These should be good economic times for ASEAN nations

Philip Bowring writes in the IHT:

Asean's 10 members have all benefited from the commodity price boom. Four are significant net energy exporters - Indonesia (coal and gas), Malaysia (oil and gas), Vietnam (oil and coal), Myanmar (gas). Among food commodities, Indonesia and Malaysia dominate global palm oil; Thailand and Vietnam, rice exports. The region is a major provider of such booming items as coffee, rubber, sugar and seafood. Even the resource-poor Philippines has benefited from a surge in remittances from its overseas workers in oil rich regions, and Singapore is prospering as an oil sector intermediary and a safe haven for its neighbors' money.

These good times have been showing up in foreign exchange surpluses and steady economic growth. But a sense of impermanence is growing as populations fret about inflation, and local investors prefer to guard their wealth rather than take on long-term commitments, despite the desire of sovereign wealth funds to focus more resources on the region

Of course, political circumstances -- notably in Thailand and Malaysia -- help to explain why the region is not reaping the full benefits of some highly favorable economic circumstances.

Cambodian blogger's perspective on temple dispute

Harry McKinnon blogs:

I am a Cambodian and may be biased. Personally, though, it is hard to see Thailand's troop deployment as anything but provocative coming especially on the heel of the recognition of the temple as a Cambodian World Heritage site. Thai troops were sent after three Thai protesters were arrested for illegally crossing the border into the temple area. But that is no warrant for such a highly visible show of force by the Thai side. Is it not the right of a sovereign nation to detain those who infiltrate its border without permission? Reverse the scenario and there is little doubt how Thailand would act. It would just as soon arrest Cambodians who enter its territory illegally.

More on the dispute at Jotman.com.