ASEAN

Move Forward’s foreign policy raises concerns about US leverage in Thailand

Concerns over potential US influence on politics in Thailand arose after the Move Forward party announced its foreign policy, aiming to ‘’Revive, Rebalance, Recalibrate’’ in the hope of having more…

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Vietnam cuts public lighting to save energy during heatwave

Vietnam’s capital of Hanoi have been turning off street lights partially to keep the national power system running, amid record rising temperatures that brought a surge in electricity demand in…

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Pita’s ally questions Malaysia’s role in Southern peace talks

Thailand should allow other ASEAN countries, especially Indonesia, to help in its efforts to end violence in southern Thailand, while reconsidering Malaysia’s current role as the peace dialogue facilitator, according…

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Fuadi Pitsuwan

More active ASEAN role, balanced ties with superpowers expected under Pita

A new government under the leadership of Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat will see Thailand play a more active role in ASEAN and on the international stage,  according to…

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Myanmar puts troops on alert after Pita’s statements

Myanmar’s second-most powerful general has issued a directive to his commanders to keep a closer watch on the Thai-Myanmar border after Thailand’s Move Forward Party won the most House seats…

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AFP

Two Thai national footballers banned for six month for brawling at SEA Games

The Football Association (FA) of Thailand has banned two players from national matches for six months and suspended three staff for a year after brawls during the SEA Games men’s…

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Indonesia says it’s ready to broker Ukraine-Russia peace efforts

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…

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Medical staff in Mandalay took to the streets in a pre-dawn march against the military regime in February 2021. (Photo from the Irrawaddy)

Myanmar junta closes down three Mandalay hospitals

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…

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Supporters of the Candlelight Party (CP) shout slogans from a vehicle during a rally on the last day of campaigning for the commune elections in Phnom Penh on June 3, 2022. (Photo by TANG CHHIN Sothy / AFP)

Main Cambodia opposition party excluded from July polls

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…

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Vietnam pledges no new coal plants after 2030

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…

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Rohingya women sit and stand in their destroyed house at Basara refugee camp in Sittwe on May 16, 2023, after cyclone Mocha made a landfall. (Photo by SAI Aung MAIN / AFP)

Cyclone Mocha death toll rises to 81 in Myanmar

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…

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Philippines places buoys in parts of South China Sea to assert sovereignty

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…

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Image courtesy: ASEAN

ASEAN leaders agree to work on the bloc’s vision for 2045

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…

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This picture shows a general view of Kan Thar Yar beach near Gwa township in Myanmar’s Rakhine state on May 11, 2023 after Cyclone Mocha, the Bay of Bengal’s first cyclone of the year formed. Cyclone Mocha is forecast to make landfall on May 14 along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, according to India’s meteorological office, packing winds of up to 145 kilometres (90 miles) per hour. (Sai Aung MAIN / AFP)

Over 2m people Myanmar-Bangladesh Border will be affected by cyclone Mocha

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…

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Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Jr, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Thailand’s Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and East Timor’s Prime Minister Jose Maria de Vasconcelos, known as Taur Matan Ruak, pose during a photo session during opening 42nd ASEAN Summit Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, May 10, 2023. Akbar Nugroho Gumay/Pool via REUTERS

Three more nations accede to ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation

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…

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Indonesia President Joko Widodo delivers his speech during the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, May 10, 2023. Achmad Ibrahim/Pool via REUTERS

ASEAN must show unity to tackle Myanmar’s escalating crisis, Indonesia president says

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…

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A chair for the Myanmar delegation is left empty during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting ahead of the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, May 9, 2023. / REUTERS

Myanmar shadow govt welcomes ASEAN peace talks but distrusts junta

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,…

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Photo by Asean Secretariat website

ASEAN welcomes friendly Japan-ROK ties

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…

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Bringing reading back for kids in Myanmar with Kiki’s Fantastic Adventure

With the goal of reminding children of the value of books, an original story has been published called Kiki’s Fantastic Adventure by Studio Boba. The creator decided that the comic-manga…

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Indonesia, Singapore condemn ‘shootout’ involving ASEAN officials in Myanmar

