Spatial-economic Transformation, the Covid-19 Pandemic, and Possible Futures in Rural Southeast Asia

Abstract

This article delves into the effects of the continuing structural economic transformation on the economic and development geography of Southeast Asia. An important question that will be addressed is to what extent the shift from agriculture and fisheries to manufacturing and services is not only contributing to urban economic growth, but also to rural poverty reduction. The 1997-8 Asian Financial Crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic have demonstrated that the process of urbanization is not linear. Rural areas appear to be more meaningful than anticipated in the quest for achieving livelihood security. This article discusses findings of qualitative fieldwork conducted in farming and fishing communities in Southern Thailand and Northern Vietnam amidst the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020; a year in which both countries managed to deal with the pandemic relatively well. But how were farmers and fishers affected by the pandemic and what does it reveal for achieving living standards? Based on the empirical results it discusses the implications for rural Southeast Asian futures as well as efforts to reduce spatial disparities and foster more balanced national geo-economies.