Cambodia is willing to renew negotiations with Thailand for the joint exploration and development of an offshore oil and gas field in the Gulf of Thailand. — Photo The Nation/ANN

BANGKOK — Cambodia has said it is willing to renew negotiations with Thailand for the joint exploration and development of an offshore oil and gas field in the Gulf of Thailand.

The area targeted is believed to hold at least US$300 billion worth of reserves.

Pen Bona, the Cambodian government spokesperson, told Bloomberg News that his country remains committed to discussing the issue with the Pheu Thai-led governemtn.

“If the new government of Thailand is ready, we are happy to continue the negotiations,” he told Bloomberg.

With Paetongtarn and Hun Manet leading their respective countries, the joint development of the OCA is likely to be achieved, the observers said.

Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira had indicated at the government policy debate in August that the issue of territorial claims could be put aside for now and talks could focus on the joint development of the OCA.

“We just to have neighbourly chats and try to make use of the resources. That will boost security as well as cut utility bills,” he said.

Pichai, who also doubles as deputy PM, had said that the Thai government was in the process of negotiating the joint development of the OCA with Cambodia.

On September 24, the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) advised the government to quickly hold talks with Cambodia on the OCA, adding that the talks could use the model of the successful JDA (Joint Development Area) negotiation between Thailand and Malaysia. They added that Thailand had sufficient investment funds to facilitate various forms of operations in the OCA.

The negotiation must focus on securing long-term energy stability for the mutual benefit of both countries, NESDC secretary-general Danucha Pichayanan said.

In 1979, Thailand agreed with Malaysia on common boundaries in the lower Gulf of Thailand and marked a relatively small area of 7,250 square kilomeres for an ongoing joint development project. — The Nation/ANN

Source: Vietnam News/ Vietnam Insider

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo walks to his chair ahead of the final cabinet meeting at the Garuda Palace in Nusantara, North Penajam Paser regency, East Kalimantan, on Sept 13 this year. — Photo THE Jakarta Post/ANN

JAKARTA – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo plans to inaugurate the State Palace at Indonesia’s planned future capital of Nusantara in East Kalimantan on Friday, less than two weeks before he leaves office, an aide has said.

“There are events scheduled for Friday in [Nusantara], including groundbreaking and inauguration ceremonies for several infrastructure projects. That includes [the inauguration of] the State Palace,” presidential expert staffer Ari Dwipayana said on Wednesday, as quoted by kompas.com.

The State Palace is one of two presidential palaces in Nusantara, with the other being Garuda Palace.

Jokowi has been seeking to reassure the public that his legacy project remains on track despite slow progress and missed deadlines.

While the government is still rushing to complete infrastructure projects in Nusantara, a presidential decree on the formal transfer of the capital from Jakarta to Nusantara has yet to be issued.

Jokowi is expected to leave it to his successor, Prabowo Subianto, to sign the decree. Critics perceive the president-elect as less interested in investing in Nusantara despite voicing his commitment to the project on multiple occasions.

But Prabowo’s aide at his own Gerindra Party, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, said on Monday that the president-elect was ready to sign the decree “when the time is right”.

Dasco did not elaborate on his statement but said, “At the moment, Prabowo is still busy with forming new ministries, which will be announced soon.”

Presidential aide Ari said Prabowo had “always been clear” in his commitment to the project.

Jokowi has worked from Nusantara several times since August, and on Sunday he said the decree making it the national capital should not be rushed, as doing so could create problems in the future.

“Relocating the capital takes time. Moving a house is already a complicated matter, let alone relocating a capital city,” he said on Sunday.

The IKN Law, which was enacted by the House in 2022 and revised in October 2023, stipulates that Jakarta is to remain the national capital until the issuance of a presidential decree declaring Nusantara as Indonesia’s new capital.

