Editor’s Note
by Karen David, Lead Editor - Pacific Corridor Desk
This week in the Pacific Corridor, we roll out the red carpet as we take a look at two of the region’s most high-profile and powerful families. In Vietnam, Thailand’s royal family makes a rare State Visit to Hanoi. But just beneath the pomp and circumstance of this royal affair, there lies the nitty-gritty goal of strengthening the economic ties between Vietnam and Thailand.
In the Philippines, the September 21 anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law has stirred not-so-distant memories of the Marcos political dynasty. With another Marcos as President, debates and discussions abound on the all-too-familiar topic of corruption. Can the current Marcos live up to his aspiration as an anti-corruption reformer, or is he all talk?
Away from the spotlight, in Timor-Leste, a growing wave of scam call center operations has brought growing concern — especially when the mastermind has yet to be found. Singapore is facing much the same conundrum: we take a look back to the start of the year, with the city-state confronting its own rise in scams.
Vietnam 🇻🇳
Beyond the Pageantry
by Tri Vo, in Ho Chi Minh City
Amidst the intensifying geopolitical contention within and without Southeast Asia, regional integration on a country-to-country basis is rapidly emerging as an effective countermeasure against the undulating waves of instability. Such a geopolitical chess move is being made under the spectacle of normal diplomatic engagements, under all the pomp and circumstance of international relations.
From 14 to 16 September, Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida embarked on a historic State Visit to Hanoi, marking the first such royal visit since the two nations established relations 50 years ago in 1976. While the ceremonial aspects of the trip heavily highlighted the diplomatic banality of deepening political trust and cultural affinity, the in-depth agenda, one that was out of sight and out of mind of the media as a whole, was firmly grounded in structural economic alignment. Indeed, beyond the outward pageantry, the visit was meant to accelerate the upgrade of Thailand–Vietnam bilateral relations into the tier of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, thus binding the ties between the two nations ever more tightly.
The primary economic mandate of this partnership is the rapid and sustainable expansion of bilateral trade. In 2025, bilateral trade reached a mark of nearly US$22.1 billion. With such powerful momentum at their backs, policymakers from both Bangkok and Hanoi have eyed an aggressive immediate goal of US$25 billion. Yet, the sky has proved to be the limit even with so lofty a figure. Even as commercial relations are running red hot, diplomats and trade officials are actively laying the groundwork to push this figure toward an even more ambitious ballpark of US$50 billion in the longer term.
To achieve these massive trade volumes, Hanoi and Bangkok are rapidly implementing the “Three Connects” strategy. This framework targets the physical and institutional integration of supply chains, the alignment of grassroots business operations, and synchronized sustainable development strategies. Crucially, such a strategy is moving far beyond just trade. Recent high-level commercial exchanges have explicitly propounded bilateral cooperation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing, and biotechnology. Thailand has also offered to share its advanced capabilities in space technology and satellite utilization, further strengthening the economic ties between the two nations, not just on a superficial surface of ever-rising trade figures, but also on an even more meaningful level of engagement between the best and the brightest of both.
Ultimately, the Thai Royal Visit is not merely a commemoration of a fruitful 50-year relationship; it is a signal of two countries moving together, tying their bonds ever tighter under a more adverse milieu. As the world becomes more unstable, both nations are building mutual trust to the highest possible level, so that barriers may come undone, doubts may be unmade, and a new framework of partnership may emerge anew so that what will be is a Southeast Asia more interconnected and well-prepared to head off the challenges of the time. Such is the promise of deeper Vietnamese–Thai ties that it can serve as a stark reminder of the staying salience of bilateral relations within the larger bloc of ASEAN to act as a bedrock for group-wise solidarity.
Tri has experience in management consulting and strategy, having worked with institutions such as the UNDP, The Asia Group, and ARC Group. He has provided strategic, legal, and operational insights to clients in sectors including manufacturing, energy, and technology. He holds both academic and professional experience related to Southeast and East Asia, with a focus on regional development and policy.
The Philippines 🇵🇭
The Dynasty That Outlived the Dictatorship
by Eduardo G. Fajermo Jr., in Angeles City
The Philippines did not celebrate Martial Law on 21 September 2026. It commemorated its victims by confronting its unfinished reckoning with power. Marches in Manila and Iloilo City tied the dictatorship’s legacy to alleged corruption in flood control projects and to the dynastic system protesters say protects impunity.
The symbolism was unavoidable: Ferdinand Marcos Jr., son of the former dictator, was the president receiving those demands. His father’s formal military rule lasted from 1972 to 1981, and the Philippine government later recognized 11,103 victims eligible for reparations for killings, disappearances, torture, and arbitrary detention.
