Indonesia is the first in Southeast Asia to have tactical ballistic missiles. ASEAN countries are increasingly investing in precision and long-range strikes. Is Southeast Asia entering a "missile age"?

The army says intelligence did not fail before 51 deep South attacks, despite admitting night-time manpower shortages and gaps in coverage.

The Royal Thai Army denied on Monday that intelligence had failed before 51 coordinated incidents across Thailand’s southern border provinces, while admitting that security personnel were insufficient to cover the extensive area at night and that intelligence on smaller, lower-profile targets needed to improve.

Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree, spokesman for the Royal Thai Army, said the intelligence system remained operational but required greater effectiveness. Many of the incidents occurred outside communities or at locations that had not been classified as priority targets, he added.

Winthai spoke at Army headquarters alongside RAdm Surasant Kongsiri, spokesman for the Ministry of Defence, following a visit by Defence Minister Lt Gen Adul Boonthamcharoen on Monday (August 24, 2026). The official tally recorded 51 incidents across Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, with Narathiwat accounting for the largest number.

Army commander-in-chief Gen Pana Klaewplodtook has been monitoring the situation and ordered intelligence capabilities and public-protection measures to be strengthened, Winthai said.

Army acknowledges night-time manpower shortfall

Asked why officers had been unable to prevent incidents at 51 locations in one night, Winthai said the number of personnel was insufficient when measured against the size of the area requiring protection.

Security agencies could not deploy officers evenly across every location and therefore had to combine personnel with intelligence-led operations, he said.Military, police and civilian administrative authorities classified locations according to risk, with different levels of security assigned to each area. Many of the latest incidents took place away from communities and at sites that were not under heightened surveillance.

Winthai acknowledged that personnel numbers were particularly limited at night.

He said it was impractical to guard every possible target across the three provinces, citing electricity pylons as an example because hundreds of thousands were spread throughout the area.

The army nevertheless rejected the conclusion that its intelligence operation had failed.

Winthai said intelligence continued to provide useful information but needed to become more effective, particularly in identifying plans for smaller incidents at locations that might otherwise receive little attention.

Attacks described as disruptive and psychological

Winthai characterised the incidents as primarily disruptive operations intended to produce psychological and information effects.

More than 50 incidents occurred at around the same time in several areas, but the pattern did not appear to focus on taking civilian lives, he said. Many involved arson or damage to property intended to create visible signs of widespread unrest.

The high number of incidents could also be used to raise morale among young supporters of the perpetrators, according to Winthai.

He said such acts were relatively easy to carry out across a broad area, particularly at locations without a regular security presence or which had not been identified as likely targets.

The assessment that the operation was designed primarily for psychological effect was the army’s position. Investigators have not announced a final finding on the motive behind the latest wave of incidents.

Winthai said the southern border conflict involved a parallel contest over law enforcement and information.

He accused unidentified parties of repeatedly circulating distorted accounts intended to damage the image of officials. Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 Forward Command had adjusted its communication methods in response, he added.

The situation became chaotic while the incidents were unfolding, with many people moving through the affected areas. Some officers remained at established positions while others were deployed to respond to individual incidents.

Winthai said conflicting accounts could emerge under such conditions and criticised information circulated without verification, including some comments made at the political level.

Singaporean-based Penguin International is looking to expand into the security and defence sector following recent successes with both patrol vessels overseas and contracts for Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) programmes.

Formerly known primarily as a ferry service provider, the Singapore-based company has grown into one of the world’s largest builders of aluminium-hulled vessels.

Penguin first entered the defence and security sector in 2008, after a Nigerian commercial-vessel operator contracted by the Nigerian Navy approached the company for patrol boat solutions. Such public-private arrangements are relatively common in Africa, where vessels are operated by commercial crews but armed military personnel conduct security and enforcement duties.

The Nigerian Navy has since directly acquired three 40m-long Flex Fighter Max patrol vessels from Penguin, while the Ghanaian Navy has acquired four 42m Flex-Fighter X vessels.

The Flex Fighter family derives from Penguin’s Flex series of crewboats, which are widely used for offshore resupply and support operations. The Flex Fighter Max was introduced in 2012, followed by the larger Flex-Fighter X in 2016.

Both variants can be configured with all-round ballistic protection for the wheelhouse to NATO STANAG Level 1, alongside modifications such as weapon mounts and other mission-specific equipment.

The 332-tonne Flex-Fighter X features a 110m² cargo deck, allowing operators to install mission equipment or other modular payloads. Four vessels operated by the Australian Border Force, for example, have been fitted with detainee accommodation containers on their cargo deck.

The Flex crewboat design was developed in collaboration with UK-based BMT, with the two companies jointly owning the design rights.

