ARTICLES

30 Mar 2022

The Race to Produce Covid-19 Vaccines in Southeast Asia

Tham Siew Yean

Several Southeast Asian countries are racing to produce home-grown Covid-19 vaccines, to reduce dependence on the vagaries of external sources. Local vaccine manufacturers face significant challenges as well as stiff competition. Nonetheless, the technology acquired and lessons learnt are helpful to prepare the region for future pandemics.

22 Mar 2022

Bangkok’s New Chinatown: Waiting for Another Ka-Ching

Aranya Siriphon|Fanzura Banu|Pagon Gatchalee

Bangkok’s ‘new Chinatown’ flourished when a steady stream of Chinese tourists visited the area. As the country prepares to re-open its borders, the question is whether the area will revisit its glory days.

COVID-19 Thai Economy Thailand Tourism

11 Mar 2022

School Closures and Child Labour: The Pandemic’s Social Cost

Thai Long|Phi Minh Hong

The disruption of face-to-face education and internet inaccessibility may cause children to drop out of school permanently. Children who leave school and start working face greater difficulty resuming their education in the future.

ASEAN Child Labour COVID-19 Education

16 Feb 2022

The State of Southeast Asia Survey

2022 State of Southeast Asia Survey: Diverse Perspectives and Hard Realities

Terence Chong

The US has gained ground against China in the contest for regional influence in Southeast Asia, according to the latest State of Southeast Asia Survey. ASEAN continues to be seen as ineffective in the eyes of respondents; at the same time, they are willing to give it credit when it is due.

ASEAN ASEAN-China Relations ASEAN-U.S. Relations Climate Change COVID-19 State of Southeast Asia Survey

27 Jan 2022

Tourism in ASEAN: The Need to Turn Dreams Into Reality

Joanne Lin

ASEAN has grand plans to boost its tourism sector, which has been afflicted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite its strenuous efforts, however, tourism in the region is unlikely to return to pre-pandemic levels in 2022.

ASEAN COVID-19 Tourism

18 Jan 2022

Vietnam’s New Graft Scandal Sets Back Anti-Corruption Drive

Le Hong Hiep

The recent corruption scandal involving Viet A Corp’s inflation of Covid-19 test-kit prices and payment of kickbacks shows that Vietnam’s intensified anti-corruption efforts have quite some way to go.

Anti-Corruption Corruption COVID-19 Vietnam Vietnamese Politics

7 Jan 2022

Vietnam’s High Vaccination Rates: So What?

Dien Nguyen An Luong

The Vietnamese government can rightly be proud of the great strides made in its vaccine rollout, but needs to do better in addressing the economic fallout of the pandemic.

COVID-19 Vaccine Diplomacy Vietnam Vietnamese Politics

31 Dec 2021

High Vaccination Rates Bring Hope to Vietnam’s 2022 Economic Outlook

Le Hong Hiep|Phan Xuan Dung

High vaccination rates have given Vietnam some latitude in opening up its economy — and some optimism for better GDP growth in 2022.

COVID-19 Vietnam Vietnamese Economy

28 Dec 2021

Vietnam’s Covid-19 Response: ‘Those above tell, those below do not heed.’

To Minh Son

Vietnam’s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic has been affected by tensions between the central government and the provinces. More cooperation between the regions might help.

Communist Party of Vietnam COVID-19 Vietnam Vietnamese Politics

13 Dec 2021

Omicron: Threat to ASEAN’s Trade Recovery

Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy

The new Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus could impact trade in goods and services in ASEAN economies due to increased travel restrictions and the risk of more lockdowns.

Asean Trade COVID-19 Open Borders RCEP Southeast Asia