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Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is expected to be arrested upon his return as he ends almost two decades of self-imposed exile, waves at Don Mueang airport in Bangkok, Thailand August 22, 2023. Thaksin, Thailand's most famous politician, made a dramatic homecoming last week after 15 years abroad where he lived in self-exile to avoid prison. A representative of the 74-year-old Thaksin declined to comment when asked by Reuters about his pardon request. A request for royal pardon must be submitted through the corrections department to the justice minister. If a royal pardon is not granted, Thaksin will have to wait two years to submit another request.

Persons: Thaksin Shinawatra, Athit, Wissanu Krea, ngam, Thaksin, Thailand's, Srettha, Prayuth Cha, Wissanu, Chayut Setboonsarng, Panarat, Panu, Martin Petty, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Thai, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Don Mueang, Bangkok, Thailand, Rights BANGKOK

☆ Singapore downgrades GDP outlook, avoids recession
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Chen Lin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Goss domestic product (GDP) expanded a seasonally-adjusted 0.1% quarter-on-quarter in April to June, slower than 0.3% growth seen in the government's advance estimate. Manufacturing will remain weak, dampened by a protracted downturn in electronics, while finance and insurance sectors will likely be subdued, MTI said. The ministry narrowed its GDP growth forecast to 0.5% to 1.5% this year from 0.5% to 2.5% previously. Analysts are expecting no change to monetary policy at MAS's October meeting, despite cooling momentum. MAS left its policy settings unchanged in April, after tightening five times in a row since October 2021, reflecting concerns over the city-state's growth outlook.

Persons: Feline, Goss, MTI, Yong Yik Wei, Brian Tan, Chen Lin, Tom Westbrook, Kanupriya Kapoor, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Port, REUTERS, MAS, Ministry of Trade and Industry, The Straits Times, Monetary Authority, Singapore's, Barclays, Thomson Locations: Port of Singapore, MTI, SINGAPORE, Singapore, Asia

☆ Singapore Q2 GDP grows 0.1% q/q, lower than first estimated
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Container cranes are pictured at the Port of Singapore, June 10, 2018. REUTERS/Feline Lim/File PhotoSINGAPORE, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Singapore's economy expanded less than initially estimated in the second quarter, official data showed on Friday. Gross domestic product (GDP) grew a seasonally adjusted 0.1% quarter-on-quarter in April to June, the Ministry of Trade and Industry said, lower than the 0.3% growth seen in the government's advance estimate. On an annual basis, the economy expanded 0.5%, compared with the government's advance estimate of 0.7% and first quarter growth of 0.4%. Reporting by Chen Lin; Editing by Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Feline, Chen Lin, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Port, REUTERS, Gross, Ministry of Trade, Industry, Thomson Locations: Port of Singapore, SINGAPORE

SINGAPORE, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Three bulk carriers were robbed in the Singapore Strait earlier this week, a Singapore-based regional maritime security centre on Friday. One of the busiest commercial waterways in the world has seen a spike in piracy in recent years. The incidents of "petty crime" happened between Aug 8-9, when the ships were in the Phillip Channel in the Singapore Strait, said the Information Fusion Centre, which is a regional facility hosted by the Singapore navy. One of the ships was flagged to Cyprus, while the other two carried Liberia flags, the centre said in a statement. "Majority of the incidents involved bulk carriers, and tugs and barges with low freeboard and slow speed while underway, and the incidents occurred in hours of darkness," it said.

Persons: Xinghui Kok, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Information Fusion, Singapore, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Singapore, Cyprus, Liberia, India, Indonesia, South Korea

☆ New Cambodian cabinet to feature children of the powerful
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Hun Manet, son of Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen, looks on at the final Cambodian People's Party (CPP) election campaign for the upcoming general election in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, July 21, 2023. REUTERS/Cindy Liu/File PhotoAug 11 (Reuters) - Outgoing Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has unveiled a list of people expected to feature in a new cabinet, including several sons and daughters of close allies and serving ministers. The rubber-stamp parliament is set to approve the new prime minister and cabinet on Aug. 22. While giving up the job of prime minister, Hun Sen looks set to remain engaged with government. This week, Hun Sen announced that Khuon Sodary had been designated as president of the National Assembly, the first woman to hold the position.