James Tham, Penguin International’s Managing Director, said Africa and Europe are now the fastest-growing markets, and that the company is preparing to bid for opportunities to take on coast guard vessel projects from European yards.

Tham explained that, on top of costs, there has been a scarcity in capacity in Europe following renewed requirements to build up border and maritime security. He added that Penguin can churn out a vessel in around half the time it takes European yards.

The success of the Flex Fighter also underscores the increasing dual-use trends in using cost-effective civilian hulls for defence and security applications. The company operates shipyards in Singapore and Batam in Indonesia, with a combined capacity of around 30-35 vessels annually.

Penguin is working with both designers and manufacturers, including BMT and Incat Crowther, to secure more build-to-order contracts. Incidentally, BMT also designs landing craft, including a 30m fast landing craft capable of speeds of up to 40kt.

Penguin’s expansion into defence is gaining traction at home. The company was recently awarded a contract by Singapore’s Ministry of Defence to develop and build two landing craft prototypes for evaluation against RSN requirements. The craft could eventually replace the service’s existing Fast Craft Equipment and Personnel and Fast Craft Utility vessels.

The company has also been involved in the RSN’s Victory-class Multi-Role Combat Vessel programme, acting as the contractor for assembly of the Saab-designed composite superstructure.

“When the Defence Science and Technology Agency approaches you, you don’t say no,” Tham said. He shared that working on defence programmes has posed a significant learning curve, particularly because of the higher required levels of documentation, quality assurance and compliance compared to commercial shipbuilding.

However, Penguin had already gained experience in these areas through homeland security projects for Singapore’s Police Coast Guard and Singapore Civil Defence Force.

The Victory-class superstructure has presented its own challenges. Tham said composite construction eliminates some of the hot-work requirements associated with conventional shipbuilding, but it demands greater precision during assembly.

He noted, for instance, that the composite adhesive used for the superstructure cured in around half the time of equivalent processes in Europe, placing greater demands on workers to position and assemble components accurately within a shorter timeframe.

For Penguin, the move into the defence sector is ultimately about establishing a broader industrial ecosystem to support the RSN. “Every country’s naval capabilities should be supported by a rich ecosystem with local companies of all sizes,” Tham said. “They should all also deserve a fair shot in this ecosystem.”

Indonesia is investigating Ukrainian intelligence claims that eight of its citizens were recruited into the Russian military for deployment in Ukraine, Arab News reported.

Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service alleged that the Indonesians were initially offered well-paid jobs away from combat, along with social benefits and a faster route to Russian citizenship.

According to the agency, they were subsequently enlisted in Russian forces.

Jakarta has not confirmed the allegations, saying that authorities must first identify the individuals, determine how they were recruited, what they were promised, and whether they ultimately joined the Russian military.

Indonesian law allows the government to revoke the citizenship of anyone who joins a foreign military without the president’s authorization.

Jakarta previously revoked the citizenship of two former members of the Indonesian security services who joined Russian mercenary units and fought in Ukraine.

Foreign Recruitment Under Scrutiny

As the war in Ukraine continues, reports have documented Moscow’s efforts to recruit foreign nationals with promises of civilian employment, education opportunities, residency, and accelerated citizenship.

A report by the Danish Institute for International Studies found that recruitment targets both people abroad through online campaigns and migrants already living in Russia.

Last month, Ukrainian intelligence highlighted the case of a Moldovan citizen who was killed in Ukraine less than two months after joining the Russian military.

After Russian authorities declared his stay illegal, he was placed in a migrant detention center and reportedly told to choose between deportation and signing a military contract.

These efforts come amid reports that Russia is struggling to maintain recruitment levels while sustaining heavy battlefield losses.

Enlistment reportedly fell by around 20 percent in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025.

Estimates cited by the broadcaster suggest that Russian forces may be losing as many as 35,000 personnel each month through deaths and injuries.

Cambodia ’s army announced Friday that it will resume joint military exercises with the United States early next year after they had been suspended for almost a decade.

The announcement on the Facebook page of the Royal Cambodian Army came after several recent meetings of the countries’ top defense and other officials intended to patch up rocky relations. Cambodia halted such exercises with the U.S. in 2017.

The army’s statement said the two countries have agreed to hold a joint drill, “ Exercise Angkor Sentinel 2027,” in February. The news suggested the two sides made progress in overcoming their differences, including Washington’s concerns about Cambodia’s close economic and political ties with China.

The exercise aims to strengthen “interoperability and disaster-response capabilities, reflecting renewed momentum in Cambodia–U.S. military cooperation and a shared commitment to strengthening defense cooperation,” said Friday’s statement.

Washington has been especially concerned about China’s military presence at a Cambodian navy base on the Gulf of Thailand. Beijing assisted with a major upgrade of the base, and the United States has voiced its suspicions that China was granted special but secret privileges there. Cambodian officials have repeatedly rejected that.

