Regional news from Southeast Asia in English — ASEAN politics, economy and diplomacy, covered by Thai PBS World.
Do not be fooled by the popular optics portraying China and Vietnam as eternal enemies. They are not, as evidenced by State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s weekend visit to Vietnam. Indeed, for communism, as practiced in China and Vietnam to thrive, their friendship and close cooperation are essential to ensuring that this form
The viral music video, by K-pop sensation Lalisa Manoban, or “Lisa”, which attracted almost 120 million views on YouTube in the three days following its online release, has been praised by Thailand’s Ministry of Culture for helping to promote elements of Thai culture. In Lisa’s first solo mini-album, the 24-year-old Thai rapper, singer, dancer and
Japan can now give defense equipment and technology to Vietnam under an agreement signed Saturday, as the two countries step up their military cooperation amid worries about China’s growing military influence. Japan’s Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said the deal elevates their defense partnership “to a new level” and that Japan and Vietnam plan to deepen
The United Nations is likely to retain the credentials of the permanent representative of Myanmar’s National League of Democracy (NLD), as the military regime in Naypyidaw will not challenge it, according to informed sources. The ASEAN-based sources, who asked not be identified, said that the military regime in Naypyidaw is highly unlikely to take up
China and Vietnam should refrain from unilateral actions regarding the South China Sea that could complicate the situation and magnify disputes, senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi told a Vietnamese official, China’s foreign ministry said. State Councillor Wang was speaking with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh during a visit to Vietnam, the ministry said
Vietnam plans to reopen the beach-fringed island of Phu Quoc to foreign tourists from next month, authorities said, as the country looks at ways to revive an economy suffering from extended lockdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic. The island, 10 km (6 miles) off the coast of Cambodia, is expected to open for a trial
(AP) — A massive fire raged through an overcrowded prison near Indonesia’s capital early Wednesday, killing at least 41 inmates, two of them foreigners serving drug sentences, and injuring 80 others. Televised footage showed firefighters battling to extinguish orange flames while black smoke billowed from the compound. Indonesian Red Cross officials evacuated the victims to
(AP) — The main underground group coordinating resistance to Myanmar’s military government issued a sweeping call for a nationwide uprising on Tuesday, raising the prospect of spiraling unrest. The National Unity Government, which views itself as a shadow government, was established by elected legislators who were barred from taking their seats when the military seized
The news that Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is to step down later this month and will not stand for re-election has not stirred up any reaction within ASEAN. The bloc’s member countries are used to the frequent leadership changes in the Land of the Rising Sun. They also understand well that any radical changes
When the country of Myanmar first truly opened up to the outside world in 2015, many there were exposed to global trends for the first time. While many became hooked on the turbo-driven speed of growth in almost every sector, Gon Kyaw Zaw Han chose to look in a different direction. “It started out as
Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob is under quarantine following close contact with a COVID-19 patient, his office said in a statement on Monday. His office did not say how long he would be in quarantine or whether he had been tested for the coronavirus. Ismail Sabri was sworn in as prime minister earlier this
From the Great Wall to the picturesque Kashmir valley, Asia’s tourist destinations are looking to domestic visitors to get them through the COVID-19 pandemic’s second year. With international travel heavily restricted, foreign tourists can’t enter many countries and locals can’t get out. In the metropolis of Hong Kong, glamping and staycations have replaced trips abroad
