2020 has proved to be a testing year due to the unprecedented crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic which has shaken the world we live in on many fronts including politics, economics, and society at large. By November, there were already more than 49 million people infect-ed and more than 1 million deaths worldwide. Global economic activity gradually came to a near standstill, owing to the restriction of movement, disruption of supply chains, closure of  manufacturing production and further containment measures, costing the world economy  trillions of dollars and forcing millions of people out of their jobs — this is in fact the most severe  economic shock the world has experienced in decades. As of today, the 23rd of November 2020, the World Health Organization reported a total of 57,882,183 confirmed Covid-19 cases,  resulting in 1,377,395 deaths.

Southeast Asia remains vulnerable in many aspects. Although the respective countries have taken consecutive, far-reaching measures to contain the spread of the virus and to cure the  infected, more precaution guidelines are still needed. It is hence more timely and important than ever to assess and try to shed a new perspective on the enduring struggles now and the prospective challenges in the future. The discussion surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic has been widely conducted on various platforms in every corner of the globe in the form of op-ed, short commentary and articles, video-conferences and virtual panel discussions alike. Never-theless, it fell short of scientific research and constructive analysis in a more concrete, in-depth format, e.g., a book compilation, for future reference and extended outlook.

We, the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace (CICP) and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Cambodia, are particularly proud of having undertaken this book project. The framework resides in three main categories, namely politics and diplomacy, economics, and social contexts. The discussions cut-cross various issues ranging from individual countries’ measures in combating the pandemic to an evaluation of socio-economic impacts and their implications, highlighting political and diplomatic battle between major powers amidst the global emergency threat, to pinpointing a future outlook on a post-Covid-19 societal state, just to name a few.

This project would not have been possible without strong collaboration from our contributors whose expertise helped shed light on the enduring crisis that we are all facing. We want to  express a great deal of gratitude, hoping that this book will serve its purpose of facilitating and forwarding discussion and academic debate, raising public awareness, and serve as a useful resource for interested stakeholders at all levels in Southeast Asia and beyond.

Enjoy reading!

Pich Charadine and Robert Hör