Good Governance and Development Nexus in Southeast Asian Digital Landscape Dr. Surachanee Sriyai This paper explores the intersection of digital development and governance in Southeast Asia, focusing on how emerging technologies—particularly AI and generative AI—are reshaping statecitizen relations. While digital tools promise more efficient public services, their deployment often lacks adequate safeguards, raising concerns about privacy, accountability, and civil liberties. Drawing on the concept of Surveillance Developmentalism, the paper argues that Southeast Asian states increasingly use digital infrastructure for control under the guise of progress. Case studies from Thailand and Myanmar illustrate how data collection, algorithmic systems, and weak oversight can marginalize communities and entrench asymmetries of power. The paper calls for a shift toward rights-based digital governance that prioritizes transparency, community participation, and data justice. It concludes with policy recommendations to mandate privacy-by-design, enhance digital literacy, and establish participatory oversight mechanisms. Without ethical guardrails, digital development risks exacerbating existing inequalities rather than delivering inclusive progress. Inovasi IRIS 2025 Pendampingan | Generative Daerah AI and Information CfDS Resilience in the Asia-Pacific: Actions and Adaptations 2i