Asean

• AirAsia MOVE reports that short-haul travel within Southeast Asia remains a primary tourism driver, noting that travelers are increasingly booking closer to departure dates and monitoring costs. • The company emphasizes the need for collaboration between the Thai government and private sectors to maintain Thailand's global competitiveness through positive communication and confidence building. • Other regional developments include Vietjet celebrating a 50-million passenger milestone and the launch of Taiwan's "Go Healthy with Taiwan 2026" global campaign.

• Buriram United secured a 4-3 aggregate victory over Johor Darul Ta'zim in the ASEAN Club Championship semifinals on Wednesday, advancing to the final despite JDT winning the second leg 2-1 at Chang Arena in Thailand. • Buriram's first-leg dominance proved decisive—they won 3-1 at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Johor Bahru with only three shots on target, establishing an insurmountable lead that JDT could not overcome despite their best efforts in the return fixture. • Kingsley Schindler scored an emphatic 98th-minute goal to secure Buriram's progression, marking JDT's first victory over the Thai club after five previous defeats in head-to-head matchups.

• Chrigor emerges as Selangor's pivotal player after scoring a brace in the first leg of the ASEAN Club Championship semifinal against Thép Xanh Nam Định. • The Malaysian club holds a 2-1 aggregate lead heading into the second leg on Wednesday in the 2025-26 Shopee Cup. • Known as the Red Giants, Selangor aims to secure a final berth, with Chrigor looming large against the Vietnamese side.

• The 48th ASEAN Summit concluded on Friday, May 8, with leaders proposing a regional fuel stockpile and standby food security mechanism to counter supply disruptions from Middle East conflicts. • Measures target impacts from Strait of Hormuz closure, which threatens fuel and fertiliser supplies critical to Southeast Asia. • Leaders agreed to a crisis communication protocol for foreign ministers to enable coherent, timely regional responses across multiple sectors.

• The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has pledged to adopt a zero-tolerance approach to the illicit narcotics trade as part of broader efforts to establish a drug-free region across Southeast Asia. • The commitment was announced during the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, Philippines, reflecting unified regional policy against narcotics trafficking and consumption. • The drug-free initiative represents a significant coordinated effort among ASEAN member states including Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam to combat organized crime networks and reduce substance abuse.

• Southeast Asian leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plan to release a draft declaration on Friday at their annual summit in Cebu, Philippines, upholding international law, sovereignty, and freedom of navigation amid Middle East tensions. • The statement, seen by The Associated Press on Thursday, serves as a veiled rebuke to the United States, Israel, and Iran over the regional war impacting Southeast Asia's energy security, food supply, and migrant workers. • Host Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. emphasized focusing on protecting over one million Southeast Asian workers and seafarers in the Middle East during the gathering of 10 national leaders plus Myanmar's representative.

• Laos is ramping up regional diplomacy before the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu on May 7-8, with Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane visiting Indonesia for bilateral talks. • Discussions covered trade, investment, tourism, human resource development, and broader ASEAN priorities, including meetings with business groups and the ASEAN Secretariat. • Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone will lead Laos at the summit, focusing on unity amid geopolitical tensions in Southeast Asia.