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...
Singapore data-sharing raises privacy concerns
Hacking-prone Singapore has proposed technological reforms to allow consumers to switch between service providers without losing their data on sensitive information about loan repayments...
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Thailand eyes vaccine passports, quarantine waivers for tourists
The government of Thailand was keen on further loosening up its borders to international tourists through vaccination passports and quarantine waivers as it begins...
Philippines begins mass vaccination as Sinovac arrives
The Philippines has officially received the first batch of its coronavirus vaccine made by China-based pharmaceutical giant Sinovac Biotech. The military aircraft from China carrying...
Malaysia’s mass vaccination program starts
Malaysia on Wednesday began with its mass vaccination program, two days earlier than scheduled, with the first person to receive the vaccine no other...