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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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Thailand
Constitutional Court
dismisses PM Paetongtarn
Shinawatra for lack
of unity between government
and military
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Constitutional
Court dismisses Thailand
Prime Minister Paetongtarn
Shinawatra from office
on Friday August 29,
2025
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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
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Thousands
of teenage Indonesian
students demand revokation
of housing allowance
for MP's
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Thousands
of teenage students
set fire to the Jakarta
police headquarters
on Friday August 29,
2025
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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
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Thailand
House Armed Forces
Committee summons
Royal Thai Army to
explain disappearance
of diesel fuel
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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
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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
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Iranian
Ambassador ordered
to leave Australia
for antisemitic arson
attacks in Melbourne
and Sydney
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Iranian
ambassador, Ahmad
Sadeghi, left, leaving
the Iranian Embassy
in Canberra, Australia
on Tuesday 20 August
2025
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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
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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
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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
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Cambodia
charges two Vietnamese
males with drug trafficking
and ammunition possession
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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
| Myanmar
and U.S. agree to rebuild
relationship after transfer
of military power to
civilian interim government
|
|
|
|
|
Signature
of the Armed Forces
(Tatmadaw) of Myanmar,
Ministry of Information
deputy permanent secretary,
Myint Kyaw, left,
and Defence Conseil
International (DCI)
Group Washington managing
director, Justin Peterson,
right, under the US
Foreign Agents Registration
Act (FARA) agreement
to rebuild Myanmar
relationship with
the U.S. effective
Thursday July 31,
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Naypyitaw, August 10: The ruling
Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar
that declared a state of emergency
after the take over of the elected
League for Democracy (NLD) government
on February 1, 2021, has hired
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, reports Irrawaddy.
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.
The Defence Conseil International
(DCI) group agreement with the
Myanmar Ministry of Information
(MOI) follows the dissolution
of the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar State Administration
Council (SAC) that was established
by the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar after the 2021 coup
d'état and replaced with
the State Security and Peace Commission'.after
the introduction of the "Law
on the Protection of Multiparty
Democratic Elections from Obstruction,
Disruption and Destruction.''
Defence Conseil International
(DCI) Group Washington managing
director, Justin Peterson, signed
the agreement under the US Foreign
Agents Registration Act (FARA),
with Myanmar Ministry of Information
(MOI) deputy permanent secretary
Win Kyaw Aung, signing the agreement
for the ruling Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar.
Defence Conseil International
(DCI) Group Washington managing
director, Justin Peterson, said
''the Defence Conseil International
(DCI) shall provide public affairs
service to the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar to rebuild relations
with the U.S. on trade, natural
resources and humanitarian relief.''
''The agreement will help the
long-time military-ruled country
rebuild relations with the U.S,''
he said.
Justice for Myanmar activist group,
claims that the hire by the Armed
Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar of
the Defence Conseil International
(DCI) Group under the US Foreign
Agents Registration Act (FARA)
is an attempt by the ruling Armed
Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar to
gain political legitimacy ahead
of the first general elections
since the 2021 coup d'état.
''We condemn the DCI Group's decision
to serve as an enabler for a junta
that is committing atrocities
with total impunity,'' said Justice
for Myanmar activist group.
Justice for Myanmar activist group
claims the ruling Armed Forces
(Tamadaw) of Myanmar Ministry
of Information deputy permanent
secretary Myint Kyaw who is representing
the ruling Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar is the Armed Forces
(Tatmadaw) of Myanmar deputy permanent
secretary of the Armed Forces
Tatmadaw True News Information
Team.
The Tatmadaw True News Information
Team served as the Armed Forces
(Tamadaw) of Myanmar primary communication
channel, disseminating statements,
managing media relations, and
addressing allegations against
the military.
The Armed Forces (Tamadaw) of
Myanmar team was reportedly crucial
in shaping the Tatmadaw's narrative
after the February1, 2021 coup
d'état.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Cambodia and Thailand
reach
border peace agreement
|
|
|
|
|
Cambodian
Defence Minister Tea
Seiha, second left,
Malaysian Prime Minister
Anwar Ibrahim, centre,
Thailand Deputy Defence
Minister Nattaphon
Narkphanit, second
from right, at the
four-day General Border
Committee (GBC) meeting
in Kuala Lumpur that
ended on Thursday
August 8, 2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, August 9: Cambodia and
Thailand reached a border peace
agreement at the four-day General
Border Committee (GBC) meeting
in Kuala Lumpur that ended on
Thursday, 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,
reports the Bangkok Post.
Cambodia Minister of National
Defence, Tea Seiha and Thailand
acting Defence Minister Nattaphon
Narkphanit, signed the border
ceasefire agreement that requires
the Interim Observer Team (IOT)
that includes the ASEAN Defense
Attaché Observer Group
(Interim), Malaysia, Indonesia,
Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines,
Singapore, Vietnam, led by Mlaysia
Defence Attaché Observer
to be established separately and
independently on both sides of
the Cambodia and Thailand border.
The 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 agreement states that no military
movements including patrols towards
the position on the other side
should be made, saying ''Both
Cambodia and Thailand agree not
to increase forces along the entire
Cambodia Thailand border.''
''Any reinforcement would heighten
tensions and negatively affect
long-term efforts to resolve the
situation,'' the agreement says.
