https://www.scmp.com/rss/318215/feed Southeast Asia's latest news, current affairs, politics and regional issues. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Syed Munir Khasru Syed Munir Khasru US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing, at a time of rising tensions over Iran, sanctions, tariffs and Taiwan, shows how far the Hormuz crisis has travelled beyond the battlefield. What began as a regional war is now touching energy markets, currency politics and the balance of influence between Washington and Beijing. The US is trying to keep Gulf and Asian partners anchored to the US dollar system, while China continues to push for wider use of the renminbi in trade transactions. Whether... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353360/malacca-strait-could-be-next-hinge-point-if-asia-isnt-careful?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353360/malacca-strait-could-be-next-hinge-point-if-asia-isnt-careful?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse One of Thailand’s richest men dismissed his cousin from the Singha beer business empire on Tuesday, the company said, after days of controversy over allegations the man had sexually abused his own brother. Environmental activist Siranudh Scott, a scion of the Bhirombhakdi family who control the beer brand ubiquitous in Thailand, posted an emotional video on his social media page this month accusing his elder brother of repeatedly abusing him in his teenage years. “Everyone in my family knows it... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354139/thai-singha-beer-heir-dismissed-family-firm-amid-brothers-sexual-abuse-claims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354139/thai-singha-beer-heir-dismissed-family-firm-amid-brothers-sexual-abuse-claims?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 14:35:04 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Security officers from the Philippine Senate are being investigated for firing their weapons without provocation as a senator wanted by the International Criminal Court sought refuge in the building, officials said on Tuesday. Senator Ronald dela Rosa briefly sought refuge in the Senate last week while asking the Philippine Supreme Court to stop an attempt by government agents to arrest him. The fugitive senator, the former national police chief in the early years of Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354135/philippine-senate-guards-investigated-firing-shots-fugitive-senator-fled?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354135/philippine-senate-guards-investigated-firing-shots-fugitive-senator-fled?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 13:41:05 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippines’ claim that it is now among the middle tier of Southeast Asian maritime powers after two decades of modernisation has come into question, with analysts saying that its navy still lacks enough firepower and reach to match regional rivals. Rear Admiral Joe Anthony C. Orbe, commander of the Philippine Fleet, told reporters on Tuesday that the country’s navy had attained the status of a “middle power” in Southeast Asia as it marked its 128th anniversary this month. “We are on par... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354127/philippine-navys-aspirational-middle-power-claim-comes-under-scrutiny?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354127/philippine-navys-aspirational-middle-power-claim-comes-under-scrutiny?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 11:58:09 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesian officials have moved to reassure markets that the country’s economic fundamentals remain sound after the rupiah sank to a record low, but President Prabowo Subianto’s attempts to play down the currency’s slide has attracted criticism from economists and social media users alike. The rupiah fell to 17,720 per US dollar on Tuesday, cementing its status as one of Asia’s worst-performing currencies this year. Indonesia’s main stock index, the Jakarta Composite Index (JCI), tumbled 3.46... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3354111/indonesias-rupiah-sinks-record-low-prabowo-shrugs-rout-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3354111/indonesias-rupiah-sinks-record-low-prabowo-shrugs-rout-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 10:30:04 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem Japan’s Type 88 surface-to-ship missile entered service decades ago and is already being retired in favour of a more capable successor, yet the prospect of Tokyo transferring the ageing system to the Philippines has stirred a debate that reaches far beyond its modest specifications. Manila expressed interest in acquiring the Type 88 around the same time as Japanese forces were demonstrating the missile’s firepower at joint drills with American and Philippine troops, according to Tokyo-based... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354091/why-philippines-wants-japans-old-type-88-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354091/why-philippines-wants-japans-old-type-88-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 09:30:06 +0000 Reuters Reuters Indonesian authorities, including the military, used online disinformation campaigns to brand activists and ⁠journalists as “foreign agents” and silence dissent, ⁠sometimes leading to physical threats, Amnesty International said ⁠in a report released on Tuesday. Amnesty’s findings reflect growing concerns that Indonesia, the world’s third largest democracy, is backsliding towards army rule under President Prabowo Subianto, a former special forces commander, who has expanded the military’s role... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354090/indonesian-authorities-used-fake-news-brand-critics-foreign-agents-amnesty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354090/indonesian-authorities-used-fake-news-brand-critics-foreign-agents-amnesty?