Persons: Hun Manet, Cambodia's, Hun Sen, Cindy Liu, Cham, Sar Sokha, Sar, Seiha, Tea, Hun Sen's, Khuon Sodary, Kanupriya Kapoor, Robert Birsel Organizations: Cambodian People's Party, REUTERS, Cambodian, World Bank, National Assembly, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

☆ Indonesia delays China-funded rail project's trial run for passengers
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

An electric Multiple Unit high-speed train is seen during Hot Sliding Test in Tegalluar, Bandung, West Java province, Indonesia, May 19, 2023, in this photo taken by Antara Foto. A free, limited trial run for passengers, initially set for Aug. 18, has been postponed to early September, but no delay is expected to the full operational launch on Oct. 1, KCIC said on Tuesday. Safety checks were ongoing as of last Friday, according to transport ministry official Mohamad Risal Wasal. KCIC said internal trials had gone smoothly but the company was still working with the transport ministry on necessary operational certificates. Reporting by Stefanno Sulaiman; Editing by Gayatri Suroyo, Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Antara, Al Farisi, KCIC, Mohamad Risal Wasal, Xi Jinping, Joko Widodo, Stefanno Sulaiman, Gayatri Suroyo, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Initiative, Thomson Locations: Tegalluar, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia, JAKARTA, China, Indonesian, Jakarta

☆ Son of Spanish actor detained in Thailand in grisly murder case
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The son of the well-known actor Rodolfo Sancho who starred in El Ministerio del Tempo (The Ministry of Time) and actress Silvia Bronchalo, Daniel Sancho works as a chef and was visiting Thailand on holiday, media reported. Sancho was detained shortly after body parts were found at a landfill on Koh Phangan, an island well-known to tourists for monthly 'full moon' parties. The police said DNA tests of the remains proved them to be of Arrieta, adding they have other evidence against Sancho. CCTV footage showed by local broadcaster ThaiPBS showed Sancho and Arrieta on a motorcycle together days before the remains were discovered. Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat and Panu Wongcha-um; Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, Rodolfo Sancho Aguirre, Edwin Arrieta Arteaga, Read, Koh Phangan, Daniel Sancho Bronchal, General Saranyu Chamnanrat, Sancho, Saranyu, Rodolfo Sancho, Silvia Bronchalo, Daniel Sancho, Daniel Sancho himself, Phangan, ThaiPBS, Arrieta, Panarat Thepgumpanat, Panu, Kay Johnson, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Reuters, Police, Sunday, El Ministerio del Tempo, Thomson Locations: Spanish, Colombian, Koh Phangan, Thailand, BANGKOK, Koh, El, Arrieta's

SINGAPORE, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Singapore's prime minister on Wednesday said his ruling party had "taken a hit" over a spate of scandals including a graft probe and senior lawmakers' resignations, which shocked the city-state otherwise known as a haven of political stability. He said such incidents involving ministers are rare, and that the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) has "zero tolerance" for corruption. "...The PAP has taken a hit but we will show Singaporeans that we will uphold standards and do the right thing, so that trust is maintained," he said. While the PAP has maintained a grip on power since 1959, voters, already bruised by high living costs, have raised eyebrows at the graft probe and resignations of two senior PAP lawmakers on account of an "inappropriate relationship". When asked why their relationship was kept under wraps since late 2020, Lee said, "I should have forced the issue earlier".

Persons: Lee Hsien Loong, Iswaran, General's Chambers, Lee, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Transport, Action Party, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Singapore

☆ Indonesia buys drones worth $300 mln from Turkish Aerospace
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

JAKARTA, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Indonesia has bought 12 new drones from Turkish Aerospace worth $300 million, its defence ministry said on Tuesday, the latest in a series of purchases aimed at modernising the country's ageing military equipment. Indonesia in February also bought 42 Rafale fighter jets for $8.1 billion, which will be disbursed in phases over several years. At 134.3 trillion rupiah ($8.89 billion), the defence ministry has the biggest allocation from the country's total budget this year, according to government data. The deal with Anakara-based Turkish Aerospace was finalised in February and the drones are expected to be delivered within 32 months of the signing. It also includes training and flight simulators, the defence ministry said in a statement.

