A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea's missiles launch during a news program at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
TOYKO — North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles Wednesday that are believed to have fallen outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone in the Sea of Japan, with no damage to aircraft or vessels reported, the Japanese government said.
The missiles, launched around 6:53 a.m. and 7:23 a.m. from an inland location, fell off the eastern coast of North Korea, according to the Defense Ministry.
The South Korean military said North Korea had fired short-range ballistic missiles northeastward from the Kaechon area in South Phyongan Province near Pyongyang that flew about 400 kilometers.
Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara told reporters that Tokyo had lodged a stern protest with Pyongyang, saying the missile tests, which followed multiple launches on Thursday, were “a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshi Moriya said at a press conference that North Korea had launched ballistic missiles consecutively over a short period of time and its missile development is “totally unacceptable.”
A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea’s missile launch during a news program at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
The ministry said Japan, the United States and South Korea were working together to determine the altitude reached by the missiles, among other details.
Senior Japanese, U.S. and South Korean officials in charge of North Korean issues held phone talks, strongly condemning the firings for threatening the peace and safety of the international community, while reaffirming their close cooperation, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.
Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported that North Korea has ramped up its weapons testing activities since 2022 to expand and modernize its arsenal of nuclear missiles targeting the U.S. and South Korea. The allies have expanded their combined military exercises and are updating their nuclear deterrence strategies based on U.S. assets to counter the North’s growing threat.
Analysts say North Korea leader Kim Jong Un’s long-term goal is to force the United States to accept the idea of the North as a nuclear power and negotiate economic and security concessions from a position of strength.
While disclosing the uranium enrichment facility last week, Kim called for stronger efforts to “exponentially” increase its number of nuclear weapons in the face of what he described as U.S. threats. State media published photos that showed Kim talking with military officials and scientists between long lone lines of centrifuges used to produce weapons-grade uranium, but the reports didn’t say where the facility was located or when Kim made the visit.
Analysts say North Korea could conduct a nuclear test explosion or long-range missile test ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November with the intent of influencing the outcome and increasing its leverage in future dealings with the new U.S. administration.
Local residents wade through flooded water at a broken bridge, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
BANGKOK (AP) — Floods and landslides in Myanmar triggered by last week’s Typhoon Yagi and seasonal monsoon rains have claimed at least 226 lives, with 77 people missing, state-run media reported Tuesday. The new figures push the total number of dead in Southeast Asia from the storm past 500.
The accounting of casualties has been slow, in part due to communication difficulties with the affected areas. Myanmar is wracked by a civil war that began in 2021 after the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Independent analysts believe the ruling military controls much less than half of the country’s territory.
Typhoon Yagi earlier hit Vietnam, northern Thailand and Laos, killing almost 300 people in Vietnam, 42 in Thailand and four in Laos, according to the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance. It said 21 people were killed in the Philippines, with another 26 missing.
A bridge collapse due to floods triggered by typhoon Yagi in Phu Tho province, Vietnam on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024 (Bui Van Lanh/ VNA via AP)
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said on Monday that an estimated 631,000 people may have been affected by flooding across Myanmar. There were already 3.4 million displaced people in Myanmar at the beginning of September, according to the U.N. refugee agency, mostly because of war and unrest in recent years.
Heavy rains from the typhoon and the seasonal monsoon brought widespread flash floods to Myanmar, especially the central regions of Mandalay, Magway, Bago and the Ayeyarwaddy Delta; the eastern states Shan, Kayah, Kayin and Mon; and the country’s capital, Naypyitaw.
A women and child wade through a flooded road, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Myanmar, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
Some flooded areas have started to see water levels recede but others in the Shan and Kayah states remain critical.
More than 160,000 houses have been damaged and 438 temporary relief camps have been opened for more than 160,000 flood victims, Myanma Alinn reported. The military government announced that nearly 240,000 people have been displaced.
