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Myanmar

Latest news, updates and opinion on Myanmar, covering politics, economy, society and the country’s relationships with China and India, and other countries in Southeast Asia.

Capital

Naypyidaw

Head of State

Acting President Min Aung Hlaing

Head of Government

Prime Minister Min Aung Hlaing

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar’s junta leader-turned-president, in Naypyidaw on Saturday. Photo: Xinhua

Asean

China backs Myanmar’s push to ease diplomatic isolation, stamp out telecoms scams

Foreign Minister Wang Yi caps five-day Southeast Asia tour also urging both sides to ‘open up new prospects for bilateral relations’.

26 Apr 2026 - 7:51PMvideocam

Cambodia

US slaps sanctions on Cambodian senator suspected of controlling scam centres

24 Apr 2026 - 5:19PMvideocam

US-China relations

America offers US$4 million bounty for arrest of Chinese money launderer

24 Apr 2026 - 3:58PMvideocam

Min Aung Hlaing

Why Myanmar’s token amnesties are ‘no cause for celebration’

Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is now due for release in 2043 – provided she survives to the age of 97.

22 Apr 2026 - 4:18PM

A protester from Myanmar living in Japan holds a placard showing detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi during a rally in December outside Myanmar’s embassy in Tokyo denouncing the junta’s election. Photo: Reuters

War and conflict

Myanmar president seeks peace talks by July 31, 2 rebel groups reject offer

Of the rebel groups that Min Aung Hlaing mentioned in his offer, the Karen National Union and the Chin National Front have rejected his call.

21 Apr 2026 - 9:46PM

Asean

Why Indonesia is ceding its role as Asean’s natural leader to Singapore

For decades, Indonesia’s standing was a given. A new survey suggests the region’s opinion leaders are no longer so sure.

21 Apr 2026 - 3:38PMvideocam

Malaysia

‘Some make it, some die’: why more Rohingya risk sea escapes to Malaysia

Dwindling food aid and growing desperation force thousands of refugees in Bangladesh to undertake perilous sea crossings to Southeast Asia.

21 Apr 2026 - 11:58AMvideocam

Rohingya refugees wait to be rescued from the hull of their capsized boat in waters off west Aceh in 2024. Photo: AFP

Thailand

‘Worst I’ve seen’: forest fires rage across Thailand, Mekong region

The region faces a perennial haze scourge, with enforcement of bans against slash-and-burn farm practices remaining patchy.

20 Apr 2026 - 5:36PM

Asean

Opinion | As Iran war fallout hits Southeast Asia, US is losing influence to China

Asean survey reflects China’s growing strategic influence but also concerns. The question is: will China crowd the US out of the region?

19 Apr 2026 - 9:46PMvideocam

Aung San Suu Kyi

Video | Myanmar frees thousands of prisoners, including former president

Newly-elected president Min Aung Hlaing also commuted all death sentences and released 4,300 prisoners to mark the Thingyan New Year.

17 Apr 2026 - 10:30PM

Released prisoners look out from a bus after it came out from Insein Prison, as relatives gather around it searching for their loved ones, during an amnesty to mark Myanmar’s new year in Yangon on April 17, 2026. More than 4,300 prisoners were slated for release on April 17 to mark Myanmar’s Thingyan new year, one of the country’s many public holidays when forgiveness orders are regularly announced. (Photo by Sai Aung MAIN / AFP)

01:32

Aung San Suu Kyi

Myanmar frees Win Myint, cuts Aung San Suu Kyi’s prison term in amnesty deal

Newly elected president Min Aung Hlaing also commuted all death sentences and released 4,300 prisoners to mark the Thingyan new year.

18 Apr 2026 - 7:58AMvideocam

Aung San Suu Kyi attends a press conference at the Akasaka Palace State Guest House in Tokyo on October 9, 2018. Photo: EPA-EFE

Rohingya Muslims

Video | Hundreds missing after Rohingya boat sinks

Families fear for lives of hundreds missing after boat sinks in what the United Nations said was related to overcrowding and storms in the Andaman Sea.

16 Apr 2026 - 6:14PM

US, Israel war on Iran

UN warns 8 million in Asia-Pacific risk poverty if Iran war drags on

A new UNDP report has forecast job losses, crippling inflation and food insecurity, with the poorest nations brutally exposed to the oil shock.

14 Apr 2026 - 5:26PM

Malaysia

Malaysian bust spotlights shadow fleet oil trade in Southeast Asia

Two tankers were intercepted in waters off Penang on Saturday during an alleged illegal transfer of more than 700,000 litres of diesel.

