Election fever has started to sweep Indonesia. The largest democracy in Southeast Asia heads to the polls twice in the next year and a half.

Thais are expected to head to the polls in November this year to democratically elect a new government after being ruled by a military government since 2014. However, the ruling junta has demonstrated a pattern of delaying a vote often citing security issues.

The Southeast Asian region, like every other part of the globe has had a tempestuous year in 2017 with many hurdles thrown its way. From the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Myanmar’s Rakhine State to Duterte’s war on drugs, it is undeniable that the region is still finding its footing on rights and democracy.While these issues may or may not see a resolution in 2018, there are other things that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc can look out for.

Cambodia’s democracy woes are far from over.On Thursday, the country’s Supreme court dissolved the main opposition party, the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) and banned 118 its politicians from office for five years.

Thailand said it remains on course for elections next year and that curbs on political parties will soon be eased, as pressure mounts on the military government to roll back restrictions on campaigning.Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha said last month a vote will be held in November 2018, though analysts are concerned the military will seek to retain power.

A nascent recovery in Malaysian bond inflows is set to depend on whether Prime Minister Najib Razak will be able to shrink the fiscal deficit while appealing to voters in an expected election budget.Najib will be able to count on higher revenue from a consumption tax and a recovery in crude prices, giving him room to commit to a balanced budget that would spur Malaysia’s bonds to outperform, according to Investec Asset Management.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stormed to a landslide "super-majority" in snap Japanese elections, near complete projections showed Monday, with the hardline nationalist immediately pledging to "deal firmly" with North Korea.Abe's conservative coalition is on track to win at least 312 seats with only a handful left to call, according to public broadcaster NHK, giving him a coveted two-thirds majority in the lower house of parliament.That will allow him to pursue his cheris

Cambodia’s leader of the opposition, Kem Sokha was not granted bail, three weeks after police descended to his home and carted him away to a prison at the Cambodia-Vietnam border."The court decided to uphold the provisional detention warrant (of Kem Sokha)," Touch Tharith, a spokesman for the Court of Appeals, was quoted by the AFP (Agence France-Presse).However, the opposition politician and leader of the CNRP (Cambodia National Rescue Party) was not present at the court hearing am

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s ruling party held a commanding lead in opinion polls released before his expected announcement of a snap general election later on Monday.A poll published in the Nikkei newspaper on Monday said Abe’s LDP (Liberal Democratic Party) held a 44 percent to eight percent lead over the main opposition Democratic Party.

Jailed Malaysian opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim is still hospitalised but is currently in a stable condition, according to a press statement released by his party.The 70-year-old was rushed to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital, located in the nation’s capital on Tuesday when his blood pressure became erratic due to a shoulder injury sustained earlier.When contacted by The ASEAN Post, the spokesperson for Anwar’s party, Fahmi Fadzil said that the former Malaysian lawmaker would tentatively be discha