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Straits Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Cambodia border clash heaps pressure on embattled Thai PM
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Ms Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended as Thailand's Prime Minister following a leaked phone call between her and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. Follow our live coverage here. Thailand's military conflict with Cambodia is inflaming nationalist tensions at home and threatening embattled leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who had already been suspended as prime minister for her handling of the border dispute. Hours after Thai fighter jets struck Cambodian military positions and Phnom Penh hit civilian areas in the deadliest clashes in over a decade, Thai nationalist groups announced plans for an anti-government rally in Bangkok on July 27. Tweets supporting the Thai army and air force are trending on X and Facebook in Thailand. Ms Paetongtarn is already in a precarious position over her handling of the border issue, thanks to the leak of a June 15 call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen in which the 38-year-old was sympathetic to her neighbour and critical of the powerful Thai military. That led to complaints to the Constitutional Court, which suspended her as prime minister. 'Heightened military tensions reaffirm expectations that the Constitutional Court will likely rule that Paetongtarn be removed from office,' said Peter Mumford, Southeast Asia Practice Head at Eurasia Group. 'If snap elections take place in Thailand later this year or next year, conservative parties will hope to ride a wave of nationalist sentiment, with populist Pheu Thai on the backfoot,' he added. Thailand's Pheu Thai-led coalition has been on the brink after the defection of a key party last month left it with a slender majority. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore HDB resale price growth moderates in Q2, more flats sold Singapore Etomidate found in blood samples of 2 people involved in fatal Punggol Road accident in May: HSA Asia Live: Thailand-Cambodia border clashes continue for second day Business GIC posts 3.8% annualised return over 20 years despite economic uncertainties Business GIC's focus on long-term value aims to avoid permanent loss amid intensifying economic changes Sport 'We can match Malaysia or do even better', say Singapore's divers Opinion No idle punt: Why Singapore called out cyber saboteur UNC3886 by name Singapore Prison officer accused of taking bribes to smuggle nude photos, prescription drugs to inmate Ms Paetongtarn herself only took power after a court removed her predecessor, while her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, was ousted in a 2006 coup. 'The continuation of this government has gravely undermined and endangered the country's security in all dimensions – including national honour, national interests, and public assets – and has resulted in a complete loss of trust and public order,' protest leader Pichit Chaimongkol said at a briefing on July 24. Thai-Cambodian tensions have been running high since a May exchange of fire that killed a Cambodian soldier , and the countries have disputed their roughly 800km border for decades. The Thai army on July 25 asked people to stay away from border areas, saying fighting continues. In 2003, the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh was destroyed in riots by Cambodians angered by a Thai celebrity who suggested that the iconic Angkor Wat temple complex was Thai, while clashes from 2008 to 2011 killed more than two dozen people on both sides of the border. Much of the argument stems from different maps based on the text of Franco-Siamese treaties of the early 1900s that laid out boundaries between Thailand and Cambodia, which was then part of French Indochina. The latest crisis comes at a challenging time for both countries, with the US threatening to impose stiff tariffs from Aug 1. While neighbouring Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam have secured trade agreements with the Trump administration, export-dependent Thailand does not yet have a deal. Thursday's fighting killed at least 14 people and injured dozens in Thailand, which launched airstrikes against at least three Cambodian military bases. The Thai army has been allowed a relatively free hand in conducting its operations. The government's actions on the Cambodia issue risk lending more legitimacy to the military and boosting its popularity in Thai politics, said Titipol Phakdeewanich, a political science lecturer at Ubon Ratchathani University. 'Pheu Thai's inability to lead the government effectively is leading to popularity for the military,' Dr Titipol said. Thai politics has been dominated by a longstanding power struggle between populist, pro-democracy forces and a pro-military establishment made up of wealthy elites and royalist bureaucrats. Since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932, the nation has seen roughly a dozen coups and about 20 constitutions. At least four governments backed by the influential Shinawatra clan have been dismissed either through coups or court orders. Ms Paetongtarn and Mr Thaksin, who's the de facto leader of Pheu Thai, have both expressed support for the Thai military. Still, during his long, post-coup exile from Thailand, Mr Thaksin was named an economic adviser to then-Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen, angering the military-backed authorities in Bangkok at the time. Their relationship has since deteriorated, with Thaksin taking to X to criticise the former Cambodian leader, whose son is the current prime minister. While countries have offered to mediate in the conflict, 'we probably need to let the Thai military do its job and teach Hun Sen a lesson about his cunning ways first,' Mr Thaksin said. 'I am not surprised by Thaksin's attitude toward me,' Mr Hun Sen tweeted in turn, criticizing his 'warlike' tone and accusing him of multiple betrayals. He also mentioned a mass killing of Thai Muslims that occurred during Mr Thaksin's premiership in 2004, which was widely condemned by human rights groups. Ms Paetongtarn, who attends cabinet as the culture minister, is facing a Thai Constitutional Court probe of alleged ethical violations in her handling of the border dispute. She has until July 31 to submit her defense. 'The border skirmish will strengthen conservatives and there will be speculation that, alongside domestic political developments, it could trigger a military coup - though this does not currently seem on the cards,' Mr Mumford said. 'The odds of a coup will rise if the security and political environment worsens further.' BLOOMBERG
