Applying the Singapore Model in Cambodia and Thailand? Implications for Transnational Policy Transfer

ABSTRACT

The dominant narrative has traditionally framed the Global North as the source of effective political and economic development, with knowledge and expertise flowing unidirectionally to the Global South. However, the rise of the Global South has fostered institutionalized South‒South exchanges, enabling nations to move beyond aid‐recipient roles and engage in mutual learning. This article expands the discourse on policy transfer by examining Singapore's executive development programmes for Cambodian and Thai public officials (2014–2023). Unlike North‒South transfers, typically characterized by donor dominance, South‒South exchanges highlight the active participation of multiple stakeholders and the critical importance of local contexts in shaping outcomes. The findings reveal that successful South‒South policy transfer is contingent upon both structural adaptation and a fundamental shift in mindset. By emphasizing these complexities, this study provides fresh insights into the evolving dynamics of global development and the agency of the Global South.