Southeast Asia

The factionalizing of insurgent groups is jeopardising a ceasefire that ended decades of civil war in the southern Philippines, reports Luke Hunt.

Almost a decade after it secured independence, Timor-Leste remains the second poorest state in Asia. It might help if aid donors listened a little more.

Burma’s government has pledged change, and there are signs something is really happening. But there are ways to measure the regime’s progress toward democracy.

A flexible view of sexuality has allowed gays to find a place in the community in the Philippines – as long as they stay focused on the family.

Desperate for international legitimacy, Burma’s new president has been keen to give the impression of change in the country. ASEAN shouldn’t be fooled.

The election of Yingluck Shinawatra has raised hopes that Thailand can improve its prickly ties with Cambodia. But will the Thai Army get in the way?

Concerns over Burma’s ties with North Korea and China have prompted the US to sit up and take notice of the country. But it needs a road map.

With the first signs of reform there in decades, the US plan to extend sanctions against the government is misguided and self-defeating, says David Steinberg.

The guidelines agreed at the ASEAN Regional Forum are a good start in resolving the territorial row between China and Southeast Asian nations.

Indonesia’s rainforests are being torn down at an alarming rate. Ulara Nakagawa reports on the pressures locals face from the palm oil industry.

The sleepy Thai district of Chiang Saen has become a key transit hub for North Korean refugees. But it’s leaving Bangkok with a political headache.

With trade dominating Southeast Asian nations’ agendas, it’s left to the US to save the organisation’s moral bacon, says Luke Hunt.