ASEAN

Miss Universe Dispute Leaves Six Southeast Asian Franchises in Limbo

The Miss Universe Organization is facing a major dispute just weeks before its 75th anniversary pageant, with contestants from six Southeast Asian countries caught in the middle. Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore could all be affected by a disagreement over who has the right to run their national...

Thailand Restores 30-Day Visa-Free Stay, Limits Visa-Free Land Entries to Twice a Year

Thailand has cut its visa-free tourist stay from 60 days back to 30 days,...

Laos Prepares For ASEAN Para Games With 12-Sport Bid

Laos is preparing to compete in 12 sports at the 14th ASEAN Para Games...

Bear Paws, Pangolin Meat Seized in Vientiane Restaurant Raid Amid Laos’ Wider Crackdown

Lao authorities have stepped up their crackdown on illegal wildlife trade after raiding a...

Bangkok Bar Fire Kills 27, Leaves Dozens Critically Injured

A fire late on Sunday night at a packed pub in Bangkok has killed...

At Shangri-La Dialogue, Macron Warns of Superpower Tensions, Calls for New Bloc

The Laotian Times/AFP’s Damon Wake and Francesco Fontemaggi - French President Emmanuel Macron on 30 May speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore urged...

Timor-Leste to Become ASEAN’s 11th Member, Says Malaysian PM

Timor-Leste will be accepted as the 11th full member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced. According to...

Singapore Expands Foreign Worker Source Countries, Adds Laos, Bhutan, Cambodia

Starting 1 June, Singapore will allow employers to hire workers from Laos, Bhutan, and Cambodia for work permit roles, expanding the list of non-traditional...

Southeast Asian Nations Express ‘Deep Concern’ Over US Tariffs

By Rebecca BAILEY and Isabelle LEONG/AFP - Southeast Asian leaders expressed "deep concern" over US tariffs Tuesday, as they held a summit with China...

Laos Economy Shows Signs of Recovery Amid Fiscal Pressures

Laos’ economy is showing signs of recovery amidst a debt repayment peak, persistent inflation, and structural challenges, the World Bank warns in its latest...

Laos Leads Regional Climate Dialogue at ASEAN Climate Change Conference

On 14 May, Laos hosted the 5th ASEAN Climate Change Partnership Conference (ACCPC) in Vang Vieng.  This year’s conference aims to strengthen ASEAN’s collective leadership...