The latest peace deal between Cambodia and Thailand will be difficult to uphold, according to analysts, who point to previous ceasefire breaches, as they call for a regional observer team to be enlarged to include more military officials. Analysts also note the conspicuous absence of China from the arrangement despite its aspirations to be a major regional player. On Sunday, United States President Donald Trump presided over the deal between Thailand and Cambodia in Malaysias capital, as part...

Russia is looking to Southeast Asia for an economic boost after fresh sanctions from the United States hit its energy sector, with a senior minister saying Moscow sees mutually beneficial opportunities with Asean in nuclear technology, logistics and trade. Speaking on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and East Asia summits in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk said Russia was deepening cooperation with countries such as Malaysia amid what ..

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Monday urged Myanmars junta to focus on increasing aid to its struggling people instead of holding an election, which he said would be neither free nor fair. Myanmars junta has been widely pilloried for pressing on with the election starting this December, while it continues to bomb civilians in a civil war that has killed thousands and displaced more than 3.5 million people. Guterres, who was in Kuala Lumpur for a summit between the UN and...

The worlds largest trade agreement was given a jump-start on Monday, as leaders met in Kuala Lumpur at a pivotal time for the global economy, desperate to turn the pact into tangible gains as sweeping US tariffs threaten to slow growth across Asia-Pacific. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) covers 30 per cent of the global economy, with Asean members at its core alongside East Asian giants China, Japan, South Korea, as well as Australia and New Zealand. The pact was signed...

The United States has ramped up efforts to hedge against rare earth export controls by China the worlds dominant supplier through agreements signed on Sunday with two Southeast Asian countries, including one that experts believe could deliver results relatively quickly. Memoranda of understanding with Malaysia and Thailand pave the way for increased critical mineral exports to US automotive, defence and hi-tech hardware manufacturers following a US$8.5 billion US-Australia framework deal...

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet agreed on Monday to form a joint task force to combat scams targeting South Koreans, in response to growing public concern over recent abductions and detentions of Lees compatriots in Cambodia. The task force, which begins operations next month, will include South Korean police officers, according to presidential spokeswoman Kang Yu-jung. The size and operational details of the force will be determined as soon as...

A Thai social media user has posted photos of a sushi piece glowing blue in the dark after she bought it from a store, raising health concerns about possible radioactive or poisonous contamination. Sharing her discovery on a consumer interest groups social media page on Sunday, Mild Burusskorn said she noticed the blue glow emitting from the egg sushi that she had bought from a well-known brand, which she did not name. I was about to get out of the car to turn off the lights and I saw that...

South Koreas leading aircraft manufacturer has said it is in talks with the Philippines for more deals following an aerial show featuring the prowess of one of its newest multirole fighter jets near Seoul. Spectators filled the Seoul Air Base in Seongnam in Gyeonggi Province for the Seoul International Aerospace & Defence Exhibition 2025, with the Republic of Korea Air Force showcasing the capabilities of the KF-21 Boramae, developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), over the skies of the...

Malaysian broadcaster Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) has apologised for getting the names of three Southeast Asian leaders wrong during a live broadcast of the opening ceremony of the 47th Asean Summit. RTM had misidentified the leaders of Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia during the live broadcast on Sunday. In statements issued in Malay on social media, the broadcaster apologised for the mistakes. RTM said in its statement that a broadcast commentator had misidentified Singapores Prime...

The United States and Vietnam will finalise a trade agreement in the coming weeks that will maintain 20 per cent tariffs on most Vietnamese goods but lift duties on certain products that will be decided at a later stage, the White House said on Sunday. In return Vietnam committed to offering preferential access for most all US goods. The two countries have agreed to a framework for the agreement on reciprocal, fair and balanced trade between the two nations, the countries said in a joint...