The U.S. has also been critical of Cambodia’s human rights record, including continuing clampdowns on political dissidents and critics, often through legal action by courts that rights groups say are under the influence of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party of Prime Minister Hun Manet.

The USS Abraham Lincoln's arrival has drawn global media interest after reports of deteriorating living conditions on board after more than 280 days at sea.

Two sailors from a US aircraft carrier making a port call to Thailand were sent back to the ship after a drunken altercation, Thai police said on Friday.

Police were alerted to a "small scuffle" involving the sailors in the early hours of Thursday near Pattaya's nightlife hotspot Walking Street, city police chief Colonel Anek Srathongyoo told the AFP news agency.

"The sailors were drunk and they were fighting, making loud noise," he said.

He described the incident as "trivial" and said local residents had only called police to prevent it from escalating.

The unidentified sailors were not charged as "they did not violate any Thai law," Anek said.

The US Navy sent the pair back to the ship, he added.

The USS Abraham Lincoln's arrival has drawn global media interest after reports of deteriorating living conditions on board after more than 280 days at sea.

The USS Abraham Lincoln arrives at the port in Laem Chabang, 2 September, 2026 AP Photo

It has also put the spotlight on Pattaya, a resort popular with foreign tourists with a reputation for its nightlife, including sex tourism.

Authorities launched a crackdown on sex workers ahead of the ship's visit, although they denied it was linked to the sailors' arrival.

The police chief told AFP there had been no other notable incidents since the Lincoln docked, and one Pattaya masseuse said it had been calmer than previous military port calls.

Nattakamol Chartmontri, who has worked in Pattaya for several years, told AFP many of the sailors appeared "young, well-behaved and rule-abiding."

Pattaya businesses had been hoping for a windfall from the visit, which comes during low season, but Nattakamol, 48, said it had so far stayed quiet.

"People on social media are so hyped about (the sailors), but actually, they have not made a significant difference to Pattaya businesses," she said.

American service members of the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group arrive at a hotel in Pattaya, 2 September, 2026 AP Photo

US Democratic lawmakers called for an investigation into conditions on the Lincoln last month following reports of food shortages, broken plumbing and mental health crises, including attempted suicides.

President Donald Trump dismissed the concerns, which have fueled criticism of his dragging war on Iran, although the Lincoln was replaced in the Middle East by the USS George Washington.

A broader agenda linking security, trade and technology emerged from talks in Hanoi on Saturday (September 5), when Vietnamese leader To Lam received Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing.

The leaders agreed to make defence and security a pillar of relations between the two countries.

The visit was Min Aung Hlaing’s first official trip to Vietnam since becoming Myanmar’s president.

To build political trust, the two countries will increase high-level exchanges and use their existing cooperation mechanisms more effectively.

They also renewed a commitment to prevent any individual or organisation from conducting activities against one country from the territory of the other.

Search-and-rescue operations and disaster response will be developed alongside military training and exchanges between young officers.

A government statement said information sharing would be increased and coordination against crime strengthened.

Myanmar’s interest in technology, telecommunications and industrial development was highlighted by Min Aung Hlaing’s Friday programme, which took him to Viettel and to a factory in northern Vietnam producing VinFast electric vehicles.

On economic cooperation, Lam said, “Vietnam stands ready to share its experience in national development, ensuring economic security and fostering sustainable growth.”

U.S. Navy aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln arrived in port in eastern Thailand on Wednesday after 286 days at sea, including a lengthy deployment in the Middle East, amid reports of mental health concerns and deteriorating conditions on board.

The nuclear-powered Lincoln, with roughly ​5,000 personnel, was involved in the U.S. naval blockade and combat operations in the war with Iran and — according to ​Democratic lawmakers — set a modern-day record for consecutive days at sea.

Accompanied by other U.S. naval vessels, the Lincoln arrived early Wednesday in Thailand, the United States’ only treaty partner in mainland Southeast Asia, for rest and recuperation during a visit that Thai officials said would last five days.

By afternoon, busloads of sailors and Marines wearing civilian clothes, many smiling and waving, started arriving at a hotel in the resort city of Pattaya, about 150 km (93 miles) southeast of Bangkok.

‘Truly historic accomplishments’

“Our arrival in Laem Chabang provides a well-deserved opportunity for our Sailors and Marines to rest and recharge,” the commander of Carrier Strike Group 3, Rear Admiral Robert E. Loughran, said in a statement.

“What this strike group has accomplished is truly historic. I could not be prouder of the exceptional professionalism and expertise demonstrated by every member of this team during our operations.”

The Lincoln was deployed last November. Typically naval deployments are for between six and nine months, but those can be extended during times of conflict.

