Southeast Asia offers major opportunities for U.S. businesses, but each market comes with its own risks.

In this episode of Asia Forward, host Ei Thant Sin speaks with Erin Murphy, managing director for Asia at Redpoint Advisors and a former CIA analyst, about how companies should assess risks before entering or expanding in the region.

The conversation looks at Vietnam’s manufacturing growth, Indonesia’s regulatory complexity, the Philippines’ political and energy challenges, Malaysia’s digital infrastructure ambitions, Thailand’s recurring political uncertainty and Myanmar’s high-risk business environment.

They also discuss why U.S. companies should look beyond the U.S.-China lens, how climate change factors into country risk assessment, and what businesses can do before committing capital in Southeast Asia.

Watch the full episode to learn how U.S. companies can better understand political risks as well as long-term rewards in one of the world’s most important growth regions.

The United States remains the top destination for international students globally, hosting 1.2 million students according to the IIE Open Doors report released in November 2025. For students from Southeast Asia and around the world, the experience can shape careers, build worldwide networks and create relationships that last long after graduation.In Episode 10 of Asia Forward, host Ledy Simarmata speaks with Marie Royce, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, about why education remains an important part of U.S.-Southeast Asia relations.Royce discusses what continues to draw students to the U.S., including hands-on learning, STEM programs and community colleges. She also talks about the roles of student exchanges, Fulbright programs, as well as U.S. education programs and university partnerships specific to the Southeast Asian region. The conversation also addresses some of the current concerns facing international education including visa bans impacting students from certain countries and a shifting political climate in the U.S.

Americans drink an estimated 463 millions cups of coffee every day. In a market shaped by major chains and daily habits, how does an Indonesian coffee shop introduce specialty coffee and new flavors to U.S. consumers?

In this episode of Asia Forward, host Ei Thant Sin visits DUA DC Coffee in downtown Washington, D.C. for a conversation with founder Vivit Kavi about what it takes to bring Indonesian specialty, single-origin coffee into the U.S. market. Indonesian coffee has long been associated with Sumatra. But Vivit says Indonesia’s coffee story is much broader, with beans and flavors shaped by regions across the archipelago, including Java, Bali and Sulawesi.

Vivit shares how DUA DC Coffee began as a way to bring something from home in Indonesia to Washington, how the business survived the COVID-19 pandemic and why direct relationships with Indonesian farmers remain central to its mission. She also explains how familiar drinks, such as lattes, Americanos and cortados, can become an entry point for customers trying Indonesian beans for the first time.

The conversation also looks at the flavors and stories behind Indonesian specialty coffee, including excelsa from Central Java, as well as Southeast Asian ingredients such as pandan and aren, or the sweet sap of the sugar palm tree. The episode also explores how a small coffee shop can help introduce Indonesia’s products, people and culture to the U.S. market.

Watch the full conversation with Vivit Kavi and host Ei Thant Sin on Asia Forward.

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