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☆ 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

☆ Singapore property tycoon cooperating with anti-graft agency - company
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng walks out of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau headquarters in Singapore July 12, 2023. SINGAPORE, July 14 (Reuters) - A Singapore-based property tycoon known for bringing Formula One races to the city-state is cooperating with the anti-graft agency in a case launched earlier this week involving the transport minister, his company said on Friday. The CPIB earlier this week said it had launched an investigation into Iswaran, but did not provide further details. The case is a rare high-level probe in Singapore, a top Asian financial hub that prides itself on a corruption-free government. Ong, who was travelling on Friday, will surrender his passport to the CPIB upon his return to Singapore, his company said.

Persons: Ong Beng Seng, Ho Peng Yew, Iswaran, Lee Hsien Loong, Ong, Christina Ong, Kanupriya Kapoor, Martin Petty, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Practices, Singapore Press Holding Media, Formula, Properties, Reuters, Concorde, London Stock, Forbes, Thomson Locations: Singapore, SINGAPORE, COMO, Malaysia

☆ Malaysian PM Anwar discusses Tesla investment, Starlink with Musk
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 (Reuters) - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday he held a call with billionaire Elon Musk to discuss automaker Tesla's investment in the country and SpaceX's satellite communications service. "I welcome the company's interest and decision to invest in Malaysia, and Elon Musk's willingness to come to Malaysia," Anwar said in a statement. Anwar said Tesla's operations in Malaysia will begin this year. The two also discussed Starlink, the satellite communications service started by Musk and operated by his company SpaceX, Anwar said. Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi and Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Anwar Ibrahim, Elon Musk, Elon Musk's, Anwar, Tesla's, Tesla, Mei Mei Chu, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Malaysian, Musk, SpaceX, Thomson Locations: KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia

[1/8] Move Forward Party Leader Pita Limjaroenrat poses for a picture on the day of voting for a new prime minister at the parliament, in Bangkok, Thailand, July 13, 2023. One senator resigned on Wednesday, lowering the threshold to 375 votes to become prime minister. "I'm confident that I will do my best to match the hopes and encouragement from the people," Pita told reporters. Political uncertainty has pulled Thailand's main stock index (.SETI) down about 11% so far this year. More turbulence can be expected if Pita cannot prevail in the vote given Move Forward's massive support from young voters and its popularity in the capital.

Persons: Pita Limjaroenrat, Pita, Pheu, ThaiRath, Panarat Thepgumpanat, Panu, Martin Petty, Lincoln, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: REUTERS, Senate, Thai, Constitutional, Thomson Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, BANGKOK, Southeast Asia's

☆ ASEAN struggles for unity on Myanmar conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The cause of the delay was unclear but an ASEAN official said a communique was being finalised and would be released soon. ASEAN chair Indonesia on Wednesday urged the group's foreign ministers to remain united in tackling the escalating violence in Myanmar. Malaysia, a vocal critic of the junta, urged ASEAN to strongly condemn the junta's actions, including violence. RIFTS APPARENTRifts within ASEAN over Myanmar were highlighted when Thailand invited Myanmar military officials to a meeting last month aimed at "re-engaging" with the junta. Indonesia, as ASEAN chair this year, is working behind the scenes to bring all stakeholders in the Myanmar conflict together for informal talks, but diplomats say it is struggling to make headway.

Persons: Zambry Abdul Kadir, Antony Blinken, Wang Yi, Don Pramudwinai, Don, Myanmar's, Aung San, Aung San Suu Kyi, Malaysia's Zambry, Suu Kyi's, Kate Lamb, Stanley Widianto, Kanupriya Kapoor, Rob Birsel, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Myanmar's, Association for Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, Junta, Indonesia, Wednesday, Myanmar, Thai Foreign, National Unity Government, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Jakarta, Myanmar, Malaysia, United States, China, Russia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Aung San Suu, Naypyitaw

☆ ASEAN chair Indonesia has little to show for Myanmar peace drive, diplomats say
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Kate Lamb | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

