Regional news from Southeast Asia in English — ASEAN politics, economy and diplomacy, covered by Thai PBS World.
Yangon, Myanmar – Almost 50,000 people have been displaced by fighting in northern Myanmar after an alliance of ethnic armed groups launched an offensive against the military two weeks ago, the United Nations said Friday. Fighting has raged for two weeks across northern Shan state near the Chinese border, in what analysts say poses the biggest
Yangon, Myanmar – Myanmar’s junta-backed president said the country is at risk of breaking apart if the military cannot crush a joint offensive by ethnic armed groups along the border with China, state media reported Thursday. Fighting has raged for almost two weeks across northern Shan state near the China border, posing what analysts say is the
KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman was sentenced to seven years in jail and two strokes of the cane after he was found guilty of charges including misappropriating funds, the Star newspaper reported. Syed Saddiq, 30, was also fined 10 million ringgit (US$2.1 million) by the country’s High
Myanmar’s military junta has used foreigners including Thais as human shields in northeastern Shan State, where fighting the junta and an ethnic alliance is escalating, according to The Irrawaddy online. Instead of sending them back to their respective countries, the junta’s anti-human trafficking unit sent them to military camps, the online quoted a humanitarian worker
Thái Nguyên, Vietnam – More than 40 dogs, including a litter of 10-day-old puppies, were set free from a slaughterhouse in Vietnam on Friday after its owner quit the dog meat trade. An estimated five million canines are killed for meat every year in Vietnam — the second highest in the world behind China — with
The Thai Embassy in Myanmar is providing shelter for Thais who were trapped in a border town, where fighting between the junta and an ethnic alliance is escalating. Thai government spokesman Chai Wacharonke said Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has already been informed that 162 Thais became stuck in the town of Laukkai in Myanmar. “The
Yangon, Myanmar – Myanmar’s military has lost control of a strategic northern town on the Chinese border following days of clashes with three ethnic armed groups, a junta spokesman said. Fighting has raged since Friday across a swathe of Myanmar’s northern Shan state — where a billion-dollar rail link is planned as part of Beijing’s Belt
China called on Thursday for an immediate ceasefire in fighting in northern Myanmar, after the Myanmar military said it had lost control of a strategic northern town on the Chinese border following clashes with ethnic armed groups. Beijing “urges all parties to immediately cease fire and stop fighting,” foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin knows the importance of neighbouring Laos, so he did not miss any opportunity to reaffirm the strength of multifaceted cooperation during his visit last week. Srettha has been busy since he assumed the premiership two months ago, travelling the world to attract more foreign investment to the country, which will also
Yangon, Myanmar – China’s public security minister has held talks with Myanmar’s junta on establishing peace along their shared border, state media said Tuesday, following clashes between ethnic armed groups and the military in Myanmar. Thousands of people have been reportedly displaced, with some crossing into China, after three armed groups fighting for autonomy launched coordinated
Thailand has agreed to help Laos fulfil its plan to transform from a land-locked to land-linked country, to help in the development of infrastructure projects and to secure low-interest loans, said Government Spokesman Chai Watcharonke today (Monday). The Thai prime minister led a delegation to Vientiane today (Monday) for talks with his Laotian counterpart on
Heavy fighting between rebels and the Myanmar military stretched into a second day near the country’s northern border with China, armed groups said Saturday. Myanmar’s junta seized power in a February 2021 coup that sparked renewed fighting with powerful ethnic rebel groups in northern Shan state. An alliance of ethnic rebel groups launched coordinated attacks
