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Nine-year-olds on drugs: Has the world abandoned Myanmar?

Explore the struggles of Myanmar’s refugees facing war, food shortages, mental trauma, and drug addiction across Southeast Asia in this insightful podcast. Read more at straitstimes.com.

The Straits TimesRavi Velloor2026-09-11 18:00查看原文 ↗

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AnunendingconflictandshrinkingaidleaveMyanmarsrefugeesanddisplacedinincreasinglydirecircumstances

Published Sep 11, 2026, 06:00 PM

Updated Sep 11, 2026, 06:00 PM

Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 45 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests.

In this episode, he speaks with the British psychotherapist and aid worker Edward Blakeney on the travails of Myanmar’s 1.6 million exiles and 4 million internally displaced people.

What emerges is a story of food shortages, medical issues including mental trauma, and lack of educational opportunities among an exile diaspora that now stretches from Thailand to Bangladesh, Malaysia, India and Sri Lanka.

Highlights (click/tap above)

2:30 Brutal war and a worsening refugee situation

5:20 A 9-year-old drug addict

8:40 Wasting, malnourished children

14:10 Ukraine distraction, journalists under the gun

24:00 Has Blakeney seen a shrink himself, given what he has seen and experienced?

Read Ravi’s columns: https://str.sg/3xRP

Follow Ravi on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor

Host: Ravi Velloor ( velloor@sph.com.sg )

Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

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