Editor’s Note
by Mattia Peroni, Lead Editor - Mekong Belt Desk
This week's headlines run from floodwaters to backroom diplomacy, but the thread connecting them is who gets left to clean up the mess. In Thailand, Bangkok Climate Action Week puts youth advocates at the center of the city's green agenda, though funding and educational support still lag the enthusiasm. Meanwhile, Cambodia hosts its first international conference on combating online scams even as U.S. lawmakers and rights groups question whether the crackdown reaches the officials allegedly protecting the scammers.
As for Myanmar and Laos, this week our coverage follows up on previous stories, looking at Vietnam's foreign minister makes the first bilateral visit to Myanmar since the 2021 coup and at the toll of Laos’ recent floodings.
Thailand 🇹🇭
From Climate Citizens to Bangkok Climate Action Week 2026
by Natamon Aumphin, in Bangkok
Bangkok Climate Action Week 2026 (BKKCAW) is just around the corner, from 3-11 October, 2026, led by Just Transition Incubator (JUTI) in collaboration with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and partners. The event reflects the core Bangkok mission under the current Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt: to make Bangkok liveable socially and economically. The event encompasses diverse stakeholders, ranging from governmental entities to civil societies, and expands the scope so it is relevant to everyone.
Leo Horn-Phathanothai, founder of JUTI and co-chair of BKKCAW steering committee, highlighted that climate is similar to economy. It is a reflection of policy decisions and political will, which needs people’s participation and consent. This way BKKCAW 2026 is not merely just another climate event, but is rather a third space for the public to gather, track progress, and be active in the green agenda, which align with broader ASEAN goals and could enable regional cooperation. To effectively forward the agenda, everyone has to be involved including youth.
Benyapa Achariyakaroon, founder of Green Youth, a youth-led environmental organization aiming to create accessible climate education, said that being able to participate in BKKCAW 2026 means more opportunities to raise awareness about climate change to a wider audience. By expanding how climate change can affect job security as a whole, she hopes that the public will find climate education more relevant in their daily lives and gain new understanding of the topic through career workshops and panel talks.
As a youth working in environmental advocacy for over four years, Benyapa applauded Bangkok for having youth participation in green spaces. Nonetheless, she voiced her concerns about building the next generations of environmental advocates due to the lack of educational support, funding, and public understanding in climate advocacy. Although she sees more effort, space for youth participation in the climate agenda is still limited, which undermines the goal to achieve green agendas of the city, country, and ASEAN because of the lack of bottom-up efforts.
She highlighted that, to make environmental advocacy sustainable, it is imperative to have educational structure to prepare youth to be long-term agents of change, guiding support to raise funds for projects, as well as public endorsement through policy. Because people cannot escape from the impact of climate change, she urges the public to think more about building a liveable planet and have faith in change. Before ending the interview, she stressed the importance of people’s pressure and community-centered approach, saying that these are the two key points to enable change from a small unit which could have an impact to the broader society.
Natamon has served as a rapporteur at the Institute of Security and International Studies (ISIS Thailand). She has also worked as a research assistant on diplomatic issues in Southeast Asia. Her work focuses on how domestic politics shape foreign policy in the region. She holds a degree in international relations and has experience in policy analysis, event reporting, and regional research.
Cambodia 🇰🇭
Cambodia to Host First International Conference on Combating Online Scams
by Chandara Samban, in Kandal
Cambodia is set to host its first international conference on combating online scams from September 23 to 24, 2026. Experts and representatives from approximately 20 countries are expected to attend, alongside the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and INTERPOL, which are collaborating on the event.
The conference aims to achieve three key objectives: first, to develop a deeper understanding of the complex evolution of the online scam ecosystem; second, to strengthen international cooperation in law enforcement; and third, to facilitate the exchange of experiences and best practices in combating this modern form of crime.
The Cambodian government has presented the hosting of the conference as a positive development, particularly in anticipation of the potential adoption of significant documents outlining joint international efforts to tackle technology-facilitated crimes.
However, as Cambodia prepares to host this major international conference, the government under Prime Minister Hun Manet has implemented a series of rigorous measures against online scam operations. These include large-scale nationwide crackdowns, the arrest of alleged key ringleaders such as Chen Zhi and his associates, and a months-long campaign that has resulted in the deportation of tens of thousands of foreign nationals.
