Commentaries | FULCRUM

Partnership, Not Protection: Trump’s Defence Policy in Asia

At his maiden Shangri-La Dialogue outing, the US Secretary of Defense laid out a stark and demanding vision for the region’s security. ASEAN and much of Southeast Asia did not feature in it.

Thailand’s 2025 Municipal Elections: Triumph of Tradition or Transition?

The recent municipal elections in Thailand underscore the staying power of baan yai or “big houses” at the local level.

Plantation Workers Can Barely Live on Malaysia’s Minimum Wage

Malaysia’s recently raised minimum wage is insufficient for plantation workers, who deserve a living wage to sustain their livelihoods and contributions to this key economic sector.

Vietnam’s Trump Card: Navigating Growth, Politics, and US Relations

Vietnam’s fast-tracking of a Trump-branded project is a high-stake diplomatic gambit to curry favour with the US president to ameliorate the extent of US tariffs. But the Trump project should also be viewed in the context of Hanoi’s relentless drive to do away with red tape and pro-business strategy.

Two-Tiered DEFA Needs A Coherent Strategy For Implementation

Given differing levels of digital capabilities among ASEAN members, a two-tier solution to the Digital Economy Framework Agreement might be most fitting.

The International Labour Organisation Has New Options to Push Myanmar’s Regime but Old Challenges to Navigate

What might be the right economic tools to wield against Myanmar’s military regime, that minimise harm to the livelihoods of its civilian citizens?

When AI Becomes Less Intelligent Beyond the English-speaking World

Social media depend largely on English-language models to train their AI content moderation models. This has become a problem.

A Crisis of Trust: The SAC’s Failure in Post-Disaster Strategic Communications

The ruling military regime in Myanmar has only itself to blame for dismal levels of public trust in it two months after the massive earthquake that shook the country.