CEBU, Philippines (AP) — Southeast Asian leaders met in an annual summit Friday under intense pressure to mitigate the impact on their people and economies from the Iran war, which one top minister said, "should not have occurred in the first place."

The alarm by the heads of state of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations was underscored by their decision to focus discussions on a contingency plan to ensure their fast-growing region, which imports most of its oil and gas from the Middle East, will have stable fuel and food supplies.

The Philippines is hosting the summit on the central island province of Cebu. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the summit to be stripped of the traditional pomp and pageantry in keeping with the economic headwinds worldwide.

From left, Myanmar's Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs U Hau Khan Sum, Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, East Timor's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, Vietnam's Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet, and Laos' Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone stand on stage for a group photo during the opening ceremony of the 48th ASEAN summit and Related Meeting in Cebu, Philippines, on Friday, May 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, Pool)

A key dilemma of the ASEAN leaders is how to carry out large-scale evacuations from the Middle East, where more than a million of their citizens work and live, if widespread hostilities flare up again.

Several Southeast Asian citizens have been killed since the United States and Israel launched military strikes on Feb. 28 against Iran. The hostilities have continued sporadically despite a month-old ceasefire, especially in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

A draft of a joint declaration by the leaders which outlines a contingency plan and which was seen by The Associated Press, called on the regional bloc's 11 state members to share information and strengthen coordination with international organizations "to ensure the safety and welfare of ASEAN nationals in affected areas."

Marcos told fellow leaders in a closed-door meeting that the Iran war exposed the weaknesses of Southeast Asian nations to external shocks and warned that recovery could take years even if the war ends now.

"We have seen firsthand the vulnerability of our nations to external factors," Marcos said. "The domino effect of oil supply disruptions on the various sectors of our countries has affected how we conduct business, how we work, how we live."

"Even if the tensions de-escalate in time, the damage to critical infrastructure, to vital systems and trust in general will continue to be felt for years to come," Marcos said.

Known for their conservative and careful rhetoric, top delegates to the ASEAN summit avoided blunt expressions of their disap

A Shanghai court has ordered a real estate management company to pay 690,000 yuan (approximately 3.2 million baht) in compensation to a female employee after ruling that her dismissal was unlawful. The company had terminated the employee, identified as Liu, citing concerns that her husband held a general manager position at a competitor and posed a "negative impact" to the organization.

Liu had worked for the company since 2006 before being fired in late 2023. She filed a labor arbitration claim in February 2024 seeking salary compensation, annual bonuses, and paid leave compensation totaling hundreds of thousands of yuan. The arbitration panel initially ruled in her favor, awarding 680,000 yuan in salary compensation and 10,000 yuan for unused leave.

The company challenged the decision in court, arguing that Liu, as operations manager, had access to sensitive company information that her husband could potentially exploit for competitive advantage. Liu's legal team countered that she never accessed any confidential information and held only a support role, and that her husband's employment title was merely listed for administrative convenience and was not a genuine position at a competing firm.

The Shanghai Suzhou District People's Court found the company lacked sufficient evidence to prove that Liu or her spouse had engaged in any breach of confidentiality or harm to the business. The court upheld the arbitration decision, declaring the termination unlawful.

The court further noted that it is common for spouses to work in different companies within the same industry. It emphasized that non-compete agreements can only be enforced against senior management, high-level specialists, or employees with specific duties to safeguard company secrets, and only when there is a clear written agreement in place.

The case has become a trending topic online, with public opinion divided between those sympathetic to the company's concerns and those advocating for stronger employee protections under labor law. Some internet users expressed understanding of the company's position, while others argued that while companies may dismiss employees, they must provide lawful severance compensation.

Actor Alec Theeradej is riding high with a packed schedule and an enviable physique, preparing for his first-ever trip to the Cannes Film Festival. The young star has captured attention for his impressive transformation, having committed to serious weight loss for his recent series.

At a press conference for "Crash Course in Romance" at True Alpha Hub, Alec opened up about his fitness regimen, weight loss journey, his sweet moments with co-star Bow Meldaa, and his excitement about attending Cannes for the first time.

When asked if his physique came solely from this project, Alec explained: "It actually came from this series, and then I lost even more weight for the film 'The Confessions of a Haunted House.' I'd say the past year had projects that required significant weight loss."

Regarding the dramatic results from both projects, Alec admitted: "It was tiring, but now that I've finished both projects, I'm gradually gaining some weight back and regaining a bit of softness."

Will the golden physique disappear? "It'll stay," he assured fans. "I want to maintain it."

Alec revealed that before his weight loss, he had struggled with chafing thighs when walking on the beach. "When I was overweight, my thighs would actually chafe," he said with a laugh. "Now I can walk anywhere without that problem."

On the difficulty of maintaining his current physique, Alec explained the difference between losing weight and maintaining it: "Losing weight is different from maintaining it. When I was losing weight, I had a clear goal and stayed focused. But during maintenance, it's easy to think one slip-up is okay, and if you slip up often, you gain weight again."