JAKARTA, July 12 (Reuters) - Indonesia, working on behalf of southeast Asian nations, has little to show so far for its intense behind-the-scenes efforts to bridge gaps between factions in Myanmar's conflict, diplomatic sources say. Myanmar has been racked by violence since 2021, when the military seized power from a largely elected government and unleashed a deadly crackdown on opponents. But the junta, an opposition "shadow government" and rebel militias all refuse to compromise on their respective conditions to start even informal talks, said three sources, including two diplomats, familiar with the matter. Sasa said he could not confirm if the Bali meetings had taken place, but called for even deeper engagement with ASEAN. The sources said Indonesia had drawn inspiration from its "cocktail diplomacy" of the late 1980s, when it convinced Cambodia's four opposing factions to meet for informal talks near Jakarta.

Persons: Sasa, Bali, Cambodia's, Lina Alexandra, Retno Marsudi, Kanupriya Kapoor, Kevin Liffey Organizations: Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, National Unity Government, Centre, Strategic, International Studies, Indonesian, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Indonesia, Myanmar, Indonesia's, Bali, Jakarta

[1/5] Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi delivers her opening remarks during a retreat session of the 56th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Minister's Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/PoolJAKARTA, July 12 (Reuters) - ASEAN foreign ministers on Wednesday called for regional unity in addressing an intensifying conflict in Myanmar, amid doubts over the bloc's capability to implement a two-year-old peace process that has yet to get off the ground. Retno's remarks come after a Thai-led meeting last month attended by Myanmar's military leaders who have been barred from high-level ASEAN meetings. Most ASEAN members shunned that meeting, which Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai defended, saying Thailand was suffering in terms of its border, trade and refugee problems. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Wednesday said the agreed peace plan should remain ASEAN's focus.

Persons: Retno Marsudi, Don Pramudwinai, Don, Aung San, Aung San Suu Kyi, Suu Kyi, Rizal Sukma, Sukma, Kanupriya Kapoor, Martin Petty, Michael Perry Organizations: Indonesian, 56th Association of Southeast Asian Nations, REUTERS, ASEAN, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Indonesia's, United Nations, Thai Foreign, Centre, Strategic, International Studies, Friday's East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional, Thomson Locations: Jakarta, Indonesia, JAKARTA, Myanmar, ASEAN, Thai, Thailand, Aung San Suu, China, Philippines, Vietnam, South China, Friday's, United States, Russia

☆ Thai court to decide eligibility case of PM hopeful Pita - media, poll body source
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BANGKOK, July 12 (Reuters) - Thailand's poll body will refer to the Constitutional Court a case over whether Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of election winners Move Forward, should be disqualified as a parliamentarian over a shareholding issue, local media reported on Wednesday. The referral of the case was reported by three media outlets and confirmed to Reuters by an election commission source, who declined to be identified because they were not authorised to speak to media. Pita, who is seeking to become prime minister, has been investigated over allegations that his ownership of shares in media firm iTV at the time of his registration made him ineligible to stand in the May 14 election. Pita has maintained iTV was not an active mass media organisation. Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Pita Limjaroenrat, Pita, Panarat Thepgumpanat, Martin Petty, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Constitutional, Reuters, iTV, Thomson Locations: BANGKOK

☆ Singapore anti-graft agency probes transport minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Chen Lin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SINGAPORE, July 12 (Reuters) - Singapore's anti-graft agency has launched an investigation into a case involving the city-state's transport minister, a rare high-level probe in a country that prides itself on a government free from corruption. The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau said it was interviewing the minister, S Iswaran, who was "assisting" in a case, but did not provide further details. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Wednesday said he had "instructed Minister Iswaran to take leave of absence until these investigations are completed". The 61-year-old joined Lee's cabinet as a junior minister in 2006 and held the trade and communications portfolios before becoming transport minister in May 2021. Graft investigations involving ministers are rare in Singapore, where civil servants are paid handsomely to discourage corruption.

