The 2026 Southeast Asia Climate Outlook survey reveals a region anxious about current global crises, yet steadfast in supporting the climate transition.
Author Archives: yeosiewhan
PAS’s Evolving International Engagement: From Islamism to Development Diplomacy?
Parti Islam Se-Malaysia’s (PAS) foreign policy outlook has evolved rather than fundamentally changed. While the party continues to prioritise global Islamic solidarity, governing experience has expanded its international engagement from ideological networks to state-led economic diplomacy.
Can PAS “Sell” Its Technocratic Record?
Parti Islam SeMalaysia is trying to show voters that it has a record of solid governance. Its record, however, has been patchy.
Southeast Asia’s Mixed AI Stacks: Pragmatic but Not Risk-Free
Regional initiatives such as Singapore’s SEA-LION and Indonesia’s Sahabat-AI show that Southeast Asia can combine technologies from American, Chinese, and regional sources. But mixed AI stacks do not automatically reduce dependence.
Thailand’s Passport to AI Controversy
Thailand has bold plans for AI adoption. But the plan is built on shaky foundations.
Cambodia’s Ratification of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and ASEAN’s Maritime Cohesion
Cambodia is late to the party in ratifying the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), but better late than never.
Vietnam-Myanmar Relations: Cautious Normalisation Under Constraint
The diplomatic thaw since August springs from Hanoi’s and Naypidaw’s strategic calculations. Both sides are willing to stabilise relations — without making irreversible commitments.
The Perils of Vietnam’s Land-led Growth
Vietnam is using land to pay for growth. This Long Read highlights the danger that land finance is hardening into a self-reinforcing growth model, arguing that Vietnam must make land finance more transparent, more competitive and less central to the economy’s balance sheet.
Between Interdependence and Diversification: Southeast Asia’s Room for Manoeuvre in Critical Minerals
China and the US appear to be pressurising countries to choose between their respective critical mineral and technology supply chains. The choice, however, is a false one.
Vietnam’s Aggressive School Mergers Acutely Test To Lam’s Governance Model
Vietnam’s massive school consolidation aims to concentrate resources and streamline a fragmented system through centralised digital management. If classroom quality fails to improve or worsens, that would undermine the rationale for this grand project.