The Myanmar military junta and the Russian Federation have held planning meetings to co-host joint military exercises to counter terrorism in ASEAN with the reported attendance of Thai military representatives, despite a boycott by the United States and other Asian countries since 2022.

Thailand Deputy Prime Minister Don Pramudwinai’s decision to push through with “informal” meetings with the illegal Myanmar military junta despite widespread criticism and condemnation is a betrayal of the Myanmar people and an affront to ASEAN unity, Southeast Asian lawmakers said today.

<p>Despite Thailand&#39;s long-standing commitment to a policy of <a href="https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/documents/publication/wcms_099886.pdf">Education for All (EFA)</a> which allows stateless and migrant children to attend public schools, the children of illegal and impoverished Cambodian labourers are still being denied an education.</p>

<p>Plans for the upcoming Southeast Asia Games (SEA Games), scheduled to be held in Vietnam on 12-23 May after 4 months of delays, offer insight into how Southeast Asian nations will find their way back to normal after years of struggling with the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>

<p>Eun Hong Park, a professor at Sungkonghoe University, emphasizes that most countries with implicit alliances with Myanmar`s military have non-liberal governance. Referring to the post-coup phase on &quot;Tatmadaw-democratic camp-international community,&quot; He argues that Myanmar`s &quot;Spring Revolution&quot; can become an opportunity to create &quot;new Asian values.&quot;</p>

<p>ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) called on ASEAN to take urgent actions after the Office of the United Nations&nbsp;High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) submitted a report to the UN Human Rights Council which found that the Myanmar military has committed human rights abuses that&nbsp;may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.</p>

<p>Khoukham Keomanivong, a UN-recognised Lao political refugee living in Thailand who was arrested last Saturday (29 January), was released on bail but restricted from traveling, Benarnews reported on 2 February.</p>

<p>On 21 January 2022, as&nbsp;the trial of Kem Sokha, leader of the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) resumed after a two year delay, Southeast Asian parliamentarians have reiterated their call for Cambodian authorities to immediately and unconditionally drop the treason charges against him.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen&#39;s meeting with Myanmar&#39;s&nbsp;self-declared State Administration Council leader Min Aung Hlaing is a threat to ASEAN and Myanmar, says&nbsp;ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR).</p>

<p>Under the Chairmanship of Cambodia in 2022, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) must meaningfully address the regressive human rights crisis in the region, including the rapidly deteriorating situation in Myanmar, said rights groups at a webinar yesterday (2 December).</p>

<p><a href="https://aseanmp.org/2021/10/26/parliamentarians-call-on-asean-to-take-concrete-steps-on-myanmar-at-summit-meet-with-nug/">Southeast Asian parliamentarians</a> call on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to use this week&rsquo;s ASEAN Summit to take concrete actions to resolve the disastrous situation in Myanmar, including by immediately engaging with the National Unity Government (NUG).</p>