Category Archives: Thailand

Trump oversees Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire signing as Asia tour gets under way

Posted on by

Trump has begun a five-day trip to Malaysia, Japan and South Korea, his first visit to the region since taking office in January

Donald Trump has overseen the signing of a ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia on the first day of an Asia tour where he will seal new trade agreements and hold a crucial meeting with Xi Jinping.

The US president arrived in Malaysia on Sunday before the Asean summit in the capital, Kuala Lumpur. At a ceasefire ceremony in front of a sign that read “Delivering Peace”, the Thai prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, and his Cambodian counterpart, Hun Manet, signed an expanded ceasefire deal related to a deadly five-day conflict in July.

Continue reading...

Thailand’s Queen Mother Sirikit dies at 93 after more than a decade out of the public eye

Posted on by

Prime minister Charnvirakul cancels trip to Asean summit in Malaysia after news of the Queen Mother’s death

Thailand’s Queen Mother Sirikit, who brought glamour to a postwar revival in the country’s monarchy and who, in later years, would occasionally wade into politics, has died aged 93, the Thai Royal Household bureau has announced.

The palace said she had been hospitalised since 2019 due to several illnesses and developed a bloodstream infection on 17bOctober before passing away late on Friday.

Continue reading...

Thailand to let Myanmar refugees work to counter aid cuts and labour shortages

Posted on by

The move, welcomed by UN, will allow thousands of people living in camps to support themselves and their families

Thailand is setting a global precedent this month by giving refugees permission to work in the country in an effort to tackle aid cuts and its own labour shortages.

More than 87,000 refugees living in nine refugee camps along Thailand’s border with Myanmar have been totally reliant on handouts of food and foreign aid.

Continue reading...

‘Wailing ghosts through loudspeakers’: Cambodia accuses Thailand of psychological warfare along border

Posted on by

Cambodia’s rights commission said ‘intense, high-pitched noises’ broadcast by Thai soldiers along the disputed border threatened to escalate tensions

Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen has complained about Thailand broadcasting ghost-like sounds across a disputed border, while the country’s human rights commission has accused its neighbour of engaging in psychological warfare, despite both countries agreeing to a ceasefire in July.

Posting on Facebook, Hun Sen, 73, who now serves as Cambodia’s powerful senate president, said Cambodia’s human rights commission had complained to the United Nations about the “intense, high-pitched noises”.

Continue reading...

Typhoon Bualoi death toll rises to at least 30 across Vietnam, Thailand and Philippines

Posted on by

Vietnamese authorities say typhoon was the most devastating storm to hit the country this year

The death toll from Typhoon Bualoi in south-east Asia has risen to more than 30 as heavy rains continued to lash the region.

In Vietnam, authorities said 19 people had been killed and 21 were missing, making it the most devastating storm to hit the country this year. Heavy rain on Tuesday raised the risk of more flooding and landslides in northern regions.

Continue reading...

Thaksin Shinawatra jailed by Thailand supreme court for one year in major blow to former prime minister

Posted on by

Case centred on claims that he had not properly served a sentence for corruption and abuse of power, which was handed down in 2023

Thailand’s former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra must serve one year in jail, the country’s supreme court has ruled, in a major blow to one of the country’s most prominent and polarising politicians.

The court ruled that Thaksin had not properly served an eight-year sentence for corruption and abuse of power, which was handed down when he returned to the country from self-imposed exile in 2023. After arriving back in the country, Thaksin spent less than 24 hours in jail, but was moved to the VIP wing of a hospital on health grounds, where he stayed for six months before he was released on parole.

In its judgment, the supreme court found that the arrangement allowing Thaksin to stay at hospital was unlawful. “The defendant knows his sickness was not an urgent matter, and staying in hospital cannot count as a prison term,” said the ruling read out by a judge.

“The court will issue a jail warrant and an official from Bangkok Remand Prison will take him,” the judge said.

Continue reading...

Tycoon who led push to decriminalise cannabis becomes Thai PM

Posted on by

Anutin Charnvirakul voted in by parliament after promising election in four months, as Thaksin Shinawatra jets out

Anutin Charnvirakul, a staunch royalist, has been appointed by lawmakers as Thailand’s next prime minister after days of heated negotiations and political drama.

