Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul arrives at the Government House in Bangkok on Feb. 9.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul arrives at the Government House in Bangkok on Feb. 9.

Why Thai Conservatives Just Won Big

An epochal win may yet mask a deeper desire for reform in the electorate.

Philippine Coast Guard personnel sail past a China Coast Guard vessel during a resupply mission to troops stationed at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea on March 5, 2024.
Philippine Coast Guard personnel sail past a China Coast Guard vessel during a resupply mission to troops stationed at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea on March 5, 2024.

The Philippines Brokers South China Sea Talks

Why the ASEAN chair is pushing for a code of conduct with China.

Members of Vietnam’s honor guard prepare ahead of a welcoming ceremony at the presidential palace in Hanoi on Jan. 26.
Members of Vietnam’s honor guard prepare ahead of a welcoming ceremony at the presidential palace in Hanoi on Jan. 26.

Vietnam’s To Lam Stakes His Ascent on Rapid Growth

He has boosted the private sector and fired tens of thousands of civil servants.

A member of the Philippine Navy looks out at the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s destroyer Takanami during a joint maritime exercise in the South China Sea on June 14, 2025.
A member of the Philippine Navy looks out at the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s destroyer Takanami during a joint maritime exercise in the South China Sea on June 14, 2025.

How Japan and the Philippines Are Hedging Against China Together

Beijing’s response to the latest agreement was predictably spiky.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim delivers remarks during the closing ceremony of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Oct. 28, 2025.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim delivers remarks during the closing ceremony of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Oct. 28, 2025.

Why Southeast Asia Spoke Out Against Maduro’s Capture

The region’s rhetorical commitment reflects a wariness of great-power interference.

A soldier patrols a street during the first phase of Myanmar's general election in Yangon on Dec. 28.
A soldier patrols a street during the first phase of Myanmar's general election in Yangon on Dec. 28.

Southeast Asia Faces a Challenging 2026

Policymakers in the region have a lot on their minds.

Soldiers carry the coffin of Sgt. Maj. 1st Class Ananda Udon during a royal funeral ceremony in Sisaket, Thailand, on Dec. 14.
Soldiers carry the coffin of Sgt. Maj. 1st Class Ananda Udon during a royal funeral ceremony in Sisaket, Thailand, on Dec. 14.

Southeast Asia’s Year in Review

Tracking the region’s biggest developments in 2025.

This picture shows an aerial view of villagers wading through the mudflow to find a shelter in the aftermath of flash floods in Tukka village in North Sumatra province, Indonesia, on Dec. 3.
This picture shows an aerial view of villagers wading through the mudflow to find a shelter in the aftermath of flash floods in Tukka village in North Sumatra province, Indonesia, on Dec. 3.

Why Indonesia’s Not Out of the Flood Zone

The waters may have let up, but an aid crisis continues.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim presides over the signing of a Cambodia-Thailand peace deal at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on October 26.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim presides over the signing of a Cambodia-Thailand peace deal at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on October 26.

Malaysia’s Borneo Election Spells Trouble for Anwar

“Sabah for Sabahans” undermines the country’s precarious ethno-political balance.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. speaks during a press conference at Malacanang Palace in Manila, the Philippines, on Nov. 13.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. speaks during a press conference at Malacanang Palace in Manila, the Philippines, on Nov. 13.

The Philippine Government Is Creaking Under the Weight of Scandal

Popular protest is keeping the issue of flood corruption in the news.

A motorbike rides past a house hit by Cambodian artillery during the Thailand-Cambodia border conflict in Surin Province, Thailand, on Nov. 3.
A motorbike rides past a house hit by Cambodian artillery during the Thailand-Cambodia border conflict in Surin Province, Thailand, on Nov. 3.

Why the Thai-Cambodia Peace Deal Is in Tatters

Land mines, and who planted them, have been an ongoing factor.

A couple wade through a flooded street as Super Typhoon Fung-wong hits Bulacan, the Philippines, on Nov. 9.
A couple wade through a flooded street as Super Typhoon Fung-wong hits Bulacan, the Philippines, on Nov. 9.

Why Extreme Weather Hits Southeast Asia So Hard

The Philippines has been battered by back-to-back typhoons.

A high-speed electrical multiple unit (EMU) train attendant waits for passengers at Halim Station in Jakarta, Indonesia, on May 24.
A high-speed electrical multiple unit (EMU) train attendant waits for passengers at Halim Station in Jakarta, Indonesia, on May 24.

Indonesia’s Belt and Road Railway to Nowhere

For a while, it looked as if China had learned its lesson on scaling back investments.

Motorists stop at a traffic light next to the logo of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in front of Petronas Twin Towers ahead of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Oct. 23.
Motorists stop at a traffic light next to the logo of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in front of Petronas Twin Towers ahead of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Oct. 23.

ASEAN’s Mixed Feelings About U.S.-China Detente

What if China ends up with a better deal than Southeast Asia?

A car with "ASEAN" written on the side drives past a crowd with a Malaysian flag sticking out of the window.
A car with "ASEAN" written on the side drives past a crowd with a Malaysian flag sticking out of the window.

Why World Leaders Are Descending on ASEAN

Timor-Leste’s president said it was easier to get into heaven than the Southeast Asian bloc.

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