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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.
Rights Groups Call on Thai Government to Apprehend Tak Bai Accused
By Sebastian Strangio
With the statute of limitations due in the case to expire tomorrow, the seven defendants accused of the 2004 massacre are set to walk free.
Thai Authorities Cut Illegal Internet Cable Running Into Laos
By Sebastian Strangio
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission claims that the illegal connection was used by Laos-based scamming gangs to target Thai nationals.
Will Indonesia’s New President be a Statesman or a Strongman?
By Parker Novak
If Indonesia is to continue shedding its historical straitjackets and keep its rise on course, the “new” Prabowo needs to show up more often than the “old” one.
Son of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew Granted Asylum in UK
By Sebastian Strangio
Lee Hsien Yang, 67, alleges that he and his wife have been the subject of a campaign of persecution by the Singaporean authorities.
Evictions and Evasions: State Involvement in Southeast Asia’s ‘Golden Era of Organized Crime’
By Jacob Sims
Efforts to obscure or de-center state involvement in regional transnational crime are dangerous, because traditional approaches won’t work to counter crime co-perpetrated by states.
Cambodian Court Refuses Bail For Detained Journalist Mech Dara
By Sebastian Strangio
The 36-year-old, whose reporting has linked powerful businesspeople to the country's online scamming industry, is reportedly suffering from a number of health problems.
Vietnam’s National Assembly Chooses Army General as President
By Sebastian Strangio
The elevation of Luong Cuong, 67, has further increased the presence of security personnel at the upper echelons of Vietnamese politics.
Small Explosion Damages Chinese Consulate in Mandalay
By Sebastian Strangio
The apparent attack comes at a time of growing Chinese support for the beleaguered military junta in Naypyidaw.
Prabowo Subianto Sworn In As Indonesia’s Eighth President
By Sebastian Strangio
The inauguration ceremony marked a triumphant apotheosis for the former general, who was elected in a landslide in February.
Philippine Congress Hearings Reveal Sordid Details of Duterte’s Drug War
By Mong Palatino
The former president may have escaped the scrutiny of the ICC, but local investigations are moving forward in the context of his feud with the Marcos family.
GPS Jamming in Myanmar
By Sribala Subramanian
Drone warfare in the country has become a potential nuisance for airline pilots.
Vietnam Sentences Businesswoman to Life in Prison in Mega-Fraud Trial
By Sebastian Strangio
Truong My Lan, 68, is already on death row for masterminding the embezzlement of $26.8 billion from Saigon Commercial Bank.