A Bumpy Road Ahead for Myanmar’s Economy
Khine Win
Myanmar’s State Administration Council has stressed its ability to stabilise and revive the country’s economy. There are five reasons why the SAC’s confidence is misplaced.
Articles
Indonesian Police and Vigilante Groups: An Implicit Double Standard
A'an Suryana
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has called on police officers to stop visits to patrons of vigilante groups. The problem, however, is that there is a double-standard here in how different groups are treated.
A Game of Musical Thrones: Candidate Substitutions and Withdrawals in the 2022 Philippine Elections
Jorge V. Tigno
Last-minute substitutions of presidential and vice-presidential candidates have become the new norm in Philippine electoral politics, exposing an abuse of electoral laws and a lack of transparency in candidate selection.
The Grim Future of the Democrat Party in Thailand’s Upper South
Tita Sanglee
As Thailand readies itself for the coming elections, its oldest political party, the Democrat Party, faces an uphill battle in even coming close to regaining its former lustre.
Extending TNI Officers’ Retirement Age: More Harm than Good?
Evan A. Laksmana
Raising the retirement age for Indonesian Defence Force officers could worsen logjams for mid- and high-ranking officers, and as well as undermine Indonesia’s broader interests in the Indo-Pacific.
ASEAN and the Group of 7: Same Bed, Different Dreams
Joanne Lin
The Group of 7 is courting ASEAN in a bid to increase its profile in the Indo-Pacific. It is easy to list the convergences in approaches between the two groupings. But the divergences are more significant.
Omicron: Threat to ASEAN’s Trade Recovery
Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy
The new Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus could impact trade in goods and services in ASEAN economies due to increased travel restrictions and the risk of more lockdowns.
The Kunming-Vientiane Railway: A Post-pandemic ‘Deus ex machina’ for the Lao Economy?
Nick J. Freeman
The Lao government has committed considerable sums of money and political capital to make the Kunming-Vientiane railway happen. It now needs to secure a return on that investment.
The Ones to Watch: Chinese Investors in Thailand, Trends and Opportunities
Aranya Siriphon|Fanzura Banu
China has been accelerating its foreign direct investments into the kingdom, even as other investors have pulled out. Thai officials are hopeful that this trend will continue.