Regional news from Southeast Asia in English — ASEAN politics, economy and diplomacy, covered by Thai PBS World.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Friday he held a virtual meeting with tycoon Elon Musk on electric car-maker Tesla’s foray into his country, as well as supplies of low-cost internet services. Anwar, who is also finance minister, said Tesla would open a head office, service centre and showrooms in the central state of Selangor
Many people, including groups that are openly against the current military-led government in Myanmar, are doubting the claims of a meeting and discussion between Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai and the imprisoned Aung San Suu Kyi. Prior to revealing that he had met with the Nobel Laureate to the reporters, Don had divulged information about
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen has defended statements he made concerning the failure of Thai prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat to secure enough votes to be elected to lead Thailand. In his Telegram post on Friday, Hun Sen wrote, “I am ready to work with the Thai government leader, no matter who or which party
Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), winding up their meeting in Jakarta on Thursday, reiterated condemnation of the ongoing violence in Myanmar and welcomed Thailand’s role in trying to resolve the crisis as being “a positive development.” Amid reports of divergent views among ASEAN members on the crisis, the foreign ministers reaffirmed
ASEAN foreign ministers, winding up their meeting in Jakarta, could not agree on the wording of their joint communique, concerning the current situation in Myanmar, according to an informed ASEAN source. The issuance of the joint communique, which was supposed to at the end of their meeting on Wednesday, was postponed as the ASEAN chair,
Southeast Asian countries struggling for unity on how to achieve peace in Myanmar were expected on Thursday to release a statement on their deliberations at a conference this week, with little sign of progress on their conflict-ridden neighbour. The 10-member Association for Southeast Asian Nations, which includes Myanmar, has been trying to press its ruling
Indonesia, working on behalf of southeast Asian nations, has little to show so far for its intense behind-the-scenes efforts to bridge gaps between factions in Myanmar’s conflict, diplomatic sources say. Myanmar has been racked by violence since 2021, when the military seized power from a largely elected government and unleashed a deadly crackdown on opponents.
ASEAN chair Indonesia on Wednesday urged a political solution to the Myanmar crisis at regional talks where Thailand’s envoy announced he met the country’s deposed democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi last week. Myanmar has been ravaged by deadly violence since a military coup ousted Suu Kyi’s government more than two years ago, unleashing a bloody crackdown on dissent. The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian
Singapore-based United Overseas Bank (UOB) will shut down all accounts belonging and relating to Myanmar’s Myanmar Airways International (MAI) by August 15th. Documents, supposedly leaked from within MAI, show that UOB had sent them a letter declining MAI’s request for the banks to refrain from closing their accounts. The letter further states that all 5
Thailand’s foreign minister met with ousted Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi last week, he told reporters Wednesday, her first known meeting with a foreign envoy since she was detained following a 2021 coup. “There was a meeting, she was in good health and it was a good meeting,” Don Pramudwinai told reporters on
Indonesian maritime authorities seized an Iranian-flagged tanker carrying more than 200,000 metric tons of light crude oil after a suspected illegal transfer at sea, they said Tuesday. Iran has been accused by the United States and its allies of using crowded shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf and elsewhere to circumnavigate Western sanctions on its
Thailand, with participation from the US Embassy in Bangkok, discussed on Tuesday how to handle the remaining Myanmar children retrieved from a school in Ang Thong province. Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn chaired the meeting in Chiang Rai, with representatives from the ministries of Education and Social Development and Human Security, the
