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Crime Thai Ex-Police Chief Accuses Hun Sen in Shocking Legal Move
Picture courtesy of The Standard via THe Thaiger Former Thai Police Chief, Police General Seripisut Temiyavet, made waves today by filing a legal complaint against Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen at the Royal Thai Police HQ in Bangkok. Seripisut claims Hun Sen, Cambodia's former prime minister, orchestrated an assassination plot against political dissident Lim Kimya on Thai soil. The alarming accusation is based on an audio clip aired by Al Jazeera, reportedly capturing Hun Sen instructing Phnom Penh Deputy Governor Keang Huot and Thai police to execute the plan. In a dramatic twist, Cambodian officials dismissed the recording as AI-generated. However, tech experts have since authenticated the clip as genuine, adding fuel to the fire. Additionally, the complaint references an August 2023 attack on opposition activist Proe Panna, who was assaulted by Khmer-speaking men in Rayong province, sustaining severe injuries. Seripisut insists that since the directive led to criminal acts within Thailand, the matter falls under local jurisdiction. He cites Section 85 of the Thai Criminal Code, which penalises incitement to crimes carrying sentences over six months. Despite lacking personal investigative authority, he’s urging Thai police and the attorney general to act swiftly. He has also dismissed a separate complaint from Somkid Chuakong, related to a leaked conversation between the Thai PM and Hun Sen, labelling it a mere distraction. With these bold accusations, Seripisut is pushing the boundaries of Thai-Cambodian relations, calling for decisive legal action. As the situation unfolds, the implications could ripple through diplomatic channels and stir regional tensions. Whether this legal odyssey will lead to international consequences or resolution remains a burning question. Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-06-24 -
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Accident Border Patrol Officer Charged After Crash Kills Family of Three in Songkhla
Picture courtesy of Khaosod. A Border Patrol Police officer has been charged following a fatal car crash that killed a family of three, a father, mother and their two-year-old child, in Thepha District, Songkhla Province. The incident occurred on the evening of 21 June on the Khok Pho–Na Thawi Road, in Moo 1, Lam Phlai Subdistrict. According to police, a Toyota Vios sedan driven by the officer rear-ended a motorcycle carrying the victims, who were a local teacher, his wife and their young daughter. All three died at the scene. Investigators from Huai Pling Police Station confirmed on 22 June that the driver, an officer attached to the Border Patrol Police, has been formally charged with two offences: 1. Reckless driving causing death 2. Reckless driving causing property damage A potential third charge of driving under the influence is pending, as the officer refused to take a breathalyser test at the scene. He was subsequently taken to hospital on the night of the crash, where blood samples were drawn to determine his blood alcohol level. The results are expected soon. The incident has sparked public outrage, particularly within the local teaching community. Friends and colleagues of the victims have called for justice and transparency in the investigation. The case remains under active investigation. Adapted by Asean Now from Khaosod 2025-06-24 -
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UK Starmer Slams Kneecap’s Glastonbury Slot as 'Inappropriate' Amid Terror Charge Controversy
Starmer Slams Kneecap’s Glastonbury Slot as 'Inappropriate' Amid Terror Charge Controversy Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has criticised the inclusion of Irish rap group Kneecap in this year's Glastonbury Festival line-up, calling their scheduled performance "not appropriate" due to ongoing legal issues surrounding one of the band’s members. Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs as Mo Chara, is currently facing a terrorism-related charge. He appeared in court this week accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag at a performance last November. Hezbollah is a proscribed terrorist organisation under UK law. Asked by The Sun if the group should still be allowed to perform at the high-profile music festival, Starmer replied, "No, I don't, and I think we need to come down really clearly on this." He continued: "This is about the threats that shouldn't be made. I won't say too much because there's a court case on, but I don't think that's appropriate." The BBC, which is set to broadcast performances from Glastonbury as the festival’s official media partner, has not yet confirmed whether it will include Kneecap’s set in its coverage. In a statement, the broadcaster said, "We will be bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers. Whilst the BBC doesn't ban artists, our plans will ensure that our programming will meet our editorial guidelines. Decisions about our output will be made in the lead-up to the festival." Kneecap responded to Starmer’s comments on social media, launching a scathing counterattack. "You know what's 'not appropriate' Keir?!" the band wrote, followed by an expletive accusing the prime minister of "arming a genocide". They added, "One Kneecap band member is currently on bail, charged under the Terrorism Act. As a publicly funded platform, the BBC should not be rewarding extremism." The controversy around Kneecap is not new. Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch has previously called for the group to be banned from performing at Glastonbury. Last year, Kneecap won a discrimination case against the UK government in Belfast High Court, after Badenoch—then a minister—attempted to block a £14,250 arts funding grant intended for the group. The band, known for its provocative political messaging and use of the Irish language, recently released a single titled The Recap, which takes aim at Badenoch and mocks her unsuccessful attempts to prevent them from receiving arts funding. The track also includes jabs at the Conservative Party’s recent electoral defeats. Kneecap’s reputation as provocateurs has only intensified following Mo Chara’s court appearance. On Wednesday, Ó hAnnaidh arrived at Westminster Magistrates' Court wearing a “Free Mo Chara” T-shirt, flanked by his bandmates Naoise Ó Cairealláin and JJ Ó Dochartaigh. The trio were met by a cheering crowd of supporters outside the court. Ó hAnnaidh, who is 27 years old, is due back in court on 20 August for the next stage of proceedings. As the legal case unfolds, the band’s Glastonbury performance remains under intense public and political scrutiny, with questions mounting over whether it should go ahead amid allegations of extremism and the broader debate over freedom of expression in the arts. Related Topics: Kneecap band member in court facing terror charge Kneecap Rapper Liam O’Hanna Faces Terrorism Charge Over Hezbollah Flag Display Irish Rap Group Given 14K by Labour Face Terror police investigation for Pro Hamas Chants Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-06-24 -
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Middle East Lammy Warns Iran to Choose Diplomacy Over Escalation Amid Rising Nuclear Tensions
Lammy Warns Iran to Choose Diplomacy Over Escalation Amid Rising Nuclear Tensions Foreign Secretary David Lammy has issued a stark warning to Iran, urging its leaders to abandon confrontation and return to diplomacy following U.S. military strikes aimed at disabling Iran’s nuclear programme. Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Lammy said Iran still has "an off-ramp" to avoid further escalation, and stressed that the time had come for Tehran to "get serious" about talks. Over the weekend, the United States launched coordinated airstrikes on three major Iranian nuclear facilities—Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow—prompting outrage in Tehran. Iran has promised "everlasting consequences" in response, raising fears of a wider regional conflict. Lammy said he had personally spoken with Iran’s foreign minister to deliver a direct message to Tehran. "I told him that it would be a catastrophic mistake for them to retaliate by firing at U.S. bases, or by blockading the key shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz," he explained. "They have to get serious about the off-ramp that is being made available to them." "There is still an off-ramp," Lammy reiterated. "And I was discussing that with the Iranian foreign minister again on the phone yesterday. We, alongside all of our partners in the G7, across Europe and across the Arab world and the Levant, are urging the Iranians to get serious both with the E3—us, Germany and France—but also with the United States." Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has sought to reassure the public that the UK had no involvement in the U.S. military action. "We're doing everything we can to stabilise the situation," he said on Sunday, warning of the potential for rapid escalation in the region. When questioned about the legality of the American strikes, Lammy stopped short of criticism. "I don't say it's not legitimate," he said, adding that there was "no moral equivalence" between the US response to Iran and Russia's unlawful invasion of Ukraine. However, Lammy admitted that existing diplomatic approaches had failed to prevent Iran from continuing to enrich uranium at an alarming rate. "Clearly it was not working," he said, referencing the International Atomic Energy Agency's confirmation that Iran had reached 60% enrichment—a level far beyond civilian use. "They're still obfuscating and engaged in deception," Lammy added. He warned that a nuclear-armed Iran could trigger a dangerous chain reaction in the region. "If Iran obtained nuclear weapons, there would likely be nuclear proliferation across the Middle East. The world would be seriously more dangerous, and that's why it must be stopped." He acknowledged that a civil nuclear programme was acceptable, provided it was subject to international oversight. "Yes, they can have a civil nuclear capability that's properly monitored, that involves outsiders, but they cannot continue to enrich to 60%... Why do they need 60% enrichment if not for a nuclear weapon?" Despite the military action, Lammy stressed that diplomacy remained the only sustainable solution. "Ultimately, the only solution to dealing with the Iranian nuclear programme