The 58-year-old tycoon turned politician is considered a conservative, though he made a name for himself for leading a campaign to decriminalise cannabis. He was voted in after a chaotic scramble by parties to gain enough support to replace the ousted PM, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was removed from office by a court ruling.

Continue reading...

Thai court dismisses prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra

Posted on by

Daughter of former PM Thaksin accused of failing to protect country’s interests over leaked phone call with Cambodia’s leader

Thailand’s constitutional court has dismissed Paetongtarn Shinawatra from her position as prime minister, ruling that as the country’s leader she violated ethical rules during a phone call with Cambodia’s senate president, Hun Sen.

The ruling, which threatens to usher in a fresh period of instability in the country, means she immediately loses her job, which she had held for about a year. The 39-year-old had already been suspended from her duties on 1 July after a recording was leaked of the phone conversation, in which they discussed a simmering border dispute between the neighbouring countries.

Continue reading...

Thailand former PM cleared of royal insult charge but Shinawatra dynasty’s fate still hangs in balance

Posted on by

Lese-majesty case against Thaksin Shinawatra is dismissed, but his daughter Paetongtarn will hear next week if she will be removed as prime minster

A criminal court in Thailand has dismissed a case accusing former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra of defaming the monarchy, the first of three court cases that could decide the fate of one of the country’s prominent political families.

Thaksin was accused of insulting the monarchy during an interview with South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo in 2015.

Continue reading...

Three Thai soldiers injured by landmine on border with Cambodia, army says

Posted on by

Thai military accuses neighbouring country of planting concealed weapons in violation of international law

Three Thai soldiers were injured on Saturday after one tripped a landmine in territory along its frontier with Cambodia, Thailand’s army has said as it accused the neighbouring country of planting concealed weapons in violation of international law.

The incident, in which a Thai sergeant major suffered severe injuries, came two days after the countries reasserted their commitment to a ceasefire that ended a brief but intense period of fighting. Cambodia denies the accusation.

Continue reading...

Thailand accuses Cambodia of violating fragile ceasefire for a second time

Posted on by

Cambodia has previously denied breaking the truce, which came into effect on Tuesday after five days of violent clashes

Thailand has accused Cambodia of a “flagrant violation” of a truce to end cross-border fighting, claiming Cambodian troops launched an overnight attack on the frontier.

The neighbours agreed a ceasefire starting Tuesday after five days of clashes killed at least 43 people on both sides, as a longstanding dispute over contested border regions boiled over into open combat across the 800km frontier.

Continue reading...

The bitter feud fuelling the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia

Posted on by

Animosity between former friends and political patriarchs Hun Sen and Thaksin Shinawatra is exacerbating clashes

The dispute over Thailand and Cambodia’s contested border, which dates back more than a century to disagreements over colonial-era maps, has broken into conflict before. But the most recent clashes, which erupted on Thursday, have been fuelled by another factor: a bitter feud between two powerful political patriarchs.

Hun Sen, 72, and Thaksin Shinawatra, 76, former leaders of Cambodia and Thailand, were once such close friends they reportedly called one another brothers. Hun Sen has, over the years, supported Thaksin’s family during their long-running power struggle with Thailand’s military. Thaksin and his sister Yingluck stayed at Hun Sen’s home after they were ousted from power, while Hun Sen appointed Thaksin an economic adviser to the Cambodian government. Thaksin frequently visited Cambodia, and Hun Sen was the first foreign guest to see the former Thai leader after he returned home after more than 15 years in self-imposed exile.

Continue reading...

Cambodia calls for ‘immediate ceasefire’ with Thailand as deadly clashes enter a third day

Posted on by

Thousands of people have been evacuated from either side of the border, while fighting has left at least 32 people dead

Cambodia wants an “immediate ceasefire” with Thailand, the country’s envoy to the United Nations has said, with Bangkok also signalling an openness to talks after two days of deadly clashes that have left 32 dead and thousands displaced.

“Cambodia asked for an immediate ceasefire – unconditionally – and we also call for the peaceful solution of the dispute,” said UN ambassador Chhea Keo, after a closed meeting of the Council attended by Cambodia and Thailand.

