Same, same but different
Last week saw the Thai king’s mistress crawling towards the monarch’s feet like a snail to be named as a key adviser. Thailand’s king,...
Expect Papuan misery to increase
The looming 50th anniversary of a so-called referendum that condemned the two Papuan provinces to exploitation by Indonesia has coincided with a rising tide...
Vietnam faces Trump’s trade stick
The boom in Vietnamese exports to the US appears to be in jeopardy as Donald Trump is now targeting his key regional ally in...
Meth trade extends its web
Intrepid visitors to Yangon should not miss the military’s bizarre Drug Elimination Museum. Its gory mannequins depict the dangers of drug abuse and the military’s...
Thailand prepares coronation of unelected general
Thailand is due to select its prime minister this week amid a rising number of attacks on pro-democracy campaigners. The generals who seized power in...
Brunei’s hypocrites buckle under international pressure
Brunei has climbed down after a sustained international campaign, saying it will not impose the death penalty for those convicted of having gay sex. The...
Myanmar’s democratic deficit
The hopes that surrounded the November 2015 general election in Myanmar now seem a distant memory as democratic rights are systematically crushed in the...
Papuans poised to boycott Indonesia election
Papuan representatives have called for an Indonesian election boycott and a referendum on independence instead. It is hardly a surprise as successive Indonesian elections...
Philippines wakes to debt-trap peril
The Philippines seems to have caught up with its neighbours like Malaysia in waking to the perils of signing up to Chinese infrastructure projects....
Asean’s predictable elections could boost growth
Elections are scheduled in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines in the next few months, leading to speculation about how political activity will affect Asean’s...
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Amid surging Covid-19 cases, second gen vaccines raise hopes across the Asia-Pacific
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees sounded the alarm at the beginning of this month on the rapidly deteriorating circumstances of refugees and...
Monde sets sight on alternative meats for expansion
Food maker Monde Nissin Corp. was looking to bank on the fast-growing alternative meats business following its successful initial public offering (IPO) that saw...
Duterte admin lowers Philippine growth projection on last year in office
The Philippine government has abandoned its goal to reach double-digit growth in the last year of the current administration amid the pandemic plaguing global...