Supalak Ganjanakhundee
Unlike most constitutional monarchies that stay above the political fray, the late King Bhumibol often sent his men to rescue Thailand from crises - such as the appointment of Anand Panyarachun as Prime Minister after the 1992 protests. However, these royal interventions were not always effective, and had in fact eroded the monarchy's popular legitimacy.
Tang Siew Mun|Glenn Ong
The appointment of National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien as the United States' Special Envoy to the East Asia Summit should have been seen as a sign of encouragement due to his close connection to the President. But it may also be perceived as a snub as he will be the first US delegate who is deemed to be not senior enough in the pecking order.
Sihasak Phuangketkeow
After months of drawn-out and intense negotiations, the contract for the high-speed train project was finally signed to much fanfare and relief. With the three-airport high speed train project going forward, Thailand's ambitious Eastern Economic Corridor project is one step closer to reality.
Le Hong Hiep
Hampered by a lack of capital funding, Vietnam is faced with the dilemma of balancing the country's infrastructure development needs with the economic and security concerns of accepting loans and investments from China.
Sihasak Phuangketkeow
The issue of why Prime Minister Prayut did not recite the complete oath during his swearing-in ceremony will be the focus of the upcoming parliamentary debate. Given that the Thai people care little about the issue, the debate could backfire on the opposition.
Lee Hwok-Aun
The system-wide change to needs-based policies proposed by Anwar is lacking in details and rooted in nebulous rhetoric, making them likely to fail. Reforms should be pursued sector by sector, and thought through systematically in order to succeed.
Ha Hoang Hop|Lye Liang Fook
China's increasingly aggressive and threatening actions off Vietnam's coast has been testing the bilateral relationship between the two countries. While both Beijing and Hanoi have expressed their desire to maintain good relations, the situation is only one accidental collision away from escalation.
Hoang Thi Ha|Glenn Ong
A shift in semantics in ASEAN's official response to new and emerging Indo-Pacific concepts shows that the grouping has yet to fully internalise the region as part of its strategic culture.
Moe Thuzar
Marred by criticisms of being too lenient or too slow, ASEAN's ability to credibly engage Myanmar on the Rohingya issue was discussed at length during the 34th ASEAN Summit. Unfortunately, this decades-long problem is one that needs time and patience to resolve in a meaningful and lasting manner.
Punchada Sirivunnabood
Thailand scores well when it comes to female leadership in the corporate realm, but this is not replicated in the political realm. While female representation is still low in Thai politics, it has been improving with every election - a promising sign of progress.