Myanma Alinn said 117 government offices and buildings, 1,040 schools, 386 religious buildings, roads, bridges, power towers, and telecom towers were damaged by the floods in 56 townships.
It also said nearly 130,000 animals were killed and more than 259,000 hectares (640,000 acres) of agricultural land were damaged by the floods.
Local residents wade through flooded water at a broken bridge, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
The U.N.’s humanitarian affairs agency said food, drinking water, medicine, clothes, dignity kits, and shelters are urgent needs for the flood victims but alleviation efforts are hampered by blocked roads, damaged bridges and ongoing armed clashes.
Vice Senior Gen. Soe Win, the second-ranking member of Myanmar’s ruling military council, said the country had received relief aid from other countries, and some humanitarian assistance from the Association of Southeast Asia, will arrive soon.
Soe Win, speaking at a meeting of the National Disaster Management Committee on Monday, said that the extent of flooding in the capital was unprecedented, and cleaning and rehabilitation activities in the flooded areas began Thursday as the water level declined.
Myanmar experiences extreme weather during the monsoon virtually every year. In 2008, Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 people around the Irrawaddy River delta. The then-military government was harshly discredited when it delayed acceptance of outside aid.
Flash flood hits the area of Mae Ka Sub-district, Mueang District, Phayao Province, at around 4 a.m. on September 17, 2024, causing significant damage to the community, houses and over 200 vehicles.
BANGKOK — While people in the flood-hit areas of Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai Provinces are starting to clean up houses and roads buried under mud, Phayao Province further downstream is facing flash floods that have reached the city and flooded the University of Phayao on Wednesday.
This incident raises questions once again about the public warning system that could help protect lives and mitigate property damage.
Anutin Charnvirakul, Minister of Interior, confirms that the government has all forms of warning measures, both analog and digital. However, in some areas, they need to use verbal communication and send people to help, because there are elderly people who don’t constantly look at screens.
The most effective method is to send officials to give warnings, explain the situation, and assess it at the same time. He assures that they are using all available methods, but when it comes to flash floods, it’s particularly challenging.
Flash floods from the Nam Huai Kieng and Nam Huai Moh Khaeng Thong rivers in Mae Ka sub-district emerged around 4 a.m. of September 17 after heavy rains and flooded the area in front of University of Phayao, Hua Kien Village, Moo 16, Mae Ka sub-district, Mueang Phayao district.
The floods caused significant damage to the community, dormitories, houses and over 200 cars and motorcycles belonging to students and locals, many of which were swept away by the floodwaters and mud and crashed into electric poles and structures.
Out of Warning Routes
Ratthaphon Naradisorn, the Governor of Phayao Province, explained that officials had already issued warnings about heavy rainfall and the possibility of flash floods and landslides. However, the area that was hit by the flash flood had never been included in previous warning routes.
Typically, the water path comes from flash floods several kilometers away from the University of Phayao, before flowing into the Mae Ka and Mae Tam streams. But this time, the volume of water was so massive that it suddenly flooded the student dormitories located on the sloping area in front of the University of Phayao.
In the aftermath, various agencies, including the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), the Royal Irrigation Department, rescue units, the military, police and local leaders of Mae Ka sub-district, were mobilized to urgently help the students and locals.
Flash flood hits the area of Mae Ka Sub-district, Mueang District, Phayao Province, at around 4 a.m. on September 17, 2024, causing significant damage to the community, houses and over 200 vehicles.
They also deployed machinery to clear the way for water flowing into the Nam Huai Kieng and Nam Huai Kien rivers to be diverted into the Nam Mae Tam River, which eventually flows into Kwan Phayao Lake. Water levels have since receded, although some low-lying areas are still flooded. The reservoirs are currently 80 percent full and the sluices remain closed to retain additional water.
The Geoinformatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) has been monitoring the flood situation and showed satellite images from Sentinel-1A on 16 September showing flooding in parts of Phayao province in five districts: Chiang Kham, Dok Khamtai, Phu Kam Yao, Chun, and Mueang Phayao. A total of 36,033 rai of land, mainly agricultural land and residential houses, are under water, with 2,281 rai in Mueang Phayao affected.
Mae Sai’s Hard Cleaning
In Chiang Rai Province, transportation between communities in Mae Sai District continues to be difficult due to muddy roads. Many areas are still flooded, with strong water currents, especially in Ko Sai commune near Soi 10 shrine. Water supply is also not working, causing significant difficulties as people rely on water donations. Many houses are still uninhabitable.
Many areas in Mae Sai District, Chiang Rai Province are still flooded, with strong water currents, and covered with mud.
Narongpol Kidarn, district chief of Mae Sai, said that all agencies assisting with the flooding in Mae Sai, along with Mae Sai Subdistrict Municipality, have deployed personnel to remove mud from roads and open transportation routes. They are also working with military engineers to seal leaks in the dams along the Sai River. Five leaks have been identified to reduce the amount of water entering the communities.
In the communities where the water has receded, the power supply has been restored and is expected to be fully restored soon. The restoration of public utilities, especially the water supply, is underway. Hundreds of people are still housed in the emergency shelters, but some have already returned to their homes.
3 Billion Baht for Relief
At Government House, meanwhile, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced after a Cabinet meeting that the Cabinet had approved a proposal by the Ministry of Home Affairs to provide financial assistance to flood victims during the 2024 rainy season.
A budget of 3.045 billion baht ($91.4 million) was allocated from the central budget for the 2024 financial year. The Ministry of Interior has been instructed to speed up the review process and reduce paperwork to ensure aid reaches people as quickly as possible.
In addition, there are measures to waive electricity charges in the disaster-affected areas for September and reduce electricity rates by 30% in October. If a house is damaged more than 70%, the owner will receive compensation of 230,000 baht ($6,900).
The Prime Minister also instructed all government agencies to quickly consider additional measures beyond the usual protocols to assist citizens affected by the flood. If a matter requires Cabinet approval, it should be prioritized to ensure rapid assistance, including improving the efficiency of early warning systems.
Flash floods inundated the Chalung-La-ngu road in Mueang District, Satun Province, on September 16, 2024.
Upgrade Warning Systems
The government will enhance its disaster prevention weak points, particularly in the area of early warning systems, by implementing a Cell Broadcast system. This technology allows for the simultaneous sending of messages to multiple mobile phone users in a specified area, reaching individuals comprehensively. This is an upgrade over the current methods of radio broadcasts, loudspeaker announcements, or sending people to spread the word, which are often not timely enough.
Originally, the Cell Broadcast system was scheduled to be completed in May 2025. However, the Prime Minister has directed that it should be implemented as quickly as possible, ahead of schedule.
This system will enable the sending of early warning messages via mobile phones (SMS), including advance warnings 12-24 hours before an event and emergency alerts 6-12 hours prior. This will ensure that people in high-risk areas receive warning information and can prepare for situations in a timely manner, thus reducing potential losses.
The Mekong River water level starting from Nong Khai Province has begun to decrease, but it’s still above the riverbank. The floodgates cannot be opened yet, causing the economic center of the city to remain flooded as of September 17, 2024.
45 Deaths in Floods
On September 17, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) also reported a summary of flood situations in various areas across Thailand between August 16 and September 17. There were a total of 45 deaths, 24 injuries, and 139,803 households affected.
The disaster affected 30 provinces, including Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Tak, Phayao, Nan, Lamphun, Lampang, Phrae, Uttaradit, Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Nakhon Sawan, Phetchabun, Loei, Udon Thani, Nong Khai, Bueng Kan, Nong Bua Lamphu, Prachin Buri, Ang Thong, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Rayong, Chumphon, Phuket, Yala, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phang Nga, Trang, and Satun. This encompasses 150 districts, 672 sub-districts, and 3,525 villages.
