COMMENTARIES

14 Jun 2022

Southeast Asia Should Confront Threat of Economic Espionage

Gatra Priyandita

China is known for using cyber weapons to pursue geostrategic goals. In recent years, entities linked to the Chinese state have carried out alleged economic espionage of commercial firms in Southeast Asia.

13 Jun 2022

Shangri-La Dialogue 2022: The Paradox of Peace and Power

Hoang Thi Ha

The duel between the ‘rule of law’ and the ‘right of might’ took centre-stage as the Shangri-La Dialogue resumed under the shadow of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Southeast Asian countries found it a hard sell to promote cooperative security and ASEAN’s broad-based mechanisms against tough talk by representatives of the major powers.

Defence Indo-Pacfic International Relations Security

13 Jun 2022

Thai Monks who Drink and Their Lay Supporters

Thomas Borchert

Recent media reporting about a Thai monk caught drunk and indecently exposed follows a long line of attention-grabbing headlines about monastic misbehaviour. Even so, Thai attitudes about such rule-breaking are more nuanced than these reports would suggest.

Religion Thailand

10 Jun 2022

The Need for Power Balance Amidst Rising Great Power Contestations

Daljit Singh

ASEAN and its constituent states must not neglect the crucial importance of maintaining a balance of influence and power between the great powers to secure space for their own independence.

ASEAN AUKUS China-U.S. Relations Quad Security

10 Jun 2022

Assessing the Belt and Road Initiative in Southeast Asia amid the COVID-19 Pandemic (2021-2022)

Wang Zheng

Data analysis from an original dataset tracking major China-financed projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Southeast Asia since January 2021 shows that China remains committed to boosting BRI projects’ progress.

ASEAN-China Relations Belt and Road Initiative

10 Jun 2022

Bigger Constituencies, Lesser Political Clout

James Chai

An opposition MP’s decision not to contest in his mega-sized constituency come the next general election has thrown up a longstanding irony in Malaysian politics: bigger seats are increasingly disenfranchised.

Malaysia Malaysian Elections Malaysian Politics

9 Jun 2022

#LeaveNoOneBehind: Ensuring Universal Energy Access in SEA’s Transition

Prapimphan Chiengkul

ASEAN is unlikely to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 7 as it transitions to cleaner energy. While some encouraging steps have been taken to assure the region’s citizens of energy access, much more needs to be done to bring the entire region on an equal footing.

ASEAN Energy Renewable Energy Sustainable Development

8 Jun 2022

It Takes Two to Tango: Vietnam-US Relations in the New Context

Hong-Kong Nguyen|Pham-Muoi Nguyen

Vietnam’s delicate balancing act between major powers suggests that it is unlikely to advance a relationship with one power at the expense of another. Instead, it will try to maintain an independent position and promote ties with all powers, where possible.

International Relations U.S. Foreign Policy U.S.-Vietnam Relations Vietnam

8 Jun 2022

Fresh From Latest Win, Thai PM Will Still Run The Gauntlet

Termsak Chalermpalanupap

Thai premier Prayut Chan-ocha has steered through the successful passing of a budget bill. But he has other political minefields to cross before his term in office ends in March 2023.

Thai Economy Thai Politics Thailand

8 Jun 2022

Brother Can You Spare a Kyat? Currency Woes in Myanmar

Ye Khaung Oo

The Central Bank of Myanmar has miscalculated badly in inadvertently creating the conditions for a more unstable economy with its latest announcements.

Myanmar Economy Myanmar Military Myanmar Politics