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 08:48:56 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is considering calling a snap election before a mounting fuel subsidy crisis forces him to make spending cuts that would strip him of the conditions needed to win one. A national vote is not due until early 2028, but the political logic of going early is becoming harder to dismiss. Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) alliance is fraying at the edges, coalition partner Barisan Nasional has announced it will contest the coming Johor state poll alone, and two of his... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354065/malaysias-anwar-eyes-snap-poll-fuel-subsidy-crunch-truly-bites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354065/malaysias-anwar-eyes-snap-poll-fuel-subsidy-crunch-truly-bites?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 06:38:18 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Indonesia has proposed hosting an Asean oil storage hub to reinforce the region’s emergency fuel reserves, as supply disruptions from the Middle East lay bare the region’s vulnerability to energy shocks. But analysts say the plan, while attractive in principle, is likely to be hampered by political distrust, uneven national priorities and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ record of rolling out regional mechanisms that are rarely tested under pressure. Indonesian Energy Minister Bahlil... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354057/indonesias-oil-hub-plan-collides-aseans-trust-deficit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354057/indonesias-oil-hub-plan-collides-aseans-trust-deficit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 05:21:51 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Asian airlines need government support to cope with the more than doubling of jet fuel prices that otherwise risks some carriers collapsing like US-based Spirit Airlines, according to the new head of the region’s industry body. Wong Hong, who took over as director general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines last month, said carriers needed varying levels of help and relief, from direct financial support to being able to cut flight schedules without negative consequences. “Nobody wants to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354056/some-asian-airlines-could-collapse-spirit-without-help-rising-fuel-costs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354056/some-asian-airlines-could-collapse-spirit-without-help-rising-fuel-costs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 05:19:14 +0000 CNA CNA A boy began sexually abusing his younger sister from when she was five and he was 12, continuing the assault for seven years and raping her repeatedly. At times when she resisted, the boy punched her, slapped her and pinched her. The offender, now 26, was sentenced in Singapore on Monday to 18 years’ jail and 24 strokes of the cane. He pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated sexual assault and one count of statutory rape, with another eight charges taken into consideration. The offender... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354035/singapore-sentences-man-18-years-jail-repeatedly-raping-younger-sister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354035/singapore-sentences-man-18-years-jail-repeatedly-raping-younger-sister?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 01:49:59 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippine Senate convened on Monday as an impeachment court for Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio, even as a fresh battle for control of the chamber threatens to shape the direction of her trial and the fallout from the crimes-against-humanity case against her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, in The Hague. Duterte-Carpio was impeached by the House of Representatives last week on allegations including corruption, betrayal of public trust and culpable violations of the constitution... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354003/how-fight-philippine-senate-presidency-will-shape-sara-dutertes-impeachment-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354003/how-fight-philippine-senate-presidency-will-shape-sara-dutertes-impeachment-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 12:51:05 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Chances of Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim winning a fresh mandate look increasingly fraught, according to experts, as the unravelling of his coalition government gathered pace over the weekend amid threats of all-out war between allies and the defection of former stalwarts to a rival party. Anwar has presided over a period of relative political stability since his appointment as prime minister in November 2022 by then king Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, on condition that he included both allies and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353955/election-war-drums-beat-malaysias-ruling-coalition-done?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353955/election-war-drums-beat-malaysias-ruling-coalition-done?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 08:19:14 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Bangkok residents were digesting yet another avoidable tragedy on Monday after eight people were killed when a goods train ploughed into a city bus at a busy level crossing on Saturday afternoon. The train driver, who later tested positive for drugs, had also not received a valid operator’s licence from the Department of Rail Transport. A fireball erupted as the train struck the bus at the Asok-Dindaeng intersection, in a notoriously congested part of Thailand’s capital, igniting the vehicle’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3353933/thailand-reels-deadly-bangkok-train-crash-its-latest-avoidable-tragedy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3353933/thailand-reels-deadly-bangkok-train-crash-its-latest-avoidable-tragedy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 04:54:06 +0000 CNA CNA First-time drug abusers in Singapore who surrender themselves to the authorities will no longer face detention at the city state’s rehabilitation centre, a government minister has confirmed. All such abusers will now be placed on drug supervision in the community with mandatory case management for their rehabilitation, under changes that took effect on Saturday. The change came after a review to “encourage more first-time abusers to come forward and seek help with their addiction”, Law Minister... