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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.
Thailand’s Election Commission Says Top PM Candidate May Have Broken Election Law
By Jinatamas Saksornchai and Grant Peck
The announcement comes just a day before Parliament is set to convene and vote to select the country's next prime minister.
Prayut Has Retired, but His Undemocratic Legacy Will Live On
By Mark S. Cogan
During his nine years in power, the general turned Thailand’s judiciary, and its Constitutional Court in particular, into a weapon for advancing and safeguarding conservative interests.
Laos, Cambodia Urge US Not to Send Cluster Munitions to Ukraine
By Sebastian Strangio
The two nations were heavily bombed by the U.S. in the 1960s and 1970s, and remain seriously impacted by unexploded cluster bombs.
Indonesia Warns Nuclear Weapons Put Southeast Asia a ‘Miscalculation Away’ From Disaster
By Edna Tarigan and Niniek Karmini
Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi urged nuclear weapons states to join ASEAN's regional nuclear-free zone.
Is Vietnam’s Economic Blip a Blessing in Disguise?
By David Hutt
The current stagnation could shock the ruling Communist Party into putting economic policy back into sensible hands.
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha Announces Retirement From Politics
By Sebastian Strangio
The former general steps down nine years after coming to power in the military coup of 2014.
Funcinpec Touted as a Chance for Seats in Cambodian Election
By Luke Hunt
Can the royalists end Cambodia’s status as a one-party-state?
In Myanmar, ‘Some PDFs Are Behaving Like the Junta’
By Rajeev Bhattacharyya
A woman resistance fighter and trainer talks to The Diplomat about the guerrilla movement and the future of Myanmar.
Australian National Returns Home After Being Freed in Vietnam
By Sebastian Strangio
Chau Van Kham, a member of the banned pro-democracy group Viet Tan, was arrested during a trip to Vietnam in 2019.
ASEAN Meetings Open Under Shadow of Myanmar, Maritime Tensions
By Sebastian Strangio
This week’s string of regional meetings will also see the involvement of dialogue partners including China, Russia, and the United States.
Indonesia Claims Continued Myanmar Progress Ahead of Key ASEAN Meeting
By Sebastian Strangio
Jakarta’s attempts to implement the Five-Point Consensus are laudable, but unlikely to bring the two sides to the negotiating table.
The Struggle to Save the Philippines’ Architectural Heritage
By Felix Iglesias
The recent blaze at the Manila Central Post Office highlighted the challenges in keeping the depredations of time and private commercial interests at bay.