".
"Our inspectors found
that wet products were left to dry on "dirty" bamboo
sticks along with bathing towels. The bamboo sticks
were also dirty and dusty," she said.
A "sweets"
factory in Teluk Kumbar, a noodle factory in Simpang
Ampat and a sauce factory in Bukit Metajam were also
closed by the state health department
The Southeast Asian
Times
Fuel smugglers including military personnel
under arrest
From News Reports:
Jakarta, September 15: Riau Islands Police have arrested
30 suspects including several Indonesian Military
(TNI) personnel and seized 64 cars, two boats and
106 tons of fuel.
Riau Islands Police chief Brig.
Gen. Arman Depary said in Batam last week that the
seized cars had been modified to hold 100 litres of
fuel.
"The Military (TNI) personnel are suspected
of fuel smuggling and have been handed over to the
military base", he said.
TNI Commander Gen.
Moeldoko said that the alleged suspected fuel
smugglers are honor-based service military personnel.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Thai coup blammed for fall in tourist
arrivals
From News Reports:
Bangkok, August 18: The Thai tourism sector suffered its largest
fall in international visitors to Thailand in June, the
first month after the establishment of marshal law
and the military seizure of the Yingluck Shinawatra
government.
Tourism reportedly accounts for 10
percent of the Thai economy.
Data from the Thai
Department of Tourism shows that inernational
tourist arrival numbers in July fell by 10.9 percent compared
to the same time last year.
International arrivals in July totalled 1.91 million compared
to 2.15 million in July 2013.
Arrivals
from China with a18 percent share of all visitors to
thailand and the largest group of visitors to Thailand, fell by
25.3 percent.
Arrivals from the United
Kingdom with a 4 percent share of all visitors to
Thailand, was one of the few large markets to record
a gain, of 6.2 percent
The Southeast Asian
Times
US Senate approves sales of nuclear
equipment to Vietnam
From News Reports:
Hanoi, July 31: The US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
passed legislation approving a 123 agreement on
civil nuclear commerce with Vietnam at a business
meeting of the committee last week.
The 123
agreement under the US Atomic energy Act of 1954 establishes
a civil nuclear commerce agreement that allows the US to
export nuclear reactors, research information and
equipment to Vietnam.
The civil nuclear commerce
agreement between the US and Vietnam is "part of
Vietnam's effort to ease its shortage of energy
towards meeting over 10 percent of the domestic power demand by
2030", reports the Vietnam News Service
The Southeast Asian
Times
Court for
construction
Industry
established
in Malaysia
From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, May 3: The first two
Construction Courts for Malaysia were opened by
Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria in Kuala Lumpur and
Shah Alam last week, reports the Star.
The courts
will deal with disputes in the construction industry.
Works Minister Datuk Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof said that the
establishment of the courts will transform the way
the construction business in the country
operates.
"The construction industry
stakerholders can now have their disputes resolved
by judges with expert knowledge and experience in
construction industry disputes', he said.
The
proposal by the Construction Industry Board (CIDB) for the
establishment of the construction courts was first put to the
Judiciary in January 2013.
Britain
is the only other country that has a specially designated
court that deals with construction industry disputes.
The
Southeast Asian Times
Bali communities want larger share of tourism revenue
From News Reports:
Denpasar, April 14: Bali
community-based tourism operators have called for
amendments to regulations that stipulate that the local
community pay the Bali regency administration 60 percent of their
total tourism revenue.
Penglipuran tourist village in Bangli, community-based tourism
manager, Nengah Moneng, said that he objected to the fact
that his community received only 40 percent of the
total revenue.
"We want to have 60 percent share
of the tourist revenue to pay for operating costs",
he said.
The Penglipuran tourism manager said
that operating costs for trekking, traditional
dance, cultural shows including religious rituals
had increased.
The cost of operating lodges and
community halls for tourism had also increased.
"An increase in revenue for not only the Bangli
community but for tourism based communities across
Bali would benefit tourism island-wide" said the
tourism manager.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Riau forest fires force
Chevron to shut down oil wells
From News Reports:
Jakarta, March 21: PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia (CPI), the
Indonesian subsidiary of US-based oil company
Chevron has shut down 573 oil wells in the Riau
province of Sumatra.
The deteriorating quality of
air due to forest fires that have been raging for
the last month has forced PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia
(CPI) to shut down its oil wells and evacuate workers and there
families.
Indonesia's upstream oil
and gas regulator, SKK Migas, public relations
officer, Handoyo Budi Santoso, said that oil assets
in Riau province are important to national crude oil production.
"The biggest production loss came from the shutdown
of Rokan block, operated by Chevron Pacific
Indonesia, the country's biggest producer of crude
oil production", he said
The Jakarta Posts
reports that potential losses are estimated at about
12,000 barrels of oil a day.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Sabah caters to influx of tourists from China
From News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur,
March 5:
The New Straits Times reports that there
was an 86 percent increase in tourist arrivals from
China
to Sabah in the last two years.
Data from the Sabah Tourism Board reportedly shows that
193,010 tourist tourists arrived in Sabah from China
in 2011 increasing to 360,361 in 2013
Sabah West Coast Coffeeshop Association chairman, Yong Chee Yun,
said coffee shop operators were catering to the
influx of tourists from China.
"Coffee shops displayed tourist friendly signs in Chinese
saying 'how are you?' and menues included China's favourite
foods", he said.
Sabah and Labuan
Chapter chairman of the Malaysian Association of
Hotels and general manager of the At Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru
Resort,
said that staff members are
encouraged to learn Mandarin.
"So that they can
converse better with guests" he said.
The Southeast Asian
Times
Pilots strike forces Merpati to cancel
flights
From News Reports:
Jakarta,January 29: A pilots strike forced State-owned PT Merpati
Nusantara Airlines to cancelled all scheduled flights
to Surabaya, Merauke and Timika on Saturday, reports
The Jakarta Post.
Merpati corporate secretary
Riswanto Chendra Putra said that the airline had not
paid salaries to pilots and cabin crew for two
months.
The Jakarta Post reports that PT Merpati
Nusantara Airlines was required to restructure its
operations.
Merpati corporate secretary Riswanto
Chendra Putra says that Merpati has signed a
memorndum of understanding (MoU) with PT Armagedon
Indonesia and PT Bentang Persada Gemilang to restructure the
company.
The airline has debts of Rp 6.5 trillion
(US$533 million) reports the Jakarta Post.
"The management would pay the salaries around March or
early April, said the Merpati corporate
secretary.
Merpati’s workers union advisory board
official, Erry Wardhana, said about 200 Merpati
pilots planned to strike again next Saturday for an
indefinite period.
"The pilots would strike until
1,600 Merpati employees were paid", he said.
The union advisory board official says that this is the
first time that Merpati workers have gone on strike
over unpaid wages.
The pilots are owed wages for
December and January reports the Jakarta
Post.
The
Southeast Asian Times
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