Persons: Joko Widodo, Prabowo Subianto, Ananda Teresia, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Turkish Aerospace, Defence, Rafale, Anakara, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Indonesia

☆ Nearly half a million spoiled ballots in Cambodia election, poll body says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Hun Manet, son of Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen is seen at a polling station on the day of Cambodia's general election, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, July 23, 2023. REUTERS/Cindy Liu/File PhotoPHNOM PENH, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Cambodia's election commission said on Tuesday that nearly half a million ballots were spoiled in the national election last month, which critics have called a sham as all opposition parties were barred from contesting. About 440,000 ballots -- or every one in 18 -- were invalidated, the NEC said, adding the election had seen a high turnout of 85%. Authorities had threatened voters with heavy penalties if they spoiled ballots or boycotted the election or urged others to do so. Opposition figures and rights groups say Hun Sen has for years suppressed democratic institutions while cracking down on opponents and critics.

Persons: Hun Manet, Cambodia's, Hun Sen, Cindy Liu, Prak Chan Thul, Kanupriya Kapoor, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: REUTERS, Cambodian People Party, NEC, Authorities, Thomson Locations: Phnom Penh, Cambodia, PHNOM PENH

☆ EU ready to strengthen maritime security cooperation with the Philippines
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., claps beside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, after signing ceremonies at the Malacanang Presidential Palace in Manila, Philippines, July 31, 2023.Aaron Favila/POOL via REUTERSMANILA, July 31 (Reuters) - The European Union is ready to strengthen cooperation with the Philippines on maritime security, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday, as she stressed the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. She was speaking after a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Manila where the two leaders discussed a range of issues from security and trade to climate change. "We are ready to strengthen the cooperation with the Philippines on maritime security in the region by sharing information, conducting threat assessment and building the capacity of your coast guard," she said in a joint press conference with Marcos. Von der Leyen on Monday reaffirmed the EU's support for a 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated Beijing's expansive claims, saying the ruling is legally binding and provides the basis for resolving disputes peacefully. Von der Leyen also said the European Union will support the Philippines' fight against climate change, which is a priority for Marcos as he pushes to increase renewables in the country's power mix to 35% by 2030.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Ursula von der Leyen, Aaron Favila, Marcos, Von der Leyen, Karen Lema, Neil Jerome Morales, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Philippine, European, REUTERS, European Union, Thomson Locations: Manila, Philippines, REUTERS MANILA, The Philippines, United States, China, South China, European

☆ Myanmar military may move Suu Kyi to house arrest - media
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A demonstrator holds up a placard outside the Central Bank of Myanmar to protest against the military coup and to demand the release of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi, in Yangon, Myanmar, February 11, 2021. REUTERS/Stringer/File PhotoJuly 26 (Reuters) - Myanmar's military government may move ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi from prison to house arrest in the capital, Naypyitaw, two media outlets reported on Wednesday. Many Western governments have condemned the junta's treatment of Suu Kyi and others, calling for their release. The daughter of Myanmar's independence hero was first put under house arrest in 1989 after huge protests against decades of military rule. In 1991, she won the Nobel Peace Prize for campaigning for democracy but was only fully released from house arrest in 2010.

Persons: Aung San, Aung San Suu Kyi, Stringer, Suu, Kyaw Zaw, Suu Kyi, Don Pramudwinai, Kanupriya Kapoor, Robert Birsel Organizations: Central Bank of, REUTERS, Associated Press, BBC, Reuters, National Unity Government, Thai Foreign, ASEAN, Myanmar, Thomson Locations: Central Bank of Myanmar, Aung San Suu, Yangon, Myanmar, Naypyitaw, Suu

☆ Thousands without power as typhoon Doksuri lashes Philippines
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MANILA, July 26 (Reuters) - Strong winds and rain lashed the northern Philippines as Typhoon Doksuri made landfall on Wednesday, causing rivers to overflow and leaving thousands without power. "We are being battered here," Manual Mamba, governor of northern Cagayan province told Reuters, adding that no casualties had been reported so far. Storm warnings are in place in many parts of the northern island of Luzon, which is home to about half of the Philippines' 110 million population. Categorised as a super typhoon on Tuesday, Doksuri had weakened slightly on Wednesday. It is expected to brush past Taiwan and make landfall in China's Fujian province on Friday, according to the Philippines weather bureau.

