Op-Ed: Myanmar’s membership of ASEAN challenged

13 Sept 13:40 Key points summarised by AI

Myanmar's military regime has made painfully slow progress on the five-point consensus agreed with ASEAN in April, causing significant frustration among member states.
The junta's repeated refusal to allow ASEAN's special envoy to meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi directly obstructs diplomatic efforts and violates the envoy's mandate to consult all stakeholders.
Growing impatience within ASEAN has led Indonesia to call for Myanmar's immediate membership suspension, while Malaysia advocates for prohibiting Naypyidaw from participating in upcoming summits.
The deteriorating internal security situation, marked by intensified resistance and alarming displacement, further complicates ASEAN's crisis resolution efforts and threatens Myanmar's future in the bloc.
Myanmar's continued defiance risks severe consequences for its ASEAN membership, potentially forcing it to abstain from future leadership roles to avoid more drastic actions from the regional body.

Uthenthawai students and alumni declare truce with Pathumwan rivals

Yesterday 20:34 Key points summarised by AI

Uthenthawai students and alumni have pledged to cease violent clashes with Pathumwan Institute rivals, coinciding with their campus's reopening after a 90-day closure.
The Minister of Higher Education is mediating the long-running conflict, while the campus closure has significantly disrupted in-person classes and laboratory work for over 1,000 students.
Uthenthawai resists relocation from its current site, citing a historical land grant from King Rama VI, despite Chulalongkorn University's plans to reclaim the land for an educational hub.
Concerns are mounting over the legality of the campus closure, its detrimental impact on uninvolved students, and the potential commercial development of the land, which critics argue contradicts the late King Rama VI's intentions.