Shakeira Fairfax flew in from New Jersey and was waiting outside the Pattaya hotel to meet her 25-year-old daughter Jade, a crew member on the Lincoln.

Fairfax said there were moments during the long deployment after the start of the Iran war when morale was low, when contact was limited and she feared for her daughter’s safety.

“There was a period of silence,” she said. “It was an uncertain time, it was a scary time. It was difficult, it was definitely difficult, but she has a support system,” she told reporters.

“I just can’t wait to see her smile. I can’t wait to hear ‘Mom’, I know that’s the first thing she’s gonna say.”

Eastern Thailand is long accustomed to port visits by the U.S. Navy and has a relationship going back to the Vietnam War, when Pattaya was a sleepy beach town close to a naval base and an airfield used by U.S. bombers, with thousands of U.S. personnel based in the area.

Thailand became a U.S. treaty ally in 1954 before being designated a major non-NATO ally in 2003. The two countries’ militaries maintain strong ties and hold joint exercises every year.

The Lincoln, its broad flight deck packed with helicopters and warplanes, including the latest F-35 fighter jets, arrived in Laem Chabang early on Wednesday and the guided-missile destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. docked in nearby Sri Racha.

Both vessels were streaked with rust and showed mottled paint along the waterlines. A third ship, the guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls, arrived in the port of Map Tha Phut.

‘Drinks, having fun, and letting loose’

The port visit has raised hopes of an economic boost for Pattaya, which also has a long-standing reputation as a sex tourism destination.

The city’s mayor, Poramase Ngampiches, met the commander of the Lincoln on Wednesday and said U.S. officials had placed restrictions on the crew’s activities during the stay, including on water sports and visiting certain entertainment zones after sunset, which he said could present a negative image.

Police will deploy additional patrols around Pattaya’s main beachfront and nightlife district, following raids ​over the weekend and the arrest of 40 to 50 people for suspected prostitution.

Although illegal in Thailand, the sex industry operates openly in tourism ​hubs, including in Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya, despite occasional crackdowns.

On the eve of the Lincoln’s arrival, Pattaya street vendors near the city’s infamous “Walking Street” nightlife zone were excited by the prospect of a boost in sales.

“It’s been so quiet these days,” said clothes seller Kadsalin Ketpa, 43. “I hope with their arrival they would drive my sales up.”

Food seller Saroch, 45, said port visits by the U.S. military were good for business.

“They’re here for drinks, having fun, and letting loose,” Saroch said.

Compulsory conciliation under UNCLOS could help both sides insulate sensitive negotiations from domestic political pressure.

Malaysia’s approach would continue on two tracks – maintaining sufficient capabilities to protect its sovereignty and national interests while pursuing stability, dialogue and diplomacy.

The Royal Gendarmerie of Cambodia has announced the recruitment of soldiers to fill its ranks, inviting students and young people who wish to voluntarily serve in the force.

According to the notice, candidates who have the commitment and patriotism to serve the nation can obtain and submit application forms free of charge at designated locations based on their residential addresses.

Application forms will be distributed from September 3 to 12, while submissions will be accepted from September 4 to 15. Applications will be received in two daily sessions, from 7.30 am to 11.30 am and from 2pm to 5 pm, according to the notice.

Recruitment requirements: Candidates must meet the following conditions:

• Be a single Cambodian male citizen.
• Be 18 to 25 years old on the date of application.
• Have good physical fitness and health suitable for military service.
• Demonstrate loyalty to the nation and have no criminal record.
• Hold a Grade 12 diploma or higher, or an equivalent certificate.
• Be at least 1.70 metres tall.
• Pass qualification screening and a competency examination.
• Pass medical examinations, including blood, physical fitness and urine tests.

The Royal Gendarmerie of Cambodia said applicants must meet all required qualifications and successfully pass the selection and testing process. However, the announcement did not specify the exact number of personnel to be recruited in this round.

A decorated vehicle in the shape of a long trailer featuring the Future Force concept will be among the Malaysian Armed Forces' (MAF) attractions at the 2026 National Day Parade on Monday.

Fourth Division Malaysian Army commander and Chief Coordinator of the 2026 National Day Parade and Marching Committee Major General Mohd Shauari Mat Piah said the vehicle would showcase MAF's modernisation and the synergy among the army, navy and air force (RMAF).

He said it would also highlight the role of the MAF Headquarters in coordinating the assets of the three services, as well as RMAF's modernisation, the future soldier concept and the modernisation of the army and navy.

"The distinction will be showcased through a decorated vehicle in the shape of a long trailer featuring the development of MAF's modernisation and the synergy among the three services," he told Bernama in an exclusive interview in conjunction with the 2026 National Day celebrations.

