July 2006 in Southeast Asia

__NOTOC__ This page deals with events that took place in or are of interest to Southeast Asia and/or events that involved its citizens.

31 July 2006 (Monday)

* A photojournalist and two left-wing activists are killed in three separate shootings, police say. The ninth journalist to be slain in the Philippines this year, Vic Melendrez died outside his home in Manila when three gunmen shot him. In the other shootings, a student leader in Bicol and a community organiser in Kalinga were shot by unidentified gunmen. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2147940.stm (BBC)]
* Thailand declares a bird-flu alert for the entire country, with 765 people under close observation for signs of the virus. [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/08/01/headlines/headlines_30010082.php (The Nation)]
* flagicon|Laos Thailand blames Laos for the latest outbreak of H5N1, but offers to help its neighbor in fighting the outbreaks. [http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/BKK265814.htm (Reuters)]
* Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez visits Hanoi and offers to help Vietnam build an oil refinery. Details of how he would do so are not released. Chavez expresses his admiration for Ho Chi Minh and plans to visit General Vo Nguyen Giap, the 94-year-old hero of Vietnam's wars against France and the United States. [http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-07-31-voa16.cfm (VOA)]
* flagicon|Myanmar In Bangkok, during the closing concert of their Asian tour, the Black Eyed Peas announce the launch of the Freedom Campaign to bring awareness to the plight of imprisoned Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. [http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=111934 (Bangkok Post)]

30 July 2006 (Sunday)

* More than 300,000 egg-producing hens in Nakhon Phanom are culled after the H5N1 virus is confirmed. [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23709 (TNA)] [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/31/headlines/headlines_30009982.php (The Nation)]
* The body of a paramilitary soldier is found along a road in Narathiwat, while a durian merchant is fatally shot on Saturday night in Yala. Police suspect Muslim insurgents are behind the attacks but do not rule out personal conflicts as a motive. [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/31/national/national_30009973.php (The Nation)]
* Four Asian elephants from Kanachanaburi depart on a cargo flight from U-Tapao International Airport. Eight elephants from Thailand are being sent to the Taronga Zoo and Melbourne Zoo in Australia. The export of the animals had been protested by a conservation group. [http://www.manager.co.th/IHT/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9490000097446 (ThaiDay)] [http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/31Jul2006_news03.php (Bangkok Post)]
* In sidebar talks to the ASEAN Regional Forum, China, Bangladesh and Myanmar agree to construct a highway from Kunming to Chittagong through Mandalay. [http://english.people.com.cn/200607/31/eng20060731_288288.html (Xinhua)]

29 July 2006 (Saturday)

* A ceremonial Thai Airways International passenger flight lands at Suvarnabhumi Airport in a test of the new airport that will replace Bangkok International Airport. Six airlines are participating in a trial run of new airport, using it as a base for domestic service before the airport's official opening on September 28. Officials declare the new airport safe, downplaying risks identified in an earlier report. [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23684 (TNA)] [http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/30/headlines/headlines_30009925.php (The Nation)]
* An explosion the Pertamina-PetroChina oil refinery in Bojonegro, Java injures nearly 150 people and causes 7,000 residents to be evacuated. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060729/ap_on_re_as/indonesia_oil_blast;_ylt=Ah1aC6Vlk0sFKUX63RsCuwmnxQ8F;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA-- (AP)]