Currently, flood situations persist in 13 provinces: Chiang Rai, Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Bueng Kan, Prachin Buri, Ang Thong, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phang Nga, Chumphon, Phuket, and Satun.
Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CP Foods) has received prestigious royal recognition for outstanding labour management practices at two of its aquatic business operations. Her Royal Highness Princess Sirindhorn presented the Thailand Labour Management Excellence Award 2024 to CP Foods’ Ban Bueng Aqua Feed Mill in Chonburi province and Tha Bon Shrimp Hatchery in Songkhla province. These accolades, conferred by the Department of Labor Protection and Welfare under Thailand’s Ministry of Labour, distinguish the facilities as exemplars of exceptional labour management systems.
The award ceremony, presided over by Labour Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, took place at the Ministry of Labour’s conference room. Representatives from Tha Bon Shrimp Hatchery and Ban Bueng Aqua Feed Mill were present to receive the royal awards. In a related achievement, CP Foods’ JR 2-3 Shrimp Hatchery in Trat province secured the highest honor for outstanding labor relations and welfare for the 20th consecutive year.
The Ban Bueng Aquatic Feed Mill and Tha Bon Shrimp Hatchery earned this esteemed recognition for their exemplary performance in three critical areas; attaining the highest level of Thai Labor Standard (TLS 8001) certification, demonstrating excellence in labor relations and welfare and maintaining superior standards in occupational safety, health, and work environment.
Notably, both operations achieved a remarkable zero-accident record for an entire year, significantly enhancing workplace safety and employees’ overall quality of life. These accomplishments have bolstered stakeholder confidence and set a benchmark for other organizations nationwide.
CP Foods acknowledges its employees as the cornerstone of the company’s success and sustainable growth. The organization is committed to socially responsible business practices, emphasizing fair and equal treatment of all employees in accordance with human rights principles. CP Foods actively encourages its operational sites, including factories and farms, to develop labour management practices that align with both Thai labour standards and international guidelines.
Since 2021, CP Foods’ shrimp business operations, including the Ban Bueng Aquatic Feed Mill and Tha Bon Shrimp Hatchery, have maintained Thai Labour Standard TLS 8001:2020 certification. These facilities consistently uphold these standards and undergo rigorous verifications equivalent to international benchmarks.
This recent recognition builds upon CP Foods’ track record of excellence in labour management. Previously, two other CP Foods operations received Royal Awards for Outstanding Labour Management: the JR 2-3 Shrimp Hatchery in Trat Province in 2019 and the Pathiu Shrimp Hatchery in Chumphon Province in 2021.
Thai nationals, Rachanon Jongseeha, second left and Woranawan Wongsuwan, third from left, line up during a news conference at the Bali Province national narcotics board on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024 in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)
DENPASAR, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian authorities said Tuesday that they have arrested six people on drug charges on the tourist island of Bali since July.
Four could face execution under the country’s strict drug laws.
Two Thai nationals, Rachanon Jongseeha, 33, and his girlfriend, Woranawan Wongsuwan, 31, were arrested upon arrival at Bali’s Ngurah Rai airport on Sept. 8, with 1.9 kilograms (4.1 pounds) of methamphetamines mixed with ecstasy powder packed in 108 sachets of a fruit-flavored collagen drink, and 20 pills of the party drug ecstasy, according to provincial anti-narcotics chief Rudy Ahmad Sudrajat.
Police later arrested two Indonesians on accusations of ordering the drugs from Thailand.
All four could face execution by firing squad if charged and found guilty, Sudrajat said. In Nov. 2019, a court in Bali sentenced two Thais to 16-year prison terms for smuggling 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of methamphetamine.
Authorities also announced the July arrests of two European men on drug charges.
Sudrajat said a Latvian man, identified by the initials VS, was arrested at the airport on July 4 carrying 450.41 grams (15.8 ounces) of hashish and 977.83 grams (34.5 ounces) of marijuana concealed in his suitcase.