The immediate grievance was the continuing controversy over failed or allegedly nonexistent flood control projects, which had already triggered major demonstrations in 2025. Progressive organization Sanlakas said protesters refused to forget both the horrors of Martial Law and the “impunity of corruption” exposed by the scandal.
In Iloilo, remembrance became a direct challenge to inherited political power. Former legislator Raoul Manuel argued that replacing individual officials would not repair a system that passes public office between relatives, while Jaro Archbishop Midyphil Billones urged Filipinos not merely to move on, but to “move forward” carrying history’s lessons.
Days earlier, the Supreme Court unanimously held that Congress has a constitutional duty to enact an anti-political dynasty law. Although the 1987 Constitution has mandated such a prohibition for nearly four decades and the House of Representatives approved a bill in June, no completed law had reached the president by the anniversary.
Political kinship is not proof of corruption, and a family name is not evidence of guilt. Yet when the same clans influence nominations, budgets, contractors, and succession, political competition narrows, oversight becomes personal, and citizens face formidable barriers to entering public life.
The historical connection between abuse and plunder is already written into Philippine law. The 2013 reparations statute allocated PHP10 billion, plus interest, from Swiss deposits adjudged by the Supreme Court to be ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses — using recovered assets to compensate victims of the same regime.
Corruption is therefore not simply money missing from a ledger. A ghost or substandard flood control project becomes a flooded home, a closed business, a missed wage, and a disrupted supply chain when the next typhoon arrives.
For ASEAN governments, investors and development partners, this is more than a Philippine political dispute. Corruption in one of the world’s most disaster-exposed states turns climate risk into preventable economic loss, weakens confidence in infrastructure spending, and undermines ASEAN’s aspiration to be a rules-based, people-centred community.
Marcos Jr. has attempted to place himself on the side of accountability. In July, he told Congress he was “not the president of my family,” while promising to pursue cases even when they touched allies or relatives. His cousin, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, has denied the allegations.
The Palace has also said Marcos respects peaceful protest and that investigations will continue regardless of political ties. Political scientist Jean Encinas-Franco supplied the appropriate standard: “Rhetoric is fine, but actions are better.”
The son is not legally responsible for the father’s crimes, but the president is politically responsible for whether today’s government makes power less hereditary, procurement more transparent, and accountability non-negotiable. That requires independent investigations, open contracts, protected whistleblowers, public tracking of infrastructure projects, and an anti-dynasty law capable of preventing both simultaneous family control and choreographed succession.
A democracy that remembers torture but tolerates plunder has learned only half the lesson. In 2026, “Never Again” must also mean never again allowing public office, public money, and public memory to be captured by the few.
Eduardo is a faculty member at Holy Angel University, where he teaches courses on Philippine history and contemporary global issues. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Political Science at the University of Santo Tomas, with a research focus on disaster governance, environmental politics, and the urban poor in the Philippines.
Timor-Leste 🇹🇱
Who is Behind the Scam Call Center Operations in Timor-Leste?
by Amandina Maria Helena da Silva, in Dili
The growing wave of scam call centers emerging across Timor-Leste is not merely a serious public concern — it is creating a deep political dilemma for the government, fueling growing speculation that some powerful figures within the ruling establishment may be protecting or supporting those behind these operations.
In July 2026 until now, Timor-Leste’s Scientific Criminal Investigation Police (PCIC), together with the National Strategic Intelligence Service, identified scam call center operations around the city of Dili, including in other municipalities like Oecusse and Liquiçá. Nearly 600 people were arrested during a police crackdown in Dili that was reported by ABC Australia — but not the mastermind.
In response to this case, the Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão directly accompanied the PCIC’ operations to dismantle and arrest the operator of these scam call centers. Through this operation, the Prime Minister also affirmed and declared that there is zero tolerance for the practice of illegal activities in Timor-Leste.
The discovery of scam call center operations in several parts of Timor-Leste has sparked growing public concern, with many people taking to social media and news sites to voice their views and raise questions. According to the director of human rights organization AJAR-TL, José Luis Oliveira, the growing invasion of online scam networks poses a serious threat to Timor-Leste’s future, including to the integrity and effectiveness of the country’s judicial system. Besides that, FRETILIN Secretary General Mari Alkatiri affirmed in Timor Post News that PM Xanana Gusmão should identify who facilitates foreign nationals to operate scam call centers in Timor-Leste — not just target operators who may themselves be victims.
Alongside the scam and mafia online operations flourishing in Timor-Leste, CNRT members in the National Parliament (PN) confirmed that they would sign a letter of political affirmation to ask PM Xanana Gusmão, as well as the CNRT Party President, to dismiss the President of the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira Alves, because the CNRT regrets that some political figures have been linked to the operation of scam call centers in the country.