28 July 2006 (Friday)

* ::* Hundreds of anti-US protesters, angry about US inaction on Israel's bombardment of Lebanon, break through a police cordon and march to a convention center where US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is meeting with other foreign ministers. :* The ASEAN foreign ministers call for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060728/ap_on_re_as/rice_protest;_ylt=Ar3.J8R8nSCYj9ngmqavqh2nxQ8F;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA-- (AP)] :* Rice backs ASEAN's stance on engaging Myanmar and urging the military-governed country in a peaceful transition to democracy. "A statement like the one that ASEAN has made on Burma is an important revolution of the Asean position to one that I think is becoming more clear about the challenge that the international system faces in Burma," Rice says.:* North Korean officials spurn appeals to join talks on its nuclear and missile programs, saying the US should drop financial sanctions before any negotiations occur. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060728/ap_on_re_as/nkorea_nuclear;_ylt=Au9lPs6hHUwR_DKiZTtjsJSnxQ8F;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA-- (AP)] :* Ministers sign a pact that will allow visa-free travel between the member nations. It goes into effect once it is ratified by all the countries.:* The Philippines assumes chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. [http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/southeastasia/view/221820/1/.html (ChannelNews)] [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aRL90X_CCZaA&refer=home (Bloomberg)] [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060730/1/42fbw.html (AFP)]
* Malaysia and the US sign a "mutual legal assistance treaty" that allow officials in each country to collect relevant evidence in criminal matters. The treaty is signed by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar. [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060728/1/42f11.html (AFP)]
* Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is attacked with pepper spray as he arrives at the airport in Kota Bahru. Later, he says the attack was an attempt to silence his criticism of the current government of hand-picked successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060728/ap_on_re_as/malaysia_pepper_spray_attack;_ylt=AtX4pgCnp7P0K5wvjNblFLOnxQ8F;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA-- (AP)]
* More than 3,900 residents from five villages around the slopes around Karangetang in Siau, North Sulawesi, are evacuated to safety shelters as the volcano is put on top alert. [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060728/1/42f1n.html (AFP)]
* A day ahead of test commercial flights with passengers at Suvarnabhumi Airport, the International Civil Aviation Organization is questioning the readiness of Bangkok's new international airport, identifying 29 high-risk areas, according to documents leaked to the press. "It's like a warning for us to know which areas need to be improved," the airport's general manager Somchai Sawasdeepon told the "Bangkok Post". "None of the listed problems are new. The report comes out every month for us to evaluate progress, and alert us to emergency issues." Meanwhile, Labor Minister Somsak Thepsuthin causes a stir by triggering an alarm at a metal detector during final checks at the airport. The minister says he had intentionally hidden inside his shoes to test the security system. "I feel safe at the airport," he declares after the inspection. [http://www.bangkokpost.com/280706_News/28Jul2006_news01.php (Bangkok Post)] [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/29/headlines/headlines_30009883.php (The Nation)]
* An outbreak of H5N1 kills more than 2,000 chickens on a farm in Laos, the government and the UN FAO say. [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060728/1/42f1f.html (AFP)]

27 July 2006 (Thursday)

* at the ARF dinner, which traditionally features skits and songs by world leaders. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060727/ap_on_re_as/rice_piano;_ylt=AuW9ZubZ4V6XTDeXUdIYoJ2nxQ8F;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA-- (AP)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5217742.stm (BBC)]

26 July 2006 (Wednesday)

* Appeals for bail by three jailed former national election supervisors are denied by the Supreme Court of Thailand. The Criminal Court on Tuesday ruled four-year jail terms for Police General Vasana Puemlap, Prinya Nakchudtree and Virachai Naewboonnien, finding them guilty of misconduct in their handling of the April legislative election. They are being held at Bangkok Remand Prison. [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/27/headlines/headlines_30009686.php (The Nation)] [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23625 (TNA)]
* A magnitude 6.1 earthquake shakes parts of North and West Sumatra. No injuries are reported. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060727/ap_on_re_as/indonesia_earthquake;_ylt=An4HpZbhpzEXs6bUdt4MzmOnxQ8F;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA-- (AP)]

25 July 2006 (Tuesday)

* flagicon|Thailand One of the two charismatic twin-brother leaders of a Karen National Union splinter revolutionary group, Johnny Htoo, has surrendered, according to state media reports. Johhny and eight fellow members of the God's Army left a refugee camp in Thailand and surrendered with weapons in two separate groups on July 17 and 19 at the coastal region military command in southeastern Myanmar, the reports say. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060725/ap_on_re_as/myanmar_god_s_army_3 (AP)]
* Princess Kamaria Sultan Abu Bakar, 64, is fatally stabbed in her home in Kuantan by her 21-year-old son, Tunku Shahzan, while trying to defend her husband, Prince Ismal Sulaiman, during an argument. Shahzan, believed to be under the influence of drugs, died some hours later after the incident. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5212294.stm (BBC)] [http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/southeastasia/view/221563/1/.html (ChannelNews)]

