Thank you, 2015

This year, things have been generally good for me. Let me enumerate a few things.

1. Two Fellowships. 

Last March, I was officially appointed as a SEANET (South East Asia Network for Development) Fellow by IDEAS' CEO and SEANET Director, Wan Saiful Wan Jan. My appointment as Fellow is from March 2015 to December 2016. Thanks Wan.

Last September, I was also made a Fellow of the Stratbase-Albert Del Rosario Institute (ADRi) by its President, Prof. Victor "Dindo" Manhit. Prior to that, I have written about three papers for Stratbase which they published and distributed to their friends and  clients. Thanks Dindo.

2. Five Asian Trips, conference/workshop.

a. January, I attended the 3rd Asian Liberty Forum (ALF) held in Soaltee Crowne Plaza, Kathmandu, Nepal, sponsored by the Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (ACE), Center for Civil Society (CCS), and Samriddhi Prosperity Foundation. ACE and CCS are Delhi-based while Samriddhi is Kathmandu-based. Thanks Charu, Parth and Robin.
See ALF 2: Opening Dinner Program.

My plane fare was sponsored by Media 9/Business 360,  where I have been contributing a monthly article for almost 2 years with them. CCS and Samriddhi sponsored my 3 nights hotel stay at another hotel.

b. April, I was one of three speakers in a panel discussion on economic liberalization and the poor in the ASEAN, during the ASEAN People's Forum (APF) in Kuala Lumpur. My trip was sponsored by IDEAS.
See Workshop on Trade Liberalization at the APF 2015, Kuala Lumpur.

c. October, I participated in the "ASEAN Scenario Workshop" held in Bangkok, Thailand. It was organized by the Siam Intelligence Unit (SIU) and the Heinrich Boll Stiftung (HBS). My trip was sponsored by the two event organizers. 
See SIU-HBS ASEAN Scenario Workshop in Bangkok.

d. November, I was one of four speakers during the launching of the International Property Rights Index (IPRI) 2015, and forum on IPR and the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), Kuala Lumpur. The event was organized by the Property Rights Alliance (PRA) in Washington DC, and IDEAS. My trip was sponsored by PRA. See Growth, IPRI 2015 and the TPP.

e. November, I participated once again in the annual Economic Freedom Network (EFN) Asia, held in Taj Tashi Hotel, Thimphu, Bhutan. The event was organized by EFN asia (Bangkok-based and the QED Group. EFN Asia along with other foreign participants, they also sponsored my trip. 
See Successful Conference 2015 has ended.

3. Columnist in BusinessWorld.

Around July, I contributed a weekly article at the BWorld Weekender. Then in October, I got a contract to be a columnist in the  Opinion section of the newspaper. 

I also got a few, short-term research projects with friends on various topics. 

Thank you 2015. 

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