Thai nationals, Rachanon Jongseeha, second left and Woranawan Wongsuwan, third from left, line up during a news conference at the Bali Province national narcotics board on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)
Sudrajat said VS had a tattoo indicating affiliation with organized crime groups in the former Soviet Union.
He faces a possible life sentence for cannabis smuggling.
A Swedish man identified by the initials SUE was captured on July 31 when police raided his villa in Gianyar, a popular tourist spot, and seized 201.28 grams (7 ounces) of hashish, following a tip that SUE had received a suspicious package by mail from Thailand, Sudrajat said. He faces up to 15 years on charges of possession.
In May 2019, a French citizen was sentenced to death on Lombok, an island next to Bali, for smuggling 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds) of ecstasy before a higher court commuted his sentence to 19 years in prison.
Fern, a 24-year-old Thai woman, shared her story of being tricked into marrying a Chinese man during a press conference at the office of the 'Sai Mai Tong Rod' page in Bangkok, on September 17, 2024.
BANGKOK — A 24-year-old Thai woman was deceived by a matchmaking agency into marrying a Chinese man who claimed to be a businessman with a luxurious condo in China. However, it turned out he lived in an old house on a mountain without a bathroom.
On September 17, a 24-year-old Thai woman, using the pseudonym Fern, shared her story during a press conference at the office of the ‘Sai Mai Tong Rod’ (Sai Mai Must Survive) page in Bangkok.
Fern said she used to work as a receptionist at an airport. Later, an acquaintance introduced her to an agency that would help find her a Chinese husband who wanted a Thai wife. She was promised a substantial dowry and a good life with a good family, which interested her.
She then chatted with the man through WeChat. He told her he was a businessman with a luxurious condo in the city. After talking for about a month, they got along well, and she agreed to go register for marriage and live in China. The agency gave her 90,000 baht as dowry, and the man covered all travel expenses.
She arrived in China on August 20. Upon arrival, the agency’s partner brought the man to pick her up. They then drove up a mountain, getting farther from the city. She wondered if people really lived in such remote areas.
When they reached the accommodation, it turned out to be the last house on the mountain, far from any community. It was a sheep farm with corn fields. She asked the man about the promised luxurious condo in the city. He replied that it was harvest season, and he needed to help his mother with work first, promising to return to the city later.
At that point, she felt she had no choice and decided to try living there. The man took her to register for marriage. However, life there was extremely difficult. There was no bathroom; they had to use buckets of water in the room and wipe themselves with wet cloths instead of showering. There was no clean drinking water.
Hair washing was limited to once a week when the man would take her to use a bathroom in the community. For toilet needs, they had to dig holes in the cornfield. She would hold her bowel movements to wait for hair washing days, causing constipation.
Moreover, the man rarely bathed. After working in the fields and farm, he would just take off his clothes and go to sleep. She couldn’t bear to sleep with him and had to sleep on the sofa. The man complained to the agency that she wouldn’t sleep with him. She explained the problems, but the agency didn’t help.
On September 15, she seized an opportunity when the man’s mother went into the cornfield. She escaped by sneaking through the cornfield, which was on terraced slopes with deep ravines. It felt life-threatening, but staying wasn’t an option.
She walked for over half a day until she reached a community. She asked locals to help take her to the city, then took a 4-hour bus ride to the airport to wait for a flight back to Bangkok.
The Chinese groom takes his Thai bride to register for marriage on August 29, 2024.
When she returned to Thailand, she contacted the agency and explained what happened. The agency demanded she return, or she would have to pay a 350,000 baht fine to the man because he had already paid the dowry.
The man also tried to contact her, asking why she had to run away when he had given 800,000 baht as dowry, which should have been enough to support the whole family. This was when she realized that the agency had kept most of the money and only given her 90,000 baht.
