Mark Cogan
- Associate Professor, Kansai Gaidai University
- Video Podcaster and Political Analyst, Asia Political Review
Osaka, Ōsaka
As seen in:
Asia Political Review,
Wiley Online Library,
Change.org,
South China Morning Post,
Taylor & Francis Online,
Asian Affairs: An American Review,
Flipboard,
The Diplomat Magazine,
Deccan Herald,
Dhaka Tribune,
The National Interest
and
Covers:
Thai and Cambodian politics, social movements, Southeast Asian foreign policy, peacebuilding
Assoc. Prof. of Peace & Conflict Studies @Kansaigaidai_U 🇯🇵 | Sr. Res. Fellow @ISDP_Sweden | Host: @asiapolrev Podcast | Fmr. @UN | Crazy @Yankees fan #RepBX
Articles by Mark Cogan
Trump-Xi Summit Sends Mixed Signals to Southeast Asian Countries
Like almost everything Trumpian, it begins with plenty of pomp and circumstance, excess, and ends with a whimper. The recent Washington summit between Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could also be characterized in the same manner, with a red carpet treatment for Xi at Joint Base Andrews, a lavish state dinner, and plenty of over-the-top optics, such as a B-1 bomber flyover. But lost in what critics called “diplotainment” were specific, tangible summit outcomes.
Thailand’s Independent Institutions Have Lost All Credibility
The institutions created by the “People’s Constitution” of 1997 have become tools of the country’s political and economic elite. Credit: Depositphotos Subscribe for ads-free reading Earlier last week, Thailand’s Election Commission (EC) announced its long-awaited decision on whether to refer allegations of collusion in the manipulation of the 2024 Senate election to the courts.
ASEAN is Crossing the Rubicon on BRICS
ASEAN, by principle, is supposed to be wary of alignments. But as more Southeast Asian leaders push engagement with BRICS members China and Russia, the more the bloc inches further into risky or unnecessary geopolitical friction. Case in point was the Philippines, whose tensions with China in the South China Sea have reached an all-time high, whose leader stood inches from Xi Jinping. Indonesia and Malaysia have gone a step further, with the former attending as a full member.
Gauging the Influence of China’s PLA over the Ruling Junta in Myanmar
Abstract Since the February 2021 coup in Myanmar, China has been a critical lifeline for the ruling military regime. However, its outsized political influence over state-run institutions does not directly translate to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), which operates primarily along the Chinese side of their shared borders. This analysis examines how the PLA operates in the bureaucracy of Chinese institutions.
Can the Gen-Z ‘Cockroach Party’ Really Hurt Modi and the BJP?
It was like a kerosene-soaked rag left too long in the summer heat. India’s youth, reeling from graduate unemployment, frustrations with India’s bloated bureaucracy, and dismissals based on class or background had had enough. It was Surya Kant, the Chief Justice of India, who started the fire.
Is Thailand’s PM More Concerned About Sound Cannabis Policy or Political Optics?
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is most known outside Thailand for two things: his 2026 center-right electoral victory and his advocacy for the legalization of marijuana in Thailand. Those two things will always be related, as recently he warned he might shut down the booming industry due to a rise in cannabis trafficking out of Thailand. “We need to figure out what we should do to prevent other countries from blaming Thailand as being the weak link in this problem,” Anutin warned.
Is Thailand’s PM More Concerned About Sound Cannabis Policy or Political Optics?
Amid a rise in smuggling, Anutin Charnvirakul has recently come out against the policy he once championed: the decriminalization of marijuana. Credit: Depositphotos Subscribe for ads-free reading Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is most known outside Thailand for two things: his 2026 center-right electoral victory and his advocacy for the legalization of marijuana in Thailand.
Assessing the Trump Administration’s New War on the ICC
The Trump administration’s escalating confrontation with the International Criminal Court (ICC) represents a massive departure in normal state practice, although this should be seen as a shift in method rather than an entirely new position. Rather than accept this move by the Department of State as an act of Trumpian theatrics, it is more appropriate to understand both US grievances and the institutional consequences for international law, which could be grave.
