In Asia: Weekly Insight and Features from Asia

From 2002 to 2006, The Asia Foundation implemented a series of exchanges for 80 promising young professionals from Southeast Asia and the United States to help develop a better understanding of one another’s region. This program was initiated by the Foundation because of concern that fewer Americans had been involved with Southeast Asia since the [...]

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Historically, the idea of piracy carries with it a romantic image of sailing ships, handsome swashbucklers like Errol Flynn, and Jolly Roger flags. But in recent years maritime piracy has become a security problem of substantial proportions. Attacks of late have most notably occurred off the Coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden, [...]

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Today, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attends the ASEAN Regional Forum in Phuket, Thailand. Established in 1994, the forum is an official, multilateral dialogue of 27 countries to address peace and security issues in the Asia-Pacific region. ASEAN realized if it was to remain relevant in the post-Cold War era, it would need to [...]

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This is normally a time of celebration in Thailand. This week is Thailand’s New Year, known as “Songkran.” The holiday falls during the hottest time of the year, where people celebrate the spiritual aspects of water and renewal, but it is also a time to visit family and friends. Some people make New Year resolutions, [...]

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Last weekend, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) held its 14th Summit in Cha-am, Thailand. This was the first summit since the ratification of the ASEAN Charter in December 2008, making the group a rules-based organization and committing it to principles of good governance, rule of law, and the protection of human rights for [...]

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Less than a month after taking the oath of office, President Barack Obama has shown he wants to engage with Asia in a serious, meaningful way. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s first overseas trip is not to Europe or the Middle East, but to Asia. Her high-profile, week-long trip to Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, and [...]

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When I visited Dhaka last weekend, I arrived a few hours prior to the last prayer of the “Biswa Ijtema,” the world’s second largest annual Muslim congregation after the “Haj” in Saudi Arabia. Two million Muslims attended the three-day assembly where devotees primarily prayed for the welfare of the Muslim community. However, the final prayer [...]

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The United States and Thailand share much in common at present: both have new governments; their leaders, Barack Obama and Abhisit Vijajajiva, are youthful, possess international backgrounds, and are leaders of their respective Democrat Parties. Both President Obama and Prime Minister Abhisit are trying to implement controversial stimulus packages to jump-start their economies. Their respective [...]

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For one week, a group of anti-government protestors, known as the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), occupied Thailand’s two major airports in Bangkok. The PAD’s major demand was for Prime Minister Somchai Wonsawat and his cabinet to resign. The taking over of the airport wreaked havoc for over 100,000 passengers trying to leave the country [...]

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Earlier this week Thailand’s Supreme Court found former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra guilty on charges of abuse of power.  Although one protester occupying Government House proclaimed “we won!” upon hearing the Supreme Court’s ruling, the fact is the country’s political paralysis remains.  Tensions are indeed mounting.  Last week Thai army chief, General Anupong Paochinda, [...]

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