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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.
Singapore PM Succession Setback
By Li Xirui and Dingding Chen
What are the consequences of Heng Swee Keat's decision to step aside as 4G leader-in-waiting?
Myanmar Sees Another Day of Bloodshed, as Armed Resistance Rises
By Sebastian Strangio
With the security forces graduating to more violent crackdowns, Myanmar is fast approaching the point of economic meltdown.
VICE Asia Tampers with Khmer Rouge Tribunal Evidence
By Luke Hunt
An insulting end to a messy week for the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.
Thailand Buffeted by Third Wave of COVID-19 Infections
By Sebastian Strangio
The new outbreak threatens to undermine Thailand's economic recovery before it has even begun.
Malaysian FM’s ‘Big Brother’ China Gaffe: Faux Pas or Freudian Slip?
By James Chin
The comments by the country's top diplomat touched on a number of core Malaysian anxieties about China.
Chinese Navy Harasses Boat Carrying Filipino Journalists: Report
By Sebastian Strangio
This incident is perhaps the first in which a Chinese navy vessel has harassed a civilian boat inside another nation's Exclusive Economic Zone.
Philippine Man Dies After Being Forced to Exercise for Violating COVID-19 Curfew
By Nick Aspinwall
The incident is the latest in a long list of alleged human rights abuses that have attended one of the world’s strictest coronavirus lockdowns.
Twitter Unveils Bespoke Emoji Supporting Asia’s ‘Milk Tea Alliance’
By Sebastian Strangio
According to the social media giant, the past year has seen more than 11 million Tweets featuring the #MilkTeaAlliance hashtag.
Chinese Casino Magnate’s Empire Set to Expand in Laos
By Sebastian Strangio
The businessman Zhao Wei has established close relationships to Laos's communist elite.
Chinese Infrastructure Projects in Indonesia Face Fresh Delays
By Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat and M. Habib Pashya
Indonesia's government should tread cautiously when green-lighting large-scale Chinese infrastructure projects.
JAD and the 2021 Makassar Bombing: Disconnected Cells and Interconnected Families
By Alif Satria
It is important to analyze JAD not only through an organizational lens, but also through social networks.
Would Access to Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base Really Benefit China?
By Chen Heang
Gaining access to a Cambodian naval facility would give China's navy little discernible strategic advantage.