Thailand Targets Cambodian Scam Centers as Border Dispute Rages
Thailand announced a raft of security and trade measures to cripple transnational crime syndicates in Cambodia, as Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra seeks an upper hand in a simmering border dispute with its neighbor.
Bangkok will restrict border crossings to Cambodia across seven provinces, and halt exports of goods including fuel that abet transnational criminal activities, Paetongtarn told reporters on Monday after chairing a meeting of officials and security agencies.
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News24
34 minutes ago
- News24
Kenya Gen Z protests see press freedom under fire
The fog of tear gas has lifted following the nationwide anti-government protests in Kenya on Wednesday. The shocking aftermath: 19 demonstrators dead and at least 500 injured, all by gunfire, according to Amnesty International. Local journalists reported that police used not only tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters, but also live ammunition in many cases. There was also reportedly violence from individual demonstrators, with stores looted in the capital, Nairobi, and beyond. The planned day of protest marked the first anniversary since people stormed parliament during anti-government demonstrations in 2024, when 60 people were killed. READ | Kenya protests: 16 dead as government denounces 'terrorism disguised as dissent' The tough response by security forces and an emergency order by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) banning live coverage of the protests has heightened concerns about freedom of expression in the country. While judges immediately revoked the order, which referenced a section of the constitution that exempts incitement to violence from freedom of expression, the attempt has nonetheless been damaging. Youth at odds with government Muthoki Mumo, who monitors the situation in sub-Saharan Africa from Nairobi for the Committee for the Protection of Journalists, believes the CA has been used as a political weapon. 'We can say from historical context, this government has not taken dissent well, has not responded well to the criticism in the form of thousands of young people who've taken to the streets at various points over the last year. And I see this order fitting into that,' she told DW. The CA issued a similar order in 2018 under President William Ruto's predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta. It was only in November 2024 that the High Court unequivocally clarified that the CA has no authority to prevent live reporting. Meanwhile, young people have become increasingly estranged from the government as confrontations mount. The majority of the protesters are from Generation Z, born in the late 1990s to early 2010s. The first major Gen Z protests last summer were initially directed against a planned tax law. But the focus quickly shifted to the economic situation as a whole, lack of equal opportunities and dissatisfaction with Ruto, who won the 2022 election with promises of social reform but failed to reduce financial burdens for most families. Censorship and violence against journalists 'To switch off the media simply because they are reporting what people are saying in the streets is almost attempting to cover up the real sense of outrage that there is in the country,' Irungu Houghton, director of Amnesty International's Kenya division, told DW. Information from live broadcasts is important for coordinating the deployment of emergency paramedics, or for civilians trying to avoid possible escalations, he added. Journalists and bloggers are also exposed to this risk. In recent months, Mumo has repeatedly heard about cases in which security forces attacked journalists like Catherine Wanjeri, who was hit with rubber bullets during protests in the central city of Nakuru - despite being clearly recognisable as a member of the press. I'm very sceptical of any narrative that suggests that ... we see our people just simply being caught in crossfire. Muthoki Mumo 'Time and time again, [we have seen] evidence of journalists being clearly identifiable and targeted with violence nonetheless. Secondly, even if we were to say these journalists were sort of caught in the crossfire, it means that there was a civilian being targeted,' she added. 'That still points to a culture of violence, the culture of impunity.' Activists also at risk The situation for press isn't the only one that has deteriorated significantly, said Amnesty's Houghton. 'The other concern has been how this has begun to shift to individuals who are on social media platforms. And so, you will have somebody with 30 000 or 40 000 followers targeted purely because they made a comment about a powerful person or a project, or they called for a demonstration as it was the case on Wednesday,' he said. 'For a long time, I have observed in Kenya specifically that when the state comes after dissent, it doesn't start at the oldest or most established media house, where the veteran journalists who have the great degrees are operating,' said Mumo. 'It starts at the margins. It starts with someone who posted on a blog that they started recently. It starts where someone posted on X or Facebook or TikTok.' An incident that has reignited the Gen Z protests in recent weeks fits this pattern. Anti-corruption activist and blogger Albert Ojwang died earlier this month in police custody after accusing a senior police officer of corruption on the social network X. An initial press release suggested Ojwang's fatal injuries were self-inflicted. But in the meantime, three police officers are set to stand trial for murder. Rose Njeri also found herself in police custody without legal representation in early June. The software developer had created a tool for users to lodge objections to Ruto's tax law online. She was accused of violating a 2018 law against cybercrime and computer misuse. Both Mumo and Houghton described the law as a political 'weapon' against unwelcome voices in civil society. Government calls protests 'attempted coup' Gen Z outrage over the treatment of people like Wanjeri, Ojwang and Njeri has triggered fresh demonstrations. Kenya has had a relatively modern constitution with far-reaching civil liberties since 2010, and these often well-educated young adults know it well enough to invoke their basic rights. 'I came out here because first, I'm a Kenyan, and being here on the streets is exercising my right. And standing against this regime that is tyrannical,' one demonstrator told DW on Wednesday. But in the wake of the protests, the government has shown little sign of making concessions. On Thursday, Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen called them a 'coup attempt' by 'criminal anarchists'. Houghton emphasised that Gen Z is ultimately demanding development and growth opportunities. 'If the government does not see and address that head on, then the protests will continue beyond this point. But the question of course is: If the elections are in 2027, that is still a long way away for a population that has no patience,' he said. Sella Oneko contributed to this report from Nairobi.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Thousands of protesters take to streets demanding Thai prime minister's resignation over leaked phone call
