Cambodian king appoints Hun Sen's son as new PM

13 Sept 13:49 Key points summarised by AI

King Norodom Sihamoni officially appointed Hun Manet as Cambodia's new Prime Minister, succeeding his father, Hun Sen, who led the nation for nearly four decades.
This dynastic transition follows Hun Sen's decision to step down after a July election, which international bodies widely condemned as neither free nor fair due to the barring of the main opposition.
Hun Manet and his cabinet require a parliamentary confidence vote on August 22 to officially take office, while his father, Hun Sen, has vowed to remain politically dominant by becoming Senate president next year.

Government to start building Chainat-Pasak-Gulf water diversion canal next year

Today 14:58 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's government will launch the "Chainat-Pasak-Gulf" water diversion canal project in fiscal year 2027, a seven-year mega-infrastructure initiative.
This permanent structural solution aims to mitigate recurrent central plains flooding by diverting water from the Chao Phraya River directly into the Gulf of Thailand, significantly reducing flow to major cities like Ayutthaya and Bangkok.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul justifies the long-term investment as a means to reduce future damages and fiscal burdens, contrasting it with the 40-50 billion baht spent annually on short-term flood relief.
Concurrently, the Prime Minister instructed officials to expand drainage capacity into the Tha Chin River and swiftly remove water hyacinths to improve immediate flood management.