Cambodia and Thailand agreed not
to enter the others air space
and territory or position and
refrain from constructing or enhancing
any military infrastructure or
fortifications beyond their own
side.
''Both sides agree not to use
any kind of force against civilians
and civilian objects in all circumstances,''
the agreement says.
Cambodia and Thailand are required
to immediately release and repatriate
captured soldiers after the cessation
of active hostilities in accordance
with Article 118 of the Third
Geneva Convention of 1949 and
Rule 128 (A) of the Customary
International Humanitarian Law.
Cambodia Minister of National
Defence, Tea Seiha and Thailand
acting Defence Minister Nattaphon
Narkphanit, agreed to hold a
Regional Border Committee (RBC)
meeting in the next two weeks
and to maintain regular direct
lines of communication between
defence ministers and chiefs of
all defence forces.
Cambodia and Thailand agreed to
refrain from the dissemination
of false information in order
mitigate negative public sentiment
and foster an environment conducive
to peaceful dialogue.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| Official
visit of King of Malaysia
to Russia reaffirms
role of Malaysian monarchy
as Head of State |
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Malaysia's
King Sultan Ibrahim,
left, Russian President
Vladimir Putin, right,
meet at the Kremlin
in Moscow on August
6, 2025.
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From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, August 8: The inaugural
visit of the King of Malaysia, Sultan
Ibrahim, to Russia at the invitation
of President Vladimir Putin, began
on Monday with Malaysia Prime Minister
Anwar Ibrahim, saying ''the official
visit to Russia
of the King of Malaysia reaffirms
the role of Malaysia's monarchy
as the Head of State,'' reports
Bernama.
''The five-day official visit reaffirms
the role of the King of Malaysia,
Sultan Ibrahim, as Head of State
and as a respected pillar of national
diplomacy,'' he said.
Malaysian Prime Minister, Anwar
Ibrahim, said ''the official visit
of the Head of State, King Sultan
Ibrahim, enhances Malaysia’s
image as a neutral, open, and progressive
nation on the global stage,'' saying
''King Sultan Ibrahim's visit to
Russian is a very historic and significant
event.''
''King Sultan Ibrahim is the first
Malaysian Head of State to set foot
in Russia for a state visit since
diplomatic relations between Malaysia
and Russia were established in 1967,''
he said.
''The official visit of King Sultan
Ibrahim to Russia reflects the role
of the Malaysian monarchy as a symbol
of national unity and a strategic
contributor to strengthening Malaysia’s
international relations,'' he said.
He said Malaysia has the potential
to attract direct investment in
energy, aerospace, defence, and
agriculture under the Malaysia MADANI
Economic Outlook that states, ''The
Ekonomi MADANI framework will continue
to serve as our guiding
blueprint for economic policies
and reforms. By fostering a competitive
and innovative economy, improving
public sector efficiency and promoting
social equity, we aim to create
a prosperous future for all Malaysians.
The collective efforts of the Government,
private sector and rakyat are paramount
towards realising this vision.''
The Malaysian Defence Minister,
Khaled Nordin, Malaysian Foreign
Ministry secretary-general Amran
Mohamad Zin and the Malaysian Ambassador
to Russia Datuk Cheong Loon Lai
accompanied the King of Malaysia,
Sultan Ibrahim, on the state visit
to Russia.
In October 2024 Malaysia Minister
for Economics, Rafizi Ramli, said
at the BRICS Summit held in Kazan,
Russia in October 22-October 24.
2024, ''we see tremendous synergies
between ASEAN and BRICS.''
On January 1, 2025 Brazil, Russia,
India, China and South Africa (BRICS)
added Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan,
Nigeria, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and
the Association of South East Asian
Nations (ASEAN) member Malaysia,
Thailand, and Vietnam as a BRICS
Partner Country, with ASEAN member,
Indonesia, becoming a full member
of BRICS.
He said that barriers to obtaining
development finances and a growing
global debt were reasons for joining
the intergovernmental grouping BRICS,
saying ''for Malaysia, BRICS is
not just a rejection of these constraints,
but it is also a solution.''
''Malaysia’s decision to join
BRICS was not meant to reject American
currency but instead aimed at reducing
the risk of Malaysian ringgit instability,''
he said.
United States President Donald Trump
declared 'BRICS is dead,' at the
prospect of BRICS establishing its
own currency,
saying "there is no chance
that BRICS will replace the U.S.
Dollar in International Trade, or
anywhere else, and any country that
tries should say hello to tariffs,
and goodbye to America!''
''We are going to require a commitment
from these seemingly hostile Countries
that they will neither create a
new BRICS Currency, nor back any
other Currency to replace the mighty
U.S. Dollar or, they will face 100
percent Tariffs," he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| King
of Cambodia empowers
former PM Hun Sen to
protect sovereignty
at General Border Meeting
in Malaysia |
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Prime
Minister of Cambodia
Hun Manet, left, former
Prime Minister of
Cambodia and chairman
Supreme Consultative
Council, Hun Sen,
centre, and King Norodom
Sihamoni of Cambodia,
right, in Phnom Penh
Monday August 4, 2025
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From
News Reports:
Phnom Penh, August 7: King Norodom
Sihamoni of Cambodia issued a royal
decree that empowers former Prime
Minister Hun Sen, a five star general
and chairman of the Supreme Advisory
Council to the King, to coordinate
directly with current Prime Minister
Hun Manet to uphold national sovereignty
ahead of the three day General Border
Meeting (GBC) in Kuala Lumpur, and
against the Thailand argument that
former Prime Minister Hun Sen's
involvement in military affairs
breach's Cambodian constitution
limits, reports Phnom Penh Post.