When the red, black and yellow flag of East Timor was hoisted alongside the colours of its new Southeast Asian peers inside the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on Sunday, several Timorese journalists in the media gallery broke into tears. After more than a decade of waiting since it first applied in 2011, the small half-island nation Asias newest country on Sunday formally joined Asean as its 11th member. The ceremony at the 47th summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, hosted...

A triumphant Donald Trump on Sunday presided over a peace deal between Thailand and Cambodia on the first trip to Southeast Asia of his second presidency, applauding his own peacemaking skills while warning that American trade was contingent on the durability of the truce between the two nations. Dubbed the Kuala Lumpur Accords, the declaration calls for a demilitarisation of the tense shared Thai-Cambodia border and a loosely worded commitment towards reaching peace to end a border dispute,...

The year-long funeral ceremony of Thailands former Queen Sirikit started on Sunday, with grieving royalists set to salute the procession bringing her remains to lie in state at Bangkoks Grand Palace. The royal family is venerated in Thailand, treated by many as semidivine figures and lavished with glowing media coverage and gold-adorned portraits hanging in public spaces and private homes nationwide. Former Queen Sirikit, the mother of the current King Vajiralongkorn and wife of the nations...

A 41-year-old Indonesian man was charged on Saturday with murdering his wife. The 38-year-old woman was found motionless in a Singapore hotel room on Friday morning. Salehuddin, who goes by one name, is accused of causing the death of Nurdia Rahmah Rery between 3am and 5am in a room at the Capri by Fraser China Square hotel on Friday. He appeared in court in a red polo shirt from his place of remand and appeared calm, responding to the interpreter at various points. He asked District Judge ..

For two years, Malaysian conservationists tracked a tiger named Bulan as she raised four cubs. Then a fatal traffic accident made her another statistic in the countrys dwindling population. Malaysias national animal is in trouble. Poaching, food loss and diminishing habitat have slashed the population from 3,000 in the 1950s to less than 150 roaming free today, according to official estimates. The government said last month it was ramping up efforts to combat wildlife crime, introducing...

SteelAsia Manufacturing Corp. said it was ordered by the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute to take custody of 23 cargo containers allegedly containing radioactive zinc dust and rejected by Indonesia, adding it had no connection with the shipments. The Philippine steel company said it was tagged as the source of the radioactive materials by PNRI, and ordered to entomb the containers in its Calaca scrap recycling plant in Batangas province, according to a statement on Saturday. The ..

Thailands Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul will sign a peace accord over a border dispute with Cambodia during the Asean summit in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, in a ceremony to be presided over by US President Donald Trump. US officials have been pressing both members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to sign the deal, officially called the Declaration on Thai- Cambodian Relations, but dubbed the Kuala Lumpur Accords during Trumps one-day stop in Malaysia. The American leader is...

Countries signed their first UN treaty targeting cybercrime in Hanoi on Saturday, despite opposition from an unlikely band of tech companies and rights groups warning of expanded state surveillance. The new global legal framework aims to strengthen international cooperation to fight digital crimes, from child pornography to transnational cyberscams and money laundering. More than 60 countries were seen to sign the declaration on Saturday, which means it will go into force once ratified by ..

When US tariffs slammed shut the doors to one of Malaysias most important export markets, menswear designer Bon Zainal Harun didnt flinch. His answer to Washingtons volley of levies was as sharp as the suits he makes: Hustle. Until recently, Zainal exported his bespoke suits and formalwear to the United States, but the 19 per cent tariff imposed by US President Donald Trump this summer has now largely walled off that market. The price increase may disrupt business, he told This Week in...

Wee Ee Cheong leans back in his chair in the boardroom of UOB Plaza and behind him a deep green bonsai peeks into view from a shelf, poised like it is meant to be part of the conversation. Wees minders had told us not to be surprised if he talks about his beloved plants. It is his hobby, after all. A lush bonsai graces the cover of the banks annual report for its 90th anniversary, a nod to the enduring roots of Singapores only remaining family-controlled bank. But he shows little interest in...

