By Nguyen Van Linh
Hanoi-based correspondent covering ASEAN, the Mekong, the South China Sea and the archipelagic region.
Indonesia's Free Meals Program: From Nutrition to Patronage Feeding Frenzy
The dismissal of Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency chief and a raid by prosecutors exposed deep governance failures in President Prabowo
Myanmar's Junta 'Comeback' Narrative Crumbles Under Scrutiny
Myanmar's junta claims a comeback, but territorial control is limited to 21% of the country. Governance remains fractured, and reliance on a
Rupiah's Plunge Pushes Indonesia's Manufacturers to the Brink
The rupiah fell to a record low of over 18,155 per dollar, triggering a 4% stock index drop. Foreign investors have sold $422 million in bon
Trafficking Horror as Entertainment: The Moral Economy of 'Blood Money'
Jade Flame's 'Blood Money: Lethal Eden' lets players experience a trafficking victim's ordeal for $8.99. Survivors and critics say it commod
‘Pig Feast’ Documentary Exposes Jakarta’s Land Grab in Papua
The film 'Pesta Babi' documents the collision between Jakarta's national food security agenda and indigenous communities in South Papua. It
Indonesia's Rupiah Crisis: Beyond the Dollar, a Story of Policy Missteps and Structural Strains
The rupiah's slide past 17,000 per dollar recalls the 1997-98 crisis. Bank Indonesia's delayed rate hikes and loose liquidity fueled capital
US closes loophole used by Chinese firms to buy Nvidia GPUs via Southeast Asia
Washington has clarified that export licenses are required for advanced Nvidia chips destined for any entity ultimately owned by a Chinese p
Why Cambodia Should Join the CPTPP: Credibility, Reform, and Long-Term Growth
As Cambodia prepares to lose preferential trade access by 2029, joining the CPTPP offers a path to credibility and institutional reform. The
Indonesia's '10 New Balis' Dream Turns Into a Development Nightmare
Indonesia's '10 New Balis' initiative aimed to spread tourism wealth beyond Bali but has been scaled back to five super-priority destination
Zhang Zeduan's Qingming Scroll: A 12th-Century Portrait of Urban Anxiety
Zhang Zeduan's scroll depicts Kaifeng's bustling Bian River, where a near-accident at a bridge exposes the fragility of a medieval metropoli
Capital Flight and Trade Fraud Keep Indonesia's Rupiah Under Siege
Indonesia's trade surpluses from commodity exports rarely strengthen the rupiah due to persistent capital flight. Export under-invoicing and
USTR's Vietnam IP Designation Misreads Reform as Failure
The USTR designated Vietnam a Priority Foreign Country for IP, skipping intermediate tiers. Vietnam's enforcement capacity collapsed during