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.
More than 950,000 travellers used Singapore-Malaysia land borders over long weekend
More than 950,000 travellers used the land checkpoints between Singapore and Malaysia over the long weekend.
More travellers left Singapore - 491,400 - compared with 462,400 arrivals into the country over five days from last Friday (April 29) to Tuesday.
Over the three-day Good Friday weekend between April 15 and 17, 436,800 crossed the land borders between the two countries. That was the first public holiday since land borders fully reopened on April 1, the first time in two years that fully vaccinated individuals could travel freely between Singapore and Malaysia by land without testing or quarantine.
Earlier, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) had advised travellers to use the cross-border bus services instead of driving into Malaysia with private vehicles to avoid getting caught in the anticipated jam.
Based on figures provided by the ICA, there were more travellers using cars and motorcycles than buses. Collectively, 660,400 travellers who cleared the checkpoints used private transport while 293,400 used the bus.
The difference may be partly attributed to cross-border public buses resuming operations only from Sunday. – Straits Times
Flash flood victims continue to rise in Pontian
The number of flash flood victims in Pontian continues to increase, reaching 168 individuals from 31 families, with two more relief centres opened.
The Pontian District Disaster Management Committee (JPBD) secretariat said the two new centres were Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sri Bunian which houses 117 victims from 20 families, and SK Seri Bukit Panjang with 32 individuals from seven families.
In a statement today, it added the first relief centre was opened at SK Melayu Raya to accommodate 19 evacuees from four families, and the three villages affected so far are Kampung Seri Segambut, Kampung Jasa Sepakat and Kampung Bukit Panjang.
"Continuous heavy rain from 5.30 am caused several houses in Pontian to be flooded," it said. In the same statement, JPBD Mersing stated that a relief centre at Penghulu Mukim Complex was opened at 7.30 pm yesterday to house 31 fire victims from two families.
According to the statement, a fire destroyed two houses in Kampung Gajah Mati, Gersik.
Meanwhile, Mersing Fire and Rescue Station Operations commander Assistant Fire Superintendent, Mohd Alias Hussin said one house was 95 per cent destroyed while the other was 60 per cent razed in the fire.
In a separate statement, he added 13 firefighters were rushed to the scene after receiving an emergency call at 4.53pm yesterday.
Mohd Alias said the fire-fighting operation ended at 7.39 pm and the cause of the fire was still under investigation. – New Straits Times
Thanathorn would take axe to local posts
Critics have slammed Progressive Movement leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit for seeking charter amendments to scrap the positions of provincial governor, district chief as well as tambon and village heads.
The group posted on Facebook a media interview in which Mr Thanathorn discussed a proposal that aims to end what he called state centralisation. He said that elections of provincial governors do not guarantee that the centralised system will end because as long as provincial governors report to the Interior Ministry, decisions on local matters will still be made in a top-down manner.
Mr Thanathorn also said that provincial governors, who are appointed officials, are in fact more powerful than elected chairmen of the provincial administrative organisations (PAO). "This shows the central government has no trust in people.
"This form of government is not designed to support people to achieve their full potential, but to rule and control," he said.
The Progressive Movement leader also called for an end to the position of provincial governor, which he described as an arm of the central government.
Instead, such power must be handed over to elected PAO chairmen with authority to handle management of local resources and taxation, Mr Thanathorn said.
He also proposed scrapping the positions of district chief, tambon chief (kamnan) and village heads because there are already mayors and chiefs of tambon administrative organisations (TAO) carrying out the work, and that what they need is more power, personnel and budget.
"The Progressive Movement has launched a campaign to invite the public to sign a petition to amend the constitution's Chapter 14 related to local administration," he said. – Bangkok Post
PNP stations nationwide now on full alert
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday announced it has placed all its stations nationwide on full alert as part of its efforts to secure the May 9 national and local elections (NLEs).
“We are all systems go. We have placed all police stations nationwide on full alert status,” PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos said in a statement.
As part of its election security preparations, the PNP on Wednesday simultaneously opened the "National Election Monitoring and Action Center" (NEMAC), and Regional Election Monitoring and Action Centers (REMACs).
Carlos said the NEMAC and REMACs will serve as the “eyes and ears” of the PNP Security Task Force NLE 2022 that will provide an updated report of all incidents related to election and security activities undertaken by the police.
He said that standby forces and quick reaction teams will be stationed on a 24-hour basis at the command posts in their respective headquarters.
"We will stand strong; we will finish strong and we will perform professionally for peaceful elections. The 225,000 strong men and women of the PNP are with the Comelec (Commission on Elections) to make sure that we guard the votes of our Filipino nation. That is a commitment. And to the Filipino people, your PNP will be there in all polling centers and polling precincts to make sure that your votes will be counted," Carlos said.
Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said it is also ready to secure the elections with its police counterparts on election day. – Philippine News Agency
Fifth plenum of 13th Party Central Committee opens
The fifth plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee opened in Ha Noi on Wednesday under the chair of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.
The participants will focus discussions on the 10-year implementation of the Resolution on continuing to reform land-related policies and laws, adopted at the sixth session of the 11th Party Central Committee; the 15 years of the Resolution on agriculture, farmers and rural areas, adopted at the sixth plenum of the 10th Party Central Committee; and the 20 years of the work on continuing to reform, develop and improve the efficiency of the collective economy.