Persons: S Iswaran, Lee Hsien Loong, Iswaran, Lee, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Reuters, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Singapore

☆ Malaysia seeks proposals to revive high-speed rail project with Singapore
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 (Reuters) - Malaysia on Tuesday said it was seeking proposals from private firms to develop a high-speed railway between its capital Kuala Lumpur and neighbouring Singapore, reviving a multi-billion-dollar project called off more than two years ago. Malaysia and Singapore had cancelled a plan to build a 350-kilometre (217-mile) rail line connecting the two countries after they failed to agree on several proposed changes to the project. MyHSR invited local and international firms and consortia to submit proposals. Singapore indicated last year the country is open to fresh proposals from Malaysia on the project, according to media. Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi in Kuala Lumpur, Chen Lin in Singapore; Editing by Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: MyHSR, Chen Lin, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: MyHSR Corp, Speed, Thomson Locations: KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, China, Japan, South Korea, Europe, Malaysian

☆ Thailand prime minister Prayuth retires from politics, nine years after his coup
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha leaves after a cabinet meeting before end of his term in next week at the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, March 14, 2023. REUTERS/Athit PerawongmethaBANGKOK, July 11 (Reuters) - Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha announced on Tuesday his retirement from politics, nine years after he took power in a military coup, and promised to stay in charge only temporarily. The former army chief, a staunch royalist, led a junta until an election in 2019 and was chosen by parliament to remain prime minister for four more years, an outcome his opponents insist was pre-determined. "I as prime minister have worked hard to protect the nation, religion, monarchy for the benefit of the beloved people. His announcement comes as the new parliament prepares to convene on Thursday to hold a vote on who will be the next prime minister, an outcome far from certain.

Persons: Prayuth Chan, ocha, Prayuth, Panu, Martin Petty, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Government, REUTERS, Thailand's, United Thai Nation, Thomson Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, BANGKOK

☆ Myanmar crisis, South China Sea tensions loom over ASEAN meet
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Kate Lamb | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JAKARTA, July 11 (Reuters) - Southeast Asia's top diplomats will gather in Indonesia on Tuesday amid pressure to address a bloody political crisis in Myanmar and resolve tensions in the South China Sea where some ASEAN members have overlapping territorial claims with China. The meeting of foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) comes as doubts mount over the credibility and unity of the bloc in dealing with the region's thorniest challenges. Indonesia is also seeking during this week's forum to accelerate talks on a long-stalled code of conduct on the South China Sea. More than $3 trillion in trade passes through the South China Sea each year, and overlapping territorial claims by China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei have led to a spate of confrontations. ASEAN will also hold the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum later this week, with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov both slated to attend.

Persons: Human Rights Volker Turk, Retno Marsudi, Antony Blinken, Sergei Lavrov, Stanley Widianto, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: ASEAN, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, United, United Nations, Human Rights, . Security, International Criminal Court, East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional Forum, U.S, Russia's, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Indonesia, Myanmar, South China, China, ASEAN, United Nations, Jakarta, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei

SINGAPORE, July 7 (Reuters) - After standing in line for 36 hours, Qayyum Lukman on Friday emerged triumphant from a kiosk where he had just scored tickets to see pop sensation Taylor Swift perform in Singapore, her only stop in Southeast Asia next year. I don’t know what to think, indescribable, I’m very happy I got tickets! Indonesian Friski Riana, 31, joined virtual queues of millions of fans, even borrowing her friend's credit card to try and get tickets. [1/5]Qayyum Lukman, 25, full-time national servicemen, poses with a Taylor Swift vinyl album, as he waits first in line to buy Taylor Swift concert tickets, at a post office in Singapore July 7, 2023. Hours after the pre-sale closed, touts were marking up S$358 ($264.73) tickets to at least S$1,000 on marketplace app Carousell.