Thailand Needs to Soak Its Own Rich, Not Just Wealthy Tourists
Thailand’s government has decided, like Japan and others, that the quality of the tourists it attracts is far more appealing than the quantity. After receiving just 33 million foreign arrivals to the Kingdom this year, far below the record 40 million it recorded in 2019, Thailand is betting that a smaller number of more wealthy tourists can generate the same amount of revenue.
Thailand Needs to Soak Its Own Rich, Not Just Wealthy Tourists
Thailand’s government has decided, like Japan and others, that the quality of the tourists it attracts is far more appealing than the quantity. After receiving just 33 million foreign arrivals to the Kingdom this year, far below the record 40 million it recorded in 2019, Thailand is betting that a smaller number of more wealthy tourists can generate the same amount of revenue.
Whither an International Response to China’s Ethnic Unity Law?
A draconian new law in China took effect on July 1, after passing the National People’s Congress back in March. The “Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress” is the end result of a long shift in governance of China’s minority groups, 55 in total. Far from the post-1949 model of ethnic autonomy, as this new legal framework attempts to “forge” (zhulao) the country’s many distinct peoples into a collective national identity.
Japan-India Summit: Closer Together, Farther from Trump’s America
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s visit to India can be seen as a shift from diplomatic optics to tangible security building, but it also signifies something else. They’ve moved markedly closer together, but also slightly farther away from Trump and the United States. Takaichi arrived in New Delhi with a narrow list of things to do: tap India as a key partner in Japan’s economic security strategy as supply chains fragment and US commitment looks shaky.
Thailand’s Election Commission Is Next of Kin to Chaos
The election body that presided over Sunday’s shambolic election has a long track record of systemic dysfunction and support for military rule. Credit: Depositphotos Subscribe for ads-free reading Thailand’s February 8 election stunned some political pundits and defied national polls that predicted that the People’s Party would gain a larger percentage of the vote than the eventual winner, Prime Minister Anutin Charnavirakul’s Bhumjaithai party.
Thailand’s Election Commission Is Next of Kin to Chaos
The election body that presided over Sunday’s shambolic election has a long track record of systemic dysfunction and support for military rule. Credit: Depositphotos Subscribe for ads-free reading Thailand’s February 8 election stunned some political pundits and defied national polls that predicted that the People’s Party would gain a larger percentage of the vote than the eventual winner, Prime Minister Anutin Charnavirakul’s Bhumjaithai party.
Pheu Thai is Banking on Corruption to Remedy Thailand’s Informal Economy - Tribune Content Agency
It’s one of the oldest marketing gimmicks in the world and it hasn’t lost its appeal. You’ve seen the slogans before: “Enter now for your chance to win!” Companies have expanded their market share by luring in new customers, from soda giant Pepsi’s offering of a Harrier jump jet in 1996 to Publisher’s Clearing House deceiving consumers for decades with the chance to win millions, particularly if they bought products from the company.
Pheu Thai is Banking on Corruption to Remedy Thailand’s Informal Economy
After the collapse of the party’s “digital wallet” stimulus plan, voters should not be fooled by its recently announced 1 million-baht election sweepstakes. Election posters for Thailand’s Pheu Thai party at a campaign rally in Ubon Ratchathani province, Thailand, Feb. 2, 2026. Credit: Facebook/Pheu Thai Party Subscribe for ads-free reading It’s one of the oldest marketing gimmicks in the world and it hasn’t lost its appeal.
The Political Neglect of Thailand’s Deep South Cannot Continue - Tribune Content Agency
In the Deep South provinces of Thailand, violence is commonplace in January. In this month in 2025, two border patrol officers were killed in Narathiwat when their truck hit an explosive device. Around the same time, nine village volunteers were injured when a bomb planted on a motorcycle exploded outside a police station in Pattani.