''I hereby grant the authority to
Hun Sen, chairman of the Supreme
Advisory Council, to liaise with
Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the
Kingdom of Cambodia, on all matters
relating to military affairs, national
defence, the protection of national
sovereignty and the defence of Cambodia’s
territorial integrity,'' said King
Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia.
Thailand Thammasat University Associate
Professor Parinya Thevanaruemitkul,
argues that former Cambodia Prime
Minister Hun Sen and current Cambodia
Prime Minister Hun Manet are violating
their own constitution, saying ''the
Kingdom of Cambodia follows a policy
of peaceful co-existence with its
neighbours and with all other countries
throughout the world,'' and that
''former prime minister Hun Sen
has used an outdated map that encroaches
on Thailand territory.''
Former prime minister of Cambodia
dismissed the allegation made by
the Thailand academic saying ''don't
question my involvement in national
defence, saying ''I have every right,
as a Cambodian citizen, to defend
my country from aggressors.''
''My advisory role to the King includes
supporting the Royal Cambodia Armed
Forces,'' he said.
He said that he had not violated
the constitution saying he has served
as Prime Minister of Cambodia for
more than 38 years in the protection
of national sovereignty and the
defence of Cambodia’s territorial
integrity, saying ''there is no
power struggle between the Cambodian
government and the Royal Cambodia
Armed Forces.''
The three day General Border Meeting
(GBC) that was initiated by Malaysia,
ASEAN chair for 2025 began in Kuala
lumpur on Monday to arrive at Terms
of Reference for the deployment
of the ASEAN Defense Attaché
Observer Group (Interim) to observe
the implementation of the Cambodia
Thailand ceasefire agreement on
July 28, 2025.
General Border Meeting (GBC) began
on Monday with the border ceasefire
acknowledged by Cambodia and Thailand
and with Thailand Deputy Defence
Minister Gen Nattaphon Narkphanit
making an eight-point proposal to
maintain ceasefire on Tuesday.
''The eight-point proposal follows
the seven-point proposal agreed
by Cambodia and Thailand on Monday,''
he said.
On Wednesday Thailand Deputy Defence
Minister Gen Nattaphon Narkphanit
said that Cambodia did not put forward
many proposals to maintain ceasefire,
saying ''Cambodia wanted to hear
Thailand's proposal first.''
''The proposals will be cleared
for final approval if Cambdia agrees
to all eight proposals,'' he said.
Thailand Deputy Defence Minister
Gen Nattaphon Narkphanit said ''the
mutually agreed proposals to maintain
ceasefire on the Cambodia Thailand
border would be documents and the
remainder would be deferred to the
next General Border Meeting (GBC)
if only partial agreement is reached.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| Thailand
revokes Cambodia's Miss
Universe Thailand 2022
title for supporting
Cambodia in border conflict |
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Pich
Votey Saravody was
crowned 5th Runner-Up
in the Miss Grand
International (MGI)
2022 from contestants
in 68 countries and
territories at the
Sentul International
Convention Center
in West Java, Indonesia
on Tuesday October
25, 2022
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From
News Reports:
Phnom Penh, August 6: The Miss Universe
Thailand 2022 title held by Cambodian
beauty queen, Pich Votey Saravody,
and her right to participate in
the Miss Universe Thailand beauty
pageant 2025, was revoked by the
Miss Grand International Public
Company Limited (MGI) that is listed
on the Thailand Stock Exchange,
after receiving copyright to host
the Miss Universe Thailand (MUT)
pageant for five years on Monday,
with MGI CEO, Nawat Itsaragrisil,
saying ''the Cambodian beauty
queen has committed a serious violation
of the Miss Grand International
Public Company Limited (MGI) code
of ethics,'' reports Khmer Times.
Miss Grand International Public
Company Limited (MGI), CEO,
Nawat Itsaragrisil accused Cambodian
beauty queen, Pich Votey Saravody
of expressing support for Cambodia
in the border conflict between Cambodia
Thailand on social media posts
including videos.
Miss Grand International Public
Company Limited (MGI) CEO, Nawat
Itsaragrisil, accused Cambodian
beauty queen, Pich Votey Saravody,
who was crowned 5th Runner-Up
in Miss Grand International (MGI)
2022, of disseminating false information
and making defamatory public statements
against the Miss Grand International
Public Company Limited (MGI).
He said that her conduct is unacceptable,
saying ''we are exercising our
right to revoke her Miss Grand
International (MGI) 2022 title
without prior notice.''
He announced on Monday that the
Miss Grand International Public
Company Limited (MGI) had acquired
copyright to host the Miss Universe
Thailand (MUT) pageant for five
years that includes an agreement
for JKN Global Group Public Company
Limited to issue one hundred million
ordinary shares to the company
that is listed on the Thailand
Stock Exchange.
''Cambodian beauty queen, Pich
Votey Saravody is no longer entitled
to hold, claim, or associate herself
with the Miss Grand International
2022 title in any form,'' he said.
