🇹🇭 Congratulations, Thailand!

Hello friends!

A bananas week behind us — and a busy one ahead. This coming Saturday marks four years since the Myanmar military seized power. 

But, for once, let’s start with some good news care of Thailand.

Cheers,

Erin Cook

🇹🇭 Say yes, Thailand

Well done, Thailand! After passing marriage equality last year and the royal gazette not long after, we’ve been waiting for this day! Marriage equality is now the law in Thailand and the country, of course, debuted in style. Fantastic report from the BBC here with even better photos. 

🇮🇩 From Jakarta to Delhi

Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto headed to India late last week ahead of Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi yesterday. He was a special guest of Narendra Modi and it’s his first official visit to the Indian capital since becoming president in October. A formal chat between the two on Saturday focused on deepening ties in health, technology and, crucially, defence.

“The agreement signed today in maritime safety and security will further strengthen our cooperation in crime prevention, search and rescue and capacity building,” Modi said, as per the Associated Press. Prabowo, meanwhile, thanked Modi for India’s support in Indonesia becoming a member of the BRICS. “We believe this cooperation will be beneficial for global stability and regional collaboration,” he said, reflecting a theme. 

“We both are committed to maintaining peace, security, prosperity and rules-based order in this entire region. We agree that the freedom of navigation should be ensured in accordance with international laws,” Modi said of both India and Indonesia’s position in the Asia Pacific, as per Nikkei Asia. 

Nikkei’s piece has an interesting note. Indian media has reported the meeting could touch on a reported $450 million purchase for the Indonesian military of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, developed by India and Russia. No word there, says Nikkei, but an intriguing one to watch out for.

🇲🇾 Should Anwar worry about this baby Bersih?

“Don’t release Najib” and “Die, die corrupters” demanded protestors in Kuala Lumpur Saturday. The crowd hit around 200 people, skewing younger, so hardly the Bersih rallies of years past. Still. It’s the first such rally I’ve seen since Najib was back in court. “​​This is actually more than we expected. This is only the beginning,” organiser People’s Secretariat spokesman Zaim Zulkifli told reporters, as per the Straits Times. 

“We are worried about the situation now, where the current government used to take a tough stance against corruption, but after having formed a unity government, certain corruption cases are being taken lightly. This is the public opinion,” Zaim said. 

Former deputy law minister Hanipa Maidin warned the Anwar Ibrahim government not to get too cocky about the turnout. “Rule No 1 in politics: Never try to be smart by underestimating the people’s power,” he said in a post to Facebook, as reported by Malaysiakini. 

As always, the outlet has a great collection of snaps. 

🇸🇬 Sound the POFMA klaxon. Again.

The Canberra-based East Asia Forum copped its second POFMA notch last week after the publication of a piece from Singapore politics expert Michael Barr earlier in the month. Singaporean readers will no longer be able to access the site after ‘failing’ to comply with a notice from the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act office. 

“The correction direction issued to East Asia Forum on Jan 22, 2025, had required the facts to be displayed along with the falsehoods, enabling end-users in Singapore to read both versions and make their own judgments,” a joint Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) and Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) statement said, as per Channel News Asia. “Despite three reminders sent to East Asia Forum to comply with the correction direction, East Asia Forum has not complied.” 

As always with the POFMA, immense Streisand effect. Here’s the piece. 

🇵🇭 Rubio’s State won’t be forgetting Manila

Big-brained incoming US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth couldn’t name a single country in Asean and for the Philippines that’s extra scary. Here’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio to reassure Manila — and everyone on US bases across the country — that the US won’t be going anywhere under Trump. 

Rubio chatted with Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo on Thursday, touching on the headline topics in the bilateral relationship. “[This includes] China’s dangerous and destabilising actions in the South China Sea. Secretary Rubio conveyed that the PRC’s behaviour undermines regional peace and stability and is inconsistent with international law,” the US State Department wrote in a joint statement, as per the Inquirer. 

Crucially: “The Secretary underscored the United States’ ironclad commitments to the Philippines under our Mutual Defense Treaty.” And just to drive it home: “An armed attack in the Pacific, including anywhere in the South China Sea, on either of their public vessels, aircraft, or armed forces – which includes their Coast Guards – would invoke mutual defence commitments.” 

Hawk Rubio vs. Dodo Hegseth. 

Beijing isn’t thrilled. “The military cooperation between the US and the Philippines should not undermine China's sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, still less should such cooperation support or advance the Philippines' illegal claims,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in a statement on Thursday, as reported by Chinese state media Global Times.