menu_open Columnists
James Guild

James Guild

The Diplomat

We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

Why Indonesia Cancelled the Early Retirement of the Cirebon-1 Power Plant

Why Indonesia Cancelled the Early Retirement of the Cirebon-1 Power Plant

As predicted, the early retirement of coal-fired power plants has run aground on the country's political economic realities.

yesterday 3

The Diplomat

James Guild

Vietnam’s 2026 Budget, Explained

Vietnam’s 2026 Budget, Explained

Strong economic performance sent government revenue soaring in 2025, putting the country in an enviable fiscal position.

10.12.2025 6

The Diplomat

James Guild

Is the Economic Crisis in Laos Coming to an End?

The kip has stabilized and inflation is dropping, but the issue of the government's heavy external debt remains unresolved.

04.12.2025 10

The Diplomat

James Guild

The Oddities of Vietnam’s Property Market, Explained

Have the country's real estate prices become untethered from the basic economic forces of supply and demand?

28.11.2025 30

The Diplomat

James Guild

Is the GoTo-Grab Merger Finally Going to Happen?

The possible involvement of the Indonesian state investment fund Danantara could remove one of the primary roadblocks to a merger.

20.11.2025 2

The Diplomat

James Guild

Breaking Down the Philippines’ 2026 Budget

Economic growth in the Philippines remains on a solid trajectory, but the government has struggled in recent years to reduce its budget deficit.

11.11.2025 3

The Diplomat

James Guild

Indonesia’s Never-Ending Quest for a National Car

President Prabowo Subianto says the country will begin producing a home-grown car within three years, but a lot of details remain unclear.

07.11.2025 4

The Diplomat

James Guild

Breaking Down Malaysia’s 2026 Budget

The budget contains few surprises, putting the country in a good position to face the uncertainty of the current global economic climate.

28.10.2025 20

The Diplomat

James Guild

Vietnam’s Upgrade to Emerging Market Status, Explained

The recent decision by the index provider FTSE Russel reflects the country's maturing market conditions and improved regulatory climate.

21.10.2025 2

The Diplomat

James Guild

The Indonesia-EU Free Trade Agreement, Explained

The deal, nearly a decade in the making, is closely connected to the broader churn in the global economy.

08.10.2025 10

The Diplomat

James Guild

Thailand’s 2026 Budget, Explained

Deficits seem set to remain a key feature of Thailand’s fiscal reality for a significant time to come.

02.10.2025 6

The Diplomat

James Guild

The Economic Philosophy of Sumitro Djojohadikusumo

The economist articulated a series of statist economic principles that continue to guide decision-making in Indonesia to the present day.

24.09.2025 20

The Diplomat

James Guild

The Whoosh Debt Dilemma: Should Public Transportation Be Profitable?

That Indonesia’s costly high-speed rail is operating at a loss right out of the gate has raised some eyebrows.

20.09.2025 20

The Diplomat

James Guild

Is Vietnam Becoming the New Thailand?

Despite COVID-19 and global trade tensions, Vietnam's exports and current account surplus continue to grow.

09.09.2025 3

The Diplomat

James Guild

What Makes Digital Banks in Southeast Asia Successful?

The recent track record in the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand shows a great deal of divergence.

03.09.2025 9

The Diplomat

James Guild

Vietnam’s Long Thanh International Airport Nears Completion

The $13 billion project offers some interesting insights into how Hanoi is building critical infrastructure.

29.08.2025 3

The Diplomat

James Guild

Indonesia’s Digital Banking Scene is Getting Crowded

Competition is heating up at one of the final frontiers of the country's tech boom.

19.08.2025 10

The Diplomat

James Guild

Southeast Asia’s Uneven Tourism Recovery, Explained

The region's major tourism markets are still struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels – with one exception.

12.08.2025 6

The Diplomat

James Guild

Indonesia’s Recent Banking Boom, Explained

The COVID-19 pandemic swelled the bottom line of the country's big commercial banks, but growth rates are likely to slow.

07.08.2025 8

The Diplomat

James Guild

What’s the Deal With Trump’s Trade Agreements in Southeast Asia?

Three nations have now brokered similar trade agreements with the mercurial U.S. president, although little is set in stone.

29.07.2025 2

The Diplomat

James Guild

Trump’s Trade Deal With Indonesia, Explained

Indonesian exports to the U.S. will be subject to a 19 percent tariff – for now – but otherwise there is a lot that could change.

24.07.2025 4

The Diplomat

James Guild

Why Indonesia Now Has Two State-Owned Investment Funds

Danantara and the Indonesia Investment Authority differ considerably in terms of their function within Indonesia's political economy.

15.07.2025 4

The Diplomat

James Guild

How Indonesia Is Using Its Green Sukuk

The increasing use of these Islamic financial instruments reflects the growing sophistication of Indonesia's capital markets.

02.07.2025 4

The Diplomat

James Guild

Why Thailand Shelved the ‘Digital Wallet’ Scheme

The multibillion-dollar stimulus plan did little to address the longer-term structural challenges facing the Thai economy.

19.06.2025 30

The Diplomat

James Guild

Why the National Energy Transition Roadmap Makes Sense for Malaysia

As in other areas of the country's energy sector, the state is playing a leading role in developing renewable energy projects.

