Rethinking Thailand’s University Admissions System
Panarat Anamwathana
Thailand’s university admissions system needs a proper fix.
Articles
Vietnam’s Nuclear Power Revival: Ambition or Overreach?
Nguyen Khac Giang
Vietnam’s renewed ambition of developing nuclear power plants to fuel its industrialisation drive and meet its climate obligations faces several obstacles, including an unrealistic timeline and financial challenges.
Bridging ASEAN and the Gulf Cooperation Council: Why People-to-People Connectivity Matters
Melinda Martinus
Cooperation between ASEAN and the Gulf Cooperation Council should be seen not only from the lens of trade investments, but also people-to-people connections.
Thorny Issue: The Durian Economy and Land Tussle in Pahang
Wong Sook Wei
There has been an ongoing dispute between the Pahang state government and farmers cultivating durians on encroached state land. With a new player in the fray, however, the dispute looks closer to a settlement.
Malaysia’s Metadata Controversy: Surveillance in the Guise of Statistics
Nuurrianti Jalli
The Malaysian government's directive to collect mobile phone metadata from telecom providers has sparked much unease. It should implement stronger safeguards to demonstrate accountability.
Roundtable on the Future of Global Trade
Jayant Menon|Priyanka Kishore|Alex Capri|Julia Tijaja|Runchana Pongsaparn|Nick Marro
On 2 April 2025, the Trump 2.0 administration announced sweeping reciprocal tariffs aimed at eliminating the US trade deficit with individual countries – in a move hailed by US President Donald Trump as “Liberation Day”. Southeast Asian countries have not been spared, with Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar among the hardest hit. Some countries, including China, have responded with retaliatory measures, raising the risk of further escalation from the US. While a temporary 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs offers a brief respite, this period is set to expire in early July.
The Onset of ‘De-Jokowi-sation’ in Indonesian Politics?
Made Supriatma
Eight months into the job, President Prabowo Subianto appears to have started trimming the sails of his powerful predecessor.
Power and Opposition Under Prabowo’s Political Cartel
Max Lane
After months of speculation about what a Prabowo government would be like, the picture has become clearer. A large parliamentary coalition, also described as a ‘political cartel’, has coalesced to support Prabowo and his government. The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) stands as the only party that is neither a part nor a supporter of this coalition.
Thai-Cambodian Tensions: For Thailand, Appeasement Will Not Hold the Line
Tita Sanglee
In seeking to defuse tensions with Cambodia over a border dispute, Thai premier Paetongtarn Shinawatra has scored an own goal. Thailand now faces an uphill climb in resolving the dispute.
Facilitating Gainful Labour Migration in Southeast Asia Remains an Elusive Task
Lee Hwok-Aun
ASEAN has focused on facilitating high-skilled labour mobility, although the vast majority of migrant workers occupy medium- and low-skilled jobs. Disparities in labour standards and uncoordinated migrant labour systems continue to impede the realisation of an integrated regional labour market.