[eChapters]Poverty and Global Recession in Southeast Asia (Education and Employment of the Poor in Laos)

Financial crises after financial crises have occurred, with widening impact and deepening severity. This book started with an objective to understand the impact of high inflation on poverty in Southeast Asia. However, global inflation moved quickly into recession in 2008. Southeast Asia was not an exception. The book then refocused the title to Poverty and Global Recession in Southeast Asia. It is a modest attempt to contribute a better understanding of poverty and food security in Southeast Asia during the 2008–09 global recession, considering both recent developments and the previous major crisis of 1997–98. The book may also help to anticipate some possible impacts of future global recession on food and poverty, not only in Southeast Asia, but also in many other countries in the world.

“This book accomplishes two things at the same time; while focusing on two of the most important issues pertaining to Southeast Asia — poverty and food security — the book also fully utilizes the region's vibrant and diverse socio-economic-political settings in demonstrating how complicated these issues are. An excellent book indeed for scholars and policymakers who want to gain deep understanding of the issues and the Region.”

—Dr Somchai Jitsuchon, Research Director
Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI)