Showing 1 - 10 of 35
Thailand's responses to Board of Peace
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 27/01/2026
» US President Donald Trump's invitation to Thailand to join the Board of Peace (BOP) has elicited three distinct responses. The first two are succinct and clear in their rationale. The third, however, is more nuanced -- and notable for its ambivalence.
Timor-Leste finally joins the Asean fold
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 14/10/2025
» Timor-Leste will be made a full member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) on Oct 26. President José Ramos-Horta of Timor-Leste often joked that joining Asean was more difficult than going to heaven. Not anymore.
Malaysia's Asean chair with a twist
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 24/12/2024
» Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has displayed his political astuteness by appointing former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to his advisory team. The decision reflects his understanding of regional traits and dynamics, where former leaders and influential figures can hold sway over multifaceted regional outlooks.
Key issues to watch at Asean summits
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 01/10/2024
» As Asean leaders converge in Vientiane next week for their summits, which will be held from Oct 6-11, the international community faces uncertainties about what will happen next month.
Rebooting the Asean Regional Forum
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 23/07/2024
» When Asean foreign ministers met in Singapore in 1994, they all concurred that dialogue and consultations on political and security issues among major powers and Asean members would be essential in preserving peace and stability in the Asean region. A year later, the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) held its inaugural meeting, which took place in Bangkok and had 18 members, including the Asean 10.
Lao PDR is ready for Asean challenges
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 26/12/2023
» Starting Jan 1, Lao PDR will officially take over the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). This comes at a critical time as uncertainty increases regionally and globally. The growing competition among major powers has already had chilling effects on the region and beyond, never mind the ongoing issues of climate change and supply chain crises. Taking the helm for the third time, Vientiane will have to be proactive due to the urgency of such challenges.
Asean's response to Israel-Hamas war
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 17/10/2023
» More than ever before, the current Israeli-Hamas war has revealed the starkly different positions and views held by the 10 Asean members towards the abiding conflict in the Middle East. Asean has not issued a joint statement over the brutal attacks by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which launched a large-scale offensive from the Gaza Strip on southern Israel on Oct 7.
Dealing with the crisis in Myanmar
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 26/09/2023
» Since Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin came to power, the country's profile has been raised regionally and internationally.
Asean summit forges fresh strategies
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 05/09/2023
» With its theme "Asean Matters: Epicentrum of economic growth", the Indonesian chair has raised the Asean playing field to an unprecedented level, especially as the bloc has to engage with a new geopolitical and geoeconomic landscape. That helps explain why Indonesian President Joko Widodo or Jokowi has to reiterate that Asean needs an extraordinary tactical strategy to face the current global turmoil when he met on Friday with a group of high-level Asean businessmen and investors.
Asean broadens its geopolitical profile
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 18/07/2023
» Asean's geopolitical profile has significantly expanded under Indonesia's chairmanship, especially regarding the bloc's external relations with the great powers. Jakarta might be found wanting in its addressing of the Myanmar crisis, but that's understandable given the complexity of the stakeholders involved both on the battlefield and beyond.