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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.
Indonesia Begins Distributing Booster Shots as Omicron Makes Inroads
By Sebastian Strangio
The government made a last-minute decision to ditch a plan that would have required most of the public to pay for the jabs.
Cambodia Postpones ASEAN Meeting Amid Myanmar Disagreements
By Sebastian Strangio
The Myanmar crisis has opened an increasingly wide fissure within the Southeast Asian bloc.
Myanmar Teak Exports to US Continuing Despite Sanctions: Watchdog
By Sebastian Strangio
According to Justice for Myanmar, U.S. companies imported nearly 1,600 metric tons of teak between February and December of last year.
Philippines Posts Three Consecutive Days of Record COVID-19 Cases
By Sebastian Strangio
A new COVID-19 surge now threatens to overshadow campaigning for the country's presidential election on May 9.
China’s COVID-19 Border Restrictions Wreak Economic Havoc in Southeast Asia
By Sebastian Strangio
Tighter customs clearance procedures have led producers to dump truckloads of fruit by the roadside.
Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi Sentenced to 4 More Years in Prison
By Associated Press
The military junta has not allowed any outside party to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi since its seizure of power.
Cambodian Government Defends PM’s Myanmar Trip, Hails ‘Positive’ Outcomes
By Sebastian Strangio
As expected, the trip did little to advance a solution to the country's complex of political and humanitarian crises.
Thailand Raises COVID-19 Alert Level as Neighbors Brace for Omicron Surge
By Sebastian Strangio
The fast-spreading coronavirus variant is clouding the region's economic recovery.
Duterte Says He Will ‘Never Apologize’ for Drug War Deaths
By Sebastian Strangio
The Philippine leader's war on narcotics is perhaps the only policy that he has carried through consistently since his election in 2016.
Indonesian Prosecutors Seek Life for Bali Bombing Suspect
By Niniek Karmini
Laywers for Aris Sumarsono, alias Zulkarnaen, claim he was aware of the bombing but did not participate in the operation.
Uncertainty, Criticism Ahead of Hun Sen’s Myanmar Visit
By Sebastian Strangio
The Cambodian leader has opted for direct talks with the country's coup leader Min Aung Hlaing.
Prayut’s Popularity Plunges Further, But the Thai Public Can’t Name a Better Option
By Tita Sanglee
Despite boasting approval ratings of just 16 percent, the Thai prime minister's tenure seems set to drag on.