New Mandala

New perspectives on mainland Southeast Asia

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Entries Tagged as 'Trans-Border Issues'

No FEER

October 28th, 2009 by Nicholas Farrelly · 2 Comments

When this correspondent stepped off the plane in the mid-1990s to begin a reporting life in Asia, the Far Eastern Economic Review was the most successful regional current-affairs magazine in the world. In Asia it was revered for the calibre of its reporters, for its analysis of politics and business and, especially, for getting up [...]

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Tags: Media · Trans-Border Issues

Beyond brittle Burma boycotts

October 28th, 2009 by Nicholas Farrelly · 6 Comments

David Scott Mathieson, the Human Rights Watch “Burma-watcher”, has written an essay on Australian approaches to Burma.  From certain perspectives I expect this would be considered a parochial matter. But my sense is that the current debate here in Australia around, crudely, “sanctions” and “engagement” is one that speaks to the wider yearning for a [...]

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Tags: Aung San Suu Kyi · Burma · Economics · Militaries · Than Shwe · Trans-Border Issues

Thai Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn in Australia

October 23rd, 2009 by Nicholas Farrelly · 2 Comments

The National Archives of Australia have substantial holdings on Thai Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn’s years in Australia.  One of the files is “Closed”, some are currently “Withheld pending agency advice” or “Not yet examined”, and others are “Open”.  The archival material covers the Crown Prince’s initial time at the King’s School in Sydney and his training [...]

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Tags: History · Royal family · Thailand · Trans-Border Issues

To be a fly on the wall

October 21st, 2009 by Nicholas Farrelly · Add a Comment

The Asean summit will be the first occasion the Burmese junta’s Prime Minister, Thein Sein, can meet exile Burmese CSOs [Civil Society Organizations]. Thein Sein will meet with nine other Asean leaders on October 23.
Thein Sein threatened to boycott the last Asean meeting if Thailand proposed Burmese exile groups have a representative at the Asean [...]

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Tags: ASEAN · Burma · Militaries · Trans-Border Issues

Professor Dr. Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol

October 19th, 2009 by Nicholas Farrelly · 4 Comments

Over at Political Prisoners in Thailand there is a forensic analysis of Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol’s academic career.  The analysis was motivated by the recent award of the Windaus Medal to the princess.  New Mandala readers with interests in academic politics or royal careers will probably find the treatment instructive.

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Tags: Education · Royal family · Thailand · Trans-Border Issues

More on King Bhumibol’s health

October 16th, 2009 by Nicholas Farrelly · 21 Comments

If you are inclined to follow the rumours about King Bhumibol’s health then you could do worse than start with the meaty synthesis put together by Political Prisoners in Thailand. It includes all of the key sources.
In response to this style of coverage, the editorial team of The Nation has come out firing.  They have [...]

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Tags: Media · Royal family · Thailand · Trans-Border Issues

Mekong couture

October 14th, 2009 by Nicholas Farrelly · Add a Comment

£876.65? The highlands meet high fashion?  Any takers?

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Tags: Economics · The Mekong · Trans-Border Issues

Rethinking the Burmese sanctions

October 12th, 2009 by Nicholas Farrelly · 2 Comments

On Saturday I had an article in The Canberra Times that surveys Burma policy and the ongoing sanctions debate.  A slightly revised version of the article is available here at Inside Story.  One of the key sections argues that:
On the one hand any such change in United States policy will be greeted as a victory [...]

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Tags: Aung San Suu Kyi · Burma · Elections · Than Shwe · Trans-Border Issues

Asian Borderlands: Enclosure, Interaction and Transformation

October 5th, 2009 by Nicholas Farrelly · Add a Comment

New Mandala readers will be interested in the following announcement for the 2nd Conference of the Asian Borderlands Research Network.  The first of these conferences was held in 2008 in Guwahati, northeast India.  It was a very worthwhile conference and I imagine that the Chiang Mai iteration will be similarly good.
The details are:
Asian Borderlands: Enclosure, Interaction and Transformation [...]

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Tags: Bangladesh · Bhutan · Burma · China · Conferences · India · Laos · Thailand · Trans-Border Issues · Vietnam

Hmong studies professor for University of Wisconsin – Madison

October 2nd, 2009 by Nicholas Farrelly · Add a Comment

We rarely post job advertisements on New Mandala but given the very specific nature of this position, and our niche in mainland Southeast Asian Studies, I thought it best to make an exception.  I expect that for the right candidate this would be an amazing opportunity.
The advertisement sets out all of the details:
The University of [...]

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Tags: Asian Studies · China · Laos · Northern Thailand · The Mekong · Trans-Border Issues