Thailands Queen Mother Sirikit, who supervised royal projects to help the rural poor, preserve traditional craft-making and protect the environment, died on Friday. She was 93. The Royal Household Bureau said she died in a hospital in Bangkok. Since October 17, she had been suffering from a blood infection but despite her medical teams efforts, her conditions did not improve. She had been largely absent from public life in recent years due to declining health. Her husband, King Bhumibol...

The Philippine military has launched an unusually aggressive pushback against what it describes as a growing campaign to destabilise its personnel and ultimately unseat President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. Army and navy officials have warned that disinformation campaigns, rogue recruitment drives and seditious messaging often amplified on social media pose a growing threat to military cohesion. The crackdown comes amid fears of a reprise of coup plots that rocked the country in previous...

In East Timors presidential palace in the capital Dili, President Jose Ramos- Horta leans back in his chair, radiating a calm demeanour ahead of a momentous occasion in his countrys young history. We are in the last few hours before joining Asean, he told This Week in Asia. Looking back, it has been a 23-year journey since independence was proclaimed and when I look at where we were then compared to now, it is like heaven and hell. On Sunday in Kuala Lumpur, East Timor is set to formally...

Manilas long-time ally, the United States, has launched a training programme aimed at strengthening the Philippine coastguards (PCG) operational strategies and maritime law enforcement capabilities. The move, however, could deepen dependence on Washington under the guise of civilian capacity-building, according to some observers, who point to a familiar pattern inherent in US partnerships. Last week, coastguard commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan and outgoing US ambassador to the Philippines...

Malaysias scramble to tighten school rules after a disturbing wave of violent and sexual assaults among pupils is a short-term fix for deeper social and institutional decay, experts and teachers say, warning of a systemic collapse that has exposed students to grave dangers. Several brutal incidents this month including the alleged murder of a girl and two gang-rape cases inside schools have prodded the government to introduce new measures like installing surveillance cameras in schools,...

Malaysia is set to host one of the most consequential Asean summits ever as US President Donald Trump and a coterie of world leaders converge on Kuala Lumpur this weekend, bringing fresh urgency to talks on trade, security and the shifting global order. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, this years chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is expected to use the three-day summit starting on Sunday to ease tensions with Trump over trade imbalances, while also pursuing deals with other...

Singapores Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli on Thursday apologised and acknowledged that agencies involved in the case of four-year-old Megan Khungs fatal abuse could have done more when handling the matter. As the lead for the national child protection system, I would like to say that we are sorry for the outcome, he said. We cannot eradicate every risk of a child loss. But our resolve is absolute. We will do everything possible to prevent the recurrence of such...

A spate of powerful earthquakes across the Philippines has triggered widespread panic, sparked a flood of misinformation and prompted officials to take decisions that experts warn could undermine long-term disaster readiness. Analysts say the anxious public reaction from mass hysteria in schools to viral conspiracy theories about The Big One underscores a pressing need for better science communication and coordination between government agencies, especially in a country highly exposed to...

Indonesia is pushing back against calls to tap the state budget to cover mounting debt from its China-backed high-speed railway, while Beijing has signalled it is open to repayment restructuring talks to ensure the line remains operational. The dispute over who should shoulder the debt highlights deeper concerns about the projects long-term viability, the role of Indonesias sovereign wealth fund and whether the current financing model risks setting a troubling precedent for future...

Indonesia and Brazil agreed to boost ties and struck a series of agreements on Thursday as their leaders met in Jakarta, with Southeast Asias biggest economy looking to make further inroads into South American markets. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was greeted by a marching band and national anthems at a ceremony at the presidential palace in Jakarta before talks with Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto. The pair witnessed the signing of agreements on oil, gas, ..

