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The Ranong Post (News from Kalasin)

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Daitō:
Three Dead, Eight Injured in Firefight Outside of Treng
According to local authorities, two militants and one civilian were killed outside of Treng, Rayong Province, during a firefight between forces belonging to the Vax National Army and a local gang. The engagement, which started at 3:16 and ended at 3:24 PM, appears to have started as an attack on a VNA checkpoint, and left a further eight wounded while disrupting traffic into the city until 6:00 that evening. The attackers, who are suspected to belong to the criminal syndicate "Red Vax", fled the scene, and the VNA has begun a manhunt for them. A curfew has been instituted in the city that will last from 10:00 PM until sunrise. So far, the Interior Ministry has not commented on the actions of the VNA, however, it is rumored that they offered their tacit approval for these actions. A spokesperson for the VNA was quoted as saying "...these actions, this curfew, is merely standard operating procedure following terrorist attacks such as this. We urge all citizens in Treng to comply."

Daitō:
Arun Kaikaew, Democratic Party Declare Victory in Elections
In a public address in Ranong yesterday, Arun Kaikaew declared that his Democratic Party had won the 2023 general election, making him President-Elect of the country. He won the election with 48.6% of the vote, while his primary competitor, Prawat Krairiksh, only received 47.9%, as smaller parties took away votes from both candidates. The President-Elect made several promises, including to crack down on corruption and to reduce the influence of the military, which has long played a role in the country's politics, both on the mainland and in the outer islands. Prawat Krairiksh, who was backed by several key members in the military, was quick to denounce the elections as fraudulent, that they had been stolen by agents working with the Daitōjin government to install a weak-willed puppet as President. In the aftermath of the elections, many of his supporters took to the streets in protest, perhaps feeling robbed by the Democratic Party, and there have been rumors that similar discontent has been reported among the country's military. Time will tell whether anything serious occurs, however, many fear that another coup may be imminent.

Daitō:
Arun Kaikaew Inaugurated as President
Arun Kaikaew has been inaugurated in a ceremony held outside of the National Assembly in Ranong. The ceremony was attended by governors from across the union, as well as the Minister-Presidents of both Vax and Paechon, Shila Koyinlay and Yi Jun-seok. The Minister-President of Kalasin, Kasidej Rangsitpol, notably boycotted the event, calling the new President "illegitimate" and that the elections had been stolen. This is despite outside observers certifying that there was no such interference in the elections which contributed to President Kaikaew's victory. In his speech to the nation, President Kaikaew called for unity across the country, vowing to put an end to the militias which plague the countryside on the mainland while pledging to bring in new jobs. He was critical of the leaders of the National Salvation Party, who, despite the pledge under the terms of the 2019 Saelim-Mangjul Accords to put the best interests of the union first, seem more willing to place their own political power ahead of it. President Kaikaew is expected to attend a meeting in Rokkenjima later this week, where he will likely hold meetings with both the Rokkenjiman Government as well Daitō's Prime Minister Konishi.

Daitō:
Kalasin Threatens Secession
As the country nears a month on from President Kaikaew's inauguration, the Regional Assembly in Kalasin has, at the recommendation of Minister-President Rangsitpol, put forward a motion to formally withdraw from the Saelim-Mangjul Accords. If such a motion passes, as many presently fear may be the case, the mainland would cease its involvement in the Union government, with power reverting to the regional level, while Minister-President Rangsitpol would become the de-facto leader of Kalasin. The 64-year old President, who was elected in 2021 following a surge of nationalistic sentiment in the country after 2019, was quoted as saying,
   "While we remain committed to democracy, it is the general consensus of our party that this Union cannot survive while it is led by an usurper such as Arun Kaikaew. Furthermore, it is clear that the Saelim-Mangjul Accords do not benefit our people, instead inviting Paechonese and Daitōjin businessmen to exploit them in the pursuit of their own greed. Thus, can we truly claim to serve our people if we allow such injustices to continue? I think not, and neither do many within our party and across the nation."

In response to the proposal, President Kaikaew has stated that any efforts to secede will be opposed at all levels, noting that the methods by which the vote is being undertaken—at the regional level rather than in the National Assembly—actually violates the intent of the Saelim-Mangjul Accords. He also pointed out that despite officially being referred to as a confederation, the terms of the accords laid out a federal government, albeit one with significant concessions made to the signatory countries, which would, in effect, make secession illegal. If the vote on secession, which is expected to conclude on the 22nd of July, passes, it has been suggested that the Prime Minister may authorize the arrest of Minister-President Kasidej Rangsitpol, however, whether such an arrest will even be possible remains to be seen. Already, some, such as Minister-President Shila Koyinlay of the Vax Republic, have voiced their concerns with the situation, with the MP recommending that all members of the VNA be called up in the event that the present crisis erupts into open fighting. Others within the Vax Republic have criticized this recommendation as risking fanning the flames of the crisis, while some have countered that, if fighting were to break out, their region would likely become a target. Whatever may come, it is clear that the Union is poised to face its greatest challenge thus far as old tensions between regions return to the surface.

Daitō:
"Independence!" Says Kalasinese Assembly
With a count of 149 to 38, the Regional Assembly in Kalasin has formally voted to secede from the Union Government and formally declare its independence. It furthermore affirmed the constitution set in place under the Provisional Government in late 2017, rejecting all concessions made to the Paechonese government as part of reparations for the invasion. Many across the country are said to have gone out on the streets to demonstrate in support of the country's independence, while there have been some clashes reported between protesters and local authorities in Rayong and Phichit. Minister-President, or perhaps rather just "President" Kasidej Rangsitpol has hailed the vote for independence as affirmation that democracy in the country is alive and well, although we at the Ranong Post cannot help but feel the decision to not put it forwards as a referendum to be voted on by the people undermines his claims of supporting democracy. Indeed, some have already suggested that the vote may have been flawed, as several within the Regional Assembly seemingly changed their votes at the last second, however, it is worth noting that the number of representatives who changed their vote only further bolstered the already-extant majority vote.

Naturally, President Rangsitpol's counterparts in the Union Government, as well as within the governments of the Vax Republic and Paechon, were quick to offer a scathing response to the vote, with President Kaikaew reaffirming that the decision to secede was illegal and that any measures necessary to put an end to the crisis would be used. Reportedly, the President spent several hours yesterday evening on the phone with his counterpart in Daitō, seeking aid in countering this threat or, if necessary, reaffirming past commitments to the Republic of Paechon and extending them to the Union as a whole. However, as the Daitōjin Diet is currently dissolved, all that the Prime Minister could have offered was a personal assurance that aid would come, assuming the Diet votes in favor of it when it reconvenes next month. There has been no indication thus far if the Diet will be called back for an emergency session, which would be unprecedented when the Diet is dissolved. Others within the Union government went further in their criticisms of the Kalasinese government, with many calling President Rangsitpol and the members of the regional assembly there "traitors" who would "need to be punished". For our part, the Ranong Post will unfortunately cease operations for a brief period of time as we relocate to Anju in Paechon. We remain committed to reporting on the news fairly, but we fear that a crackdown on the press is likely to come in the next few weeks. Until then, farewell, and may the gods keep our country safe.

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