Persons: Doksuri, Karen Lema, Enrico dela Cruz, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Reuters, Authorities, Thomson Locations: MANILA, Philippines, Taiwan, China, Cagayan province, Philippine, Luzon, China's Fujian

☆ Cambodia PM Hun Sen to hand over power to son next month
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Phnom Penh, July 26 (Reuters) - Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Wednesday he will step down and hand over power to his son next month, ending a near four-decade reign that has in recent years overseen an erosion of democracy in the Southeast Asian country. "Hun Manet...will become the prime minister in the coming weeks," Hun Sen said in a nationally televised address, adding his son would be appointed to the post by the king on Aug. 10 and parliament would confirm the new premier with a vote on Aug. 22. Hun Sen, who has ruled the Southeast Asian country for 38 years, was speaking just days after his ruling Cambodian People's Party swept a general election after running virtually unopposed. Hun Sen said he would stay on as head of the ruling party and member of the National Assembly. Reporting by Reuters staff, Devjyot Ghoshal; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor and Raju GopalakrishnanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Hun Sen, Hun Manet, Critics, Devjyot, Kanupriya Kapoor, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Cambodia's, Cambodian People's Party, National Assembly, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Phnom Penh, Sunday's

☆ Vietnam aims to raise raw rare earths output to 2 mln t/yr by 2030
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Khanh Vu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Samples of rare earth minerals from left: Cerium oxide, Bastnaesite, Neodymium oxide and Lanthanum carbonate at Molycorp's Mountain Pass Rare Earth facility in Mountain Pass, California June 29, 2015. Its rare earths production jumped to 4,300 tonnes last year from 400 tonnes in 2021, the USGS said. Vietnam will develop three to four new mines after 2030, aiming to raise its raw rare earths output to 2.11 million tonnes by 2050, the document showed. "The objective of the plan is for the country to develop a synchronised and sustainable industry of rare earths mining and processing," it said. Rare earths are a group of elements that have applications in electronics manufacturing and batteries, making them important for the global transition towards cleaner sources of energy and in defence.

Persons: David Becker, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Tran Hong Ha, Khanh Vu, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, United States Geological Survey, Deputy, REO, Thomson Locations: Pass , California, HANOI, Vietnam, China, Lai Chau, Lao

☆ Indonesia plans incentives for EV makers, sets up meeting with BYD, Tesla
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia, has been trying to attract EV makers to invest in the country, enticing them with its rich nickel reserves - the world's biggest - which can be processed into EV batteries. However, some automakers like China's BYD have instead chosen to invest in Thailand, the region's automotive hub. "Tomorrow we are going to finalise incentives that we are going to give to any EV investment in Indonesia," Luhut said, adding they were awaiting President Joko Widodo's approval. Indonesia has been wooing Tesla for years, hoping to host an Asian production hub for the American EV maker. Tesla has been in talks with Indian officials for an investment in an EV factory there.

Persons: Pandjaitan, Luhut, Joko Widodo's, Elon Musk, Tesla, Ananda Teresia, Gayatri Suroyo, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: CNBC Indonesia, Maritime Affairs, Natural, EV, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Southeast Asia, China's, Chengdu, California, United States, American

☆ At least 15 killed, 19 missing in ferry sinking in Indonesia
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

JAKARTA, July 24 (Reuters) - Indonesian authorities were searching for missing passengers on Monday after a ferry sank off Sulawesi island, killing at least 15, the national search and rescue agency said. Of 40 passengers on board, 19 were still missing, while six survived, the agency said in a statement. The cause of the sinking, which occurred at about midnight, was still unclear. Photos shared by the rescue agency showed victims' bodies covered in cloth on the floor of the local hospital. Reporting by Ananda Teresia, Gayatri Suroyo; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor, XXOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Arafah, Ananda Teresia, Gayatri Suroyo, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Muna, Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, Ferries, Indonesia

☆ Cambodia's ruling party says it won a landslide victory in elections
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"We didn't just win the election but we won it in a landslide," said CPP spokesperson Sok Eysan. Hun Sen, 70, has ruled Cambodia for nearly four decades, with an increasingly heavy hand in recent years that has all but wiped out the opposition. Last week, Hun Sen signalled that Western-educated military general Hun Manet "could be" prime minister by next month. A group of parliamentarians from across Southeast Asia said the election was a "coronation for Hun Sen and his cronies". PM Hun Sen called on them to "confess" or face legal consequences.

