Lessons from Trump

Re: “Southeast Asia-US relations under Trump”, (Opinion, May 18).

One thing that separates Donald Trump from the rest of the flock in Washington is that he is not a career politician. He has been fighting the establishment for a long time. After winning the presidency, he has been trying to change the establishment from the inside. Unfortunately, it is not very easy. In some ways, the situation in Thailand is also the same. The role of military and hold on power by the elite remains a big obstacle in cultivating any alternate form of governance, especially a progressive society with human rights and free speech. The stranglehold of the military and rampant corruption, cronyism and nepotism, which is the hallmark of Thai governance, remains intact.

So far, Mr Trump has been fighting his battle alone and it is quite possible that he may bring about a few changes in political culture in Washington. But he will be paying a heavy price for rocking the boat, more so, when he is fighting his own scandals and indulging in daily tirade against the Ameri- can media.

I do not see any resemblance between Asean leaders and Mr Trump’s approach to governance. Asean polity is all about “noninterference” which simply means, “you do your thing, and we will do ours”. Asean leaders do not have any collective vision, power or leadership. They look like strange bedfellows trying to remain relevant.

KULDEEP NAGI