Continue reading...

Thailand-Cambodia border dispute: 130,000 Thai civilians evacuated amid second day of clashes

Posted on by

Thailand PM warns cross-border clashes ‘could develop into war’ as fighting spreads to 12 locations

Thailand has evacuated more than 130,000 people along the Cambodian border, it said on Friday, as the country’s leader warned cross-border clashes could develop into war.

Clashes that began on Thursday resumed early on Friday, the Thai military reported, as the two countries fought in their bloodiest military clashes in over a decade.

Fighting had taken place in 12 locations along the disputed border, a Thai military official – an expansion of the conflict that erupted a day earlier.

“This present incident of aggression is escalating and could develop to the stage of war,” Thailand’s acting prime minister Phumtham Wechayachai told reporters in Bangkok. “However, right now we are still at altercation level, battling with heavy weapons. What we have done so far are to protect our land and sovereignty of our nation.”

Continue reading...

British teenager Bella Culley to be held in Georgia until September drugs trial

Posted on by

Tbilisi judge rejects lawyer’s offer of plea agreement for release of pregnant Teesside teenager, now 19, at hearing

The British teenager Bella Culley is to be held in a Georgian prison for at least five more weeks as she awaits trial on drug-smuggling charges, a court in Tbilisi has ordered.

Culley, the great-granddaughter of a former Labour MP, was arrested on arrival at the city’s airport in May. Georgian prosecutors said she was carrying a large amount of illegal drugs in luggage she brought with her from Thailand.

Continue reading...

Australian tourist found dead in Thai hotel room was on phone when he died, police say

Posted on by

The 21-year-old was discovered by housekeeping staff on holiday island Phuket

An Australian tourist has been found dead in a Thai hotel room, one day before his flight home.

The 21-year-old was discovered by housekeeping staff at a hotel on holiday island Phuket on Wednesday.

Continue reading...

Thailand recalls Cambodia ambassador after landmine injures soldier on border

Posted on by

Thai foreign ministry says landmines along disputed border newly deployed as it downgrades diplomatic relations

Thailand has recalled its ambassador to Cambodia and will expel Cambodia’s ambassador, the ruling Pheu Thai party said on Wednesday after a landmine incident that injured a Thai soldier along the disputed border between the two countries.

The Thai foreign ministry has lodged a formal protest with Cambodia, saying the landmines found in the area were newly deployed and had not been encountered during previous patrols, the party said on social media.

Continue reading...

Rubio in bind as he seeks to reassure south-east Asia, even as it faces Trump tariffs

Posted on by

Rubio meets Chinese counterpart at gathering, as questions remain about US trade polices and commitment to region

Even as they face among the most punitive tariffs globally, the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has sought to reassure south-east Asian countries of Washington’s commitment to the region, saying they may get “better” trade deals than the rest of the world.

In his first official visit to Asia, Rubio met the foreign ministers of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in Malaysia on Thursday, telling his counterparts that the US had “no intention of abandoning” the region.

His visit came days after Donald Trump renewed his threat to impose severe tariffson many south-east Asian countries if they did not strike deals by 1 August.

Continue reading...

Thailand’s PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra suspended over leaked Hun Sen call

Posted on by

Paetongtarn could be heard calling former Cambodian leader ‘uncle’ and criticising Thai commander in recording

Thailand’s constitutional court has suspended the prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, while it investigates alleged ethical violations relating to a leaked phone call.

The court announced on Tuesday that it would consider a petition filed by 36 senators calling for Paetongtarn’s dismissal, accusing her of dishonesty and breaching ethical standards in violation of the constitution.

Continue reading...

Protesters in Bangkok demand resignation of prime minister over leaked phone call

Posted on by

Paetongtarn Shinawatra has angered Thai nationalists, who accuse the Thai leader of kowtowing to Cambodia

Thousands of protesters have gathered in Bangkok to demand the resignation of Thailand’s prime minister over a leaked phone call with a former Cambodian leader.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra has faced growing pressure over her handling of a border dispute with neighbouring Cambodia that flared in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed during a brief exchange of fire.

Continue reading...