He said that Pich Votey
Saravody has been instructed to
remove all references to her former
status from her social media platforms
within two days, including images
and videos displaying the MGI
crown, sash, logo, or affiliations
with other titleholders, warning
''failure to comply will lead
to the enforcement of intellectual
property rights, including the
imposition of royalty charges
and potential legal action.''
Cambodian beauty queen, Pich Votey
Saravody, said the revocation of
the Miss Universe Thailand
2022 title and her right to participate
in the Miss Universe Thailand beauty
pageant 2025, ''reveals the true
colours behind Miss Grand International
Public Company Limited (MGI), saying
''Miss Grand International Public
Company Limited (MGI) has shown
discrimination instead of dignity.''
''This is in clear contrast to
what a real beauty pageant should
be, one that uplifts, empowers,
and unites,'' she said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| ASEAN
Defense Attaché
Observer Group inspects
Cambodia Thailand border
after ceasefire agreement |
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The
ASEAN Defense Attaché
Observer Group (Interim)
led by Malaysian Defense
Attaché Colonel
Nazlee Bin Abdul Rahim
including Defence
representatives from
ASEAN members began
a two week inspection
of the implementation
of the peace agreement
on the Cambodia Thailand
border on Sunday August
3, 2025
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From
News Reports:
Phnom Penh, August 5: The ASEAN
Defense Attaché Observer
Group (Interim) that was initiated
by the Association of South East
Asian Nations (ASEAN) Malaysia chair
for 2025 in Kuala Lumpur last month
after the Cambodia and Thailand
ceasefire agreement, is to begin
an inspection of the border with,
the Cambodian Ministry of National
Defence
saying ''the ASEAN Defense Attaché
Observer Group (Interim) aims to
observe the implementation of the
ceasefire agreement,'' reports Khmer
Times.
Cambodian Ministry of National Defence
spokesperson, General Maly Socheata,
said the ASEAN Defense Attaché
Observer Group (Interim) will be
led by Malaysian Defense Attaché
Colonel Nazlee Bin Abdul Rahim,
saying '' representatives from six
of the 10 ASEAN members including
Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines,
Singapore, Vietnam and Brunei are
to begin a two week inspection of
the implementation of the peace
agreement on the Cambodia Thailand
border on Sunday ''
''The representatives will visit
several locations to observe the
implementation of ceasefire agreement
including Oddar Meanchey and Preah
Vihear Province that were affected
by the arm clashes between the Cambodian
and Thailand Military,'' she said.
She said the ASEAN Defense Attaché
Observer Group (Interim) inspection
of the implementation of the ceasefire
between the Cambodian and Thailand
Military follows the meeting in
Malaysia on July 28 that led to
the ceasefire agreement.
''The participation of multiple
ASEAN nations demonstrates a collective
aspiration for lasting peace, stability,
and cooperation between Cambodia
and Thailand,'' she said.
Cambodian Ministry of National Defence
spokesperson, General Maly Socheata,
said ''the Ministry reaffirms Cambodia’s
dedication to a peaceful resolution
and acknowledges ASEAN’s pivotal
role in fostering constructive engagement
and confidence-building measures.''
Malaysia ASEAN chair for 2015 Prime
Minister Anwar Ibrahim said at the
ceasefire agreement between Cambodia
and Thailand in Kuala lumpur on
July 28, ''this is a vital first
step towards de-escalation and the
restoration of peace and security,"
saying ''Malaysia is ready to coordinate
the ASEAN Defense Attaché
Observer Group (Interim) to verify
and ensure the implementation of
ceasefire on the Cambodia and Thailand
border.''
In November 2013 the United Nations
International Court of Justice (ICJ)
in the Hague, in an unanimous decision,
ruled that the immediate area surrounding
the 11th century Preah Vihear Hindu
temple on the Thailand Cambodia
border belongs to Cambodia.
"Cambodia holds sovereignty
over the whole territory of the
promontory of Preah Vihear,"
said International Court of Justice,
Judege Peter Tomka after the court
decision.
The judge, one of seventeen, said
that as a consequence of the decision
Thailand was now under obligation
to withdraw Thai military or police
forces or other guards or keepers
who were stationed in the immediate
area surrounding the temple.
The International Court of Justice
(ICJ) ruled in 1962 that the temple
belonged to Cambodia, but both Thailand
and Cambodia claimed ownership of
the land surrounding the temple
included in the disputed 4.6 square
kilometre area.
Tens of thousands were reportedly
displaced with about 28 killied
in the 2011 fighting leading Cambodia
to ask the International Court of
Justice for an interpretation of
the original 1962 ruling.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| Vietnam
accused of transforming
the U.S. POW/MIA accounting
agency into a profit
making enterprise |
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Vietnam's
Ministry of Foreign
Affairs spokesperson,
Ph?m Thu Hang, rejects
the claim that
Vietnam has transformed
the Defence POW/MIA
Accounting Agency
(DPAA) into a profit
generating enterprise
in Hanoi Thursday
July 31, 2025
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From
News Reports:
Hanoi, August, 4: Vietnam's Ministry
of Foreign Affairs rejects the
claim made by National League
of Families of American Prisoners
and Missing in Southeast Asia
in a report assessed by U.S. Military
historian, Jay Veith,
that Vietnam has transformed the
Defence POW/MIA Accounting Agency
(DPAA) into a profit generating
enterprise rather than treating
the DPAA as a humanitarian cooeration
operation, with Ministry of Foreign
Affairs spokesperson, Pham Thu Hang,
saying '' the claim is distorted
false information and we firmly
reject it,'' reports the Vietnam
News Agency.
