#Kokang

Cambodia and Thailand –  Thailand recalled its ambassador from Cambodia on November 5th over former Thai PM and wanted fugitive, Thaksin Shinawatra’s appointment as economic adviser to  Cambodian PM Hun Sen.   A few weeks back there were rumors that Shinawatra would be allowed to move to Cambodia, but the Cambodian government denied this after […]

Myanmar – There seems to be a lot in the news lately concerning the “hermit kingdom” of the south.  On Monday, the Burmese PM met with U.S. Senator Jim Webb, chairman of the Senate subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific.  Webb, in a continuation of the new pragmatic Obama foreign policy for SE Asia, […]

–  Malaysia is often sited as an example  for the wider Muslim world of how a  moderate pluralistic democracy can be compatible with Islam.  An article in Forbes explores how moderate Malaysia actually is.    First, the article recants the common outsiders view of Malaysia: …the Southeast Asian nation boasted the world’s tallest building, the iconic […]

In an update to Friday’s post on the Myanmar-Chinese border conflict, it appears the Burmese military has successfully routed the Kokang Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) in Kokang, a predominately ethnic Chinese militia in the Kokang region of the Shan State.  This attack by central government forces was a violation of the 20 year […]

– Strong 2nd Quarter economic growth was shown in the economies of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.   Singapore did especially well,  recovering  from the worst recession in its history.  The rebound in these states is  attributed to government stimulus, financial reforms, and strong industrial fundamentals.    However, exports still drag, largely due to weak […]