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.
Foreign Ministry denies US tip-off
The Foreign Ministry is backtracking on earlier statements by the foreign minister that the United States had informed Thailand one day before its drone attack which killed Iranian forces leader Qassem Soleimani, saying the report was "misinformed".
Ministry spokeswoman Busadee Santipitaks was commenting on remarks by Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai before reporters at Government House. He suggested the US had told Thailand about the attack on Thursday, a day before it happened, explaining that normally such an advisory would go through Asean, which Thailand chaired until recently.
"If ASEAN [members] agree to stay neutral, it will be easy," he said. "We should plan to handle the consequences [of the conflict] in the middle and long term," he said. – Bangkok Post
Hun Sen touts peace, coup attempt thwarted
Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday said the Kingdom managed to thwart a regime change attempt last year and touted peace as a key factor for the country reaching its socio-economic development goals.
Speaking to thousands of attendees at the 41st anniversary of the January 7 Victory Day, a day commemorating victory over the Khmer Rouge, in Phnom Penh’s Koh Pich Exhibition Centre, Mr Hun Sen said that the government firmly safeguarded peace, political stability, security, and public order in which people live harmoniously. – Khmer Times
Robredo, Marcos file final plea in poll protest at SC
Vice President Leni Robredo and rival Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. have made their final arguments before the Supreme Court hands out its ruling on whether to dismiss or proceed with Marcos’ election protest after the test recount.
In their respective memoranda filed on Dec. 19, 2019, Robredo cited the court’s own rules and argued that the protest should be dismissed since Marcos had failed to get more votes during the ballot revision and recount in the pilot provinces that he himself had chosen and that the recount actually added to her votes. – Philippine Daily Inquirer
Geopolitical tension weigh on RM in early trading
The ringgit opened lower against the US dollar in early session today on weaker demand as traders shifted towards safe-haven US dollar due to escalating geopolitical tension in the Middle East.
As at 9.06 am, the ringgit was at 4.1100/1140 against the US dollar from 4.0910/0950 at yesterday’s close. – The New Straits Times
Vietnam needs to change policy or lose out in Industry 4.0
Vietnam needs a “revolution in its policy-making mind-set” before it can take advantage of the fourth industrial revolution, said Phạm Xuân Hòe from the Banking Strategy Institute, at a forum in Ha Noi yesterday
Attending the forum held by the Vietnam Institute for Economic and Policy Research (VEPR), Hòe said: “if Vietnam can catch up with the revolution in time, the digital economy can help the country close the gap with other nations around the world.” – Viet Nam News