Southeast Asian nations told Myanmar's military government on Sunday its plan to hold an election amid an escalating civil war should not be its priority, urging the junta to start dialogue and end hostilities immediately.

Southeast Asian foreign ministers are gathering for their first meeting this year under the regional bloc’s new chair, Malaysia, seeking a breakthrough over Myanmar’s drawn-out civil war and territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Malaysia takes its turn as rotating chair of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations as the bloc contends with Beijing's assertiveness in the South China Sea and a faltering ASEAN peace process for Myanmar, where the ruling military plans to hold an election this year.

In a joint operation, the Ratchamanu Task Force, police, and administrative officers detained 32 Indonesian nationals attempting to illegally cross the border into Thailand.

LANGKAWI, Malaysia (Reuters) - Malaysia's has appointed diplomat Othman Hashim as the Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN's special envoy on the crisis in army-ruled Myanmar, its foreign minister said on Sunday.

Foreign ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura says Thailand remains flexible in its approach to the Myanmar peace process.

The former diplomat served the foreign ministry for more than three decades, holding various posts in the ministry as well as diplomatic missions abroad.

An overnight landslide at a jade mining area in northern Myanmar has killed at least a dozen people and left many others missing.

Myanmar's electricity generation has dropped to about half the normal figure, as rebels have damaged critical transmission networks, causing lengthy blackouts in wide swathes of the South Asian nation,

Southeast Asian foreign ministers convene in Malaysia to address pressing regional issues including Myanmar's civil unrest and tensions in the South China Sea. As ASEAN chair, Malaysia pushes for progress amid skepticism about resolving conflicts swiftly.

Southeast Asian foreign ministers gathered Sunday for their first meeting this year under the regional bloc's new chair, Malaysia, seeking a breakthrough over Myanmar’s drawn-out civil

LANGKAWI, Malaysia - Myanmar’s military government was on Jan 19 told by Asean foreign ministers to prioritise an end to the fighting in its country over the holding of an election this year, the bloc’s chair Malaysia said.