The Thaiger

While garbage in the sea is generally not a good thing, floating debris appears to have saved the life of a Cambodian man in the Gulf of Thailand off the coast of Rayong. The man was rescued today by the Royal Thai Navy after 2 days adrift at sea, clinging to debris, after falling off his fishing boat yesterday morning.

Temples are generally known to inspire peace and tranquillity, but a new 100 million baht temple complex in Northeastern Thailand has launched a feud with Cambodia which claims the temple is copying Angkor Wat, the largest temple complex in the world and the pride of Cambodian history and culture.

After remaining relatively unscathed during the global pandemic in 2020, Cambodia, like other countries in the region, is in the midst of a massive Covid-19 surge.

Nearly 2 dozen Cambodians were found in a forest near the Thai-Cambodian border.

Chikungunya, often likened to Dengue, has spread to 12 provinces across Cambodia. Over a thousand patients have now tested positive for the mosquito-borne disease between July 19 and 31.

Thailand’s border patrol forces are upping their game in the fight to prevent the Covid-19 virus being imported by illegal migrants.

Cambodian authorities continue to deny any knowledge of the disappearance of Thai activist in exile Wanchalearm Satsaksit.

Immigration officials in Sa Kaeo province, together with border police and the Thai military, have arrested 107 illegal immigrants since yesterday. Sa Kaeo lies about 200 kilometres east of Bangkok at the Cambodian border.

The alleged abduction of Thai activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit in Cambodia, and the inaction and apparent lack of interest on the part of both governments, has left people around the world to demand urgent action by writing a petition to Cambodian PM Hun Sen calling for an “effective, thorough and transparent” investigation into the disappearance.

Thailand’s neighbour Cambodia has had no new Covid-19 cases for a month and its last patient has recovered and left hospital, leaving the country with 0 cases.

A Ministry of Public Health announcement yesterday, signed by Deputy PM and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, and published in the Royal Gazette, claims the Covid-19 situation in 5 nearby countries is escalating. Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia and Myanmar have now been added to the list of countries and territories considered as high risk areas for infection.

Today the Thai Labour Ministy is allowing stranded workers from Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar to stay and work beyond the expiration date of their work permits, due to the recent closure of their borders.

The Royal Thai Army has helped its Cambodian counterparts clear landmines along the Sa Kaew border in Thailand’s east. Together they’ve cleared around 1.72 million square metres in the past financial year.

It seemed like such a good idea at the time.

The Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is leading a delegation to officiate at the opening of a new rail service between Thailand and Cambodia at Klong Luek railway station in Sa Kaew province.