Author: Chayan Ahunai

The United States will defend the Philippines if the latter’s forces come under attack in the disputed South China Sea, Washington said today after a Chinese coastguard ship allegedly flashed a Philippine patrol vessel with a laser, briefly blinding some of its crew. The Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila sent a strongly worded diplomatic protest to the Chinese embassy that “condemned the shadowing, harassment, dangerous manoeuvres, directing of military-grade laser and illegal radio challenges” by the Chinese ship. The incident allegedly took place on February 6 when the Chinese coastguard ship beamed military-grade lasers to block the Philippine patrol…

Thaksin Shinawatra’s daughter is the most popular candidate for prime minister, opinion surveys show ahead of Thailand’s general election on May 7, but electoral rules put in place to help a coup-leader remain in power may prevent an opposition victory. Thaksin’s pro-democracy Pheu Thai Party, with allies including the Move Forward Party, could win more than half of the 500 seats in Parliament’s lower house to form a new government, recent polls show. But the opposition coalition likely would need support from members of the 250-seat Senate, who were hand-picked by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha’s administration, to reach the 376-vote…

The US has secured access to four additional military bases in the Philippines – a key bit of real estate which would offer a front seat to monitor the Chinese in the South China Sea and around Taiwan. With the deal, Washington has stitched the gap in the arc of US alliances stretching from South Korea and Japan in the north to Australia in the south. The missing link had been the Philippines, which borders two of the biggest potential flashpoints – Taiwan and the South China Sea. The deal, which in part reverses the US’ departure from their former…

THERE are not many countries that opt to employ their air power against their own citizens. Pakistan has had no qualms about using its air force against terror elements in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). According to British media reports, the Myanmar air force recently carried out a MiG-29 airstrike on Camp Victoria, the military headquarters of the Chin National Army, near the Mizoram border. Indian government sources have categorically stated that no bombing took place over Indian territory. India’s concern amid the unstable situation in Myanmar since the military coup in February 2021, and the standoff between pro-democracy…

Nearly three metres high at the shoulder, weighing at least four tonnes, and with spectacular tusks that curve together until they almost touch, the 18-year-old Thai bull elephant is an imposing sight. Yet he and his keeper, or mahout, Sornsiri “Lek” Sapmak, are in trouble. They used to make a living by having Kwanmueang take part in ceremonies to ordain new monks, or dress up as a war elephant for re-enacting historic battles. All that stopped during the Covid lockdowns. More elephants are used for tourism in Thailand – over 3,000 – than anywhere else. Unlike other countries with captive…

Frankfurt, Brussels, London (15/12 – 40). Shortly after being re-elected in Kazakhstan’s presidential snap election on November 20, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a series of state visits to Russia and the European countries, building partnership, advocating peace and cooperation, and cementing Kazakhstan’s position as the new diplomatic center between East, West and Asia. President Tokayev has called for peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia during the Collective Security Council session of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) on November 23 in Yerevan, Armenia. The meeting gathered Russian President Vladimir Putin, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko,…

Leaders from Vietnam, the United Kingdom and the European Union have today announced an ambitious new Just Energy Transition Partnership. Leaders from Viet Nam and the International Partners Group, including the European Union, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the United States, Italy, Canada, Japan, Norway and Denmark have today (14 December) agreed a bold Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). The Partnership will support Viet Nam to deliver on its ambitious Net Zero 2050 goal, accelerate the peaking of its greenhouse gas emissions and transition away from fossil fuels to clean energy. The JETP will mobilise an initial $15.5 billion of public and…