Persons: Qayyum Lukman, Taylor Swift, Swift, Lukman, I’m, ”, couldn't, Edgar Su, Friski, Thailand's, Pita Limjareonrat, Lavender, Chayut, Ananda, Kanupriya Kapoor, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: REUTERS, Coldplay, Business Times, Twitter, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Singapore, Southeast Asia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, British, Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Ananda Teresia

☆ Vietnam probes Blackpink concert organiser over South China Sea map
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HANOI, July 6 (Reuters) - Vietnam has launched an inspection into K-pop group Blackpink's tour organiser's website, ahead of its concert in Hanoi, over criticism from fans that it shows a map of the South China Sea with disputed boundaries. Chinese organiser iME Entertainment and South Korean agency YG Entertainment (122870.KQ), which manages Blackpink, had no immediate comment. The organiser's website was inaccessible on Thursday but a cached version seen by Reuters and last updated on July 4, shows a vague nine-dash line that encompasses nearly the whole South China Sea. Vietnam and China have long had overlapping territorial claims to a potentially energy-rich stretch in the waterway. The culture ministry's move followed complaints by Vietnamese internet users who noticed the nine-dash line on the organiser's website.

Persons: Phuong Nguyen, Khanh Vu, Francesco Guarascio, Hyunsu Yim, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Warner Bros, Vietnam, iME Entertainment, YG Entertainment, Reuters, Facebook, Thomson Locations: HANOI, Vietnam, Hanoi, South, South China, Korean, China, The Hague, Seoul

☆ Myanmar's top court hears Suu Kyi's appeals to cut jail term
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 5 (Reuters) - Myanmar's Supreme Court heard on Wednesday the latest in a series of appeals by former leader Aung San Suu Kyi against a slew of convictions, a source familiar with the case said, as she seeks to reduce her 33 years of jail time. The court is expected to take up to two months to deliver its ruling. The 2021 coup plunged Myanmar into political and social chaos, with the junta drawing global condemnation for its heavy-handed crackdown on opponents such as Suu Kyi. The Supreme Court is expected to hear Suu Kyi's appeals against convictions for misuse of state funds and violations of trade and telecoms laws over the next two weeks. Reporting by Reuters Staff; Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Clarence FernandezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Aung San, Suu Kyi, Suu, Kanupriya Kapoor, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Reuters Staff, Thomson Locations: Aung San Suu, Myanmar

☆ Cambodia bars Meta oversight board over PM's Facebook account suspension
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 4 (Reuters) - Cambodia said on Tuesday Meta Platforms Inc's (META.O) 22-member oversight board was unwelcome in the country, days after the panel recommended suspending Prime Minister Hun Sen's Facebook account over content violations. The board's recommendation was "political in nature", Cambodia's foreign affairs ministry said. Hun Sen's Facebook account went offline last week after the Oversight Board, which is funded by Meta but operates independently, said the platform had been wrong not to remove a video he published in January that breached rules against violent threats. Hun Sen, one of the world's longest-serving leaders with nearly four decades in power, last week declared ahead of his account suspension that he would switch to communicating with his people via Telegram. One Oversight Board member, veteran Indonesian journalist Endy Bayuni, said he was not aware if any colleagues were in Cambodia or had to leave.

Persons: Hun, Meta, Hun Sen, Endy Bayuni, Kanupriya Kapoor, Fanny Potkin, Devika Organizations: Facebook, Meta, Cambodian People's Party, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Cambodia, Indonesian

Summary June headline inflation at 3.52% vs 3.64% in Reuters pollCore inflation at 2.58% vs 2.64% in pollSome economists forecast interest rate cut in Q3JAKARTA, July 3 (Reuters) - Indonesia's annual inflation rate in June eased to 3.52%, settling into the central bank's target range for a second straight month, data from the statistics bureau showed on Monday. Headline inflation dropped to its lowest since April 2022 and came in below the 3.64% expected in a Reuters poll and below the 4.00% seen in May. Transportation fares, food prices and rents rose in June, Pudji Ismartini, deputy head of Statistics Indonesia, said in a press conference. The core inflation rate, which strips out government-controlled and volatile food prices, eased to 2.58% in June from 2.66% a month before. The poll had expected 2.64% core inflation.