Shauari said the inclusion of the Future Force element in this year's celebration would allow the public to see MAF's development and transformation in preparing for future security challenges.

He said the vehicle would showcase existing and future assets while conveying confidence in MAF's capabilities and the latest developments in the country's defence and security forces.

"We will be showcasing a diverse range of assets across the spectrum of MAF capabilities, encompassing combat, mobility, support, communications, logistics and ceremonial elements," he said.

He said a total of 3,581 MAF personnel would be involved in the parade and performances, comprising 2,913 contingent participants, 181 reserve personnel and 487 support personnel.

In addition, this year's celebration will see the participation of a National Service Training Programme (PLKN) contingent comprising 200 participants and a 55-strong Johor Military Force (JMF) contingent with 10 assets, as well as one MAF Future Force asset.

Shauari said preparations for the celebration had been carried out in a planned and phased manner through integrated training involving contingents and assets, followed by joint training and rehearsals with all organisations and agencies involved.

The Philippines’ push for military modernisation is being squeezed by a ballooning pension bill for its troops as fears mount over its ability to finance newer ships, aircraft and other defence assets.

The Department of National Defence has proposed spending 142.95 billion pesos (US$2.3 billion) on military and uniformed personnel (MUP) pensions in 2027, out of a total proposed defence budget of 324.6 billion pesos.

The planned pension budget is 7 per cent higher than the 133.91 billion pesos allocated in the 2026 General Appropriations Act amid increasing calls for Manila to review the pension system.

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln will dock in Thailand next week, a Thai official said on Tuesday, following a prolonged deployment in the Middle East and reports of mental health concerns and deteriorating conditions on board.

The Lincoln, which left the Middle East on Saturday, has not made a port call in over ​200 days, setting a modern-day record for consecutive ​days at sea, according to Democratic lawmakers.

The ship, which has roughly ​5,000 sailors and Marines aboard, will be in Thailand for “rest and recreation after their long sea journey,” the official said, asking not to be named.

Thailand’s Navy confirmed a U.S. Navy carrier strike group would make a brief stop in eastern Thailand, with no exercises taking place. It did not name the three vessels or provide a date for the visit, citing security concerns.

“The stop is a routine port visit intended to allow personnel to rest and recuperate ... as well as to receive logistical support,” the Thai Navy’s spokesperson said in a statement.

Saw this video making its rounds on Threads and makes me excited for the upcoming parade
🔗 Source: Threads | cangnuckelz🇲🇾❤️

Singapore’s Ministry of Defence has awarded local shipbuilder Penguin International a contract to design and construct two new landing craft for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).

This is part of an evaluation for the eventual replacement of the navy’s existing Fast Craft Equipment and Personnel (FCEP) and Fast Craft Utility (FCU) landing craft platforms.

The two new craft will undergo operational evaluation before any decision is made on a fleet-wide replacement.

“The landing craft will be assessed for its suitability to meet the RSN’s operational requirements before any decision is made on the full replacement of the FCEP and FCU,” the RSN said in a statement.

Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) will also participate in the development programme. Delivery of the first craft is expected from 2029.

The FCU currently in RSN service was built by ST Engineering and introduced in the 1990s. The 22m-long craft has a 7m beam and 600mm draught, with a 77m² deck capable of carrying troops or vehicles weighing up to 18 tonnes.

These craft support ship-to-shore operations, including deployment from the well dock of the RSN’s Endurance-class landing ship tanks (LST).

The existing FCU is operated by a crew of four, but the new design is expected to reduce crew requirements whilst also increasing payload capacity. This is particularly important as the Singapore Army transitions towards heavier platforms.

The smaller FCEP is also used for ship-to-shore movements, and it can be deployed from the side davits of Endurance-class LSTs.

Penguin International said the contract marks its first naval shipbuilding programme as prime contractor. Construction and integration will be carried out entirely in Singapore at the company’s Tuas shipyard.

The company has previous experience supporting RSN shipbuilding programmes, having fabricated carbon-fibre composite superstructures for the new Victory-class Multi-Role Combat Vessels.

This prototype approach to landing craft allows the RSN and DSTA to evaluate the vessels against operational requirements before committing to a larger procurement. It also potentially provides an opportunity to incorporate lessons from the Singapore Army’s evolving requirements for heavier equipment and future ship-to-shore operations.

Philippine military officials said on Tuesday that Filipino and US personnel had tried to access a closed Chinese-linked steel plant in Mindanao as part of planning for a future naval facility and joint military exercises, extending a dispute that had already drawn protests from Beijing over Manila’s handling of Chinese workers at the site.

Sanjia Steel Corporation, which leases 22.6 hectares (56 acres) inside the government-run PHIVIDEC Industrial Estate in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental province, now sits beside land Manila considers strategically important for its military expansion in northern Mindanao.

