India’s reaction to Myanmar coup highlights cross-border interests
India’s belated condemnation of the violence in Myanmar and its willingness to work with the military government have cast a spotlight on New Delhi’s interests in the country.
Articles by ASEAN Today
Lao government, ethnic communities clash over development projects
The Lao government is reportedly ramping up military operations against Hmong communities in what appears to be an effort to secure land and resources for foreign investment and economic integration projects.
Vietnamese National Assembly elects leaders for new 5-year term
The election of Vietnam’s new national leadership signals the start of a new five-year government that will likely see the country continue on a path of economic success and increasing international leadership.
For Southeast Asia’s sinking cities, climate change is a design problem
As many of Southeast Asia’s megacities sink, understanding and addressing the problem is key to helping urban populations adapt to climate change.
Airstrikes commit the Myanmar military to a war it can’t win
The Myanmar military’s bombing of civilian areas in Karen State represents a major escalation in the conflict with Karen ethnic armed forces. The attacks seem to indicate that the junta will try to end the country’s long-running civil wars through brute force, despite decades of evidence that this is likely impossible.
Facebook, Google to build undersea cables linking Southeast Asia to the US
Facebook and Google are building two new undersea data cables linking Southeast Asia to the US, marking the latest attempt to improve access and infrastructure in major markets like Indonesia and Singapore.
Thailand’s deep south conflict poses a problem for pro-democracy reform
The Thai military’s grip on political power has little to do with the actual fighting of wars. As the country’s pro-democracy movement presses on, the long-running insurgency in the deep south raises key questions.
Arrival of Myanmar refugees, police pushes India to get clear on coup
As police and soldiers from Myanmar defect across India’s border, Modi’s government can’t continue with its tepid response to Myanmar’s coup and ongoing violence. India’s next moves will have impacts far beyond bilateral relations—on competition with China, on India’s geopolitical status and on attempts to economically and politically integrate its northeastern states.
Cambodia blocks Angkor Wat resort, will Laos stop the dam at its UNESCO site?
The Cambodian government’s decision to reject plans for a resort complex next to Angkor Wat stands in stark contrast to another project threatening one of Southeast Asia’s UNESCO World Heritage sites. The Luang Prabang dam in Laos poses huge risks to the ancient capital, and the case of Cambodia’s “Angkor Lake of Wonder” may offer advocates a way forward.
Vietnam’s in-house vaccines will play a role in pandemic geopolitics
Vietnam has pushed domestic vaccine development in part to reduce reliance on any single foreign source. But its willingness to share vaccine technology and support production abroad may help raise the country’s geopolitical status among the developing world.