Fragile Remedy, Tempered Hope: Communities’ Stake amid the World Bank Accountability and IFC Safeguards Reviews Published: 1 October 2026 Article Development is a double-edged sword for developing countries such as the Philippines and Cambodia. While institutions like the World Bank Group (WBG) and their clients engage in business activities intended to drive growth, affected communities often bear the social and environmental costs and struggle to secure accountability and remedy. Ian Salvaña
Moken: Indigenous Rights, Structural Constraints in Policy-Making, and Responses to Thailand’s Landbridge Development Published: 17 August 2026 Article The Landbridge poses a serious threat to the Moken, whose Indigenous lifeways are deeply connected to the Andaman Sea. Their communities extend beyond Koh Phayam to Koh Lao and Koh Chang in Ranong, the Surin Islands in Phang Nga, and the waters where some continue to live at sea. Wipawadee Panyangnoi
Reimagining Southern Thailand: Geopolitical Ecology, Spatial Justice, and the Politics of the Landbridge Project Published: 23 July 2026 Article Rather than viewing Thailand’s Landbridge as a transport infrastructure project, this article reinterprets it as a political process of territorial restructuring in Southern Thailand. Wipawadee Panyangnoi
Financing the Transition, Silencing Defenders Published: 10 June 2026 Across Asia, the rush towards new energy projects — from renewables to “false solutions” — is increasing risks for communities and defenders who speak out against the harmful impacts of these projects.
Promoting Development through Shared Governance Strategies in Lao PDR Published: 20 August 2024 Article Non-state actors in Lao PDR are reshaping the single-party system through shared governance, blending local knowledge with expert guidance. Despite being in an "experimental phase," this approach is yielding positive impacts on natural resources and fostering new political dynamics. Phong A Huynh
Redefining Development and the Hidden Cost of Land Reclamation in Penang Published: 1 December 2019 Article Perhaps, the meaning of ‘development’ would only be reimagined and broadened when there is a tangible evidence showing that land creation doesn’t necessarily lead to the economic growth as promised. And that a less-orderly, poorer neighbourhood is not necessarily a place devoid of socioeconomic potential. It is commonly assumed that a society and its economic capacity will eventually fall into decay if it does not possess new land for capital to grow. Perhaps it is the lack of foresight and wisdom in the managing the existing land that has been the core problem. Evelyn Teh
Sliding down the Slippery Slopes of Unsustainability: Rampant Hill Development in Penang Published: 12 June 2019 Article The island of Penang, on the northwestern coast of Peninsular Malaysia has a very hilly topography. Almost 50% of land is hilly, and 39% is classified as Class III and above, having slopes more than 25⁰ in gradient. Underlain mainly by weathered granitic bedrock, this rugged topography has been a bane for development, as it presents a myriad of engineering and environmental challenges. What is fueling this rampant hill slope development and how is it impacting people's lives in Penang Island? This article seeks to explore these questions and look at what's the best way forward. Rexy Prakash Chacko
Understanding Chinese Infrastructure Investment in ASEAN Published: 23 August 2016 The Executive Summary from Inclusive Development International (IDI)'s report "Making Inroads: Chinese Infrastructure Investment in ASEAN and Beyond," Inclusive Development International
