It is irrefutable that rice is the staple food of Southeast Asia. This love affair with the seed of the grass species, oryza sativa is not only rooted in the tangible world but has its own mystical underpinnings to it. Such a relationship is observed through the worshipping of the goddess of rice, fertility, and wealth, Dewi Sri, by communities in what is now modern-day Indonesia, prior to the advent of Islam.

Thais are expected to head to the polls in November this year to democratically elect a new government after being ruled by a military government since 2014. However, the ruling junta has demonstrated a pattern of delaying a vote often citing security issues.

Airlines, airports and passportsIn this past week, news in ASEAN countries mainly focused on airports and the aviation sector. In Malaysia, AirAsia – the leading low-cost carrier in the region – announced that it is partnering up with SATS Ltd of Singapore to expand its reach in both countries. The low-cost carrier is also looking at beefing up its current fleet and is expected to bring in 23 new planes by the end of 2017.

It sounds like something out of a high stakes action flick, ala Mission Impossible – a fugitive on the run in a wild goose chase around the world across continents while slipping the fingers of the authorities at every twist and turn.But such is the reality faced by ousted Thai leader, Yingluck Shinawatra who fled the nation days before she was due to stand trial for criminal negligence at the Supreme Court which could have seen her imprisoned for 10 years.

Thailand has revoked the passports of ousted premier Yingluck Shinawatra, who has yet to publicly emerge since she slipped out of the country two months ago ahead of judgement day in her negligence trial, officials said Tuesday.The former prime minister, whose elected government was toppled in a 2014 coup, was sentenced to five years in prison in absentia last month for failing to stop graft in a rice policy.The verdict, which closed the curtain on her political career, was lambasted by Yingl

Thailand's junta leader on Thursday said fugitive ex-premier Yingluck Shinawatra is in Dubai, a day after she was handed a five-year jail term in absentia for negligence.Prayut Chan-O-Cha's first clear comments on Yingluck's whereabouts came a month after she ghosted out off Thailand, ducking a court ruling over charges she failed to stop graft and losses in a costly rice subsidy policy by her government.On Wednesday Thailand's top court sentenced her in absentia to five y

Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra has been found guilty of corruption and negligence in her government’s rice-pledging scheme – which incurred losses amounting to 10 billion dollars. Thailand’s Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Offices read its verdict today against Yingluck despite the absence of the former Thai prime minister.