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Thailand, Cambodia exchange heavy artillery as fighting rages for a second day
A Cambodian military personnel stands on a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher in Oddar Meanchey province, around 40 km (24 miles) from the disputed Ta Moan Thom temple, Cambodia, July 25, 2025. REUTERS/Soveit Yarn SURIN, Thailand - Thailand and Cambodia exchanged heavy artillery on Friday as their worst fighting in more than a decade stretched for a second day, despite calls from the region and beyond for an immediate ceasefire in an escalating border conflict that has killed at least 15 people. Thailand's military reported clashes from before dawn in the Ubon Ratchathani and Surin provinces and said Cambodia had used artillery and Russian-made BM-21 rocket systems. Authorities said 100,000 people had been evacuated from conflict areas on the Thai side. "Cambodian forces have conducted sustained bombardment utilising heavy weapons, field artillery, and BM-21 rocket systems," the Thai military said in a statement. "Thai forces have responded with appropriate supporting fire in accordance with the tactical situation." Both sides blamed each other for starting the conflict on Thursday at a disputed border area, which quickly escalated from small arms fire to heavy shelling in at least six locations 209 km (130 miles) apart along a frontier where sovereignty has been disputed for more than a century. Reuters journalists in Surin province reported hearing intermittent bursts of explosions on Friday, amid a heavy presence of armed Thai soldiers along roads and gas stations in the largely agrarian area. A Thai military convoy, including around a dozen trucks, armoured vehicles and tanks, cut across provincial roads ringed by paddy fields and moved toward the border. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore HDB resale price growth moderates in Q2, more flats sold Singapore Etomidate found in blood samples of 2 people involved in fatal Punggol Road accident in May: HSA Asia Live: Thailand-Cambodia border clashes continue for second day Business GIC posts 3.8% annualised return over 20 years despite economic uncertainties Business GIC's focus on long-term value aims to avoid permanent loss amid intensifying economic changes Opinion No idle punt: Why Singapore called out cyber saboteur UNC3886 by name Singapore Prison officer accused of taking bribes to smuggle nude photos, prescription drugs to inmate Sport 'We can match Malaysia or do even better', say Singapore's divers The fighting erupted on Thursday just hours after Thailand recalled its ambassador to Phnom Penh the previous night and expelled Cambodia's envoy, in response to a second Thai soldier losing a limb to a landmine that Bangkok alleged had been laid recently by rival troops. Cambodia has dismissed that as baseless. DEATH TOLL RISES The Thai death toll had risen to 14 as of late Thursday, 13 of them civilians, according to the health ministry. It said 46 people were wounded, including 14 soldiers. Cambodia's national government has not provided details of any casualties or evacuations of civilians. A government spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the latest clashes. Meth Meas Pheakdey, spokesperson for the provincial administration of Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province, said one civilian had been killed and five were wounded, with 1,500 families evacuated. Thailand had positioned six F-16 fighter jets on Thursday in a rare combat deployment, one of which was mobilised to strike a Cambodian military target, among measures Cambodia called "reckless and brutal military aggression". The United States, a long-time treaty ally of Thailand, called for an "immediate cessation of hostilities, protection of civilians and a peaceful resolution." Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Thailand and Cambodia are members, said he had spoken to leaders of both countries and urged them to find a peaceful way out. "I welcome the positive signals and willingness shown by both Bangkok and Phnom Penh to consider this path forward. Malaysia stands ready to assist and facilitate this process in the spirit of ASEAN unity and shared responsibility," he said in a social media post late on Thursday. REUTERS
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Thailand, Cambodia exchange heavy artillery fire as fighting rages for second day
