South Asia

The regional economy shows mixed signals of major investment and disruptive setbacks. Micron commits $24 billion to Singapore chip production, while Thailand faces a currency watchlist designation and a catastrophic train crane collapse that halts construction. Direct flight resumption between Dhaka and Karachi indicates improving bilateral connectivity.

• 22Crane collapses onto passenger train in Thailand, killing dozens
• 12Malaysia and Indonesia block Grok AI chatbot over explicit images
• 4Early rice export deal sought with Indonesia
• 3Micron to Invest $24 Billion in Singapore to Boost Chip Production
• 3Tags Thailand rail construction disaster

Political alignment splits between deepening China-Vietnam ties and a US-led coalition initiative. Xi Jinping congratulates and holds talks with Vietnam's To Lam, upgrading relations, while Trump assembles a 'board of peace' including Indonesia and Pakistan. Myanmar's military conducts elections and prisoner releases to consolidate control amid conflict.

• 6Myanmar's military holds second phase of elections amid ongoing conflict
• 4Vietnam-EU upgrade ties to comprehensive strategic partnership
• 4Myanmar junta releases hundreds of prisoners in annual amnesty
• 3Xi holds phone talks with Vietnam's To Lam; Chinese President urges two sides to jointly oppose hegemonism and bloc confrontation
• 3Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, UAE, Turkiye, Indonesia, Pakistan join Trump’s ‘board of peace’

Security is dominated by China's cross-border crackdown on scam operations based in Myanmar, executing 11 gang members and receiving extraditions from Cambodia. Concurrently, regional states are upgrading military capabilities, with Indonesia receiving Rafale jets from France and Bangladesh signing a drone manufacturing deal with China.

• 14China executes 11 gang members linked to telecom fraud operations in Myanmar
• 473 South Korean fraud suspects sent back home from Cambodia
• 3Indonesia finds wreckage of missing surveillance plane carrying 10, one body
• 3Cambodia breaks ceasefire, Thai soldier wounded
• 2Over 4 tons of fake coffee made from soybeans seized in Vietnam

Society is reeling from a series of major transportation and natural disasters causing mass casualties. A construction crane collapse onto a passenger train in Thailand killed dozens, while landslides in Indonesia have left over 50 dead and many missing. A ferry sinking in the Philippines adds to the toll, placing intense scrutiny on construction and transport safety.

• 5Landslide in Indonesia kills dozens with many still missing
• 415 dead, 28 missing as ferry sinks in southern Philippines
• 3Construction firm in spotlight after deadly Thailand crane collapses
• 2Grand Mufti highlights strong educational ties with Indonesia
• 2Tags education law Vietnam