Structure and Agency in Thai Military Politics
Thailand’s current protests have dragged a pleasure-seeking monarch away from his Bavarian retreat and into the heart of national politics as he stumblingly ventures out of royal compounds for selfies and overexuberant adoration from bused in crowds. Thus far, hard power has not been fully deployed against the demonstrators and the military’s role in all this remains unclear. The military must be brought under more coherent leadership before Thai praetorian...
Indonesia’s Democratic Regression & West Papuan Resistance
While the human rights situation in Indonesia at large – and particularly in West Papua – has worsened, there is increased state repression towards civil society actors and journalists. Furthermore, strong identity politics, cultural intolerance, and religious fundamentalism have risen, resulting in discrimination and violence against vulnerable social groups including women.
Thailand’s King: Above and Beyond Politics
Why are the people of Thailand rising up against this king today when the previous one drastically restricted Thai democracy?
Our ASEAN Region has Flawed Democracies, Not Full Democracies
Former Malaysian cabinet member and MP Tan Sri Sayed Hamid Albar talks to FORSEA on the state of democratization in his native country, and across the region.
Boston Rally in Support of Pro Democracy Protesters in Thailand
The clash between living god’s notions and basic human rights does not only lead to many dilemmas in Thailand, but there are also struggles in the Thai community over the nation’s border, like what has taken place in the Thai community in Boston, USA.
Thai Royalty Attack on Exiled Critic
In cyberspace, the Thai Palace and its proxies are taking an aggressive approach. But this approach will eventually be counterproductive, since social media users today, mostly in their youths, have access to alternative information about the monarchy and refuse to be “brainwashed” by the state, like their predecessors.
Democratization in Malaysia in particular and Southeast Asian region in general
The British-trained international law scholar, politician and humanitarian Tan Sri Dr Syed Hamid Albar with decades of experience in government and international politics will share his thoughts on Malaysia's stalled democratization and the state of democratization in the region.
Beyond Trump: A Political Economy of American Power in the Asia-Pacific
Private corporations and public institutions in the US have pursued fairly consistent policy-level linkages with Asian-Pacific nations that seek to preserve American geostrategic dominance in this highly important area. Institutional power thus limits the impact of political change.
Renowned Thai Scholar and Veteran Dissident of 1976 Democratic Uprising Speaks to FORSEA
Against the backdrop of the current framing of protests as “unprecedented” in the way they publicly and frontally criticise the Thai monarchy and the monarch himself, Thongchai reminds us that it was only 2 or 3 generations ago that the public in the kingdom were able to openly talk about the monarchy, critically or not.
FORSEA Dialogue on Democratic Movements across Southeast Asia
Thongchai Winichakul, one of the world's best known scholars on Thailand and Southeast Asia and a prominent student leader from the 1976 Democratic Uprisings at Thammasat University in Bangkok will offer a historical overview of Thai people's struggles for democracy and freedom.