Indonesia and Singapore condemned an attack against a convoy including Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) officials delivering humanitarian aid in Myanmar and called for an end to violence in…

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Vietnam to require social media users to verify identity

Vietnam is preparing to make it mandatory for social media users of both local and foreign platforms to verify their identity in a bid to rein in online scams, state…

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Vietnam boosts rare earths output by tenfold – data

Vietnam‘s mined output of rare earths soared tenfold last year, U.S. data showed, as global firms have flocked to the Southeast Asian country with the world’s second largest estimated deposits…

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FILE / Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha speaks during the handover ceremony at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Bangkok on November 19, 2022. / AFP

PM Prayut to skip upcoming ASEAN-related summit

Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will not attend the ASEAN-related summit next week, according to an informed source. The source said that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai…

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Relatives gather around a bus carrying prisoners being released outside the Insein prison in Yangon on May 3, 2023. (Photo by AFP)

Myanmar junta pardons over 2,000 political prisoners

Myanmar’s junta pardoned more than 2,000 political prisoners to mark a Buddhist holiday on Wednesday, with families rushing to prisons for tearful reunions with loved ones jailed in a sweeping…

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Singapore to post slower economic growth this year

Singapore is expected to post slower economic growth this year but it “should avoid an outright contraction”, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Sunday. The Southeast Asian city-state’s economic performance…

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The chimneys of Suralaya coal power plant looms in Cilegon, Indonesia. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Asia must quit coal faster to stem worst climate woes

Asia must rapidly cut fossil fuel subsidies and plow more money into a clean energy transition to avoid catastrophic climate change that puts its own development at risk, according to…

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A man carrying his son walks with an umbrella during a heatwave in Yangon on April 19, 2023. / AFP

2023 set be the hottest year on record in Myanmar

This year is likely to go down as Myanmar’s hottest year so far, as temperatures in at least 10 cities have broken 40oC, according to figures released by the meteorological…

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Singapore executes man for coordinating cannabis delivery

Singapore on Wednesday executed a man accused of coordinating a cannabis delivery, despite pleas for clemency from his family and protests from activists that he was convicted on weak evidence….

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Former UN chief says Myanmar army must take first step to end violence

Former U.N. chief Ban Ki-Moon on Tuesday called for an end to violence in Myanmar after meeting the leader of its ruling military, which he said “must take the first…

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Technicians work on an electricity transmission tower on the outskirts of Yangon on July 8, 2020. (Photo by Sai Aung Main / AFP)

Myanmar struggles to supply power to its largest economic hub

To say that Myanmar’s power supply cannot deal with the burgeoning electrical demand would be an understatement.  Forget rural areas, Myanmar’s economic hub of Yangon suffers from both scheduled and…

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India to host the second Track 1.5 roundtable on Myanmar

India will convene the second “Track 1.5” roundtable on Myanmar next week, to continue progress made at the first meeting in Bangkok in March, according to a highly informed source….

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People celebrate with water during the Myanmar’s New Year water festival, locally known as Thingyan, in Yangon on April 13, 2023. STR / AFP

COVID-19 and coup could have changed Thingyan forever

Two years after the COVID-19 lockdowns, Myanmar’s traditional New Year celebration, called Thingyan, has changed in Yangon. Perhaps the most notable time of year in Myanmar, if not also the…

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Jakarta mosque leads the way on renewable energy

Jakarta’s Grand Istiqlal Mosque is busy with worshippers this Ramadan. This year they are being encouraged to donate to boost the mosque’s green credentials. A major renovation in 2019 installed…

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Singapore to build new sports facilities for all ages

Singapore to build two new sports facilities in a young Chua Chu Kang estate, with an emphasis on activities for all ages. The aim is to build a more inclusive…

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China auto show highlights intense electric car competition

Global and Chinese automakers plan to unveil more than a dozen new electric SUVs, sedans and muscle cars this week at the Shanghai auto show, their first full-scale sales event…

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at a news conference at the US Embassy Annex in Hanoi on April 15, 2023. (Photo by Andrew Harnik / POOL / AFP)

US and Vietnam pledge to boost ties during Blinken visit to Hanoi

The United States and Vietnam said Saturday they hoped to upgrade diplomatic ties, days after a flare-up in tensions with China over Taiwan. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, passing…

