25 Jun 2021 Major Parties Lacking Candidates with a Winning Chance in Bangkok’s Gubernatorial Election Termsak Chalermpalanupap The election for the post of governor of Bangkok is due to take place in the last quarter of this year. However, Thailand’s major political parties lack suitable candidates with realistic chances of victory. Thai Military Thai Politics Thailand
24 Jun 2021 Southeast Asia and Food Price Inflation: Double Whammy Paul Teng Across the world, climate change and Covid-19 disruptions have led to rising food prices in the past year. Southeast Asian countries, which have not been immune to such challenges, need to build resilience in their food security policies. ASEAN Climate Change COVID-19 Southeast Asia
23 Jun 2021 Tracking the Swelling COVID-19 Vaccine Chatter on TikTok in Indonesia Yatun Sastramidjaja|Amirul Adli Rosli On Indonesian TikTok, anti-vaccine messages are often mixed with global Covid-19 conspiracy theories and merged with domestic anti-government and anti-Chinese sentiments. They are also typically couched in religious discourse and spread by religious micro-influencers. COVID-19 Indonesia Social Media
23 Jun 2021 A Storm in a Teacup: The Politicisation of Hajj Cancellation in Indonesia Syafiq Hasyim The run-up to hajj 2021 saw the opponents of the Jokowi government opportunistically exploiting the issue to undermine the government. This reflects poorly on the quality of political debate in Indonesia today. COVID-19 Indonesia Indonesian Politics Islam Islamist Groups
23 Jun 2021 Thailand’s War Against Fake News: Another Attempt to Curtail Media Freedom? Mark S. Cogan The Thai government’s renewed efforts to counter fake news related to the Covid-19 pandemic has fuelled speculation that it is seeking to further limit the freedom of expression and media freedom in the kingdom. ASEAN COVID-19 India Social Media Thailand
22 Jun 2021 Thailand’s Hazy Problem – Challenges in Passing Clean Air Legislation Wichuta Teeratanabodee The Thai government’s approach to Thailand’s longstanding haze problem needs more than just short-term measures. But legislative and political obstacles stand in the way of successfully passing the laws required to address the issue. Environment Southeast Asia Thai Politics Thailand
18 Jun 2021 Commanding Right and Forbidding Wrong: The Rising Influence of Muslim Mainstream Groups Syafiq Hasyim The banning of FPI (Front Pembela Islam) in December 2020 may have reduced the incidence of vigilante actions in Indonesia. But this belies the fact that mainstream Muslim organisations have increasingly stepped in to uphold more conservative Islamic strictures, albeit through less confrontational ways. Indonesia Indonesian Politics Islam Islamist Groups
18 Jun 2021 Muhyiddin’s Gambit: Royally Blocked Francis E. Hutchinson What the Prime Minister has proposed in suspending Parliament, the King has blocked. PM Muhyiddin ignores the will of the Sovereign at his peril. COVID-19 Malaysia Malaysian Politics
18 Jun 2021 Time for ASEAN to Have a Female Secretary-General? Apichai Sunchindah|Sharon Seah As ASEAN faces the twin crises of the coup in Myanmar and the raging Covid-19 pandemic, it might well be time to consider a female at the helm of the grouping’s secretariat. ASEAN
