COVID-19 testing in Bangkok, Thailand (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Hanoi (VNA)– Southeast Asian nations continue to report a large number of new COVID-19cases.
Thailand’s Centre forCOVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on April 29 said that the countrylogged 1,871 new infections and 10 deaths in the past 24 hours, raising thenational count to 63,570, with 188 fatalities.
To date, authoritiesin 73 out of the 77 provinces, including Bangkok capital, have asked people towear face masks when going out, and imposed fines of up to 20,000 THB (640 USD)for violators.
Meanwhile, theMalaysian government on April 29 imposed the two-week Enhanced Movement ControlOrder (EMCO) in nine localities of three states.
In March, the numberof new infections in Malaysia was down, standing at triple-digit number for thefirst time in over three months. However, the figure surged again when therestrictions were eased.
New outbreaks weredetected in residential areas and schools, instead of workplace as in theprevious resurgence. The Ministry of Health announced that 15 new fatalities inthe past 24 hours brought the country’s death toll to 1,477.
Cambodia reported 698new COVID-19 cases on April 28. There was only one imported case, while theremainders had links to the February 20 community incident.
As of April 28, thecountry had seen a total 11,761 COVID-19 cases and 88 deaths.
Philippine PresidentRodrigo Duterte on April 28 announced that Manila and four surrounding areas ofabout 28 million people will be lockdown for other two weeks from May 1.
He urged the citizensto closely follow health guidelines to curb the spread of the pandemic.
The Philippines’COVID-19 tally exceeded the 1-million-mark on April 26 to more than 1.02 million,with total death toll of 17,031./.
Police in the central city of Da Nang have started legal proceedings and detained 14 suspects involving in a ring of brokering and organising illegal entry to Vietnam for Chinese people.
The authorities in Cambodia’s Kampong Chhnang province on April 27 decided to temporarily impose lockdown on two villages after they found that the villages are linked to four COVID-19 patients.
The Lao government has announced that the country basically completed the preparation of resources to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic in the context that the number of infections is increasing in the Southeast Asian nation.
A participant in the Malaysia Economic Forum 2025 said despite challenges, there are significant opportunities in AI, digital transformation, and green technologies, requiring the country to balance both risk and potential thoughtfully.
Themed “emerging trends in terrorism and violent extremism”, the event drew over 200 participants from domestic and international agencies, discussing the rapid evolution of terrorism and the need for stronger regional and global cooperation.
Indonesia aims to start nuclear power generation by 2034, with a government roadmap already in place to develop small modular reactors (SMRs) with capacities ranging from 300 to 500 megawatts.
The package, endorsed on June 24, comprises 481 projects designed to boost GDP by an additional 0.4% and generate temporary employment for about 7.4 million people nationwide.
An Indonesian official emphasised that energy security is extremely essential amid global geopolitical and economic fragmentation, highlighting the need for the energy industry to strengthen resilience and responsiveness in the face of fluctuating oil prices and the shift to clean energy.
ASEAN must deepen collaboration through platforms such as the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) to ensure regional responses keep pace with the rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape.
Speaking at the launch of the Indonesia Economic Prospects June 2025 edition on June 23 in Jakarta, Turk noted that Indonesia’s gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 4.9% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
Anti-dumping duties will continue to be imposed on producers from China and Japan while those on relevant exporters from the RoK and Vietnam will be terminated, starting from June 23.
A specialist police unit has acquired a fleet of off-road vehicles to help officers navigate rough, unpaved terrain – and flood waters – to respond more quickly to public security incidents.
The pact covers goods, services, investments, intellectual property rights, customs facilitation, competition policy, sanitary and phytosanitary, trade and sustainable development, government procurement and economic cooperation.
The talent programmes mark another milestone in the technical partnership between PETRONAS and the Energy Institute, which focuses on three pillars: promoting decarbonisation and operational excellence through innovative solutions, enabling informed decision-making with expert advice, and nurturing the next generation of energy professionals.
The firefighters found an active blaze at the lorry depot located in the city of Pasir Gudang near the state capital of Johor Bahru, with flames spreading quickly due to strong winds and igniting a neighboring disused oil storage area.
Investigators believe the operation is part of a broader scam network involving romance scams, where victims are lured into fake relationships and persuaded to transfer money.
Ambassadors, Consuls General, along with staff and their families, joined traditional sports and cultural activities of Southeast Asia and performances bearing regional identity, thus contributing to strengthening unity and the ASEAN community spirit in New York.
In his post on social media the same day, Hun Manet said energy companies would be able to import sufficiently from other sources to meet domestic fuel and gas demands in the country.
COVID-19 testing in Bangkok, Thailand (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