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353917/singapore-softens-approach-first-time-drug-abusers-they-get-younger-and-younger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353917/singapore-softens-approach-first-time-drug-abusers-they-get-younger-and-younger?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 02:46:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters Two prominent ⁠former Malaysian ministers said on ⁠Sunday they would vacate their parliamentary seats ⁠and resign from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling coalition party to join a small party that they would take over. The move by Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who resigned from cabinet last year after losing leadership posts in internal party elections, ‌could create a challenge for Anwar, amid speculation of an early election this year. The next general election is not due until... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353896/malaysian-ex-ministers-resign-anwars-party-snap-election-rumoured?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353896/malaysian-ex-ministers-resign-anwars-party-snap-election-rumoured?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 13:24:19 +0000 Reuters Reuters Philippine government lawyers have urged the Supreme Court to reject the bid of fugitive Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who is wanted for alleged crimes against humanity linked to his role in a bloody “war on drugs”, to block his arrest and surrender. Dela Rosa, ‌the former police chief who oversaw former President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-narcotics crackdown, had asked the Supreme Court to stop authorities from arresting and surrendering him to the International Criminal Court. He is facing the same... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353881/philippine-lawyers-support-icc-arrest-warrant-fugitive-senator?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353881/philippine-lawyers-support-icc-arrest-warrant-fugitive-senator?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 10:00:38 +0000 CNA CNA The Singapore Police Force has obtained footage of the AI-generated Zoom video conference that was part of a scam involving the impersonation of senior government officials, including Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, it said on Saturday. In one case, a victim lost at least S$4.9 million (US$3.8 million) in what was claimed to be funding help related to the Strait of Hormuz, police said earlier. Victims would typically receive a WhatsApp message from a scammer impersonating the secretary to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353868/how-victim-lost-us38-million-singapore-deepfake-zoom-scam-impersonating-pm-wong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353868/how-victim-lost-us38-million-singapore-deepfake-zoom-scam-impersonating-pm-wong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 07:47:22 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A surge in arrests of suspected foreign scammers in Sri Lanka has authorities concerned that the island is fast becoming a hub for online crime, following sweeping crackdowns in hotspots Cambodia and Myanmar. Officials say some scam networks forced out of countries in Southeast Asia have simply shifted to new bases, increasingly moving operations to Sri Lanka – an attractive destination due to a relaxed visa regime and reliable, high-speed internet. Since the start of the year, police have... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3353862/next-stop-sri-lanka-how-scammers-fleeing-cambodia-myanmar-found-new-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3353862/next-stop-sri-lanka-how-scammers-fleeing-cambodia-myanmar-found-new-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 06:37:49 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones The face of beauty in Asia is changing, says Dr Dissapong Panithaporn. He should know, as he sees it every day in Thailand. The younger generation, women and men in their mid-twenties, are edging away from plastic surgery and fillers towards something more natural, the leading Thai dermatologist said. ‘’The whole trend has shifted from anti-ageing to longevity of skin, prevention and preservation rather than correction or repair,’’ Dissapong – better known as Dr Joe – said from his Bangkok... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3353848/move-over-k-beauty-thailand-next-big-thing-aesthetics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3353848/move-over-k-beauty-thailand-next-big-thing-aesthetics?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 05:30:05 +0000 Aisyah Llewellyn Aisyah Llewellyn Chinese businesses in Indonesia have issued an unusually blunt warning to President Prabowo Subianto that a wave of tougher rules is hurting investor confidence, exposing growing tension between Jakarta’s push for control of the resources sector and foreign capital that has helped power the country’s nickel boom. Several ministers in Jakarta have pushed back, saying Indonesia must prioritise sovereignty over its natural resources, while stressing the government remains open to dialogue and has... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353847/indonesia-pushes-back-after-chinese-business-group-complains-tougher-rules-hurt-investors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353847/indonesia-pushes-back-after-chinese-business-group-complains-tougher-rules-hurt-investors?