A Thailand's mobile artillery unit fires towards Cambodia's side after Thailand and Cambodia exchanged heavy artillery on Friday as their worst fighting in more than a decade stretched for a second day, in Surin, Thailand, July 25, 2025. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha SURIN, Thailand - Thailand and Cambodia exchanged heavy artillery fire on Friday as their worst fighting in more than a decade stretched for a second day, despite calls from the region and beyond for an immediate ceasefire in an escalating border conflict that has killed at least 16 people. Thailand's military reported clashes from before dawn in the Ubon Ratchathani and Surin provinces and said Cambodia had used artillery and Russian-made BM-21 rocket systems. Authorities said 100,000 people had been evacuated from conflict areas on the Thai side. "Cambodian forces have conducted sustained bombardment utilising heavy weapons, field artillery and BM-21 rocket systems," the Thai military said in a statement. "Thai forces have responded with appropriate supporting fire in accordance with the tactical situation." Both sides blamed each other for starting the conflict on Thursday at a disputed border area, which quickly escalated from small arms fire to heavy shelling in at least six locations 209 km (130 miles) apart along a frontier where sovereignty has been disputed for more than a century. Reuters journalists in Surin province reported hearing intermittent bursts of explosions on Friday, amid a heavy presence of armed Thai soldiers along roads and gas stations in the largely agrarian area. A Thai military convoy, including around a dozen trucks, armoured vehicles and tanks, cut across provincial roads ringed by paddy fields and moved toward the border. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore HDB resale price growth moderates in Q2, more flats sold Singapore Etomidate found in blood samples of 2 people involved in fatal Punggol Road accident in May: HSA Asia Live: Thailand-Cambodia border clashes continue for second day Business GIC posts 3.8% annualised return over 20 years despite economic uncertainties Business GIC's focus on long-term value aims to avoid permanent loss amid intensifying economic changes Sport 'We can match Malaysia or do even better', say Singapore's divers Opinion No idle punt: Why Singapore called out cyber saboteur UNC3886 by name Singapore Prison officer accused of taking bribes to smuggle nude photos, prescription drugs to inmate The fighting erupted on Thursday just hours after Thailand recalled its ambassador to Phnom Penh the previous night and expelled Cambodia's envoy, in response to a second Thai soldier losing a limb to a landmine that Bangkok alleged had been laid recently by rival troops. Cambodia has dismissed that as baseless. DEATH TOLL RISES The Thai death toll rose to 15 as of early Friday, 14 of them civilians, according to the health ministry. It said 46 people were wounded, including 15 soldiers. Cambodia's national government has not provided details of any casualties or evacuations of civilians. A government spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the latest clashes. Meth Meas Pheakdey, spokesperson for the provincial administration of Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province, said one civilian had been killed and five were wounded, with 1,500 families evacuated. Thailand had positioned six F-16 fighter jets on Thursday in a rare combat deployment, one of which was mobilised to strike a Cambodian military target, among measures Cambodia called "reckless and brutal military aggression". Thailand's use of an F-16 underlines its military advantage over Cambodia, which has no fighter aircraft and significantly less defence hardware and personnel, according to the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies The United States, a long-time treaty ally of Thailand, called for an "immediate cessation of hostilities, protection of civilians and a peaceful resolution." Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Thailand and Cambodia are members, said he had spoken to leaders of both countries and urged them to find a peaceful way out. "I welcome the positive signals and willingness shown by both Bangkok and Phnom Penh to consider this path forward. Malaysia stands ready to assist and facilitate this process in the spirit of ASEAN unity and shared responsibility," he said in a social media post late on Thursday. REUTERS
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
UK fears new summer of unrest, year after Southport riots
Find out what's new on ST website and app. The police have arrested 16 people since protests flared last week. EPPING, United Kingdom - Concern is mounting that recent violent anti-immigrant protests could herald a new summer of unrest, a year after the United Kingdom (UK) was rocked by its worst riots in decades. The police have arrested 16 people since protests flared last week outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in the town of Epping, north-east of London. In one demonstration, eight police officers were injured. The unrest was 'not just a troubling one-off', said the chairwoman of the Police Federation, Ms Tiff Lynch. 'It was a signal flare. A reminder of how little it takes for tensions to erupt and how ill-prepared we remain to deal with it,' she wrote in British daily broadsheet, The Daily Telegraph. Protestors shouted 'save our children' and 'send them home', while banners called for the expulsion of 'foreign criminals'. Cabinet minister Jonathan Reynolds on July 24 urged people not to speculate or exaggerate the situation, saying 'the government, all the key agencies, the police, they prepare for all situations'. 'I understand the frustrations people have,' he told Sky News. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore HDB resale price growth moderates in Q2, more flats sold Singapore Etomidate found in blood samples of 2 people involved in fatal Punggol Road accident in May: HSA Asia Live: Thailand-Cambodia border clashes continue for second day Business GIC posts 3.8% annualised return over 20 years despite economic uncertainties Business GIC's focus on long-term value aims to avoid permanent loss amid intensifying economic changes Sport 'We can match Malaysia or do even better', say Singapore's divers Opinion No idle punt: Why Singapore called out cyber saboteur UNC3886 by name Singapore Prison officer accused of taking bribes to smuggle nude photos, prescription drugs to inmate The government was trying to fix the problem and that the number of hotels occupied by asylum seekers had dropped from 400 to 200, he added. The issue of thousands of irregular migrants arriving in small boats across the Channel, coupled with the UK's worsening economy, has triggered rising anger among