The government has also cited its October ban on online casino gambling as another positive outcome of its enforcement efforts. Between July 2025 and August 2026, authorities reportedly investigated 830 suspected locations and conducted raids on 663 sites, dismantling 86 large-scale online scam operations and expelling more than 20,000 foreign suspects.
Nevertheless, concerns over the effectiveness of these efforts persist, as reflected in recent reports, calls for further investigations and sanctions against individuals allegedly involved, and indications that online scam activities continue to emerge.
Notably, in mid-September, U.S. Representatives Brian Mast, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee, and John Moolenaar, Chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, wrote to the U.S. government requesting a 180-day investigation into several influential Cambodian figures, including Hun To, a nephew of former Prime Minister Hun Sen; Sar Sokha, Minister of Interior; Dy Vichea, Deputy National Police Chief; and Neth Savoeun, National Police Chief, among other senior officials.
The lawmakers alleged that these individuals may be facilitating or enabling criminal organizations to conduct online scam operations through corruption or complicity. They argued that sanctions against individuals involved, particularly influential figures, are necessary to make anti-scam efforts more effective. They also claimed that scam activities have continued despite previous Cambodian government crackdowns, which they characterized as ineffective and associated with human rights concerns.
Another report, released in mid-September by the U.S.-based National Democratic Institute (NDI), highlighted gaps in Cambodia’s crackdown efforts, particularly in relation to accountability, political factors, and financial networks, which the report said are hindering further progress.
This comes despite previous Cambodian enforcement actions and the freezing of more than $300 million in assets. The NDI report also pointed to allegations that certain influential Cambodian figures are implicated in, or allegedly provide protection for, online scam operations.
Cambodian Minister of Information Neth Pheaktra described the hosting of the international conference as a reflection of Cambodia’s political will to crack down on and prevent online scams. He called for unified international cooperation, emphasizing that the issue is a global challenge rather than one facing Cambodia alone. He also noted that Cambodia itself has been a victim of online scams and has previously worked with various countries to address the problem.
However, attention will now turn to the outcomes of the international conference and the measures that follow. These could provide an opportunity for Cambodia, a small Southeast Asian nation to strengthen its capacity to combat online scams and other technology-related crimes, particularly as it continues to face criticism from parts of the international community over the limited results of previous crackdowns.
Chandara is a freelance journalist with a focus on foreign affairs, security issues, and ASEAN affairs. He also serves as a Junior Counterterrorism Intelligence Analyst.
Myanmar 🇲🇲
Vietnam Expands Bilateral Cooperation with Myanmar
by Moe Thiri Myat
Vietnamese Foreign Minister Lê Hoài Trung visited Nay Pyi Taw on 26 August, marking the first bilateral visit by a Vietnamese foreign minister to Myanmar since the 2021 military coup. During the visit, Trung and Myanmar Foreign Minister Tin Maung Swe co-chaired the 10th Vietnam–Myanmar Joint Committee for Bilateral Cooperation, reviving a mechanism that had not met since March 2019. The meeting followed the exchange of new ambassadors in July and reviewed cooperation across government, parliament, local authorities and people-to-people ties.
The visit also broadened cooperation in defence, security and technology. The two sides agreed to expand delegation exchanges, military training and young-officer exchanges, alongside cooperation in search and rescue, disaster response, bomb and mine clearance, humanitarian assistance and military medicine. Discussions also covered telecommunications, digital government and the digital economy, extending bilateral cooperation beyond traditional diplomatic and economic ties.
Economic cooperation formed another major part of the discussions. Vietnam and Myanmar agreed to work toward raising bilateral trade to US$1 billion and to convene the 11th Joint Trade Sub-Committee to address barriers including import licensing, quarantine requirements, standards and customs procedures. The two countries also discussed expanding investment and improving conditions for Vietnamese businesses operating in Myanmar. Bilateral trade stood at around US$590 million in 2025, while Vietnam had 107 valid investment projects in Myanmar with registered capital of about US$1.4 billion as of the end of June 2026. Mytel, the telecommunications joint venture involving Vietnam’s military-linked Viettel group, remains one of the most prominent examples of bilateral commercial cooperation.
