On May 17, several hundred members of Paris’s Lao and Thai communities gathered at the TEP Agnès Tirop sports ground in the city’s 10th arrondissement for the Fête populaire du Nouvel An lao/thaï, or the Lao-Thai New Year community festival, a one-day festival organised by the association Khao Niao Solidarité, which is the Lao diaspora association in France.
Author: Protasius Isyudanto
Lead Editor
UN Secretary-General hopeful: “This is the Asian century”
Former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan, a leading contender to succeed António Guterres as United Nations Secretary-General (UN SG) in 2027, framed Southeast Asia as a natural anchor of the multilateral system during a fireside chat at Sciences Po Paris on April 28, where she laid out a managerial pitch for the UN’s top job.
France’s Southeast Asia Push: Strategic Autonomy in Practice
On April 8 2026, following the One Health Summit, French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet at the Elysée palace for a private meeting.
Myanmar’s Drone War: A New Paradigm in Modern Conflict
On April 13, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) reported Myanmar government airstrikes and drone attacks in Hpakant Township, Kachin State.
Myanmar junta leader “elected” as civilian head in military-engineered transition
Myanmar’s newly-elected parliament initiated the selection of a new state president on March 30, marking the first such process since the military junta took over power in the 2021 coup.
Vietnam prepares leadership reshuffle as national elections conclude
On March 22, Vietnam’s National Election Council (NEC) announced the results of the elections organised a week prior to elect members of the People’s Councils on the provincial and commune levels as well as 500 representatives to the 16ᵗʰ National Assembly.
Brunei eyes launch of stock exchange by 2027
Brunei Darussalam is planning to establish its own stock exchange by the third quarter of 2027, subject to the completion of an economic ecosystem and market model, a government minister said on March 19.
Thailand Opted for Stability, Not Reform. What Follows?
For nearly a century since the transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy in 1932, Thailand has been hemmed in a vicious cycle as elections raise expectations of change but deliver continuity instead. The February 8 election was the latest turn in this cycle, as the conservative Bhumjaithai Party secured193 of 500 parliamentary seats and stability once again triumphed over reform.
Laos holds symbolic elections in pivotal political and economic year
On February 22, Laos held general elections for its 10th National Assembly and 5th Provincial People’s Councils, with 60% of its population—equal to 4,764,384 voters—eligible to vote.
Brunei Darussalam introduces grant scheme for newborns
In February, Brunei Darussalam’s Ministry of Finance and Economy has introduced a new inititative which will provide a one-time financial grant of BND240 (US$189) for each eligible newborn starting on March 1.