Regional news from Southeast Asia in English — ASEAN politics, economy and diplomacy, covered by Thai PBS World.
AFP – Cambodia’s ruling party won a landslide victory in local polls, preliminary results released by the country’s National Election Committee showed Monday. The country voted Sunday with opposition figures hoping to dent long-time leader Hun Sen’s grip on power ahead of national elections next year. But preliminary results showed the prime minister’s rulingCambodian People’s
Senior US defence officials will visit Thailand next week to strengthen ties with its ally in the Indo-Pacific. ADM John Aquilino, Indo-Pacific Commander, is reportedly scheduled to stopover in Bangkok from June 7th to 9th, before he attends the Shangri-La Dialogue over next weekend in Singapore. His last visit here was in October last year.
Myanmar’s junta will execute a former lawmaker from Aung San Suu Kyi’s party and a prominent democracy activist, both of whom were convicted of terrorism, in the country’s first judicial executions since 1990, a spokesman told AFP on Friday. Four people, including former MP Phyo Zeya Thaw and democracy activist Ko Jimmy, “who were sentenced
Thailand and neighbouring Lao PDR enhance ties on Wednesday, as Laotian Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh made his first official visit since assuming office last year, with bilateral ties elevated to a “Strategic Partnership for Growth and Sustainable Development” and three Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) signed. Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Viphavanh witnessed the signing
An explosion was reported in downtown Yangon yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon, injuring at least 10 civilians, one of whom died en route to hospital. According to eye witnesses and local news media, the device went off at the Bar Street bus stop, on Anawyahtar Road, at around 3.30pm. While the official stance of the military-run government
The ASEAN special envoy on Myanmar Prak Sokhonn will pay another visit to the strife-torn country next month in a renewed attempt to seek a peaceful end to its ongoing conflict. Prak Sokhonn, who is Cambodia’s foreign minister, stressed the need to engage Myanmar in order to implement the so-called “five-point consensus” adopted at the
An Indonesian ship with 43 people onboard capsized off Indonesia’s Sulawesi island after it ran out of fuel, the search and rescue agency said on Saturday (May 28), as search continues for 26 people who remained missing. The motorboat that had left Paotere port in Makassar, capital of South Sulawesi province, on Thursday (May 26)
About 5,000 representatives of governments, the private sector and civil societies from 193 countries are in Bali, Indonesia, to attend the 7th session of the Global Platform (GP2022), convened by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) until May 28th. Although Thailand did not send a minister to attend this session, the government
At least seven people were killed and scores plucked to safety in the Philippines on Monday after a fire ripped through a ferry and forced passengers to jump overboard, the coast guard and witnesses said. The blaze broke out on the Mercraft 2 at around 6:30 am (2230 GMT Sunday) as it carried 134 passengers
Indonesia organized the 2566 Vesak day celebration at the Borobudur temple in Central Java, local media TVRI reported. The event, by the Indonesian Buddhists Council and the Indonesian Buddhists Association, saw thousands of lanterns lit up the sky above the temple complex. Besides being a form of worship of the people to the Buddha, the
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-cha, speaking at the special ASEAN-US summit, revealed Thailand’s regional strategies, which will promote peace and resilience in the post-pandemic era. He outlined three priorities for the region. First is the promotion of US constructive engagement with ASEAN and other key players in the region. He pointed out that it is important
In an unexpected diplomatic move, ASEAN has decided to delay the granting of “comprehensive strategic partnership”status, or CSP, to the US until November, according to an informed source. The source, who asked not be identified, said that, at the informal ASEAN foreign ministerial meeting on Wednesday night, they agreed that the US should wait until