They are also to look into the project on building Party organisations and on members, and another on the establishment of provincial steering committees for the prevention and control of corruption and other negative phenomena, along with a report reviewing the leadership and instructions of the Politburo and the Secretariat in 2021, and other important matters.
The issues to be debated are significant to the realisation of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress in major areas like enhancing socio-economic development by 2030 with a vision towards 2045, and intensifying the building and rectification of the Party and the political system to meet increasing requirements of the revolution in the new period.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Party leader Trong said reviewing the 10-year implementation of the Resolution on continuing to reform land-related policies and laws is an important requirement in order to implement the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, continue renewing and completing related mechanisms and policies, and remove obstacles in land management and use, thus helping to ensure the harmony of interests between the State, people and investors and creating resources and new motivation to strive to develop Viet Nam into a modern industrialised country by 2030 and a developed country by 2045. – Vietnam News
Opening of the Cambodian-Thai border boosts tourism
After the Thai government allowed the re-opening of the border with Cambodia from May 1, 2022, a number of associations and private companies in the tourism sector in Cambodia, Thailand, as well as Vietnam have cooperated to plan to boost the flow of tourists again.
In early May, the Asia-Pacific Tourism Association (PATA) led by Thuon Sinan, President of the Association, travelled through the Cham Yeam International Border Crossing, Koh Kong Province, to Trat Province, Thailand and on to Bangkok to attend the Tourism and Trade Exchange Meeting between Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam from May 5-6, 2022, while a delegation of companies in Cambodia also travelled by air from Phnom Penh to Bangkok.
The purpose of this road trip is to study and understand the journey as well as to complete the paperwork at the border checkpoints on both the Cambodian and Thai sides. Thuon Sinan told reporters on April 4 that the opening of the border between Cambodia and Thailand is very good for tourism, transport, trade, as well as other areas that are essential for the continuation of economic development between the two countries.
He said that in practice, when the PATA team crossed the Cham Yeam-Khlong Yai border checkpoint on May 3 yesterday, it was seen that the Cambodian side was doing a good job of completing the paperwork according to the guidelines and policies of the Royal Government, including immigration officials, border officials, as well as customs officials.
He said the flow of tourists by land would be even greater if the Thai side relaxed some conditions or documents because when he crossed the border, the requirements from the Thai side were still unstable, such as the conditions for driving a private car into Thailand and the problems that the Thai side requested the Cambodian side to conduct a rapid test on guests and passengers. – Khmer Times
Resistance force claims major junta casualties in guerrilla attacks in central Myanmar’s Yaw region
Some 25 Myanmar army troops are believed to have been killed in three guerrilla attacks carried out by the Yaw Defence Force (YDF) in northern Magway Region during a two-week period in April, according to a spokesperson for the group.
The anti-junta resistance force is active in an area of central Myanmar known as the Yaw region, which includes Gangaw, Htilin and Saw townships in Magway, near the Chin State border.
Fifteen soldiers were reportedly killed on the spot and several more injured when the YDF used explosive devices to strike a military truck in Gangaw Township on April 30, YDF information officer Ko Nyi told Myanmar Now.
At 4am, the group set fire to the eastern entrance gate to the town of Kyaw – where the soldiers were stationed and where the military’s No. 23 weapons factory is located. That afternoon, they attacked an army vehicle that was leaving the factory and carrying around 30 troops.
“We essentially lured them out,” Ko Nyi said. “We attacked them with explosives on the road and everyone who survived was injured.”
On the evening of April 27, the YDF also ambushed soldiers travelling to a bathing spot on Shu Khin Thar Lake near Kyaw. The group claimed to have killed six troops – including a captain – and injured the remaining two.
The YDF also attacked junta forces on the outskirts of Htilin Township on April 14, resulting in the deaths of five soldiers, including another captain, Ko Nyi said.
Myanmar Now was unable to independently verify the YDF’s reports of casualties or the presence of captains in either attack. – Myanmar NOW
Returning Eid travellers must maintain health: police
National Police's Traffic Corps Chief Inspector General Firman Shantyabudi has asked travellers undertaking the Eid al-Fitr exodus return trip to build their stamina and maintain physical health, describing them as prerequisites for safe travel.
"Prepare your stamina and make sure you are always healthy because physical health and fitness are an absolute prerequisite for safe travel," Shantyabudi said in a statement here on Wednesday.
He said that travellers with good stamina can maintain focus while traveling long distances in private vehicles and avoid getting into traffic accidents on roads.
The traffic corps head also urged residents who feel fatigued to take rest before continuing their travel.
"Travelers who are tired or feel sleepy must take rest because they must prioritize safety," he advised. Travelers must ensure their vehicles' roadworthiness before starting their travel to prevent a vehicle breakdown during travel that may cause traffic disruptions or road accidents, Shantyabudi said.
"Check your vehicle's engine condition, tire pressure, and other aspects to ensure your vehicle's roadworthiness," he added.
The traffic corps head also reminded travellers planning to return to Jakarta to start early to prevent traffic jams during the peak exodus return period.
"(We project) that the return trip peak period will occur on (May) 6, 7, and 8," he said.
The authority is ready to manage Eid al-Fitr traffic during the exodus return period, Shantyabudi affirmed while urging residents to follow traffic regulations and officers' instructions. – AntaraNews.Com