ASEAN News

Following a plea for pardon made by the wealthy politician, King Maha Vajiralongkorn declared today that former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra‘s eight-year prison sentence had been reduced to just one year. After 15 years of self-imposed exile overseas, Thaksin, 74, recently made a spectacular return to Thailand to avoid being imprisoned on charges of abuse of authority and conflicts of …

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida‘s plan to increase military spending by 43 trillion yen over five years has taken an important step forward with the defense ministry of Japan submitting an unprecedented budget request of 7.7 trillion yen (about US$52.67 billion) for the fiscal year 2024. By 2027, the ambitious plan, which was unveiled last year, seeks to raise Japan’s defense …

Recently, India’s Ministry of External Affairs made a crucial decision to allow rice shipments to Singapore, citing the strong economic, diplomatic, and human ties between the two nations. The decision raises concerns about India’s objectives, the effect on its internal market, and the ramifications for the international rice trade. It also comes in the wake of India’s prohibition on exports …

Terry Gou, the billionaire founder of Foxconn, the world’s largest contract producer of electronics, including Apple’s iPhones, declared his intention to run for the presidency of Taiwan as an independent candidate. Gou’s declaration follows a failed earlier attempt to win the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party’s candidacy for the forthcoming January election.Gou declared during a news conference that he had made …

Chinese military action encircling the island has recently increased, according to Taiwan’s defense ministry, escalating already-existing tensions. This increased activity was seen on Friday, August 25, and it involved five ships performing battle readiness patrols nearby, as well as 13 planes flying into Taiwan’s designated “response” zone. China has been steadily stepping up its military pressure on Taiwan, which it …

Hun Manet, the newly endorsed prime minister of Cambodia, has unveiled grandiose ambitions to turn the country into a “high-income country” by 2050 in a move that symbolizes a dynastic transfer of power. Hun Manet underlined an emphasis on boosting food security, healthcare access, and economic growth while outlining his aims in his first cabinet meeting. The leader’s rise to …

The Elections Department (ELD) said on Wednesday that more than 6,500 Singaporeans who are expatriates have registered as overseas voters for the 2019 Presidential Election. Former GIC Chief Investment Officer Ng Kok Song, former Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and former NTUC Income Chief Executive Tan Kin Lian are among the contenders vying to become Singapore’s ninth president. The candidates’ names …

Singapore has revealed the trio of contenders vying for the largely symbolic position of president, marking the initiation of an electoral process that holds significance as a gauge of public sentiment towards the ruling party’s prolonged governance over the nation. Diverse Candidates Set the Stage The three candidates in the race include former Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, 66, whose …

Australia, Japan and the United States are planning a joint navy drill in the South China Sea, this Wednesday, after a recent show of Chinese aggression in the disputed waters. Russia has also heightened activity near Japanese and South Korea waters with Chinese naval ships crossing waters between the southern Japanese islands of Okinawa and Miyako.  On August 5, Chinese …

A recent cyberattack by North Korean hackers known as “Kimsuky” on South Korea and the United States during a joint military exercise has heightened worries about cyber threats and the potential disruption they represent to national security and international relations. The incident emphasizes the shifting nature of cyber warfare and the importance of strong cybersecurity measures. The North Korean hacking …