As the violence in Myanmar looks set to spill over into another year of intractable struggle, both sides are dealing with morale and discipline problems within their armed units. The main suffering is borne by the civilians who, despite all the tribulations, remain defiant.
Author Archives: blackbox
Hot “Furnace” at Home, Cool Relationships Abroad
Vietnam’s 8th Party Plenum underscores Hanoi’s two-pronged bid to maintain solid relations with external powers in the West and tightening the screws on civil society at home.
Climate Action in Southeast Asia: Lagging Leadership, Passive People
Climate action initiatives have been rolled out in Southeast Asia, while a climate awareness survey has found that most Southeast Asians perceive governments as not doing enough. Few respondents are involved in active advocacy. The region has a long way to go.
New Thai PM Faces a Crisis of Confidence
As a political novice, Thailand’s new Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin is facing an uphill struggle to prove that he is the right man for the job. His political survival depends on support from his coalition partners – without which he risks being unseated in a no-confidence motion in the House of Representatives.
India’s Expanding Global Influence Has Limited Reach in ASEAN
India is seizing strategic opportunities to emerge as a new global power but its influence in Southeast Asia is not keenly felt yet.
Southeast Asia’s Need to Bridge the Climate Financing Gap
As COP 28 approaches, Southeast Asia policymakers see the need for climate adaptation as well as mitigation. But there is an urgent need to encourage multiple sources of finance in this arena.
Preventing Indonesia’s “Digitalised” Democracy from Backsliding
Digital technology has played a vital role in empowering political participation and shaping political discourse in Indonesia, but more must be done to curb divisive rhetoric and disinformation — and to safeguard democracy.
Growing Food Insecurity Among Southeast Asians – And Concern That Climate Change Will Make It Worse
Even before the recent rice price rises, Southeast Asians have been experiencing food insecurity and had growing concerns about climate impacts on food security. The ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute’s recent Climate Outlook Survey 2023 provides a snapshot of the scale of this concern.
China-Vietnam Party-to-Party Ties: A Tie that Binds
Vietnam appears to be drawing closer to the U.S. with the recent upgrade in ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership. This development, however, should not be overestimated as Vietnam-China relations, especially party-to-party ties, remain strong.
PAS Needs More Than a Mahathir
It appears that Parti Islam SeMalaysia and Mahathir Mohammad have buried the hatchet. If PAS intends to bank on the former statesman’s political capital, it would find that there will be limited upside.