By AP and published by Yahoo!News
CEBU, Philippines – Southeast Asian leaders met in an annual summit today (May 8) under intense pressure to mitigate the impact on their people and economies from the Iran war, which one top minister said, “should not have occurred in the first place.”
The alarm by the heads of state of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is underscored by their decision to focus discussions on a contingency plan to ensure their fast-growing region, which imports most of its oil and gas from the Middle East, will have stable fuel and food supplies.
The Philippines is hosting the summit on the central island province of Cebu. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the summit to be stripped of the traditional pomp and pageantry in keeping with the economic headwinds worldwide.
A key dilemma of the Asean leaders is how to carry out large-scale evacuations from the Middle East, where more than a million of their citizens work and live, if widespread hostilities flare up again.
Several Southeast Asian citizens have been killed since the United States and Israel launched military strikes on Feb. 28 against Iran. The hostilities have continued sporadically despite a month-old ceasefire, especially in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
A draft of a joint declaration by the leaders which outlines a contingency plan and which was seen by The Associated Press, called on the regional bloc’s 11 state members to share information and strengthen coordination with international organisations “to ensure the safety and welfare of Asean nationals in affected areas.”
Known for their conservative and careful rhetoric, top delegates to the Asean summit avoided blunt expressions of their disappointment over the continuing hostilities, but Thailand’s foreign minister, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, was more emphatic and called for the current ceasefire between the US and Iran to be indefinitely extended and the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz assured.
“This war should not have occurred in the first place,” Sihasak told AP in a brief interview and added that all Asean states were alarmed. “We don’t know what the objectives are right?”
“The peace talks seem to be moving but we want the war to end,” Sihasak said.
Asean’s contingency plan calls for actions including the ratification possibly this year of an agreement that will pave the way for coordinated emergency fuel sharing, planning a regional power grid, diversifying the region’s sources of crude oil, promoting the use of electric vehicles and studying the use of new technologies, including civilian nuclear energy.
Despite the focus on the Middle East and their shortened summit to cut costs, the leaders will take up major regional flash points, including the South China Sea territorial disputes involving Beijing, a five-year civil war in Myanmar and a recent border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia.
In a separate statement by the leaders on maritime issues that will be made public after the summit, they pledged to “endeavour to conclude the negotiation of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.”
Negotiations on the proposed non-aggression pact by the Asean and China have dragged on for more than a decade as increasingly tense confrontations intensified in recent years, particularly between Chinese and Philippine coast guard and naval forces.
That has stoked criticisms of Asean as an ineffective “talk shop,” where leaders show up each year in their native shirts and pose for a group handshake to project unity despite deep divisions.
Asean members Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines are involved in the decades-long territorial standoffs in the South China Sea. The other members of the regional bloc are Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand.
CAPTIONS:
First in the photo slider above – From left, Myanmar’s Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs U Hau Khan Sum, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, East Timor’s Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet, and Laos’ Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone hold hands for a group photo during the opening ceremony of the 48th Asean summit and Related Meeting in Cebu, Philippines today, May 8, 2026. Photo – AP Aaron Favila and published by Yahoo!News
Second – Addressing a press conference after a trilateral meeting last evening (May 7) are from right Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. Photo – Amarin TV
Third – Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet shake hands as Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. looks on after the trilateral meeting last evening, May 7, 2026. Photo – Amarin TV
Fourth – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his remarks during the opening ceremony of the 48th Asean Summit and Related Meetings in Cebu, Philippines today, on May 8, 2026. Photo – AP/Aaron Favila, Pool and published by Yahoo!News
Fifth – From left, Philippines first lady Maria Louise Marcos, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, his wife Loo Tze Lui, Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, his son Prince Abdul Mateen and Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto leave the stage after a group photo during the opening ceremony of the 48th Asean Summit and Related Meetings in Cebu, Philippines today, May 8, 2026. Photo – AP/Aaron Favila, Pool and published by Yahoo!News
Sixth – From left, East Timor’s Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong hold hands for a group photo during the opening ceremony of the 48th Asean Summit and Related Meetings in Cebu, Philippines today, May 8, 2026. Photo- AP/ Aaron Favila, Pool and published Yahoo!News
Front Page – From left, Myanmar’s Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hau Khan Sum, Malaysia’s first lady Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Thailand’s prime minister’s wife Thananon Niramit, Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, East Timor’s Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Philippines first lady Maria Louise Marcos, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, his wife Loo Tze Lui, Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, his son Prince Abdul Mateen, Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet, his wife Pich Chanmony and Laos’ Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone pose for a group photo during the opening ceremony of the 48th Asean Summit and Related Meetings in Cebu, Philippines on Friday, May 8, 2026. Photo – AP /Aaron Favila, Pool and published by Yahoo!News
Also read:
Thai, Khmer ministers to work on confidence-building measures: Anutin
PM denies 400 billion baht loaned funding for people partly destined for irrelevant projects
Owner of aircraft selling firm allegedly linked with Bhumjaithai
Constitutionality of 400 billion-baht loan decree likely to be judged in court
Thais assured to view World Cup 2026 live
Phuket police deporting sex on tuk-tuk couple
People’s dodges question on talks with Chadchart in Bangkok governor election race
Foreign Ministry taps Young Gen Thai- Muslim talent to build peace tourism
As global military spending grows, Travel & Tourism faces a perilous future
Somsak awaits ministerial seat down to the wire
Veteran US journalist laments the Lost Horizons of Asia and America
Israeli embassy warns its citizens in Phuket to respect the law
(By AP reporters JIM GOMEZ and JOEAL CALUPITAN with Aaron Favila and Syawall Zain in Cebu, Philippines contributed to this report)
