Latest news with #South-EastAsian
The Star
11 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
Stand down, peace only option for Thailand and Cambodia, urges PM Anwar
PETALING JAYA: Both Thailand and Cambodia must stop hostilities and reach an amicable resolution, urged Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as border clashes between the two countries escalated drastically on Thursday (July 24). The Prime Minister said that as the current Asean Chair, he had sent messages to both his counterparts in Thailand and Cambodia urging for peace and would be calling them later to express Asean's views on the conflict that killed at least nine civilians. 'This is a very worrying matter, and tonight, I will speak to both prime ministers of Thailand and Cambodia. These two countries are members of Asean and are also countries that are close to Malaysia. I have sent messages to both Prime Ministers and I am expecting to speak to both of them tonight (via phone). 'The least we can expect is for them to stand down and hopefully enter negotiations. Peace is the only option available,' said Anwar. He said this to the media after attending the Asean Semiconductor Summit 2025 here on Thursday. Currently, Interior Minister Phumtham Wechayachai is the acting Prime Minister for Thailand after Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended by the courts. Hun Manet is the current Cambodian Prime Minister. On whether Asean would offer to broker a peace deal between Thailand and Cambodia, Anwar said for now Asean was focused on 'communicating and expressing our views to both countries. 'I had initial discussions with both prime ministers, and I am looking to talk to them later. 'It is too premature to suggest that trade will be affected, as both countries have shown interest in having amicable resolutions to the conflict. Both also want to keep Asean engaged in this matter,' said Anwar. Earlier, Thailand and Cambodia exchanged fire on their border in a sharp escalation of their conflict that killed at least nine civilians. Both nations accused each other of starting the military clashes and have downgraded their diplomatic relations since Wednesday (July 23). According to reports, Thailand also sealed all land border crossings with Cambodia. Relations between the South-East Asian neighbours have deteriorated sharply since an armed confrontation in May that killed a Cambodian soldier. The Thai army said the most casualties occurred in Si Sa Ket province, where six people were killed after shots were fired at a gas station. At least 14 people were injured in three border provinces. The Thai army said it launched airstrikes Thursday on ground military targets in Cambodia, while the Cambodian Defence Ministry said the Thai jets dropped bombs on a road near the ancient Preah Vihear temple. Clashes are ongoing in at least six areas along the border, Thai Defence Ministry spokesperson Surasant Kongsiri said. The first clash Thursday morning happened in an area near the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple along the border of Thailand's Surin province and Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province. Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Cambodia has attacked both military and non-military sites in Thailand, including a hospital. Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet said his country has always maintained a position of peaceful resolution of problems, but "we have no choice but to respond with armed force against armed aggression.' Earlier Thursday, Cambodia said it was downgrading diplomatic relations with Thailand to their lowest level, expelling the Thai ambassador and recalling all Cambodian staff from its embassy in Bangkok. That was in response to Thailand withdrawing its ambassador and expelling the Cambodian ambassador Wednesday to protest a land mine blast that wounded five Thai soldiers. On Wednesday, a land mine blast near the border wounded five Thai soldiers, one of whom lost a leg. A week earlier, a land mine in a different contested area exploded and wounded three Thai soldiers when one of them stepped on it and lost a foot. The border dispute has also caused political fallout in Thailand, whose prime minister was suspended from office to be investigated for possible ethics violations over the matter. Border disputes are longstanding issues that have caused periodic tensions between the countries. The most prominent and violent conflicts have been around the 1,000-year-old Preah Vihear temple. In 1962, the International Court of Justice recognized Cambodian sovereignty over the temple area in a ruling that became a major irritant in the relations of both countries. Cambodia went back to court in 2011, following several military clashes that killed about 20 people. The court reaffirmed the ruling in 2013, a decision that still rattled Thailand.
