Cambodia  / Myanmar  / Southeast Asia  / Thailand
Addressing the Southeast Asian Food Security Vulnerabilities Exposed by COVID-19
February 10, 2022

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 resulted in higher food prices, has severely eroded the purchasing power of households. This has raised questions about the region’s food security, which up until recently, was primarily the domain of the NGO community, regional organizations, the United Nations, and individual states.


Myanmar  / Southeast Asia  / Thailand
Thailand’s silence on Myanmar comes at a price
February 9, 2022

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, the human toll has been severe. More than 14 million people are in immediate need of humanitarian assistance, more than 8,800 remain locked behind bars under weak or false pretenses and more than 1,500 have been killed. 


Cambodia  / Myanmar  / Philippines  / Southeast Asia  / Thailand
2022 will be a challenging year for human rights and democracy in Southeast Asia
January 6, 2022

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 National League for Democracy (NLD). Democracy since then, like many who participated, now rots in a prison cell.


Southeast Asia  / Thailand
Inconsistency has marred Biden’s relations with Thailand
December 23, 2021

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 was supposed to be the last leg of a tour of Southeast Asia. Instead, it ended up being a microcosm of US inattention to the Kingdom, as well as president Joe Biden’s inability to forge greater relationships with strategic partners as the US looks for ways to contain China.


Southeast Asia  / Thailand
Should the Thai public be concerned about the decay of Buddhism?
December 20, 2021

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 today’s Thai youth, Phra Maha Paiwan Warawanno and Phra Maha Sompong Talaputto aimed to speak to a new, younger generation, some of whom find traditional Buddhism inaccessible.


Southeast Asia  / Thailand
Human rights and democracy remain an elusive combination in Thailand
December 10, 2021

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, however, the environment for human rights in Thailand continues to degrade. A torrent of recent news underscores how alarming conditions in the country have become. 


China  / East Asia  / Hong Kong  / Taiwan  / United States
Democracy Promotion in the Indo-Pacific: Prelude to a ‘Biden Doctrine’?
December 2, 2021

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 you’re with us, or you’re against us,” opening a space for unilateral military action.


Southeast Asia  / Thailand
Thailand’s disappointing UPR highlights the need for reform
November 29, 2021

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 countries and assist the fulfilment of each state’s human rights obligations through an objective, transparent, constructive process.


Southeast Asia  / Thailand
Behind COVID-19 and decaying mental health lies a deep digital divide
November 23, 2021

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 school cannot be delayed, citing additional risks from exposure to violence and abuse, mental distress, missed meals, and routine vaccinations. The plight of Thailand’s exhausted youth also caught the attention of the much-maligned National Human Rights Commission (NHRCT), who noted that nearly a third of Thai students were at risk of depression.


Afghanistan  / Central Asia  / China  / India
Quad and Indo-Pacific: The counter-terrorism strategy
November 17, 2021

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 the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and infrastructure development. While cybersecurity, a growing menace from China, was one of the main issues discussed, it was surprising that counterterrorism was not.