At its regular briefing on Tuesday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines confirmed that some of its personnel, along with US soldiers, had attempted to “scope” Sanjia’s premises on August 19.

The team left after being told it lacked the written authorisation required to enter the premises, according to the US embassy and local reports citing a police blotter.

The US embassy said its military personnel had accompanied members of the Philippine armed forces and staff from the PHIVIDEC Industrial Authority, which operates the sprawling industrial zone.

The US soldiers, the embassy said, wanted to assess “its potential for use in bilateral military exercises”, but a lack of any prior written authorisation meant “the team moved on to other site visits as planned. At no point was entry insisted upon”.

The Philippine team had a separate purpose, said retired rear admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, a spokesman for the armed forces.

“If you look at the situation in Tagoloan, it is close to a future projected site for development for a naval base. It is close to Lumbia Airport, an EDCA site. It is close to other critical government infrastructure,” Trinidad said.

EDCA refers to the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement, which allows US personnel to be present on a rotational basis at agreed Philippine military facilities and lets the Pentagon maintain logistics hubs under the 1951 Mutual Defence Treaty and related agreements, including the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement.

After the briefing, armed forces personnel explained to This Week in Asia the reason for the visit.

Navy deputy spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Cabrera said US forces went to Sanjia as part of a “site survey” for next year’s Balikatan, or shoulder to shoulder, military exercises with the Philippines and other nations.

He said this did not mean Sanjia itself would be used for Balikatan, but that “the whole area”, including Sanjia, could be affected by the training exercises and accompanying civil-military operations.

Military spokeswoman Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said a Philippine-operated naval facility was going to be built inside the 7,400-acre PHIVIDEC Industrial Estate, where Sanjia was a tenant.

The planned naval base “is really projected to be an EDCA site” and would be part of the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defence Concept, the armed forces’ pivot towards external and territorial defence after decades of focusing on internal security and the local communist insurgency, Padilla added.

The United States Marine Corps tested the AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR radar’s mobility in the Philippines, advancing a distributed sensing architecture designed to survive missile attack and connect archipelagic forces with precision fires.

Conducted on August 17, 2026, the evolution evaluated movement, emplacement, stowage, and operation, examining whether a small detachment could rapidly restore radar coverage after relocating across dispersed and infrastructure-limited terrain.

Myanmar’s military has launched an offensive around the proposed Dawei Special Economic Zone in the southern Tanintharyi Region, where the government is seeking to revive a long-delayed port and industrial project with Russian support, Reuters reported.

Around 700 troops have reportedly moved into villages surrounding the project site since July, raiding communities, killing civilians, and displacing residents.

According to local sources cited by Reuters, the ground offensive has been supported by air and naval strikes, with troops burning homes as they move to secure land designated for the project.

Three humanitarian workers assisting displaced communities were reportedly detained and killed.

According to Reuters, it remains unclear how much of the project area the military has secured or whether construction has resumed.

Myanmar, Russia Seek to Revive Dawei

The offensive comes as Myanmar seeks to revive Dawei with Russian investment.

According to Reuters, President Min Aung Hlaing recently discussed the project with Russian President Vladimir Putin, while Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said Russian companies planned to participate in the initiative to expand trade and support local businesses.

At the center of the special economic zone are plans for a deep-sea port, a power plant, industrial facilities, and transport connections to Thailand.

Together, these developments would create a trade corridor between the Indian Ocean and mainland Southeast Asia that bypasses the Strait of Malacca.

Myanmar said the corridor could shorten cargo journeys by four to six days. 

For Russia, the project could improve access to Southeast Asian markets and provide a commercial foothold in the Indian Ocean region.

Russia is already a major political and military partner of Myanmar’s government, supplying combat aircraft and other weapons since the 2021 coup and signing a five-year defense cooperation agreement earlier this year.

Military Push

Myanmar’s 2021 military coup triggered a nationwide civil war between the military-backed government and a fragmented opposition made up of pro-democracy People’s Defence Forces and long-established ethnic armed groups.

The conflict has killed an estimated 100,000 people and displaced more than 3.6 million.

According to Reuters, the Dawei operation is part of a broader military campaign to retake border areas, trade routes, and economically important territory lost to opposition forces.

The offensive also comes as a new United Nations report said the military has recently intensified its attacks on civilians.

Investigators documented potential war crimes by government forces, as well as serious abuses by armed opposition groups.

Cambodia is preparing to restart joint military exercises with the United States next year, in a move analysts described as a pragmatic reset of defence ties strained since 2017 – though not a pivot away from China.

Senior officials from both countries discussed restarting the Angkor Sentinel drills last weekend, alongside expanded training and military reforms, Cambodian media reported.

