COMMENTARIES

3 Oct 2025

Is Vietnam Headed for a Property Market Crisis?

Le Hong Hiep

There are many factors behind Vietnam’s red-hot property market, with loose monetary policy playing a central role. However, the government is reluctant to tighten it due to both political and economic reasons.

Vietnam Vietnamese Economy

3 Oct 2025

Trump’s Tariffs and China’s Subsidies: Southeast Asia Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Deasy Pane

Despite the US’ Liberation Day tariffs, exports from many countries continue to be sustained. In particular, China’s exports to Southeast Asia continue to grow, thanks to market orientation and state subsidies.

2 Oct 2025

One Piece Flag, Multiple Protests

Eugene Mark|Panarat Anamwathana

Political symbols used in recent protests in Indonesia have underscored a paradox: the more authorities tried to diminish their use, the more power they derived.

Indonesia Indonesian Politics Protest

1 Oct 2025

The Gender Dimension in ASEAN–Canada Relations: A Beacon of Hope

Mutiara Indriani|Bernadette P. Resurrección|Cynthia Couette

ASEAN and Canada should seize the present opportunity to champion democracy and gender equity — and to follow through with meaningful action.

ASEAN Canada Gender Equality

1 Oct 2025

Social Media and Southeast Asian Youth’s Solidarity Beyond Borders

Panarat Anamwathana|Iim Halimatusa’diyah

The ingenuity of Southeast Asian youth in sending food and aid through delivery applications to support protestors in recent Indonesian demonstrations underscores their desire for solidarity in a digital age. Their actions may shift our region’s collective conscience.

Indonesia Indonesian Politics Protest Southeast Asia

30 Sep 2025

Political Hurdles in Malaysia’s Vape Ban Plans

Adib Zalkapli

It is uncertain if Malaysia will succeed in banning vapes, given the politics behind the issue.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics

30 Sep 2025

Malaysia’s Ongoing Opposition Leadership Struggle: Spoiled for Choice?

Khairy Jamaluddin

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, Malaysia’s political parties are seeking to anoint their respective prime ministerial candidates. This obsession risks missing the forest for the trees.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics

29 Sep 2025

‘Pride’ and Online Prejudice: Not All Aboard Malaysia’s Keretapi Sarong (Sarong Train)

Sharifah Afra Alatas

What began as a celebration of local and cultural diversity nine years ago in Malaysia’s Klang Valley has been marred by online detractors who may reflect a sharpening of ideological and political attitudes in the country.

Civil Society Malaysia

29 Sep 2025

Anutin’s Hybrid Cabinet: Compromise and Control in Thai Politics

Natchapat Amorngul|Suthikarn Meechan

The new Thai Cabinet does not mark a political transformation. Rather, it is a managed bargain that safeguards the conservative order.

Thai Elections Thai Politics Thailand

26 Sep 2025

From Defensive to Dynamic: Vietnam’s Thirty-Year Journey in ASEAN

Hoang Thi Ha|Pham Thi Phuong Thao

This Long Read reviews the historical significance of Vietnam’s ASEAN accession and examines how Vietnam’s approach to ASEAN has evolved in tandem with its national development, shifting security outlook, and institutional maturation over the past three decades.

ASEAN Vietnam Vietnamese Politics