Until now, she has been harassed and threatened by the agency, who also threatened her family, saying if she doesn’t pay the fine, they will sue her and force her to sign a loan agreement. She sought help from the ‘Sai Mai Tong Rod’ page to file a complaint against the agency.
She wants to warn other women considering finding a Chinese partner to be careful. In her case, she wasn’t physically abused, but whenever she did something the man didn’t like, she was verbally abused. Other women who found partners through the same agency and went to live in China were physically abused by their partners.
Mr. Ekapop Luangprasert, an advisor to the Minister of Interior and founder of the ‘Sai Mai Tong Rod’ page, said this case needs to be investigated for potential human trafficking because the agency received 800,000 baht from the Chinese man to send a Thai woman.
The team will take the victim to file a report with the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division. He warns Thai women who want Chinese husbands to be careful, citing a previous case he helped with where a Thai woman married a Chinese man but was beaten when she had a daughter because the man’s family wanted a son to continue the family line.
CCTV footage shows the Iranian pair approaching Chinese tourists standing in front of a hotel in Sukhumvit Soi 20, on September 14, 2024. They engage in conversation about currency exchange and ask to see the Chinese tourist's cash before stealing some of it.
BANGKOK — Thai police arrest Iranian duo for multiple thefts in Bangkok business district; latest victim, a Chinese tourist, loses 10,000 baht within minutes
On September 17, Thonglor Police Station officers arrested Mr. Mohammad, 29, and Ms. Ali, 41, both Iranian nationals, in front of a condominium in Yanawa subdistrict, Sathorn district, Bangkok. They were suspected of stealing from a Chinese tourist.
Police investigation revealed that the pair approached Chinese tourists standing in front of a hotel in Sukhumvit Soi 20, pretending to be friendly. They engaged in conversation about currency exchange and asked to see the tourist’s cash. After returning the money, some was missing. The Chinese tourists later discovered that 10,000 baht had disappeared and filed a report at Thonglor Police Station.
Thonglor Police search for evidence in the room of Iranian pair at the condominium in Yanawa subdistrict, Sathorn district, Bangkok.
Officials later found that the two suspects had committed a similar crime in the Asok intersection area, stealing money from another victim before fleeing.
After reviewing CCTV footage, officers traced the suspects’ escape route to the aforementioned condominium. They were arrested while preparing to flee back to their home country.
Initially, both suspects denied the allegations. However, based on the investigation and evidence showing their extensive history of similar crimes committed professionally, they were charged with theft and sent for prosecution.
CCTV footage shows the Iranian pair going to Asok intersection area to commit a similar crime.
According to the Criminal Code, Section 334: Whoever dishonestly takes away the property of another person or which another person is a co-owner commits theft and shall be punished with imprisonment not exceeding three years and a fine not exceeding 60,000 baht.
Additionally, both offenders will have this recorded on their criminal record, making it difficult for them to return to Thailand in the future.
Supporter of Move Forward Party hold a sign during a protest in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Last year had the worst decline in credible elections and parliamentary oversight in almost a half-century, driven by government intimidation, foreign interference, disinformation and the misuse of artificial intelligence in campaigns, an organization promoting democracy said Tuesday.
The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, or International IDEA, said election credibility is threatened by turnout dropping and results are increasingly being contested. One in three elections are being disputed in some way, it said.
The organization with 35 member governments said the average percentage of the voting age population who actually cast ballots has declined from 65.2% in 2008 to 55.5% in 2023.
“Elections remain the single best opportunity to end democratic backsliding and turn the tide in democracy’s favor,” said International IDEA’s Secretary-General, Kevin Casas-Zamora. “The success of democracy depends on many things, but it becomes utterly impossible if elections fail.”
The Stockholm-based organization said its Global Report on the State of the Democracy, which measures democratic performance in 158 countries from 1975 till today, found that 47% of countries have experienced a decline in key democratic indicators over the past five years, marking the eighth consecutive year of global democratic backsliding.