The Star
13 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
Thailand and Cambodia exchange fire in clashes that kill at least nine civilians
BANGKOK: Thailand and Cambodia exchanged fire on their border Thursday (jULY 24) in a sharp escalation of their conflict that killed at least nine civilians. Both nations accused each other of starting the military clashes and have downgraded their diplomatic relations since Wednesday. Thailand also sealed all land border crossings with Cambodia. Relations between the South-East Asian neighbours have deteriorated sharply since an armed confrontation in May that killed a Cambodian soldier. Nationalist passions on both sides have further inflamed the situation. The Thai army said the most casualties occurred in Si Sa Ket province, where six people were killed after shots were fired at a gas station. At least 14 people were injured in three border provinces. The Thai army said the most casualties occurred in Si Sa Ket province, where six people were killed after shots were fired at a gas station. - The Nation/ANN The Thai army said it launched airstrikes Thursday on ground military targets in Cambodia, while the Cambodian Defence Ministry said the Thai jets dropped bombs on a road near the ancient Preah Vihear temple. Clashes are ongoing in at least six areas along the border, Thai Defence Ministry spokesperson Surasant Kongsiri said. The first clash Thursday morning happened in an area near the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple along the border of Thailand's Surin province and Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province. A livestream video from Thailand's side showed people running from their homes and hiding in a concrete bunker Thursday morning as explosions sounded. Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Cambodia has attacked both military and non-military sites in Thailand, including a hospital. "The Royal Thai Government calls upon Cambodia to take responsibility for the incidents that have occurred, cease attacks against civilian and military targets, and stop all actions that violate Thailand's sovereignty. The Royal Thai Government is prepared to intensify our self-defence measures if Cambodia persists in its armed attack and violations upon Thailand's sovereignty in accordance with international law and principles,' said Nikorndej Balankura, the ministry's spokesperson. Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet said his country has always maintained a position of peaceful resolution of problems, but "we have no choice but to respond with armed force against armed aggression.' Earlier Thursday, Cambodia said it was downgrading diplomatic relations with Thailand to their lowest level, expelling the Thai ambassador and recalling all Cambodian staff from its embassy in Bangkok. That was in response to Thailand withdrawing its ambassador and expelling the Cambodian ambassador Wednesday to protest a land mine blast that wounded five Thai soldiers. The Thai army said of Thursday's initial clash that its forces heard an unmanned aerial vehicle before seeing six armed Cambodian soldiers moving closer to Thailand's station. It said Thai soldiers tried to shout at them to defuse the situation but the Cambodian side started to open fire. Cambodia's Defence Ministry also said Thailand employed a drone first before opening fire, and that Cambodia "acted strictly within the bounds of self-defence, responding to an unprovoked incursion by Thai troops that violated our territorial integrity.' The Thai embassy in Phnom Penh posted on Facebook that there were clashes at several border areas that could continue to escalate. It urged Thai nationals in Cambodia to leave the country if they could and advised others not to travel to Cambodia unless absolutely necessary. On Wednesday, a land mine blast near the border wounded five Thai soldiers, one of whom lost a leg. A week earlier, a land mine in a different contested area exploded and wounded three Thai soldiers when one of them stepped on it and lost a foot. Thai authorities have alleged the mines were newly laid along paths that by mutual agreement were supposed to be safe. They said the mines were Russian-made and not of a type employed by Thailand's military. Cambodia rejected Thailand's account as "baseless accusations,' pointing out that many unexploded mines and other ordnance are a legacy of 20th century wars and unrest. The border dispute has also caused political fallout in Thailand, whose prime minister was suspended from office to be investigated for possible ethics violations over the matter. Border disputes are longstanding issues that have caused periodic tensions between the countries. The most prominent and violent conflicts have been around the 1,000-year-old Preah Vihear temple. In 1962, the International Court of Justice recognized Cambodian sovereignty over the temple area in a ruling that became a major irritant in the relations of both countries. Cambodia went back to the court in 2011, following several military clashes that killed about 20 people. The court reaffirmed the ruling in 2013, a decision that still rattled Thailand. - AP
