Opinions

The Secret New Thai-French Relations
21 November 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: The photos at the Elysee Palace in Paris said it all. French President Emmanuel Macron posing with Somdet …

Carbon Pricing: Closing the Loophole in ASEAN’s Climate Commitment
17 November 2023
By Ms Ayu Pratiwi Muyasyaroh, Research Associate: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is on the verge of having to deal with a climate …

Will APEC Meet Reveal a US Asia Pivot?
07 November 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Mid-November will mark another important milestone in the chronicles of US involvement in Asia. President Joe Biden will …

The G7’s Anti-Coercion Campaign Against China Could Backfire
19 October 2023
By Dr Lili Yan Ing, Secretary General of International Economic Association (IEA) and ERIA's Lead Advisor, Southeast Asia Region: On October 28-29, Japan will host …

First Look at New Thai Diplomatic Tactics
10 October 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: In deciphering the 1,288-word Thai foreign policy statement announced last week, it is important to start at the …

Bridging Disparities to Bolster Digital Transformation in ASEAN
04 October 2023
By Ms Livia Feliciani Nazara, Research Associate, and Ms Ivana Markus, Research Associate: ASEAN has been actively promoting its ongoing efforts as the region advances …

ACMECS: The Power of Working Together
03 October 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Amid great geopolitical realignment and unpredictability, existing and new mini-lateral groups throughout the world have been revitalised or …

Indonesian and Indian G20 Presidencies Champion Innovation and Entrepreneurship
30 September 2023
By Dr Giulia Ajmone Marsan, Strategy and Partnership Director: Indonesia and India devoted significant efforts to boost innovation and entrepreneurship throughout their Group of 20 …

ASEAN in the Global Semiconductor Race
25 September 2023
By Dr Lili Yan Ing, Secretary General of International Economic Association (IEA) and ERIA's Lead Advisor, Southeast Asia Region, and Ms Ivana Markus, Research Associate: …

Can Thai Passports' Power Get a Lift?
19 September 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: At the first cabinet meeting last week, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced one of the government's priorities -- …

Inclusion for all: Why People with Disability Matter for the ASEAN Digital Economy
13 September 2023
By Mr Nicola Crosta (Impact46), Dr Giulia Ajmone Marsan, and Ms Lina Maulidina (Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia): According to World Health …

New Playbook for Thai Diplomacy?
12 September 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: The Srettha government has started outlining its policies in parliament. Regarding diplomacy and internal policies, two paragraphs in …

India’s G20 Summit: Can it Be a Catalyst for Steering a New Global Order?
09 September 2023
By Dr Venkatachalam Anbumozhi, Director of Research Strategy and Innovation: The G20 Summit in New Delhi over the weekend is poised to bring a fractured …

ASEAN Summit Forges Fresh Strategies
05 September 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: With its theme 'ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of economic growth', the Indonesian chair has raised the ASEAN playing field …

Viet Nam in 'Northeast' Asian History – 'Resonance and Empathy' Between Japan and Viet Nam
05 September 2023
By Ambassador of Japan to Viet Nam, Takio Yamada Introduction This year, Japan and Viet Nam are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of …

What Kind of Indo-Pacific? It is for ASEAN to Ensure
04 September 2023
By Ms Anita Prakash, Senior Policy Advisor for International Economic Cooperation ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific Architecture The evolving economic architecture in the Indo-Pacific …

Which Way Pheu Thai-led Diplomacy?
29 August 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Without being labelled as an autocratic regime, the diplomatic posture of the incoming government under Prime Minister Srettha …

Deepening of Thai-US Economic Links
22 August 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: During the last three months of the caretaker government, there have been unexpected and extraordinary movements in Thailand-US …

ASEAN Mapping Out a Vision for 2045
15 August 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Regional experts and scholars have been busy squeezing their brains to draft ASEAN's vision for the next two …

Lessons from Hun Sen's Cambodia
08 August 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: If international relations experts and scholars want to study a small state's diplomatic manoeuvres amid the ever-changing geopolitical …

