Recent Commentary
Addressing the Southeast Asian Food Security Vulnerabilities Exposed by COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused widespread disruption in Southeast Asia, in terms of the number of deaths, the livelihoods lost, and the major interruptions to supply chains. Moreover, the recent rise in inflation, which has…
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Thailand’s silence on Myanmar comes at a price
As the calendar turned to February, it brought the solemn first anniversary of the 1 February 2021 military coup d’état in Myanmar, which saw the democratically elected National League for Democracy (NLD) ousted from power. Since then,…
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2022 will be a challenging year for human rights and democracy in Southeast Asia
2021 did not augur well for many in Southeast Asia. One month in, a military coup occurred in Myanmar, implemented by generals who were humiliated at the ballot box the previous November, ousting the democratically-elected…
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Inconsistency has marred Biden’s relations with Thailand
US secretary of state Antony Blinken almost made it to Thailand. Blinken had planned to visit his counterpart, Thai foreign minister Don Pramudwinai, but a journalist following the secretary tested positive for Covid-19. linken’s Thailand visit…
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Should the Thai public be concerned about the decay of Buddhism?
It was the power of social media that propelled two Buddhist monks in Thailand to become household names, their online broadcast on Facebook mixing jokes with unconventional wisdom. Well versed in the language and slang of…
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Human rights and democracy remain an elusive combination in Thailand
The United Nations signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 and now marks the event annually on 10 December with the commemoration of Human Rights Day. As this day passes year after year,…
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Democracy Promotion in the Indo-Pacific: Prelude to a ‘Biden Doctrine’?
Sometimes, it’s helpful for American presidents to have a doctrine, as they help guide policy and sharpen both strategy and messaging. Former President George W. Bush sharply defined his presidency on the doctrine of “either…
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Thailand’s disappointing UPR highlights the need for reform
Each member state of the United Nations takes part in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process every five years. The aims are simple enough: evaluate and improve the human rights situations in all 193 UN…
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Behind COVID-19 and decaying mental health lies a deep digital divide
After almost two years of interrupted education in Thailand due to the drawn out effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, children are feeling drained, exhausted, and depressed. The United Nations warned recently that a return to…
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Quad and Indo-Pacific: The counter-terrorism strategy
In the smoky aftermath of the Taliban’s quick retaking of Afghanistan, Quad members India, Japan, Australia met for the first time in person in September this year, discussing a wide range of agenda items, from…
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