Persons: Hun, Hun Manet, Sok Eysan, Hun Sen, Matthew Miller, Washington, Hun Sen's, Miller, Eva Kusuma Sundari, Prak Chan Tul, Chanta Lach, Simon Lewis, Kanupriya Kapoor, Michael Perry Organizations: Cambodian People's Party, Candlelight Party, Pro, State Department, ASEAN Parliamentarians, Human Rights, Thomson Locations: PHNOM PENH, United States, Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Southeast Asia, Washington

☆ Malaysia telecoms firms complete talks to take up stakes in 5G agency
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 (Reuters) - Malaysia said on Friday telecommunications firms CelcomDigi, Maxis, Telekom Malaysia, U Mobile and YTL Communications will take up stakes in state 5G agency Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB), following an agreement reached between the firms and the government on equity participation and 5G access. The announcement comes as mobile operators and the government look set to conclude protracted negotiations over Malaysia's 5G rollout plans. Malaysia had in 2021 announced that state-owned DNB would own the full 5G spectrum, with carriers using the infrastructure to provide mobile services. Mobile operators agreed in October last year to take up 70% of DNB's stake to resolve the impasse. Other carriers had signed the deal last year, paving the way for 5G services to be rolled out to customers.

Persons: Anwar Ibrahim's, Rozanna Latiff, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: CelcomDigi, Maxis, Telekom Malaysia, U Mobile, YTL Communications, Digital Nasional Berhad, Malaysia's, Mobile, Maxis Berhad, Thomson Locations: KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia

☆ Indonesia launches new crypto bourse, clearing house
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration//JAKARTA, July 21 (Reuters) - Indonesia has launched a national crypto asset bourse to provide regulators with transaction records and better protect crypto investors, the government announced this week. The launch of the exchange and clearing house is also intended to strengthen monitoring of the booming sector amid a transition in regulatory oversight, according to the Commodity Futures Trading Regulatory Agency (Bappebti). Rising global interest rates have, however, dampened demand for crypto assets in recent months. The new bourse will list existing licensed crypto companies, such as Binance's Tokocrypto, Indodax and others as traders. PT Bursa Komoditi Nusantara will run the bourse and PT Kliring Berjangka Indonesia will clear transactions there, Bappebti chief Didid Noordiantmoko said in a statement.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Didid Noordiantmoko, Bernadette Christina Munthe, Gayatri Suroyo, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: REUTERS, Commodity, Trading Regulatory Agency, Bursa Komoditi Nusantara, bourse, Kliring Berjangka, Tennet Depository Indonesia, Financial Services, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Indonesia, Indodax, Bursa, Kliring Berjangka Indonesia, Bappebti

☆ Malaysia issues license to Musk's Starlink to bring internet services to remote areas
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 (Reuters) - Malaysia has issued a license to Starlink, the satellite communications service started by Elon Musk, to provide internet services in the country, particularly in remote areas, its communications minister said on Thursday. Minister Fahmi Fadzil said in a Facebook post that Starlink, which is operated by Musk's SpaceX, would begin by providing its services to schools and higher education institutions. The government was also prepared to work with satellite communications firms, including Starlink, to ensure 100 percent internet coverage in populated areas, Fahmi said. Around three percent of populated areas in Malaysia face issues with internet access, due to geographical and infrastructure challenges, he added. The government earlier this year announced that his electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla (TSLA.O) would open an office in Malaysia.

