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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 Condemn Myanmar Prisoner Executions, Warn More to Come
By Sebastian Strangio
Several sources are reporting that five pro-democracy activists will be hanged at Insein Prison in Yangon today.
Yagi: The Aftermath of a Deadly Typhoon
By Sribala Subramanian
Yagi left a trail of destruction from Manila to Mandalay.
Malaysian Police Rescue 187 More Children as Sex Abuse Probe of Islamic Group Deepens
By Associated Press
572 children have been rescued from homes linked to Global Ikhwan Services and Business (GISB) amid allegations of abuse that shocked and enraged the nation.
Pilot Freed After 19 Months in Rebel Captivity in Indonesia’s Papua Region
By Niniek Karmini and Charlotte Graham-McLay
Phillip Mark Mehrtens, a 38-year-old pilot from New Zealand, was abducted by rebels from a remote airport in February 2023.
Cambodia Pulls Out of Economic Agreement With Vietnam and Laos
By Sebastian Strangio
Phnom Penh's withdrawal from the CLV Triangle Development Area pact marks a potentially important shift in Cambodia-Vietnam relations.
Who Controls the Philippine Budget?
By Mong Palatino
The investigation of Vice President Sara Duterte, under scrutiny for alleged misuse of government funds, has highlighted the need for greater transparency.
Malaysian King to Seek Chinese Funding for Singapore Rail Link
By Sebastian Strangio
During his state visit to China this week, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar will reportedly seek Chinese financial support for the high-speed railway between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
Thailand Publishes New Draft Bill to Regulate Use, Sale of Cannabis
By Sebastian Strangio
The draft legislation seeks to curb recreational use of cannabis products, but stops short of relisting the plant as a narcotic.
Myanmar’s Silent Digital Crisis
By Phyu Sin Shin Thant
The country’s civil war has been accompanied by the growing prevalence of non-consensual pornography and other forms of cyber-attacks on women.
Thai Court Charges Eight Over 2004 Massacre in Southern Thailand
By Sebastian Strangio
A second case has been opened in relation to the Tak Bai massacre, in which 85 Malay Muslims were killed by Thai security forces.
Malaysia Charges Businessman in Cult-Linked Child Sex Abuse Scandal
By Sebastian Strangio
Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings is accused of running a network of care homes where children were allegedly subject to systematic abuse.
Why Rakhine State Could Become Myanmar’s First Truly Autonomous Region
By Mung Sian Kim
Relatively free from foreign influence, the Arakan Army is poised to carve out a large autonomous statelet in western Myanmar.