Thai and Cambodian leaders visit disputed border as tensions simmer
ARANYAPRATHET, Thailand - The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia are visiting different parts of their disputed land border on Thursday as tensions between the two neighbours simmer over a territorial dispute and the Thai government teeters on the brink of collapse.
The deterioration of relations was sparked by brief armed clashes in a border area late last month that left one Cambodian soldier dead.
What followed were a series of tit-for-tat measures by both countries including troops mobilisations, Cambodia's suspension of all fuel and gas imports from its neighbour, and the partial closure of checkpoints by Thailand along the 817 km (508 miles) land border.
The conflict has added fuel to a crisis facing Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who is battling to revive a faltering economy and scrambling to keep a fragile coalition together in the face of protests as well as a parliamentary no confidence vote.
As she arrived on Thursday morning at the Thai bordertown of Aranyaprathet in Sa Kaeo province, opposite Cambodia's Poipet, Paetongtarn was greeted by a crowd of supporters, with several of them holding a large sign saying "Love You Prime Minister Paetongtarn".
The Prime Minister said the purpose of her visit was to survey the ongoing crackdown on transnational crime and gauge the impact of border restrictions, which saw Thailand halting all vehicles, tourists and traders from all land border crossings into Cambodia.
"We want to see the impact from this policy and what the government can do to help, this is our main goal for the visit today," Paetongtarn said in a meeting with officials.
The Thai Prime Minister earlier this week linked the proliferation of illegal online scam centres to Cambodia, but Cambodian authorities have denied involvement.
At another part of the border, former Cambodian premier Hun Sen on Thursday morning visited troops and officials in Oddar Meanchey province, opposite the Thai province of Surin.
Local media footage showed Hun Sen, in military fatigues, arriving by helicopter and meeting with officials in the area.
The two leaders has until recently enjoyed warm personal ties, helped by the close relationship between Hun Sen and Paetongtarn's influential father, Thailand's former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
But in a leaked phone conversation with Hun Sen, Paetongtarn was heard denigrating a Thai military commander - a red line in a country in which the military holds significant clout - piling political pressure on the Thai government.
The prime minister has since apologised over the leaked call but the incident was used as a justification by the Bhumjaithai party to leave the government coalition last week.
Bhumjaithai said earlier this week that it will seek a parliamentary no confidence vote against Prime Minister Paetongtarn and her cabinet over the leaked call.
Paetongtarn is also facing judicial scrutiny after a group of senators gave the Constitutional Court and a national anti-graft body a wide remit to investigate her conduct. Decisions from either bodies could lead to her removal.
Anti-government groups are also planning a street protest starting Saturday, demanding her resignation. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
UN report finds United Nations reports are not widely read
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attends a press briefing during the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) at the Centre des Expositions conference centre in Nice, France, June 10, 2025. REUTERS/Manon Cruz/File Photo UNITED NATIONS - A United Nations report seeking ways to improve efficiency and cut costs has revealed: U.N. reports are not widely read. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres briefed countries on Friday on the report, produced by his UN80 reform taskforce that focused on how U.N. staff implement thousands of mandates given to them by bodies like the General Assembly or Security Council. He said last year that the U.N. system supported 27,000 meetings involving 240 bodies, and the U.N. secretariat produced 1,100 reports, a 20% increase since 1990. "The sheer number of meetings and reports is pushing the system – and all of us – to the breaking point," Guterres said. "Many of these reports are not widely read," he said. "The top 5% of reports are downloaded over 5,500 times, while one in five reports receives fewer than 1,000 downloads. And downloading doesn't necessarily mean reading." Guterres launched the UN80 taskforce in March as the U.N. - which turns 80 this year - faces a liquidity crisis for at least the seventh year in a row because not all 193 U.N. member states pay their mandatory regular dues in full or on time. The report issued by the taskforce late on Thursday covers just one of several reform angles being pursued. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Tech Reporting suspected advanced cyber attacks will provide a defence framework: Shanmugam Business Singapore's US tariff rate stays at 10%, but the Republic is not out of the woods yet Asia Asia-Pacific economies welcome new US tariff rates, but concerns over extent of full impact remain Business ST explains: How Trump tariffs could affect Singapore SMEs, jobs and markets Asia Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupts Singapore Thundery showers expected on most days in first half of August Singapore Synapxe chief executive, MND deputy secretary to become new perm secs on Sept 1 Singapore 5 women face capital charges after they were allegedly found with nearly 27kg of cocaine in S'pore Among the suggestions Guterres put forward on Friday: "Fewer meetings. Fewer reports, but ones that are able to fully meet the requirements of all mandates." REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
