Comment
Japan must cement ties with ASEAN in health care security
Southeast Asia increasingly reliant on Tokyo for guidance and help
ASEAN
Economy
Vietnam and Mekong peers pay economic price despite low virus tolls
Promising ASEAN quartet likely to fortify and diversify after pandemic cuts growth
5G networks
Thailand leads ASEAN in 5G rollout due to pandemic
Top operator AIS ready to invest up to $1.2bn for network expansion this year
Coronavirus
Thailand follows Vietnam with no new coronavirus cases
Bangkok moves cautiously toward easing soft lockdown
Coronavirus
Thailand and Malaysia keep guard up after Vietnam lifts lockdown
Bangkok weighs careful easing but extends emergency and curfew for now
International relations
New South China Sea tensions rattle Manila and Hanoi amid pandemic
US and Australian warships sail in disputed waters after China bolsters claim
Coronavirus: Free to read
Coronavirus: Week of Apr. 12 to Apr. 18, Global death tops 150,000
France sees no evidence of pandemic link to Wuhan lab
Interview
Asia’s reliance on trade, tourism weighs on COVID-19 recovery: IMF
Region lauded for swift responses but governments urged to restructure priorities
International relations
Coronavirus exposes ASEAN divisions on rice security
Officials fail to reach immediate agreement at emergency summit
Economy
Only emerging Asia will see growth in grim 2020, IMF says
US GDP to shrink 6% while Japan dips 5% in worst recession since Great Depression