some Britons. Such sentiments have been amplified by inflammatory messaging on social networks, fuelled by far-right activists. Almost exactly a year ago on July 29, 2024, three young girls were stabbed to death in a frenzied attack in north-western Southport. The shocking killings stoked days of riots across the country after false reports that the killer – a UK-born teenager whose family came to the country from Rwanda after the 1994 genocide – was a migrant. Nearly 24,000 migrants have made the perilous journey across the Channel so far in 2025, the highest-ever tally at this point in a year. The issue has become politically perilous, putting pressure on Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer's centre-left government, as the anti-immigrant, far-right Reform UK party rises in the polls. More unrest likely The Epping protests were stirred after a 38-year-old asylum seeker, who only arrived in Britain in late June 2025, was arrested and charged with three counts of sexual assault. Images from the protests have gone viral on social networks, mirroring what happened in July 2024. But Epping residents have maintained that the protests are being fuelled by people from outside the community. 'These violent scenes ... are not Epping, and they are not what we stand for,' the Conservative MP for Epping, Mr Neil Hudson, told parliament on July 21. While calm was restored to Epping, a middle-class suburban town with a population of 12,000, tensions remain palpable. 'This is the first time something like this has happened,' one local who lives close to the Bell Hotel told AFP, asking not to be named. 'The issue is not the hotel, but extremists applying a political ideology,' he added. Late on July 24, the hotel, cordoned off behind barriers, was again the centre of a protest involving dozens of people, with the police making one arrest. With another protest expected on July 27, the local council voted through a motion to demand the government no longer house asylum seekers at the hotel. The UK is 'likely to see more racist riots take place this summer', said Dr Aurelien Mondon, politics professor and expert on far-right and reactionary discourse at Bath University. Anti-immigrant protests have already erupted elsewhere, with demonstrations in the south-eastern town of Diss in Norfolk outside a similar hotel on July 21. In June, clashes flared for several days in the town of Ballymena in Northern Ireland after two teenagers with Romanian roots were arrested for the alleged attempted rape of a young girl. Civil disobedience 'It is well documented that many of the protests we are witnessing are not the result of grassroots, local movements,' Dr Mondon said. 'Social media plays a role and facilitates coordination amongst extreme-right groups,' but it is 'also crucial not to exaggerate' its power, he added. High-profile far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who was blamed for stoking the Southport unrest, announced he would be in Epping on July 27, before later seeming to scrap the plan. The firebrand anti-Islam campaigner has just been freed from jail after spreading fake news about a Syrian immigrant, but faces trial on a separate issue in 2026. 'I don't think anybody in London even understands just how close we are to civil disobedience on a vast scale,' said Reform leader Nigel Farage. 'Most of the people outside that hotel in Epping weren't far right or far left,' he said, they 'were just genuinely concerned families'. AFP
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Raducanu beats Osaka in straight sets to reach Washington quarters
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Jul 24, 2025; Washington, D.C., USA; Emma Raducanu (GBR) hits a backhand against Naomi Osaka (JPN)(not pictured) in a women's singles match on day four of the Mubadala Citi DC Open at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Emma Raducanu beat four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka 6-4 6-2 in their first career meeting to reach the quarter-finals of the Washington Open on Thursday. Raducanu, U.S. Open champion in 2021, next faces former world number three Maria Sakkari after the Greek stunned American second seed Emma Navarro in straight sets. "I thought it was going to be a really difficult match. Naomi's won four slams, she's been world number one, won Masters," Raducanu told Sky Sports. "She's so dangerous and on the hard courts, I think she's particularly comfortable. "I knew I was going to have to play well and manage my own service games, which I'm really proud of how I did. I was making some inroads in her service game after I got used to it a little bit. "I'm really pleased with how I handled the ball speed and conditions here in DC." Raducanu, who will reclaim the British number one ranking from Katie Boulter when the WTA rankings are released on Monday, is also into the women's doubles semi-finals alongside Wimbledon 2022 champion Elena Rybakina. Venus Williams' comeback tournament after 16 months away from the game ended with a 6-2 6-2 loss to Polish fifth seed Magdalena Frech. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore HDB resale price growth moderates in Q2, more flats sold Singapore Etomidate found in blood samples of 2 people involved in fatal Punggol Road accident Business GIC posts 3.8% annualised return over 20 years despite economic uncertainties Business GIC's focus on long-term value aims to avoid permanent loss amid intensifying economic changes Opinion No idle punt: Why Singapore called out cyber saboteur UNC3886 by name Asia Cambodia and Thailand are willing to consider ceasefire: Malaysian PM Anwar Singapore Prison officer accused of taking bribes to smuggle nude photos, prescription drugs to inmate Sport 'We can match Malaysia or do even better', say Singapore's divers The 45-year-old seven-times singles Grand Slam champion became the oldest player to win a WTA singles match since 2004 when she beat Peyton Stearns in her Washington opener on Tuesday. REUTERS
