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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.
Former Khmer Rouge Head of State Begins Genocide Appeal
By Sebastian Strangio
Khieu Samphan's legal team are seeking the dismissal of the genocide conviction handed down by the U.N.-backed court in 2018.
Laos-China Railway on Track for December Opening: Official
By Sebastian Strangio
The completion of the railway will deepen China's influence over the landlocked nation of seven million.
COVID-19 Has Resulted in Massive Southeast Asian Job Losses
By Sebastian Strangio
According to the International Labor Organization, pandemic-induced job losses will continue to drag down the region's economies until well into 2022.
Myanmar’s Former Military Dictator Hospitalized Due to COVID-19
By Sebastian Strangio
Than Shwe's illness is paralleled by the collapse of the crafted system of semi-democracy that he engineered.
Thai Protesters Engage in Violent Clashes With Riot Police
By Sebastian Strangio
Anti-government demonstrations have sputtered back to life, but Prime Minister Prayut’s administration shows no signs of giving ground.
China Announces Aid Dispersal to Myanmar’s Military Junta
By Sebastian Strangio
Can Western democracies offer similar aid without legitimizing Myanmar's military administration?
Why Indonesia Underachieves at the Olympic Games
By Noto Suoneto
Given its population, Indonesia should perform better. Here’s what's holding it back.
COVID-19 Breaches Last Southeast Asian Bastions
By Sebastian Strangio
Brunei breaks its 15-month coronavirus-free streak, while Timor-Leste reports the arrival of the contagious Delta variant.
Despite COVID-19, Indonesia-China Relations Continue to Develop
By Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat
Bilateral cooperation is slowly beginning to move beyond the economic realm that has long been its foundation.
Dam in Cambodia a ‘Disaster’ for Local Communities: Rights Group
By Sebastian Strangio
The Chinese-financed Lower Sesan 2 dam has had a range of deleterious consequences – just what activists were warning a decade ago.
New ASEAN Envoy to Myanmar Pledges to Meet With Opposition, Detained Activists
By Sebastian Strangio
The envoy's mission relies on good faith commitment on the part of the junta, but this remains unlikely.
Deadly COVID-19 Variant Migrates to Indonesia’s Outer Islands
By Sebastian Strangio
Just as cases are beginning to ease in densely populated Java and Bali, they are rising elsewhere.