Vol. 25 No. 1 (2025): Journal of East Asia and ASEAN Studies (Vol. 25 No. 1 (2025) January - June)

          The Journal of East Asian and ASEAN Studies expresses its profound gratitude to the Master of Public Administration program for their generous financial support, and to the Faculty of Political Science at Ramkhamhaeng University for their operational support. This comes following Ramkhamhaeng University's decision to discontinue budget allocation for the journal, with the rationale that the university would only support journals ranked in TCI Tier 3. However, the editorial board unanimously agreed that it would be inappropriate to compromise the journal's quality for the sake of obtaining funding support. We therefore extend our deepest appreciation to both institutions for continuing to endorse and support our commitment to maintaining the journal's standards.

          This issue presents a diverse collection of high-quality academic articles covering significant topics at both regional and national levels. The volume begins with studies on Chinese nationalism regarding the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands dispute during the Xi Jinping era and The current situation of social inequality in China. This is followed by an analysis of the Chinese government's media policy in Thailand through a case study of the Matichon-Khao Sod Group and Xinhua News Agency. Additionally, this issue features articles related to local and national governance, including studies on Trang Municipality's readiness to become a smart city, land and building tax collection policies in Bangkok Metropolitan Area (2019-2024), and global governance through indicators examining the current state, deterioration, and development approaches for rule of law and good governance in Thailand. Other significant topics presented in this issue include crisis management in Thailand's political context, approaches to enhancing the quality of ThaID application services among citizens in Photharam District, Ratchaburi Province, and the art of leading Generation Y and Z through leadership strategies for modern workplace efficiency. All articles in this issue reflect the diversity of East Asian and ASEAN studies, spanning from international relations and public policy to local development and digital-age management. The editorial board sincerely hopes that these articles will benefit academics, students, and those interested in related fields, and can be applied to advance knowledge and practice in their respective areas.

Kittipos Phuttivanich