Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia
Opinions
ACRF: Potential Green Recovery, New Social Contract Towards Sustainable ASEAN Future
10 December 2020
By Dr Venkatachalam Anbumozhi, Senior Energy Economist: With the outbreak of COVID-19, ASEAN member states are now in the middle of dealing with a combination …
Vetting China's Diplomacy: A Thai View
15 December 2020
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Deciphering and understanding China's foreign policy postures and conduct is akin to walking into a maze. As the …
Migrant Workers Need Better Welfare
22 December 2020
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: The number 2,482,256 is not a combination that will win Thailand's lottery top prize, but it is nonetheless …
ASEAN's Strategies to Address New Normal
28 December 2020
By Dr Venkatachalam Anbumozhi, Senior Energy Economist: As policymakers prepare to intervene and industries consider changes to their business models, the COVID-19 pandemic and stimulus …
Don't Leave Migrant Workers Behind
29 December 2020
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: As 2020 comes to a close, the coronavirus outbreak at a seafood market in Samut Sakhon has …
Indonesian Economic Outlook 2021
04 January 2021
By Dr Lili Yan Ing, ERIA's Lead Advisor for Southeast Asia Region: 2020 has been very challenging, but 2021 is not going to get better …
Thailand's 'Make or Break' Jobs in 2021
05 January 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Thailand's future is now at the edge of a precipice due to the recent virus outbreak in Samut …
Lessons from the American Insurrection
12 January 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: The carnage on Capitol Hill last Wednesday provides numerous valuable lessons for both mature and emerging democracies around …
Recovery from COVID Requires a Coordinated Approach to Digitalization, Supply Chain Reorganization, and Skills Development
14 January 2021
By Dr Rashesh Shrestha, Economist: The three main challenges ASEAN will face post-pandemic - digitalization, supply chains, and human capital – have been widely discussed. …
Brunei Takes Chair for Year of Recovery
19 January 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: On the inspiring theme of ' We care, we prepare, we prosper' , Asean's smallest member is taking …
Thailand: In the Eye of the Coming Storm
26 January 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Last week, in his 229-word congratulatory message to US President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha minced no …
Synchronizing Indonesia’s Diesel Fuel Policy
28 January 2021
By Dr Alloysius Joko Purwanto, Energy Economist: Indonesia aims to achieve two main objectives in its road transport fuel policy: first to protect health by …
American First has Morphed into First America
02 February 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: The confirmation hearing last week of US Secretary of State Antony Blinkin was very telling. In his …
Once Bitten, Twice Shy over Myanmar
04 February 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Long before it became a member, Asean was blindly defending Myanmar, believing that pressure from neighbours and regional …
The time is Right for Thailand to Join the CPTPP
16 February 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: No more dillydallying. Thailand should join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Otherwise, the …
Three Narratives for Smart Livable Cities in the Post COVID-19 Era
18 February 2021
By Dr Venkatachalam Anbumozhi, Senior Energy Economist: Cities are home to most of the world population and where problems and solutions meet. They are centres …
Thai-Aussie Ties are on Cloud Nine
23 February 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: On Feb 15, a historic milestone was achieved when Their Majesties the King and Queen visited the Australian …
Thailand's Dilemma in Myanmar Crisis
02 March 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Several subjects were on the table last Wednesday when Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi held talks with …
Real Access is Key to Women’s Participation in the Digital Economy
08 March 2021
By Dr Giulia Ajmone Marsan, Strategy and Partnership Director, and Dr Araba Sey, Senior Research Scientist at the University of Washington Information School and …
Thailand's Three Myanmar Strategies
09 March 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: With the unexpected coup in Myanmar on Feb 1 and the ensuing violent clashes between protesters and …
Overcoming the Infodemic in ASEAN
15 March 2021
By Ms Lydia Ruddy, Director of Communications at ERIA, and Ms Erica P. Sioson, Senior Officer at the ASEAN Secretariat: Spreading at least as …
Can US, China Cooperate on Myanmar?
16 March 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Can the US transform the 'extreme competition' to 'extreme cooperation' with China for the sake of Myanmar's …
An ASEAN Way to Resolve the Myanmar Crisis
21 March 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: ASEAN has prided itself on being one of the world’s most successful regional organisations, with an impressive …
US Must Aim for SE Asia Middle Ground
23 March 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: The outcome of the Alaska tit-for-tat sessions indicates a further freezing of US-China relations. It's a trend …
Russia's Gamble in Post-coup Myanmar
30 March 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Moscow is becoming the most prominent supporter of the military junta in Nay Pyi Taw. While the …
Reclaiming Pragmatism in Japan’s Energy Policy
03 April 2021
By Prof Jun Arima, Senior Policy Fellow for Energy and Environment: In March 2021, Japan marked ten years since the 3/11 Great East Japan Earthquake …
Myanmar Crisis: ASEAN's Next Moves
06 April 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: The recent call by Indonesian President Joko Widodo for a meeting with his colleagues on the Myanmar …
UN-ASEAN Cooperation Deepens
13 April 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Almost immediately upon her arrival here in Bangkok last weekend, the UN special envoy on Myanmar, Christine …
US Creates 3 New Entrapments in Asia
20 April 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: With 90 days of the Biden Administration, three new entrapments have been on display by its foreign …
ASEAN in Myanmar Crisis 'Driver's Seat'
27 April 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: After a little over three hours of meetings on Saturday in Jakarta, the ASEAN leaders agreed on …
COVID-19 Won’t Rattle East Asian Supply Chains
29 April 2021
By Prof Fukunari Kimura, ERIA's Chief Economist: In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a series of overreactions about the viability of …
Can Power help Biden's foreign policy?
04 May 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: The confirmation of Samantha Power last week as the new head of the US Agency for …
Implications of New Draft Law on NGOs
11 May 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Thailand's long-standing business-as-usual approach to local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and international non-governmental organisations (INGOs), will soon be …
What Will India’s Post-COVID Recovery Look Like?
17 May 2021
By Dr Venkatachalam Anbumozhi, Senior Energy Economist: Since the beginning of 2020, India has reported more than 25 million COVID cases, bringing the country’s …
ASEAN must Engage with US, China
18 May 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: On 24 April at the Asean Leaders' Meeting in Jakarta, the Asean chair, Sultan Hassan Bolkiah, instructed foreign …
Give Peace a Chance to End Myanmar Crisis
24 May 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: As the Myanmar quagmire enters a fourth month, it is clear that all protagonists are still entertaining …
Thailand Tightens Information Law
25 May 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: In September 1997 Thailand became the first country in ASEAN to enact a freedom of information law. …
Vaccine Aid: US Catches up with China
08 June 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Strange as it may seem, vaccine diplomacy could cure US-China relations and improve their herd immunity against …
ASEAN, China Promote Asian Values
15 June 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: In commemorating the 30th anniversary of Asean-China relations later this year at the summit level, it is …
Can We Build Back Better by Oct 15?
22 June 2021
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: By Oct 15, Buddha willing, Thailand will be ready to welcome visitors from abroad including domestic travellers. Last …