The Political Neglect of Thailand’s Deep South Cannot Continue
A series of petrol station bombings on January 11 is a reminder of the conflict that continues to fester in the country’s southern provinces. The minaret of a mosque in southern Thailand. Credit: Depositphotos Subscribe for ads-free reading In the Deep South provinces of Thailand, violence is commonplace in January. In this month in 2025, two border patrol officers were killed in Narathiwat when their truck hit an explosive device.
The Political Neglect of Thailand’s Deep South Cannot Continue
A series of petrol station bombings on January 11 is a reminder of the conflict that continues to fester in the country’s southern provinces. The minaret of a mosque in southern Thailand. Credit: Depositphotos Subscribe for ads-free reading In the Deep South provinces of Thailand, violence is commonplace in January. In this month in 2025, two border patrol officers were killed in Narathiwat when their truck hit an explosive device.
Pragmatism at the Expense of National Security: Thailand's Bilateral Relations With Myanmar
Conflicts of Interest The author declares no conflicts of interest. References 2021. The Thai Playbook for Myanmar's Coup Leaders. The Diplomat. https://thediplomat.com/2021/02/the-thai-playbook-for-myanmars-coup-leaders/. 2023. Thai Senator's Ties to Arrested Myanmar Tycoon Stir Controversy Ahead of Election. Benar News. https://www.benarnews.org/english/commentaries/senator-ties-03302023082458.html. 2022.
Thai Royal Defamation Case Against American Academic Could Have Dire Consequences
Earlier this month, the prominent American academic Dr. Paul Chambers, a lecturer at Naresuan University in Phitsanulok, Thailand, was arrested on charges of insulting the Thai monarchy (lese-majeste).
Free Dr. Paul Chambers!
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Thailand’s Cooperation With China on Cross-border Crime Comes at a Cost - Tribune Content Agency
During Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, one of the main topics of discussion was the proliferation of scam centers close to Thailand’s borders in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. Recently, under Chinese pressure, Thailand has initiated a number of measures to combat scam operators in eastern Myanmar, such as tightening visa rules and cutting electricity and fuel from Thailand into Myanmar.
Thailand’s Cooperation With China on Cross-border Crime Comes at a Cost
During Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, one of the main topics of discussion was the proliferation of scam centers close to Thailand’s borders in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. Recently, under Chinese pressure, Thailand has initiated a number of measures to combat scam operators in eastern Myanmar, such as tightening visa rules and cutting electricity and fuel from Thailand into Myanmar.
A Guide to Various Types of Criminal Lawyers in Oregon
Criminal law encompasses a broad spectrum of offenses, and the type of lawyer you need will depend on the specific charges you are facing. Criminal law is a broad and complex field, and criminal lawyers specialize in different aspects of criminal cases. Whether you are facing charges related to theft, assault, drug crimes, or white-collar crimes, understanding the different types of criminal lawyers can help you find the right legal representation for your case.
Americans Will Pay For Donald Trump's Tariff War on China
In the first few weeks of his second term, President Donald Trump has resumed his advocacy for a renegotiation of trade deals, namely with Canada, Mexico and China. While the tenor of Trump’s discourse on trade is ideological, the justification for trade protectionism and the subsequent levying of punitive tariffs on imported goods is based on their potential benefit to American workers, manufacturers, and consumers.
B-21 Raider: Future of Stealth Bombers or Costly Air Force Mistake?
After more than three decades in service with the United States Air Force, the Northrop-Grumman-built B-2 Spirit is set to retire, along with its older sibling, the B-1, replaced by the new B-21 Raider. Also manufactured by Northrop, the sixth-generation bomber represents an evolution in technological advancement, with an open architecture that allowed for rapid inclusion of new weaponry, and advanced digital manufacturing (AM) that is claimed to help mitigate the substantial risk of production.
Making the Most of PM Paetongtarn’s Visit to Thailand’s Deep South
On January 14, two border patrol officers in Narathiwat province, in Thailand’s south, were killed when a homemade bomb detonated on their pickup truck on the way to Tua Ngo Border Patrol Police School where they worked. A day earlier, nine Thai police officers and village defense volunteers were injured when a bomb planted in a parked motorcycle exploded at a police station in Pattani.
