Southeast Asia

List of Southeast Asia articles

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Putin Wants You to Think He’s an Anti-Woke Crusader

By pitching himself as a hero to the U.S. right, he’s taking a page from the 1960s North Vietnamese playbook to undermine support for Ukraine.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo greets U.S. President Joe Biden at the G-20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, on Nov. 16, 2022.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo greets U.S. President Joe Biden at the G-20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, on Nov. 16, 2022.

ASEAN and the Quad Inch Closer Together

Southeast Asian skepticism toward the foursome is softening.

Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat waves to supporters during a victory parade in Bangkok.
Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat waves to supporters during a victory parade in Bangkok.

Thailand’s Military Has No Good Options

The generals could subvert last week’s opposition victory, but it would guarantee a political crisis.

Pita Limjaroenrat points up as he poses for the media.
Pita Limjaroenrat points up as he poses for the media.

Thai Vote Spells Danger for Junta and Monarchy

A landslide opposition victory signals an irrepressible urge for change.

Central Java Gov. Ganjar Pranowo sits in the back seat of a black car and waves to journalists in Bogor, Indonesia.
Central Java Gov. Ganjar Pranowo sits in the back seat of a black car and waves to journalists in Bogor, Indonesia.

In Jakarta, Political Kingmaking Starts Now

Indonesia’s presidential election is less than a year away, and the race to replace Jokowi has begun.

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha stands in front of Thai and U.S. flags with a hand on his hair as he waits to meet U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at the Government House in Bangkok, on Nov. 19, 2022.
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha stands in front of Thai and U.S. flags with a hand on his hair as he waits to meet U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at the Government House in Bangkok, on Nov. 19, 2022.

U.S.-Thai Relations Have An Alliance Problem

Regardless of election results, Bangkok will keep leaning toward China.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken holds a news conference at the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi on April 15.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken holds a news conference at the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi on April 15.

Biden Hopes for Vietnam Breakthrough

Washington and Hanoi have been inching closer, but it’s a complicated dance.

A large crowd of Pheu Thai Party supporters, dressed in red, sit in chairs as they attend a rally in Bangkok on April 5. In the foreground, three smiling women wave picket signs showing photos of party candidates.
A large crowd of Pheu Thai Party supporters, dressed in red, sit in chairs as they attend a rally in Bangkok on April 5. In the foreground, three smiling women wave picket signs showing photos of party candidates.

Can Thailand’s Opposition Prevail?

Political scion Paetongtarn Shinawatra aims for a landslide victory on May 14—if the conservative establishment will accept it.

A factory in Pomalaa, Indonesia.
A factory in Pomalaa, Indonesia.

China Has Sewn Up a Critical Metals Market

U.S. companies are seeking Chinese partners for Indonesian nickel.

Royal Australian Navy submarine HMAS Rankin takes part in an Australian-Indian naval exercise on Sept. 5, 2021 off Darwin, Australia.
Royal Australian Navy submarine HMAS Rankin takes part in an Australian-Indian naval exercise on Sept. 5, 2021 off Darwin, Australia.

Why China Should Worry About Asia’s Reaction to AUKUS

Even some non-aligned countries have cautiously signaled support.

A tourist looks for a rental motorcycle in Seminyak, Indonesia, on March 26.
A tourist looks for a rental motorcycle in Seminyak, Indonesia, on March 26.

Russians Flock to Bali to Avoid War as Locals Grumble

An influx of newcomers is disturbing Indonesia’s tourist economy.

From left: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, U.S. President Joe Biden, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hold a press conference after a trilateral meeting in San Diego on March 13.
From left: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, U.S. President Joe Biden, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hold a press conference after a trilateral meeting in San Diego on March 13.

AUKUS Gets Awkward Down Under

A controversy threatens to blow the alliance’s nuclear submarine deal out of the water.

South Korean and U.S. Marines take part in a joint amphibious landing exercise with their Philippine counterparts at a beach facing the South China Sea in San Antonio, Philippines, on Oct. 7, 2022.
South Korean and U.S. Marines take part in a joint amphibious landing exercise with their Philippine counterparts at a beach facing the South China Sea in San Antonio, Philippines, on Oct. 7, 2022.

The U.S. Has a Troublesome Asian Ally Against China

The Philippines is using U.S. military infrastructure to commit human rights violations.

A Royal Australian Navy submarine is seen during a biennial maritime exercise.
A Royal Australian Navy submarine is seen during a biennial maritime exercise.

Biden’s AUKUS Point Man to Exit

With the big sub deal in hand, it’s no longer Miller time.

U.S. Coast Guard cutter Midgett leaves the international port of Manila to join Philippine Coast Guard ships for a search and rescue exercise.
U.S. Coast Guard cutter Midgett leaves the international port of Manila to join Philippine Coast Guard ships for a search and rescue exercise.
A dove flies to its nest in Cundinamarca, Colombia, on Jan. 31, 2016.
A dove flies to its nest in Cundinamarca, Colombia, on Jan. 31, 2016.

When Transitional Justice Falls Short

The abrupt end of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal in Cambodia and the ongoing proceedings in Colombia show how the process doesn’t always serve the victims.

Australian Greens Sen. Lidia Thorpe speaks to a crowd.
Australian Greens Sen. Lidia Thorpe speaks to a crowd.

Australians Can’t Agree on the Voice

Most of the country wants the government to do more for Indigenous Australians. So why is a proposal to achieve that so fraught?

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives for a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Malacanang Palace in Manila on Aug. 6, 2022.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives for a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Malacanang Palace in Manila on Aug. 6, 2022.

The Philippines Is America’s New Star Ally in Asia

Manila’s geopolitical shift is more than the Biden administration could have hoped for.

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