''Humanitarian cooperation in the
search for and identification of
U.S. service members missing in
action (MIA) during the war in Vietnam
has been actively and effectively
implemented by the Governments of
Vietnam and the United States for
more than 50 years,'' said Ministry
of Foreign Affairs spokesperson,
Pham Thu Han.
National League of Families of
American Prisoners and Missing
in Southeast Asia claims in the
report that ''Vietnam is charging
the Defense POW/MIA Accounting
Agency (DPAA) exorbitant fees,
saying ''from 2016 to 2014 the
DPAA paid the Vietnam Ministry
of Foreign Affairs $86,719,238.''
''These are direct payments to
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
for Vietnamese assistance for
excavations, unilateral efforts,''
said the report.
The report claimed that the direct
payment included an increase in
the advanced payment to the Vietnam
Office for Seeking Missing Persons
(VNOSMP) for each joint field trip
in February 2016, saying ''the Vietnamese
requested and the U.S. agreed to
raise the advance payment to the
VNOSMP from scheduled joint efforts
from US$1 million to US$2 million.''
U.S. Military historian Jay Veith,
said that the National League of
Families of American Prisoners and
Missing in Southeast Asia ''is critical
of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
(DPAA) for overstating Vietnam's
cooperation to avoid jeopardizing
the relationship.''
''The costs associated with Vietnam’s
operational cooperation are astronomical,''
he said.
He said the astronomical costs associated
with Vietnam's operational cooperation
is centred more on financial benefit
than on humantarian cooperation
or advancing United States-Vietnam
bilateral relations.
''The amount of U.S. taxpayer
dollars spent in Vietnam is a
scandal waiting to explode,''
he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
| FBI
opens new office in
New Zealand to upgrade
the Five Eyes partnership
to counter China's influence
in Pacific |
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Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI)
Director, Kash Patel,
at the official opening
of the FBI office
in Wellington, New
Zealand, Thurs 31
Jul 2025
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From
News Reports:
Wellington, August 3: The U.S. Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) opened
a new office in New Zealand on Thursday
to upgrade the Five Eyes partnership
with Australia, Canada, the United
Kingdom and the United States, with
FBI director, Kash Patel, saying
the first FBI office in Wellington
would help counter Chinese Communist
Party (CCP) influence in the Pacific,
and with New Zealand Minister for
Defence saying ''the upgrade of
the FBI presence in New Zealand
has got to be a good thing,'' reports
Associated Press.
New Zealand Minister for Defence,
Attorney General, Judith Collins,
said ''the upgrade of the FBI
presence in New Zealand into an
office that reports to Washington
DC, not through to Canberra in
Australia, has got to be a good
thing.''
''We were the only partner of
the Five Eyes partners that did
not have an FBI office here, we
had people, but not an office,''
she said.
New Zealand Minister for Defence,
Attorney General, Judith Collins,
did not respond to FBI director,
Kash Patel, saying the new FBI
office in New Zealand would help
counter Chinese Communist Party
(CCP) influence in the Pacific,
saying ''that’s up to the
FBI director, he doesn’t
answer to me.''
''The FBI focus would be on transnational
crime, the increasing influence
of major drug traffickers across
the Pacific and gun-running that
we know goes on in the Pacific,''
she said.
U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) director, Kash Patel, said
''the FBI had a strong relationship
and collaborated closely with
counterparts in New Zealand for
years,'' saying ''expanding the
Wellington office demonstrates
the strength and evolution of
our partnership as we continue
to work together to address our
shared security objectives in
the region.''
New Zealand Green Party national
security and intelligence spokesperson,
Teanau Tuiono, said that New Zealand
should exit the Five Eyes intelligence
sharing group, saying ''we’re
not another state of the United
States, we shouldn’t be allowing
foreign powers to set up shop like
this, we don’t like that, it
flies in the face of our independent
foreign policy.''
New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister,
David Seymour, said the US was
''a long and strong friend of
New Zealand and having an FBI
office doesn’t really change
that, it just strengthens the
relationship.''
''The idea that New Zealand would
pull out of the Five Eyes intelligence
sharing agreement with Britain,
America, Australia and Canada,
I mean, who do the Green Party
think our friends are in this
world? '' he said.
''We need to make sure that we
understand the world that we’re
living in which is not the safe
one that we’d like it to
be,'' he said.
China Foreign Ministry spokeperson
Guo Jiakun said in response to
U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) Director, Kash Patel, saying
that opening a FBI office in New
Zealand would help counter Chinese
Communist Party (CCP) influence
in the Pacific, saying ''China
believes that cooperation between
countries should not target any
third party,''
''Seeking so-called absolute security
through forming small groupings
under the banner of countering
China does not help keep the Asia
Pacific and the world at large
peaceful and stable,'' he said
Victoria University of Wellington
associated professor of international
relations, Jason Young, said it's
in New Zealand's interest to have
more law enforcement activities
to deal with our shared problems,
saying ''it's perhaps not in New
Zealand's interest to say we're
doing this to counter China.''