Human Rights Key as Tokyo and Riyadh Mark Bilateral Milestone
Recently, Japan’s Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Matsumoto Hisashi, went to Riyadh to visit to the Saudi Judo Federation in hopes of strengthening bilateral relations. He also met with Saudi officials to discuss opportunities under Riyadh’s “Vision 2030,” a restructuring and modernization of the Saudi economy under the leadership of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. For Riyadh, the strategy is of critical importance given its growing need for outside investment.
From BRICS to BRICS+: India, the EU and Shifting Global Power Dynamics
In the European Union (EU) questions have circulated over to what extent Europe should be concerned about the emerging anti-Western BRICS+ coalition. Some EU observers see BRICS+ as an effort by Beijing and Moscow to reshape the global order around a Sino-Russian axis, counterbalancing what they perceive as a in multilateral fora and global affairs. However, Indonesia’s inclusion may strengthen the group of non-aligned countries, led by India.
Is BRICS De-Dollarization Program a Step Too Far for India?
While at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar commented that New Delhi will not decouple from the US dollar, noting that it was not in his country’s economic interests. While noting that New Delhi was pursuing other means as well, he said: “[India has] never actively targeted the dollar. That’s not part of our economic, political, or strategic policy. Some others may have done so.
From Discourse to Discord: Dissecting Antisemitism on Campus
As Conflict in Gaza Increases, So Do Clashes on U.S. Campuses By David Finkel, Detroit Steering Committee Member, Jewish Voice for Peace, and Mark S. Cogan, Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies, Kansai Gaidai University Antisemitism Real and Imagined By David Finkel – Detroit Steering Committee Member, Jewish Voice for Peace The issue of antisemitism on university campuses is a difficult one in the horrifying wake of Israel’s assault on Gaza following the October 7th Hamas attack.
Japan’s Diplomatic Bluebook Paints China as Central Villain
The more things change the more they stay the same. In the 2024 Diplomatic Bluebook, recently released through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan assertively labeled China a global threat, while still carefully trying to balance both positive and negative terms.
Modi’s baffling pitch to woo Muslim voters
With this year’s elections in progress, every minority vote that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) puts in its column adds to the chance for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition to move past 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. Therefore Modi, despite being a confessed member of the Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has made an unlikely pitch to win the hearts of India’s nearly 200 million Muslims.
Modi’s baffling pitch to woo Muslim voters - Asia Times
Punjab 14 hours ago Gangster Goldy Brar, Sidhu Moosewala Murder Mastermind, Shot Dead By Rival Gang In US: Reports Zee News English - Gunjan D.
Thailand’s new soft power focus and the makings of a paradox
Abstract Soft power, obtained when a state develops the ability to attract rather than coerce other actors because of the legitimacy of its values, has been on the national agenda in Thailand since 2010, when efforts were made to expand the Kingdom’s creative industries. However, under nearly a decade of military rule after the May 2014 coup d‘état, Thailand focused largely inward in order to secure its legitimacy and survival, consequently curtailing soft gains.
Low Expectations for ASEAN’s Handling of Myanmar Crisis
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Subscribe to RSS Print Topic: ASEAN Region: Asia Tags: ASEANLaosIndonesiaMyanmarChinaCivil War Laos’ lack of diplomatic capacity as ASEAN chair could create an opening for Chinese influence. <![CDATA[// ><!]]> --> As Indonesia’s term as ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Chair ended, there was both reservation and alarm at the possibility of Laos serving as its successor.
Thailand’s Bid for a Seat on the UN Human Rights Council is Poorly Timed - Tribune Content Agency
Thailand is currently bidding for the third time for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), with the election for a three-year term for 2025-2027 being held at the U.N. headquarters in New York in October. Like many countries with poor records on human rights, Thailand’s bid will come with a high level of scrutiny and international criticism.
