Daily Stories from The Irrawaddy for 07/21/2026

The Irrawaddy — Myanmar Regime Cements Laos Ties Despite Rampant Migrant Exploitation 

DAILY BRIEFING Tuesday, July 21, 2026 News Opinion Burmese Donate The Irrawaddy Myanmar Regime Cements Laos Ties Despite Rampant Migrant Exploitation  Myanmar migrant workers report years of systematic abuse in Laos is going ignored by a cash-strapped regime desperate to milk its expat laborers.    Continue Reading Phoe Tar ASEAN Chair Urged to Seek Proof of Life for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights says proof that the imprisoned democratic leader is alive must be a “non-negotiable condition” for any further engagement with Myanmar’s military regime. Continue Reading The Irrawaddy Thailand’s Balancing Act on Myanmar Thailand invited Myanmar’s foreign minister to informal talks to test the waters for its policy of “calibrated re-engagement.” Our editors ask what that means—and whether it will work. Continue Reading AFP Myanmar’s Future, Mideast Fighting Hang Over ASEAN Talks ASEAN ministers meet in Manila amid divisions over Myanmar’s reintegration, while renewed Middle East conflict adds to regional tensions. Continue Reading Support Press Freedom Independent journalism needs your support. Help us hold power to account. Donate Now Facebook · Twitter · Website © 2026 The Irrawaddy · Chiang Mai, Thailand Unsubscribe · Update preferences · Forward to a friend