ASEAN observers monitor Thailand–Cambodia border following ceasefire pact

Malaysia’s Defence Attaché to Thailand, Brigadier General Samsul Rizal Musa, led an ASEAN Interim Observer Team in a three-day inspection of the Thailand–Cambodia border to oversee the ceasefire’s implementation

ASEAN is going nuclear – it's just a matter of time

Across the ASEAN bloc, energy security, surging data-centre demand and net-zero pledges are nudging governments to revisit their nuclear options.

US to introduce up to $15,000 bonds for tourist visas under pilot programme

The United States will require bonds of up to $15,000 for some tourist and business visas under a pilot programme launching on August 20, aimed at cracking down on visitors who overstay their visas.

Sinkholes on the rise across Asia: a growing danger beneath the surface

The dramatic rescue of a motorist from a sinkhole on a busy Singapore road has cast new light on an alarming trend across Asia – the increasing frequency and severity of sinkholes swallowing roads, vehicles, and in some cases entire buildings.

The top three ‘megatrends’ set to transform the Asia Pacific region

The rapid development of technologies such as generative AI and the metaverse is already changing how people in Asia Pacific live, work, socialise and shop.

Recent floods across Asia kill hundreds, leave devastation in their wake

From South and Southeast Asia to Central and East Asia, communities have been grappling with flash floods, landslides and glacial lake outbursts as warming temperatures and shifting monsoon dynamics fuel increasingly erratic weather.

ASIA BLOG: If the Thailand-Cambodia conflict escalates, Vietnam won’t stand idle – nor will the US and China

The current flare-up between Thailand and Cambodia feels different from previous disputes. What initially appeared to be a limited skirmish over disputed borderland and nationalist rhetoric now carries the faint, unmistakable whiff of escalation.

Indonesia caught in the crossfire of Huione-linked scam networks

Cambodia’s decision to revoke the operating license of Huione Pay, a subsidiary of the influential Huione Group, has sent ripples across Southeast Asia, but for Indonesia, it’s a troubling reminder of how deeply entrenched scam syndicates are.

5G, AI convergence holds key to transformative growth in ASEAN

A new report from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy has called on ASEAN governments to seize a narrowing window of opportunity to drive transformative economic growth through the convergence of 5G and artificial intelligence.

ASEAN in 2025: still relevant, but only just

Founded on August 8 1967, in Bangkok, ASEAN has long prided itself on unity in diversity, guided by the principles of non-interference and consensus-based decision-making.

Timor-Leste’s ASEAN accession: A milestone moment despite deepening dilemmas

Timor-Leste’s road to ASEAN has been a protracted one. After over a decade of evaluations and delays, including a pandemic, ASEAN granted “in-principle” approval in 2022. The final decision was confirmed during the 46th ASEAN Summiit.

Myanmar - four months on from the M7.7 earthquake

In late March, a 7.7-magnitude quake struck central Myanmar - devastating regions such as Mandalay, Sagaing, Naypyidaw and Shan State - killing at least 3,700 people and injuring nearly 5,000, with thousands more missing

Biofuel development in Southeast Asia: a region turning greener by the day

Which countries have received Trump's tariff letters? – Statista

US President Donald Trump has delayed his so-called “reciprocal” tariffs once more, with the new deadline set for August 1, Statista reports.

South Asia looks southeast as trade ties strengthen to counterbalance China

This tilt has been most pronounced in India’s expanding economic outreach to Southeast Asia under its "Act East" policy, which has evolved from a diplomatic slogan to a trade and connectivity strategy.

East and Southeast Asia react to Trump’s tariff delay with unease, strategic reassessment

Cynics are even claiming the US president doesn’t want to push his controversial tariffs into the spotlight as the US reels from devastating flash floods in Texas that claimed over 100 lives in recent days.

Where startups are born, global firms grow and capital flows — Asia in 2025

From 2017 to 2023, private equity and venture capital assets under management in Asia surged by 130%, significantly outpacing growth in Western markets.

Global banking’s new powerhouse: Asia

Asia's level of digital banking infrastructure has enabled it to challenge and even surpass traditional Western players such as Citi and HSBC in key regional markets.

ASIA BLOG: Southeast Asia should pivot away from Trump’s America and steer in the direction of Europe

Trump's confrontational approach to China, while superficially aligned with concerns within ASEAN, is neither strategic nor consultative. It is built more on spectacle than substance, more on division than dialogue.

ETF investment trends in Asia in 2025

While ETF markets in Asia have historically lagged behind those in North America and Europe in terms of depth and diversity, 2025 is witnessing a decisive maturing of the regional ETF ecosystem.