I'm sure the U.S. would like New
Zealand to speak more forthrightly
and characterise the China challenge
in a similar way to the United
States,'' he said.
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Hong
Kong student found
guilty of insulting
Chinese national anthem
at Hong Kong football
match with Iran
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Hong
Kong university student
Lau Pun-hei, 19, leaving
the Eastern Magistrates
Court on Monday January
6, 2025, was found
guilty or insulting
China's national anthem
''March of the Volunteers,''
at the Eastern
Magistrates Court
on Wednesday July
30, 2025
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From
News Reports:
Hong Kong, August 2: A Hong Kong
university student was found guilty
of insulting the Chinese national
anthem ''March of the Volunteers,''
during a World Cup qualifying football
match between Hong Kong and Iran
at the Hong Kong Stadium in June
last year, with Magistrate Kestrel
Lam Tsz-hong, saying at the Eastern
Magistrates Court on Wednesday,
''playing the anthem at a football
match represents national pride,
unity and identity,'' reports the
Hong Kong Free Press.
Lau Pun-hei, 19, a student in politics
at the Chinese University of Hong
Kong, was convicted for turning
his back to the football field while
the Chinese national anthem, ''March
of the Volunteers,'' played at the
match at the Hong Kong Stadium on
June 6, 2024.
''That the defendant chose to turn
his back to the football field was
obviously improper and disrespectful,''
said Magistrate Kestrel Lam Tsz-hong
at the Eastern Magistrates Court.
''It was a deliberate act to demonstrate
dissatisfaction with or contempt
for the Chinese national anthem,''
said Magistrate Kestrel Lam
Tsz-hong.
Magistrate Kestrel Lam Tsz-hong
said that the defendant had turned
his back to the football field during
the playing of the Chinese national
anthem, saying ''but Lau Pun-hei
faced the football field and clapped
during the playing of the Iranian
national anthem.''
''Different people may have different
feelings towards the nation and
its anthem. Supporters may sing
along. Meanwhile, people who don’t
support the country should allow
the anthem to be played solemnly,''
said Magistrate Kestrel Lam Tsz-hong.
Magistrate Kestrel Lam Tsz-hong
rejected the defence argument by
lawyer, Steven Kwan, that the National
Anthem Act that was passed by the
Communist Party of China (CPC) General
Secretary, Xi Jinping, in Beijing
on September 1, 2017 and enacted
in Hong Kong on 12 June 2020, ''was
vague and infringed on his client's
freedom of expression.''
On June 6, 2024 three football spectators
including Lau Pun-hei, 19, were
arrested at the Hong Kong Stadium
under the National Anthem Act that
criminalises insults to the Chinese
national anthem, titled ''March
of the Volunteers,'' for turning
their backs and failing to stand
for the national anthem of China
at the match between Hong Kong and
Iran.
Two males and a female aged 18 to
31 were arrested at the Hong Kong
Stadium where Iran secured a 4-2
victory against Hong Kong in a qualifying
match for the World Cup football
championship to be held in 2026.
Hong Kong police Force (HKPF) reportedly
filmed the trio as they turned their
backs to the field and failed to
stand for the national anthem of
China ''March of the Volunteers,''
at the Hong Kong Stadium at the
beginning of the football match.
The arrest of football spectators
at the Hong Kong Stadium under the
National Anthem Act that criminalises
insults to the national anthem of
China, ''March of the Volunteers,''
follows the Hong Kong Court of Appeal
decision on May 8, 2024 to uphold
the ban on the League of Social
Democrats (LSD) protest song, "Glory
to Hong Kong."
The Hong Kong High Court had banned
the performance, broadcast, sale
or distribution including on the
internet, of the League of Social
Democrats (LSD) pro-independence
song "Glory to Hong Kong"
under the law on Safeguarding National
Security in the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region (HKSAR) that
was introduced by the Chinese Communist
Party (CCP) in Bejing in 2020.
The Hong Kong Department of Justice
claims that the pro-indepence song
"Glory to Hong Kong" had
been "mistakenly played at
international sporting events including
rugby and ice hockey competitions
instead of the Chinese anthem, "March
of the Volunteers."
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Myanmar
military announces
general elections
for December: Enacts
new laws to protect
elections from protests
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The
ruling Armed Forces
(Tatmadaw) of Myanmar,
State Administration
Council (SAC) chairman,
Senior General Min
Aung Hlaing, signed
the new ''Law on the
Protection of Multiparty
Democratic Elections
from Obstruction,
Disruption and Destruction,''
in Naypyitaw on Tuesday
29 July 2025
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From
News Reports:
Naypyitaw, August 1: The ruling
Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar
that has extended the State of Emergency,
delaying general elections since
the takeover of the elected League
for Democracy (NLD) government on
February 1, 2021, announced that
the Myanmar general elections are
scheduled for December 2025, with
the enactment of the new "Law
on the Protection of Multiparty
Democratic Elections from Obstruction,
Disruption and Destruction,'' signed
on Tuesday, reports Associated Press.
The ruling Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar, State Administration
Council (SAC) chairman, Senior
General Min Aung Hlaing, signed
the new ''Law on the Protection
of Multiparty Democratic Elections
from Obstruction, Disruption and
Destruction,'' saying ''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.''
