Commentaries | FULCRUM

Will Thailand Become More Democratic After the Vote?

A more democratic Thailand after the 8 February elections must mean more than another competitive poll. It requires change in the constraints that determine whether popular mandates can be exercised and renewed.

Pheu Thai in Decline? Its Northern Push Suggests Otherwise

The Pheu Thai Party’s energetic campaign in Thailand’s Northern region shows the party remains a contender in February’s election.

Myanmar’s Digital Authoritarianism: Building a Surveillance State with Chinese Technology Transfers

Chinese technology has augmented the junta’s ‘Big Brother’ capability in Myanmar, even if old surveillance tactics die hard.

The Roots of the People’s Party’s Pragmatism

As the People’s Party moves towards elite accommodation and electoral pragmatism, it is facing a growing crisis of identity and legitimacy.

Indonesia’s Regional Elections (Pilkada) as Democracy’s Last Line of Defence

While the Prabowo Subianto government and its coalition partners in parliament have temporarily shelved their plans to abolish direct local elections due to public discontent, this years-long initiative is not dead.

Will Indonesia’s National Mandate Party Move Further Away from Its Religious Roots?

Eyeing the 2029 legislative elections, Indonesia’s National Mandate Party has rebranded itself as the “party of the youth” and looks set to jettison its image as the “Muhammadiyah party”.

Clothed in Uncertainty: Southeast Asia’s Garment Exports and the US–China Trade Tensions

The garment industry might come under US scrutiny for its high use of Chinese inputs. Countries should negotiate with the US administration for a reasonable and tempered approach to the transshipment question.

The Case of Palawan: When Typhoons and Floods Batter Local Memory

The case of Palawan province in the Philippines highlights the importance of local memory of the timelines and contexts through which disasters unfold. Such memory can shape how communities prepare for future events.

From Promise to Peril? The Hidden Risks in Malaysia’s Mine-to-Magnet Rare Earth Push

Malaysia’s push to build a full rare earths value chain faces significant technology, trade, investment, and governance hurdles across the mining, processing, and manufacturing stages.