Migrant crisis takes centre stage as Hollande hosts European left leaders
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rooster59
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US senators attempt to ban Trump's 'profoundly corrupt' crypto schemes
Why,Trump is probably the SMARTEST PRESIDENT WE'VE EVER HAD . . . In terms of corruption, crime, bribery, etc BRILLIANT! 👍 -
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Crime Chinese Tenants Flee Without Paying Rent, Trash Property in Prachinburi
Shock, horror, landlord needs to spend 5 minutes cleaning the tenants house...these pesky foreigners -
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Transport SRT Extends Thai-Chinese High-Speed Rail Tunnel Construction Due to Land Delays
Pictures courtesy of Matichon. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has approved a 181-day extension for the construction of a key tunnel section of the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail project, citing delays in land expropriation as the cause. Mr. Veerath Amrapal, Governor of the SRT, announced that the SRT Board has agreed to extend Contract 3-2 of the high-speed rail project, covering civil engineering works for the Muak Lek and Lam Ta Khong tunnels, from the original completion date of 7 June 2025 to 5 December 2025. The extension was necessary due to delays in handing over expropriated land to the contractor. This affected construction work on the embankment section from DK.134+765 to DK.135+385, as well as the Pha Sadet Bridge. The SRT has now transferred all required land and has urged the contractor to complete the remaining works within the revised schedule. Notably, the extension will not affect other parts of the project and the contractor will not be entitled to claim additional expenses. The tunnel sections under Contract 3-2, valued at 4.279 billion baht, spans 12.23 kilometres, including: • 8 km of tunnels • 3.27 km of embankment railway • 0.96 km of elevated track • Four structures for railway systems • Connecting roads Construction began on 19 April 2021 and has progressed to 90% completion. In addition to the extension, the SRT board has also approved the draft of a Royal Decree to define the expropriation zones for Phase 2 of the high-speed railway, which will run from Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai. The proposal will be submitted to Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit, and then to the Cabinet for final approval. The second phase of the project will require the expropriation of 1,991 land plots covering approximately 1,345 rai across the provinces of Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, and Nong Khai, with 1,428 structures to be affected. The compensation budget is estimated at 12.42 billion baht. Phase 2 has already received approval from both the National Environment Board and the Cabinet, and preparations for the bidding process are now underway. This phase will cover a 357.22 km stretch, starting just beyond Nakhon Ratchasima station and ending at the Thai side of the Mekong River, with five new stations and supporting infrastructure. The high-speed railway is a central component of the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, intended to boost regional connectivity and trade between Thailand, Laos, and China, while stimulating economic growth in Thailand’s upper northeastern provinces. Adapted by Asean Now from Matichon 2025-05-17. -
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Trump Nudges Greene Away from Senate Bid with Quiet but Strategic Polling Push
Trump Nudges Greene Away from Senate Bid with Quiet but Strategic Polling Push Former President Donald Trump played a behind-the-scenes role in dissuading Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene from launching a Senate campaign in Georgia, according to sources familiar with internal discussions. Trump shared polling data with Greene that showed she would lose a potential 2026 race against incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff by a wide margin—18 points in the general election—even though she could likely win a Republican primary. The poll was conducted by Trump’s longtime pollster Tony Fabrizio, and the results were not released publicly. According to people familiar with the matter, the Trump team was keen to steer Greene away from entering the race, viewing her as an uncompetitive candidate in a state that has proven to be politically unpredictable. While Greene remains a popular figure in her deep-red district, GOP strategists feared that her hardline politics and combative public persona would not resonate across Georgia's broader, more moderate electorate. “The same people telling Trump I can’t win a general [election] are the same people that get filthy rich off consulting on as many campaigns they can get the president to endorse,” Greene said in a statement to The Wall Street Journal. She confirmed that Tony Fabrizio, the pollster behind the numbers, had declined to work with her, claiming a conflict of interest. “To my knowledge, a lot of this was private conversation, and apparently is being leaked,” she added. Despite Greene's strong support for Trump during and after his first term, including her vocal defense of his false 2020 election claims and repeated efforts to impeach President Joe Biden, Trump's team appears to be taking