Recently, the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) Authority opened parts of the city to tourists, including the Ceremony Plaza, a sprawling field that directly faces the State Palace and the Garuda Palace and is also fitted with a mini amphitheater, forest trail, retail gallery and visitor center. — The Jakarta Post/ANN

Source: Vietnam News/ Vietnam Insider

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. —Photo The Nation

BANGKOK — Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has stressed the need for “collective leadership” in addressing the people’s issues and promoting their well-being in her speech delivered at the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits in Vientiane, Laos, on Wednesday.

As reported by the Bangkok-based English-language daily online newspaper The Nation, the PM said she believes collective leadership focused on making a difference would lead to solutions and shared prosperity.

She said Thailand has proposed the three key issues for regional action.

On sustainability, she said Thailand believes ASEAN must work together on climate action, carbon neutrality, the transition to clean energy, green finance, and a green economy, including digital innovation for a sustainable future. This ensures that economic growth in the modern era does not harm the environment or pose environmental risks in the region.

Regarding human security, Thailand proposes collaboration within ASEAN to tackle all crises, ensuring that people have access to food, energy, and necessities. ASEAN should also promote smart agriculture alongside sustainable farming to lay a strong foundation for long-term food production and security in the region. Strengthening ASEAN’s energy framework, such as connecting ASEAN power grids, would enhance regional energy resilience.

Additionally, promoting water resources management, and boosting capabilities to combat transnational crime, particularly online scams, call-centre gangs, and drug trafficking, were crucial. Thailand urges stricter border controls to address these challenges, she noted.

Concerning deeper regional integration, Paetongtarn expressed support for ASEAN’s efforts to update and upgrade its free trade agreements with dialogue partners. As Thailand chairs the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement negotiations, the country aims to complete these talks by 2025 to create new mechanisms for economic growth in ASEAN. Promoting digital skills development for MSMEs will increase access to finance, fostering growth in today’s volatile global economy, she said. — VNA/VNS

Source: Vietnam News/ Vietnam Insider

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks at the Inter-ministerial Meeting for the Promotion of the Asia Zero Emission Community at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo on Monday. THE JAPAN NEWS/ANN

TOKYO — Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will aim to establish common rules to promote decarbonization in Asia, according to a draft joint statement of the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) summit to be chaired by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

Scheduled for Friday in Laos, the meeting will focus on promoting the establishment of rules on calculating and reporting greenhouse gas emissions in cooperation between Japan and the ASEAN, in a bid to strike a balance between decarbonization and economic growth.

Ishiba is scheduled to visit Laos from Thursday to Saturday to attend an ASEAN-related summit meeting and host the AZEC meeting in his first foreign visit since assuming office.

The AZEC is a framework proposed by former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in 2022 to achieve decarbonization in Asia. Currently, Japan, Australia and nine ASEAN members, excluding Myanmar, take part in it. The upcoming AZEC summit will be the second meeting of the framework, after the gathering held in Tokyo in December last year.

According to the draft, the joint statement will stipulate the importance of simultaneously achieving the three goals of climate change action, economic growth and stable energy supply.

Asia is highly dependent on coal-fired thermal power generation. Taking into account the circumstances in each country, the meeting will affirm the shared principle of following diverse paths toward their goals.

The draft action plan, which includes concrete measures for the next 10 years, calls for creating and expanding markets that value efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

In Asia, many countries have yet to formulate rules on calculating and reporting greenhouse gas emissions from business activities. By providing Japan’s knowledge, the AZEC aims to help raise awareness among the participating countries and introduce common rules under Japan’s initiative.

Cooperation will also be deepened in the agriculture, forestry and transport sectors, where decarbonization is considered particularly difficult, and the development of sustainable aviation fuel technologies will be promoted.

Japan also plans to propose cooperative measures that utilize the country’s technological capabilities. They will likely include support through official development assistance for renewable energy generation, the development of power transmission and distribution networks, and the deployment of waste-to-energy technology to improve public health. — THE JAPAN NEWS/ANN

Source: Vietnam News/ Vietnam Insider

A photo featuring a market stall in Zhejiang, China. Over the past three years, Chinese courts have concluded 16,070 criminal cases related to food safety violations, including 1,429 cases involving edible agricultural products. CHINADAILY/ANN Photo

BEIJING — China’s top judicial bodies have directed authorities to fully leverage the rule of law to safeguard people’s rights to life and health, issuing severe penalties for those harming agricultural products.

The Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate reaffirmed the mandate at the end of last month, detailing several cases to address public concerns about food safety and demonstrating their commitment to fighting related crimes.

In one case, a court in Jiangsu province sentenced a man, identified only by his surname Sun, to 11 years in prison and fined him 3 million yuan (US$427,410) for using industrial formaldehyde to preserve whitebait — a violation classified as producing and selling harmful food.

Sun ran the whitebait business in Kunshan from 2018 to March 2021, knowingly using the toxic chemical to prolong the shelf life of the fish at room temperature. He earned more than 1.29 million yuan in profits by selling the fish to vendors. In 2020, he appointed another man, surnamed Liu, to assist in soaking and selling the fish. Liu was sentenced to five years in prison and fined 200,000 yuan.

Industrial formaldehyde, a toxic substance included on a list of nonedible substances and illegal additives issued by the State Council, is classified as a harmful raw material under China’s Criminal Law.

“The two defendants should be severely punished, as they endangered the lives and health of consumers,” the court said.

In another case, a farmer surnamed Li from Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, was imprisoned and fined for selling nearly 10,000 Sanhuang chickens containing drug residue after failing to adhere to feeding guidelines.

Sanhuang chicken is a common poultry product, and breeders are expected to follow proper feeding practices to ensure the safety of edible agricultural goods, the court said.

China has ramped up efforts to improve food safety in recent years, including revisions to judicial interpretations.

A nationwide campaign launched three years ago has led to 4,545 indictments for endangering agricultural product safety, according to data from top judicial authorities.

Over the past three years, Chinese courts have concluded 16,070 criminal cases related to food safety violations, including 1,429 cases involving edible agricultural products. — CHINA DAILY/ANN

Source: Vietnam News/ Vietnam Insider

A local wades through the flood in Mymensingh, Bangladesh on Monday.— XINHUA/VNA Photo

DHAKA — A total of 67,520 people are marooned amid flash floods in Bangladesh’s Sherpur, Netrokona districts and Mymensingh City.

Five upazilas (a locality’s sub-unit) each in Sherpur and Netrokona and three others in Mymensingh are severely affected, with their combined number of flood victims being 232,290, according to a release from the press wing of the Chief Advisor’s Office.

According to the press release, the natural calamity has claimed eight lives so far, including four men and two women—all residents of Sherpur.

However, the situation there and in Mymensingh has improved as the Bhugai and Netai rivers are now flowing below the danger level.

Meanwhile, the Brahmaputra in Mymensingh has swelled but is still flowing below the danger mark.

The overall flood situation in Netrokona has also improved, with its four rivers now flowing below the danger level. However, the Undakhali is still flowing above the danger threshold.

A total of 1,517 people and 948 cattle are currently taking refuge in 124 shelter centres across the three districts.

Additionally, twenty medical camps are operational in these districts for necessary medical assistance. — THE DAILY STAR/ANN

Source: Vietnam News/ Vietnam Insider

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (right) was received by Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Maliki Osman on Monday. — Office of the President of the Republic of Korea/The Straits Times Photo

SEOUL — South Korea, a regional technology powerhouse, wants to partner South-east Asia as the region embraces the latest innovations in fields ranging from artificial intelligence (AI) to clean energy.

It is what President Yoon Suk Yeol calls among the “most noteworthy outcomes” under an ASEAN-South Korea comprehensive strategic partnership (CSP) that will be established at the ASEAN meetings in Vientiane, Laos, later this week.

In an exclusive interview with The Straits Times, he said: “With ASEAN being one of the fastest-growing digital markets in the world, mutually beneficial cooperation in the digital sector will create a synergy that brings tangible benefits to our peoples.”

South Korea, home to global leading tech companies such as Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and LG Electronics, is known for its innovative technology in advanced semiconductors, AI and quantum computing.

