Migrants who were found at sea on a boat stand in line as they are repatriated across the Myanmar-Bangladesh border in Rakhine in June 2015 (Source: AFP)
Hanoi (VNA) – A Thai man masterminding the trafficking of My🌠anmar’s Rohingya migrants has been jailed for 35 years, a Thai court said on September 1.
A spokesman of the Pak Phanang provincial court said apart from the imprisonment, Sunand Saengthong had to pay a fine of 660,000 THB (19,000 USD).
His two accomplices were sentenced to one year and six months in jail, respectively.
Sunand was arrested during a raid in January last year which uncovered 97
Rohingya migrants.
Witnesses said that money from the human trafficking gang was transferred to Sunand's bank account, adding that he was a ringleader of Rohingya trafficking in southern Thailand.
The Asian Human Rights Commission, which has followed the prosecution, said police searched five vehicles during their raid and discovered migrants crammed in, including more than 40 Rohingya.
For years, thousands of migrants, mostly Rohingya in Myanmar and Bangladesh, fled their homeland by sea, looking for work abroad, including Malaysia and Indonesia
Southern Thailand has long been known as a nexus for lucrative smuggling
networks through which persecuted Rohingya Muslims in Buddhist-majority
Myanmar, and Bangladeshi economic migrants, pass on their way to Malaysia.
Thailand's junta launched a belated crackdown in 2015 on traffickers who abandoned hundreds of victims on boats and in squalid jungle camps.
In raids last year, Thai police arrested about 100 alleged human traffickers, including a senior army general. Most of them are currently being tried in Bangkok.-VNA
Cambodian press on May 23 reported that Prime Minister Hun Sen said the country may provide temporary shelter to thousands of migrant Rohingya who are being stranded at sea on the condition that the UN will resettle the migrants in another country, citing a statement of the Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan.
Thai police said on August 13 that they arrested 22 people accused for involvement in trafficking of Rohingya migrants from Myanmar as part of an ongoing large-scale crackdown launched in May.
Thailand on March 15 began a human trafficking trial with 92 defendants who were arrested by Thai authorities after mass graves of illegal migrants were found in the southern Thai jungle.
Malaysia, as ASEAN 2025 Chair, marked the bloc’s 58th founding anniversary on August 8 with a vibrant celebration in Cyberjaya, blending an official ceremony with a colorful cultural festival.
Vietnam plays an important role in Southeast Asia’s economic growth and is a key partner of her country in realising the shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region, said Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary of Office of Southeast Asia (OSA) – Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
The 2025 ASEAN Business Community Development (ABCD) Forum, themed “Empowering ASEAN's Next Leap: Digital, Sustainable & Entrepreneurial Transformation” brought together ministers, CEOs, and top industry experts to discuss key regional economic priorities.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Malaysia’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) reached 1.01% of gross domestic product in 2022, a notable increase, with more than 51% contributed by the industry sector. The country is targeting GERD to reach 2.5% by 2030, in line with the national goal of transforming into a high-technology nation.
Migrants who were found at sea on a boat stand in line as they are repatriated across the Myanmar-Bangladesh border in Rakhine in June 2015 (Source: AFP)