To Win Over Southeast Asia, America Must Be Humble
07 August 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Southeast Asia has become one of the most important strategic regions in global geopolitical gamesmanship. For the US …

Unlike His Father, Hun Manet is Not in a ‘Legacy Trap’
31 July 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: The swift decision by Samdech Prime Minister Hun Sen to appoint his son, Hun Manet, as the next …

Bimstec: A New Force of the Global South
25 July 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: All of a sudden, the countries around the Bay of Bengal are coming to the fore and raising …

Quiet Thai Diplomacy on Myanmar Pays Off
14 July 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: The secret meeting last week between Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai and the jailed Daw Aung San Suu …

NATO, Be Careful What You Wish For
13 July 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: The latest NATO summit in Lithuania seemed to please the Western alliance and Ukraine, its key beneficiary. If …

Virtual Diplomacy is Real in Thailand
11 July 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: The past several months have been tumultuous times in Thai diplomacy, with virtual diplomacy constantly challenging real-world diplomacy. …

Durian Powers Sino-Thai Friendship
04 July 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: When it comes to the evolution of Sino-Thai relations, one must put aside all the geopolitical determinants and …

Competitiveness Affects Indonesia Ties
27 June 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Just two years ago, Thailand and Indonesia commemorated the 70th anniversary of relations, with both sides holding events …

Breaking the Green Ceiling: Women Entrepreneurship in the ASEAN Green Economy
27 June 2023
In this article, Giulia Ajmone Marsan (Strategy and Partnership Director) and Rubeena Singh (External Consultant) from Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) …

A Secure and Reliable Rare Earth Mineral Supply Chain to Meet Net-Zero Emissions by 2050
17 June 2023
By Dr Han Phoumin, Senior Energy Economist: All countries are committed to pursuing pathways to decarbonise emissions by 2050, amid concerns raised by the Intergovernmental …

From Poverty to Prosperity: The Power of Green Entrepreneurship in ASEAN
17 June 2023
By Dr Giulia Ajmone Marsan, Strategy and Partnership Director and Ms Rubeena Singh, ERIA's External Consultant on Inclusive Education: Poverty is a pressing issue that …

ASEAN Between the US and China
15 June 2023
By Dr Lili Yan Ing, Secretary General of International Economic Association (IEA) and ERIA's Lead Advisor, Southeast Asia Region: The recent G7 summit in Hiroshima …

Robots and AI: A New Economic Era
14 June 2023
By Dr Lili Yan Ing, Secretary General of International Economic Association (IEA) and ERIA's Lead Advisor, Southeast Asia Region: Before I start, let me share …

ASEAN No-nuke Treaty in Perilous Times
13 June 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: The Thai word, chiew-chiew, which means relax and respond in kind, is a fitting description of ASEAN's current …

Can Southeast Asian Countries Sustainably Continue Their LNG Development?
09 June 2023
By Dr Alloysius Joko Purwanto, Energy Economist: Since about 2010, Southeast Asian countries have built various downstream liquified natural gas (LNG) facilities including receiving ports …

Combatting Fake News the ASEAN Way
06 June 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Three weeks have passed since the general election, and the Thai media is still flooded with fake news …

Unlocking ASEAN’s Digital Economy: Payment Systems in the Digital Era
03 June 2023
By Ms Ivana Markus, Research Associate, and Ms Livia Feliciani Nazara, Research Associate: The ASEAN region, along with the rest of the world, has experienced …

ASEAN at the Crossroads: 'Progress Towards SDG Targets by 2030'
27 May 2023
By Ms Ayu Pratiwi Muyasyaroh, Research Associate: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent a universal appeal to end poverty, safeguard the environment, and ensure peace …

ASEAN Must Reengage with Myanmar
23 May 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Indonesian President Joko Widodo, or Jokowi, was frank in saying that no progress had been made over the …