Yoon said the country can help ASEAN by building high-performance computing infrastructure and data ecosystems, and training skilled workers in digital technology and AI.

“In addition, South Korea aims to support the ASEAN member states in their efforts to build capacity against the ever-increasing threat of cyber attacks by helping promote education in cyber security, and train experts in this field,” he said in written replies to questions from ST. “Through these efforts, Korea will become a key partner of Asean’s digital transformation.”

Yoon is on a six-day trip to South-east Asia from October 6 to 11, visiting Manila, Singapore and Laos. He arrived in Singapore from Manila on October 7 and will depart for Vientiane on October 9 for the annual ASEAN meetings.

The CSP, to be established on the 35th anniversary of dialogue relations, elevates the Asean-South Korea relationship to the same level as that of the bloc’s with the other ASEAN Plus Three dialogue partners. ASEANand China established a CSP in 2021, while ties with Japan were upgraded to the same level in 2023.

At a time of rising geopolitical tensions in the region, one of the key outcomes being called for by the South Korean leader under the CSP is “strategic coordination with ASEAN in politics and security”.

South Korea will actively participate in joint military exercises with ASEAN – the bloc held its first exercise in September 2023 focusing on humanitarian relief – step up defence industry cooperation, and work with ASEAN to jointly address emerging threats such as cyber and transnational crime, Yoon said.

He added that South Korea “highly appreciates” how ASEAN has spoken “in one voice” to urge North Korea to halt its nuclear and missile development, which violates United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Another challenge facing ASEAN is the “economic and social impacts of climate change”, said the South Korean leader.

South Korea aims to share technology for clean energy with ASEAN and broaden its investments beyond traditional sectors like textiles and chemicals to focus on electric vehicles, batteries and biotechnology, said Yoon.

With the Partnership for ASEAN-South Korea Methane Action launched in 2023, Yoon said: “South Korea is striving to share its clean energy technologies with ASEAN while helping to redouble the efforts to reduce methane emissions, one of the main causes of global warming.

“Moreover, South Korea will help ASEAN achieve carbon neutrality and green transition through a variety of projects aimed at alleviating air pollution and reducing carbon emissions through forestation.”

Other key areas of cooperation under the CSP will be to enhance the ASEAN-ROK (Republic of Korea) Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as well as people-to-people exchanges and cultural cooperation.

Asean is South Korea’s second-largest trading partner after China, with bilateral trade having more than tripled since the ASEAN-South Korea FTA took effect in 2007.

About 6,000 South Korean businesses have a presence in ASEAN, representing nearly half of all South Korean enterprises in overseas markets. ASEAN is the country’s second-largest investment destination after the US.

South Korea’s cumulative investment in ASEAN stands at approximately US$150 billion, and is projected to surpass US$200 billion within the next five years.

With challenges such as digital transformation, supply chain security and climate change, Yoon told ST he believes that the South Korean and ASEAN partnership needs to evolve beyond trade to include economic security. “I believe the ASEAN-ROK FTA can serve as a pivotal platform in this effort,” he said.

Shared challenges: Deepfakes, shrinking populations

In Singapore, he and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will witness the signing of an extradition treaty and the exchange of several memorandums of understanding to enhance cooperation in areas including trade, start-ups, energy, food safety and technology.

In the written interview, Yoon said he looks forward to the two countries closely collaborating, including in intelligence sharing to combat the proliferation of illegal digital content and drug use.

South Korea has been rocked by a series of deepfake porn crimes, with most of the perpetrators being teenage boys.

According to data from its education ministry, 799 students from elementary to high school fell victim to deepfake videos in 2024, along with 31 teachers.

South Korea’s National Assembly passed a Bill on September 25, seeking a jail sentence of up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million won for people found knowingly possessing or viewing deepfake porn.

In Singapore, PM Wong announced on October 1 that a government agency will be set up by 2025 to help victims of such crimes, and a new law will improve protection for victims.

