Politics

Politics • STORY OF THE DAY • Nov 08, 2019 • 11 min read

Sam Rainsy’s return The great disappointment

By Paul Millar • Nov 08, 2019
Sam Rainsy’s long-promised return to Cambodia on November 9 seems to have fallen at the first hurdle. For the exiled opposition leader, this humiliation could mark the end of his decades-long political career

Politics • STORY OF THE DAY • Oct 22, 2019 • 8 min read

Cambodian Politics The return

By Paul Millar • Oct 22, 2019
On November 9, Cambodia’s opposition leaders have promised to return to the Kingdom to take the fight to Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ruling party. We spoke to senior CNRP politician Mu Sochua about her fast-approaching date with destiny

Politics • STORY OF THE DAY • Oct 11, 2019 • 10 min read

Thai monarchy Good to be the King

By Andrew MacGregor Marshall • Oct 11, 2019
Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s public embrace of polygamy is the latest signal he intends to be an all-powerful absolute monarch

Politics • STORY OF THE DAY • Sep 26, 2019 • 9 min read

Myanmar politics Life of the party

By Hunter Marston and Abigail Chen • Sep 26, 2019
Seemingly unbeatable ahead of elections next year, Aung San Suu Kyi’s political party has nonetheless struggled to achieve much during nearly four years in office

Politics • Sep 19, 2019 • 6 min read
Thai politics

A nation on hold

Thirteen years ago today, Thaksin Shinawatra’s overthrow by the Thai military sparked a political crisis that has set the nation’s progress back more than a decade
By Giles Ji Ungpakorn

Politics • Sep 17, 2019 • 8 min read
Thai politics

Waiting in the wings

More than a decade on from the overthrow of Thaksin Shinawatra, the monarchy-backed military still rules supreme in Thailand. But with Prayuth Chan-ocha struggling to keep his civilian coalition in line, he could soon find himself looking over his shoulder
By Pavin Chachavalpongpun

Politics • Sep 05, 2019 • 6 min read
Singapore politics

A familiar foe

Staring down a challenge by the popular opposition figure Tan Cheng Bock, Singapore’s ruling party may be a victim of its own high standards
By Michael Barr

Politics • Jul 10, 2019 • 11 min read
Malaysia

Mahathir’s birthday wish

Malaysia's seemingly ageless prime minister celebrates another birthday today. But will the man slammed by his detractors as the nation’s once and future dictator keep his promise to hand over the nation to former adversary Anwar Ibrahim?
By Simon Roughneen

Politics • Jul 07, 2019 • 12 min read
Thailand

Nowhere to hide

Across Southeast Asia, Thai dissidents are under siege. At home, they are attacked by masked thugs. Abroad, they live in fear as their comrades are hunted down, killed or disappeared
By Caleb Quinley

Politics • Jun 20, 2019 • 11 min read
Hun Sen vs Sam Rainsy

The strongman and the strawman

Exiled opposition politician Sam Rainsy has once again pledged to come back to Cambodia. But for a government eager to imagine itself as under assault on all sides, he’s far more useful to Hun Sen in Paris
By Paul Millar

Politics • Feb 21, 2019 • 10 min read
Rohingya and India

No refuge either

Last month, India deported a family of Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar to face statelessness and possible genocide in their homeland – the latest blow in a fierce anti-Muslim movement under Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s right-wing government
By Lesly Lotha

Politics • Feb 14, 2019 • 4 min read
Politics

Aung San Suu Kyi’s arrogance

Protests in Kayah state over the construction of a statue of the late general Aung San – father of today’s civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi – represent growing divisions in Myanmar, which could have consequences for Suu Kyi’s party in the 2020 elections
By Thomas Brent