11.06.2025 3

The Diplomat

James Guild

Why Vietnam Is Cutting Down Payments to Renewable Energy Developers

To attract investment, Vietnam's state-owned electricity company EVN agreed to pay power producers above-market rates. Now the bill has come due.

04.06.2025 10

The Diplomat

James Guild

How Realistic is Vingroup’s $61 Billion High Speed Rail Plan?

The Vietnamese conglomerate has a history of throwing itself into ambitious projects for which it has little or no previous experience.

27.05.2025 4

The Diplomat

James Guild

China, France, and the Political Economy of Defense Modernization in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asian nations have tended to lean toward European partners in their quest for military modernization. Could China present an affordable...

21.05.2025 50

The Diplomat

James Guild

The Rise and Fall, and Rise Again, of Sea Ltd

The Southeast Asian tech giant has just come off its best year yet, and finally appears to be on a path toward stable profits.

13.05.2025 4

The Diplomat

James Guild

The PhilHealth Supreme Court Case, Explained

The state-run insurance giant, which is flush with cash, is resisting government orders to transfer surplus funds back to the Treasury.

08.05.2025 9

The Diplomat

James Guild

LG’s Exit from a Mega-Battery Project in Indonesia, Explained

Does the South Korean firm's withdrawal spell trouble for Jakarta's policy of industrial downstreaming?

02.05.2025 10

The Diplomat

James Guild

China’s Bet on Railways in Southeast Asia Is Starting to Pay Off

For all its attendant controversies, Beijing's focus on transport infrastructure is closely aligned with the region's development priorities.

24.04.2025 3

The Diplomat

James Guild

Why ASEAN Countries Often Run Trade Surpluses

Many of the region's economies have pursued a model of export-oriented industrialization that was once championed and encouraged by Washington.

15.04.2025 10

The Diplomat

James Guild

Trade, Tariffs and Trump in Southeast Asia

The tariffs will disrupt existing production networks and increase costs, while damaging Washington's image and relations with the region.

09.04.2025 10

The Diplomat

James Guild

Why Grab Wants to Acquire Indonesia’s GoTo for $7 Billion

If successful, the deal will create a ride-hailing and delivery giant that would dominate Southeast Asian markets.

01.04.2025 2

The Diplomat

James Guild

US Private Equity Is Making Interesting Moves in the Indo-Pacific

Have recent acquisitions by major U.S. firms been made on the basis of commercial considerations, or is there a geopolitical motive at play?

25.03.2025 30

The Diplomat

James Guild

Are Investors Pulling Out of Southeast Asia?

ACross the region, international markets are responding to the growing level of uncertainty and risk in the global economy.

19.03.2025 10

The Diplomat

James Guild

The Scandal at Indonesia’s State-Owned Energy Firm Pertamina, Explained

Five oil executives have been arrested for importing fuel at inflated prices. What explains the timing?

11.03.2025 20

The Diplomat

James Guild

Singapore’s Budget 2025, Explained

Above-target tax revenues have pushed the city-state back into fiscal surplus for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.

05.03.2025 10

The Diplomat

James Guild

Why Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad Is Going Private

When is privatization not really privatization?

25.02.2025 8

The Diplomat

James Guild

Why Sovereign Wealth Funds Are All the Rage in Southeast Asia

In an uncertain global climate, the state is playing a more assertive role in financial and capital markets.

19.02.2025 10

The Diplomat

James Guild

The Financial Scandal at Indonesian Tech Unicorn eFishery, Explained

The agritech firm's troubles reflect some of the broader challenges facing Indonesia's nascent tech sector.

14.02.2025 5

The Diplomat

James Guild

The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, Explained

The project is intended to bring together Malaysia's land and labor with Singaporean finance and investment.

31.01.2025 10

The Diplomat

James Guild

Why Indonesia is Blocking Apple From Selling the iPhone 16

Middle powers with rapidly growing economies feel they have more bargaining power than they once did – and some are not afraid to use it.

21.01.2025 9

The Diplomat

James Guild

The Return of Malaysia’s Government Investment Funds

Whatever momentum there once was for getting the state out of the economy has seemingly stalled.

15.01.2025 30

The Diplomat

James Guild

What Indonesia’s 2025 Budget Tells Us About Prabowo’s Fiscal Outlook

As one of his final acts before leaving office, Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo signed into law the national budget for 2025. This...

07.01.2025 10

The Diplomat

James Guild

Why Economic Nationalism Was the Biggest Story of 2024 in Southeast Asia

2024 was an eventful year in ASEAN. Clean energy had its ups and downs across the region, tourism and travel continued their slow recovery toward...

31.12.2024 9

The Diplomat

James Guild

With Indonesia’s XL Axiata-Smartfren Merger, Telecom Consolidation Marches on 

The wireless telecom business is not an easy one to be in. It requires huge investments in physical infrastructure as well as large outlays for...

20.12.2024 40

The Diplomat

James Guild

The Taxman Cometh in Southeast Asia

The last several years have seen a raft of tax increases across Southeast Asia. Singapore has raised its Goods and Services Tax (GST) twice in the...

12.12.2024 10

The Diplomat

James Guild

What’s the Deal with COP29?

The 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29), a U.N.-led forum for international stakeholders to meet and negotiate on climate policy, drew to a...

05.12.2024 10

The Diplomat

James Guild