Cambodia and Thailand to hammer out permanent ceasefire in Malaysia meeting
(From left) Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Seiha, Malaysian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Thai acting defence minister Nattaphon Narkphanit in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 7.
KUALA LUMPUR - Cambodia and Thailand's top defence officials began a meeting in Malaysia on Aug 7 to finalise a permanent end to hostilities following a violent five-day border conflict that ended in
an unconditional ceasefire late in July.
The South-east Asian neighbours
saw the worst fighting in over a decade in July, including exchanges of artillery fire and jet fighter bombing runs that claimed at least 43 lives and left over 300,000 people displaced on both sides of the border.
Fighting continued despite diplomatic interventions from China and Malaysia, chair of the regional bloc Asean, calling for restraint.
The leaders of Cambodia and Thailand only came to the negotiation table when US President Donald Trump
told them that tariff negotiations would not continue unless there was peace, Reuters exclusively reported.
Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Seiha and Thailand's acting defence minister Nattaphon Narkphanit are due to meet at Malaysia's Armed Forces headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.
The two countries will establish guidelines to resolve border disputes, restore trust between their military forces and agree to a ceasefire with measures to minimise tensions and protect civilians, Mr Nattaphon said in a statement before the talks.
The conditions were formulated during three days of talks between senior officials in Kuala Lumpur and are to be finalised on the fourth day in the presence of observers from China and the United States.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore Some ageing condos in Singapore struggle with failing infrastructure, inadequate sinking funds
Singapore Wastewater overflow in Bedok and Chai Chee due to choked sewer at BTO worksite: PUB
Singapore Water gel guns among newer tools NParks uses to manage monkeys in estates
Singapore Teen's love of dance powers her through cancer to perform at NDP2025
Life Feeling extra patriotic? Here are 7 other SG60 songs beyond official NDP theme Here We Are
Singapore Man handed three vaping-related charges including importing 3,080 pods
Business DBS shares hit record-high after Q2 profit beats forecast on strong wealth fees, trading income
World Trump's 100% semiconductor tariffs may hit chipmakers in Singapore, other SEA nations
Thailand and Cambodia have quarrelled for decades over undemarcated parts of their 817km land border, which was first mapped by France in 1907 when the latter was its colony. REUTERS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
9 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Non-invasive depression treatment TMS helped engineer get his life back
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox SINGAPORE – Mr Ng Chee Hiong shunned contact with others for years, staying at home for days on end, self-isolating – at least on one occasion – for as long as two months and only coming out after running out of food. And when he made it to the outside world, he would walk staring straight down at the pavement, a hat worn low, his mop of long hair shielding him from seeing those around him. Depression and anxiety has haunted Mr Ng, 52, for over a quarter of a century. He said that he had a difficult childhood beset by family problems. Things went bad after he experienced study-related stress. Mr Ng said: '1998 was (when I had) my first appointment with a psychiatrist... I was studying in the university and the stress was tremendous. My personal life was also not good.' He was diagnosed with depression and anxiety that year, and started treatment. Over the years, he had multiple trials of antidepressants and therapy, but he did not respond well to them. In 2005, the engineer relapsed and had to stop work for a year. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore PM Wong calls on S'poreans to band together for nation to remain exceptional in National Day message Singapore NDP 2025: No ticket, no problem – here are some spots to soak up National Day vibes Business Who loses the most from Trump's tariffs? Who wins? Business Singapore's digital banks trim deposit rates, mirroring moves by incumbent players Life S'pore's nightlife isn't dead yet: A nightlife reporter's 6 favourite places to drink World Intel CEO Tan Lip-Bu says has board support as Trump calls for resignation Singapore Ex-lawyer convicted over charges for cheating company director of more than $8 million Singapore Chief Justice names law graduate who wanted anonymity after being denied Bar admission That happened again in 2011. In 2017, following a severe relapse, Mr Ng resigned from his job at an engineering firm and withdrew from social life. But thanks to a different treatment made available, things are now looking up for Mr Ng: In June, he started working in the laundry room of a nursing home – his first job in over eight years. 