''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,''
states the new law.
''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,'' states the
new law.
''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,''
states the new law.
The ruling Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar, State Administration
Council (SAC) chairman Senior
General Min Aung Hlaing, said
the State Administration Council
(SAC) meeting in Naypyitaw, on
Tuesday that revision of laws
to reform and re organise the
parliamentary system are under
way, saying ''unresolved voter
list irregularities in the last
2020 general elections in Myanmar
led to the current State of Emergency.''
On February 1, 2020 the Armed
Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar declared
the first State of Emergency handing
over the administration of the
elected National League for Democracy
(NLD) government to the commander-in-chief
of the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar, Sr Gen Min Aung Hlaing.
Sr Gen Min Aung Hlaing stated
then that the National Defense
and Security Council (NDSC) would
investigate alleged voter irregularities
and suspected fraud in the November
8, 2020 elections that left the
military Union Solidarity and
Development Party (USDP) with
only 21 seats of the 440 seats
in the parliament, saying then
that "the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar would hold another
general election and transfer
power to the successful party."
The Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of
Myanmar arrested Myanmar's National
League for Democracy (NLD) President,
Win Myint and State Councillor,
Aung San Suu Kyi on the declaration
of the State of Emergency on February
1, 2021 ahead of the would-be
first League for Democracy (NLD)
dominated session of the parliament
since the November 8, 2020 elections.
The Union Election Commission
(EUC) then an independent body
rejected calls by the military
Union Solidarity and Development
Party (USDP) to provide a list
of voters in military townships
after calls for a re-run of the
election by the military Union
Solidarity and Development Party
(USDP) was rejected by the Union
Election Commission (EUC)
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
U.S.
Ambassador to Thailand
says Thailand should
not lend legitimacy
to Myanmar military
government
|
|
 |
|
Sean
O’Neill, Foreign
Policy Advisor to
the Commandant of
the U.S. Marine Corps,
Senior Bureau Official
for the Department
of State’s Bureau
of East Asian and
Pacific Affairs and
who has served twice
before as a diplomat
in Thailand was nominated
by U.S. President
Donald Trump as U.S.
Ambassador to Thailand
on Tuesday July 29,
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Bangkok, July 31: The U.S. nominee
for U.S. Ambassador to Thailand,
Sean O'Neill, said on Tuesday
after Cambodia and Thailand agreed
to an immediate and unconditional
ceasefire effective midnight Monday,
''Thailand should not lend legitimacy
to the military government in
its neighbour Myanmar,'' reports
Reuters.
''The State Department's position
was not to encourage Myanmar to
hold "sham" ections the
military was looking to hold in
August.'' he said.
He said that he would encourage
Thailand not to recognise an election
that does no include the participation
of over 50 percent of the population
of Myanmar, saying ''most of the
opposition National League for
Democracy (NLD) government are
in prison.''
The U.S. nominee for U.S. ambassador
to Thailand, Sean O'Neill, said
when asked what he would do to
ensure that the ceasefire became
a long-term peace agreement, "I
think the first thing I would
do is to point out to Thailand,
which is one of our only treaty
allies in Asia, that wars like
this, conflicts like this, do
nothing to help their people.
"They do nothing to strengthen
our alliance, they do nothing
to address the challenges that
both of our countries face. They
are just a needless waste of life
and treasure."
The Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar,
Commander-in-chief of the Armed
Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar, Sr
Gen Min Aung Hlaing's, take over
of the elected National League for
Democracy (NLD) government in February
1, 2021 began with the declaration
of a state of emergency and the
cancellation of the elected League
for Democracy (NLD) dominated session
of parliament.
The commander-in-chief of the Armed
Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar, Sr
Gen Min Aung Hlaing, who has extended
the state of emergency, delaying
the general elections with the last
extention in January, 2025, claimed
election irregularities in the November
8, 2020 elections that were held
under the elected National League
for Democracy (NLD) government led
by State Councillor, Aung San Suu
Kyi.
The commander-in-chief of the Armed
Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar, Sr
Gen Min Aung Hlaing, said after
the November 8, 2020 elections,
that left the military Union Solidarity
and Development Party (USDP), with
33 seats of the 440 seats in the
parliament, with the National League
for Democracy (NLD) government securing
a majority for the opening of the
parliament session.
The commander-in-chief of the Armed
Forces (Tatmadaw) of Myanmar, Sr
Gen Min Aung Hlaing said in February
1, 2021 that the National Defense
and Security Council would investigate
alleged voter irregularities and
suspected fraud in the elections,
saying "the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)
of Myanmar would hold another general
election and transfer power to the
successful party."
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Cambodia
and Thailand agree
to immediate ceasefire
on border at ASEAN
meeting in Kuala Lumpur
|
|
 |
|
Cambodia
Prime Minister Hun
Manet, left, Malaysia
Prime Minister Anwar
Ibrahim, centre, Thailand
acting Prime Minister
Phumtham Wechayachai,
right, agree to immediate
and unconditional
ceasefire on Cambodia
Thailand border at
meeting in Kuala Lumpur
on Monday July 28,
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, July 30: The Malaysian
Foreign Ministry issued a joint
statement after Cambodia and Thailand
agreed to an immediate and unconditional
ceasefire effective midnight Monday,
at talks in Kuala Lumpur on Monday
afternoon at the invitation of
Malaysia Prime Minister, Anwar
Ibrahim, in his capacity as the
Association of South East Asian
Nations (ASEAN) chair for 2025,
saying ''this is a vital first
step towards de-escalation and
the restoration of peace and security,"
reports the Star.
