Regional news from Southeast Asia in English — ASEAN politics, economy and diplomacy, covered by Thai PBS World.
A court in junta-ruled Myanmar jailed a high-profile Christian pastor for six years on Friday on charges of terrorism and illegal assembly, his lawyer said. Since seizing power from Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government in February 2021, Myanmar’s military has regularly jailed those it deems a threat, often on charges rights groups say are
Thailand is in Group B of the SEA Games soccer tournament, with last year’s champion Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Laos following group drawing yesterday (Wednesday). Group A comprises host Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Timor-Leste. The SEA Games soccer tournament runs from April 29th to May 16th and Thai team will meet Singapore on April
The search for solutions to Myanmar’s problems must be led by Myanmar through Myanmar’s processes, said Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, the first Cambodian Secretary-General of ASEAN, during his recent official visit in Thailand. The Myanmar crisis is again at the forefront of his discussions. The Secretary-General emphasised that the Myanmar conflict is complex and we
Thailand is seeking cooperation from neighbouring countries to address cross-border air pollution, which is seriously impacting the northern provinces of Thailand. Spokesperson for the Thai Foreign Ministry, Kanchana Patarachoke, said that Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai has coordinated with his ASEAN counterparts and sought help to solve the problem within the framework of the ASEAN
Human Rights Watch on urged Bangladesh to suspend plans to repatriate Rohingya refugees to Myanmar, warning conditions there would not be safe for the persecuted and stateless minority. Bangladesh is home to around a million Rohingya, most of whom fled a 2017 military crackdown in neighbouring Myanmar that is now subject to a UN genocide
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced that Cambodia will not charge foreign broadcasters for the live broadcasts of the upcoming 32nd SEA Games, to be held in May in Cambodia. The Khmer Times reports that the Cambodian leader made the decision during a Council of Ministers meeting on Friday. The decision will put an
Many ASEAN meetings have gone unreported, but that does not mean officials are not working, according to the secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, during the “Why ASEAN Matters: Navigating Our Shared Future” event on March 30th. “A lot of people do not know that ASEAN conducts so many meetings, many negotiations, they are
A Mekong River port in southwest China’s Yunnan province was officially opened on Monday. It will serve as a gateway to boost trade between China and ASEAN countries, especially Thailand, Myanmar and Laos. Guan Lei Port is located on the river in Mengla district of Yunnan. It is the first port of entry into inner
The High-level Task Force for the ASEAN Community’s Post 2025 vision (HLTF-ACV) has agreed to increase its time frame, according to ASEAN Secretary General Dr. Kao Kim Hourn. In his speech at the International Studies Centre of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday (Thursday), he said that ASEAN has extended the ASEAN Community Post 2025’s
The United Nations just announced a program, in corporation with the European Union and Thailand, including the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) and the Ministry of Public Health, to push South-South and Triangular Cooperation to boost sustainable food and health systems. The three flagship initiatives are to accelerate the move to organic agriculture, as well
A total of 40 political parties in Myanmar have been dissolved for failing to re-register, which includes the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD), according to state-owned media. Myawaddy News announced on Tuesday night, during their regular news program, that the Union Election Commission had set Tuesday as the deadline and, as such, parties which
Myanmar’s commerce ministry announced that it will no longer allow businesses to store imported goods in their warehouses while the processing of the import license is completed, citing the effect of the delay on the quality of imported goods and in an attempt to regulate the markets better. Regulations and restrictions regarding trade, among others,
