These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
Get up to speed with what’s happening in the fastest growing region in the world.
Stay informed with The ASEAN Post.
Train services return to normal following Wednesday's widespread disruption
A day after one of the worst power-related disruptions in years that hit three MRT lines and left thousands stranded, train services on the three lines resumed, with commuters saying that their morning rides were uneventful. At about 6.45am at Yew Tee MRT station on Thursday (Oct 15) morning, train services were running as usual, and commuters who spoke to The Straits Times said nothing was amiss when they took their daily morning rides to work, school and camp. A power fault had shut down train service on parts of the North-South and East-West MRT Lines at around 7pm on Wednesday (Oct 14), severely disrupting the evening rush-hour commute for many commuters. Half an hour later, the fault disrupted service along a 16-station stretch of the Circle Line. Preliminary investigations indicate that a faulty power cable had caused the breakdown, which is one of the most serious power-related incidents to hit the MRT network in recent years. Service resumed at all stations along the North-South and East-West Lines at 10.35pm. On Thursday morning, some were unaware of last night's disruptions as services were back to normal. – The Straits Times
Covid-19: May take 6 weeks for Selangor to see drop
It may take four to six weeks for Selangor to show a downward trend in Covid-19 cases with sustained compliance to the standard operating procedures (SOP), said experts. Sabah, however, is not out of the woods, as it is still seeing many cases. Epidemiologist Datuk Dr Awang Bulgiba Awang Mahmud said this was because it was difficult to say how long a Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) was required before a declining trend could be seen. "Selangor's Rt (at time transmission rate) is supposed to be high, but the base is not that big. So, the number of new cases is not that high yet. However, we are still not seeing more discharges than new cases on a sustained basis in Selangor." He also said circumstances made it hard to say what was the Rt and dip in cases that needed to be achieved for the CMCO to be lifted. On whether the two-week window was sufficient for tracking and testing of Sabah returnees, Dr Awang Bulgiba said it was like closing the stable door after the horses had bolted. "It's too late – many had come back last month. About 400 have tested positive and 60 per cent of these came back before Sept 27. "This segment was probably asymptomatic and may have spread the disease to others unknowingly. "Therefore, it is no longer possible to estimate how much time is required to track down all those who came back before the home surveillance and testing orders came into effect for them and their contacts." He said the issue was not the SOP or the CMCO, but compliance. "The SOP now is very strict. Any stricter will mean a return to the MCO, which is not a palatable option and unnecessary. It is compliance which is the issue. If everyone complies to the SOP, then the CMCO will work." Dr Awang Bulgiba said Sabah was still a red zone despite the boost in resources this week. He said it was unlikely for Malaysia to hit a daily count of 4,500 active cases by month-end as suggested by the Health Ministry. – New Straits Times
Twenty protesters arrested, planned Thursday rally prohibited
Police said 20 demonstrators, including three rally leaders, were arrested in Bangkok early on Thursday as the protest outside Government House was dispersed. Two thousand police were also on standby to prevent another anti-government protest planned for Ratchaprasong intersection late on Thursday afternoon. Deputy Bangkok police chief Pol Maj Gen Piya Tawichai said at the Metropolitan Police Bureau at 7.30am that six companies of police ended the demonstration at Government House early on Thursday morning, He said 20 demonstrators were arrested. They included rally leaders Arnon Numpha, Parit Chiwarak and Prasit Krutharote. They were detained at the Border Patrol Police Region 1 offices in Pathum Thani for violating the state of emergency order and organising the demonstration. Video posted on social media showed student leader Panusaya "Rung" Sithijirawattanakul being taken away in a wheelchair as she gave the three-fingered salute of pro-democracy campaigners. She had said a protest would take place at 4pm despite the decree. There were no injuries during the operation, Pol Maj Gen Piya said. He also said 13 companies of police, about 2,000 in total, would be assigned to the vicinity of Ratchaprasong intersection, on Rama I and Ratchadamri roads, from noon. The public were advised to avoid the area from 4pm to 10pm. Anti-government protest leaders earlier announced another demonstration at Ratchaprasong intersection at 4pm on Thursday, in defiance of the state of emergency ban. Pol Col Kissana Phathanacharoen, deputy police spokesman, said that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's announcement of the state of emergency early on Thursday morning prohibited any public gathering of five people or more, and any act that would instigate disorder. Police then ordered demonstrators at Government House to stop violating the order. Some demonstrators were defiant, and police arrested them for legal prosecution, Pol Col Kissana said. He warned that people who invite supporters to a new rally, and rallygoers, would also face legal action. He said police were also taking action against the people who posted illegal messages via social media. – Bangkok Post
COVID-19 vaccine to be priced at Rp 200,000 per dosage: Bio Farma
State-owned pharmaceutical company PT Bio Farma has confirmed that the COVID-19 vaccine will be priced at around Rp 200,000 (US$13.57) per dosage when it becomes available. Bio Farma president director Honesti Basyir said the price was based on a recent email from Sinovac Biotech, the Chinese COVID-19 candidate vaccine producer. The vaccine is currently in late-stage trials in Indonesia. “Bio Farma is committed to supporting the government’s efforts to provide an affordable COVID-19 vaccine to protect Indonesians,” Honesti said in a statement on Tuesday. He went on to say that Sinovac had denied reports that Brazil would get a similar vaccine at a much lower price of $1.96 per dosage. “The $1.96 price per dosage price is incorrect, because the shipping cost alone is at least $2 per dosage. Sinovac is currently seeking the origins of this report,” he added. Honesti said the decision to set the potential vaccine price was based on the amount of investment put into phase three of the clinical trials and the efficacy test. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) plans to visit Sinovac’s facilities in Beijing to ensure the development and production of the vaccine is based on good manufacturing practice (GMP). The Indonesian Ulema Council's Assessment Institute for Foods, Drugs and Cosmetics (LPPOM MUI) also plans to evaluate the halal standard of the vaccine. As of the second week of this month in Bandung, West Java, the third clinical phase of the trial involved 843 volunteers receiving a second injection of the vaccine, while 449 others were in a monitoring stage for the second injection. At least 1,620 volunteers are needed for the clinical trial. Each volunteer will receive two vaccine injections within six months. The Indonesian clinical trial team for the Sinovac vaccine said that there had not been any side effects after volunteers received the shots. – The Jakarta Post