How US Debt Affects the Indonesian Economy?
19 May 2023
By Dr Lili Yan Ing, Secretary General of International Economic Association (IEA) and ERIA's Lead Advisor, Southeast Asia Region: Lately, I have been asked …

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Eastern Indonesia
17 May 2023
By Ms Rubeena Singh, ERIA’s External Consultant on Inclusive Education: Eastern Indonesia boasts a rich cultural heritage and natural resources. It is an untapped region …

Diplomacy a Very Different Ball Game
16 May 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: With the election now over, a new government can be expected to emerge fairly soon. The time is, …

ASEAN Digital Community (ADC) 2045
13 May 2023
By Dr Lili Yan Ing, Secretary General of International Economic Association (IEA) and ERIA's Lead Advisor, Southeast Asia Region, and Ms Yessi Vadila, ERIA's Trade …

Inclusive ASEAN: Women, Young, and People with Disabilities
13 May 2023
By Dr Lili Yan Ing, Secretary General of International Economic Association (IEA) and ERIA's Lead Advisor, Southeast Asia Region: Have you ever been treated …

ASEAN Welcomes Friendly Japan-ROK Ties
10 May 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: The region’s two economic giants’ recent steps on the road to recovery, in terms of their friendship and …

Can Jakarta Push Peace in Myanmar?
09 May 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: By this weekend, the world will find out whether the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) -- under …

Women and Leadership in the ASEAN Digital Economy
05 May 2023
By Ms Rubeena Singh, ERIA’s External Consultant on Inclusive Education: Women's lack of representation in digital leadership in policy, media, and research is a critical …

Don't Forget Fringe Parties in the Election
02 May 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: A total of 70 political parties with 4,781 candidates are contesting 400 MP seats, and 1,898 candidates from …

Vietnam's 'Bamboo' Foreign Policy Clout
25 April 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Vietnam is the only Southeast Asian country at this critical moment to be facing a major challenge as …

Thai Diplomacy Has Come Full Circle
18 April 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: After eight arduous years, Thai diplomacy has come full circle. With less than a month to go before …

France – in Search of 'Strategic Autonomy'
14 April 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: French President Emmanuel Macron’s three-day visit to China turned out to be a game-changer in ways no one …

East Asian Economies Resist Decoupling
14 April 2023
By Prof Fukunari Kimura, ERIA's Chief Economist and Professor at the Faculty of Economics, Keio University: Media on global trade frequently puts forward the narrative …

Can ASEAN be an Epicentrum of Growth?
14 April 2023
By Dr Lili Yan Ing, Secretary General of International Economic Association (IEA) and ERIA's Lead Advisor, Southeast Asia Region, and Ms Yessi Vadila, ERIA's Trade …

Cambodia and the Rise of a Small Power
11 April 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: For Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia, timing is everything. Therefore, it …

Overcoming the Challenge: Effective Solid Waste Management on a Budget
02 April 2023
By Ms Devina Anglingdarma, Assistant, Research Activities: On 21 February 2005, the Leuwigajah landfill in Bandung, Indonesia, experienced a devastating methane gas explosion and subsequent …

Sino-Russia Ties: A Thai Perspective
28 March 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Watching Sino-Russia relations from Beijing gives off a different feeling altogether. Truth be told, the evolution of Sino-Russian …

Giving a Chance to the RCEP’s Dispute Settlement Mechanism
21 March 2023
By Ms Ulfah Aulia, Assistant, Research Activities: The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is the largest free trade agreement in terms of gross domestic product …

Dialogue: A Step in the Right Direction
21 March 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: There were more divergences than convergences in views that emerged from the Track 1.5 Dialogue held between Asean …

Rebooting South, SE Asian Cooperation
14 March 2023
By Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Senior Communications Advisor: Fresh from the success of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation last year, Thailand is currently chairing another immense …

Technology and Disability: Trends and Opportunities in the Digital Economy in ASEAN
11 March 2023
By Ms Rubeena Singh, ERIA’s External Consultant on Inclusive Education: South-East Asia faces a particularly opportune time. The rapid growth of the digital economy continues …