Project SEVANA South-East Asia

06/05/2026

Journey through Shan State highlights devastation of five-year conflict

22/05/2025

"Despite notable progress, environmental pollution remains poorly controlled in many areas. Several regions are facing severe conditions, particularly air pollution in major cities, along with land and water pollution in densely populated areas, industrial zones, service hubs, and craft villages.

Each year, the police uncover and address over 600 criminal cases and more than 20,000 cases of administrative violations related to environmental harm."

Despite notable progress, environmental pollution remains poorly controlled in many areas, with several regions facing severe conditions.

22/05/2025

"In March, Luang Prabang was honored with the 2025 Green Destinations Top 100 Story Award in the category of “Destination Management,” securing third place. The award was presented at the Internationale Tourismus-Börse (ITB) in Berlin, Germany."

Luang Prabang is taking steps to further enhance its tourism sector by exploring the possibility of receiving the prestigious Tourism Destination Award from the

22/05/2025

"The so-called 3.0 version of the free trade area will "inject greater certainty into regional and global trade and play a leading and exemplary role for countries to adhere to openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation," the statement said."

China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have completed negotiations to further refine their free trade area to include the digital and green economy and other new industries, China's commerce ministry said on Wednesday.

22/05/2025

ไThe trial comes after the US Geological Survey (USGS) this year significantly revised down its estimate of rare earth deposits in Vietnam, which it once considered the world's second largest."

A Vietnamese court on Wednesday jailed 23 officials and business people over the illegal exploitation and export of rare earths.

19/05/2025

Indonesian exports of crude palm oil are expected to drop during 2025 due to increased domestic biofuel policy mandates but prices are likely to rise because of this, U.S. tariffs distorting the market and other geopolitical factors, industry players have forecasted.

Sector players say US tariffs and geopolitical factors will also support prices

16/05/2025

"Thai officials said Wednesday they seized 238 tons of illegally imported electronic waste from the United States at the port of Bangkok, one of the biggest lots they’ve found this year.

The waste, which came in 10 large containers, was declared as mixed metal scrap but turned out to be circuit boards mixed in a huge pile of metal scrap."

Thai officials say they have seized 238 tons of illegally imported electronic waste from the United States, one of the biggest lots they've found this year.

16/05/2025

"At the same, high inflation, currency depreciation, and declining real wages have persuaded many workers to shift from service jobs to agriculture, from wage employment to self-employment, or to leave Laos."

World Bank Lao PDR - Inflation in Laos is eroding living standards and reshaping the job market, according to the latest World Bank Household Monitoring Survey.

16/05/2025

"According to the latest South-East Asia's Green Economy report by Bain & Company, GenZero, Google, Standard Chartered and Temasek, power continues to hold two-thirds share of green investments in the region with an increase in deal sizes.

Within the sector, solar witnessed the biggest jump (100 per cent) in investments, while waste management deals increased 60 per cent year-on-year, driven by water treatment and recycling projects."

Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam - saw a notable 43 per cent spike in private green investments to US$8 billion in 2024 compared to the previous year.

16/05/2025

"Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim outlined his aspirations for Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship at the October 2024 ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos. Among the strategies he said he would prioritize were expanding trade and investment linkages, fostering digital transformation in the region, reinforcing member states’ economic fundamentals, and reinventing, restructuring, and recalibrating their economies while leveraging each other’s strengths. The focus was clearly on the economy."

IINA provides ongoing analysis of international affairs both by region—such as North America, China, and Europe—and by such topics as human security, nontraditional security threats, and cyber security. The articles on this site, written by experts at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and guest cont...