24 July 2006 (Monday)

* In the first cases of H5N1 reported in Thailand this year, samples taken from dead fighting cocks in Phichit are reported positive for the bird flu virus. Agriculture Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan says the outbreak has been contained. Additionally, the import of all poultry is banned in Thailand. Meanwhile, Phitsanulok has reported a 5-year-old boy may be suffering from the virus and Uttaradit has three new suspected cases. [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/24/headlines/headlines_30009449.php (The Nation)] [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23580 (TNA)]
* Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra files a civil defamation lawsuit against maverick politician and media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul and 11 others for defamation. Thaksin is seeking 1 billion baht in damages. The suit is in addition to one filed last month against the Democrat Party and its leaders for accusing him of tax evasion. Additionally, Thaksin is suing the Communications Authority of Thailand for renting Sondhi satellite TV equipment. [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060724/1/42a51.html (AFP)]
* Typhoon Kaemi lashes the Philippines, shutting down schools, government offices and the Philippine Stock Exchange in Manila. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060724/ap_on_re_as/asia_typhoon (AP)]
* flagicon|East Timor East Timor formally applies for full membership in ASEAN. [http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=209980 (Bernama)]
* A teacher is fatally shot at the front of a classroom full of children by a gunman dressed as a student at a school in Narathiwat. Police say the attack on Prasarn Makchu, 48, is in revenge for the arrest of four suspected insurgents last week. [http://www.bangkokpost.com/250706_News/25Jul2006_news01.php (Bangkok Post)] [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23600 (TNA)]

23 July 2006 (Sunday)

* In Bangkok city and district council elections, the Democrat Party wins 35 of 57 seats for city council and 176 out of 255 district seats. The Thai Rak Thai Party wins 18 seats on the Bangkok council while the remaining four seats go to independent candidates. [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/24/headlines/headlines_30009435.php (The Nation)]
* King Bhumibol Adulyadej is moving about with the help of a walking aid, fewer than three days after undergoing surgery for spinal stenosis, the Royal Household says. Large crowds gather at Siriraj Hospital where the 78-year-old monarch is resting and hail "Long live the king" whenever a member of the royal family passes by the window. [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/24/headlines/headlines_30009414.php (The Nation)]

22 July 2006 (Saturday)

21 July 2006 (Friday)

* Ta Mok, known as "The Butcher of Battambang" for his brutality as military chief of the Khmer Rouge, dies, according to a statement from his lawyer, Benson Samay. He was believed to be 80. Youk Chhang, director of the Documentation Center Cambodia, laments the former commander's death, saying it was a blow to the UN-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060721/ap_on_re_as/obit_ta_mok;_ylt=As1sb0O4efDWxfG.6yS4mw6nxQ8F;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA-- (AP)]
* A large group of over 2,000 gathered in front of a mosque near the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur right after Friday prayer. The group later marched to several embassies to demand international community to intervene in the conflict and condemn Israeli aggression with respect to the ongoing 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. A larger group also assembled in Kota Bahru to condemn the attack. [http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Saturday/National/20060722075603/Article/local1_html (New Straits Times)]

20 July 2006 (Thursday)

* King Bhumibol Adulyadej undergoes spinal stenosis surgery at Siriraj Hospital. Doctors declare the operation satisfactory and say the 78-year-old monarch is recovering well after the surgery with no complications. [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23491 (TNA)]
* The royal decree setting October 15 as the date for Thailand legislative election is signed by King Bhumibol Adulyadej, ending months of speculation over when the polls would be held, the government announced. "His Majesty the King has already signed the royal decree," Cabinet Secretary-General Rongpol Charoenphanthu told journalists. [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23506 (TNA)] [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060721/1/4294v.html (AFP)]
* flagicon|Malaysia Indonesia is prepared to send a battalion of its military as peacekeepers under the United Nations for the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict while Malaysia is mulling the idea. [http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=209547 (Bernama)] [http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=209173 (Bernama)]