Thailand’s Bid for a Seat on the UN Human Rights Council is Poorly Timed
Thailand is currently bidding for the third time for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), with the election for a three-year term for 2025-2027 being held at the U.N. headquarters in New York in October. Like many countries with poor records on human rights, Thailand’s bid will come with a high level of scrutiny and international criticism.
Thailand’s Bid for a Seat on the UN Human Rights Council is Poorly Timed - The Diplomat
Thailand is at the moment bidding for the third time for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), with the election for a three-year time period for 2025-2027 being held on the U.N. headquarters in New York in October. Like many international locations with poor information on human rights, Thailand’s bid will include a excessive stage of scrutiny and worldwide criticism.
EU-Thailand FTA Negotiations: IUU Fishing and Human Rights Remain Obstacles
Thailand’s fishing industry, which at its height saw as many as 200,000 migrant workers from neighboring Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia caught in a brutal system of abuse, withered global criticism until eventually, the European Union (EU) issued a “yellow card” to Thailand aiming to crack down on both systemic abuse and illegally caught fish ending up in European supermarkets.
Thailand’s PM Misses the Forest for the Trees on the Country’s Pollution Problem - Tribune Content Agency
Thailand’s Chiang Mai now has airborne pollutants that are 20 times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) standard. Last week, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin declined to designate the northern city as a disaster area in order to protect the country’s tourism sector.
Thailand’s PM Misses the Forest for the Trees on the Country’s Pollution Problem
Thailand’s Chiang Mai now has airborne pollutants that are 20 times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) standard. Last week, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin declined to designate the northern city as a disaster area in order to protect the country’s tourism sector.
Firmer, less peaceful language on Taiwan reunification
It was less than two days into 2024 when Song Tao, the director of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, called on all Taiwanese to promote “peaceful reunification” with the mainland.
The Self-Defeating Nature of Thailand’s ‘Soft Power’ Push - Tribune Content Agency
Thailand’s new government cannot get enough of “soft power.” It has become such a buzzword in the Kingdom that a Chiang Mai man on X (formerly Twitter) gasped at the extent of its use, mockingly noting, “My [mate’s] daughter won a Thai dancing competition in [Bangkok] and her school called it a soft power competition.” It’s easy to see the appeal of the idea, given the recent appearance of pop superstar Ed Sheeran posing with famed Thai chef Jay Fai and his after-concert visit to a tattoo...
The Self-Defeating Nature of Thailand’s ‘Soft Power’ Push
Thailand’s new government cannot get enough of “soft power.” It has become such a buzzword in the Kingdom that a Chiang Mai man on X (formerly Twitter) gasped at the extent of its use, mockingly noting, “My [mate’s] daughter won a Thai dancing competition in [Bangkok] and her school called it a soft power competition.” It’s easy to see the appeal of the idea, given the recent appearance of pop superstar Ed Sheeran posing with famed Thai chef Jay Fai and his after-concert visit to a tattoo...
Thai-Cambodian reset a symptom of a wider problem
On February 2, three political activists, including Lim Sokha, a senior member of the Candlelight Party, the once fledgling opposition party that was banned from participation in Cambodia’s sham July 2023 elections, were arrested in Thailand after seeking asylum and being granted refugee status.
Thai Constitutional Court Decision on Move Forward is Judicial Overreach
Thailand’s nascent semi-democracy suffered a tremendous blow last week (31 January), when the Constitutional Court ruled that the Move Forward Party’s (MFP) campaign to reform Article 112 of the 2017 Constitution was tantamount to treason.
Will Thailand Deport a Group of Dissident Musicians to Russia? - Tribune Content Agency
Members of a self-exiled Russian rock band that has openly opposed Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine were recently detained in Thailand and face deportation, but if returned to Russia could face severe consequences. Seven members of Bi-2 were detained by the Thai government after performing in Phuket last week after it was discovered that the group had issues with their work authorizations.
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