The Star
13 hours ago
- General
- The Star
Giant rats sniff out land mines in Cambodia
Mott Sreymom, 34, a rat handler with Apopo carries an African giant pouched rat back from a landmine field. — Photos: ANTON L. DELGADO/AP Rats may send some squealing, but in Cambodia, teams of the not-so-little critters have become indispensable in helping specialists detect land mines that have killed and maimed thousands in the South-East Asian country. The African giant pouched rats, which can grow up to 45 centimetres and weigh up to 1.5 kilograms, are on the front line, making their way nimbly across fields to signal to their handlers when they get a whiff of TNT, used in most land mines and explosive ordnance. "While working with these rats, I have always found mines and they have never skipped a single one,' said Mott Sreymom, a rat handler at Apopo, a humanitarian demining group that trains and deploys rodent detection teams across the world. A mine detection rat with the humanitarian demining organisation Apopo works in a landmine field in Siem Reap, Cambodia. "I really trust these mine detection rats," Mott said while on her lunch break after working on a land mine field in the province of Siem Reap. After three decades of conflict in the previous century, remnants of war littered approximately 4,500sq km of Cambodian land, according to a survey by the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) in 2004. This affected all 25 Cambodian provinces and nearly half of the country's 14,000 villages. As of 2018, CMAA reported 1,970sq km remain uncleared. Rat detection teams march in line towards a landmine field. The rats have a keen sense of smell, making them a favorite at Apopo, which also employs land mine-detecting dog teams. "Dogs and rats are better compared to other animals because they are trainable,' said Alberto Zacarias, a field supervisor of Apopo's technical survey dog teams, adding that they are also friendly and easily learn commands. Rat detection teams deployed to a landmine field. Since demining officially began in Cambodia in 1992, more than 1.1 million mines have been cleared, as well as approximately 2.9 million other explosive remnants of war, according to a 2022 government demining progress report. And the African giant pouched rats are doing their part. "We work with them almost daily, so we get closer,' Mott said. "They are very friendly and they don't move around and get scared. They are like family.' – AP
The Star
18 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
Is Philippines getting short end of US tariff stick? 19% rate slammed as ‘worst insult'
MANILA (SCMP): A new trade deal hailed by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr as a 'significant achievement' has been slammed by critics at home as the 'worst insult' after Manila secured only a one percentage point tariff cut from Washington while granting American goods duty-free access. Marcos, the first South-East Asian leader to be hosted by President Donald Trump since his return to the White House, visited the US capital from Sunday to Tuesday for a series of talks centred on trade and security. The trip came as Manila sought to defuse tensions over Trump's sweeping 'Liberation Day' tariff policy, which had initially imposed a 17 per cent duty on Philippine exports in April before increasing it to 20 per cent earlier this month. The outcome – a 19 per cent tariff rate on Philippine goods alongside zero tariffs for US exports – was unveiled by Trump on his Truth Social account after holding a joint press conference at the White House. Marcos defended the result, insisting the concession was more significant than it appeared. 'Now, one per cent might seem like a very small concession. However, when you put it in real terms, it is a significant achievement,' he said, adding that the 19 per cent figure reflected the 'special relationship between the Philippines and the United States'. As part of the agreement, the Philippines would also scrap tariffs on American automobiles, Marcos said. The deal was expected to result in increased imports of soy, wheat and pharmaceutical products from the US – moves he said could help narrow the current trade deficit, which stood at US$4.9 billion in 2024. When asked whether the Philippines was 'getting the shorter end of the stick', given that the new rate was still higher than the 17 per cent imposed earlier this year, Marcos replied: 'Well, that's how negotiations go.' Deal slammed Imee Marcos, who chairs the Senate foreign relations committee and has become openly estranged from her brother, was scathing in her assessment. 'A mere one per cent reduction in tariff rates for Philippine goods while having zero tariffs for US goods certainly does not look like a win for the Philippines,' she said in a statement. The president's ally, Senator Panfilo Lacson, who was re-elected under the Marcos slate, issued a statement saying the new tariff rate 'is definitely not the most fair deal between decades-old friends or allies like the United States and the Philippines'. 