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This week’s stories explore new territories and map new dimensions of ASEAN, as shifting populations, international collaborations and major political events bring new perspectives on both topographical and social landscapes.
As the next meeting of global watchdog the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in March draws nearer, Cambodia’s financial ranking hangs in the balance. Triggered by a spread in online gambling and increased exposure to money-laundering, the Kingdom was placed on the FATF grey list in 2019, impacting the country’s reputation as an international investment hub. As business experts and policy leaders wait for a potential delisting, Globe’s Stew Post discusses Cambodia’s progress on the FATF action plan and if underlying corruption could undermine its development.
The intertwining landscape of international trade networks might be on the minds of economic leaders this week as the ambitious and short-lived Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) marks two significant anniversaries. Globe’s Andrew Haffner examines the agreement’s ambitions, the political climate that birthed it, and how it continues to exert influence in resurrected form.
Economic development and shifting populations are some of Terence Teo’s longstanding passions. Now the associate professor of political science and public affairs has channelled these interests into a series of unique high-definition maps. Globe’s Andrew Haffner spoke to Teo in an exclusive interview about the stories behind the data and shares his arresting visual depictions mapping ASEAN’s millions.
Space – for – Earth technologies could also provide new perspectives on ASEAN’s shifting landscapes. The burgeoning sector holds potential for a number of important EU- ASEAN collaborations but, as Riccardo Corraddo, assistant professor at the American University in Phnom Penh reports, these partnerships rely on effective data and knowledge sharing.
Thailand’s upcoming general election in May is paving an uncertain ground for the Kingdom’s democracy and shining a light on cracks in its military regime. As the daughter of a former prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra looks to lead her party Pheu Thai to a successful comeback, rifts between Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha and Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan are threatening the military’s united front. Napon Jatusripitak discusses the questions and conflicts that hang over the country’s political future.