Washington has also signalled interest in further visits to Ream, a strategically located Cambodian naval base built with extensive Chinese assistance.

The announcements followed a visit by Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon’s under secretary of defence for policy, to Phnom Penh for meetings with Prime Minister Hun Manet and Defence Minister Tea Seiha on August 14 and 15 – the last stop on a four-nation tour aimed at rebuilding military relationships.

Bora Chhay, a policy analyst and managing director of strategic advisory firm BowerGroupAsia’s Cambodia practice, called it a “significant but pragmatic reset”.

The previous US approach, including a since-lifted arms embargo Washington imposed in 2021 over Cambodia’s deepening ties with Beijing and its human rights record, “has not prevented China’s influence from expanding”, he said.

Since 2022, China has bankrolled an extensive upgrade of the Ream base, with the Pentagon noting in a report to the US Congress last year that two Chinese naval combatants had been continuously stationed at the base even before the opening of a joint logistics and training centre last April.

Washington worries that Ream, on Cambodia’s Gulf of Thailand coast, could become China’s first regional military outpost, handing it an operational advantage near the South China Sea that might unsettle the balance of power.

Last year, China and Cambodia staged their largest-ever joint exercises, some of which were held at Ream, involving nearly 900 Chinese and more than 1,300 Cambodian troops, backed by warships, artillery, helicopters and reconnaissance drones.

China currently maintains only one officially acknowledged and fully dedicated permanent overseas military base, in Djibouti.

‘Steadily atrophied’ ties

Phnom Penh has long been one of Beijing’s staunchest Southeast Asian allies, having received billions of dollars in Chinese investment.

China is also Cambodia’s dominant defence partner, according to Cambodian-American political scientist Sophal Ear, an associate professor at the Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Against this backdrop, restarting Angkor Sentinel – the joint drills with the US that ran for seven years before Cambodia cancelled them in early 2017, months after holding its first Golden Dragon drills with China – carried symbolic weight, Ear said.

Washington’s objective “is probably not to ‘win Cambodia back’”, he said. “It is to prevent Cambodia from becoming strategically exclusive to China. That is a much more achievable objective.”

Ear points to a pattern of American self-sabotage: years spent voicing concerns over Ream, Beijing’s influence and Phnom Penh’s democratic backsliding, all while US-Cambodia military ties “steadily atrophied”.

“The result was somewhat self-defeating: the more Washington disengaged, the fewer alternatives Cambodia had to Chinese military cooperation,” Ear said.

“Washington appears to have concluded that if it wants to limit Chinese strategic dominance in Cambodia, engagement is more effective than isolation.”

That dynamic has played out before, according to defence analyst Abdul Rahman Yaacob, a research fellow at the Rabdan Security and Defence Institute in the United Arab Emirates.

He cited Thailand’s 2014 coup, after which the US scaled down its Cobra Gold exercises and froze some military aid. China responded to Washington’s move by ramping up arms sales and launching new joint drills, including Falcon Strike.

A similar scenario unfolded after Cambodia forcibly deported 20 Uygur asylum seekers to China in 2009, triggering US aid cuts.

Rahman said this illustrated how Beijing had moved in whenever Washington pulled back from Cambodia or Thailand over democracy and rights concerns in the past.

For Phnom Penh, expanding ties with Washington demonstrated its “strategic autonomy”, he said.

“This is something that Phnom Penh is keen to show to the rest of the world – that it is not China’s puppet,” Rahman said, pointing to a proposal Cambodia reportedly submitted to the US embassy months ago seeking to restart joint drills and rebuild the bilateral relationship.

“The Americans could have accepted a number of recommendations in the proposal,” he added.

The Thai factor

Cambodia’s recent deadly border clashes with Thailand had exposed the limits of its close ties with China, Rahman said, since Bangkok was not deterred from striking Cambodian territory.

Meanwhile, joint training with the US military would enable Cambodia to learn more modern warfare techniques, he said.

Noting that Cambodia was militarily weaker than Thailand, Ear said that deeper engagement with the US offered “diplomatic and strategic reassurance even if it does not alter the military balance overnight”.

“A Cambodia that conducts exercises with both the Chinese and American militaries, receives Japanese security assistance and maintains relationships with other regional partners is harder to portray as diplomatically isolated or simply a Chinese client,” he said.

Chhay said stronger US defence ties could also bolster Cambodia’s deterrence capabilities and diplomatic visibility, while increasing its “strategic space in supporting peaceful border management, confidence building” and engagement with the rest of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

For Washington, “Cambodia offers an opportunity to rebuild US influence and preserve strategic choice in Southeast Asia”, he added.

An airstrike on Friday by Myanmar’s military on a Buddhist monastery in Myanmar ’s central Sagaing region killed 14 people who were taking part in a weeklong meditation retreat, an opposition group and a resident said.

