Southeast Asia Insights

Thailand has entered a new political phase, but the economic backdrop is becoming more difficult. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul secured a strong election victory in February and has now been officially endorsed by parliament. His conservative bloc, supported by key allies, controls the legislature. The result reflects a public preference for stability after years of political uncertainty.   However, the transition in leadership is hap...

Brunei is approaching a turning point it can no longer avoid. In 2026, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah will turn 80 after nearly six decades in power and more than forty years as absolute ruler since independence in 1984. At the same time, the oil and gas wealth that kept the country stable and comfortable for generations is slowly running out. As pressure builds on both of these fronts, Brunei must confront questions it has spent decades postponing. &n...

In recent years, Southeast Asia has become a key destination for plastic waste from wealthy nations. Rather than dealing with it themselves, the United States, European Union, and Japan ship their trash to the region, where labor costs are low and environmental regulations are weaker.   As a result, Southeast Asian countries became the dumping ground for the world’s plastic, but this may soon change.   Southeast Asia Takes Act...

China has sealed off a vast stretch of international airspace north of Taiwan for 40 days, shutting civilian aircraft out of an area spanning roughly 73,000 square kilometers. Its scale is striking. More striking still is Beijing’s refusal to say what the closure is for.   A restriction this large would normally come with a clear explanation and advance warning. This one did not. Instead, China has carved out a huge no-fly zone for c...

Southeast Asia is entering 2026 facing a more complex and uncertain risk environment, shaped by intensifying competition between the US and China, global economic tensions, and climate change threats.   According to the State of Southeast Asia: 2026 Survey Report by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Southeast Asia is increasingly concerned not just with individual risks, but with how they overlap and reinforce each other.   T...