Global cooperation is needed to help smaller and developing nations defend themselves against cyber threats, Singapore has warned, stressing that cybersecurity is only as strong as its weakest link. Speaking on Thursday at the Singapore International Cyber Week a weeklong gathering of global policymakers, industry leaders and cybersecurity experts to address digital governance and threat preparedness Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said states with fewer resources remained the most...

A former wealth banker at Citigroup got the longest sentence in Singapores biggest money laundering case for his role in aiding the movement of illicit funds and obstructing justice. Wang Qiming, a former relationship manager at Citibank Singapore, was sentenced to 24 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to four out of 10 charges. The prosecutor sought 24 to 30 months' imprisonment while Wangs defence lawyer argued for seven to 11 months. The prosecutor argued that Wang knew the ..

A man in Singapore offered a woman S$5,000 (US$3,848) and a public apology after he was confronted for molesting her buttocks as he exited a lift with his wife. Chinese national Hu Guisheng, 39, was jailed for six days upon pleading guilty on Wednesday to one charge of outrage of modesty in the March 8 incident. The social visit pass holder was in a lift at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) an extravagant tourist attraction with his wife and friends when he targeted the woman. Hus group was drinking...

Millions of tonnes of discarded electronics from the United States are being shipped overseas, much of it to developing countries in Southeast Asia unprepared to safely handle hazardous waste, according to a new report released on Wednesday by an environmental watchdog. The Seattle-based Basel Action Network (BAN) said a two-year investigation found at least 10 US companies exporting used electronics to Asia and the Middle East, in what it says is a hidden tsunami of electronic waste. This...

Experts and officials at a major cybersecurity summit in Singapore have called for deeper collaboration between governments and tech giants, warning that fragmented efforts are no match for increasingly sophisticated digital threats. Speaking at the Singapore International Cyber Week, policymakers and industry leaders said closer partnerships were essential to sharing threat intelligence, innovating jointly and mounting coordinated responses to cyberattacks. These partnerships were crucial as...

Thai immigration officials have denied claims that a Belarusian model was abducted while in Bangkok and forcibly taken to Myanmar, where tabloids claim she was reportedly killed by a criminal gang. The unconfirmed death of 26-year-old Vera Kravtsova has gained international attention in recent days after Russian and British tabloids reported that, following her arrival in Thailand, she was kidnapped and brought to northern Myanmar, where she was tortured and had her organs harvested while ..

Thailands deputy finance minister resigned on Wednesday following allegations linking him to Cambodia-based cyber scam centres. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered Vorapak Tanyawong, a veteran financier who took office just last month, to submit a written explanation this week over the accusations. Vorapak came under scrutiny after a report this week tied him to an alleged foreign fraudster linked to cross-border scam operations in Cambodia. The Whale Hunting newsletter alleged that...

Indonesia is opening the door for foreigners to lead state-owned enterprises (SOEs), a landmark move that President Prabowo Subianto has said will bring international expertise to the countrys corporate sector, even as critics warn about a lack of oversight and accountability. Speaking during the Forbes Global CEO Conference in Jakarta last week, Prabowo said a law on SOEs had been revised to allow non-Indonesians to assume top positions in the sector with roughly 1,000 state firms. Ive...

Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Singapore on Tuesday defended the actions of a clinical team that attended to one of its patients after the woman claimed that she was mistreated at the hospital. We are aware of recent online posts by a patient alleging that her treatment at our hospital was insensitive and inappropriate. We take the allegations seriously, the hospital said in a social media post. Our clinical teams actions were guided by our foremost duty to ensure the safety and well-being of the...

A Malaysian court charged a 14-year-old boy with the murder of a 16-year-old schoolmate on Wednesday, in a case that has stunned the nation and raised pressing concerns about violence among its children. The teenager appeared before the Petaling Jaya Magistrates Court at 10am, where the charge was read aloud by Judge Amira Sariaty Zainal. Proceedings were held behind closed doors under Malaysias Child Act 2001, which protects the identities of minors involved in criminal cases. But court...