Regional news from Southeast Asia in English — ASEAN politics, economy and diplomacy, covered by Thai PBS World.
Yangon, Myanmar – The death toll from a landslide at an unregulated jade mine in a remote part of Myanmar has hit at least 31, with eight people still missing, rescuers said Wednesday. The disaster struck on Sunday outside northern Kachin’s Hpakant township, after torrential rain and floods ravaged the region over the weekend. Jade
At least 25 people are missing after a landslide at an unregulated jade mine in a remote region of Myanmar, rescue workers said Monday. The incident on Sunday outside northern Kachin’s Hpakant township — near where hundreds of miners were entombed in a landslide in 2020 — comes days after much of the country was
Malaysians went to the polls in six states Saturday to vote for state assembly members in elections being closely watched as an indicator of support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government. While the elections are unlikely to immediately affect Anwar’s current two-thirds majority in parliament, analysts said his hold on power could weaken if
Outgoing Cambodian ruler Hun Sen on Thursday unveiled the country’s new government, headed by his eldest son and including his youngest son and his nephew in senior roles. Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) won all but five of 125 seats in the lower house in July polls that were widely decried as a sham
In its report, released on August 8th, the UN’s Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) has highlighted that there is strong evidence of repeated war crimes in Myanmar. The IIMM described the crimes being committed by the Myanmar military and its affiliates as becoming more “frequent and brazen”, citing evidence of airstrikes and bombings which
Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Tuesday said a resolution to the Myanmar crisis that has dragged into its third year needed “political will” from all sides of the conflict, as divided Southeast Asian nations step up diplomatic efforts. The country has been ravaged by violence in the two years since civilian leader Aung San Suu
Hun Manet was appointed Cambodia’s new leader by the king on Monday, after having effectively been given the post from his father who ruled for nearly four decades. Days after a landslide victory in July’s election, Hun Sen — one of the world’s longest-serving leaders — announced he was stepping down as prime minister and handing power to his
The Philippines on Sunday accused China’s coast guard of blocking and water-cannoning a Philippine military supply boat in the South China Sea, condemning the “excessive and offensive actions” against its vessels. China’s coast guard countered that it had implemented necessary controls in accordance with the law to deter Philippine ships, which it accused of trespassing
Cambodia’s king on Monday will appoint Hun Manet the country’s new leader after his father Hun Sen calls time on nearly four decades of hardline rule. Days after a landslide victory in July’s election, Hun Sen — one of the world’s longest-serving leaders — announced he was stepping down as prime minister and handing power to his eldest son. The polls were widely decried as a sham after the
Fierce fighting raged on Saturday about 30km from the Thai border with Myanmar, between Myanmar ground forces, supported by air strikes, and Karenni rebel forces. Three Myanmar jets were deployed to bomb the Karenni Army (KA) and Karenni Nationalities Defence Force (KNDF) bases. Two Karenni soldiers were killed and seven seriously injured. The seriously injured
Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra attended a birthday party for outgoing Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in Phnom Penh, according to video posted online Sunday, a day after Thaksin said he would delay plans to return to Thailand following years of self-imposed exile. Thaksin’s appearance in Cambodia came at a politically sensitive time in neighboring
Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad was discharged from a specialist heart hospital on Friday, a source told AFP, after four days of medical checks. The 98-year-old former leader is one of Malaysia’s most dominant political figures, having served twice as prime minister for a total of 24 years. Mahathir had been admitted to the
