The fragility of democracy in Thailand and the return of the Shinawatra family to power

Written by Aniello Iannone

The persistent influence of the military and entrenched oligarchies continues to subvert the will of the electorate, creating a hybrid political system where democratic processes are overshadowed by authoritarian interventions.

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The new Thai Senate: Less powerful and less predictable

Written by Mathis Lohatepanont

The new senators are largely unknown to the public; their individual preferences can only be gleaned with time, and so how they will behave is largely still a matter of speculation.

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China, transnational organised crime, and Southeast Asia’s SEZs — is this Quid pro quo?

Written by Marco Neveu and Charlie Thame

Xi’s anti-corruption projects in the mainland seem to have sparked a degree of outward mobility by the triads from the authoritarian domestic core towards the more liminal and experimental periphery of Chinese influence.

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Human rights in the age of Southeast Asian extractivism

Written by Annika Reynolds

The differing experiences of Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines offer valuable lessons in the era of globalised extractivism, accelerating climate change and the struggle for human rights.

Environmental issues in the South China Sea call for open data and science

Written by James Borton

Despite significant oceanographic advances and a continuous flow of ocean data, marine research has failed to ameliorate the competing South China Sea claims nor navigate the sustainable stewardship of ocean resources.