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 02:00:12 +0000 Minh Tran Minh Tran Ahead of next year’s Apec summit, Vietnam has a grand plan to transform Phu Quoc, its largest island, into Southeast Asia’s leading conference and exhibition hub. The 137 trillion dong (US$5.2 billion) blueprint includes an airport overhaul, a light-rail line, clusters of luxury hotels and a brand-new sewerage system – much of it paid for by one of the country’s largest conglomerates, in return for tracts of land, operating concessions and the cachet of building national landmarks. But problems... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353741/vietnams-us5-billion-apec-island-running-out-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353741/vietnams-us5-billion-apec-island-running-out-time?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A collision between a goods train and a bus killed at least eight people and injured 35 in the Thai capital Bangkok on Saturday, police said. Firefighters and rescuers cordoned off the collision site, with investigators seen peering into the burnt-out shell of the bus. Pedestrians were ushered away from the busy downtown intersection, which is used by tens of thousands of vehicles each day. “Eight people have died and 35 others were injured,” Bangkok police chief Urumporn Koondejsumrit... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353825/bangkok-train-bus-crash-kills-8-thai-pm-orders-investigation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353825/bangkok-train-bus-crash-kills-8-thai-pm-orders-investigation?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 12:20:44 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Even as Singapore positions itself at the frontier of AI technology, human intelligence still remains critical, according to the city state’s foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan. “We should beware of just trying to throw every problem, and every step in a solution, at a large-language model (LLM),” he said on Saturday at the AI Engineer conference, referring to deep-learning technology behind generative AI services such as ChatGPT. Balakrishnan warned against discarding traditional AI models... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3353807/singapore-minister-reveals-why-human-touch-still-important-ai-era?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3353807/singapore-minister-reveals-why-human-touch-still-important-ai-era?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 07:04:09 +0000 The Star The Star Malaysian police will investigate claims that fugitive financier Jho Low returned to the country for secret meetings. Inspector-General of Police Mohd Khalid Ismail said the claims that Low, whose full name is Low Taek Jho, had come to Malaysia for meetings had not been verified. “We have not verified whether the claims are true or otherwise,” he told reporters on Saturday. “We will take appropriate action to investigate the matter further.” He was commenting on an article by Sarawak Report... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353795/malaysian-police-probe-claims-jho-low-returned-kuala-lumpur-secret-1mdb-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353795/malaysian-police-probe-claims-jho-low-returned-kuala-lumpur-secret-1mdb-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 04:31:24 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Taxi driver Ravi Ranjan, who lives with his wife and child in New Delhi, said shipping disruptions caused by the Iran war had forced him to pay higher prices for cooking fuel at a time when India’s prime minister was also urging residents to reduce driving and travel. It was all hitting his bottom line, Ranjan said, as he was paying three times as much for liquid petroleum gas after facing delays on delivery of the cooking fuel. “I used to get a cylinder of LPG for 1,000 rupees (US$10), now I... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3353785/iran-war-fallout-triggers-massive-biofuel-shift-across-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3353785/iran-war-fallout-triggers-massive-biofuel-shift-across-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 00:59:10 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Vietnam’s To Lam is a man in a hurry. Since claiming the nation’s top job, its most powerful leader in decades has been in near-constant motion, pressing flesh and signing deals in Beijing, Washington, Pyongyang and Moscow. His itinerary, which also included stops in New Delhi, Helsinki, Paris, London and several Southeast Asian capitals, reads less like a diplomatic calendar than a world tour – and analysts say that is precisely the point. “Where previous leaders practised a restrained,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353683/beyond-bamboo-vietnams-lam-mounts-diplomacy-offensive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353683/beyond-bamboo-vietnams-lam-mounts-diplomacy-offensive?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Mia Nurmamat,Ralph Jennings Mia Nurmamat,Ralph Jennings US President Donald Trump’s landmark visit to China comes as the US-Iran war disrupts global energy supplies, fuels economic uncertainty and adds fresh strain to Washington-Beijing ties. In the latest instalment of a series examining how rivalry, interdependence and geopolitical crises are reshaping the relationship between the two powers, we explore the massive upswing in capital expenditures across Asia that is driving a broad shift in economic power. When US President Donald Trump made his... https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3353399/trump-and-his-ceos-want-chinas-business-has-asia-moved?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3353399/trump-and-his-ceos-want-chinas-business-has-asia-moved?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 22:00:07 +0000 Cyril Ip Cyril Ip What comes to mind when you think of China, Japan and South Korea? This was a question posed in a second-year sociology seminar during my time at Bristol, and it has stayed with me ever since. We were split into three groups and given 10 minutes to create posters capturing our immediate associations. Japan came first. Sketches of anime, sushi platters and temples appeared. My classmates spoke with enthusiasm, drawing on travel memories or aspirations to visit. A country that, less than a century... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353463/how-deal-very-chinese-time-western-lives?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353463/how-deal-very-chinese-time-western-lives?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A widely touted economic hub in the Philippines will involve eight more countries, signalling greater international confidence in the long-term viability of the ambitious project to boost connectivity and trade in a key region. The Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC), a trilateral infrastructure initiative led by the US, Japan, and the Philippines, is set to receive additional support from Canada, Australia, Denmark, France, Italy, South Korea, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Initially envisioned as a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353736/western-powers-ramp-support-philippines-luzon-economic-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353736/western-powers-ramp-support-philippines-luzon-economic-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 11:07:49 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk A Chinese tourist has been barred from returning to Thailand for life after he allegedly kicked and damaged automated passport control gates at Bangkok’s main airport, in a case that comes amid a wider Thai crackdown on foreign visitors accused of disorderly behaviour. The 30-year-old man, identified by Thai media as Zheng Liwei, was accused of damaging two automatic gates at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Wednesday afternoon while trying to pass through passport control for a flight to China. The... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3353719/chinese-tourist-banned-thailand-life-after-kicking-damaging-us15000-auto-gates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3353719/chinese-tourist-banned-thailand-life-after-kicking-damaging-us15000-auto-gates?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 09:45:40 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippine Senate has witnessed political coups, scandals and the occasional shouting match. It had never, until this week, seen a sitting senator sprint down its corridors in a muddy olive shirt, knocking aside female investigators like bowling pins, to avoid an international arrest warrant for crimes against humanity. That was Monday. By Wednesday night, gunshots were ringing out in the building that houses the upper chamber of the country’s Congress. “I worked in the Senate for 15 years... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353668/gunfire-farce-and-fugitive-philippine-senator-bato-dela-rosa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353668/gunfire-farce-and-fugitive-philippine-senator-bato-dela-rosa?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 09:00:07 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell Most readers of foreign news pages this weekend will be assuming that US President Donald Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing has been dominating everyone’s attention. But across Asia, Trump, with his massive business entourage, was not the only act in town this week. At least two other major sets of meetings should not be overlooked. First, in New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was hosting foreign ministers from the 10 Brics economies and a growing community... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353606/xi-trump-summit-aside-2-meetings-asia-matter-global-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353606/xi-trump-summit-aside-2-meetings-asia-matter-global-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 08:30:05 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk A new giant dinosaur weighing about 27 tonnes has been unearthed by researchers in Thailand, making it the largest ever found in Southeast Asia. According to a study published in the journal Scientific Reports on Thursday, the 27 metre (88 foot) long plant-eating beast is believed to have meandered through what is now Thailand between 100 and 120 million years ago. It likely weighed at least 10 tonnes more than Dippy the Diplodocus Thitiwoot Sethapanichsakul, lead researcher “Our dinosaur is big... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3353696/thailand-unearths-southeast-asias-largest-dinosaur-mighty-nagatitan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3353696/thailand-unearths-southeast-asias-largest-dinosaur-mighty-nagatitan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 08:25:09 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling alliance will doubtless try to project a united front this weekend, but two former ministers from his own party are threatening to pull attention back to the fractures inside the reformist camp. Pakatan Harapan (PH), the reformist coalition led by Anwar, holds its first convention in four years in the southern state of Johor on Sunday. That same day, former economy minister Rafizi Ramli and former natural resources and environmental sustainability... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353688/malaysias-anwar-ibrahim-wants-project-strength-his-former-ministers-wont-let-him?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353688/malaysias-anwar-ibrahim-wants-project-strength-his-former-ministers-wont-let-him?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 07:51:15 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji South and Southeast Asian nations may emerge as unexpected clean energy beneficiaries after the Green Party of England and Wales made record-breaking gains in recent UK local council elections, according to analysts. The Greens expanded their footprint in the May 7 council elections, capitalising on widespread voter disillusionment with Britain’s two major parties, Labour and Conservative. It was the party’s best-ever performance in a local election. While Nigel Farage’s right-wing populist... