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ASEAN Beat
‘One Vision, One Identity, One Community.’ That’s the ASEAN motto. But what’s the reality? Our bloggers based around this diverse and strategically key region give you an insider’s perspective on politics, security and society in South-east Asia.
Vietnam Communist Party Chief’s Funeral Draws Thousands of Mourners, Including World Leaders
By Aniruddha Ghosal
Among those in attendance were the fourth-ranked leader in the Chinese Communist Party, a former Japanese prime minister, and top Cabinet officials from the U.S. and India.
Philippines Plans to Siphon Oil Cargo From Sunken Tanker to Avert ‘Environmental Catastrophe’
By Jim Gomez
The tanker Terra Nova sank Thursday after midnight in Manila Bay with about 1.4 million liters (370,000 gallons) of industrial fuel oil stored in watertight tanks.
Indonesian FM Criticizes Myanmar Junta Over ASEAN Peace Plan
By Sebastian Strangio
The Southeast Asian bloc continues to affirm its support for the Five-Point Consensus, but member states seem unsure how to encourage its implementation.
Who Cares If Malaysia and Thailand Join BRICS?
By David Hutt
As it expands, the grouping has become increasingly incapable of articulating a coherent political, security, or economic vision.
How a Poem Briefly Shook Myanmar’s Resistance Movement
By Naw Theresa
“To…Ma Ma Nu Gyi,” an elegiac anti-war poem, has highlighted a divide among opponents of military rule.
Myanmar Rebel Group Claims Capture of Major Military HQ in Shan State
By Sebastian Strangio
The fall of the military's Northeastern Regional Command headquarters would mark a turning-point in the country's civil war.
Myanmar Violence, South China Sea Tensions Top Agenda Ahead of ASEAN Meetings
By Jintamas Saksornchai
The bloc's foreign ministers and their international counterparts are meeting at a tense time in regional affairs.
Myanmar Resistance Group Claims Capture of Ruby-Mining Town
By Sebastian Strangio
The Three Brotherhood Alliance resistance group continues to press forward with the second phase of its Operation 1027 offensive.
Thailand Will Draft Bill to Regulate Cannabis, Minister Says
By Sebastian Strangio
The plan to ban the drug, two years after its historic decriminalization, has opened up a political rift in PM Srettha Thavisin's coalition government.
The Vietnamese Communist Strongman’s Contested Legacy
By Huynh Tam Sang
Nguyen Phu Trong devoted his political career to purifying the system, but his anti-corruption crackdown exposed the communist regime’s political decay.
Myanmar Junta Chief Min Aung Hlaing Named Acting President
By Sebastian Strangio
The announcement followed reports that the current acting president, Myint Swe, has been placed on medical leave.
Philippine President Announces Ban on Online Gambling Operations
By Sebastian Strangio
The announcement comes amid scrutiny of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, or POGOs, and their alleged links to organized crime.
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