What important countries are there in South-East Asia?

What are the differences in the democracies of advanced democratic countries, like the US, UK, and Western European nations, and those of younger, more immature countries, like Thailand, the Philippines, or the democratic countries in Asia or Africa?

• In general terms, they all label themselves as democratic countries. It's obvious there are huge differences of democracy in these countries. While USA, UK and western European and Nordic democracy is the key of a more stable, just and fair society, and almost free of corruption, look at what happened in those claimed to be democratic countries: corruption, populism and cronyism. I know it's a big question to answer, and I wish if someone can give a big picture of the differences and the key of these differences. I personally believe, there are far more than democracy involved.

• Answer:

  The major difference is the presence of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_society in one group of countries and its lack in the others. Civil society includes such features as rule of law, independence of the judiciary, a free press, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and public institutions. It also includes tolerance for differences among the population. The political structures of civil societies can vary, but all include meaningful representation of the people in decision-making. Elections, while part of democracy are not the whole of democracy.