Sebastian Strangio
The Diplomat
Thailand
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Past articles by Sebastian:
Despite Opposition, Philippines Ratifies RCEP Trade Agreement
The massive free trade pact has faced opposition from agricultural groups, who fear it could open the country to a wave of imported produce. → Read More
Prayut Closes the Gap in Preferred Choice for Thailand’s Next PM
A new poll shows the Thai leader as the preferred candidate among respondents in the capital Bangkok. → Read More
Thailand, US Gear Up For Full Strength Cobra Gold Exercises
This year’s iteration of the annual exercise will feature more than 6,000 U.S. personnel, the largest number in a decade. → Read More
Cambodia Defends Closure of Independent Media Outlet Amid International Outcry
The closure of Voice of Democracy has prompted a wave of condemnations from Western governments. Will actions follow? → Read More
Inflation in Laos Continues to Rise, Reaches 23-Year High
While inflation is projected to fall in 2023, there is no quick fix to the country’s economic troubles. → Read More
Thai Tourism Recovery On Track as International Arrivals Jump
The country welcomed 11.15 million foreign visitors in 2022, up from just 428,000 the previous year. → Read More
Indonesia’s Jokowi Registers All-Time High Approval Rating
With just a year until the end of his second and final term in office, Joko Widodo is more popular than ever. → Read More
Thailand’s Prayut Changes Party, Says Willing to Remain PM
The leader has officially joined the United Thai Nation Party, in the hope of making an impression at this year’s election. → Read More
US Will Not Replace Ambassador to Myanmar: Report
Ambassador Thomas Vajda is set to leave Myanmar this month, after less than two years in the post. → Read More
Japanese Fighter Jets Visit Philippines for First Time Since 1945
The two F-15s took part in a two-week exchange between the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force and the Philippine Air Force. → Read More
Philippines Registers ‘Sharpest Ever’ Decline in Birthrate
The Catholic-majority country now has a birthrate of just 1.9 children per adult woman, the third-lowest in Southeast Asia. → Read More
Report Details Declining Internet Freedoms in Southeast Asia
None of the eight Southeast Asian nations monitored by the U.S.-funded organization Freedom House had an online sphere classified as “free.” → Read More
Why Did Thailand Abstain on This Week’s UN Vote on Ukraine?
On the same day as the vote, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed his attendance at next month’s APEC Summit in Bangkok. → Read More
Will the Mekong River Really Become the Next South China Sea?
Amid competition between China and the U.S., the question of the river’s fate has been imbued with a strategic undercurrent. → Read More
Report Claims 700 Malaysians Held for Ransom in Lao SEZ
The report is just the latest case of alleged human trafficking to have emerged in the Mekong region over the past year. → Read More
Vietnam Becomes Asia’s Economic Leader as China’s Growth Decelerates
Elsewhere in Southeast Asia, the picture was cautiously positive as the region’s economies finally moved out of their pandemic-induced slumps. → Read More
The US Fills ASEAN Ambassadorial Posting After 5-Year Vacancy
The post has been filled by Yohannes Abraham, a former member of President Joe Biden’s National Security Council. → Read More
Indonesia Still Considering Purchases of Russian Oil, Minister Says
But Jakarta is likely to weigh carefully the domestic political benefits of cheap oil against possible international blowback. → Read More
Singapore Loosens Mandatory Mask Rules, COVID-19 Travel Requirements
After nearly three years, the city-state has taken a significant step toward living with the disease. → Read More
Vietnam Takes Major Step Forward in Recognizing LGBTQ Rights
The country’s Health Ministry has instructed doctors to stop treating homosexuality as a disease, and to cease discrimination in medical care. → Read More