'It's a part-time job to help me transit into the working world…. Right now, I am taking one step at a time,' he said. Mr Ng is among a small but growing group of Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) patients with treatment-resistant depression who are receiving Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) , a non-invasive treatment. TMS delivers magnetic pulses via a coil to stimulate nerve cells in underactive parts of the brain . Dr Tay Yi Hang adjusts the placement of the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation machine during the brain stimulation therapy session. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO It is used to treat conditions including major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in adults. Mr Ng is sharing his story to give hope and create awareness of the therapy that he said helped him to get his life back. TMS became more accessible in Singapore after the authorities announced in October 2024 that MediShield Life would cover it, along with more outpatient treatments, to support the shift in healthcare delivery from hospitals to outpatient and home settings. When Mr Ng underwent his first course of TMS treatment, he experienced a drop in negative thoughts straight away. That is how he knew it was working, he said. 'I am able to think about other things… that keeps me going every day,' he added. Mr Ng's TMS sessions take place at KTPH's outpatient psychological medicine clinic at Admiralty Medical Centre, which is located at Kampung Admiralty in Woodlands Drive. His doctor, Dr Tay Yi Hang, one of six psychiatrists there, was the one who started the TMS service at KTPH in May 2022. Since then, an average of about 10 patients with treatment-resistant MDD each year have received the treatment, but this mark has already been crossed in 2025. Research shows that more than 35 per cent of patients with MDD have treatment-resistant depression. This is a term that is often used for patients who have failed to respond to two different antidepressants, despite adequacy of the treatment trial and adherence to treatment. The chance of responding to the third antidepressant is usually less than 17 per cent but with TMS, there is a response rate of 60 per cent, said Dr Tay. 'Based on what we have seen so far at KTPH, approximately 60 per cent of patients who have undergone TMS treatment have achieved at least a 50 per cent reduction in depression rating scales,' said Dr Tay. Furthermore, about 50 per cent of their patients experienced a significant improvement, becoming virtually asymptomatic. Dr Tay said they also use TMS for patients with OCD, though that is less popular as it involves the provocation of the patient's symptoms to activate specific brain circuits before the session. Each session of TMS usually lasts around 3 minutes or 18.5 minutes, depending on the protocol prescribed. There is no pain, but the frequency of sessions and cost might deter some patients. The recommended number of TMS sessions is about 30, conducted daily over six weeks, or twice or thrice daily over two to three weeks. Each session costs $125. Mr Ng completed 30 TMS sessions in mid-2022. That was after his long-time private sector psychiatrist retired and advised him to find not just a new psychiatrist but also a psychologist to help him. He found both, and he achieved a good response with the TMS treatment. Encouraged by this progress, he continued his medication and therapy with a psychologist at KTPH. However, Mr Ng experienced a return of his symptoms around nine months later, and went for a second course of TMS in early 2023. To sustain these gains, he has continued with monthly maintenance TMS ever since. He pays for his sessions, as the maintenance sessions are not covered under MediShield Life, which covers up to 24 sessions for the first round of TMS treatment, and up to 15 sessions if the treatment is repeated. TMS became available in Singapore in 2015, when Promises Healthcare in the private sector brought it in. IMH started offering it soon after for patients with treatment-resistant depression. About three years ago, it started to use it for patients with OCD. In 2024, IMH started clinical trials to study a personalised form of TMS, which involves mapping a person's brain using scans to locate a precise spot to target during the stimulation. Another hospital here tha t offers TMS for treatment-resistant depression is the National University Hospital.