Persons: Elon Musk, Fahmi Fadzil, Fahmi, Anwar Ibrahim, Tesla, Rozanna Latiff, Hasnoor Hussain, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Elon, Musk's SpaceX, Malaysian, Thomson Locations: KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

[1/2] People walk outside the parliament, after Thailand's constitution court ordered the temporary suspension of the Move Forward Party's leader Pita Limjaroenrat from the parliament, in Bangkok, Thailand, July 19, 2023. REUTERS/Chalinee ThirasupaBANGKOK, July 20 (Reuters) - Thailand's parliament will hold another vote for a prime minister next week which cannot include the leader of election winners Move Forward, a deputy speaker said on Thursday, after rivals derailed his bid by blocking his re-nomination. "A candidate can only be nominated once in each parliamentary session," Deputy House Speaker Pichet Chuamuangphan told Reuters on Thursday. It is widely expected that real estate tycoon and political newcomer Srettha Thavisin from Move Forward's alliance partner Pheu Thai will be nominated for premier for the July 27 vote. "The eight parties are together, if there is a resolution for Pheu Thai to lead, then the party has to choose who to nominate," Srettha told reporters.

Persons: Pita Limjaroenrat, Parliament's, Pichet Chuamuangphan, Pita, Srettha, Pheu, Jetn Sirathranont, Thitinan, manoeuvred, Panarat Thepgumpanat, Chayut, Orathai, Panu, Kanupriya Kapoor, Martin Petty Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Constitutional, Senate, Chulalongkorn University, Thomson Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, BANGKOK

☆ Singapore opposition members quit in latest political shake-up
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Workers' Party Chairman Sylvia Lim and Secretary-General Pritam Singh attend a press conference at their headquarters in Singapore, July 19, 2023. REUTERS/Edgar SuSINGAPORE, July 19 (Reuters) - Two senior members of Singapore's largest opposition party quit on Wednesday after admitting to an inappropriate relationship, the latest scandal to hit a country otherwise used to stable and drama-free politics. Seah had also denied the relationship when asked by party leaders at that time, Singh said, adding the pair's behaviour was "unacceptable". Both the WP and the PAP have in the past sacked members for extramarital relationships. Reporting by Chen Lin, Writing by Xinghui Kok, Editing by Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sylvia Lim, Pritam Singh, Edgar Su SINGAPORE, Leon Perera, Nicole Seah, Singh, Perera, Seah, Chong Ja Ian, Chen Lin, Xinghui Kok, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Workers ', REUTERS, Workers ' Party, Action Party, National University of Singapore, Thomson Locations: Singapore

SINGAPORE, July 17 (Reuters) - Two senior lawmakers from Singapore's ruling party have resigned over their "inappropriate relationship", Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Monday, the latest high-profile scandal in a city-state otherwise known for its political stability. Resignations of senior PAP members are rare in Singapore, where the party has been in power since 1959, before the country's independence in 1965. Separately, the opposition Workers' Party (WP) said on Monday it was looking into an "inappropriate exchange" between two of its senior members after a video surfaced online that appeared to show them holding hands in a restaurant. Events like these are unusual in Singapore, which prides itself on being corruption-free and holding politicians to high moral standards. Political scientist Chong Ja Ian at the National University of Singapore said Monday's developments were "relatively controllable issues" that would not affect Singapore's political stability.

Persons: Lee Hsien Loong, Lee, Tan Chuan, Jin, Cheng Li Hui, Cheng, Ong Beng Seng, Chong Ja Ian, Chong, Chen Lin, Martin Petty, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Action Party, Workers ' Party, WP, National University of Singapore, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Singapore

☆ Swiss watchmaker Swatch sues Malaysia for seizure of Pride watches
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

In May, Malaysian authorities confiscated watches from Swatch's 'Pride collection' because of the presence of the letters 'LGBTQ' on the watches, the home minister said. Home ministry officials "illegally" seized 172 watches from 16 outlets, Swatch said in court documents seen by Reuters. The seizure notices served to Swatch described the watches as having elements of or promoting LGBTQ rights and potentially breaching Malaysian law, the company said. Most of the seized watches, which have a combined retail value of 64,795 ringgit ($14,250.05), did not contain the 'LGBTQ' lettering, Swatch said. He has also said LGBT rights will not be recognised by his administration.

Persons: Swatch's, Anwar Ibrahim's, Anwar, Rozanna, John Revill, Kanupriya Kapoor, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Swatch, Malaysian, Reuters, Malay Mail, Swatch Group, Malaysia, Thomson Locations: KUALA LUMPUR, Swiss, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian, Zurich

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