Mekong Update 2026: Cross-cutting challenges in mainland Southeast Asia

After a period of relative peace and stable economic growth, the Mekong subregion is facing unwelcome new challenges, as interstate conflict reemerges and transnational crime flourishes. At the same time democratisation has stalled, authoritarian regimes are colluding and the effects of climate change are being felt.

In a conference sponsored by ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, and Thailand’s Institute of Asian Studies at Chulalongkorn University, scholars and experts will explore this complex policy landscape, encouraging conversation in an objective and constructive atmosphere.

This is an in-person only event.

Program

Wednesday 6 May 2026
All sessions: Auditorium, Australian Centre on China in the World, Building 188, Fellows Lane, ANU

8.45am Arrival and registration

9.00am Opening Address

• Professor Helen Sullivan, Dean, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
• Ambassador Arjaree Sriratanaban, Royal Thai Embassy, Canberra

9.30am Panel I: Climate Change and Green Transition

• Dr Kanya Souksakoun, National University of Laos
• Mr Akkanut Wantanasombut, Chulalongkorn University
• Associate Professor Keith Barney, Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU College of Law, Governance and Policy
• Dr Mira Kakonen, Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU College of Law, Governance and Policy

11.00am Morning tea

11.30am Panel II: Transnational Crime

• Associate Professor Sverre Molland, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences
• Ms Bopha Phorn, PhD candidate, Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
• Dr Anuk Pitakthanin, Chulalongkorn University
• Police MAJGEN Paween Pongsirin (ret)
• Mr David Boyle, Producer - 101 East, Al Jazeera

1.00pm Lunch

2.00pm Panel III: Border Conflicts and Geopolitics

• Emeritus Professor Craig Reynolds, School of Culture, History and Language, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
• Dr Debby Chan, Australian Centre on China in the World, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
• Ms Dana Lee, Master’s student in Peace and Conflict Studies, ANU
• Ms Angela Suriyasenee, Fellow at Verve Research
• ​​Mr Samuel Hmung, PhD candidate, Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific

3.30pm Afternoon tea

4.00pm Transnational and Domestic Repression

• Associate Professor Greg Raymond, Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
• Dr Janjira Sombatpoonsiri, Chulalongkorn University
• Dr Andrea Haeffner, Griffith University
• Dr Swe Oo Mon, Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific

5.30pm End of Update