TSMP co-founder, former NUS law dean Thio Su Mien dies aged 86
She was the first woman dean of the NUS law faculty, a post she held from 1969 to 1971. Aged 30 when she was appointed, she was also the youngest person to assume the post.
In 1998, she founded Singapore-based TSMP Law Corporation with Tan Bee Lian.
Dr Thio was married to Olympian and real estate tycoon Thio Gim Hock, who died at the age of 82 in 2020.
The couple had three children, including Senior Counsel and former Law Society president Thio Shen Yi of TSMP Law Corporation and former Nominated Member of Parliament Thio Li-ann. THE STRAITS TIMES
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
5 hours ago
- CNA
Only one in four Singaporeans can accurately identify deepfake videos: CSA survey
According to the latest Cybersecurity Public Awareness Survey, only one in four Singaporeans can accurately identify deepfake videos, despite 78% feeling confident that they can. Around two-thirds of those surveyed were able to spot all phishing attempts correctly, but even so, about one in five still ended up at risk of falling for malware scams. This September, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore will be rolling out its sixth National Cybersecurity Campaign, which will focus on core cyber hygiene habits, such as using strong passwords and turning on two‑factor authentication. Alexandra Anand reports.
Business Times
5 hours ago
- Business Times
Thailand's most divisive family may have no more moves left
ONE man and his family have dominated Thailand's politics since the millennium. Billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra and his political dynasty have survived coups, corruption charges and constitutional court cases. This latest crisis may be harder to recover from. On Tuesday (Jul 1), Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin's youngest daughter, was temporarily suspended from office until the court rules on a petition seeking her ouster for alleged ethical violations, over the handling of a long-running border dispute with neighbour Cambodia. This adds another blow to the family's fortunes. Their name evokes strong feelings among Thailand's 70 million people, ranging from loyalty to hatred. How they manage this episode will determine whether the clan remains a significant player in South-east Asia's second-largest economy. The immediate source of the latest public anger is a leaked Jun 15 phone call between 38-year-old Paetongtarn and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen over which government controls certain areas of their shared border. In the audio, she appeared to criticise a powerful Thai army commander, considered out of bounds in a nation where the military has significant clout. It prompted fury among nationalists. Despite an apology, demonstrators have called for her to step down and accused her of selling out the country. The ire reflects the antipathy many feel towards Thaksin, whose struggle with the traditional elites over more than two decades has repeatedly thrown Thailand into chaos. A one-time policeman who made a fortune in IT and telecoms, he was viewed by them as a brash upstart when he entered politics in the 1990s. By the time he was ousted from the premiership in 2006, politics in Thailand were never really the same. In subsequent years, I covered demonstrations by royalist 'Yellow Shirts' who at times clashed with pro-Thaksin 'Red Shirts.' They wanted the Shinawatras out for good, claiming they were corrupt and abused their power – allegations the family has denied. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 8.30 am Asean Business Business insights centering on South-east Asia's fast-growing economies. Sign Up Sign Up Fast-forward two decades and the Shinawatras are still here and this most recent chapter in the clan's saga is eroding investor confidence again. Prospects were already looking weak due to US President Donald Trump's widespread tariffs, a fall-off in visitors for the important tourism industry since February, and limited fiscal space for countermeasures. Bloomberg Economics expects growth to slow to about 1.6 per cent this year, down from an expansion of 2.5 per cent in 2024. Paetongtarn is viewed as a proxy for her father, much like her aunt, Yingluck, prime minister from 2011 until a court ruling forced her out of office in 2014. Her government exists only because of an unlikely alliance between Thaksin and his former foes in the prominent royalist-military establishment, notes Susannah Patton of the Sydney-based think tank Lowy Institute. The Shinawatra dynasty owes its longevity to to Thaksin's strategic politicking and allure. Loved by the working class because of his populist policies, he's a feted but polarising figure. In a recent survey, the former media tycoon was voted the most influential person in Thai politics. He first became prime minister in 2001; his second term was cut short by a military coup in 2006. In 2023, Thaksin came home after more than a decade of self-imposed exile. His return helped broker a marriage of convenience between his Pheu Thai Party and former rivals, aimed at blocking