is through diplomacy, because the expertise still exists in the country, it's likely that some of the material still exists in the country." James Cartlidge, the Conservative shadow defence secretary, expressed support for the U.S. strikes, calling them necessary to maintain international security. "The key message is to show support for Israel and the United States," he told BBC Breakfast. "We feel above all else that we can't have a situation where Iran has nuclear weapons." While Cartlidge declined to speculate on direct UK military involvement, he welcomed Defence Secretary John Healey’s decision to pre-position British military assets in the Middle East, saying it allows the UK to "respond if needed." Related Topics: Starmer Supports Trump’s Strike on Iran, Calling Nuclear Threat “Grave to Global Security” G7 Backs Israel, Condemns Iran Amid Rising Tensions in the Middle East Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-06-24 -
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UK From Black Hole to Spending Spree: Labour’s £22 Billion Dilemma Meets a £725 Billion Promise
From Black Hole to Spending Spree: Labour’s £22 Billion Dilemma Meets a £725 Billion Promise After months of hammering the message that the Conservatives left behind a £22 billion black hole in the public finances, the Labour Party now finds itself navigating a political paradox of its own making. With new spending plans totaling a staggering £725 billion, Labour’s messaging is starting to look like it’s been swallowed by a black hole of its own. Chris Ward, parliamentary private secretary to Sir Keir Starmer, offered a rare behind-the-curtain moment during a candid interview on Times Radio. Usually seen passing notes to Starmer during Prime Minister’s Questions, Ward instead appeared on Hugo Rifkind’s Politics Unpacked, where he remarked that PMQs is about “speaking over the heads of the chamber” rather than engaging with questions. “It’s about getting your message out there,” he said. That message, drilled relentlessly into the public ear, has been about the supposed fiscal devastation left behind by the Tories. For over a year, Starmer has barely let an opportunity pass without mentioning the “£22 billion black hole.” At one point, political observers were timing how quickly he could mention it during his opening lines — and he once broke the ten-second mark for the third time. The strategy worked, at least in terms of recognition. The phrase has seeped into public consciousness, even if few could explain precisely what it means. Still, it gave Labour a reason to adopt more austere measures, some of them strikingly un-Labour-like: stripping winter fuel payments, slashing disability benefits, and slicing the foreign aid budget to ribbons — all sacrifices to the looming spectre of that £22 billion fiscal void. Yet the justification for such restraint now looks shaky. Labour’s latest announcements would suggest that not only is the black hole manageable — it’s dwarfed by new ambitions. A £39 billion injection into housebuilding last week was already eyebrow-raising. That alone is nearly two full “black holes.” As the columnist joked, “Imagine — two entire black holes, full of brand new houses. Time for Kirstie and Phil to don their space suits.” Then came Thursday. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones stepped up to the dispatch box and coolly outlined a ten-year infrastructure strategy with a price tag of £725 billion. Schools rebuilt. Hospitals made safe from collapsing concrete. Prisons fixed up. As Jones proclaimed, the government would “break the cycle of deterioration” and “build an NHS fit for the future.” The sheer scale of the funding — even spread over a decade — turned heads. “Seven hundred and twenty five billion!” he declared, with the relish of a darts announcer calling out a perfect 180. But this enthusiasm only highlighted the underlying contradiction. If the £22 billion black hole was as catastrophic as claimed, how can Labour now credibly unveil spending plans over thirty times that size? What once seemed like responsible caution now looks like rhetorical overreach. The fearsome black hole has become a punchline — a number to be easily outshouted by even bigger numbers. Jones, with his eerie resemblance to the blue-haired lawyer from The Simpsons, continued confidently: “We’ve got a clear strategy. We’ve got stability, both politically and economically.” It was said with conviction. And yet, there isn’t a single economist who would argue that the UK economy today is more stable than it was a year ago. Nor did it help that while Jones was making his Commons pitch for long-term planning, the prime minister was reportedly locked in meetings about whether to allow U.S. President Trump to use a British airbase in the Indian Ocean to strike a hidden Iranian nuclear lab. These may not be times suited to decade-long blueprints. But perhaps, as John Lennon said, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” For Labour, those plans now include navigating the awkward leap from austerity to abundance — and explaining how the £22 billion black hole vanished into the void. Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Times 2025-06-24
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