Since being labelled a “Jurisdiction of Concern” by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in 2022, Myanmar’s military government has undertaken efforts to improve its technical compliance with the FATF’s recommendations on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT). But the regime uses AML/CFT compliance less to address actual money laundering, and more as a tool to compel individuals and businesses to use the state-controlled financial system.
Category Archives: Long Reads
Redirecting Crypto Exchanges to Fight — Rather than Facilitate — Crypto Scams in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asian countries can significantly amplify their anti-scam efforts by compelling crypto exchanges to proactively join the fight. Exchanges are not merely the primary gateways through which scam funds flow — they are also the custodians of valuable on-chain and platform intelligence needed to detect and disrupt those flows.
Vietnam’s Ambition for Double-Digit Growth: Rationale and Challenges
Vietnam sees double-digit growth in 2026 and beyond as a political imperative. To achieve this, the government needs to adopt an economic model that aggressively leverages domestic stimulus while managing inflation and asset prices.
Neutrality by Sector: Malaysia’s Geoeconomic Alignment under Anwar
Malaysia is trying to preserve neutrality between the US and China, but that space is narrowing as rivalry intensifies in trade, technology, and security. This Long Read argues that neutrality should not be judged only by aggregate trade and investment flows, because sector-level dependencies reveal hidden alignments that reduce real policy freedom.
How Southeast Asians Experience Chinese-Built Infrastructure
This Long Read reports the findings of an online survey on perceptions of Chinese-built infrastructure in Southeast Asia. It reflects both the tangible benefits of these projects and broader considerations shaping regional views of China as an infrastructure development partner.
How Small States Can Survive Big Changes: Laos, Mekong and ASEAN in the Age of Might Makes Right
“Might makes right” is back in form with major powers’ use of tariffs and military actions, leaving small states like Laos with fewer buffers and narrower margins for error than more capable middle powers. This Long Read explores options and imperatives for Laos as it navigates new geopolitical realities.
Vietnam’s Reconfigured Leadership: Personnel and Power in the “New Era”
This Long Read assesses one of Vietnam’s most consequential leadership transitions in decades, following the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) in January 2026 and the 16th National Assembly elections in March 2026.
How Should Southeast Asia Respond to Carney’s Davos Clarion Call?
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney posited that the world order was not experiencing a “transition” but rather a “rupture” from the global system established in the aftermath of the Second World War. For Southeast Asia, and its primary institutional forum – ASEAN – this means recognising that some of its most cherished principles might no longer be entirely valid and reassessing traditional assumptions about regional cohesion and commonality of interests.
Southeast Asia and the Third Gulf War: Impact, Responses and Implications
This Long Read examines the Iran war’s impact on Southeast Asia’s energy and food security, the measures regional governments have implemented to ease the situation, and assesses the geopolitical implications for the region.
Danantara’s Patriot Bond and the Unchanged Role of Chinese-Indonesian Conglomerates
The Patriot Bond issued by Danantara shows that Indonesia’s economic nationalism under Prabowo is a repackaging of long-standing state–business ties using new financial instruments. The dominance of Chinese Indonesian conglomerates among Patriot Bond subscribers highlights their enduring role in Indonesia’s political economy.