Japanese PM Hatoyama and Chinese President Hu Jintao

SE Asia:  The NY Times has an article discussing East and Southeast Asian economic integration.  Thai prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, believes that the regions should be looking for a new growth model, one that is less reliant on the consumption of Western nations.  This would mean increasing domestic demand and increasing aid between Asian nations.    Both Japan and China have put forth vague regional economic bloc outlines, that Japan has compared to the European Union, however; it is doubtful that there would be open borders, easy movement of labor, common security police, or a binding extra-national political authority.

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Hun Sen and Thaksin Shinawatra

Cambodia - In a never ending quest to irritate his larger neighbor, Thailand,  Cambodia’s Prime Minister, Hun Sen, is considering allowing former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to move there.   Despite the fact he is wanted on criminal charges in Thailand, ranging from tax evasion to treason.  Thaksin was deposed in a bloodless 2006 coup after many in the Thai military and Royal Court believed him to be a corrupt demagogue.   Since then, Thaksin has  been in communication with factions loyal to him, known collectively as the Red Shirts (National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD)), which have been responsible for several paralyzing mass public protests in Bangkok and other areas.   There are rumors that Hun Sen had already built a house for Shinawatra.  In response, the Thai government has said it will immediately seek extradition if Thaksin is allowed to stay in the country.

General Chavalit told reporters that he made a one-day visit to Phnom Penh at the invitation of the Cambodian prime minister.
“Hun Sen feels Thaksin is not fairly treated, politically,” he said.
“Despite having contributed to the country, he has no place to stay. Hun Sen is in pain even though he is not a Thai.
“So he feels the need to make it publicly known he and Thaksin have always been friends.”

All I can say is - WOW!

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Rohingya Refugees

Thailand - A Thai HIV Vaccine trial, led by Dr. Supachai Rerks-Ngarm of the Department of Disease Control of the Thai Ministry’s Public Health Department, was successful in that it provided coverage to a small percentage of participants, which is better than any previous trial.

A combination vaccine, using strains of HIV common in Thailand, was tested on more than 16,000 Thai men and women aged 18 to 30 years old, who were HIV-negative.

Half of the overall test group received the doses, while the other 8,000 people in the trial received a placebo. All the participants were given condoms and counseling for three years. The test found that those given the vaccine showed a 31 percent lower risk of infection than the others.

There is not yet consensus in the scientific community as to what the results mean and what should be done next.

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The United States:  Republican Senator Dick Lugar is calling for the U.S. to create a free trade agreement with ASEAN.    Lugar stated that sanctions on Myanmar should not negatively America’s economic relationship with the rest of the region.  Further:

“China, India, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea have already finalized FTAs with Asean and are sharpening a competitive edge over the U.S. in Southeast Asia,” Lugar said. “The United States should proceed to develop a comprehensive strategy toward engaging ASEAN in serious FTA discussions.

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A lot of international attention has focused on North Korea and Iranian nuclear programs.  However, Mark Fitzpatrick has an interesting article in the Japan Times concerning nuclear proliferation in Southeast Asia, specifically as it applies to rumors surrounding Myanmar’s nuclear ambitions.  This blog has previously discussed Burmese defectors’ claims that the junta was developing nuclear weapons technology in collaboration with North Korean.  While Fitzpatrick believes nations in the region should be able to have access to safe nuclear energy, they should also be transparent and follow the protocols of the Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Bangkok Treaty).  In the case of Myanmar, he recommends ASEAN member states take stronger action than with other member states:  1) watch them carefully, 2) try to influence them to adhere to the  IAEA Additional Protocol and amend the Small Quantities Protocol (SQP) to Myanmar’s safeguards agreement, 3) Create a contingency plan in case that Myanmar is trying to acquire a nuclear arsenal or selling nuclear material to a rogue regime or non-state actor.

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Jose Luis Guterres

Asia - U.S. President Barack Obama will make his first trip to East and Southeast Asia in November.  During his 8 day trip, beginning on Nov. 11, Obama will visit Japan, Singapore, China, and South Korea - in that order.  He will focus his speeches on the global economic crisis and global security.  He will spend most of the trip at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) summit in Singapore.  While there, he will meet with ASEAN leaders , including which is rumored to include Myanmar’s military junta.  Myanmar is  a country that the Obama Administration has shown recent interest in engaging for strategic reasons.  There will be additional focus paid to the North Korean nuclear issue, energy, and climate change.

East Timor - More stories of corruption in Timor Leste.  A report leaked from the East Timor’s Ombudsman’s office recommends the prosecutor general’s office open an investigation into the accusation that  Deputy PM Jose Luis Guterres gave his wife, Ana Maria Valerio, a job as counsel to the UN ambassador  and overcompensated her for the position.  This occurred in  New York in 2006; at the time, Guterres was foreign minister.  The current Foreign Minister Zacarias Albano da Costa was also mentioned as an accomplice.

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batik

Cambodia and Thailand - Our favorite soft authoritarian, Cambodian PM Hun Sen is back at it.  Just when you thought they were on the road to peace, Hun Sen has ordered Cambodian troops and police to fire on anyone crossing “illegally” into the area around the Preah Vihear Temple.  This was Hun Sen’s response to a Thai opposition party, the People’s Alliance of Democracy (also known as Yellow Shirts), attempts to occupy it.  There have not been reports of conflict in the area since last April, when Cambodia and Thai troops exchanged gun and rocket fire.  Couldn’t  Mr. Hun order the protesters arrested and deported since they have not showed an inclination for violence?  Those who criticize ASEAN for not coming down harder on member states over international human rights issues should take note of how easily nationalism can  get out of control in the region.   This is why ASEANs position is pragmatic.

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