Myanmar’s voters cast their ballots at a polling station in Yangon. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Nay Pyi Taw (VNA) ♏– A historic national election saw participation from 32 million of Myanmar’s voters on November 8.
The first national election since the end of outright military rule in 2011 opened at 6 a.m. Polling stations were scheduled to close at 4 p.m. The count will take at least two days.
The Government prepared security measures in Yangon and others areas through November 14, with more than 8,000 police officers mobilised. In Yangon, more than 4.9 million people could vote at 5,495 stations.
According to the Union Election Commission, 6,189 candidates representing 92 registered political parties and independent candidates are running for more than 1,000 seats in parliament and elected bodies at different levels.
Among 1,163 constituencies, 330 are set to elect members to the House of Representatives; 168 will elect members to the House of Nationalities; 636 will elect regional or state parliaments; and 29 are set to elect regional or state parliaments for various ethnic groups.
Earlier, President U Thein Sein said in a speech that he respected the election results and the new Government would be established in accordance with the national constitution.
The President noted he was ready to work with new elected leaders for a peaceful political transition.
Thein Sein and his Deputy, Nyan Tun, decided not to run for election. However, his army-backed Union and Solidarity Development Party (USDP) is still able to elect him to president.
Opposition icon Aung San Suu Kyi of the National League for Democracy (NLD) is barred from the nation's top office by a constitutional clause that states that anyone with a foreign spouse or children cannot become president. Her sons and late husband are British.
Some sources forecast that if the NLD wins, she might become senate president, and her close assistant Htin Kyaw could become the president.-VNA
Myanmar parliamentarian Naing Ngan Linn, a candidate from the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party, was attacked with machetes on October 29, according to local media.
A total of 10,500 domestic and international observers will monitor the upcoming general election in Myanmar on November 8, the country’s Union Election Commission (UEC) said on November 3.
The Myanmar government on November 6 placed Yangon region under high security alert on the threshold of the landmark general elections scheduled for November 8.
Total trade between Indonesia and New Zealand in the first half of 2025 reached 963.23 million USD, an increase of 21.56% compared to 792.39 million USD in the same period last year. Of this amount, Indonesia's exports to New Zealand totaled 374.89 million USD, while imports 588.35 million USD
Malaysia, as ASEAN 2025 Chair, marked the bloc’s 58th founding anniversary on August 8 with a vibrant celebration in Cyberjaya, blending an official ceremony with a colorful cultural festival.
Vietnam plays an important role in Southeast Asia’s economic growth and is a key partner of her country in realising the shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region, said Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary of Office of Southeast Asia (OSA) – Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
The 2025 ASEAN Business Community Development (ABCD) Forum, themed “Empowering ASEAN's Next Leap: Digital, Sustainable & Entrepreneurial Transformation” brought together ministers, CEOs, and top industry experts to discuss key regional economic priorities.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Myanmar’s voters cast their ballots at a polling station in Yangon. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