Globally, nearly 20% of elections between 2020 and 2024, one of the losing candidates or parties rejected the result, and elections were being decided by court appeals at the same rate.
Locals look at a registration list before voting at a polling station on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
The report said 2023 was the worst year when it came to free and fair elections and parliamentary oversight.
There were threats of foreign interference, disinformation and the use of artificial intelligence in campaigns. The declines span both traditionally strong democracies as well as fragile governments around the globe.
In Africa, democratic performance has generally remained stable over the past five years, with notable declines in the Sahel, particularly in coup-affected Burkina Faso which is one of a growing list of West African countries where the military has taken power, accusing the elected governments of failing to keep their promises. IDEA noted that Burundi and Zambia have made notable improvements.
As to Western Asia, over a third of countries performed poorly, while Europe has seen widespread declines in democratic aspects like the rule of law and civil liberties. However, progress have notably been reported in Montenegro and Latvia.
The study noted that the Americas have mostly maintained stability, but countries like Guatemala,Peru and Uruguay have experienced declines, particularly in rule of law and civil liberties.
Most countries in the Asia-Pacific region have seen minor declines or stability, with notable improvements in Fiji, the Maldives, and Thailand, the organization said. However, the declines were significant in Afghanistan where the Taliban have not been recognized by any country as the legitimate rulers since they seized power in 2021, and in Myanmar, where opposition to a military takeover has deteriorated to a civil war.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and ministers who are key leaders of the Pheu Thai Party hold a press conference at the Government House after a meeting to establish an assistance center for citizens affected by disasters, on September 16, 2024.
BANGKOK — The name Thaksin Shinawatra remains a significant and persistent political issue, even though Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s government has completed the political formalities of taking office and has begun governing. This is particularly evident in the face of immediate challenges such as natural disasters in the North and Northeast regions.
Paetongtarn’s government started with positive signals, winning two consecutive local elections: in Ratchaburi province, where their supported candidate won the Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO) chief position, and in a by-election in Phitsanulok Province, where the Pheu Thai Party defeated the People Party.
However, Prime Minister Paetongtarn continues to face challenges from complainants, a continuation from Srettha Thavisin’s tenure as prime minister.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra makes the policy statement at parliament in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Paetongtarn has had more than 10 petitions filed against her, ranging from allegations about ministerial appointments to minor issues like making a mini-heart gesture while wearing formal white attire during the cabinet group photo. Meanwhile, the Pheu Thai Party faces a petition from an anonymous individual calling for its dissolution, accusing the party of allowing former PM Thaksin to dominate it.
The latest issue raised by reporters is the perception that Thaksin is behind the appointment of Phumtham Wechayachai, a trusted aide of Thaksin and a former senior-ranking communist insurgent, as Defence Minister. Phumtham then appointed General Traisak Intrarat, Thaksin’s classmate from military preparatory school, to his team.
This move is seen as Thaksin’s attempt to take revenge against the armed forces which staged two coups against the Pheu Thai government, first against Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006 and then again in 2014 against Yingluck Shinawatra, his sister.
On September 16, Defence Minister Phumtham responded to this question after his first day at the Ministry of Defence, stating that the reality is not as speculated. He said that the coups happened long ago, and this government’s focus is now on solving the country’s crises.
Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai inspects a military parade during his first day at the Ministry of Defense on September 16, 2024.
“Please don’t worry. I’m ready to work comfortably with the armed forces. I’m 1000% confident that we can cooperate with various military branches with mutual respect, accepting our differences, and finding good conclusions in working together,” Phumtham said.
Beyond the external pressures, Thaksin is periodically mentioned in parliamentary debates, including during the government policy debate last week.
Thaksin was criticized on various issues, both his past performance and ideas linked to current government policies, such as drugs, conflicts in Muslim communities in Thailand’s southernmost region, economic issues, and entertainment complexes, etc.
