TNLA Losses, AA Gains, & a Scam Inflection Point?
Release Date: 10/19/2025
Suu Kyi proof-of-life & battle gains
What's Happening in Myanmar
This week on Season 2, Episode 4 of What’s Happening in Myanmar, Suu Kyi was reportedly moved to house arrest amid scepticism, while fighting intensified as the military retook key towns. International legal action and ASEAN diplomacy continued amid growing scrutiny of the crisis. Please click the link to join us, in the podcast show notes Timecodes— (00:16) Intro (00:35) ASSK moved to house arrest (02:15) Regime increases battlefield gains (03:39) International lobbying and accountability (05:35) ASEAN summit grapples with crisis (06:31) Close
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Suu Kyi Moved, China ties, wins & crackdowns
What's Happening in Myanmar
This week on Season 2, Episode 3 of What’s Happening in Myanmar, the junta says Aung San Suu Kyi ‘moved to house arrest’, claims battlefield victories, and secures China's backing while cracking down on journalists. Resistance groups, meanwhile, are fractured by internal conflict and exhaustion. Please click the link to join us, in the podcast show notes Timecodes— (00:05) Intro (00:17) Aung San Suu Kyi ‘moved to house arrest’ (00:59) Regime victories and fractured alliances (02:03) China's endorsement and the Myitsone dam (03:38) Press crackdown (05:02) Crisis at...
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Offering amnesties, dropping bombs
What's Happening in Myanmar
This week on Season 2, Episode 2 of What’s Happening in Myanmar, the junta grants a New Year amnesty but kept key leaders under surveillance. Airstrikes killed civilians during the holiday, while peace talks were rejected. The opposition and observers of the crisis see these moves by the ‘new’ government as little more than tactical. Please click the link to join us, in the podcast show notes Timecodes— (00:22) Amnesty, airstrikes, and resistance (00:48) Selective releases, continued repression (02:55) Holiday airstrikes and civilian casualties (04:05) TNLA political fallout...
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Same junta, ‘new’ government
What's Happening in Myanmar
This week on Season 2, Episode 1 of What’s Happening in Myanmar, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing becomes president to no one’s surprise, drawing global condemnation while allies like China and Russia offered congratulations. Activists file a genocide case in Indonesia and a class action suit against Telenor. Amid a severe fuel crisis, the junta forms a new cabinet, while fears of new cyber scam hubs emerge. Please click the link to join us, in the podcast show notes Timecodes— (00:00) Opening (0:19) The ‘new’ government (3:53) Rohingya legal case (4:36) Deepening fuel crisis...
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From power shift to fuel crisis
What's Happening in Myanmar
This fortnight on episode 67 of What’s Happening in Myanmar, Min Aung Hlaing takes the presidency, a fuel crisis hits the petrol pumps in reaction to the widening war in the Middle East, forced conscription, a new council for federal democracy is launched and we look at the plight of the Rohingya. Please click the link to join us, in the podcast show notes Timecodes— (00:00) Opening (1:42) Election of MAH as president (2:53) The fuel crisis (6:19) Six groups launch council for federal democracy push (7:09)Forced conscription into resistance forces (7:37)Plight of Rohingya...
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Preparation for a President
What's Happening in Myanmar
With Nic Dunlop, features editor at Frontier Myanmar. Today on episode 66 of What’s Happening in Myanmar, coup leader Min Aung Hlaing is expected to be elected president later this month as both houses of parliament convene following the military’s so-called election, the Three Brotherhood Alliance fractures as the MNDAA attacks the TNLA in Kutkai and takes control of a key trade route to China, and we discuss the future of the podcast. Email the show at Our guests— , features editor at Frontier Myanmar New original content on the Frontier website:
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The Climate-Conflict Nexus
What's Happening in Myanmar
With Helene Maria Kyed and Justine Chambers, both social anthropologists and senior researchers at the Danish Institute for International Studies, and Ah Lynn, researcher from northwest Myanmar. This fortnight on episode 65 of What’s Happening in Myanmar, parliament is set to convene as rumours persist about potential appointments, including Min Aung Hlaing taking the presidency, a fuel crisis hits the petrol pumps in reaction to the widening war in the Middle East, and we discuss the climate change-conflict nexus and how people are experiencing climate change in Myanmar. Email the show at ...
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Resistance In-fighting Amid Election Results
What's Happening in Myanmar
With Jason Tower, senior expert, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime. This fortnight on episode 64 of What’s Happening in Myanmar, the military publishes full results for its pre-determined election, military appointees are assigned to parliament, the USDP negotiates with the regime on the make-up of government, and we discuss intra-resistance infighting and the China-scam dynamic in regime politics. Email the show at Timecodes— (00:00) Opening (02:22) Election results and appointees (05:03) With Jason Tower, the Chinese New Year statements (18:26) The scam...
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Union Advisory Council Announced
What's Happening in Myanmar
With Amara Thiha, non-resident fellow with the China Program at the Stimson Center. This fortnight on episode 63 of What’s Happening in Myanmar, the military’s election conclude to China’s approval, with coup leader Min Aung Hlaing enacting a new law to extend the military’s oversight of the soon-to-be-formed, military-designed civilian administration. Email the show at Timecodes— (00:00) Opening (02:05) Conflict and civilian attacks over election period (03:40) With Seng, the ongoing case at the ICJ (03:54) Military elections conclude (04:48) The new Union Advisory Council Law...
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Third Phase of Voting & Arguments at the ICJ
What's Happening in Myanmar
We identified and corrected a factual error in this episode. With Seng, human rights advocate from Myanmar. This week on episode 62 of What’s Happening in Myanmar, the military’s Union Election Commission reduces the areas where voting will occur in the final phase of its so-called election on January 25, and we discuss the background and ongoing arguments of the Gambia’s long-delayed case at the International Court of Justice, where it accuses Myanmar of breaking the UN Genocide Convention for its atrocities against the Rohingya people. Email the show at Timecodes— (00:00) Opening ...
info_outlineWith Jacob Sims, visiting fellow at Harvard University’s Asia Centre. This week on episode 49 of What’s Happening in Myanmar, election campaign updates and voter list concerns, the military retakes Hsipaw, and we discuss human trafficking and the fallout of the scam crackdown from earlier this year.
Email the show at whimyanmar@proton.me
Timecodes—
01m10s :: Election updates
04m07s :: Nat Yay Kan lost to AA
05m02s :: PDF prison breakout in Hakha
05m46s :: Hsipaw lost to the military
07m20s :: With Jacob Sims, TIP human trafficking report
18m55s :: Scams since the crackdown
23m48s :: Indictment of Chen Zhi
33m03s :: Income generation and substitution after the scams
40m05s :: Close
Our guests—
Jacob Sims, visiting fellow at Harvard University’s Asia Centre and expert on organised crime in Southeast Asia
Two paths to the bottom: When states become sponsors of human trafficking
New original content on the Frontier website:
‘I don’t know what comes next’: US visa ban quashes Myanmar students’ dreams
Women in central Myanmar struggle with low wages
Further referenced this episode:
Myanmar scam cities booming despite crackdown – using Musk’s Starlink