Southeast Asia
The Brussels Effect: The Influence of the EU’s GDPR on Indonesia’s Personal Data Protection Law
In today's data-driven society, digital governance is a critical topic in international relations, as it has emerged as one of the most pressing global...
The Mirror from Dokdo and Ambalat & ASEAN’s Way of Diplomacy in Resolving Disputes
In the shifting tides of maritime geopolitics, Southeast Asia finds itself at the delicate intersection of history, national pride, and international law. Few cases...
Trilateral Convergence: ASEAN, GCC, and China Redefine Global Cooperation
The inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Summit, held in Kuala Lumpur on 27 May 2025, marked a pivotal moment in international diplomacy by establishing the groundwork for...
Why might Thai Prime Minister lose his seat after leaked recording with Hun Sen
Political crisis is engulfing Bangkok in the middle months of 2025 when Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra faces the risk of losing her seat...
Merit or Privilege? The Winners of Indonesia’s System
Authors: Rifky Pratama Wicaksono and Muhammad Rafi Bakri*
Meritocracy is experiencing a global revival, and Indonesia is no exception amid deepening economic and social divides....
Strategic Trust and the Limits of Personal Politics in Southeast Asian International Relations
In the international relations structures in Southeast Asia, “strategic trust” acts as a glue between countries that are diverse in terms of institutions, histories,...
Waves of Change: The Philippines, Domestic Politics, and the China Challenge
In May 2025, at the oath-taking ceremony of newly promoted Philippine Coast Guard Officers (PCG), Philippine President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr. reaffirmed his...
Post-Conflict Sensitivities and the Politics of Mapping: Lessons from the Aceh Island Dispute
In April 2025, the Indonesian Ministry of Home Affairs issued a decree under Kepmendagri No. 300.2.2-2138/2025 that sparked controversy in the province of Aceh....
Vietnam and China’s Railway Diplomacy: High-Speed Projects, Not Small Risks
In recent years, Vietnam has been promoting railway infrastructure development projects as an essential part of its strategy to modernize the economy and integrate...
Military Clashes, Private Conversation and the Ongoing Cambodia-Thailand Border Dispute
On May 28, 2025, Cambodian and Thai soldiers clashed in a brief gunfight along the disputed border in Northern Cambodia/Northeast Thailand along the Chong...