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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.
Resistance Medical Teams Brave Bombs and Bullets to Provide Healthcare in Myanmar’s Chin State
By Rajeev Bhattacharyya
With the state absent in many areas, doctors and nurses who were working in hospitals before the coup have stepped in to provide treatment in NUG facilities.
Hun Manet’s Cambodia: An Anatomy of Administrative Bloat
By Sebastian Strangio
The transition of power from long-serving PM Hun Sen to his son has been accompanied by a significant expansion of the country's administrative apparatus.
Malaysia’s LGBTQ Activists Deal With the Fall-out From The 1975’s Botched Performance
By Robin Vochelet
In addition to alienating foreign acts from Malaysia, the band’s controversial performance failed to elevate the conversation on LGBTQ rights in the country beyond "white saviorism."
Hun Sen’s Legacy is the Defeat of Western Foreign Policy
By Gordon Conochie
The long-serving Cambodian leader has demonstrated that there is nothing natural or inevitable about the emergence of liberal democracy.
US Announces Sanctions Targeting Myanmar Military’s Access to Jet Fuel
By Sebastian Strangio
The move comes in response to a marked uptick in junta air strikes on resistance forces and civilian populations.
What the ‘Korean Wave’ Can Teach Thailand About Soft Power
By Tim Hildebrandt
The country should draw inspiration from South Korea’s resounding orchestration of cultural ascendancy over the past two decades.
Philippines Successfully Resupplies Troops On Besieged Second Thomas Shoal
By Sebastian Strangio
The atoll in the South China Sea has been subject to what some observers have characterized as a Chinese blockade.
Real Estate Tycoon Srettha Thavisin Secures Votes to Become Thailand’s Next Prime Minister
By Jintamas Saksornchai
The vote came shortly after former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, the spiritual leader of Srettha's Pheu Thai Party, returned to Thailand after 15 years in self-exile.
How Serious Is Malaysia About a Clean Energy Transition?
By James Guild
Anwar Ibrahim's government has announced an ambitious transition plan, but it will take some effort to wean the country off fossil fuels.
Former Thai PM Thaksin Returns From Self-exile as PM Vote Looms
By Sebastian Strangio
The fugitive leader's return reflects the dramatic realignment that has taken place in Thai politics since the general election in May.
Cambodian Parliament Approves Longtime Leader’s Son as Prime Minister
By David Rising and Sopheng Cheang
The long-planned succession is part of a broader generational shift within the ruling Cambodian People's Party.
China’s Digital Silk Road and Malaysia’s Technological Neutrality
By Ilaria Carrozza and Giacomo Bruni
Like other nations in Asia and Africa, Malaysia has shown considerable agency in navigating the tech war between the United States and China.