19 July 2006 (Wednesday)

* flagicon|Thailand Singaporeans, Hongkongers and Thais rank the highest in the world for shopping twice week for something to do, an ACNielsen survey says. [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060719/1/427bq.html (AFP)]
* UN special envoy to East Timor Ian Martin stresses that a "substantial" UN police presence is needed in the wake of the 2006 East Timor crisis to create the conditions for credible parliamentary and presidential elections next year. [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060719/1/427bw.html (AFP)]
* The 59th anniversary of the assassination of General Aung San is marked in Yangon, but the military government bars Aung San Suu Kyi from attending. [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060719/1/426u6.html (AFP)]
* General Generoso Senga, the Philippines' top general, orders an investigation of 40 army and marine officers and 135 enlisted men in connection with last year's plot to oust President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060719/ap_on_re_as/philippines_coup_plot;_ylt=AtqqxvNga8T7rnhQMX9w0aWnxQ8F;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA-- (AP)]
* says. [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060719/1/427bt.html (AFP)]
* A magnitude 6.0 earthquake causes tall buildings to sway in Jakarta, panicking residents just days after a tsunami struck Java, killing at least 525 people. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060719/ap_on_re_as/indonesia_earthquake;_ylt=Alif75dnO10i.0kT3VWJAf6nxQ8F;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA-- (AP)] [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060719/1/426rr.html (AFP)]

18 July 2006 (Tuesday)

* Corpses are recovered from the Java earthquake, with the death toll at 341. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060718/ap_on_re_as/indonesia_tsunami_no_warning;_ylt=ArE28tNOFetMrw1kiDbkXXynxQ8F;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA-- (AP)]
* Seven Papuan men go on trial for the murder of two American teachers who worked for a US-owned gold mine in Papua province. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060718/ap_on_re_as/indonesia_us_teacher_slayings;_ylt=AsxCNo2teNwuckgSZuDDzqanxQ8F;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA-- (AP)]
* flagicon|Malaysia flagicon|Thailand Air quality in parts of Malaysia and Thailand is deemed unhealthy because of haze from forest fires in Indonesia. [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060718/1/426a4.html (AFP)] [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23419 (TNA)]
* The Thai government extends emergency rule for three more months in provinces affected by the South Thailand insurgency. [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060718/1/4265w.html (AFP)]
* flagicon|Thailand Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo pledges to aid Thai people in Lebanon, saying she has instructed the Philippines embassy in Beirut to assume responsibility for Thai nationals as well as its own citizens and aid them in leaving Lebanon, where fighting with Israel has flared up. [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23424 (TNA)]
* Armando Pace, 56, a muckraking radio journalist who reported on corruption and the drug trade is fatally shot in Digos City. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060718/ap_on_re_as/philippines_slain_journalist;_ylt=Aj7PhPjaZPROw8oYcfUEaTGnxQ8F;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA-- (AP)]
*flagicon|East Timor Australian Prime Minister John Howard visits Dili and meets with Prime Minister José Ramos-Horta and President Xanana Gusmão, saying his country would soon scale back its peacekeeping operations in the 2006 East Timor crisis. [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060718/1/425qp.html (AFP)]

17 July 2006 (Monday)

* A magnitude-7.2 earthquake sends a 6-foot-high tsunami crashing into a beach resort on Java, killing at least 172 people and causing extensive damage to hotels, restaurants and homes. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060717/ap_on_re_as/indonesia_earthquake;_ylt=Apoo58K7HJeQZF8xBRDwL.is0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3OTB1amhuBHNlYwNtdHM- (AP)] [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060718/1/425na.html (AFP)]
* King Bhumibol Adulyadej will undergo microsurgery on Thursday at Siriraj Hospital to cure lumbar spine stenosis, the Royal Household Bureau announces. The problem was first diagnosed in 2003 and the 78-year-old monarch started receiving physical therapy for the ailment in 2005. Doctors wanted to wait until after his 60th anniversary celebrations to perform the surgery. [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30008905 (The Nation)]