Opposition leader Nattapong Ruangpanyawut referred to this government as a “three-boss government”: the big boss (referring to Thaksin), the capitalist boss (referring to large business groups), and the broker boss (referring to groups negotiating power and resources).
Other parliament members used sarcastic language about the father-daughter relationship between Thaksin and Paetongtarn, comparing Paetongtarn to a kindergartener dropped off at school by her father, or to the moon waiting for light from the sun.
The female Prime Minister responded by calling for the opposition to engage in constructive debate, not creating hate speech that causes social division, making them seem like a “vengeful side.”
Thailand’s former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, left, and his daughter and newly elected Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra arrive before the royal endorsement ceremony appointing Paetongtarn as Thailand’s new prime minister at Pheu Thai party headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit).
“This is not an election campaign period. We don’t need to create such things to cause misunderstandings. We need to see the bigger picture of the country rather than our own image,” she said.
Meanwhile, Pita Limjaroenrat, former leader of the Move Forward Party, argued that the People Party and Pheu Thai Party are rivals, not enemies. He then made a pointed remark that even the Democrat Party, which had been an enemy for the past 20 years, was brought into the government by Pheu Thai because the elites have reconciled.
This statement is another rhetorical device referring to Thaksin, whom both conservatives and progressives believe is behind Prime Minister Paetongtarn’s political moves.
A firefighter stands near debris along a business street in the aftermath of Typhoon Bebinca in Shanghai, China, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (Chinatopix Via AP)
The strongest typhoon to hit Shanghai since at least 1949 flooded roads with water and broken tree branches, knocked out power to some homes and injured at least one person as it swept over the financial hub Monday.
More than 414,000 people had been evacuated ahead of the powerful winds and torrential rain. Schools were closed and people were advised to stay indoors.
One elderly man was injured by a falling tree on Shanghai’s Chongming Island, according to state media. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Typhoon Bebinca made landfall around 7:30 a.m. in the sprawling Pudong business district with winds of 151 kph (94 mph) near its center.
Torrential rains flooded roads in the district, according to images broadcast by state media. Elsewhere in Shanghai, uprooted trees and fallen branches blanketed some roads and sidewalks. As the typhoon eased, responders cleared branches and other objects blown around by the storm.
More than 60,000 emergency responders and firefighters were at hand to lend aid in Shanghai.
Policemen closed a road as fallen trees along a street in the aftermath of Typhoon Bebinca in Shanghai, China, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (Chinatopix Via AP)
Authorities said winds uprooted or damaged more than 10,000 trees and knocked out power for at least 380 households, damaging four houses.
At least 53 hectares (132 acres) of farmland were flooded.
The typhoon weakened as it moved inland, dousing parts of Jiangsu, Anhui and Zhejiang provinces.
Flights, ferries and train services had been suspended in the megacity and in neighboring provinces, disrupting travel during China’s three-day Mid-Autumn Festival. Shanghai’s airports canceled hundreds of flights Sunday and into Monday, while in Hangzhou, about 170 kilometers (106 miles) southwest of Shanghai, authorities also canceled more than 180 flights.
Flights at Shanghai’s airports resumed Monday afternoon as the storm moved away.
A man carrying an umbrella walks by fallen tree branches along a street in the aftermath of Typhoon Bebinca in Shanghai, China, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (Chinatopix Via AP)
Weather authorities expected Shanghai and parts of neighboring provinces to receive up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) of rainfall between Monday and Wednesday.
Shanghai, which has 25 million people, is rarely hit by typhoons, which usually make landfall further south in China.
Typhoon Yagi hit China’s southern Hainan island earlier this month and has caused devastation in Southeast Asia. In Myanmar, Yagi caused at least 74 deaths with dozens missing. Four deaths were reported in Hainan, at least 10 have died in Thailand and 20 in the Philippines.
Vietnam has reported more than 230 people killed in the typhoon and subsequent flooding and landslides, with dozens more still missing.