The visit also carried a political dimension. During a separate meeting with Lower House Speaker and Union Solidarity and Development Party chairman Khin Yi, Trung congratulated Myanmar on what Vietnam described as the successful organisation of the general election earlier in 2026 and acknowledged the new government’s initial period in office. Trung also formally invited Min Aung Hlaing to make a goodwill visit to Vietnam. The two countries discussed supporting one another in regional and international forums, including ASEAN and the United Nations.
The visit comes while ASEAN continues to manage its relationship with Myanmar through the Five-Point Consensus. The bloc has maintained restrictions on Myanmar’s political representation at ASEAN summits and foreign ministers’ meetings, while continuing to call for progress on ending violence, facilitating humanitarian assistance and promoting inclusive dialogue. ASEAN’s latest formal review of the Five-Point Consensus reaffirmed it as the principal framework for addressing the political crisis in Myanmar.
Vietnam’s visit adds to a series of recent contacts between Myanmar and individual ASEAN members. Min Aung Hlaing has travelled to Laos and Thailand this year, while Cambodia is preparing to receive him in September. Vietnam’s invitation could create another opportunity for high-level engagement within Southeast Asia. At the same time, the agreements reached in Nay Pyi Taw extend into defence, trade, telecommunications, digital infrastructure and coordination in regional forums, giving the visit significance beyond a routine diplomatic exchange and placing it within the wider evolution of Myanmar’s relations with its ASEAN neighbours.
Moe Thiri Myat is a senior at Parami University. Majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). Interested in analyzing emerging sociopolitical situations and developments, through her work as a Myanmar correspondent at The ASEAN Frontier she aims to explore how sociopolitical developments across Southeast Asia shape and are shaped by the situation in Myanmar.
Lao PDR 🇱🇦
Floods in Laos Highlight Climate Risks
by Phonethida Sitthixay, in Vientiane
Since July 2026, heavy rains unleashed severe flooding across Laos, displacing thousands of families and underscoring the growing threat climate change poses to the country’s development.
In the north, Luang Namtha Province was declared a disaster zone after flash floods swept through Boten near the Laos–China border. More than 30 villages were inundated, farmland and schools destroyed, and even the local airport forced to close. Water levels on the Tha River surged to 6.58 meters, well above the flood warning threshold.
In the south, Savannakhet Province saw the Xe Champhone River rise above danger level, flooding thousands of hectares of rice fields and affecting over 2,000 households. The floods cut off eight villages, with recovery efforts underway. Meanwhile, Champasack Province reported the Mekong River rising beyond alert levels.
The worst hit was Khammouane Province, where flooding affected over 60,000 people across all 10 districts, damaging 206 villages and nearly 9,500 households. More than 15,000 hectares of rice fields were destroyed, with losses estimated at LAK 100 billion (USD 4.4 million).
Nationwide, authorities estimate 654 villages across 42 districts have been hit, leaving 95,200 people impacted and at least four dead. Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone has ordered immediate recovery measures, including road repairs, relief supplies, and stricter monitoring of dam safety and reservoir levels.
Officials admit floods are becoming more frequent and destructive. Between 2021 and 2025, Laos recorded 376 natural disasters affecting more than one million people, according to a government review. This year’s floods have already surpassed last year’s impact, with northern provinces like Luang Namtha and Phongsaly suffering damage rarely seen before.
Experts point to climate change as a key driver. Stronger monsoons and typhoons, combined with deforestation and poor land management, are intensifying floods. Typhoon Maysak and heavy rains dumped up to 140 mm in 24 hours this month, overwhelming rivers and reservoirs.
As Laos prepares to graduate from Least Developed Country (LDC) status by the end of 2026, the floods are a stark reminder that economic growth must be matched with climate resilience.
Phonethida Sitthixay holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the National University of Laos. She is currently a Senior Project Coordinator at AIF Group, where she works on government-led initiatives to modernize financial integration across public sector systems in Laos. She has experience in sustainable development policy, diplomacy, and economic reporting, having worked with the Global Green Growth Institute and The Laotian Times. Her interests focus on Laos’s diplomacy, regional integration, and its evolving role beyond ASEAN.
Editorial Deadline 19/09/2026 11:59 PM (UTC +8)
