• SUVANNABHUMI
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.57-90
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• 2023

China launched the Digital Silk Road (DSR) in 2015 as part of the existing Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to expand its influence in digital and technological development across Asia, Europe, and Africa. Southeast Asia is one of the key targets of the Digital Silk Road due to its geographical proximity to China and the rapid growth of the digital sphere. Although the DSR opens several potential opportunities for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states to foster the digitalization process in the region, how each country reacts to projects under the DSR is varied. Secondly, Vietnam is the only ASEAN member state that has not signed any official agreement under the BRI framework, and thirdly, Vietnam opted out of Huawei technology. This paper aims to understand the perspective of Vietnam and how Vietnam has responded to the growing technological presence of China in Southeast Asia until 2021. By using qualitative methods, the author argues that the DSR has allowed Beijing to overcome the limitations of the original strategy, BRI, and strengthen its influence in the field of information and communication technologies, particularly fifth-generation (5G) telecommunications. Furthermore, the paper examines Vietnam's digital development and digital diplomacy and how the Vietnamese government has responded to DSR projects. In light of both the potential threats and economic benefits that the DSR has brought to Vietnam and Southeast Asian countries, in the last section, the policy implications for cooperation are discussed.

• Asian review of World Histories
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.147-167
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• 2014

The urban modernity that became an irresistible model for elites in Asia in the decades before and after 1900 was far from being gender-neutral. It represented an exceptional peak of patriarchy in its exclusion of respectable middle class women from the work force, from ownership and control of property and from politics. Marriage was indissoluble and the wife's role in the male-headed nuclear family was to care for and educate the abundant children she produced. Puritan religious values underlined the perils for women of falling outside this pattern of dependence on the male. Though upheld as modern and civilized, this ideal was in particularly striking contrast with the pre-colonial Southeast Asian pattern of economic autonomy and balance between women and men, and the relative ease of female-initiated divorce. Although attractive to many western-educated Southeast Asian men, including religious reformers determined to 'save' and domesticate women, urban respectability of this type was a poor fit for women accustomed to dominant roles in commerce and marketing, and at least equal ones in production. Southeast Asian relative failure in the high colonial era to adapt to the modern market economy may also have a gendered explanation. We should not be surprised that patriarchy and puritanism became more important in Southeast Asia as it urbanized in the late 20th Century, since this was echoing the European experience a century earlier. The question remains how far Southeast Asia could retain its relatively balanced gender pattern in face of its eventual rapid urbanization and commercial development.

• The Southeast Asian review
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.147-182
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to examine the population changes in the nine Southeast Asian countries, including Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Philippine, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Vietnam, and Thailand. According to the demographic transition theory which described the transition from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates, the demographic changes in less developed countries, including the Southeast Asian countries, follow the general pattern of the population changes that the Western countries had experienced. However, this theory does not consider the fact that the demographic behaviors such as fertility and mortality tend to be ethnocentric (or particular). Therefore, I examine in this paper both the generality and particularity of the population changes in the Southeast Asia . The analytic results are consistent with my assumptions. Every country in the Southeast Asia will soon reach the third phrase of the demographic transition and meet population ageing process. However, the timings arriving at the third phrase can differ. Singapore which is the most developed country had firstly passed through the demographic transition and the highest level of population ageing. Cambodia and Lao People's Democratic Republic, the least developed countries, will lastly arrive at the third phrase and the ageing society. In addition, among the three countries which had experienced war or civil war, only Cambodia had experienced babyboom.

• SUVANNABHUMI
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.215-228
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• 2018

The paper provides an appreciation and critical commentary on Stephen Keck's fictional product, the SEABOT. It examines the problems of regional definition, given Southeast Asia's diversity, and provides a positive gloss on this diversity. It also considers certain conceptual and methodological issues raised by SEABOT, and the advantages and disadvantages of this online platform.

• The Southeast Asian review
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.93-135
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• 2011

Vietnamese scholars contend that they have developed Southeast Asian studies viewing Southeast Asia as both a geographical entity with a long history and cultural tradition and a strategic region for modern development. This study has traced the construction of Southeast Asian studies as an academic discipline in Vietnam through the studies and arguments of Vietnamese scholars. It has put primary focus on the institutionalization of Southeast Asian studies, taking note of the assessment and perceptions of Vietnamese scholars. It also looked into the construction and limitations of Southeast Asian studies in Vietnam, which advocates Southeast Asian Studies as interdisciplinary area studies, with stressing of the origin of indigenous studies. The major contents of this study include: First, a historic overview of the institutionalization of Southeast Asian studies centering on research institutions of Southeast Asian studies in Vietnam, Second, the perceptions of Southeast Asian studies inside Vietnam and the inside evaluation of the effort to indigenize Southeast Asian studies. This study took note of Vietnamese scholars' perceptions and assessment of Southeast Asian studies performed by outsiders, primarily by Western scholars; the perceptions and evaluation of Southeast Asian studies conducted by Southeast Asian insiders; and the perceptions and evaluation of the origin of Southeast Asian studies indigenous to Vietnam. Last, it examined the construction and limitations of Southeast Asian studies in Vietnam, which advocates the studies as interdisciplinary regional studies.

