COMMENTARIES

18 Aug 2020

Thai Student Protests: Conjuring Up the Ghosts of 1932

Michael J. Montesano

That calls for replacement of Thailand’s military-imposed constitution have touched on the political role of the monarchy is no surprise. Growing signs of support for constitutional change in provincial Thailand may be a more telling development.

17 Aug 2020

Global Value Chains in ASEAN: With Pandemic Comes Opportunity

Gloria Pasadilla

The ensuing Sino-US trade war and the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the moving of global value chains out of China into other regional states such as Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. ASEAN countries should not squander the historic opportunity to grab a bigger market share in such chains.

ASEAN COVID-19 Global Value Chains

17 Aug 2020

Malaysia: Mass Unemployment Averted, But Potential Hazards Ahead

Lee Hwok-Aun

Malaysia’s labour market has seen a slightly rosier outlook in June. But broad indicators – under-utilisation of employment insurance and large companies under strain – signal that the country is not out of the woods yet.

Labour Market Malaysia

17 Aug 2020

RIMPAC Exercise Set to Sail, Minus the Mai Tais

Ian Storey

Despite fears that it might be cancelled due to the coronavirus, the multilateral RIMPAC maritime exercise will kick off today off the coast of Hawaii. The two-week exercise, which will run to 31 August, will see a smaller contingent from Southeast Asia due to operational restrictions surrounding the pandemic.

Rim of the Pacific U.S. Pacific Fleet

12 Aug 2020

The Race for Global Value Chains: Return to RCEP, India?

Tham Siew Yean

Both India and ASEAN are vying for places in shifting global value chains (GVC) affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. India is behind the grouping in GVC participation. One way for New Delhi to play catch-up is to rethink its withdrawal from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

ASEAN Global Value Chains India RCEP

12 Aug 2020

Finding ASEAN’s Voice Amid the Din of Geopolitics

Hoang Thi Ha

The re-emergence of the “neutrality” term in a recent ASEAN statement shows the underlying tensions between a fallback position based on neutrality and autonomy, as opposed to a more forward “principled neutrality” position based on international law.

ASEAN ASEAN Neutrality ZOPFAN

11 Aug 2020

Thai Cabinet Reshuffle: Prayut Gets His Way (For Now)

Termsak Chalermpalanupap

The recent reshuffle of the Thai cabinet has thrown up several surprises. A sobering development is a parting of ways between General Prayut and the Phalang Pracharat Party.

Thai Politics Thailand

7 Aug 2020

Save the Planet? Eat Like an Indonesian

Geoffrey K. Pakiam

Protein-rich foods such as tofu and tempeh might well save the world. If all other countries adopted Indonesia’s prescribed dietary standards and actually followed them, current greenhouse gas emissions from global food production would plummet.

Health Indonesia

7 Aug 2020

State Capture and Indonesia’s Justice System: A Mountain to Climb

A'an Suryana

Indonesia recently witnessed a saga involving a high-profile fugitive who received substantial privileges from the public service while he was on the run. Such instances of state capture remain a chronic problem in Indonesia.

Corruption Criminal Justice System Indonesia

6 Aug 2020

Will Covid-19 Trigger a Tsunami of Maritime Crime in Southeast Asia?

Ian Storey

The incidents of maritime violence in Asia has risen sharply in the first half of 2020. These incidents are likely to rise in the second half of this year. But the high number of attacks of the late 1990s and early 2000s may not be repeated, given greater political stability in Southeast Asia and increased regional cooperation.

COVID-19 Maritime Crime