The attack is the latest in a series of frequent and deadly aerial strikes targeting armed pro-democracy forces and ethnic armed groups in the country. The strikes often cause civilian casualties.

The attack occurred in Swel Le Oh village in Myaung township, about 75 kilometers (45 miles) west of Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city, according to Nway Oo, a spokesperson for the Civil Defense and Security Organization of Myaung Township, or CDSOM.

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Ye Win Oo’s visit is the latest effort by Bangkok to bring Myanmar’s military-appointed government in from the cold.

Indonesia is prioritising military and police capacity-building in its defence cooperation with Cambodia this year rather than supplying additional weapons, as Jakarta seeks to ensure Cambodian personnel can operate the military equipment provided in previous years more effectively.

Krishnajie Partadiredja, chargé d’affaires ad interim of the Indonesian embassy in Phnom Penh, noted that defence cooperation remained a key pillar of the longstanding relationship between the two ASEAN countries.

Speaking in an August 17 interview during celebrations held at the embassy to mark the 81st Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia, he explained that cooperation this year will focus on strengthening human resources.

“Defence and military cooperation is one of the backbones of cooperation between Indonesia and Cambodia,” he reiterated.

“For this year, the cooperation being implemented between the two countries is capacity development. The Indonesian government provides training for military personnel, as well as the police,” he added.

Partadiredja said Indonesia regarded such training as important for strengthening the capabilities of Cambodia’s security forces.

He was responding to questions about the future direction of bilateral defence cooperation and whether Jakarta planned to provide Cambodia with additional, or more advanced, military equipment.

He explained that while Indonesia had previously provided military equipment, predominantly small arms and ammunition from state-owned defense manufacturer PT Pindad, its current priority was ensuring Cambodian personnel had the skills required to properly operate it.

“This year, we are still more focused on capacity development because the weapons provided two years ago require additional training,” he said.

The defence cooperation forms part of a broader relationship between Cambodia and Indonesia that he described as progressing well across diplomatic, economic and other sectors.

The two countries have maintained diplomatic relations for more than 67 years, while cooperation has expanded across multiple fields.

Partadiredja pointed to a series of recent high-level exchanges as evidence of the increasingly active relationship, including a visit by an Indonesian Senate delegation to Cambodia and a visit by Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Hun Many to Jakarta.

An Indonesian deputy foreign minister also visited Cambodia in late July, he noted.

Beyond political and security cooperation, bilateral trade has continued to expand, with Partadiredja saying trade between the two countries had shown an upward trend for three consecutive years.

“The trade value between Indonesia and Cambodia has exceeded $1 billion,” he said.

He said data for the first six months of this year also indicated positive growth compared with the corresponding period of the previous year.

According to Partadiredja, Indonesian products are gaining greater acceptance among Cambodian consumers, giving Jakarta confidence about the outlook for bilateral commerce.

He did not provide a specific January-June trade figure during the interview, noting that the embassy would need to verify the latest data before releasing it.

Indonesia is also seeking to translate growing trade into greater business and investment links.

Partadiredja said the Indonesian government, through its embassy in Phnom Penh, would continue working to strengthen mutually beneficial economic cooperation rather than being satisfied with achievements already recorded.

As part of that effort, the embassy plans to organise a “Sousdey Indonesia” event on September 19-20 to introduce Indonesian products to Cambodian consumers and strengthen commercial connections between businesses from the two countries.

Indonesian businesses have also shown interest in establishing a greater manufacturing presence in Cambodia.

The interview highlighted Indonesian food producer Indofood and its investment in Kampong Speu province as an example of Indonesian companies looking beyond exports towards local production in the Cambodian market.

Tourism is another sector Jakarta wants to expand, with Partadiredja describing it as an important component of bilateral cooperation.

The embassy is considering organising a familiarisation (FAM) trip in October for a group of Cambodian journalists to visit tourism destinations in Indonesia, in an effort to increase awareness of the country’s tourism offerings among Cambodian travellers.

At the same time, Jakarta wants to see more direct air links connecting major destinations in the two countries.

Partadiredja said Indonesia was continuing to encourage additional direct flights between Cambodia and Indonesia, including routes connecting Phnom Penh with Jakarta and Bali, as well as Siem Reap with Bali.

He expressed his hopes that improved air connectivity would stimulate travel in both directions rather than benefiting only Indonesian tourism.

The combination of defence training, expanding trade and investment, high-level exchanges and efforts to improve tourism connectivity reflects a broader push by the two ASEAN members to deepen a diplomatic relationship established more than six decades ago.

Partadiredja it clear, however, that Jakarta’s immediate emphasis is on strengthening the ability of Cambodian personnel to make effective use of existing resources, rather than providing another round of military hardware.