a more calculated approach to upcoming races. “You need someone who’s more appealing,” said Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina. “I think she’d be a solid primary contender, but the state’s a lot like North Carolina, could be a challenge at the statewide level.” Greene fired back: “Nobody cares about Tillis because he represents everything wrong in the Senate, and he has his own problems in North Carolina.” Trump’s decision to share the poll illustrates a quiet but deliberate effort to shape the 2026 election map, especially in key states like Georgia where Republicans are eager to reclaim lost ground. Trump narrowly lost Georgia in 2020, but regained it in 2024, intensifying Republican hopes to flip Ossoff’s seat and bolster their slim 53-47 Senate majority. Advisers say Trump is focused on maintaining congressional control during his term to prevent Democrats from derailing his legislative goals or pursuing impeachment. Other potential GOP candidates for Ossoff’s seat include Representative Buddy Carter and Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King. Trump’s team is keeping an eye on the field while reportedly remaining silent on some contests, such as in Texas. Internally, the strategic preference leans toward candidates seen as more broadly electable. Greene’s profile has dimmed within her own party over the past year. She was expelled from the House Freedom Caucus after calling fellow conservative Rep. Lauren Boebert a “little bitch,” and her effort to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson failed. She has also drawn criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, and was stripped of her committee assignments in 2021 due to her promotion of conspiracy theories. Asked how Greene might fare against Ossoff, Georgia’s other senator, Raphael Warnock, laughed and said simply, “Come on, man.” Adapted by ASEAN Now from WSJ 2025-05-17 -
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Trump’s Gulf Tour: Golden Camels, Cybertrucks, and Trillion-Dollar Courtships
Trump’s Gulf Tour: Golden Camels, Cybertrucks, and Trillion-Dollar Courtships During a four-day tour of the Gulf, former and current U.S. President Donald Trump was treated like royalty by the region’s wealthiest states, greeted with displays of staggering extravagance in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The elaborate welcome was not only a show of hospitality but a calculated gesture underscoring how deeply Gulf leaders value their relationship with a business-oriented American president. From the moment Trump landed in Riyadh, the tone was set. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally welcomed him on the tarmac, a rare departure from royal protocol. In Doha, Trump’s motorcade was flanked by bright red Tesla Cybertrucks and riders on horseback. In Abu Dhabi, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed awarded Trump the Order of Zayed, the country’s highest civilian honor. As Trump approached Qatar’s presidential office, the Amiri Diwan, he was met by a parade of elite royal camels. Trump's Art of the Deal in action in Saudi Arabia “The optics of the U.S. leader’s Middle East visit were strong,” one observer noted, “showcasing the larger-than-life opulence of the region’s richest petrostates — and how much of that wealth they are willing to spend to deepen their ties with the U.S.” Tarik Solomon, chairman at the American Chamber of Commerce in Saudi Arabia, summarized the sentiment: “The Gulf has always gotten along better with business-first presidents, and President Trump fits that mold perfectly.” According to Solomon, “He still symbolizes fast money, big defense, and access to American tech. So, if cozying up to him helps secure a seat at the table of the next world order, the Gulf is bringing the gold-plated chair.” Indeed, the numbers tied to Trump’s visit were historic. Qatar signed a $1.2 trillion “economic exchange” with the United States. Saudi Arabia committed to investing $600 billion in the U.S., while the UAE formalized a ten-year, $1.4 trillion investment framework. Qatar’s deal included a record-setting order of 210 Boeing jets, and Saudi Arabia inked a $142 billion arms agreement—the largest weapons deal ever signed. Though many of these agreements may take decades to materialize, the message was clear: Gulf leaders are making a long-term bet on a deep U.S. partnership, and Trump is the preferred partner. At the U.S.-Saudi Investment Summit in Riyadh’s luxurious Ritz-Carlton, Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman exchanged warm praise. Top American business figures including Elon Musk, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, and BlackRock’s Larry Fink attended, cementing the event as a meeting of immense financial and political significance. In the UAE, Trump’s visit marked the first by a U.S. president since George W. Bush in 2008. He and Mohammed bin Zayed highlighted both their personal bond and the enduring five-decade alliance between their nations. The contrast with recent visits from Biden administration officials—marked by tension and cautious diplomacy—was striking. The UAE seems to already be reaping benefits. Reports indicate a preliminary U.S. agreement allowing the Emirates to import 500,000 Nvidia H100 chips annually—the most advanced AI chips America produces. This would supercharge the country’s efforts to become a regional hub for artificial intelligence. “Trump’s trip to the Gulf reflects the increasing personalization of geopolitics,” said Taufiq Rahim, principal at 2040 Advisory and author of Trump 2.5: A Primer. “The region’s leaders have responded accordingly, putting on an ornate display for the visiting president. Flattery and compliments become as important to the announcement and substance of deals.” Rahim added, “Sure, a lot of it is theater. But in this region, signaling ambition is half the game. Even if only 50% sticks, it’s still an impactful play.” Adapted by ASEAN Now from CNBC 2025-05-17 -
