Southeast Asia Archive

CHIANG MAI, Thailand — Thailand’s political scene descended into chaos on Tuesday morning when supposed pro-democracy protesters stormed a television station, took over government buildings and blocked roads in an attempt to force the downfall of a democratically elected government. Samak Sundaravej, a generally unpopular prime minister, has stood firm but resisted using heavy-handed measures that could easily see the return of a military-led government. Oddly enough, a violent response may be exactly what the protesters, led by members of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) want. PAD leaders have called the protests “the final showdown” and machetes, sling shots, […]

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — It was a long time coming, but the dissident and sometimes mischievous politician Anwar Ibrahim has bloodied the nose of Malaysia’s ruling coalition by winning Tuesday’s by-election, marking his return to parliament and positioning himself for a tilt at the nation’s top job. “The message is clear,” he told thousands of cheering supporters. “We in Permatang Pauh and in Malaysia, we demand change for freedom and justice.” “We want an independent judiciary, we want the economy to benefit the vast majority and not corrupt the few,” he said to the chants of “reformasi” and “merdeka” which […]

Once again, the news from Burma rings with echoes of despair. The latest mission from the international community has ended in embarrassment — not for the despotic generals who rule Burma (renamed Myanmar by its illegitimate regime), but for the United Nations and its ineffectual efforts. It seems no one who matters wants to waste any more time meeting with the U.N. envoy. And now, unconfirmed reports say the iconic leader of the pro-democracy opposition, the Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, may have started a hunger strike. Once again, Burma stands like a conscience-searing mirage on the Asian horizon, […]

CONTINUING CONCERNS ABOUT CHINESE HUMAN RIGHTS — The spectacular Olympic picture China has sought to paint for a world audience continues to be marred by human rights abuses, as media outlets, human rights groups and international diplomats put pressure on the Olympic host to ease controls on the Chinese people. U.S. President George W. Bush made several public calls for China to end repression during his high-profile visit to Asia and the Games, including an appeal outside a Beijing church, where Bush told journalists “God is universal and God is love, and no state, man or woman should fear the […]

As the world was fixated on the Beijing Olympics and Russia’s incursion into Georgia, a fledgling peace process between the Philippine government and Muslim rebels fighting for autonomy in the country’s restive south was beginning to unravel. The Philippine Supreme Court’s suspension of a key peace agreement fanned the flames of violence in the region, sending insurgent factions storming into villages. One hundred fifty thousand people fled their looted and torched homes, while the Philippine military pounded rebel hideouts with heavy artillery fire. The United Nations expressed alarm, while the International Red Cross said more than 80,000 people were displaced. […]

TOKYO — Reports last week that Georgia was hit by a coordinated cyber attack that compromised government Web sites offered a reminder of the additional front governments must protect when diplomatic or military hostilities break out between nations. Last year, high-tech Estonia suffered a sustained cyber attack that one Pentagon official described at the time as a “watershed” in terms of society’s awareness of its vulnerability. Over several weeks, numerous government Web sites and the country’s two largest banks came under sustained attack from abroad, overwhelming some sites and forcing some to block access from abroad. It is with these […]

PREAH VIHEAR, Cambodia — The standoff between Bangkok and Phnom Penh over control of temples along the border of the two countries escalated after Thai troops moved into and occupied another holy site in the disputed border region. The second temple at Ta Moan Thom is about 200 miles west of Preah Vihear. A Cambodian government spokesman said Cambodian soldiers would work to avoid any showdown with Thai troops, who were ordered into the area after UNESCO responded to lobbying by Cambodia and listed Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site. Reports said 70 Thai soldiers had been occupying the […]