Letter from Jakarta

Article Abstract:

Indonesia has been a stabilizing factor in Southeast Asia and has become a major economic success story. It is a prominent member of many international groups in which the influence of the US is limited. However there are still strong regional and separatist tensions in the outlying areas of Indonesia. Attention is focused on the choice of vice-president in the run up to the presidential election in 1998, and there are concerns that the country could be launched into uncharted political waters, with the end of the Soeharto era.

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The style of a Javanese dictator

Article Abstract:

Indonesian dictator Suharto's ability to blend Javanese-style feudalism with modern politics was the secret to his more than 30 years of reign. His New Order became deeply entrenched in the political system because of his shrewd and cruel policies, making him comparable to Italy's Benito Mussolini or Zaire's Mobutu Sese Seko. His hypocrisy and extraordinary patience allowed him to mask the real conditions in Indonesia and made it appear instead that everything was alright in the country.

Political activity, Behavior, Suharto, Dictators

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Letter from Bangkok

Article Abstract:

The economic crisis in Thailand has prompted closer inspections of its relationship with the US. Thailand has had strong ties with the US being one of its five treaty allies in the Asia-Pacific. The US also has considerable investments in Thailand with bilateral trade reaching $16 billion in 1997. However, the crisis has strained ties between the two nations although this is considered temporary given the similarity of their national interests.

United States, Thailand, United States foreign relations, Thai foreign relations

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