Straits Times
9 minutes ago
- Straits Times
India pauses plans to buy US arms after Trump's tariffs
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox New Delhi has put on hold its plans to procure new US weapons and aircraft. NEW DELHI - New Delhi has put on hold its plans to procure new US weapons and aircraft, according to three Indian officials familiar with the matter, in India's first concrete sign of discontent after tariffs imposed on its exports by President Donald Trump dragged ties to their lowest level in decades. India had been planning to send Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to Washington in the coming weeks for an announcement on some of the purchases, but that trip has been cancelled, two of the people said. Mr Trump on Aug 6 imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods as punishment for Delhi's purchases of Russian oil, which he said meant the country was funding Russia's invasion of Ukraine. That raised the total duty on Indian exports to 50 per cent – among the highest of any US trading partner. The president has a history of rapidly reversing himself on tariffs and India has said it remains actively engaged in discussions with Washington. One of the people said the defence purchases could go ahead once India had clarity on tariffs and the direction of bilateral ties, but 'just not as soon as they were expected to'. Written instructions had not been given to pause the purchases, another official said, indicating that Delhi had the option to quickly reverse course, though there was 'no forward movement at least for now'. India's defence ministry and the Pentagon did not respond to Reuters' questions. Delhi, which has forged a close partnership with America in recent years, has said it is being unfairly targeted and that Washington and its European allies continue to trade with Moscow when it is in their interest. Reuters is reporting for the first time that discussions on India's purchases of Stryker combat vehicles made by General Dynamics Land Systems and Javelin anti-tank missiles developed by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin have been paused due to the tariffs. Mr Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in February announced plans to pursue procurement and joint production of those items. Mr Singh had also been planning to announce the purchase of six Boeing P8I reconnaissance aircraft and support systems for the Indian Navy during his now-cancelled trip, two of the people said. Talks over procuring the aircraft in a proposed US$3.6 billion (S$4.6 billion) deal were at an advanced stage, according to the officials. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics referred queries to the Indian and US governments. Raytheon did not return a request for comment. Russian relations India's deepening security relationship with the US, which is fuelled by their shared strategic rivalry with China, was heralded by many US analysts as one of the key areas of foreign-policy progress in the first Trump administration. Delhi is the world's second-largest arms importer and Russia has traditionally been its top supplier. India has in recent years however, shifted to importing from Western powers like France, Israel and the US, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute think-tank. The shift in suppliers was driven partly by constraints on Russia's ability to export arms, which it is utilising heavily in its invasion of Ukraine. Some Russian weapons have also performed poorly in the battlefield, according to Western analysts. The broader US-India defence partnership, which includes intelligence sharing and joint military exercises, continues without hiccups, one of the Indian officials said. India also remains open to scaling back on oil imports from Russia and is open to making deals elsewhere, including the US, if it can get similar prices, according to two other Indian sources. Mr Trump's threats and rising anti-US nationalism in India have 'made it politically difficult for Modi to make the shift from Russia to the US', one of the people said. Nonetheless, discounts on the landing cost of Russian oil have shrunk to the lowest since 2022. India's petroleum ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. While the rupture in US-India ties was abrupt, there have been strains in the relationship. Delhi has repeatedly rebutted Mr Trump's claim that the US brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after four days of fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May. Mr Trump also hosted Pakistan's army chief at the White House in the weeks following the conflict. In recent months, Moscow has been actively pitching Delhi on buying new defence technologies like its S-500 surface-to-air missile system, according to one of the Indian officials, as well as a Russian source familiar with the talks. India currently does not see a need for new arms purchases from Moscow, two Indian officials said. But Delhi is unlikely to wean itself off Russian weapons entirely as the decades-long partnership between the two powers means Indian military systems will continue to require Moscow's support, one of the officials said. The Russian embassy in Delhi did not immediately respond to a request for comment. REUTERS
Straits Times
37 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Polish PM Tusk says pause in Ukraine war could be close
Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk speaks during a press conference after a briefing with the management of military institutes at the Air Force Institute of Technology in Warsaw, Poland, July 30, 2025. Robert Kowalewski/Agencja via REUTERS/File Photo WARSAW - A pause in the conflict in Ukraine could be close, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Friday after speaking to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump will meet in the coming days, the Kremlin said on Thursday, as the U.S. president seeks a breakthrough to end the Ukraine war, now in its fourth year, after voicing mounting frustration with his Russian counterpart and threatening him with new sanctions. "There are certain signals, and we also have an intuition, that perhaps a freeze in the conflict - I don't want to say the end, but a freeze in the conflict - is closer than it is further away," he told a news conference "There are hopes for this." Tusk said Zelenskiy was "very cautious but optimistic" and that Ukraine was keen that Poland and other European countries play a role in planning for a ceasefire and an eventual peace settlement. NATO member Poland has been a staunch supporter of its eastern neighbour Ukraine since Putin sent tens of thousands of troops into the country in February 2022, citing threats to Russian security and plunging Moscow's relations with the West into deep crisis. Kyiv and its Western allies say Russia is engaged in a imperial-style land grab. In a post on X, Zelenskiy said he had spoken with Tusk about "the available diplomatic options and agreed to coordinate and work together for our common European interests". He had also informed the Polish prime minister about his conversations with Trump and other European leaders earlier this week. "Ukraine, Poland, and other European nations alike need strong foundations for their security and independence," Zelenskiy said. "A reliable peace is essential for all, and I am grateful for the readiness (of allies) to help along this path." REUTERS