16 July 2006 (Sunday)

* A Thai Airways International Boeing 747-400 that collided on Saturday with a parked Air France Fokker jet at Madrid Barajas International Airport arrives at Bangkok International Airport after repairs in Madrid. No injuries are reported in Saturday's accident, in which the Thai airliner's right wingtip struck the wing of the Air France jet. [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23353 (TNA)]

15 July 2006 (Saturday)

* Former Khmer Rouge military leader Ta Mok, expected to be a key defendant in the United Nations tribunal is in a coma, and family members are pleading for him to be allowed overseas for medical treatment. [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060715/1/42487.html (AFP)]
* Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei celebrates his 60th birthday, and uses his his birthday speech to call for economic diversification. "Among the most important things is to ensure that the sources of oil and gas can continue to be enjoyed by the people," he says. "Along with that, economic diversification is also important for strengthening the country's survival, including an increase in foreign investment and a more eco-friendly policy." [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060715/1/4249o.html (AFP)]

14 July 2006 (Friday)

* President Xanana Gusmão swears in a new government, proclaiming a close to the 2006 East Timor crisis. "Today we close a cycle of profound crisis that has subjected our people to unpredictable and unjust sufferings and distress," Gusmão says. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060714/wl_asia_afp/timorpolitics_060714140732 (AFP)]
* Mayon Volcano erupts, a day after ejecting ash amid swarms of earthquakes. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060714/ap_on_re_as/philippines_volcano;_ylt=AmI1VFf0.MSZCtKp6665VI2nxQ8F;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA-- (AP)]
*flagicon|Thailand Suspected cases of H5N1 are on the rise in Thailand, but three patients who became ill after being in contact with chickens in Phichit Province showed no sign of the bird-flu virus, health officials say. [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/15/headlines/headlines_30008785.php (The Nation)]
*flagicon|Malaysia flagicon|Thailand Malaysia and Thailand resolve to use their cooperative General Border Committee as a primary channel for issues related to problems on their shared border, such as the South Thailand insurgency, instead of officials making claims through the media. [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23320 (TNA)]

13 July 2006 (Thursday)

* Japan announces a new free trade agreement with Malaysia. ( [http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20060713p2a00m0na018000c.html Mainichi Daily News] )
*flagicon|Cambodia Reality TV is to hit Cambodia as the Cambodian Television Network seeks cast members for "CTN Coffee Shop", in which 12 people will staff a cafe and live in the apartment above for three months. Each week, audience members and the participants themselves vote one person off the show. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060713/ennew_afp/afpentertainment_060713174958 (AFP)]
*flagicon|Cambodia Businesses in Cambodia paid US$330 million in bribes to government officials in 2005, according to a report by the Economic Institute of Cambodia. [http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060713/cambodia_corruption.html?.v=1 (AP)]
* A tropical storm becomes Typhoon Bilis, hitting Baguio City and leaving at least nine people dead. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060713/ap_on_re_as/asia_storm;_ylt=AlM1aGWHBLpZ8WlYubz.oQWnxQ8F;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA-- (AP)]

12 July 2006 (Wednesday)

* Thai newspapers publish the letters between Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and US President George W. Bush. In his letter to the US president, Thaksin writes that his opponents are using various "extra-Constitutional tactics" and that "there has been a threat to democracy in Thailand since early this year." [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/13/headlines/headlines_30008539.php (The Nation)] [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/12/headlines/headlines_30008521.php (The Nation)]
* Khieu Samphan leaves his home in Pailin, prompting fears that the former Khmer Rouge head of state is fleeing to avoid possible prosecution in the UN-backed tribunal.
* The Bangkok South Criminal Court dismisses charges against former massage parlor tycoon and Chart Thai Party senator Chuwit Kamolvisit, and 131 other defendants, in the 2003 illegal demolition of bars and shops on Chuwit's plot of land on Sukhumvit Soi 10 in Khlong Toei district, Bangkok. [http://www.manager.co.th/IHT/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9490000090236 (ThaiDay)] [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060712/ap_on_re_as/cambodia_khmer_rouge (AP)]
* Singapore launches a Four Million Smiles project in a public campaign to welcome delegates from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in September.