Despite traveling frequently abroad, Alec tries to stay disciplined. However, he emphasized the importance of balance: "I eat the same way I always did, but I balance my lifestyle. During my intense weight-loss phase, I was too strict – eating almost no fat – which isn't good for health and isn't sustainable long-term."

Alec noted that the extreme diet affected his energy levels. "I didn't feel depressed, but I lacked energy. I didn't want to do anything. After exercise, I just wanted to sit. I didn't want to talk to anyone because I didn't want to expend energy."

For someone who loves eating, Alec's strategy is practical: "I schedule which days I can eat freely and which days I can slip up. Days when I'm filming food content count as cheat days."

On the challenges of maintaining a celebrity physique, Alec was honest: "Being a celebrity isn't easy, especially when you're someone who gains weight easily. Many people ask me if I use weight-loss supplements, but I don't. I count calories, and it just happens to work well for me."

Tone Bangkae, the renowned amulet dealer, appeared at Phaholyothin Police Station at 1 PM on May 8 alongside his lawyer to identify individuals involved in his case against Deputy National Police Chief Jaroon Kiattipan (Madam Kaeng) and four associates. He provided photographs and evidence related to the case to investigators. After an hour of questioning, Tone told reporters that his debt repayment arrangements were legitimate with regular interest payments throughout, and that many of his assets came from business operations spanning over 10 years—possessions he owned before ever meeting Madam Kaeng.

Regarding the 152 amulets used to collateralize a 180 million baht loan (assessed at 400-500 million baht), Tone stated that an associate known as "Tao" conducted the valuation. He acknowledged that the amulets exceeded the loan amount, but in a second appraisal, they were valued at only 35-40 million baht—a discrepancy he claimed not to understand. When questioned why he didn't simply sell the amulets to pay his debts, Tone explained that his assets weren't limited to cash, noting he had already paid off numerous installments of his obligations.

Tone also pointed to another amulet dealer named "Un Gokee" as evidence of disparities in lending terms, noting that Un paid 200 million baht in interest to Madam Kaeng while he, having borrowed 800 million baht, questioned what interest rate he was charged. He denied involvement in any organized scheme and emphasized his focus on his relationship with Madam Kaeng alone. Regarding the public stigma of being labeled a debt defaulter, Tone challenged critics by asking whether any amulet dealer would dare report a high-ranking police officer without genuine threats. He concluded by asserting that all his assets have been offset by interest payments and denied wronging Madam Kaeng in any way.

The Coke Cup U17 Thailand Football Championship 2026 officially launched with Madame Pang Nuealpan Lamsam, chairperson of the Thai Football Association, hoping to discover brilliant gems for Thai football. On May 8, the Coca-Cola business group in Thailand—comprising Coca-Cola Thailand Limited, Thai Tippy Water Corporation, and Haad Thip Public Company—jointly announced the official opening of the Coke Cup U17 Thailand Football Championship 2026 through a draw ceremony determining competition brackets. The schedule for all 192 youth teams from six regions nationwide was revealed, with participants competing for prize money exceeding 1.5 million baht and opportunities to pursue professional football careers and compete on the world stage.

Retima Rucyan, General Manager and Vice President of Franchise Business at Coca-Cola Thailand, stated: "Coca-Cola aims to provide opportunities and support Thai youth in developing football skills throughout the Coke Cup U17 Thailand Football Championship 2026. This year, we're not just organizing a tournament but opening doors to dreams for new players alongside the association. The friendly football matches on May 8 also celebrate Coca-Cola's 140th anniversary and our 77 years in Thailand, creating excitement for young football fans while inspiring new players with experiences from former Coke Cup participants."

Madame Pang Nuealpan Lamsam, chairperson of the Thai Football Association, said: "Developing Thai youth football with national-level skills and potential is our core mission, and this partnership with Coca-Cola powerfully fulfills that. This year's most striking reflection is that 367 U-17 youth teams nationwide registered, showing that Thai youth's dreams and determination remain burning brightly. Among all these teams, we see impressive dedication, and we're proud to give 192 selected teams the opportunity to stand on this stage. With Coke's support, the association will systematically identify and develop talented players through the T-MASC model to polish Thai football's gems and make them shine at the national level."

After the competition management committee announced 192 qualified teams last week, comprising T1-T3 club teams, provincial sports association teams, and gold, silver, and bronze-level Academy Licensing member schools and academies, the official draw ceremony for regional brackets was held today. Competitions will take place across six zones from May to August 2026:

East Zone (Chonburi Province): May 19-24 Northeast Zone (Buriram Province): June 2-7 Central and West Zone (Kanchanaburi Province): June 16-21 South Zone (Songkhla Province): June 30 - July 5 North Zone (Chiang Mai Province): July 14-19