Economics, Politics and Public Policy in East Asia and the Pacific
Author: Wannaphong Durongkaveroj, ANU
Thailand has been internationally praised for avoiding a COVID-19 disaster. Despite recording the first case of the virus outside of China on 13 January 2020, Thailand managed to avoid its first death until almost seven weeks later. Its peak of new daily COVID-19 cases was 188 in late March — a low figure compared to many Western countries.
Author: Hsien-Li Tan, NUS
When COVID-19 cases first appeared in the ASEAN region early in 2020, there were fears that public health systems would be overwhelmed. Responses around the region have varied. After decisive action — and missteps — in the initial months, Vietnam, Thailand, Brunei, Malaysia, and Singapore are now cautiously relaxing restrictions while working to avert a second wave. Indonesia and the Philippines continue to see significantly higher infection and death rates, leading to strong criticism against the Jokowi and Duterte administrations.
Author: M Niaz Asadullah, University of Malaya
Many ASEAN nations saw a sharp decline in the number of coronavirus fatalities after more than a month in lockdown. New infections in Thailand dropped to single-digit figures and Vietnam has already reopened its economy. The Philippines and Malaysia have conditionally permitted most sectors to resume business.
Author: Greg Raymond, ANU
Thailand has been a treaty ally of the United States since 1954, but its political direction since 2006 — amid warming strategic ties with Beijing — is placing serious pressure on the alliance.
Author: Hunter Marston, ANU
The worst of the COVID-19 pandemic may be yet to come for many Southeast Asian countries, though some, such as Vietnam, have seen relative success in containing the virus. Read more…
Author: Stephen Olson, Hinrich Foundation
The coronavirus pandemic has called into question several assumptions which have underpinned global trade for decades. By the time the dust settles, the world’s approach to trade could look quite different. Read more…
Author: Archanun Kohpaiboon, Thammasat University
Thailand has been experiencing a slowdown of economic growth since 2006. Yet, its causes are still undetermined. The often-cited reason, drawn from economic data, is a lack of productivity improvements in the private sector. But as firm-level panel data on Thai economic activity is still at an early stage of development, it is difficult to pinpoint any clear conclusions. The Thai government is launching policies to address tensions concerning productivity as well as to boost short-to-medium-term economic growth. The most recent measure, ‘Thailand 4.0’, represents a combination of promoting industrial transformation and establishing an economic corridor in eastern Thailand. Read more…
Author: Kanokwan Manorom, Ubon Ratchathani University
Shortages of water are a huge problem for Thailand. The government’s attempts to promote industrial investment in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) — Chon Buri, Rayong and Chachoengsao — has caused water demand in the region to rise drastically. This has diverted water away from farmers and local people creating an increasingly unfair distribution of water resources. Read more…
Author: Editorial Board, ANU
The grim lesson in Southeast Asian politics this past week — underneath the surface-level dramas — is that the problem of the region’s political systems isn’t too much change, but too much continuity.
Author: Kevin Hewison, UNC Chapel Hill
When a high court dissolves a popular political party, bans its executive committee from electoral politics for 10 years, confiscates party funds and raises the prospect of its leaders being jailed, it is natural to assume that the party has committed a heinous crime. On 21 February, the Thai Constitutional Court (the Court) did just that to the Future Forward Party.
Authors: Sujitra Vassanadumrongdee, Chulalongkorn University and Danny Marks, City University of Hong Kong
Thais started 2020 with a major lifestyle change. After many retail stores banned plastic bags throughout the country, Thais are now bringing reusable bags when they shop. This ban is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia and is a significant step forward in a country that consumes a large amount of plastic and ranks as one of the world’s top 10 marine plastic polluters. Read more…
Author: Tim Forsyth, LSE
Thailand recently took an important step towards environmental protection when 75 leading retailers stopped issuing plastic bags to shoppers. This step continues a campaign started by environmentalists and local governments in Thailand to reduce urban waste and pollution. The long-term plan is to ban all single-use plastics by 2021. Read more…
Author: Greg Raymond, ANU
The Thai military used the 24 March 2019 election to embed itself even more deeply in governance. Though there is now a functioning parliament, the democratisation achieved after 1992 has been wound back, lending credence to the judgement that the 2014 coup was a coup of the army, by the army, for the army.
Author: Phornchanok Cumperayot, Chulalongkorn University
The Thai baht has been the best performing currency in emerging Asia since 2018. On a year-on-year basis, it has roared more than 8 per cent against the US dollar and this year reached a six-year high. But according to news headlines and commentary, the strong currency has lowered the country’s competitiveness and worsened both goods exports and tourism, two major drivers of Thailand’s economy. Read more…
Author: Tommy KS Koh, Singapore
The ASEAN Safe Migration Campaign was launched in December 2018 at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta. Building on the 2017 ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers signed in Manila, the campaign seeks to ‘raise public awareness on safe labour migration that benefits all’. While well-intentioned, the campaign is hindered by a simplistic concept of safe migration that falls short of addressing the challenges faced by migrant workers in the region.