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3353672/greening-uk-politics-could-mean-big-business-asian-renewable-exporters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3353672/greening-uk-politics-could-mean-big-business-asian-renewable-exporters?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 06:45:17 +0000 The Star The Star Malaysia will not support any pardon for fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, says Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who described the matter as a “non-issue” for Putrajaya. The prime minister said any decision on a possible pardon application rested entirely with US authorities and was not something Malaysia intended to pursue. “There is no issue. We are not going to consider that. No issue,” he told reporters in Negri Sembilan yesterday when asked about reports surrounding... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353663/1mdb-scandal-anwar-says-malaysia-wont-oppose-jho-lows-trump-pardon-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353663/1mdb-scandal-anwar-says-malaysia-wont-oppose-jho-lows-trump-pardon-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 06:10:05 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Tensions were already high on Wednesday night in the Philippine Senate, days after lawmakers abruptly ousted its leader and an ex-police chief wanted by the International Criminal Court showed up after six months in hiding. But few could guess at how suddenly terrifying things were going to get. Hours after wanted Senator Ronald dela Rosa had serenaded a group of reporters with the alma mater song of the Philippine Military Academy and declared his right to sanctuary from arrest in the building,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353656/i-got-really-scared-how-philippine-senate-shoot-out-unfolded?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353656/i-got-really-scared-how-philippine-senate-shoot-out-unfolded?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 05:06:39 +0000 CNA CNA A doctor was sentenced to 18 months’ jail on Thursday for administering a substance to a woman as part of an aesthetic treatment that killed her. The ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) was administered too quickly and at too high a concentration, causing 31-year-old Lau Li Ting to develop EDTA toxicity, which led to cardiac arrest and death. Dr Chan Bingyi later concealed the fact that he had administered EDTA to the victim from her family, paramedics and doctors, in what the judge said was... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353623/singapore-doctor-jailed-over-womans-death-during-beauty-treatment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353623/singapore-doctor-jailed-over-womans-death-during-beauty-treatment?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 01:08:18 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Canada’s proposed free-trade agreement with Asean could help the region expand sectors ranging from mining to manufacturing while advancing Ottawa’s push to reduce its dependence on the US, according to analysts, as both sides seek to accelerate economic diversification. Canadian International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu confirmed to Bloomberg on Tuesday, during a visit to Manila, that Canada was keen to conclude separate pacts with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353598/proposed-fta-asean-set-be-central-canadas-trade-diversification?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353598/proposed-fta-asean-set-be-central-canadas-trade-diversification?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A Philippine senator wanted by the International Criminal Court for an alleged crime against humanity has fled from the Senate, where he sought refuge to evade arrest, officials said on Thursday. Senator Ronald dela Rosa’s exit from the heavily guarded Senate came after volleys of gunshots were fired on Wednesday night by the building’s security personnel during an argument with a government agent, sparking chaos that apparently helped the senator to slip out. President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr made... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353591/philippine-senator-wanted-icc-flees-senate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353591/philippine-senator-wanted-icc-flees-senate?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 12:09:50 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem A proposed airport on a former US naval base in the Philippines near the entrance to Manila Bay is drawing fresh strategic attention after Washington agreed to fund a feasibility study, a move analysts say fits into US efforts to strengthen logistics, access and interoperability with the country in the South China Sea. Experts said the proposed Sangley Point International Airport in Cavite could become more than a commercial aviation project because of its access to the South China Sea and the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353548/why-us-backing-philippine-airport-former-sangley-point-naval-base?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353548/why-us-backing-philippine-airport-former-sangley-point-naval-base?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 10:00:10 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, known for his unyielding stance, has maintained that he was undaunted by public sentiment throughout his decades-long career, even if his pursuit of Malaysia’s welfare earned him the label of “dictator”. From his ascent to the country’s top political post to his tumultuous relationship with protege turned critic and now Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Mahathir recounted his political odyssey in a Malaysian documentary chronicling his professional life and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353557/malaysias-mahathir-doesnt-care-about-dictator-label-he-reflects-his-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353557/malaysias-mahathir-doesnt-care-about-dictator-label-he-reflects-his-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 08:54:25 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Fugitive financier Jho Low’s request for a pardon from US President Donald Trump has reopened a central question left by Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal: whether the man alleged to have helped orchestrate one of the world’s biggest financial frauds will ever face trial. Analysts say the request appears unlikely to succeed because Low has never appeared in a US court, stood trial or accepted responsibility – and a pardon cannot erase charges he faces in Malaysia and Singapore. But the attempt has still... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3353531/how-low-can-jho-go-chances-trump-pardon-malaysian-1mdb-scandal-below-5?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3353531/how-low-can-jho-go-chances-trump-pardon-malaysian-1mdb-scandal-below-5?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 07:05:27 +0000 The Star The Star Malaysian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has dismissed allegations that citizenship was arbitrarily granted to Chinese nationals, calling the claims “malicious slander” and fake news intended to incite public sentiment. He said the accusations were irresponsible and should not be weaponised for political purposes, especially at a time when the government is focused on helping the people navigate the global supply crisis. He said he had repeatedly clarified the matter in parliament and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353516/malaysian-minister-rejects-claims-chinese-nationals-freely-given-citizenship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353516/malaysian-minister-rejects-claims-chinese-nationals-freely-given-citizenship?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 06:00:02 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A year after Washington froze and then slashed foreign aid, development workers in the Philippines and across the region say the damage is still being felt, with job losses and abandoned projects continuing to threaten some of Asia’s most vulnerable groups. “On a personal level, it was the loss of income. But we lost a lot of critical projects in the country,” said Sharon*, a former country representative for a US-based organisation overseeing development work in the Philippines. For Sharon’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353470/year-after-usaid-cuts-philippine-development-groups-struggle-anger-lingers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353470/year-after-usaid-cuts-philippine-development-groups-struggle-anger-lingers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 01:30:15 +0000 Reuters Reuters Philippine Senator Ronald dela Rosa called on the public to step in to prevent law enforcement agents ⁠from handing him over to the ⁠International Criminal Court as the sound of gunfire rattled through ⁠the Senate building on Wednesday evening. Dela Rosa stands accused by the ICC of crimes against humanity related to the war on drugs he oversaw while serving as police chief under then-president Rodrigo Duterte. Dela Rosa, 64, has denied involvement in illegal killings. Duterte, in office from... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353486/who-ronald-dela-rosa-icc-wanted-lawmaker-holed-philippine-senate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353486/who-ronald-dela-rosa-icc-wanted-lawmaker-holed-philippine-senate?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 01:09:24 +0000 Reuters Reuters Gunshots broke out at the Philippine Senate on Wednesday and people ran for cover after a top politician wanted by the International Criminal Court said his arrest was imminent and security forces entered the building. There were no immediate reports of casualties, however, Senate Secretary Mark Llandro Mendoza told reporters following the chaos at the legislature in the capital Manila. Senator Ronald dela Rosa, a former police chief who was the main enforcer of former Philippine president... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353460/gunshots-fired-chaos-erupts-philippine-senate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353460/gunshots-fired-chaos-erupts-philippine-senate?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 12:21:26 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia said on Wednesday it was weighing legal action after Norway blocked the export of missiles ordered for its navy, in a last-minute decision that has dealt a fresh blow to one of the country’s most troubled defence projects. The row centres on the Naval Strike Missile, ordered from Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace for Malaysia’s long-delayed littoral combat ship programme. Government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had raised the matter with his Norwegian... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353441/malaysia-weighs-legal-action-after-norway-blocks-missile-exports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353441/malaysia-weighs-legal-action-after-norway-blocks-missile-exports?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 10:03:14 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia, already leading Southeast Asia’s push to keep children off risky digital platforms with an under-16 social media ban, now wants to extend those protections to e-commerce after officials said young people had become victims of online scams and unsupervised digital spending. The plan has drawn support from child psychologists, who warn of impulsive consumption among young users. However, it also presents e-commerce companies with a difficult compliance test: building age-verification... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3353440/why-indonesia-expanding-under-16-social-media-ban-e-commerce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3353440/why-indonesia-expanding-under-16-social-media-ban-e-commerce?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 10:00:33 +0000