FAR EAST CORRESPONDENT — Perhaps the most remarkable story in Southeast Asian affairs this last 18 months has been the largely unanticipated “opening up” of Burma, driven by President Thein Sein. A series of political and social reforms have quickly led to major world economies, including the EU and the U.S., dropping or reducing their sanctions against the country.

Despite some very reasonable concernsthat things may be moving too fast given ongoing internal difficulties, it is hard to deny that vast change is in the wind, and it is not just internal factors which are driving the changes.

Read more in The Diplomat.