11 July 2006 (Tuesday)

* Indonesia's parliament passes a draft law granting Aceh wide-ranging autonomy as part of a peace deal signed last year with the separatist Free Aceh Movement. [http://www.antara.co.id/en/seenws/?id=16096 (ANTARA)] [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060711/1/421an.html (AFP)]
* Key witnesses in the Khmer Rouge tribunal have gone into hiding amid fears of inadequate protection for those testifying, say genocide researcher Youk Chhang, director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia. Among those in hiding are two former guards at the Tuol Sleng torture center. [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060711/1/420us.html (AFP)]
*flagicon|Malaysia flagicon|Myanmar Ahead of the ASEAN Regional Forum, Malaysian foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar says Myanmar must democratize and free opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi if it wants support from ASEAN in international gatherings. The upcoming ARF is expected to be attended by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who shunned the gathering in 2005 in what was seen as a move to pressure ASEAN to address reforms in Myanmar. [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060711/1/421aj.html (AFP)]

10 July 2006 (Monday)

* Thailand's Democrat Party urges the government to officially disclose the text of a letter sent by caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to US President George W. Bush, seeking whether the letter mentions an "extra-constitutional charismatic figure" that Thaksin enigmatically mentioned in a recent radio address as someone he thinks is trying to overthrow his government. Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon insisted the letter contained no such details but remained tight-lipped on the letter's entire contents. [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23198 (TNA)] [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/11/headlines/headlines_30008454.php (The Nation)]
*flagicon|East Timor José Ramos-Horta is sworn in as Prime Minister of East Timor and begins his job collecting weapons from civilians in an effort to put an end to the 2006 East Timor crisis. "Today is a very important day in the history of our country. We are moving forward in the process to restore peace and order in East Timor," Ramos-Horta says. [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060711/1/420uu.html (AFP)]

9 July 2006 (Sunday)

* Police in Chiang Mai arrest Hellfried Sartori, 67, a former physician and Austrian national known infamously as "Doctor Ozone" for his so-called "ozone treatments" he claims cure cancer and other ailments. Police said Sartori may be responsible for the deaths of several Australian cancer sufferers who flew to Chiang Mai to receive the treatment in their hotel rooms. [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/11/headlines/headlines_30008444.php (The Nation)]

8 July 2006 (Saturday)

* Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej fell and received a minor fracture to one of his right ribs, the Royal Household Bureau announces. The 79-year-old monarch, celebrating his 60th year on the throne fell on June 24 while walking to exercise at Chitralada Palace, the bureau said. [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30008333 (The Nation)]
* After weeks of political unrest, José Ramos-Horta is appointed the new prime minister of East Timor by President Xanana Gusmão, replacing Marí Alkatiri. [http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200607/s1681879.htm (AP)]
* In his weekly radio address, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra says Thailand remains free of avian influenza after more than 290 days and that the recent deaths of many chickens and birds was from Newcastle disease and not the H5N1 virus. [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23181 (TNA)]

7 July 2006 (Friday)

* Six fugitive soldiers linked to an alleged failed coup plot against Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo are arrested in Manila. [http://newsinfo.inq7.net/topstories/topstories/view_article.php?article_id=8644 (INQ7)]
*flagicon|Cambodia SEZ Company of Cambodia has agreed a joint venture with Zephyr Company of Japan to jointly develop Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone. [http://www.camnet.com.kh/akp/ (AKP)]
*flagicon|Cambodia Cambodia has signed on agreement on gas and oil exploration in Cambodia 's offshore Block A with a foreign conglomerate including MOECE Company of Japan, Chevron Company of the USA and GS Caltex of South Korea. [http://www.tvk.gov.kh/LocalNews_English.htm (TVK)]
* flagicon|Cambodia Officials agree to open a new immigration checkpoint in Thailand's Trat Province, opposite Battambang Province, Cambodia. [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23157 (TNA)]
* In the South Thailand insurgency, the government closes a school in Pattani Province after two teachers are shot and seriously wounded. [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23158 (TNA)]
* flagicon|Myanmar A Thai man is missing and presumed dead in a flash flood along the Myanmar border in Mae Hong Son Province. The rains may also pre-empt a rafting festival in Prachin Buri Province's Na Di district, scheduled for July 9-15. [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23127 (TNA)]
* Noxious black sludge oozing from around an oil well near Surabaya, East Java, has driven about 8,000 people from their homes. The Banjar Panji-1 exploration well is operated by Lapindo Brantas, a subsidiary of PT Energi Mega Persada. Australia's Santos Ltd. and PT Medco Energi International Tbk also hold shares in the odorous, mud-spewing well. [http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060707/3/2musr.html (Reuters)]
* "Today", a Singaporean state-owned newspaper, suspends the column of popular mrbrown (real name Lee Kin Mun) just a week after he had satirised post-election price hikes for taxi fares and electricity. [http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060707/3/2mupv.html (Reuters)]