Yoon said: “Both countries are facing serious social problems caused by the proliferation of illegal digital content and drug use. As advocates of the rule of law, South Korea and Singapore will work together to enable close collaboration including intelligence sharing between law enforcement authorities, along with the strict enforcement of the law.”

Yoon, who had discussions with PM Wong at the virtual AI Seoul Summit in May, said the two countries are “optimal partners” in efforts to establish global norms on AI.

Establishing a green economy is key to sustainable development, as is addressing low birth rates, which Yoon said are common goals shared by South Korea and Singapore.

Both countries concluded a memorandum of understanding on green economy cooperation in 2023 and are among the countries that signed the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework Clean Economy Agreement in June 2024.

Yoon said he looked forward to expanding cooperation with Singapore in these areas, including exchanging policy insights on issues such as childcare leave and a more open stance on immigration to mitigate demographic issues.

He is accompanied on his visit to Singapore by First Lady Kim Keon Hee, senior government officials and business leaders, including Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group chairman Chung Eui-sun.

Yoon, a well-known foodie, said he hopes to tuck into Hainanese chicken rice and satay.

He recalled visiting Singapore in 2003 during a stopover at Changi Airport and being deeply impressed by Singapore’s “cultural diversity and dynamism” during his walk downtown, where he came across “many different places of worship all together in one area”.

He said: “I have studied various Singaporean models of government reforms, educational innovations and urban development. I believe that mutual interest and understanding between South Korea and Singapore will significantly help strengthen cooperation in various fields going forward.” — The Straits Times/ANN

Source: Vietnam News/ Vietnam Insider

Citing Thailand’s population of over 67 million as a key player in ASEAN’s US$3.6 trillion market, one of the world’s top five economic regions, PM Paetongtarn emphasised the government’s efforts to position Thailand as a gateway for foreign investors seeking access to ASEAN. — The Nation/ANN

BANGKOK — Addressing a seminar titled “ASEAN Economic Outlook 2025: The Rise of ASEAN, A Renewing Opportunity”, hosted by Nation Group’s Krungthep Turakij to mark its 37th anniversary, the PM said the focus of talks at this week’s ASEAN summit in Laos would be four keys for unlocking ASEAN’s potential.

“The first key is to improve the region’s common market by easing trade, investment, and tax regulations, allowing trade to flourish. The second is to present ASEAN as a global ‘neutral zone’ where all parties can resolve conflicts in order to build peace and prosperity. The third is a comprehensive logistics network system that connects all ASEAN ports, railways, and aviation. And the fourth point is collaboration in dealing with environmental problems.”

Paetongtarn also highlighted her strategy for putting Thailand at the forefront of ASEAN growth.

Citing Thailand’s population of over 67 million as a key player in ASEAN’s US$3.6 trillion market, one of the world’s top five economic regions, she emphasised the government’s efforts to position Thailand as a gateway for foreign investors seeking access to ASEAN.

She mentioned that several large multinationals had expressed interest in investing in Thailand’s electric vehicle and data centre sectors during the 3rd Asia Cooperation Dialogue Summit in Doha last week. She promised the government would speed up processes to facilitate investment in these sectors.

Paetongtarn said her government would also bolster Thailand and ASEAN’s food industry as a cornerstone of global food security. — The Nation/ANN

Source: Vietnam News/ Vietnam Insider

Education Minister Chan Chun Sing (centre) said that AI developers here must be proficient in various AI models. — The Straits Times/ANN

SINGAPORE — Singapore aims to be a trusted and neutral destination for collaboration in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) as US-China competition intensifies over demand, technology adoption and policy clashes.

AI developers here must be proficient in various AI models and not get entangled in an increasingly fragmented world, said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing on Monday.

Chan was speaking at a panel discussion at The Business Times Asia Future Summit 2024, which is presented by OCBC Bank and organised in partnership with Huawei. The one-day conference at Shangri-La Singapore focused on AI.

Regarding the Government’s plans to grow the nation’s proficiency in AI, Chan cited a discussion he had with the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).

