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The Diplomat  |  Author

Sebastian Strangio

Sebastian Strangio

Sebastian Strangio is Southeast Asia editor at The Diplomat. 

In 2008, he began his career as a reporter at The Phnom Penh Post in Cambodia, and has since traveled and reported extensively across the 10 nations of ASEAN. Sebastian’s writing has appeared in leading publications including Foreign Affairs, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and The New York Times, The Diplomat, and Nikkei Asian Review, among many others. He is the author of “Hun Sen’s Cambodia” (Yale, 2014), a path-breaking examination of Cambodia since the fall of the Khmer Rouge, and “In the Dragon’s Shadow: Southeast Asia in the Chinese Century (Yale, 2020). 

Alongside his journalistic work, Sebastian has also consulted for a wide variety of economic risk firms and non-government organizations, and is quoted frequently in the international media on political developments in Southeast Asia. Sebastian holds a B.A. and Master’s degree in international politics from The University of Melbourne. He currently lives in Adelaide.

You can get in touch with Sebastian via Twitter, Facebook, or email.

Posts by Sebastian Strangio
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June 19, 2023

Thailand Under Fire For Brokering ‘Informal’ Meeting on Myanmar

By Sebastian Strangio
Key ASEAN member states, including current chair Indonesia, will skip the talks, which are intended to "fully re-engage" Myanmar's military government.
June 16, 2023

Indonesian Court Throws Out Bid to Change Electoral System

By Sebastian Strangio
The decision ensures that next year's presidential election will proceed according to schedule, under the existing electoral rules.

June 16, 2023

A Third of Domestic Workers In Malaysia Face Forced Labor Conditions, UN Says

By Sebastian Strangio
The report from the ILO highlights a pervasive problem in Southeast Asia, but one that has often been overlooked by policymakers.

June 15, 2023

Indonesia Confirms Purchase of Secondhand Jet Fighters From Qatar

By Sebastian Strangio
The fleet of 12 Mirage 2000-5 jets is intended to bridge the air force over until the delivery of a new fleet of French fighters beginning in early 2026.

June 15, 2023

Chinese Naval Vessel Begins ‘Goodwill’ Visit to Philippines

By Sebastian Strangio
The three-day visit, the first by the Chinese navy since 2019, comes at a difficult time in relations between Beijing and Manila.
June 14, 2023

Myanmar Military Restricts Access to Areas Hit by Cyclone Mocha

By Sebastian Strangio
The military's decision closes off the limited access of the U.N. and international aid organizations to around 1 million people affected by the storm.

June 14, 2023

Malaysia Seeking Interpol’s Assistance to Investigate Comedian

By Sebastian Strangio
The New York-based comedian Jocelyn Chia created a social media storm last week when she posted a short clip featuring a joke about Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370.
June 13, 2023

Indonesian Court to Rule on Petition Seeking Change to Electoral System

By Sebastian Strangio
A number of politicians have petitioned the Constitutional Court to change from open-list proportional voting to a closed-list system.

June 13, 2023

Thailand’s Election Body Opens Investigation Into Move Forward Leader

By Sebastian Strangio
The probe will assess whether Pita Limjaroenrat registered for last month’s election knowing that he could be disqualified for the ownership of shares in a defunct media company.

June 09, 2023

Fears About Migrant Workers in Thailand Unfounded, Cambodian PM Admits

By Sebastian Strangio
Following earlier comments from the Cambodian leader, Thailand's Move Forward Party denied it had any policy of expelling migrant workers from the country.

June 09, 2023

Indonesia, Malaysia Sign Border Agreements, Pledge Joint Action on Palm Oil

By Sebastian Strangio
President Joko Widodo and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim signed a number of important agreements during a meeting in Putrajaya yesterday.
June 08, 2023

Leader of Thailand’s Move Forward Party Says He Disposed of Controversial Media Shares

By Sebastian Strangio
MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat now faces a host of complaints from conservative activists seeking to prevent him from forming the country's next government.

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