Myanmar Military Resort to Abducting Young Men to Restock their Ranks
Reports from the Myanmar Defense and Security Institute, indicate that conscripts now account for about 85% of frontline...
Tag: Society
Volcanoes, Climate Change, and the Limits of State Capacity in Indonesia
A question of how much disruption a state can absorb before its institutions, infrastructure, and economy begin to fail....
Thailand Welcomes US Warships and 5000 Sailors After 9 Months at Sea
Pattaya businesses have been preparing for the influx of the tourists who are expected to bring in an accumulation of 3...
How Singapore Chose Ethnic Chinese Hegemony
No one embodied the belief in ethnic Chinese superiority deeper than Singapore’s eminent leader, Lee Kuan Yew. Editor -...
The ‘Modern Indonesian Women’: Is Criticism on Pancatera Fair?
Ultimately, the controversy surrounding Pancatera may say as much about public expectations of the group as it does about...
Cultural Ecocide: What Preah Vihear Reveals About War and Nature
Preah Vihear is not simply an ancient temple damaged by conflict. It is a warning that modern warfare increasingly destroys...
Disaster and Disdain Marks Indonesia’s 81st Birthday
The general public’s enthusiasm for independence day celebrations have been dropping since 2024. At the same time the...
Malaysia’s Rare Earth Elements, From Environmental Concern to Strategic Asset
REEs have not always been perceived favourably in Malaysia. Though not its first emergence in Malaysia, REEs gained...
What its Like to Be a National Serviceman In Singapore
I think in terms of physical adaptation, you can you can get by that easily after you get a routine and figure it out, but...
Cyclone Charged Monsoon Rain Claims Lives in the Philippines’ Luzon Island
“President Marcos, we haven't received any cash assistance. We have no money for expenses here. We haven't been able to...
Indonesians Are More Likely to Believe in Ghosts Than Environmental Issues
Why is it easier for Indonesians to believe in superstitions than in global warming? And why is the easiest way to...
Race Identity Remains a Major Role in Malaysian Politics Amidst Election Season
With Indian and Chinese Malaysians making up a considerable voter pool in Negeri Sembilan, parties and politicians alike...
Making Our Way Out of Jakarta’s Congestion Trap
It’s difficult to pinpoint a single reason for Jakarta’s persistent traffic problem. It is best to see this issue as...
Grievances of the Chinese Indonesian Experience
Taking the tools offered by Indonesia’s democratization, these Chinese Indonesians process the trauma borne from...
Southeast Asia and the World Cup, Always the Fan, Never the Player
"I know that everyone in Southeast Asia wants their country to enter the World Cup. But please, every stakeholder, from the...
On the LGBT Question in Indonesia
The fight for civil rights appears even more uphill considering the Muslim majority population and most cultures within...
Bangkokians Choose Chadchart “Hulk” Sittipunt as their Governor Again
"The goal of work in the next four years is not the publication of achievements but success in proving to people that their...
Here We Go Again: the Indonesian Student Protests
An honest reading of the successes and failures of these movements reveal our inability to learn from past mistakes and...
Rise, Fall and Slight Rise of Malaysia’s National Car Brand
Car brands cannot be expected to compete globally simply based on marketing, preferential trade deals and affordability,...
Thailand’s Quest For “Quality Tourist”
Bangkok is trying to change the makeup of the tourist from sheer numbers to increasing tourists who are willing to spend...
Nadiem Makarim and Future of Indonesia’s Technocrats
The Indonesian establishment must choose between competent individuals in service of the public or yes men who stick around...
Singapore Sets Jobs and Competitiveness as Economic Priority
Editor - Southeast Asia Analyst. Singapore’s Economic Strategic Review (ESR) committee that convenes during a global...
Indonesia’s 2026 May Day Celebration is Unusually State Backed
Editor - Southeast Asian Analyst. Trade unions led by Kongres Aliansi Serikat Buruh Indonesia (KASBI) (Congress of...
ASEAN as a Collective Middle Power through Soft Power
Editor - Southeast Asia Analyst. The framing that ASEAN is a collective middle power is largely anchored in institutional...
The Subalterns of Indochina
Editor - Southeast Asia Analyst. In November 2025, Thai authorities handed Y Quynh Bdap back to the Vietnamese government....
Brunei and Brain Science: Ready or Not?
Editor - Southeast Asia Analyst. Brunei is among the wealthiest country in the world and the second richest in ASEAN after...
Modern Ideals, Traditional Expectations: Rethinking Gender Roles in Indonesia
Editor - Southeast Asia Analyst. In March 2026, King's Global Institute for Women's Leadership (GIWL) in collaboration with...