COMMENTARIES

24 Feb 2022

Digital Surveillance in Thailand: When Pegasus Takes Flight

Janjira Sombatpoonsiri

The Thai regime is reportedly using spyware to extract personal information from the mobile devices of political dissidents. The use of digital intrusion and repression reinforces Thailand’s autocracy in the face of challenges from the political opposition.

23 Feb 2022

The State of Southeast Asia Survey

Southeast Asians’ View of Quad and AUKUS: Some Thaw, But Not Yet Warm

William Choong

In recent years, the United States has sought to involve its middle-power friends and allies in various regional initiatives to counter a rising China. Southeast Asia continues to have mixed feelings about this.

ASEAN AUKUS Quad

23 Feb 2022

Thailand’s Vision to Become A Rail Hub: A Long Shot

Wu Shang-Su

Thailand has ambitious plans to become a rail hub in mainland Southeast Asia. But successful implementation of the plan is a different thing altogether.

Infrastructure International Trade Thai Economy Thailand

23 Feb 2022

“France’s Third Path” for the Indo-Pacific? Credentials and Challenges

Eric Frécon

Considering itself part of the Indo-Pacific on the grounds of history and overseas territories, France has released its Indo-Pacific strategy to guide its international action in this region.

Diplomacy E.U. Indo-Pacfic

22 Feb 2022

Thammanat versus Phalang Pracharat: Who Will Win?

Punchada Sirivunnabood

Controversial Thai politician Thammanat Prompow is proving his mettle as an adept political fixer and could well emerge as kingmaker at the next elections.

Thai Military Thai Politics Thailand

21 Feb 2022

Polite Wolves: China’s Soft Twitter Diplomacy in Southeast Asia

Darren Cheong

China's diplomats have gained fame on Western social media platforms for their strident 'wolf warrior' discourse. But the strategy is not applied uniformly across all countries. In fact, they have taken a more polite tone towards Southeast Asian countries.

ASEAN-China Relations China

18 Feb 2022

The Biden Administration and Southeast Asia: One Year in Review

Hoang Thi Ha|Ian Storey

The Biden administration’s engagement with Southeast Asia in 2021 gained momentum in the second half of the year after a slow start. In 2022, the US will be assessed on the value of its Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, a clearer articulation of its Indo-Pacific strategy and the extent to which it demonstrates genuine efforts to upgrade relations with ASEAN.

ASEAN-U.S. Relations U.S.

18 Feb 2022

The CLMV Countries and RCEP: Will They Grasp the Opportunities?

Jayant Menon

Like all members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam will enjoy preferential access to the expansive region’s markets. As the least developed members, however, they will have to undergo the greatest changes in reforming their tariff and non-tariff policies to meet the requirements of this modern agreement.

ASEAN CLMV RCEP

18 Feb 2022

The State of Southeast Asia Survey

China Should Build Trust Where it Matters

Joanne Lin

The majority of Southeast Asians continue to regard China as the most influential political, strategic and economic power in the region. But wariness of this state of affairs has not gone away.

ASEAN-China Relations China Diplomacy State of Southeast Asia Survey