democracy


Southeast Asia  / Thailand
Inconsistency has marred Biden’s relations with Thailand
Posted On 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.
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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.


India  / Myanmar  / Southeast Asia
On Myanmar, a deliberate poise
March 6, 2021

India’s neighbourhood policy is being tested like never before, thanks to an ongoing border stand-off with China, a faltering relationship with Nepal over an unusual assertion of sovereignty by the Oli government, and perpetual high tensions with Pakistan. The February 1 coup in Myanmar has only compounded matters.


Southeast Asia  / Thailand
To succeed, the pro-democracy movement must include Labour unions and marginalized groups
February 18, 2021

Gene Sharp, American scholar and expert in non-violent civil disobedience, famously theorized that the power of rulers is derived from the consent of subjects. Non-violent action, such as protests and public demonstrations are methods of withdrawing consent and challenging persistent problems of authoritarian behavior, such as oppression and dictatorship. Real power is concentrated in groups and institutions, which provide an opposing force against a ruler.


Myanmar  / Southeast Asia
Suu Kyi is not blameless in Monday’s military takeover of Myanmar
February 2, 2021

Twenty-four hours ago Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD) were ousted from power by the military (Tatmadaw) in an early morning coup d’état. Journalists in Myanmar reported that phone and mobile services went dark, military vehicles were seen on city streets, and the state television network MRTV was unable to broadcast. The military declared a state of emergency that will last for a year and power has been vested in Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.


Southeast Asia  / Thailand
Three New Year’s resolutions for Thailand’s pro-democracy demonstrators
January 5, 2021

Thailand’s top political story of 2020 is far from over. Rising out of frustration and anger over the military-backed government’s heavy-handed response to COVID-19, the banning of the Future Forward Party, and continued authoritarian curbs on free expression and dissent, the youth-led protesters catalyzed a political movement through social media, all the while annoying and befuddling Thai authorities.


Southeast Asia  / Thailand
Corruption should be the issue that binds Thailand together
December 16, 2020

Last week, International Anti-Corruption Day came and went in Thailand without much notice. Scant attention was paid in the media on December 9, except for an article about a “commitment” by Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to fight corruption and nepotism.


Southeast Asia  / Thailand
The art of political jiu-jitsu and Thailand’s student revolution
October 2, 2020

After several major protests in Bangkok, authorities have practiced a degree of restraint, despite the dismantling of a long-held social taboo of voicing public criticism of Thailand’s once-revered monarchy.


Cambodia
Three Takeaways From Sam Rainsy’s Attempt to Return to Cambodia
November 10, 2019

Cambodia’s Sam Rainsy, the self-exiled opposition leader landed in Kuala Lumpur over the weekend, vowing to return home to lead an uprising against his country’s long-serving Prime Minister and former Khmer Rouge officer Hun Sen.