Persons: Pudji Ismartini, Fakhrul Fulvian, Radhika Rao, Stefanno Sulaiman, Fransiska, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Reuters, Bank, Statistics, BI, Trimegah Securities, DBS, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Asia's, Statistics Indonesia

☆ Vietnam bans 'Barbie' movie over South China Sea map
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HANOI, July 3 (Reuters) - Vietnam has banned Warner Bros' highly-anticipated film "Barbie" from domestic distribution over a scene featuring a map that shows China's unilaterally claimed territory in the South China Sea, state media reported on Monday. The U-shaped "nine-dash line" is used on Chinese maps to illustrate its claims over vast areas of the South China Sea, including swathes of what Vietnam considers its continental shelf, where it has awarded oil concessions. "Barbie" is the latest movie to be banned in Vietnam for depicting China's controversial nine-dash line, which was repudiated in an international arbitration ruling by a court in The Hague in 2016. In 2019 the Vietnamese government pulled DreamWorks' animated film "Abominable" and last year it banned Sony's action movie "Unchartered" for the same reason. Vietnam and China have long had overlapping territorial claims to a potentially energy-rich stretch in the South China Sea.

Persons: Warner, China's, Barbie, Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Kien Thanh, Warner Bros, Phuong Nguyen, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Warner Bros, Vietnam, DreamWorks, Netflix, Department of Cinema, Warner, Thomson Locations: HANOI, Vietnam, South China, The Hague, China, Australian, United States

☆ Myanmar Supreme Court to hear Suu Kyi appeal this week - source
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 3 (Reuters) - The Supreme Court in military-ruled Myanmar will hear an appeal this week by former leader Aung San Suu Kyi against two of her convictions, a source familiar with the case said on Monday, as the Nobel laureate seeks to reduce her 33 years of jail time. The 78-year-old has been convicted of a litany of offences from incitement and election fraud to multiple counts of corruption since the military arrested her during a February 2021 coup against her elected government. Suu Kyi's allies and Western governments have condemned her incarceration as a junta play to prevent any comeback by the popular figurehead of Myanmar's decades-long struggle for democracy. The Supreme Court has announced it will hear appeals on Wednesday against Suu Kyi's conviction for a breach of the official secrets act and for electoral fraud. The source, who declined to be identified because of sensitivities over her cases, said a decision could take two months.

Persons: Aung San, Aung San Suu Kyi, Suu Kyi's, Suu, Martin Petty, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: National League for Democracy, Reuters Staff, Thomson Locations: Myanmar, Aung San Suu

HANOI, June 29 (Reuters) - Vietnam on Thursday reported faster economic growth in the second quarter, driven by the services sector, despite a slump in exports. Gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter grew 4.14% from a year earlier, faster than the 3.28% expansion seen in the first quarter, the General Statistics Office (GSO) said in a report. First quarter growth was revised down from 3.32%. The services sector grew 6.11% in the second quarter from a year earlier, while the agricultural sector grew 3.25%, and the manufacturing and construction sector expanded 2.50%, the GSO said. "The government's policies to encourage domestic consumption and promote tourism have contributed to the growth of the services sector," the agency said.

Persons: Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Gross, General Statistics Office, Thomson Locations: HANOI, Vietnam

☆ Cambodia PM ditches Facebook as Meta mulls case over alleged threats
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 29 (Reuters) - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has stopped using Facebook to communicate with the public in favour of Telegram, switching to what he called a "better" application amid an ongoing case over whether he violated Meta Platforms' (META.O) rules. Meta's independent oversight board took on a case in March centred on allegations that Hun Sen violated Meta's community standards on violence and incitement. Hun Sen has a following of 14 million on Facebook, a figure close to the size of Cambodia's population. "It is better compared to Facebook," he said of Telegram in a post on Wednesday. Hun Sen has made no comment on the Meta case.

