Thaksin Shinawatra is priming himself for a return to Thai politics. This time, he is reaching out to younger Thai voters.
Category Archives: Commentaries
Containing the Covid Scourge in South Vietnam
A number of reasons can account for Vietnam’s latest wave of Covid-19 outbreak. These include the more contagious Delta variant, the initial slow response of the authorities in Ho Chi Minh City, the lack of strict application of Covid-19 safety measures, and the slow pace of vaccination due to a shortage of vaccines.
Ismail Sabri as the New PM: An Uneasy Truce
The appointment of Ismail Sabri Yaakob as Malaysia’s ninth prime minister is welcome. At best, however, his ascent represents an agglomeration of compromises between the players concerned. As the country experiences another Covid-19 surge, he will have his work cut out for him.
Delta Variant Should Not Derail Southeast Asia’s Economic Recovery
While the Delta variant of the coronavirus has had a significant impact on Southeast Asia economies, it is unlikely that economies will return to the troughs that they saw in 2020.
Najib Razak: Bestriding Social Media Like a ‘Bossku’
The former Malaysian prime minister has become a social media juggernaut. Yet, he has also become the butt of jokes and memes online.
The Monarchy and Article 150
The recent heightened tensions between the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Prime Minister Muhyidddin Yassin’s Cabinet have put the spotlight on whether the Constitution allows the King to exercise discretionary powers, apart from acting on the advice of Cabinet.
Biden’s Foreign Policy to Southeast Asia: More Pragmatism than Ideology
The Biden Administration has gone big guns on promoting its values-based democracy agenda in the Indo-Pacific. It is time for a rethink.
Vaccine Diplomacy in Southeast Asia: Russia Squanders its Sputnik Moment
For a country that was first off the blocks, Russia has a long way to go if it wants to catch up with China and the United States in the game of vaccine diplomacy
The Descent of UMNO
Malaysia’s Umno has continued on its downward slide. In the culmination, this might well prove to be the revenge of Reformasi that begun as a popular revolt against the party more than two decades ago.
Covid-19 Outbreaks: The Challenge Facing the Fight Against Poverty
The Covid-19 pandemic has had manifold impacts on the poor in ASEAN member states. Upping vaccination rates will go a long way.