Thailand warns Myanmar military ‘to exercise caution’
The Royal Thai Armed Forces’ Commander-in-Chief Ukrit Boontanon summoned Burma’s regime military attaché to Thailand, Win Thu Lin, to his headquarters in Bangkok on Nov. 2 to urge Naypyidaw to exercise caution in its military operations along the 1,501 mile (2,416 km) long shared Thai-Myanmar border.
During a speech on Monday, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the Thai Army would protect the country’s sovereignty “to the fullest extent possible” and that he had informed Naypyidaw about his concerns over fighting near the border. “[This] has nothing to do with Thailand or Thai people,” Anutin told a press conference in Nong Kai Province on Nov. 2.
The warnings from Bangkok came after an unknown number of buildings in Thailand’s Mae Hong Son Province were reportedly damaged during airstrikes carried out by the Burma Air Force on a Karen National Union (KNU) base across the border in Karen State’s Hpapun Township on Oct. 31. No casualties were reported on either side of the border.
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US strategy links peace talks with Naypyidaw to rare-earth access
The Trump administration in Washington, DC, aims to use peace diplomacy in Burma as a way to expand U.S. influence and potentially gain access to the country’s rare-earth deposits, according to a recently published State Department strategy document.
The news agency reported last month that U.S. officials have quietly held talks with Burma’s pro-military administration, run by regime leader Min Aung Hlaing who led the 2021 coup that ousted the elected government. Analysts estimate that 100,000 people have been killed and over 3.5 million have been displaced since then.
The re-engagement, involving State Department official Michael Vance, marks a departure from years of U.S. policy aimed at isolating the regime. The talks have included discussions of how to gain access to rare-earth minerals mainly located in conflict-affected areas and currently exported to China.
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Malaysia considers movement restrictions on Rohingya refugees
The Malaysian government is considering whether to impose formal movement restrictions on Rohingya refugees residing in the country while preparing to expand a state-run biometric registration initiative to U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) cardholders nationwide, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told parliament.
Hamidi wrote in a reply to Malaysian member of parliament Wee Jeck Seng in October that the National Security Council (MKN) is working with all relevant ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as local authorities, to obtain feedback and plan the appropriate action to coordinate issues involving the Rohingya community in Malaysia.
Hamidi confirmed that Malaysia is actively studying the suitability of travel and residency curbs for refugees outside of immigration detention centers, balancing national security against international legal standards. The deputy PM stressed that any policy outcome would be evaluated against factors of security, national sovereignty, and human rights.
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News by Region
ARAKAN/CHIN—The United League of Arakan (ULA) and the Mizoram Commercial Vehicles Owners Association signed a deal to improve cross-border trade from India on Thursday. The reports did not indicate whether the agreement had been formally endorsed by the Mizoram State government.
Traders in Arakan told DVB that the deal would improve the flow of goods into territory seized by the Arakan Army (AA), which includes 14 Arakan townships and neighbouring Chin State’s Paletwa Township. A military blockade was imposed on AA territory in 2023 after it launched its most recent offensive.
KAREN/MON/TANINTHARYI—At least 12 civilians were killed, 16 others were injured, and approximately 4,300 people were displaced by armed conflict across 14 townships in October, according to a monitoring report released by the Ramanya Institute for Community-based Political Research.
The documentation covers incidents across Mon State, Karen State, and Tanintharyi Region, recording 10 armed ground clashes between regime and resistance forces—including the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and joint Mon-Karen allied forces. Read the full article on our website
NAYPYIDAW— Regime Deputy Education Minister Nay Myo Hlaing told a session of the Pyitthu Hluttaw, or lower house of parliament, on Monday that the conscription law has been taught to final-year high school students, age 16-17, as part of the national curriculum since the 2024-25 academic year began.
He added that the Counter-Terrorism Law along with “morality and civics” classes are part of their new “legal education.” Students are also being taught child rights and drug-related legislation. The conscription law requires males aged 18 to 35 and females aged 18 to 27 to serve at least two years in the military.
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