CAFTA Angst, Indonesian Strength, and the Mekong Drip
March 24, 2010 5 min. read

CAFTA: This site recently discussed the growing angst of citizens in several Southeast Asian nations in regard to CAFTA.  Asia Times is currently running an article addressing some specific areas of contention in detail. Touted as the world’s biggest free-trade area, CAFTA will bring together 1.7 million consumers with a combined gross domestic product of […]

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Red Shirts Strike Back and More CAFTA Blues
March 16, 2010 3 min. read

Thailand:  Since the weekend, 120,000 to 250,000 Red Shirts have concentrated on Bangkok, demanding that Thai PM Abhisit dissolve Parliament and call for new elections, which they believe will usher the opposition into a majority, and hopefully signal the return of ousted and exiled Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra.  By Monday, the Red Shirts had succeeded […]

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Abu Sayyaf Strikes Back, More Sen-Rainsy Drama, and Sino-Indo Trade Backlash in the News
March 2, 2010 3 min. read

Indonesia:  As an update to the growing  backlash in SE Asia over the China-ASEAN FTA,  the Berita Jakarta is already blaming the FTA on a decline in exports from Jakarta: It can be seen from the decline in the city’s export value by 4.80 percent or US$ 2.828 billion in January this year, from that […]

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In the Shadow of the Dragon: Free Trade With China A Win-Win?
January 24, 2010 3 min. read
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This blog previously commented on rising opposition to and grumbling over the China – ASEAN Free Trade Agreement in Southeast Asia, which went into effect on 90 percent of products, on January 1, 2010   Times Magazine Online has an article concerning more of the downsides of the FTA.   For example, Indonesian Trade Minister, Mari […]

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Racialism in Malaysia, Recession in Laos, and Other News
August 19, 2009 4 min. read

-Najib Razak’s  United Malays National Organization (UMNO) is fanning racial flames in an attempt to shore up power for its National Front Coalition.   Although Najib came to office promising to be more inclusive of minorities, recent electoral pressure from the opposition People’s Alliance has prompted a change in strategy.  Analyst believe the UMNO wants […]

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