Gilded chariots, horses and columns of military men in bright costumes swept through Bangkok's old quarter on Saturday in a final dress rehearsal for late King Bhumibol Adulyadej's funeral – a meticulously-planned spectacle of devotion to a man known as the "soul of the nation".Steered by the Buddhist ritual, palace protocol and social hierarchy that underpin Thailand's powerful monarchy, the elaborate cremation ceremony will befit a king who commanded a cult-like fol

Southeast Asian nations have become increasingly concerned over environmental issues in recent years as the region has become more polluted due to rapid urbanisation and deforestation. As a whole, the region has to deal with transboundary haze pollution, depletion of natural resources and urban environmental degradation.

The startup sector has exploded globally with investors on the lookout for the next "Facebook". This has inspired technology entrepreneurs to create their own companies and sell their ideas to the world in hopes of being the next Mark Zuckerberg.

Thailand’s already “very accommodative” monetary policy is fuelling robust growth that’s spreading across the economy, said Bank of Thailand Governor Veerathai Santiprabhob.The outlook comes as an exports revival in Thailand gains momentum despite a recent rise in the nation’s currency, the baht. Better demand from key trading partners is helping to offset strength in the exchange rate, Veerathai said.

A system that connected stock markets in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand has closed down, five years after its high-profile debut.The Asean Trading Link started with Bursa Malaysia and Singapore Exchange, with The Stock Exchange of Thailand also joining. It was heralded at its launch as breaking the barriers to cross-border trade and offering a single entry-point to three of Southeast Asia’s biggest stock markets, with thousands of listed companies.

Freedom of religious practise is a constitutionalised law that has been established in all 10 ASEAN countries. However therein lies the difference between establishing a law and enforcing it. Certain nations experienced severe backlash due to infringement on their religious practises caused by discrimination.

MonarchsThis week, the monarchs in ASEAN countries were prominently featured in news articles across the region. On Thursday, Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, who is 71 years old this year, celebrated his 50-year reign in style. The sultan was pulled on a grand golden chariot through the capital city.

Bangkok's streets have turned monochrome again as the military government urges the public to wear black-and-white and mute celebrations in the weeks leading up to the cremation of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.The kingdom has been prepping for the elaborate royal funeral since the October 2016 death of Bhumibol, a charismatic monarch who commanded a cult-like following during his 70-year reign.

The financial arm of Thailand's ultra-rich monarchy has transferred bank shares worth more than 500 million dollars on behalf of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).The SEC filing said the Crown Property Bureau, which manages the multi-billion dollar assets of the royal family, had reduced its shares in Siam Commercial Bank by 3.33 percent on October 2.That stake is worth 16.9 billion baht (505 million dollars) based on Friday's closin

“His passing means the Thailand that many Thais and I have known has come to an end.” This was one of the first things that Thitinan Pongsudhirak from the Institute of Security and International Studies (ISIS) of Chulalongkorn University, Thailand said when The ASEAN Post contacted him for a comment on the passing of Thailand's late monarch. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX was the world’s longest-reigning monarch at the time of his death.