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Public Safety at Risk as Nearly Half of Recalled Prisoners Deemed Too Dangerous for Release
Public Safety at Risk as Nearly Half of Recalled Prisoners Deemed Too Dangerous for Release Concerns over public safety have intensified following revelations that nearly half of all prisoners recalled to jail are considered too dangerous to be released, even as the government moves ahead with emergency legislation to ease pressure on overcrowded prisons. The latest figures show that 45 percent of offenders recalled to custody in 2023-24 were denied re-release by the Parole Board due to the threat they pose to the public—yet many of these individuals could soon benefit from a new policy capping their recall period at just 28 days. Sir Keir Starmer defended the controversial decision, saying he had “no choice” but to introduce the 28-day limit due to the acute lack of prison capacity. “I don’t want to be put in this position, but it’s been pushed to crisis point where we simply don’t have the prison places for the prison population we’ve got because of the gross negligence of the last government,” Starmer said. “We are rectifying that at pace, which is why we’re now seeing prison builds. But as you’ll appreciate you can’t build a prison in a matter of months.” Projections indicate that prisons in England and Wales could be entirely full by November. There are currently 13,583 recalled prisoners, accounting for 15 percent of the overall prison population, many of whom remain incarcerated pending Parole Board approval. The new recall rule, introduced by Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, will apply to offenders serving sentences between one and four years. But watchdogs, victims’ advocates, and former senior justice officials have expressed alarm over the move. Baroness Newlove, the victims commissioner, has demanded an urgent meeting with the justice secretary, calling the change “unacceptable.” In a letter to Mahmood, she warned that “many of the offenders whose recalls will now be converted to fixed term will already have had their cases considered by the Parole Board — and not been directed for release.” She added, “In each case, the board will have applied the public protection test and concluded that it remained necessary to keep the individual in custody to protect the public.” She also noted that the policy could benefit individuals convicted of violent and sexual offences, and those with repeat offending histories. The figures show that of the 3,270 decisions made last year on recalled prisoners serving fixed-term sentences of up to nine years, 1,469 were refused re-release due to safety concerns. Typically, Parole Board hearings for recalled offenders occur four to five months after their return to custody—well beyond the proposed 28-day limit. Martin Jones, the chief inspector of probation, issued a stark warning about the practical consequences of the move. “There are some people amongst this group that remain a significant risk to the public,” he said. “What you may now see is somebody that would previously have been recalled to custody and would stay in custody until the Parole Board consider their case, may be in and out constantly... So they’re just bouncing around the system with nothing really happening to address the fundamental reasons why you’re getting that behaviour—such as drug addiction, alcohol problems, homelessness and all those issues.” Nick Hardwick, former chief inspector of prisons, echoed these concerns. “The reason for doing this is very unclear,” he said. “If it’s thought that these prisoners are dangerous, then why are they being released before they’ve had a proper parole hearing and they’re risk assessed?” He further argued that for low-risk offenders, the new policy would be counterproductive, undermining rehabilitation efforts by disrupting housing, employment, and addiction support services. “All the work that will have been done before they left prison... will be completely wasted and the system will need to start all over again,” he said. “Either they’re dangerous, so don’t release them until they’re properly assessed, or they’re not dangerous, in which case don’t recall them. This seems to serve neither purpose.” One of the most harrowing examples cited in the debate is that of Jordan McSweeney, who was released in 2019 after serving a sentence under four years for burglary and driving offences. Within six months, he murdered Zara Aleena, a 35-year-old law graduate. Under the new rules, McSweeney would have been eligible for automatic re-release within 28 days had he been recalled. Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Times 2025-05-17
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