Malaysia Prime Minister, Anwar
Ibrahim, ASEAN chair for 2025
said 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 Foreign Ministers and Defence
Ministers of Malaysia, Cambodia,
and Thailand were instructed to
develop a detailed mechanism for
the implementation, verification,
and reporting of the ceasefire,''
said the joint statement.
''This mechanism will serve as
a foundation for sustained peace
and accountability,'' said the
joint statement.
Malaysia Prime Minister, Anwar
Ibrahim, ASEAN chair for 2025
said that both Cambodia and Thailand
agreed to convene an
informal meeting of regional commanders
Regional Military 1 and 2 on the
Thailand side and Regional Military
4 and 5 of the Cambodian side
at 07:00 hours on 29 July 2025,
followed by a meeting with the
Defence Attaches led by the chair
of ASEAN.
The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco
Rubio, said U.S. applauded the
ceasefire declaration between
Cambodia and Thailand
announced In Kuala Lumpur on Monday,
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.
"We urge all parties to follow
through on their commitments,''
he said.
U.S. President Donald Trump urged
Cambodia and Thailand to immediately
and unconditionally cease fire
on the border to prevent further
casualties on Saturday ahead of
the meeting in Kuala Lumpur on
Monday, saying ''when all is done,
and peace is at hand, I look forward
to concluding our tariff agreements
with Cambodia and Thailand.''
The
Southeast Asian Times
|
Cambodia
and Thailand begin
peace talks in Kuala
Lumpur with Malaysia
ASEAN chair 2025 to
mediate
|
|
 |
|
Acting
Thailand Prime Minister
Phumtham Wechayachai
leads Thailand negotiators
to Kuala Lumpur for
peace talks with Cambodia
on Monday 28 July
2025
|
|
From
News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, July 29: Cambodia
and Thailand began talks in Malaysia
on Monday at the invitation of
Malaysia Prime Minister, Anwar
Ibrahim, in his capacity as the
Association of South East Asian
Nations (ASEAN) chair for 2025,
after the United Nations Security
Council (UNSC) called on ASEAN
to mediate peace between the two
members and with U.S. Secretary
of State reiterating U.S. President
Donald Trump's call for immediate
ceasefire, reports the Star.
''The U.S. is prepared to facilitate
future discussions to ensure peace
and stability between Thailand and
Cambodia," said US Department
of State.
''Both U.S. President Donald Trump
and U.S. Secretary of State, Marco
Rubio remain engaged with respective
Thailand and Cambodia counterparts
and are monitoring the situation
very closely.''
''We want this conflict to end as
soon as possible,'' said U.S. Department
of State.
Thailand Foreign Minister acting
Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai
is to attend the talks in Kuala
Lumpur at the invitation of ASEAN
chair 2025 Malaysia Prime Minister
Anwar Ibrahim to mediate peace
between Thailand and Cambodia
with Royal Thai Army (RTA) Deputy
Spokesperson Col Richa Suksuwanon,
saying ''Cambodian forces fired
heavy artillery into Surin Province
including at civilian homes on
Sunday after U.S. President Donald
Trump had called for immediate
ceasefire on Saturday.
''Cambodia also launched rocket
attacks targeting the ancient Ta
Muen Thom temple, claimed by both
countries, and other areas in a
bid to reclaim territory secured
by the Royal Thai Army (RTA),''
said Royal Thai Army (RTA) deputy
spokesperson Col Richa Suksuwanon.
Royal Thai Army (RTA) Deputy Spokesperson,
Col Richa Suksuwanon, said U.S.
President Donald Trump's efforts
to mediate were a separate matter,
saying ''the battlefield operations
will continue and a ceasefire
can only happen if Cambodia formally
initiates negotiations.''
Thailand Foreign Minister acting
Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai
said ''Thailand agrees in principle
to ceasefire calling for swift bilateral
talks to discuss concrete steps
toward a peaceful resolution.''
Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Manet
said on Sunday after U.S. President
Donald Trump's call for immediate
ceasefire, on Saturday that ''Cambodia
agrees to pursue an immediate and
unconditional ceasefire,'' saying
''U.S. President Donald Trump had
said that Thailand had also agreed
to halt attacks.''
Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Manet
said that he had tasked his deputy
Foreign Minister, Prak Sokhonn,
to coordinate next steps with
U.S. Secretary of State Marco
Rubio and to engage directly with
Thailand's foreign minister to
implement the ceasefire.
Royal Cambodian Army (RCA) Defence
Ministry spokesperson Lt. Gen. Maly
Socheata accused the Royal Thai
Army (RTA) of escalating the conflict
with bombardment of Cambodian territory
early Sunday after U.S. President
Donald Trump's call for immediate
ceasefire on Saturday, saying the
bombardment was followed by large-scale
incursion involving tanks and ground
troops in multiple areas.
"Such actions undermine all
efforts toward peaceful resolution
and expose Thailand's clear intent
to escalate rather than de-escalate
the conflict," she said.
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
| |
