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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.
Cambodian PM Calls on Myanmar Junta to Implement ASEAN Peace Plan
By Sebastian Strangio
Cambodia says the junta's participation in ASEAN meetings is dependent on progress in implementing its peace plan. But how will it define progress?
World Bank Says Myanmar’s Economic Outlook is ‘Critically Weak’
By Sebastian Strangio
The Bank estimates that Myanmar's economy is 30 percent smaller than it would have been were it not for the coup and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Indonesia’s Capital is Sinking, Polluted and Now Moving
By Edna Tarigan and Niniek Karmini
Jakarta is home to about 10 million people and three times that number in the greater metropolitan area.
Thai Prime Minister Arrives in Saudi Arabia, Easing Diamond Heist Row
By Isabel Debre
The official visit by Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to Riyadh signals the nations are seeking to thaw ties, long chilled by 1989 Blue Diamond affair.
China Appeals to Myanmar Opposition to Safeguard its Investments
By Sebastian Strangio
The request marked a small but potentially significant move toward China's engagement with the National Unity Government.
Myanmar Refugee Numbers Swell in India’s Mizoram State
By Sebastian Strangio
The exodus follows a series of brutal military reprisal killings in Chin State's Matupi Township.
Twitter Removes Hundreds of Accounts Linked to Philippines’ Marcos Jr.
By Sebastian Strangio
The accounts are part of the politician's well-oiled machinery of social media manipulation.
ARSA After the Myanmar Coup: Between a Rock and a Hard Place
By Patrick Dupont
Isolated from its main popular base of support, the ragtag militant outfit has withered on the vine.
Thich Nhat Hanh, Influential Zen Buddhist Monk, Dies at 95
By Associated Press
The revered Vietnamese monk did much to popularize the tenets of Zen Buddhism in the West.
Western Oil Majors Announce Withdrawal From Crisis-Hit Myanmar
By Sebastian Strangio
The move could suggest the impending imposition of economic sanctions on the country's state oil and gas enterprise.
Are Australia-Vietnam Relations Set to Reach New Heights in 2022?
By Huynh Tam Sang
An opportunity to upgrade the Australia-Vietnam partnership is within reach, but both sides should take concrete steps to realize this goal.
France’s Total Backs Sanctions on Myanmar Oil and Gas Revenues
By Sebastian Strangio
The shift is a major breakthrough for activists seeking to strangle the military government's main source of revenue.