US, NATO developing novel funding mechanism for Ukraine weapons transfers
FILE PHOTO: Ukrainian service members walk next to a launcher of a Patriot air defence system, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in an undisclosed location, Ukraine August 4, 2024. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo WASHINGTON - The United States and NATO are working on a novel approach to supply Ukraine with weapons using funds from NATO countries to pay for the purchase or transfer of U.S. arms, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The renewed transatlantic cooperation on Ukraine comes as U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed frustration with Moscow's ongoing attacks on its neighbor. Trump, who initially took a more conciliatory tone toward Russia as he tried to end the more than three-year war in Ukraine, has threatened to start imposing tariffs and other measures if Moscow shows no progress toward ending the conflict by August 8. The president said last month the U.S. would supply weapons to Ukraine, paid for by European allies, but did not indicate how this would be done. NATO countries, Ukraine, and the United States are developing a new mechanism that will focus on getting U.S. weapons to Ukraine from the Priority Ukraine Requirements List, known under the acronym PURL, the sources said. Ukraine would prioritize the weapons it needs in tranches of roughly $500 million, and NATO allies - coordinated by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte - would then negotiate among themselves who would donate or pay for items on the list. Through this approach, NATO allies hope to provide $10 billion in arms for Ukraine, said a European official, speaking on condition of anonymity. It was unclear over what timeframe they hope to supply the arms. "That is the starting point, and it's an ambitious target that we're working towards. We're currently on that trajectory. We support the ambition. We need that sort of volume," the European official said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Tech Reporting suspected advanced cyber attacks will provide a defence framework: Shanmugam Business Singapore's US tariff rate stays at 10%, but the Republic is not out of the woods yet Asia Asia-Pacific economies welcome new US tariff rates, but concerns over extent of full impact remain Business ST explains: How Trump tariffs could affect Singapore SMEs, jobs and markets Asia Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupts Singapore Thundery showers expected on most days in first half of August Singapore Synapxe chief executive, MND deputy secretary to become new perm secs on Sept 1 Singapore 5 women face capital charges after they were allegedly found with nearly 27kg of cocaine in S'pore NATO declined to comment. The White House, Pentagon, and Ukrainian embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment. Russian forces are gradually advancing against Ukraine, and control one-fifth of Ukraine's territory. FASTER ARMS RESTOCKING If a NATO country decides to donate weapons to Ukraine, the mechanism would allow that country to effectively bypass lengthy U.S. arms sales procedures to replenish its own stocks, said one U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity. But the NATO country would have to pay the U.S. up front for the speedier replenishment. The money would be paid into a U.S.-held account, possibly at the U.S. Treasury Department, or to an escrow fund, although the exact structure remains unclear, the official said. NATO countries also have the option of simply paying the United States to send weapons directly to Ukraine. In that case, the payment could be made via NATO or directly to the U.S. Department of Defense, said a second source, speaking on condition of anonymity. This would be in addition to the United States' own effort to identify arms from U.S. stockpiles to send to Ukraine under the Presidential Drawdown Authority, which allows the U.S. president to draw from current weapons stocks to help allies in an emergency. At least one tranche of weapons for Ukraine is currently being negotiated under the new mechanism, two sources said, though it was unclear if any money has yet been transferred. Trump's fellow Republicans in Congress have introduced legislation, known as the PEACE Act, that aims to create a fund at the U.S. Treasury in which allies can deposit money that would pay to replenish U.S. military equipment donated to Ukraine. Ukraine's needs remain consistent with previous months - air defenses, interceptors, systems, rockets, and artillery. The last statement of need from Ukraine came at the July 21 Ramstein conference led by EU allies, including Britain. REUTERS