14 Apr 2026 - 9:30AMvideocam

The Penang Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency intercepted an alleged illegal transfer of more than 700,000 litres of diesel in waters off Bagan Ajam on Saturday. Photo: Facebook / Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia

Thailand

Songkran is here. So is Thailand’s worst energy crisis in years

Soaring costs for fuel and ice fail to dampen the mood as a wave of ‘revenge travel’ provides a much-needed economic boost.

13 Apr 2026 - 3:50PM

Revellers celebrate in Bangkok, Thailand, on Sunday, the eve of Songkran. Photo: Reuters

Malaysia

Malaysia foils illegal ship-to-ship fuel transfer in waters off Penang

Malaysia has been cracking down on fuel smuggling amid mounting shortages and ‌supply disruptions caused by the Iran war.

13 Apr 2026 - 11:07AM

The Philippines

Manila vs Hong Kong: the 2 sides of Asia’s housing affordability crisis

Asia is home to 60 per cent of the world’s slum dwellers and some of the planet’s most expensive real estate.

12 Apr 2026 - 4:00PMvideocam

Asean

Asian Angle | Doubts about Trump strain Southeast Asia’s US-China balancing act

An increasingly unpredictable Washington is making the region’s traditional hedging strategy harder to sustain.

12 Apr 2026 - 12:00PMvideocam

US President Donald Trump (centre) stands for a group photo with Southeast Asian leaders at the 13th Asean-United States Summit in Kuala Lumpur on October 26, 2025. Photo: AFP

Malaysia

Malaysia detains masseuses from China offering ‘extra services’

Police said 21 men and women from Myanmar and China, aged 18 to 41, were detained.

11 Apr 2026 - 1:08PM

South Korea

In South Korea, you can order online deliveries for almost anything – even drugs

The number of teenagers arrested for drug-related crimes in the country has surged from just 30 in 2005 to 1,477 in 2023.

10 Apr 2026 - 1:17PMvideocam

Indonesia

Indonesian activists target Myanmar’s president in genocide case against him

The complaint seeks to hold Min Aung Hlaing accountable for international crimes in an Indonesian court, following recent legal changes.

9 Apr 2026 - 7:00PMvideocam

Myanmar’s then junta chief Min Aung Hlaing attends an army parade in Naypyitaw in 2021. Photo: Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

Fuel crisis at planting season threatens Myanmar’s fragile economy

Rising fertiliser costs and fuel rationing have affected farmers’ productivity, but Myanmar has little capital to replenish these stocks.

8 Apr 2026 - 8:05PMvideocam

An employee refuels a vehicle at a petrol station amid rising prices in Mandalay, Myanmar, on March 20. Photo: AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

No quick fix for Asian airlines even if Iran reopens Hormuz: IATA chief

While crude oil is likely to be cheaper after the US-Iran ceasefire, jet fuel costs will stay high for the short haul, IATA’s Walsh says.

8 Apr 2026 - 3:26PMvideocam

Japan

Japan’s deportation drive strikes fear into asylum seekers, foreign residents

Rights groups warn the government’s push to remove more undocumented migrants clashes with its duty to protect refugees.

8 Apr 2026 - 9:30AM

Asean

Most in Asean prefer China over US in survey, Trump cited as biggest concern

Support for China was stronger in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore, according to the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute survey.

7 Apr 2026 - 6:08PM

US President Donald Trump greets Chinese President Xi Jinping before a bilateral meeting at the Gimhae International Airport terminal in South Korea in October. Photo: Daniel Torok/White House/dpa

Thailand

Oil smugglers in Thailand worsen supply crisis as Anutin warns of tough times

Police are investigating alleged oil hoarding in southern Thailand and reselling to nearby countries, citing ‘abnormal’ vessel movements.

6 Apr 2026 - 8:04PMvideocam

A Thai farmer refuels diesel into an oil drum at a gas station in Ayutthaya province on Wednesday. Thai farmers are struggling with shortages of diesel, fertiliser and insecticides amid the ongoing Iran war. Photo: EPA

Scams and swindles

Cambodia’s high-stakes war on online scam compounds

Cambodia has vowed to stamp out the scam compounds on its soil by month’s end – but perpetrators remain drawn to the potential for huge profits.

4 Apr 2026 - 6:22AMvideocam

Min Aung Hlaing

From general to Myanmar president: Min Aung Hlaing’s ‘cosmetic’ rebrand

His transition from top general to president is a ‘veneer’ that poses a challenge for Asean, which has long shunned him, critics say.

3 Apr 2026 - 6:35PMvideocam

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Myanmar

China backs Myanmar’s push to ease diplomatic isolation, stamp out telecoms scams

Foreign Minister Wang Yi caps five-day Southeast Asia tour also urging both sides to ‘open up new prospects for bilateral relations’.

US slaps sanctions on Cambodian senator suspected of controlling scam centres

America offers US$4 million bounty for arrest of Chinese money launderer

Why Myanmar’s token amnesties are ‘no cause for celebration’

Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is now due for release in 2043 – provided she survives to the age of 97.

