Regional news from Southeast Asia in English — ASEAN politics, economy and diplomacy, covered by Thai PBS World.
Indonesia is ready to broker peace efforts between Ukraine and Russia, said Indonesian President Joko Widodo during a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on the sidelines of the G7 Summit In Hiroshima, Japan, on Sunday, May 21st. President Zelenskyy expressed his appreciation on Indonesia’s role in the Ukraine-Russia peace efforts, TVRI reported. He
Myanmar’s military junta has closed down three private hospitals in Mandalay for employing striking medics, The Irrawaddy reported. It said a leaked junta order stated that the business licenses of Kant Kaw, City and Palace hospitals have been revoked as they failed to follow the licensing rules for private healthcare services. It quoted sources as
Cambodia’s election body on Monday refused to register the main opposition party and chief challenger to Prime Minister Hun Sen for upcoming national elections. The National Election Committee said in a statement that the opposition Candlelight Party (CP) had failed to submit certain documents, so it would not be permitted to contest the July 23
Vietnam will not develop new coal power plants after 2030, according to a long-delayed national power plan published Tuesday, although the blueprint drew criticism that the transition to renewables is too slow. The Southeast Asian country committed to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the COP26 climate summit in 2021. The $135-billion plan for
The death toll in cyclone-hit Myanmar rose to at least 81 on Tuesday, according to local leaders, officials and state media, as villagers tried to piece together ruined homes and waited for aid and support. Mocha made landfall on Sunday with winds of up to 195 kilometres (120 miles) per hour, downing power pylons and
The Philippines has placed navigational buoys within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to assert sovereignty over the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea, a government official said on Monday (May 15). A Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) video released on Monday showed its personnel lowering and installing the buoys marked with the Philippine flag
ASEAN leaders have recommended that ASEAN experts come up with a robust and inspirational vision for the next 20 years, according to the ASEAN chairman’s statement issued yesterday (Thursday). The decision was made to develop the 2045 vision after the leaders held the first interface with the High-Level Task Force on the ASEAN Community Post-2025
Both local and international meteorological organisations have declared that Cyclone Mocha have damaging effects on over 2 million in Myanmar. Mocha, forming off the Bay of Bengal, was given Red category status by the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) on May 11th. Local media have reported that evacuations, whether by a government mandate
Three more countries will accede to the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) this year, according to the ASEAN chairman’s statement released this afternoon (Thursday). Saudi Arabia, Spain and Panama will sign the TAC ahead of the 43rd ASEAN summit in September. The treaty, which was enacted in 1976, has enjoyed broad support around
Myanmar’s ruling military has made no significant progress on implementing a peace plan agreed with ASEAN two years ago and the bloc must show unity in deciding how to address the escalating crisis, Indonesia’s president said on Thursday. Joko Widodo, who is chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, was speaking
Myanmar’s shadow government welcomes efforts by ASEAN chair Indonesia to kickstart peace talks in the strife-torn Southeast Asian nation but is deeply distrustful of the junta that took power in a 2021 coup, a spokesperson said on Wednesday. Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) holding a summit in Indonesia have called for an immediate end to hostilities in
The region’s two economic giants’ recent steps on the road to recovery, in terms of their friendship and cooperation, come as welcome news for ASEAN members as their leaders gather in Indonesia. Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK), along with China, are members of the so-called ASEAN Plus Three (APT) group. The APT have
