Thailand

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha first time ever defended a land sale by his father publicly, insisting that it did not favour anyone after the opposition raised the issue during the first day of the censure debate against the government. Yutthapong Charassathian, a Pheu Thai Party MP for Maha Sarakham, claimed that the land which was sold by Gen Prayut’s father …

Italy reported Monday its fourth death from the new coronavirus, an 84-year old man in the northern Lombardy region, as the number of people contracting the virus continued to mount. It was the third death in Lombardy, where villages have been put in lockdown and security measures enforced in a bid to stem the spread of the disease, the region’s …

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, at 94 the world’s oldest leader, submitted his resignation to the king Monday after a bid by his allies to bring down the government and block the succession of leader-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim. The coalition would reportedly have excluded Anwar, Mahathir’s presumptive successor, and most of the lawmakers from his party, which would have stopped him …

Canada’s Teck Resources said Sunday it had withdrawn its application to develop a giant oil sands mine in western Alberta, a controversial project which the federal government had been set to vote on this week. The Frontier project would have cost about Can$20 billion ($15 billion) and had been expected to produce 260,000 barrels of oil per day. But its …

The Royal Thai Police Office has instructed its legal office to look into a statement made by Pannika Wanich, the spokeswoman for the now-dissolved Future Forward Party, accusing Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha of helping cover up Malaysia’s multi-billion-dollar 1MDB scandal, assistant police chief Pol Lt Gen Piya Uthayo said on Monday. Pol Lt Gen Piya, the office spokesman, said Pol …

Customs-cleared exports in January unexpectedly rose for the first time in six months, increasing 3.35% from a year earlier, boosted by higher shipments of gold and oil-related products, the commerce ministry said on Monday. January’s figures compared with a Reuters poll forecast for a fall of 3.0% in shipments, a main driver of Thai growth, and against December’s 1.28% drop.  …

Prime Minister Hun Sen wants motorists who repeatedly flout traffic rules to be banned from driving. Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Interior Ministry’s annual conference on Thursday, Hun Sen suggested relevant authorities should consider revoking their licences and ban them from driving for a period of years. Hun Sen instructed officials to look into the possibility of doing …

The Internal Trade Department has banned the unauthorised export of face masks to ensure an adequate domestic supply, but outbound travellers are allowed to take a limited number with them. Director-general Whichai Phochanakij said on Friday the new restrictions, which related to coronavirus concerns, were effective immediately. They closed a loophole some parties exploited to export face masks without prior …

A former school headmaster pleaded guilty to charges of multiple murder during the armed robbery of a gold shop in Lop Buri province on Jan 9 at a hearing in the Criminal Court on Friday. Prosecutors arraigned Prasittichai “Golf’’ Khaokaew, 38, formerly the director of Wat Pho Chai School in neighbouring Sing Buri province, on nine counts.  He was charged …

Buyers flocked to Chevrolet showrooms on Wednesday to snap up models sold at discount prices after General Motors decided to withdraw from Thailand by the end of the year. Outlets selling the iconic American brand were thronged by potential buyers on Wednesday after the sale began — with some models going for less than half price. The new Captiva 1.5 …