“I gave them a challenge: Can SUTD be an institution unique in the world where you can have the best of both the American and Chinese (AI) models working side by side?” he told the audience of nearly 200 guests.

“We want to be seen as a trusted and neutral place where people can bring the best of technology together to collaborate and not just to compete.”

Chan’s remarks came as countries keep a close watch on developments between the US and China, which can impact global trade, innovation and other benefits of cooperation between the two tech powerhouses.

Adoption of the technology developed in different countries is not a matter of prioritising where the AI models come from, but choosing the tools that will benefit the nation, said Chan.

“We are practical people,” he said, adding: “Our test of the pudding is whether it is going to benefit us, wherever it comes from – India, China, US or Europe, or anywhere.”

Singapore also cannot simply adopt AI tools for the sake of it, but has to ensure that they are useful.

In reply to The Straits Times, SUTD president Phoon Kok Kwang said the university is open to using AI from various countries and works with global AI partners such as Meta from the US and China’s Alibaba.

SUTD aims to specialise in design and AI in its next phase of growth, which will see more partnerships in AI projects across the university, Professor Phoon said.

Growing expertise in AI for less sensitive uses like design, for instance, is a suitable area for Singapore to carve a niche and “to build trust in a fragmented world”, said Chan.

He also cited Singapore’s South-east Asian Languages In One Network (Sea-Lion) as an example of the Republic plugging a gap in the market.

Developed by AI Singapore, the agency driving the growth of the technology here, Sea-Lion is a network of ChatGPT-like large language models that are specifically trained for South-east Asian uses to ensure that there is an AI that captures the region’s cultural nuances and languages.

The panel discussion also featured OCBC group chief operating officer Lim Khiang Tong, AI Singapore senior director of AI products Leslie Teo and moderator Claressa Monteiro from The Business Times.

Asked if OCBC would bring on board Sea-Lion, Lim said that localised AI models and their ability to generate coherent responses in a local context are useful for OCBC in its regional markets.

The bank’s internal chatbot called Buddy, which helps employees get information on internal policies or documents, grew in use from around 10,000 monthly queries in 2019 to more than 250,000 monthly queries currently, said Lim.

He added that in rolling out AI, the bank continually spends time educating employees on the impact of AI and ways that they can become more productive.

Not an “arms race”

While the conference is themed “The Next Arms Race”, Mr Chan cautioned the audience against viewing global AI developments as an “arms race” where one party gains at the expense of the other.

“I’m not sure it has the right nuance. When people talk about an arms race, it connotes a competitive dynamic, which is a zero-sum game,” he said.

“If we do this well, (AI) can benefit all of us,” said Chan, noting AI’s potential to boost productivity in the economy.

Agreeing with Mr Chan, AI Singapore’s Dr Teo said the country’s AI developers work together with big tech players such as Google and Meta for greater representation of the region’s needs.

“I don’t like this ‘arms’ kind of mindset,” said Dr Teo. “We are working together… And in doing so, we give Singaporeans an opportunity to play at the global level.”

He also said that Singapore’s small size is an advantage for collaborators in AI development as systems can be deployed faster than in larger countries. The Straits Times/ANN

Source: Vietnam News/ Vietnam Insider

Singapore investigates loan-sharking activities. THE STRAITS TIMES/ANN/VNA Photo

SINGAPORE Singaporean authorities are currently investigating 112 suspects in connection with loan-sharking activities.

Of the 112 individuals, 22 are believed to have harassed debtors at their residences. Meanwhile, 47 others allegedly facilitated illegal moneylenders by executing ATM transfers on their behalf, acting as intermediaries in the unlawful operations.

One individual was reported to have supplied six SIM cards to an illegal moneylender, helping them maintain anonymity while conducting their business.

The remaining 42 suspects were involved in opening and managing bank accounts that were used by the illegal lenders to launder funds and conduct transactions.

The suspects are aged between 16 and 77. Investigations are still ongoing as authorities work to identify the full extent of the network and its operations. VNA/VNS

Source: Vietnam News/ Vietnam Insider