FAR EAST CORRESPONDENT — It’s on again. Malaysian, Singaporean and Indonesian companies with large plantation interests, along with thousands of small land holders, are burning off and razing forests in Sumatra, throwing enough smoke into the air to blanket Singapore to Southern Thailand and eastwards to Borneo.

Each year this phenomenon is well documented. The devastation of the environment and behind-doors loathing between countries unravels attempts to convince the world that the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a united political bloc worthy of respect.

Read more from Luke Hunt in The Diplomat.