Editor profile

Budi Santoso

Managing Editor, ASEAN Briefing

Budi Santoso coordinates regional news flows and economic summaries across the 10 ASEAN nations. He specializes in providing high-level briefings on the bloc's political and economic integration.

budi.santoso@aseaninsight.org

Bylined articles

ASEAN Briefing

Regional Difficulties in the Implementation of SME Policies in Cambodia: Structural Challenges from the ASEAN Perspective

Cambodia's SME policy implementation faces multiple bottlenecks such as financing, bureaucracy, and infrastructure. As an emerging manufacturing hub in ASEAN, its policy difficulties not only constrain domestic industrial upgrading but also affect the resilience and integration of regional supply chains. This article, from the perspective of the ASEAN Economic Community, analyzes the long-term impact of Cambodia's SME challenges on cross-border investment and regional division of labor.

Budi Santoso4 min read
Regional Outlook

Cambodia's economic slowdown: How government stimulus and tourism recovery determine short-term prospects and regional role

According to an MSC report, Cambodia's 2026 GDP growth forecast has been downgraded to 2.5%, with government stimulus and tourism recovery becoming key to avoiding the slowest growth in nearly two decades. This article analyzes the roots of Cambodia's economic slowdown, the impact of tourism on regional connectivity, and the potential long-term industrial transformation driven by policy stimulus from the ASEAN regional perspective.

Budi Santoso4 min read
Infrastructure Watch

Vietnam Mobilizes Financial Resources to Accelerate Energy Infrastructure Transformation: Regional Implications for ASEAN Energy Security and Green Finance

Vietnam plans to mobilize approximately $134.7 billion for power projects from 2021 to 2030, and drive the development of smart grids and renewable energy through diversified financing such as credit and green bonds. This move not only concerns its own energy security but also provides an important reference for ASEAN's regional energy transition, green financial cooperation, and industrial chain restructuring.

Budi Santoso5 min read
ASEAN Briefing

ASEAN's Rise as the Global Manufacturing Hub: An In-Depth Observation of Regional Integration and Supply Chain Restructuring

Based on the Philippines' 2026 ASEAN Chairmanship priority economic agenda, analyze the rise of ASEAN as a global manufacturing and innovation hub, exploring its advantages such as a young labor force, a network of free trade agreements, RCEP, and the potential for Russia-ASEAN cooperation, reflecting the trends of regional supply chain restructuring and industrial upgrading.

Budi Santoso3 min read
Manufacturing Hub

Vietnam's economic rise: ASEAN supply chain restructuring and the challenge of the middle-income trap

Vietnam's economy is leading ASEAN with an 8% growth rate, but to leap from a manufacturing and assembly base to a middle-income country, it still needs to address structural issues such as investment efficiency, human capital, and deepening the local value chain. This article analyzes Vietnam's transformation path from the ASEAN regional perspective and its impact on the division of regional industrial chains.

Budi Santoso5 min read
Cross-Border Trade

Southeast Asia's medical technology supply chain needs to be restructured to unlock growth potential — KPMG report analysis

KPMG report points out that if the medical technology supply chain in Southeast Asia is not redesigned according to regional characteristics, it will become a bottleneck for growth. Internal SKU proliferation and external regulatory fragmentation are the main challenges. Companies need to focus on end-to-end visibility, dealer collaboration, and selective localization.

Budi Santoso3 min read