Blog
ASEAN Beat
‘One Vision, One Identity, One Community.’ That’s the ASEAN motto. But what’s the reality? Our bloggers based around this diverse and strategically key region give you an insider’s perspective on politics, security and society in South-east Asia.
September 10, 2020
Post-EBA, Cambodia Needs to Jettison its ‘Double Standard’ Narrative
By Kimkong Heng
Harping on the EU's 'unfair' withdrawal of trade preferences will do nothing to address the serious challenges facing the country.
September 10, 2020
Aceh Offers Sanctuary to Rohingya After Grueling Sea Voyage
By Sebastian Strangio
The gesture of humanity casts into stark relief the challenges facing a resolution to the humanitarian emergency in Rakhine State.
September 09, 2020
ASEAN Kicks Off Cluster of Virtual Summits
By Sebastian Strangio
COVID-19 recovery and escalating US-China tensions are expected to dominate the meetings’ agendas.
September 09, 2020
Thailand’s Post-Pandemic Dance Between the Major Powers
By Daniele Carminati
As the threat of COVID-19 fades, Thailand will face tough choices in its regional and international alignments.
September 09, 2020
Myanmar Soldiers Confess to Rakhine Atrocities
By Sebastian Strangio
The graphic videotaped admissions mark a step towards international accountability – but there is a long way to go.
September 08, 2020
In the Philippines, a Marine’s Pardon Stirs Anger Over US Privilege
By Sebastian Strangio
Both the pardon, and the reactions it has engendered, encapsulate the country's conflicted attitude toward its former colonial master.
September 08, 2020
Myanmar Election Campaign Opens Under the Shadow of COVID-19
By Sebastian Strangio
The virus is likely to have unpredictable impacts on the poll, Myanmar's second free election since its transition from military rule.
September 07, 2020
Vietnam’s Antigraft Campaign Snares Another High-Ranking Victim
By Sebastian Strangio
But there is more to the country’s long-running anticorruption purge than meets the eye.
September 07, 2020
The Strategic Significance of Vietnam-US Oil and Gas Cooperation
By Le Hong Hiep
Partnering with American firms would shrink Vietnam's trade surplus with the US—and help Hanoi hold the line in the South China Sea.
September 07, 2020
Laos Stumbles Under Rising Chinese Debt Burden
By Sebastian Strangio
Its economy battered by COVID-19, the nation's sovereign reserves have fallen to less than $1 billion, putting it on the brink of default.
September 05, 2020
Duterte Eyes Former Investigation Chief to Lead Embattled Health Insurance Agency
By Nick Aspinwall
Dante Gierran has been nominated to lead PhilHealth, under fire for numerous corruption allegations, despite having no experience in the public health sector.
September 04, 2020
Cambodia Succession Plan Hinges on Party Princelings
By David Hutt
A handover of power from long-serving Hun Sen to his eldest son will require a broader generational transition with the ruling CPP.