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China’s Retaliation Against Japan and the Implications for Southeast Asia

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi answers questions at a budget committee session of the House of Councillors in Parliament in Tokyo on 16 March 2026. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP)

Lye Liang Fook argues that Beijing’s retaliatory measures against Japan could increase pressure on ASEAN countries, making it important for ASEAN to continue emphasising restraint and peaceful dialogue.

From Speculation to Disclosure: Steering Crypto to Create Value in Southeast Asia

A Vietnamese cryptocurrency investor looking at the latest Bitcoin values on a smartphone in Hanoi on 12 February 2026. (Photo by NHAC NGUYEN / AFP)

Requiring disclosures is an essential step for building integrity and unlocking the potential of blockchain technology.

Perikatan Nasional’s Opposition Leader Dilemma

Perikatan Nasional (PN) Chairman Dr. Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar at the meeting of the National Finance Council in Putrajaya, Malaysia on 5 March 2026. (Photo from Dr. Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar / Facebook)

Perikatan Nasional has been in a pickle over who will assume the role of opposition leader. While it has finally been decided that PAS should lead the coalition, PN’s marketability as a viable alternative to the ruling coalition remains in doubt.

ASEAN Services Liberalisation: Big Promises, Modest Progress

Prime Minister of Laos, Sonexay Siphandone; President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto; Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Manet; Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Hassanah Bolkiah and President of Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr attend the 47th ASEAN Summit to amend the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) in Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 26 October 2025. (Photo by Farid Bin Tajuddin / Anadolu via AFP)

ASEAN’s slow growth in services trade stems from persistent reservation and diluted liberalisation. Member states need to consolidate the region’s rules-based framework — and facilitate services trade.

The Unravelling of Thailand’s Military-Backed Parties

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul stands on stage with party members at a Bhumjaithai Party rally at Lumpini Park on 30 January 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand. (Photo by Lauren DeCicca / GETTY IMAGES ASIAPAC / Getty Images via AFP)

The Bhumjaithai Party has had to step into the gap left by Thailand’s two conservative parties.

Beyond Brotherhood: Vietnam’s New Playbook for Laos

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith co-chaired a conference in Vientiane on 5 February 2026 on outcomes of the 14th National Party Congress, on the occasion of the former’s state visit to Laos. (Screengrab from Vietnam News Agency / Facebook)

In an attempt to prevent the latter from drifting too far into China’s orbit, Vietnam has made overtures to Laos in the form of functional cooperation.

Bhumjaithai-Led Government’s Platform Promises Financial Prudence but Needs Industrial Direction

Prime minister and Bhumjaithai Party’s party leader Anutin Charnvirakul speaks about the party’s future vision for the country at the Global Dynamics and Thailand’s Future event at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok on 12 January 2026. (Photo by LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA / AFP)

The Bhumjaithai Party’s election manifesto indicates policy continuity with modest additional fiscal spending. The incoming BJT-led government should decisively provide direction for Thailand’s manufacturing sector.

Thailand’s Upper South: The Conservative Swing State

Supporters of the Bhumjaithai Party (C) hold placards on the first day of the registration for Thailand's upcoming general election at the provincial hall in the southern province of Narathiwat on 27 December 2025. (Photo by Madaree Tohlala / AFP)

While the 2026 Thai elections were marked by a win by conservative elements, the situation in the Upper South was marked by the lack of a hegemon among conservative parties.