After living in Thailand for nearly two decades, one Myanmar refugee feels like he can "see a future" following the government in Bangkok announcing such refugees would be given employment rights for the first time. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/19/asia-pacific/society/myanmar-refugees-thai-workforce/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #society #myanmar #refugees #thailand #southeastasia

The U.S. Justice Department announced the creation of a “Scam Center Strike Force” to combat a surge in cryptocurrency‑investment fraud by transnational criminal organizations operating out of Southeast Asia. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/13/asia-pacific/crime-legal/scam-center-strike-force/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #crimelegal #us #southeastasia #fraud

Cambodia and Thailand accused one another of fresh clashes along their border after Bangkok said it was pausing the implementation of a U.S.-backed peace deal. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/13/asia-pacific/cambodia-thailand-border-clashes/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #thailand #cambodia #southeastasia

An Chinese alleged racketeer linked to a hugely lucrative scam hub in Myanmar, who spent over a decade on the run from Chinese authorities, has been extradited from Thailand to China, according to Thai police. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/13/asia-pacific/crime-legal/chinese-scam-kingpin-thailand/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #crimelegal #myanmar #cambodia #thailand #southeastasia #fraud

One survivor recounted a harrowing journey that left him floating for days in the Andaman Sea after the sinking of a boat carrying members of Myanmar's persecuted Rohingya Muslim minority that left 27 dead. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/12/asia-pacific/rohingya-survivor-boat-sinking/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #rohingya #malaysia #thailand #southeastasia #myanmar #refugees

The chief of Thailand’s armed forces said he was “halting all agreements” with Cambodia after a landmine blast along their border that maimed a Thai soldier, escalating tensions between the neighbors. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/11/asia-pacific/politics/thai-military-cambodia-trump-truce/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #thailand #cambodia #southeastasia #us #donaldtrump

Indonesia awarded the title of national hero on Monday to late President Suharto, who was forced out of office in 1998 by protests that ended a three-decade rule marred by accusations of mass human rights violations. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/10/asia-pacific/politics/indonesia-national-hero-status-suharto/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #prabowosubianto #indonesia #southeastasia #presidentsuharto

The number of people confirmed dead after a boat carrying members of Myanmar's persecuted Rohingya community sank near the Thailand-Malaysia border rose to 11 on Monday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/10/asia-pacific/thai-malaysia-rohingya-boat/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #thailand #malaysia #rohingya #migration #refugees #southeastasia #myanmar #bangladesh

As the year’s deadliest typhoon swept into Vietnam after wreaking havoc in the Philippines, scientists warned such extreme events can only become more frequent as global temperatures rise. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/environment/2025/11/10/typhoon-southeast-asia-scientists-temperatures/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #environment #southeastasia #climatechange #typhoons

Super typhoon Fung-Wong hit the Philippines on Sunday and is forecast to cause widespread damage as it moves west. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/10/asia-pacific/typhoon-fung-wong-philippines/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #typhoons #philippines #southeastasia

Myanmar's military said it was demolishing nearly 150 buildings in a crackdown on a notorious internet scam compound bordering Thailand. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/09/asia-pacific/crime-legal/myanmar-junta-scam-buildings/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #crimelegal #myanmar #fraud #organizedcrime #forcedlabor #starlink #thailand #southeastasia

The Philippines evacuated over 100,000 residents on Sunday as Fung-wong intensified on into a super typhoon. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/09/asia-pacific/philippines-fung-wong-super-typhoon/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #philippines #typhoons #southeastasia

Geography dictates that Batanes province in the Philippines is on the front line of the great power competition between the United States and China for dominance in the Asia-Pacific region. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/02/asia-pacific/philippines-batanes-waterway-choke-point/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #china #philippines #taiwan #pla #southeastasia #us #usmilitary

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held talks Friday with counterparts from China and India, among a series of face-to-face meetings at an ASEAN defense summit as Washington seeks to boost its regional security ties. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/01/asia-pacific/politics/hegseth-us-talks-asia/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #southeastasia #asean #petehegseth #dongjun #china #usmilitary #defense #uschinarelations #india #philippines

Flooding in Vietnam has killed at least 10 people this week as the water level of a major river near tourist landmarks reached a 60-year high, authorities said Thursday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/environment/2025/10/30/climate-change/climate-planning-vietnam-flooding/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #environment #climatechange #climatechange #vietnam #floods #southeastasia

Myanmar’s military government has detained more than 10,000 foreign nationals who the junta said illegally entered the country for involvement in online scams. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/28/asia-pacific/crime-legal/myanmar-foreigners-scam-center/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #crimelegal #myanmar #thailand #southeastasia #fraud #forcedlabor #kidnapping

Onwards to enlightenment



Temple ruins of Wat Chaiwatthanaram in Ayutthaya, Thailand



#photography #asia #thailand #southEastAsia

Onwards to enlightenment



Temple ruins of Wat Chaiwatthanaram in Ayutthaya, Thailand



#photography #asia #thailand #southEastAsia

In her diplomatic debut, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi looked to put fears of a more hawkish approach to China on the backburner and, instead, embrace policy continuity, during a summit of Southeast Asian nations. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/27/japan/politics/takaichi-debut-asean-analysis/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #asean #aseanjapanrelations #southeastasia #china #sanaetakaichi #ai #southchinasea #taiwan

The yearlong funeral ceremony of Thailand's former Queen Sirikit, mother of current King Vajiralongkorn and wife of the nation's longest-reigning monarch, has begun. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/27/asia-pacific/politics/yearlong-funeral-thailand-queen-sirikit/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #thailand #southeastasia #sirikit