Southeast Asian summit begins without Myanmar after junta snubbed

13 Sept 12:56 Key points summarised by AI

The ASEAN summit commenced virtually without a Myanmar representative, following the bloc's decision to exclude junta chief Min Aung Hlaing.
ASEAN's unprecedented snub stemmed from the junta's failure to implement a peace roadmap and allow a special envoy to meet ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Myanmar's junta rejected the exclusion as a breach of non-interference policy and refused to send a junior official, citing concerns over national sovereignty and image.
While seen as a significant sanction, observers doubt further action due to internal divisions within ASEAN, even as US, Chinese, and Russian leaders are slated to join subsequent meetings.

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.