SOUTHEAST ASIA'S
MULTI-PERSPECTIVE NEWS

At a commemorative summit in Kazan marking 35 years of ASEAN-Russia relations, leaders co-chaired by Philippine President Marcos and Vladimir Putin adopted the Kazan Declaration plus joint statements on energy and cultural cooperation. Ten of ASEAN's eleven members attended; Myanmar was represented only at official level.

A draft presidential regulation awaiting President Prabowo's signature would roll AI across priority government programmes from 2026-2029, including the $15 billion free-meals scheme. Officials claim AI could lift GDP by 12% ($366bn) by 2030.

A shallow magnitude-6.7 earthquake struck about 42km southeast of Palu in Central Sulawesi, damaging dozens of homes, injuring several people and triggering dozens of aftershocks. The region was devastated by a 2018 quake and tsunami.

Thailand's cabinet approved implementation of the OECD's 15% global minimum tax on large multinationals, expected to raise around 10 billion baht a year. Information exchange with other jurisdictions is slated for 2027, and the government plans to restructure investment incentives to comply.

A Russian-backed tungsten mining project approved by Myanmar's military is set to begin in eastern Shan State, near a large Chinese-run mine operated with the United Wa State Army. Analysts read it as the junta balancing its dependence on China and Russia.

Heavy monsoon rain flooded homes and roads across southern Thailand and triggered flash-flood and landslide warnings across northern Vietnam, prompting nationwide advisories. Forecasters link the intensifying rainband to emerging El Nino conditions.