the progressive Move Forward Party from power despite its popularity. The youth-oriented party campaigned against military rule and advocated for changes to a law forbidding criticism of the monarchy. Paetongtarn appeared to renew her family's political fortunes when she became prime minister last August, after her predecessor was ousted by a court over ethics violations. But that power is now again at risk. An opinion poll conducted in June by the National Institute of Development Administration showed that an overwhelming majority of Thais are dissatisfied with the young leader and her government's performance. The Constitutional Court's decision will only increase pressure on a family that has long called the shots. Concerns are rising the military could stage another coup – not unthinkable, given the nation's history. Thailand is the only middle or high-middle income country that continues to have regular coups, the Council on Foreign Relations notes. It had 22 attempts since the end of the absolute monarchy in the 1930s; 13 of those were successful. For all the division they represent, the Shinawatras continue to be integral to Thailand's story – and will be as long as the 75-year-old patriarch can still make a deal. Any threat to their power is a catalyst for uncertainty. BLOOMBERG
Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Straits Times
Swiss authorities launch proceedings to shut branch of U.S.-backed Gaza aid group
FILE PHOTO: Palestinians gather to collect what remains of relief supplies from the distribution center of the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo GENEVA - A U.S.- and Israel-backed group handing out food in Gaza under an aid system denounced by the United Nations said on Wednesday it was planning to shut its branch in Geneva, after Swiss authorities launched proceedings to dissolve it. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed trying to receive aid since the GHF began handing out food packages in Gaza at the end of May, under a system which Israel says is intended to prevent aid from being diverted to militants but the U.N. calls a dangerous violation of humanitarian neutrality principles. The Swiss Federal Supervisory Authority for Foundations (ESA) said in a notice published in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce on Wednesday that it could order the dissolution of the GHF unless creditors come forward within 30 days. The U.S.-registered GHF had registered an affiliate on February 12 in Geneva, home to headquarters for most U.N. humanitarian agencies, the Red Cross and many of the other charities involved in global aid distribution. The GHF told Reuters it had made a strategic decision not to start operations in Switzerland, and was now working to dissolve its Swiss-based entity. The ESA told Reuters the GHF had not fulfilled certain legal requirements to operate in Switzerland, including having the correct number of board members, a postal address or a Swiss bank account. "GHF confirmed to the ESA that it had never carried out activities in that it intends to dissolve the Geneva-registered (branch)," the ESA said in a statement. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore and Cambodia to expand collaboration in renewable energy, carbon markets and agri-trade Singapore From camping to mentorship, Singapore scouts mark 115th anniversary of the youth movement Singapore Ong Beng Seng's court hearing rescheduled one day before he was expected to plead guilty World Sean 'Diddy' Combs convicted on prostitution counts, but cleared of more serious charges Singapore ByteDance food poisoning: Catering firm convicted after cockroach infestation found on premises Singapore Teen, 17, to be charged with allegedly trespassing on MRT tracks Singapore Granddaughter of Hin Leong founder O.K. Lim fails to keep 3 insurance policies from creditors' reach Singapore Man on trial for raping drunken woman after offering to drive her and her friend home Last week, Geneva authorities issued a separate legal notice to the GHF to remedy deficiencies within 30 days or face potential action. More than 500 people have been killed near GHF distribution hubs in Gaza or along access roads guarded by Israeli forces since the GHF started operating, according to Palestinian medical authorities in the territory. Israel's military acknowledged on Monday that Palestinian civilians had been harmed near the distribution centres and said its forces had been issued new instructions following what it called "lessons learned". The GHF has defended its operations, saying it has delivered more than 52 million meals to needy Palestinians in five weeks, while other humanitarian groups had "nearly all of their aid looted". More than 170 humanitarian groups signed a letter this week calling on countries to press Israel to end its new system and return to letting in aid mainly through U.N.-run channels. Israel cut off all supplies into Gaza from the beginning of March until late May, sharply worsening an acute shortage of food in the territory, where nearly all of the 2.3 million-strong population has been displaced by war since 2023. REUTERS