Myanmar president seeks peace talks by July 31, 2 rebel groups reject offer

Of the rebel groups that Min Aung Hlaing mentioned in his offer, the Karen National Union and the Chin National Front have rejected his call.

Why Indonesia is ceding its role as Asean’s natural leader to Singapore

For decades, Indonesia’s standing was a given. A new survey suggests the region’s opinion leaders are no longer so sure.

‘Some make it, some die’: why more Rohingya risk sea escapes to Malaysia

Dwindling food aid and growing desperation force thousands of refugees in Bangladesh to undertake perilous sea crossings to Southeast Asia.

‘Worst I’ve seen’: forest fires rage across Thailand, Mekong region

The region faces a perennial haze scourge, with enforcement of bans against slash-and-burn farm practices remaining patchy.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | As Iran war fallout hits Southeast Asia, US is losing influence to China

Asean survey reflects China’s growing strategic influence but also concerns. The question is: will China crowd the US out of the region?

.css-1t72pn8{color:#C79A00;}Video | Myanmar frees thousands of prisoners, including former president

Newly-elected president Min Aung Hlaing also commuted all death sentences and released 4,300 prisoners to mark the Thingyan New Year.

Myanmar frees Win Myint, cuts Aung San Suu Kyi’s prison term in amnesty deal

Newly elected president Min Aung Hlaing also commuted all death sentences and released 4,300 prisoners to mark the Thingyan new year.

Video | Hundreds missing after Rohingya boat sinks

Families fear for lives of hundreds missing after boat sinks in what the United Nations said was related to overcrowding and storms in the Andaman Sea.

UN warns 8 million in Asia-Pacific risk poverty if Iran war drags on

A new UNDP report has forecast job losses, crippling inflation and food insecurity, with the poorest nations brutally exposed to the oil shock.

Malaysian bust spotlights shadow fleet oil trade in Southeast Asia

Two tankers were intercepted in waters off Penang on Saturday during an alleged illegal transfer of more than 700,000 litres of diesel.

Songkran is here. So is Thailand’s worst energy crisis in years

Soaring costs for fuel and ice fail to dampen the mood as a wave of ‘revenge travel’ provides a much-needed economic boost.

Malaysia foils illegal ship-to-ship fuel transfer in waters off Penang

Malaysia has been cracking down on fuel smuggling amid mounting shortages and ‌supply disruptions caused by the Iran war.

Manila vs Hong Kong: the 2 sides of Asia’s housing affordability crisis

Asia is home to 60 per cent of the world’s slum dwellers and some of the planet’s most expensive real estate.

Asian Angle | Doubts about Trump strain Southeast Asia’s US-China balancing act

An increasingly unpredictable Washington is making the region’s traditional hedging strategy harder to sustain.

Malaysia detains masseuses from China offering ‘extra services’

Police said 21 men and women from Myanmar and China, aged 18 to 41, were detained.

In South Korea, you can order online deliveries for almost anything – even drugs

The number of teenagers arrested for drug-related crimes in the country has surged from just 30 in 2005 to 1,477 in 2023.

Indonesian activists target Myanmar’s president in genocide case against him

The complaint seeks to hold Min Aung Hlaing accountable for international crimes in an Indonesian court, following recent legal changes.

Fuel crisis at planting season threatens Myanmar’s fragile economy

Rising fertiliser costs and fuel rationing have affected farmers’ productivity, but Myanmar has little capital to replenish these stocks.

No quick fix for Asian airlines even if Iran reopens Hormuz: IATA chief

While crude oil is likely to be cheaper after the US-Iran ceasefire, jet fuel costs will stay high for the short haul, IATA’s Walsh says.

Japan’s deportation drive strikes fear into asylum seekers, foreign residents

Rights groups warn the government’s push to remove more undocumented migrants clashes with its duty to protect refugees.

Most in Asean prefer China over US in survey, Trump cited as biggest concern

Support for China was stronger in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore, according to the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute survey.

Oil smugglers in Thailand worsen supply crisis as Anutin warns of tough times

Police are investigating alleged oil hoarding in southern Thailand and reselling to nearby countries, citing ‘abnormal’ vessel movements.

Cambodia’s high-stakes war on online scam compounds

Cambodia has vowed to stamp out the scam compounds on its soil by month’s end – but perpetrators remain drawn to the potential for huge profits.

From general to Myanmar president: Min Aung Hlaing’s ‘cosmetic’ rebrand

His transition from top general to president is a ‘veneer’ that poses a challenge for Asean, which has long shunned him, critics say.

Opinion | As Iran war fallout hits Southeast Asia, US is losing influence to China

Video | Myanmar frees thousands of prisoners, including former president