ARTICLES

14 Aug 2025

What Does Myanmar’s Acting President Myint Swe’s Death Mean for the Country?

Wai Moe|Kyi Sin

The passing of Myanmar’s acting president last week provides an occasion to contemplate his life and Myanmar’s future.

14 Jul 2025

Myanmar’s Opposition to Timor-Leste’s ASEAN Membership

Max Lane

ASEAN faces an intriguing test of its own decision-making procedures, as consensus might be elusive given the apparent obstruction of one member to the full accession of its eleventh member.

ASEAN Myanmar Timor-Leste

27 Jun 2025

Aung San Suu Kyi’s 80th Birthday: In the Shadow of Repression

Surachanee Sriyai

A recent online campaign for Aung San Suu Kyi has underscored the junta’s long arm of the law — via digital repression.

Aung San Suu Kyi Digital Culture Government Surveillance Myanmar

2 Jun 2025

The International Labour Organisation Has New Options to Push Myanmar’s Regime but Old Challenges to Navigate

Jared Bissinger

What might be the right economic tools to wield against Myanmar’s military regime, that minimise harm to the livelihoods of its civilian citizens?

ILO Myanmar

30 May 2025

A Crisis of Trust: The SAC’s Failure in Post-Disaster Strategic Communications

Su Mon Thazin Aung

The ruling military regime in Myanmar has only itself to blame for dismal levels of public trust in it two months after the massive earthquake that shook the country.

Civil Society Myanmar Myanmar Politics Natural Disasters

5 May 2025

Myanmar’s Earthquake Threatens a Lasting Economic Scar

Jared Bissinger

The recent earthquake in central Myanmar threatens to deepen the country’s economic malaise.

Myanmar Myanmar Economy Myanmar Military Myanmar Politics

24 Apr 2025

From Resistance to Survival: Myanmar’s Free Press Battles US Aid Cuts

Surachanee Sriyai

The repercussions of the US’ funding freeze on foreign assistance resonate deeply in Southeast Asia, including in one of the countries where press freedom and independent reportage are most threatened.

Foreign Aid Myanmar Press Freedom US

9 Apr 2025

Myanmar’s Military Regime is Violating its International Economic Obligations

Jared Bissinger

Myanmar’s violations of its international economic obligations contribute to inflation and increasingly impoverish the country’s population. They also threaten to diminish the impact of financial assistance for Myanmar’s recent earthquake.

Myanmar Myanmar Economy Myanmar Military Myanmar Politics

2 Apr 2025

Humanitarian Aid in Myanmar’s Polycrisis: Navigating Disaster Amid Conflict

Surachanee Sriyai|Moe Thuzar

Rendering immediate aid to Myanmar’s earthquake victims should be a straightforward exercise. However, four years of civil conflict and the potential for politicisation by the ruling junta of humanitarian assistance efforts should put all donors and parties on notice.

Foreign Aid Myanmar Myanmar Politics Natural Disasters

27 Mar 2025

Why Theravāda Buddhist Nations Struggle with Democracy

Duncan McCargo

This commentary memorialises the late political scientist Alfred Stepan (1936-2017), a leading light in comparative politics. In it, the author considers Stepan’s research and thinking on the complicated relationship between Theravāda Buddhism and democracy.

Buddhism Democracy Myanmar Thailand