Vann Molyvann’s house is up for sale – but should it be a heritage site?
Vann Molyvann brought the spirit of traditional Khmer design into the modern era with his iconic, pre-war architecture. Today, unfortunately, many of his legacy buildings in Phnom Penh have been swallowed by official apathy and rapid urban development. With Molyvann’s private home now for sale, our editor-in-chief Alastair McCready makes a case for preserving this rare piece of modern Cambodian history.
Rangsiman Rome talks Thai democracy, lese majeste and protests
Before he was a parliamentarian, Rangsiman Rome was a feature in the Thai activist scene, most notably as a member of the New Democracy Movement. We caught up with Rangsiman, who has appeared as an intermediary at the recent youth protests in Bangkok, to hear what he had to say about this new generation of university activists — including their increasingly frank, public and potentially illegal critique of King Rama X.
Saving the Malay Peninsula’s centuries-old Portuguese creole
This article is a visual treat and the insightful words of Globe contributor Ying Shan Lee make it all the better. The Kristang people are a creole community of Portugese-Malay ancestry who have kept their language and traditions alive for centuries in and around the porty city of Malacca. Today, however, the dwindling number of Kristang speakers could see their unique culture lost to time and assimilation. What will it take to preserve the creole of Malacca?
The evidence around Cambodia’s microfinance debate
Following a recent op-ed in the Khmer Times attacking human rights organisation LICADHO over a report highlighting the dangers of microfinance debt in Cambodia, researchers Sango Mahanty and W. Nathan Green set out to set the record straight and dispel myths surrounding the industry.
Wanchalerm death “only rumours” says missing activist’s sister
Two months after Thai pro-democracy activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit was snatched in a daylight abduction near his residence in Cambodia, news of his death went viral on Twitter. His sister, Sitanan Satsaksit, told Globe reporter Wanpen Pajai the rumours about her missing brother are unfounded.
The art of the brew: The story behind Cambodia’s first nanobrewery
Last weekend, Globe reporter Alexi Demetriadi caught the train south out of Phnom Penh to scenic Kampot to visit the well-loved Flowers nanobrewery and its enigmatic owner/brewmaster/sushi chef Yuki Aotani. Today, on International Beer Day, Alexi shares a dispatch from Yuki’s place in Kampot.
Indonesia’s last nomads: The trials of the Suku Anak Dalam indigenous
The nomadic, indigenous cultures of Indonesia have been all but lost to the onward march of development, but many of the Suku Anak Dalam people are holding out and holding on to their distinct way of life. Contributor Anggita Paramesti investigated the prospects of these indigenous communities in a land changed enormously by plantation agriculture and resettlement.
Growing schism in Thailand as monarchists hit back against protests
As pro-democracy student-led protests gather momentum and press in Thailand, a smaller group of monarchists, apparently led by an entirely different band of students, are pushing back against what they see as an assault on the country’s foundations.
The collapse of the state government in Sabah: Back to the drawing board
The Warisan-led state assembly in Sabah has been dissolved. If Malaysia’s Perikatan Nasional coalition manages to claw its way back to power, the state might give a second wind to the embattled ruling coalition.