• SUVANNABHUMI
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.89-103
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• 2015

Over the last decade, the field of Southeast Asian Studies has been inundated with issues of its "territory" (or the definition of what comprises Southeast Asia), relevance and future. The methodology of approaching Southeast Asian Studies has also come under constant scrutiny providing much fodder for debate. One significant suggestion was that the field of Southeast Asian Studies should "break out of the comfort zone" (Van Schendel, Bijdragen, 2012:168(4)). This paper will explore some of the ways of approaching Southeast Asian Studies beyond that comfort zone by examining other/alternative units of studying Southeast Asia in place of the traditional (or statist) perspectives that tend to confine the field within the scope of the national/nation-state boundaries. The paper will also provide some personal observations of the author on the current state and limitations to teaching and researching Southeast Asian Studies in the region.

• SUVANNABHUMI
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.35-49
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• 2017

This paper will concentrate on how various particular Southeast Asian conditions created a distinct Southeast Asian cultural identity despite a very challenging geographical and historical diversity in the region. The paper will argue that Southeast Asians demonstrate an ability to adapt to changes and new values but also exhibit fatalism through a very high degree of passive acceptance to political and other changes that affect their society. The paper identifies a degree of environmental and geographical uniqueness in Southeast Asia that shapes context and gives rise to very distinct cultural traits. The historical transformation in the region brought about by colonialism and nationalism, combined with this geographical and political make-up of the region, had an immense impact on Southeast Asian society as it fostered adaptability. Finally, the political transitions brought about by various conflicts and wars that continued to affect the area in rapid succession all throughout the 20^th century likewise contributed immensely to a local Southeast Asian fatalistic response towards change. Historically, Southeast Asia demonstrated these socio-cultural responses to such an extent that these are argued to permeate the region forming a distinct aspect of Southeast Asian culture.

• Proceeding of Spring/Autumn Annual Conference of KHA
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.55-58
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• 2009

Traditional pile-buildings in Southeast Asia has high utility. Their floors are lifted above the ground to stave off humidity in the house, increase the amenity and hygienic condition, fend off fierce animals or harmful animals like rat, and protect the house from being submerged in flood waters. Such traditional pile-buildings have Austronesian saddle-backed roof commonly, and are built through various techniques such as joining and mortising, without use of nails. The roof has a considerably large proportional appearance, and for this formal characteristics, the roof is symbolized as boat on occasions. The roof has dual structures or is lifted in some cases to facilitate the ventilation, and the wall is formed to maximize the ventilation. This housing types the hierarchy of foundation, housing space, and roof, which implies religious symbolism that human is above animal and God is above human. However, housing types in Southeast Asia have very different detailed form and culture, depending on the ethnic and religious characteristics. As explained above, this study examines the common aspects and diversity based on the form and culture of traditional housing of Southeast Asia and provides useful basic academic data.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.107-119
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• 2019

This paper examines the impact of financial integration on economic growth in Southeast Asia over the period 1993-2013. This paper further investigates whether the relationship depends on the level of financial and economic development, government corruption, and macroeconomic policy. These questions raise important issues both from a theoretical and a policy perspective. We employ the generalized methods of moment (GMM) in the dynamic panel estimation framework to analyse several factors, including initial income, initial schooling, financial development, inflation, trade openness, corruption, and financial crisis. The study further analyzes the data using the EGLS model to examine the consistency of the GMM model. We found that financial integration has a significant positive effect on economic growth in Southeast Asia. Our findings suggest that increasing financial integration could improve the productive capacity of the economy, including more investments and efficient allocation of capital, and thus enhancing economic growth in this region. More specifically, the results suggest that the government should work towards eliminating corruption and stabilizing macroeconomics in order to enhance financial integration and economic growth. This paper sheds new insights on a better evaluation of the past and present theorizing on the subject of financial integration and economic growth; especially, in Southeast Asia.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.79-95
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• 2023

An onshore dismantling yard is an important part in the supply chain of the offshore oil and gas decommissioning industry. However, despite having more than 500 offshore structures to be decommissioned in the Southeast Asia region, there are a very limited number of well-equipped dismantling yards to fully execute the onshore dismantling. Recent investigations discovered that shipbuilding and offshore structure fabrication yards are still potential options for upgrades to include dismantling. Despite the huge potential opportunities from upgrading to dismantling, research studies on this area are relatively scarce, and most past studies mainly focused on the North Sea region. To date, the potential opportunities of Southeast Asia and Malaysia yards to develop onshore dismantling capability are still unclear. The aim of this study is to identify the criteria to develop a technical preparedness checklist to evaluate an onshore dismantling yard; consequently, this will assist with assessing and bridging the gaps and identify the opportunity of developing an onshore dismantling yard in Southeast Asia region. Requirements for onshore dismantling and related rules and regulations have been investigated and summarized in the form of checklist. Findings from this study can help local oil and gas operators to pursue more local solutions and resilient supply chain performance.