Criminal cyber libel and online defamation laws across Southeast Asia raise concerns about freedom of expression, press freedom, and foreign investment. With particular attention to the Philippines, this analysis examines how criminal penalties, legal disputes,…
Southeast Asia is becoming a major geography of artificial intelligence, with Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines competing for data centers, hyperscaler investment, computing capacity, and greater control over AI development.
Surveys that ask voters, “were you offered money or goods for your vote?” put Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia at the high (most widespread) end in Southeast Asia. A Transparency International Global Corruption Barometer round…
PLAGUED WITH POWER OUTAGES THAT ARE GETTING WORSE, WHY HAS ASEAN CHOSEN TO STEER CLEAR OF NUCLEAR POWER?
Japan has 15 operable nuclear powerplants, providing nearly 10% of all electricity throughout the country. China has…
The Philippines proudly ranked 65th in the 2026 Atlas of Impunity, high-fiving itself for staying competitive in the regional “nothing ever happens to anyone” league while trailing only the true professionals of chaos. Officials celebrated…
The Absence of Jury Systems in ASEAN Nations and the Case for Selective Reintroduction in Contemporary Democracies
Forget the nonstop “Trump, Trump, Trump!!” screams and click-baiting in America; Southeast Asia also knows how to produce good political theater. Lately the region’s ancient gods and goddesses appear to have grown bored with the…
Former U.S. Mayor Pleads Guilty to “Just Being a Very Enthusiastic Fan of Beijing”.
Chinese Communist Party propaganda, influence and infiltration is ubiquitous, worldwide. One of the most egregious examples of how far Beijing is…
Political polling and public opinion surveys are essential tools for gauging citizen preferences in democratic societies. However, in hybrid and authoritarian-leaning contexts within ASEAN – particularly the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Indonesia – standard…
Contrary to assertions of brotherly love made by the Philippine Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China (PCPPRC) toward citizens of the Orient Pearl Archipelago, it seems that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)…
