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.
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Coronavirus: Still too soon to say if Omicron more transmissible than Delta, says WHO
The World Health Organisation does not yet have enough data on the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus to say if it is more transmissible than the Delta variant, an official said on Wednesday (Dec 22), almost a month after South Africa first raised the alarm about its emergence.
"We do have some data suggesting that rates of hospitalisation are lower," WHO's technical lead on Covid-19, Maria van Kerkhove, said in a briefing with media.
But she cautioned against drawing conclusions from the early data because "we have not seen this variant circulate long enough in populations around the world, certainly in vulnerable populations". - Straits Times
Specialist: Model flash flood warning system on Covid-19 Tracker
The government should upgrade the country's flash flood forecasting and warning systems by taking a leaf from the Covid-19 Tracker used by the National Security Council.
Global Environment Centre River Care Programme Manager Dr Kalithasan Kailasam said the effective dissemination of Covid-19 cases, clusters and vaccination updates should be modelled into the flood warning systems.
The existing National Flood Forecasting and Warning Programme, he said, lacked such quick and effective means to communicate and disseminate information. - New Straits Times
A bad case of deja vu for Thai tourism
The emergence of the Covid-19 variant Omicron, which has tallied 104 confirmed cases in Thailand, is bringing back bad memories of last year when the second wave stomped on the festive season just a few weeks before the New Year holiday.
The tourism industry, which contributed up to 20% of GDP during boom years, plummeted to 1.79% of GDP during the first half of 2021, largely as a result of border closures.
The decision by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to suspend the "Test & Go" scheme nationwide means Thailand may take the same stance it had in the first half of 2021, with all new registrants for the Thailand Pass facing mandatory quarantine. Entry via the Phuket airport through the sandbox programme is another option, requiring at least a seven-day stay on the island. - Bangkok Post
All typhoon casualty reports fully checked: PNP
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday clarified that all reported incidents relating to casualties from the onslaught of Typhoon Odette are properly documented and investigated by various police units and are still subject to validation.
“The reported casualties are submitted to Office of Civil Defense and these are subject to validation by OCD (Office of Civil Defense), DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) and DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development,” PNP chief General Dionardo Carlos said.
He also added that PNP units handling these data exercise due diligence to preclude possibilities of redundant or omitted entry that may compromise the accuracy of information. - Philippine News Agency
National Steering Committee on climate change commitments established
Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chinh has signed a decision approving the establishment of a National Steering Committee to ensure Vietnam's commitments at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).
PM Chinh is the head of the Steering Committee, while Deputy PM Le Van Thanh is the deputy head.
The Steering Committee will perform the function of helping the Prime Minister to research, direct, coordinate, and handle important interdisciplinary work related to Vietnam's commitments at COP26. - Vietnam News
Provincial governors given three guidelines to fight C-19
The Health Ministry yesterday issued three guidelines to all provincial governors to remind them to strengthen the measures to fight against Covid-19, especially the new Omicron virus.
Health Minister Mam Bun Heng said he sincerely appreciated the capital and provincial governors, including health officials at all levels and volunteers, as well as all citizens who have worked hard in the past to fight Covid-19 under the guidance of Prime Minister Hun Sen, which so far has achieved proud results.
Bun Heng added that in order to make the fight against Covid-19 more effective, the Health Ministry issued the three guidelines. - Khmer Times
Victims of physical abuse inside Insein Prison denied medical treatment
Inmates in Yangon’s Insein Prison who were beaten by staff for engaging in a protest earlier this month have been denied medical treatment for injuries they sustained in the crackdown, the victims’ families have said.
On December 10, many prisoners locked up on politically motivated charges and convictions refused to leave their cells in solidarity with a nationwide “Silent Strike” taking place that day, the International Day of Human Rights. After the inmates sang an anti-dictatorship song, the Insein authorities then beat, interrogated, and transferred around 90 people to cells in isolation of the general population.
One of the protesters beaten unconscious was Zaw Htet Naing, also known as Sitt Naing, one of his relatives confirmed to Myanmar Now. - Myanmar NOW
No one to be left behind in COVID recovery: Hartarto
The Indonesian Government is committed to prioritizing human rights and non-discrimination for optimizing COVID-19 handling and economic recovery, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto has said.
"No one will be left behind and everyone will be accommodated. The government has provided social benefits to ensure decent living for the most vulnerable communities," Hartarto noted during a webinar hosted by the National Commission on Human Rights on Wednesday.
The coordinating minister affirmed that COVID-19 handling measures have continued to yield positive results, with Indonesia recording just 216 positive cases on Tuesday (December 21, 2021), a significant improvement compared to July 2021, when the second wave of COVID-19 infections almost overwhelmed the country. - AntaraNews.Com