The above situations have attracted the attention of everyone including civil society. As said by Luta Hamutuk in Journal Independent, this shows that CNRT wants to promote the Mafia to hold power. However, Rafa News reported that PM Xanana Gusmão confirmed that he will not dismiss Agio Pereira from his role as Presidency of the Council of Ministers.
This dynamic creates controversy and contradictions. At the same time, the defendants in online fraud cases totaling 141 allegedly fled the territory of Timor-Leste — but the Executive Director of the Migration Service Assistant Commissioner of Police Jorge Monteiro said that he has not received official information about these individuals.
This leaves people asking: how did the accused manage to leave without Immigration knowing? And who helped them escape? This is not just about a weak border system — it is about accountability. People deserve to know how this happened, who was responsible, and whether anyone will be held accountable. If not, we will sacrifice our sovereignty for the mafia to control.
Amandina is a human rights advocate working with Asia Justice and Rights Timor-Leste on the Interim Reparation to Women Survivors project. She previously worked with UNDP Timor-Leste’s Accelerator Lab and has contributed to human rights and health initiatives through several youth and civil society organisations. Her interests lie in justice, youth empowerment, and community-based social change in Timor-Leste.
Singapore 🇸🇬
Navigating Truth in the Modern Digital Age
by Jennifer Hui En Tan, in Singapore
Global connectivity through technological devices has grown rapidly throughout the last few decades. However, so have scam cases and online misinformation through the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and deepfake software, making media literacy more important than ever. In the first half of 2025 alone, Singaporeans reportedly lost SGD 456 million to scams; measures such as the Protection from Online Falsehood and Manipulation Act (POFMA) are thus put in place to protect Singaporeans against misinformation. Media literacy is essential to Singapore’s societal wellbeing and national security, ensuring that citizens are equipped to recognize and navigate digital threats.
The ability to perceive deception and false information online has proven to be more critical now more than ever. Scam cases have cost Singapore SGD 3.4 billion since 2019 and SGD 1.1 billion in 2024 alone. The overall rise and accessibility to AI has shifted the dynamic and forced individuals to be more attentive with the content they see, with three quarters of Singaporeans concerned with the rise of deepfakes used in scams. Beyond scams, the overall rise in AI and deepfakes have also caused a rise in the spread of misinformation. During the 2025 General Elections, experts cautioned Singaporeans against misinformation through foreign interference.
Singapore has identified and is working to target such concerns by encouraging media literacy and preventing cyber threats through a multitude of angles. The Media Literacy Council, supported by the Singapore Infocomm Media Development Authority, develops and supports initiatives under the Digital for Life Movement, a project aiming to expand digital skills and encourage informed digital use. Besides education, Singapore has pushed against scams by implementing stricter laws against scammers. Since 30 December 2025, Singapore has implemented mandatory caning for scammers and given authorities the power to freeze accounts related to such activities. The POFMA, which was passed in 2019, empowers authorities to issue correction directions, remove harmful content, and limit the spread of misleading information that could undermine public trust or social stability. These efforts reflect Singapore’s approach to fostering a safer digital environment for the state.
The rapid rise in misinformation and scams are highly relevant to ASEAN, as misinformation has become a regional challenge, which threatens political stability and social trust. For instance, in the Philippines, AI-generated disinformation has intensified political tensions, exemplified by the 15 July 2025 incident where a woman discovered fabricated videos of her deceased brother being circulated to discredit her and advance political agendas. Malaysia faces similar vulnerabilities, with political actors commonly weaponizing disinformation to damage opponents’ reputations. The persistent use of false information for political gain highlights Malaysia’s ongoing struggle with digital manipulation and underscores the broader regional need for stronger media literacy and cross-border cooperation against misinformation.
In sum, the rapid rise of misinformation and scams underscores the urgent need for stronger media literacy efforts in Singapore and across ASEAN. Singapore’s approach illustrates how states can strengthen societal resilience. Yet cases from the Philippines and Malaysia demonstrate that misinformation remains a shared regional challenge, capable of influencing politics, eroding trust, and destabilizing communities. As ASEAN becomes more digitally interconnected, cultivating a well-informed and discerning citizenry is essential to safeguarding national security, preserving social cohesion, and ensuring a safer digital future for the region.
Jennifer is a final-year International Relations student at the Singapore Institute of Management, where she focuses on political engagement, diplomacy, and community governance. She is an active volunteer in her constituency, working closely with residents to understand local concerns, facilitate dialogue, and support community initiatives.
Editorial Deadline 21/09/2025 11:59 PM (UTC +8)