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Philippine and US troops conduct joint anti-tank military exercise

Philippine and U.S. soldiers took part in an anti-tank live fire exercise in the Philippines’ largest military base on Thursday (April 13) amid tensions with Beijing over the South China…

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ASEAN “strongly condemns” deadly air strike in Myanmar

The chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) said on Thursday the bloc “strongly condemns” a military air strike this week on a village in Myanmar, which is…

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Last group of refugees from Myanmar repatriated

The last group of 89 refugees, who fled the recent fighting in Myanmar near the Thailand’s western border, has been sent back to their homeland by the Thai army. Maj-Gen…

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Myanmar confirms deadly air strike as international outcry mounts

Myanmar’s ruling junta has confirmed that it carried out an air strike on a village in which dozens of people were reported killed, drawing condemnation from the United Nations and…

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Cambodia deports 19 scam suspects to Japan

Cambodia deported 19 Japanese nationals suspected of involvement in organised phone and online scams to Japan on Tuesday (April 11), Cambodian police said. The Japanese nationals, all male, were detained…

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In this photo taken on March 9, 2023 members of ethnic rebel group Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) patrol near Namhsan Township in Myanmar’s northern Shan State. (Photo by AFP)

Myanmar airstrikes kill over 100, possibly more

At least 100 people are estimated to have been killed in Myanmar’s Sagaing Region by air strikes today (Tuesday), according to multiple local news reports, as a large village,called Pazigyi…

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Vietnam capital struggles with severe air pollution

Hanoi experienced severe air pollution on Monday (April 10) as the air quality index (AQI) in the Vietnamese capital climbed to 161, breaching the “unhealthy” level. “Even with this nice…

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People are seen on the Thai side of the Moei river across from Myanmar in Mae Sot district in Tak province on April 7, 2023.(Photo by AFP)

Myanmar jails Christian pastor for six years: lawyer

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…

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Thai, Myanmar and Lao PMs to cooperate more closely on cross-border haze

The leaders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar agree that the three ASEAN countries must cooperate closely and within the ASEAN framework to cope more effectively with the transboundary haze problem…

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Over 5,000 refugees flee fighting in Myanmar and shelter in Thailand’s Tak province

More than 5,000 refugees from Myanmar, including about 800 children, have fled fighting to take temporary refuge in the Mae Sot and Mae Ramat districts of Thailand’s western province of…

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Thailand joins champions Vietnam in Group B of SEA Games soccer tournament

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,…

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Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, the first Cambodian Secretary-General of ASEAN

ASEAN’s position on Myanmar through the eyes of its Secretary General

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…

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Thailand seeks cooperation from neighbours to address cross border pollution

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…

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Rohingya refugees walk a “Go home campaign” rally demanding repatriation at Kutupalong Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar on June 19, 2022. (Photo by Tanbir MIRAJ / AFP)

HRW urges Bangladesh to halt Rohingya repatriation plan

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…

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No fee to be charged for SEA Games broadcasts – Hun Sen

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…

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Many ASEAN meetings and negotiations go unreported – ASEAN Sec Gen

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:…

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China’s first river port of entry for Mekong riparian countries opened on Monday

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,…

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ASEAN Community extends its post 2025 vision to 2045

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…

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New program to boost sustainable food and health systems in ASEAN

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…

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A picture of Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of NLD. / AFP

Suu Kyi’s NLD among 40 political parties dissolved in Myanmar

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…

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A vendors sells vegetable at the street market in Pyin Oo Lwin township, Mandalay, on March 11, 2023. (Photo by Sai Aung MAIN / AFP)

Import sector further restricted in Myanmar

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…

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A Buddhist monk walks past a Buddhist temple in Pyin Oo Lwin Township, Mandalay, on March 11, 2023. (Photo by Sai Aung MAIN / AFP)

Myanmar junta chief vows continued crackdown, then elections

Flanked by tanks and missile launchers, Myanmar’s junta chief Monday vowed no let up in a crackdown on opponents and insisted the military would hold elections — weeks after admitting…

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Chinese Embassy vows to protect Chinese nationals amid online claims of security risks

The Chinese Embassy in Bangkok has vowed to protect Chinese nationals in Thailand, amid social media reports of alleged security risks to visiting Chinese tourists, according to a Chinese media…

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This handout picture taken and released on March 24, 2023 by the Vulcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center shows Mount Ili Lewotolok spewing ash into the air on Lembata island, in East Nusa Tenggara province. – Indonesia’s Mount Ili Lewotolok erupted on March 24 belching a tower of smoke and ash almost a kilometre into the sky and prompting authorities to impose a no-go zone in the area. (Photo by Handout / Vulcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center / AFP)

Indonesia volcano erupts, spews tower of smoke and ash

Indonesia’s Mount Ili Lewotolok erupted Friday, belching a tower of smoke and ash almost a kilometre into the sky and prompting authorities to impose a no-go zone in the area….

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Source: Facebook/Malaysia Pub 马来西亚酒吧 Promotional material for the “Thai Hot Guy” event

Malaysian police order cancellation of “Thai Hot Guy” event

Malaysian police, on Wednesday, ordered a scheduled performance by Thai cross-dressing men at a club in Kuala Lumpur to be cancelled, after opposition MPs cried foul over the event. Opposition…

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Mount Merapi volcano spews lava from its crater as seen from Sleman in Yogyakarta early on March 18, 2023. AFPPIX

Indonesia’s Merapi volcano erupts, spews hot lava

Indonesia’s Mount Merapi, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, erupted late Friday and continued to spew hot ash and other volcanic material on Saturday. Footage of flaming lava pouring…

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FILE – U.N. Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer attends a press conference at the Parliament House in Kuala Lumpur, July 26, 2022. Human rights activists urged the U.N. Security Council on Monday, March 13, 2023 to refer Myanmar’s military rulers to the International Criminal Court and urged neighboring Southeast Asian countries to support the opposition pro-democracy movement. (Malaysia’s Department of Information via AP, File)

UN envoy: Wide resistance to Myanmar military’s repression

Widespread popular resistance to brutal repression by Myanmar’s military shows no sign of abating across much of the country, and with both sides intent on winning by force “there is…

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Senator Upakit Pachariyangkun

Thai senator’s link to Myanmar arms dealer jolts Thai justice system

Thailand’s justice system was forced to swing into damage control mode after a series of disclosures pointed to senior judges and police officers attempting to spare a senator prosecution for…

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ASEAN’s Kao Kim Hourn to visit Thailand later this month

ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn will pay a three-day official visit to Thailand, from 29th to 31st March, as part of his familiarisation tour of the bloc’s member countries,…

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Singapore uses geospatial data to make roads greener, safer, and easier to navigate

Location information is being used to make Singapore’s roads greener, safer, and easier to navigate. Using geospatial data to improve people’s lives is here to stay, as the Singapore Land…

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Japan aims to become ASEAN’s 6th comprehensive strategic partner

Japan plans to apply for ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership (CSP) status, according to highly placed sources, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Japan and ASEAN Relations this year. Japan earlier…

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Cambodia’s PM Hun Sen hints at stepping down

Prime Minister Hun Sen has dropped strong hints of his intention to step down as Cambodia’s general election draws near. Khmer Times reported that Hun Sen sent out the signal…

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Chip equipment maker ASML’s suppliers eye Asia plants outside China amid tensions

Suppliers to Dutch chip-making machines giant ASML Holding NV ASML.AS are considering building plants in Southeast Asia instead of China amid political tensions between Beijing and the West, according to two sources…

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Wanna Suksriboonamphai, Executive Director at the ASEAN Training Centre for Social Work and Social Welfare (ATCSW) / Photo courtesy of MFA

Thailand to host ‘World Social Work Day’

Thailand will host “World Social Work Day 2023” later this month to celebrate the invaluable contribution of the world’s social workers as countries around the globe emerge from the COVID-19…

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/AFP

Many migrants are in Thailand for work and are undocumented

The reasons behind migration to Thailand are mainly for employment (92%) and fleeing violence and other purposes such as education and food security (8%), according The International Organisation for Migration’s…

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Malaysia’s Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin/AFP