6 July 2006 (Thursday)

* Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng fires Maj-Gen Cao Ngoc Oanh, head of the investigative police in the Public Security Ministry and accepts the resignation of Nguyen Van Lam, deputy head of the Government Office, in connection with the PMU 18 scandal. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060707/wl_asia_afp/vietnampoliticscorruption_060707071102 (AFP)]

5 July 2006 (Wednesday)

* Sixty-five Muslim insurgents surrender to Thai authorities in Narathiwat. [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23106 (TNA)]
* Nearly 200 chickens in Phichit are culled and buried in a bid to prevent the possible spread of the H5N1 virus. More than 1,000 chickens are dead from unknown causes and a child is hospitalised with a suspicious illness. [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23095 (TNA)]
* flagicon|Indonesia Haze allegedly caused by open burning in Sumatra, Indonesia shrouds the skyline of Penang, Malaysia. [http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=206688 (Bernama)]

4 July 2006 (Tuesday)

* The Bangkok Metro is partially shut down for three hours because brake problems keep two trains at Khlong Toei station, blocking part of the line. Additionally, Thailand's cabinet approves a fare increase for the subway after the operator had already raised the fares. The government says Bangkok Metro must give a 30-day notification before an increase and that passengers should get refunds for the early increase. The cabinet-approved fare hike goes into effect next month. [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23087 (TNA)] [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23078 (TNA)]
* The World Health Organization reports that a 5-year-old boy who died recently in East Java has tested positive for the bird flu virus. It's the 41st death from the H5N1 virus in Indonesia. [http://www.antara.co.id/en/seenws/?id=15666 (ANTARA)]
* A Japanese cargo ship foils a pirate attack in the Strait of Malacca off Sumatra. Days before, pirates had raided two UN-chartered ships in the same area. The International Maritime Bureau says there have now been six piracy incidents in the Strait in 2006. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060704/ap_on_re_as/malaysia_pirate_attacks (AP)]
* Malaysia calls an emergency meeting at the United Nations. It concerns the latest development in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. [http://bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=206550 (Bernama)]

3 July 2006 (Monday)

* Clashes between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and pro-government militias have prompted at least 5,000 villagers to flee their homes in Maguindanao. [http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=news05_july04_2006 (Manila Standard)]
* flagicon|Laos flagicon|Myanmar flagicon|Thailand flagicon|Vietnam At a meeting in Pakxe, foreign ministers of the five-member ACMECS group agree on a plan to fight cross-border transmission of H5N1 and such other diseases as malaria, dengue fever, and HIV/AIDS. [http://www.bangkokpost.com/040706_News/04Jul2006_news08.php (Bangkok Post)]

2 July 2006 (Sunday)

*flagicon|Cambodia Foreign judges arrive in Cambodia for the United Nations-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal. [http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060702/1/41us4.html (AFP)]
*flagicon|Cambodia Cambodia wins Asian Nation Series Division 6 Tournament of Rugby. [http://www.planet-rugby.com/News/story_52210.shtml (Planet Rugby)]
* A mudslide destroys bungalows on Ko Chang as heavy rains lash the Gulf of Thailand. [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/03/headlines/headlines_30007867.php (The Nation)]
* flagicon|Malaysia flagicon|Thailand Haze pollution from forest fires on Sumatra blankets Thailand's Satun Province. The haze also covers parts of the Malaysian states of Kedah and Perlis. Visibility is worst in the afternoons and is proving hazardous for ships at sea and highway traffic. [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23029 (TNA)] [http://www.bangkokpost.com/020706_News/02Jul2006_news05.php (Bangkok Post)]