Persons: Hun Sen, Phay Siphan, Hun Sen's, Martin Petty, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Cambodian, Facebook, Cambodian People's Party, Reuters Staff, Thomson Locations: Cambodia

☆ Thai protesters acquitted over run-in with queen's motorcade
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun/File PhotoBANGKOK, June 28 (Reuters) - A Thai court on Wednesday acquitted five anti-government protesters indicted on charges of attempted violence against the country's queen during a demonstration in 2020, a legal aid group said. The case stemmed from an event at the height of pro-democracy demonstrations in 2020, in which a motorcade carrying Queen Suthida was heckled as it drove past a group of protesters. The monarchy, which many Thais consider sacrosanct, is officially above politics and constitutionally enshrined to be held in "revered worship". "The court saw that police did not clear the way for the royal motorcade ... there was no announcement before the procession," Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said on Wednesday. "Witness testimony was different and even police in the area did not know there would be a royal motorcade (passing through)," the group said.

Persons: Suthida, Prince Dipangkorn, Soe Zeya, I'm, we've, Bunkueanun, Francis, Paothong, Chayut Setboonsarng, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Government, REUTERS, for Human Rights, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, BANGKOK

☆ Thailand's Pita says 'enough support' from Senate to become PM
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Move Forward Party leader and prime ministerial candidate, Pita Limjaroenrat, attends a press conference following the general election, at the party's headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, May 15, 2023. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File PhotoBANGKOK, June 27 (Reuters) - Thailand's leading prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat said on Tuesday he has enough support in the upper house to become the country's next premier, just days ahead of the new parliament's first session. When asked on Tuesday how much Senate support he had secured, Pita said: "enough for me to become prime minister". Doubts have lingered over whether Pita has enough support because of his party's controversial proposal to amend Thailand's strict royal insult law or lese majeste. The party was in the process of explaining its position to senators ahead of the July parliamentary vote, said Pita.

Persons: Pita Limjaroenrat, Athit, Pita, Thais, Chayut Setboonsarng, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Forward Party, REUTERS, Party, Thomson Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, BANGKOK

☆ Indonesia's Pertamina, Electrum sign battery packs development deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

JAKARTA, June 27 (Reuters) - Indonesia's state energy company Pertamina said late on Monday it plans to develop battery packs for electric motorcycles with Electrum, a firm that aims to put millions of electric two-wheelers on the roads of the Southeast Asian country. The agreement was signed during a groundbreaking ceremony for Electrum's electric scooter plant on Friday, where the company, which is a joint venture between coal miner TBS Energi Utama (TOBA.JK) and giant tech firm GoTo Gojek Tokopedia (GOTO.JK), aims to produce 250,000 units of electric scooters per year. The planned battery packing facility run by Pertamina's renewables unit and Electrum could cover a capacity of about 300 megawatts, Pertamina official Dicky Septriadi said. Indonesia has the world's largest reserves of nickel - a key element in electric vehicle (EV) batteries - and is keen to utilise the mineral to create a full supply chain for the industry. Reporting by Fransiska Nangoy, Bernadette Christina; Editing by Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Pertamina, GoTo Gojek Tokopedia, Dicky Septriadi, Fransiska Nangoy, Bernadette Christina, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: TBS, Utama, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Indonesia

☆ Hydrocarbons will be important part of future ASEAN energy mix
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Mei Mei Chu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Logo of Energy Asia conference is seen during the event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia June 26, 2023. REUTERS/Hasnoor HussainKUALA LUMPUR, June 26 (Reuters) - Hydrocarbons will continue to be an important part of the energy mix in Southeast Asia, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Monday, as affordability and energy security remain key concerns for the region of more than half a billion people. Achieving net-zero emissions targets should not come "at the expense of economic growth or vice versa", Anwar said in opening the inaugural Energy Asia conference, hosted by Malaysia's state oil firm Petronas (PETRA.UL). Anwar said natural gas would play an important role in the energy mix for Malaysia, which is among the world's top five LNG exporters. The event brings together global energy leaders, companies and policymakers to discuss the region's energy transition.

Persons: Anwar Ibrahim, Anwar, IRENA, Kanupriya Kapoor, Kim Coghill, Himani Organizations: Energy Asia, REUTERS, Malaysian, Petronas, Malaysia, Organization of, Petroleum, International Renewable Energy Agency, Saudi Aramco, TotalEnergies, Thomson Locations: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Hussain KUALA LUMPUR, Southeast Asia, Asia, Saudi

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