Malaysia’s ex-PM Muhyiddin to be charged with corruption

Former Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin will be charged with corruption-related offences on Friday, the chief of the country’s anti-graft agency told Reuters. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief, Azam Baki, did not give…

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Volunteers dressed in personal protective equipment clean up the oil spill from the sunken fuel tanker MT Princess Empress, on the shore of Pola, in Oriental Mindoro province on March 7, 2023. – Reuters

Dozens sick in Philippine villages hit by oil spill

Dozens of people in the Philippines have fallen ill after oil from a sunken tanker washed up on their shores, officials said Wednesday, as authorities struggled to reach the leaking vessel. The Princess…

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Indonesian police burn 11 hectare marijuana plantation

Indonesian police burned an 11–hectare marijuana plantation in Aceh, North Sumatra, on Wednesday (March 8) after it was discovered by local authorities last month. “Combined with another field in West Aceh the total area is 43 hectares,…

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We are the ‘Zs’ – The inspiring ASEAN New Generation documentary series screening

The voices, dreams and passions of the young, whose intersectionality creates desire for change in our current world, as told in a six part documentary series. On Mar 8th, 2023,…

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Twin moms teach hope to marginalised children in Indonesia

In bright pink dresses and flashy straw hats, septuagenarian Indonesian twins Sri Irianingsih and Sri Rossyati strolled through rows of desks as students attentively wrote on workbooks. Known by students,…

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Indonesia landslide kills 15, dozens feared missing

At least 15 people were killed and dozens feared missing after torrential rains and landslides battered one of Indonesia’s outermost islands bordering the South China Sea, disaster officials said Monday. Pictures provided…

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A woman poses with the newly set up logo of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as Indonesia officially assumes the group’s chairmanship following a ceremony in Jakarta on January 29, 2023. Goh Chai Hin / AFP

ASEAN will issue “Bali Concord 4” at its year-end summit

As has happened during previous Indonesian ASEAN chairmanships, the Bali Concord 4 will be issued to institutionalise human rights and other civic values within the grouping at the 42nd ASEAN-related…

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Supporters of Kem Sokha, former leader of the now-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) gather outside the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in Phnom Penh on March 3, 2023. (Photo by TANG CHHIN SOTHY / AFP)

Cambodia opposition leader jailed 27 years for treason

A Cambodian court on Friday sentenced top opposition leader Kem Sokha to 27 years in jail for treason, in a case rights groups say is politically motivated. Kem Sokha was…

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Members of the People’s Defence Force (PDF) make handmade guns to be used in fighting against security forces near Demoso, Kayah state on June 4, 2021, as the country remains in turmoil after the February military coup. (Photo by AFP)

Myanmar government passes gun ownership bill

Two years after the coup, the military-led administration in Myanmar passed a law allowing firearms civilians to carry firearms from January 31st, 2023. The accompanying written mandate related to the…

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Five bears rescued from illegal bile farm in Vietnam

Five moon bears were rescued from an illegal bile extraction farm last Wednesday (February 22), in a joint effort between the Vietnam Administration of Forestry and Animals Asia to eradicate illegal bear…

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Nearly 300 migratory birds have been recorded in Red River Delta in Northern Vietnam

Nearly 300 migratory birds have been recorded in the middle alluvium ground of the Red River, which flows through Hanoi. This is a particularly rare occurrence as many migratory species…

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Protesters destroy an effigy during a rally marking the 37th anniversary of the “People Power” revolution, which ousted Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s dictator father and sent the family into exile, on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, or EDSA, in Quezon City on February 25, 2023. JAM STA ROSA / AFP

Philippine protesters celebrate ‘People Power’ ousting of Marcos Sr

Philippine protesters held a noisy rally Saturday for the 37th anniversary of the “People Power” revolution, which ousted President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s dictator father and sent the family into exile. It was the first commemoration…

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Thailand on guard after first fatal bird flu case in Cambodia for several years

A Thai virologist has warned that Thailand must raise its guard following the death of an 11-year-old girl in Cambodia from bird flu, in the country’s first known human H5N1…

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Tun Min Latt (yellow tie) with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing at an arms exhibition in Bangkok in 2019. (Photo courtesy of www.seniorgeneralminaunghlaing.com)

Dubious links to Myanmar junta a blot on PM Prayut

A deep connection between Myanmar’s arms dealer Tun Min Latt and the Thai elite has triggered a political controversy in Thailand at a time when Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is…

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Malaysian facilitator Zulkifli Zainal Abidin, flanked by Thai chief negotiator Gen Wallop Raksanoh (left) and BRN representative Anas, during the press conference in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday.

