South East Asia

| CAMBODIA

The monastery, re-established in 2004 by Korean nuns on the ashes of the previous contemplative community wiped out by Pol Pot's persecution, has closed. The decision is due to a lack of new vocations. Bishop Schmitthaeusler expressed his gratitude: "The fruits of your presence will continue in our community.”


The price of a coconut in Thailand, which was 20 baht before 2020, has now dropped to as low as 2 baht, putting small farmers out of business. According to local producers, a few companies with Chinese capital now control much of the supply chain, imposing extremely low prices and distorting the market.

 

| 16/03/2026
| THAILAND – CHINA
by Santosh Digal

They arrived in Burma in 1865, maintaining a constant presence in the service of vulnerable people. Active in nine communities, they provide education, healthcare and support to women who are victims of violence, trafficking and poverty, in a country marked by political instability and war. Cardinal Charles Maung Bo: “A testimony of love that knows no bounds”.

| 16/03/2026
| MYANMAR

A new report looks at the reasons for the decline based on qualitative interviews in Tokyo and Seoul. In addition to demographic decline, the erosion of faith between generations, the “pressures of modern life”, the decline in religious practices, and negative views of religion have also played a role. However, many claim to maintain a cultural connection with Buddhism and still feel drawn to its teachings.

| 12/03/2026
| RELIGIONS
by Nirmala Carvalho

Yesterday, in the final of the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, India beat New Zealand. Indian player Sanju Samson attributed his success to God. A key athlete and the player of the match, the Kerala wicket-keeper-batter was seen praying on his knees. Simple gestures can have profound meaning for the country's Christian minority.

| 09/03/2026
| INDIA
by Mathias Hariyadi

Ulema, parliamentarians, and civil society organizations have asked Indonesian President Prabowo Subiando to leave the international body promoted by Donald Trump for the management of the Gaza crisis. Criticism is also growing over the trade agreement on tariffs signed on February 19.

| 07/03/2026
| INDONESIA
by Gregory

A new traffic system for private vehicles goes into effect tomorrow in Myanmar to address cuts in fuel imports due to the Mideast war. Electric vehicles are exempt. The EV sector is dominated by companies linked to General Min Aung Hlaing's family, while blackouts continue across the country.

 

| 06/03/2026
| MYANMAR
Editor's choices
 
by Dario Salvi
In AsiaNews, Fr Ielpo describes the run-up to Easter amidst the war in the Gulf and the closure of the holy sites. He condemns the violence perpetrated by settlers in the West Bank: “Serious acts against people who want to live in peace”. ...
| 24/03/2026
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
The ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan for the end of Ramadan is part of a broader objective, namely possible talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad to halt the war in the Middle East. US President Donald Trump reported "very good ...
| 23/03/2026
| PAKISTAN – MIDDLE EAST
 
by Giorgio Bernardelli
The Cambodian part of the process for the beatification of Bishop Joseph Chhmar Salas and 11 other victims of the Khmer Rouge genocide ended today. Since 2015, dozens of testimonies have been collected from people who witnessed their faithfulness to ...
| 18/03/2026
| CAMBODIA
 
by Giuseppe Caffulli
While the world’s attention is focused on the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, there is another vital “economic resource” that the war is seriously jeopardizing: the labor of nearly 40 million foreign workers, who make ...
| 17/03/2026
| IRAN - UNITED STATES - GULF
 
Approved today by the National People's Congress, the legislation turns the president's views on the "sinicisation" of the 56 officially recognised groups into law. Han identity is defined as the "trunk”, while other cultures are compared ...
| 12/03/2026
| RED LANTERNS
 
by Chiara Zappa
For 57 years, the Sisters of Saint Jeanne Antide Thouret have taught Christian and Shia children and youth to live together in Dahye, a Hezbollah stronghold on the southern outskirts of the Lebanese capital. Since war broke out, a hundred families have ...
| 11/03/2026
| LEBANON
 
According to the latest report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, international arms transfers increased by 9.2 per cent between 2021 and 2025. Excluding the war in Ukraine, Asia remains the main source of global demand, driven ...
| 11/03/2026
| ASIA
 
by Santosh Digal
While former rapper and Kathmandu mayor Balendra “Balen” Shah seems destined to become the new prime minister, Apostolic Administrator Fr. Silas Krishna Bogati asks the future government to focus on fighting corruption, employment, and political ...
| 07/03/2026
| NEPAL
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”