Sacrifices needed to avert COVID-19 case surge, says DOH
With Europe seeing a rapid spike in new coronavirus cases partly due to “pandemic fatigue,” the Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday advised the public to accept that “little sacrifices” have to be made to avoid a surge in infections. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the DOH understood the fatigue everyone was going through these days because of the restrictions put in place to control the spread of the virus. But people, she said, must also understand that they can no longer return to life as they knew it prior to the pandemic. “That’s why we have the new normal. We have to remember that this new normal comes with little sacrifices like always wearing a mask, face shield, practicing distancing and washing hands,” Vergeire said. A number of European countries like France, Italy, Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom are currently seeing a fresh wave of new infections, and experts partly attribute this to pandemic fatigue, or the public feeling less motivated to observe health measures against COVID-19, the severe respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus. It is to be expected, Vergeire said, that when the economy gradually reopens, new cases may rise. But she stressed that this can be tempered through strict compliance with health measures. “If all of us will cooperate and enforce compliance to these minimum health standards, hopefully this wouldn’t happen to us. We are gradually reopening the economy while balancing everything to prevent this kind of situation from happening in the country,” she said. Vergeire reiterated that the number of new cases isn’t the sole factor that the government considers in imposing stricter lockdowns. The main determinant, she said, is if a particular community’s health system is able to cope with the increase. – INQUIRER.net
Việt Nam among top countries of sex ratio imbalance at birth
As Việt Nam is listed among three countries with the highest rate of sex ratio imbalance at birth, local authorities are making efforts to raise public awareness and tighten regulations to shorten the gap. According to the latest report on the world’s population conducted by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Việt Nam’s imbalance rate in 2019 was 111.5 boys per 100 girls, behind only China and India - the two most populous countries in the world. Việt Nam has faced a sex ratio imbalance at birth since 2006. Phạm Vũ Hoàng, deputy head of General Office for Population and Family Planning, said the imbalance started in Việt Nam late but has increased faster than in other Asian countries. In 2006, the country's sex ratio at birth started to exceed normal levels (104-106 boys to 100 girls). That ratio increased to 111.2 boys in 2010 and 112.8 boys in 2015. The increase was different between urban and rural areas and among regions. The general population and housing census in 2019 showed the ratio was higher in rural areas than urban. The Red River Delta in the north had the highest level of imbalance. Hà Thị Quỳnh Anh, a gender and human right specialist from the UNFPA, attributed the sex imbalance at birth in Việt Nam to biased gender selection. Many families in Việt Nam prefer sons to inherit the home when parents have died and take over ancestor worship. Men are believed to be stronger than women so sons are trusted to work and take care of parents when they get old. Many families abuse the development of technology to select their children’s gender. Decreased family size has forced parents to choose to have at least one son, she said. Those reasons resulted in 40,800 unborn girls in Việt Nam each year. This figure is calculated based on the difference between the estimated number of girls born following natural laws and the actual number of girls born in a year, Anh said. International and Vietnamese studies have shown that sex imbalance at birth can lead to unpredictable consequences for society, the economy and political security. There will be more men at marriage age than women, breaking the family structure, Phạm Vũ Hoàng, deputy head of the General Office for Population and Family Planning said. – Viet Nam News
Dam damaged due to heavy rainfall
The sluice gate at Chamkar Te Dam in Kampong Speu province’s Kirirom mountains, which holds 5 million cubic metres of water, has collapsed due to heavy rains. Kampong Speu provincial governor Vei Samnang on his Facebook page yesterday appealed to residents living in the area below the dam, including four communes of Chambok, Taing Sya, Taing Samrong, and Moha Saing of Phnom Sruoch district and Taing Krouch commune of Samrong Tong district, as well as along the Prek Tnaot bridge to stay alert and be ready to evacuate. Samnang also urged the residents to proactively relocate to safe ground as the river had quickly escalated to flood levels in Chbar Morn city, and that the floodwaters were expected to reach more populated areas within hours. “Please inform parents, aunts and uncles, because the flood will flow to the villages of Rolong, Prey Sleuk, Kaheng, Kab Touk, Phnom Dey, Thmei village, Kravien, Prey Beng, Tang Kroch, and Sampov,” he said. “Hurry to move your necessary belongings to a safe place as well as help each other to check on the elderly and children.” In western Phnom Penh and Kandal province, the Stung Prek Tnaot dam yesterday overflowed due to continuing heavy rains, affecting at least 200 families who live in Sak Sampov commune, Dangkor district to evacuate to safer ground. Minister of Water Resources Lim Kean Hor said during his visit at the site that Tuesday night’s heavy rain caused the Stung Prek Tnaot dam’s water level to rapidly rise to 6.52 metres at the front sluice and reached 9.25 metres at the back sluice, causing the river to overflow the spillways to other areas in Kandal province including Spean Thmor, Tien Rolous, Kong Noy and Prek Kampus communes. – Khmer Times