BRN agrees to have other rebel groups join peace talks

More separatist groups will be invited to join the BRN in peace talks with the Thai government, the Malaysian facilitator of the peace process said on Wednesday. BenarNews quoted former…

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Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles attends a joint news conference with France’s Foreign and Defence ministers at the Quai d’Orsay in Paris, France, January 30, 2023. / REUTERS

Australia, Philippines discuss joint patrols in South China Sea

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Wednesday he discussed with his Philippine counterpart pursuing joint patrols in the disputed South China Sea. Marles was speaking at a joint news conference with Philippines Defense…

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Cambodia’s Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn speaks during a press conference at the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Phnom Penh on August 6, 2022 / AFP

Cambodian foreign minister to visit Thailand Feb 23-24

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn will arrive in Bangkok on Thursday for a two-day visit to strengthen bilateral ties and forge new areas of cooperation. It…

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The Thai delegation arrives for peace talks at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur Tuesday morning.

Southern peace negotiators end first day of talks

Peace negotiators, representing the Thai government and a separatist group, ended their first day of talks in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon (Tuesday). A Thai PBS news team reports that they…

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First ASEAN online sale day is fixed for Aug 8th

ASEAN will stage its first region-wide online shopping event in August, to promote cross-border trade through e-commerce, according to an informed source. The new ASEAN chair, Indonesia, has recently proposed…

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It is the third year in a row that Mr Florido has handed out bonus payments to singletons in local government. PHOTO: MAYOR MATT FLORIDO WITHAHEART/FACEBOOK

Philippine mayor gives singles extra pay on Valentine’s Day

A life-long bachelor mayor in the Philippines is giving single staff extra pay on Tuesday for Valentine’s Day, to show gratitude for the extra hours they work and show that “someone loves them”. Lonely hearts at General Luna town hall…

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Myanmar’s military chief Min Aung Hlaing (STR / AFP)

Myanmar, the General and their EV dream

When the current military government took over, one of the very first aims of leader Min Aung Hlaing was to make Myanmar adopt Electric Vehicles (EV). He has been reported…

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Anwar’s visit sets tone for increase in bilateral trade and investment

Resolving the logistics bottleneck at the Customs checkpoint in the South and increasing overall trade and investment were high on the agenda of Malaysia’s newly elected Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim when…

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Hun Sen orders shutdown of independent local news outlet in Cambodia

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered the shutdown of one of the last independent local news organizations in the country on Sunday night, saying it had attacked him and his…

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Exclusive – A Conversation with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim

The 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim, was on formal visit to Thailand. He discussed various issues, from the South of Thailand, economic cooperation between the two…

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Exclusive: Anwar calls for new ASEAN approaches to deal with Myanmar crisis

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called on ASEAN to explore new approaches to resolving the ongoing crisis in Myanmar which, he said, can no longer be treated as the…

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Myanmar’s Chin ethnic armed force takes over Thantlang police station

Myanmar’s ethnic armed force has attacked and managed to take over the main police station in Thantlang, according to the Chin National Army (CNA). CNA announced that they started the…

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Malaysia doesn’t condone violence in southern Thailand – PM Anwar

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim reiterated today (Thursday) that Malaysia is against the use of violence to resolve the conflicts in southern Thailand and pledged his government’s readiness…

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Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail are welcomed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai upon their arrival. (Picture from Anwar’s Facebook)

Malaysian PM Anwar arrives for talks with Prayut

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrived in Bangkok this morning (Thursday) for a two-day visit, during which he will discuss with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ways to strengthen…

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Myanmar government prepares for ‘Union Day’ celebrations

Preparations can be seen in Myanmar’s economic hub of Yangon, for the upcoming Union Day on February 12th. Soldiers were seen on patrol in their vehicles and posted at major…

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