Thailand

Malaysia’s new Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has pledged to fight corruption and strengthen governance, saying he is no traitor but stepped in to save the country from political turmoil. Muhyiddin, 72, was named prime minister on Saturday by the country’s monarch after a weeklong struggle for power following Mahathir Mohamad’s sudden resignation amid bickering in his former coalition. The new …

Public complaints grew louder on Monday over the continuing lack of masks on the back of heightened concerns over the spread of Covid-19, which claimed the life of the 35-year-old man on Saturday night — the first reported death from the virus in the country. People are crying foul over the shortage of masks amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, triggered by …

The global death toll from the new coronavirus epidemic surpassed 3,000 on Monday after more people died at its epicentre in China, as cases soared around the world and US officials faced criticism over the country’s readiness for an outbreak. The virus has now infected more than 88,000 people and spread to more than 60 countries after first emerging in …

GM’s Feb 17 announcement that it would cease its Thai market operations and sell the Rayong plants has shaken the automotive sector in several dimensions. From sales, production, exports and auto supply chains to auto loans, car insurance and the used-car market, the aftermath of the exit remains unresolved. And while Chevrolet Thailand, the local distribution arm of GM, has …

The man, 35, is the subject of a Public Health Ministry probe as information on his symptoms contradicts evidence revealed by a specialist in new emerging diseases. The man died of multi-organ failure on Saturday night although doctors had detected no coronavirus in his body since Feb 16, Disease Control Department chief Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai said on Sunday. The man had …

The discussions covering trade and trading standards, agriculture, security, transport, energy, fisheries and police cooperation kick off in Brussels under teams run by Frenchman Michel Barnier for the EU and governmental advisor David Frost for Britain. They take place just over a month since Britain ceased to be an EU member, and are meant to wrap up by the end …

The season-opening Qatar MotoGP, scheduled to take place on March 8, was cancelled Sunday because of the spread of the coronavirus, the international motorcycling federation (FIM) announced. “Due to Qatar travel restrictions brought into force affecting passengers from Italy (amongst other countries), the premier class will not race at the Losail circuit,” the FIM said. As the coronavirus has spread, …

A Public Health Ministry announcement designating Covid-19 as a dangerous communicable disease will take effect on Sunday, giving authorities more weapons to combat the spread of the virus. The latest victim is a 21-year-old Thai salesman whose job brought him exposure to foreign tourists, said Sukhum Kanchanaphimai, the ministry’s permanent secretary. The country has not yet had a death from …

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has refused to rule out postponing international football matches in response to the escalating global threat of the coronavirus. This weekend’s matches in the leading two divisions in Switzerland, where football’s global governing body Fifa has its headquarters, were postponed on Friday after the government banned all events involving more than a thousand people. “The health of …

The United States has decided to postpone a meeting with leaders of Southeast Asian countries it had planned to host on March 14 due to worries about the coronavirus outbreak, two US officials familiar with the matter said on Friday. US President Donald Trump had invited leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to meet in Las …