1 July 2006 (Saturday)

*flagicon|Thailand Thailand's caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra resumes his weekly radio broadcast after a four-month break. He hints that the October 15 legislative election could be postponed if political developments demand the government stay in charge longer, and takes a potshot at an unnamed "charismatic figure". Broadcast journalists and other critics say the show is an improper use of government resources. [http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/02Jul2006_news01.phphttp://www.bangkokpost.com/News/02Jul2006_news01.php (Bangkok Post)] [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/02/headlines/headlines_30007799.php (The Nation)]

News collections and sources

Helpful resources

*.
* - This has much of the same material organised in a hierarchical manner to help encourage in our news reporting.

Brunei

* Borneo Bulletin [http://www.brunet.bn/news/bb/]
* The Brunei Times [http://www.bruneitimes.com.bn/]

Cambodia

* Agence Khmer Presse (AKP) [http://www.camnet.com.kh/akp/]
* The Cambodia Daily [http://www.cambodiadaily.com/]
* Cambodia Politics [http://www.cambodiapolitics.org]
* Phnom Penh Post [http://www.phnompenhpost.com/]

Indonesia

* ANTARA [http://www.antara.co.id/en/]
* The Jakarta Post [http://www.thejakartapost.com/headlines.asp]

Laos

* Vientiane Times [http://www.vientianetimes.com/Headlines.html]

Malaysia

*Bernama [http://www.bernama.com.my/]
*Daily Express [http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/] (mainly Sabah news)
*The Edge [http://www.theedgedaily.com/cms/index.jsp]
*New Straits Times [http://www.nst.com.my/]
*Malaysiakini [http://www.malaysiakini.com/]
*The Malay Mail [http://www.mmail.com.my/]
*The Star [http://thestar.com.my/]

Myanmar

* New Light of Myanmar (NLM) [http://www.myanmar.com/nlm/]
* The Myanmar Times [http://www.myanmar.com/myanmartimes/]
* The Irrawaddy [http://www.irrawaddy.org/]

Philippines

* Philippines News Agency (PNA) [http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php]
* INQ7 (GMA Network) [http://www.INQ7.net]
* The Daily Tribune [http://www.tribune.net.ph/]
* Manila Bulletin [http://www.mb.com.ph/]
* Manila Standard [http://www.manilastandardtoday.com]
* Manila Times [http://www.manilatimes.net/]
* Philippine Daily Inquirer [http://www.inquirer.com.ph/]
* Philippine Star [http://www.philstar.com/]

ingapore

*Channel NewsAsia [http://www.channelnewsasia.com/]
*Straits Times [http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/]
*Business Times [http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/]
*The New Paper [http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/]
*Today [http://www.todayonline.com/]

Thailand

* Bangkok Post [http://www.bangkokpost.com]
* Business Day [http://www.biz-day.com/]
* The Nation [http://www.nationmultimedia.com]
* National News Bureau (NNB) [http://www.thaisnews.com/index.php]
* Thai News Agency (TNA) [http://etna.mcot.net/]
* International Herald Tribune/ThaiDay [http://www.ihtthaiday.com/IHT/Default.aspx]

Vietnam

* "Nhan Dan" [http://www.nhandan.com.vn/english/]
* "Saigon Times" [http://www.saigontimes.com.vn/daily/]
* "Thanh Nien News" [http://www.thanhniennews.com/]
* VietnamNet [http://english.vietnamnet.vn/]
* Vietnam News Agency (VNA) [http://www.vnanet.vn/default.asp?LANGUAGE_ID=2]
* Viet Nam News (VNN) [http://vietnamnews.vnanet.vn/default.php]