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Colombia ex-president Uribe sentenced to 12 years of house arrest, document shows
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox BOGOTA - Former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe was sentenced on Friday to 12 years of house arrest for abuse of process and bribery of a public official, according to a sentencing document seen by Reuters and a source with knowledge of the matter. Uribe was convicted of the two charges on Monday by Judge Sandra Liliana Heredia in a witness-tampering case that has run for about 13 years. He has always maintained his innocence. The sentencing document, also published by local media, came hours ahead of the hearing where Heredia will read the sentence in court. Uribe will also be fined $578,000, the document showed, and barred from public office for more than eight years. Uribe, whose legal team has said he will appeal the ruling, is to report to authorities in Rionegro, in Antioquia province, where he resides, and then "proceed immediately to his residence where he will comply with house arrest," the document said. The conviction made him the country's first ex-president to ever be found guilty at trial and came less than a year before Colombia's 2026 presidential election, in which several of Uribe's allies and proteges are competing for top office. It could also have implications for Colombia's relationship with the United States. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said this week that Uribe's conviction was a "weaponization of Colombia's judicial branch by radical judges" and analysts have said there could be cuts to U.S. aid in response. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Tech Reporting suspected advanced cyber attacks will provide a defence framework: Shanmugam Business Singapore's US tariff rate stays at 10%, but the Republic is not out of the woods yet Asia Asia-Pacific economies welcome new US tariff rates, but concerns over extent of full impact remain Business ST explains: How Trump tariffs could affect Singapore SMEs, jobs and markets Asia Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupts Singapore Thundery showers expected on most days in first half of August Singapore Synapxe chief executive, MND deputy secretary to become new perm secs on Sept 1 Singapore 5 women face capital charges after they were allegedly found with nearly 27kg of cocaine in S'pore Uribe, 73, and his supporters have always said the process is a persecution, while his detractors have celebrated it as deserved comeuppance for a man who has been accused for decades of close ties with violent right-wing paramilitaries but never convicted of any crime until now. TESTIMONIES FROM FORMER PARAMILITARIES Uribe, who was president from 2002 to 2010 and oversaw a military offensive against leftist guerrillas, was charged over allegations he ordered a lawyer to bribe jailed paramilitaries to discredit claims he had ties to their organizations. Those claims stemmed from leftist Senator Ivan Cepeda, who collected testimonies from former paramilitaries who said Uribe had supported their organizations in Antioquia, where he once served as governor. Uribe alleged in 2012 that Cepeda orchestrated the testimonies in a plot to tie him to the paramilitaries, but the Supreme Court ruled six years later that Cepeda had not paid or pressured the ex-paramilitaries. Instead, the court said it was Uribe and his allies who pressured the witnesses. Cepeda has been classed as a victim in the case and attended Monday's hearing. Two jailed former paramilitaries testified that Diego Cadena, the lawyer formerly representing Uribe, offered them money to testify in Uribe's favor. Cadena, who is also facing charges, has denied the accusations and testified, along with several other ex-paramilitaries, on Uribe's behalf. Each charge carried a potential sentence of six to 12 years. Uribe, who was placed under house arrest for two months in 2020, is head of the powerful Democratic Center party and was a senator for years both before and after his presidency. He has repeatedly emphasized that he extradited paramilitary leaders to the United States. Colombia's truth commission says paramilitary groups, which demobilized under deals with Uribe's government, killed more than 205,000 people, nearly half of the 450,000 deaths recorded during the ongoing civil conflict. Paramilitaries, along with guerrilla groups and members of the armed forces, also committed forced disappearances, sexual violence, displacement and other crimes. Uribe joins a list of Latin American leaders who have been convicted and sometimes jailed, including Peru's Alberto Fujimori, Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Ecuador's Rafael Correa, Argentina's Cristina Fernandez and Panama's Ricardo Martinelli. REUTERS