'If I may add, it is the worst insult that a host can throw at his guest. It is time for us to look for other trade partners,' he said, referring to the fact that Marcos was invited for a state visit by Trump and had even stayed at the Blair House for the trade talks. The top-winning Akbayan Party list group criticised Marcos for signing such a 'lopsided' deal. 'To make matters worse, the supposed deal reportedly includes a zero tariff on imported US cars, a move that may be illegal under international trade rules. Such preferential treatment can only be granted through a formal free-trade agreement,' said party president Rafaela David. Jonathan Ravelas, managing director of eManagement for Business and Marketing Services, told This Week in Asia that he had expected a 'lower tariff rate of 17 per cent' –the rate which Trump had earlier imposed in April. The financial risk analyst said 'the imbalance' between a 19 per cent tariff rate for Philippine exports and a zero per cent rate for US exports 'undermines fair trade and places Philippine exporters at a competitive disadvantage. Reciprocity is key to sustainable bilateral trade'. He warned that a zero tariff rate on US imports could mean the Philippine market being flooded with cheaper American products, thereby threatening domestic industries. Ravelas cited electronics, garments and agricultural exports as 'most vulnerable'. He called on the government to cushion the impact by providing these sectors with 'export tax relief, market diversification support and trade adjustment assistance for displaced workers'. For Ronald Acoba, founder and chief investment strategist at Trading Edge Training & Consultancy, the modest concession is a consuelo de bobo – a Filipino term to denote mock consolation. Acoba, however, noted that the new rate put the Philippines 'on par' with the 19 per cent for Indonesia and 20 per cent for Vietnam. 'Additionally, our 19 per cent levy may be considered 'better' than Singapore's baseline 10 per cent rate since Singapore was consistently running a trade deficit with the US,' Acoba told This Week in Asia. Praise and pressure During their joint press conference at the White House, Trump praised Marcos as a 'tough negotiator' but also took a swipe at his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, who had once been described as 'Asia's Trump'. Trump accused Duterte of 'maybe tilting toward poor China' and added: 'We untilted it very, very quickly … and I just don't think that would have been good for you.' In a statement issued as Marcos wrapped up his trip, the US embassy in Manila said the State Department had approved at least 3 billion pesos (US$60 million) in new foreign assistance to support Philippine energy, maritime and economic development initiatives. 'This is the US government's first announcement of new foreign assistance for any country since the Trump administration began its review and realignment of foreign assistance in January,' it noted. The embassy added that Secretary of State Marco Rubio intended to work with Congress to allocate an additional 825 million pesos to 'catalyse private sector development' in the Luzon Economic Corridor – a flagship project originally launched under former president Joe Biden and backed by both the US and Japan. The initiative aims to boost investment in transport, logistics, energy and semiconductors across northern Luzon. - South China Morning Post/ANN
The Star
21 hours ago
- Sport
- The Star
Versatile Kiwi Ingham can add polish to more than just Sabah's defence
KUALA LUMPUR: Sabah's new Kiwi defender Dane Ingham intends to make his first venture into South-East Asian football a memorable one. The 26 year old, who is Australian-born but represents the New Zealand national team, sees the Malaysian Super League as a great opportunity to challenge himself and make a mark on new territory. ''Joining Sabah provides a new phase in my career and represents opportunities, and I'm quite excited to start this new season as this the first time I get to test my abilities in South-East Asia,'' said Ingham. Having previously played for A-League club Newcastle Jets, Ingham hopes that his presence in Sabah will help to strengthen the team's defence as he is aware that other clubs have dangerous strikers. ''The other clubs in the Super League are of top quality and I don't want to underestimate their abilities.'' Moreover, Ingham describes himself as a versatile player by being able to contribute to the forward line and assist in scoring for the team despite being a defender. ''Whatever it takes, I want to give my best to help the team without missing any games, and if necessary, I have no problem playing up front and assist in scoring. 'I'm a player who never gives up and I will try my best to give positive energy to my teammates,'' he added. Sabah's main aim this year is to create surprises, especially after they impressed last season by finishing third in the Super League with 40 points. The last time the Rhinos won the Super League was back in 1996.
