Regional news from Southeast Asia in English — ASEAN politics, economy and diplomacy, covered by Thai PBS World.
While the international community has put in a lot of effort into resolving the political crisis in Myanmar after General Min Aung Hlaing’s coup last year, Thailand in contrast has tried to maintain the status quo, including good relations with the junta as usual. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, also a former coup architect in Thailand,
The search for the remaining 12 campers caught in Friday’s deadly landslide at an unlicensed campsite in Malaysia continued for a second day after an overnight halt due to bad weather, officials said. At least 21 people, including five children, were killed after a landslide in Batang Kali, a popular hilly area about 50 km (30 miles) north
During Wednesday’s press conference, at the end of a historic ASEAN-EU summit, Samdech Decho Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia, stated unequivocally that the EU should treat all ASEAN members as equal partners, without any discrimination and without political matters as preconditions. Hun Sen also said that ASEAN and the EU should go for a
Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia has expressed doubts that the crisis in Myanmar would be resolved any time soon and ruled out a third trip there by Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn in his capacity as ASEAN’s special envoy. Phnom Penh Post reported that Hun Sen made the remarks on December 12 while meeting with over
JAKARTA, Dec 12 (Reuters) – Visitors to Bali will not be put at risk by Indonesia’s newly ratified criminal code, the island’s governor said, dismissing concerns that revised laws which include articles criminalising sex outside marriage may scare away tourists from its shores. Indonesia’s parliament last week passed the controversial bill that also prohibits cohabitation
(AFP) – Indonesia’s legislation banning sex outside marriage represents a major new threat to the LGBTQ community’s rights in the conservative country, where same-sex unions are not recognised. “It’s another nail in the coffin at the moment. A big nail,” Dede Oetomo, an activist with the LGBTQ rights group GAYa NUSANTARA, told AFP. Once enacted,
The United States will downgrade its diplomatic relations with Myanmar upon the departure of its current ambassador, VOA Burmese reported Thursday. It quoted an unidentified diplomatic source as saying that US Ambassador Thomas Vajda’s assignment is scheduled to conclude at the end of this month and the administration of President Joe Biden has decided not
Strengthening ASEAN-Korea relations is one of Korea’s top foreign policies priorities, as South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol recently unveiled his country’s version of the Indo-Pacific strategy and the Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative. Yoon wants to raise bilateral ties to a new level. Seoul has pledged to double its development funding to ASEAN until 2027. The ASEAN-Korean
Cambodia’s Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn will not make a planned third visit to Myanmar as ASEAN’s special envoy, a senior Cambodian official said Tuesday. The Khmer Times reported that Cambodia’s term as ASEAN chair expires at the end of this month and Sokhonn is scheduled to attend a key summit in Brussels. However, it quoted
Thousands of residents in Indonesia‘s East Java were on high alert on Monday after a violent eruption at the island’s tallest volcano prompted authorities to impose an 8-kilometer no-go zone and forced evacuations of entire villages. The provincial search and rescue agency deployed teams to the worst-affected areas near Mount Semeru to assess damage, with low
Indonesia’s parliament on Tuesday approved a criminal code that bans sex outside marriage with a punishment of up to one year in jail, part of a raft of legal changes that critics say undermine civil liberties in the world’s third-largest democracy. The controversial new laws, which apply to Indonesians and foreigners alike, also include a
No political party should see themselves representing a single generation and involving more young politicians is necessary to stay relevant in politics, according to panel discussion on the challenges facing young political leaders in ASEAN, moderated by Thai PBS World. These young politicians entered politics with certain expectations of their own while, carrying what is