Thousands of protesters gathered in Bangkok demanding prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's resignation after a leaked phone call between her and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen sparked public outrage. The rally, the largest since her party took power in 2023, was led by long-time opponents of the Shinawatra political dynasty, accusing her government of failing to uphold democratic principles. Protesters claim Ms Paetongtarn is being influenced by Hun Sen and her father, Thaksin Shinawatra. Undeterred by the monsoon rain, thousands of demonstrators gathered at the Victory Monument in Bangkok on Saturday, blocking roads, waving Thai flags and holding placards with slogans like 'PM is enemy of state'. Protest leader Parnthep Pourpongpan declared that Ms Paetongtarn 'should step aside because she is the problem', according to BBC News. Ms Paetongtarn, 38, is the daughter of ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who returned to Thailand last August after 15 years in exile. In office for just 10 months, she is the country's second female prime minister, following in the footsteps of her aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra. The campaign group – the United Power of the Land to Protect Sovereignty group – vowed to intensify its campaign against the prime minister after a surprisingly large crowd joined their rally at Bangkok's Victory Monument on Saturday, The Bangkok Post reported. The group has also rejected claims by the Pheu Thai Party and others that they are advocating for a military coup. Besides demanding the prime minister's immediate resignation, the group has called for all coalition parties to withdraw from the government. In a statement, the group accused the executive branch and parliament of failing to act 'in the interest of democracy and constitutional monarchy', according to Reuters. Veteran Thai protest leader Sondhi Limthongkul told supporters he does not want the political crisis to escalate into another military coup, but added he 'won't object if the military does something', The Bangkok Post reported. Speaking to thousands at Bangkok's Victory Monument on Saturday evening, he said: 'Do not bring in those generals [to govern]. Let people like us in [the government],' he said. Mr Sondhi told the crowd: 'If we forget history, we are doomed to repeat it. Twenty years ago, I stood on a stage calling for Thaksin to step down. Now, two decades later, I'm forced to call for his daughter's resignation.' 'This is not the last protest. If change must come from the streets again, then so be it.' In the call with Hun Sen, Ms Paetongtarn appeared to blame Thailand's military for escalating border tensions with Cambodia and used a conciliatory tone, including referring to Mr Hun Sen as 'uncle'. The call came after a border dispute escalated into an armed clash on 28 May in a small piece of no man's land claimed by both countries. The clash resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier. The call, leaked after the former Cambodian leader reportedly distributed it to some 80 politicians, outraged nationalists in Thailand and led to the Bhumjaithai party, Ms Paetongtarn's largest coalition partner, quitting the government and bringing it near collapse. The Thai prime minister has publicly apologised for the leaked call and insisted that it was a negotiation tactic, but critics claim it undermined Thailand's national sovereignty. The two countries share a thorny relationship, especially over border disputes. 'I would like to apologise for the leaked audio of my conversation with a Cambodian leader, which has caused public resentment,' Ms Paetongtarn said earlier. Hun Sen, on his part, had taken to Facebook to share the entire phone conversation 'to avoid any misunderstanding or misrepresentation in official matters'. Ms Paetongtarn explained that the call to Hun Sen was made from her personal phone, and she had no knowledge it was being recorded or would be made public. She said her government remained fully committed to supporting the Thai military. The Shinawatra family in Thailand and the Hun family in Cambodia have long-standing personal ties, reportedly referring to each other as 'godbrothers'. Critics in Thailand see this closeness as compromising Thai interests, particularly in sensitive border negotiations. Meanwhile, support for Ms Paetongtarn has dropped significantly, according to a new political survey conducted between 19 June and 25 June, The Nation Thailand reported. It polled 2,500 people across various demographics and regions. Nonarit Bisonyabut, a senior researcher at the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), said the sharp decline in support for Ms Paetongtarn and her government reflected a rising public appetite for new solutions to the country's problems, potentially even paving the way for a general election to bring in alternative policy visions. 'The decline in the prime minister's popularity reflects an accelerating loss of public confidence in the government and its past performance,' Mr Nonarit said. Kriangkrai Thiannukul, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), said: 'Mass protests are not a good sign. They directly undermine Thailand's leverage in international negotiations. Next week, the government will enter retaliatory tariff talks with the United States, led by the Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Ministry officials. If political unrest makes headlines, it could affect Thailand's credibility, weakening its negotiating position.' On Tuesday, a constitutional court in Thailand will consider the petition for Ms Paetongtarn's removal.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Welfare reforms could push 150,000 into poverty, official modelling suggests
Around 150,000 people will be pushed into poverty by 2030 as a result of the Government's welfare cuts despite Sir Keir Starmer being forced into a partial U-turn. The figure is down from the 250,000 extra people estimated to have been left in relative poverty after housing costs under the original proposals. Modelling published by the Department for Work and Pensions said the estimate does not include any 'potential positive impact' from extra funding and measures to support people with disabilities and long-term health conditions into work. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall announced last week that changes to the personal independence payment (Pip) will only apply to new claimants from November 2026, and ministers also rowed back on plans to cut the health-related element of Universal Credit after 126 Labour MPs signed an amendment that would have effectively killed the Government's Bill. The changes will reduce the amount of money the reforms will save, adding to Chancellor Rachel Reeves' headaches as she seeks to balance the books for day-to-day spending.
