Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia • STORY OF THE DAY • Mar 29, 2021 • 11 min read

Arts and culture Huddled together: Keeping Thailand’s independent cinema alive

By Wanpen Pajai • Mar 29, 2021
With major cineplexes increasingly dominating Thailand's cinema landscape in recent decades, the kingdom's independent film scene was already struggling pre-Covid. Now, amidst the pandemic, efforts are being made to keep Thailand's rich cinematic heritage alive

Southeast Asia • STORY OF THE DAY • Mar 29, 2021 • 3 min read

Health Mr Muscles: Malaysian bodybuilder still going strong at 72

By M. Jegathesan/AFP • Mar 29, 2021
Despite his advancing years, Malaysian champion bodybuilder Arokiasamy still pumps iron every day, and believes staying healthy with a vigorous routine is the best defence against the coronavirus

Southeast Asia • STORY OF THE DAY • Mar 22, 2021 • 10 min read

Ethnic minorities Vietnam’s Hmong women finding empowerment through hemp

By Ashley Lampard • Mar 22, 2021
With rights abuses and environmental degradation rife in the fast-fashion industry, recent years have seen Vietnam's traditional crafts enjoy a resurgence in demand, empowering women from minority cultures to become stakeholders in their communities

Southeast Asia • Mar 22, 2021 • 4 min read
Press freedom

BBC journalist freed in Myanmar as anti-coup protests roll on

BBC journalist Aung Thura, held by authorities since his arrest last week, has been freed, the broadcaster said on March 22, as demonstrators took to the streets for fresh anti-coup protests against the military
By Agence France-Presse • Mar 22, 2021

Southeast Asia • Mar 16, 2021 • 4 min read
Myanmar coup

Yangon residents flee martial law area as Myanmar death toll grows

Residents of a major protest district in Yangon fled on Tuesday March 16 after security forces escalated the use of lethal force against anti-coup demonstrators, despite international appeals for restraint.
By Agence France-Presse • Mar 16, 2021

Southeast Asia • Mar 13, 2021 • 4 min read
Editorial

Bunkering down for Cambodia’s worst Covid-19 outbreak

Plus, going deep on Myanmar’s new, would-be civilian government, investigating the push to legalise Thailand’s underground gambling industry and ringing in International Women’s Day
By Andrew Haffner • Mar 13, 2021

Southeast Asia • Mar 08, 2021 • 9 min read
International Women's Day

Condoms, consent, and courage: Teaching sex positivity in Malaysia

Jasmine King is pushing past cultural conservatism to promote sex positivity in Malaysia, opening up conversations about pleasure, health and inclusivity. She has attracted thousands of followers, but also pushback as cultural taboos pose formidable barriers
By Helen Jambunathan • Mar 08, 2021

Southeast Asia • Mar 08, 2021 • 9 min read
International Women's Day

Investing in Cambodia’s women: Providing opportunities, not charity

While images of poverty-stricken women dominate much of the fundraising materials for charities, SHE Investments Managing Director Celia Boyd argues that more is needed than just the exchange of funds, with women's empowerment the ultimate goal
By Celia Boyd • Mar 08, 2021

Southeast Asia • Mar 06, 2021 • 3 min read
Editorial

The redemption of Cambodia’s child sex tourism town

This week, in a first ever for the Globe, we produced a story decided by you, our readers. We put several ideas to our paying members back in January, and you decided that you’d like to know more about Cambodia’s former child sex tourism village, Svay Pak. Andrew and Allegra spent the past month visiting Svay Pak, learning how it’s been transformed from a den of abject suffering to a tight-knit community today
By Andrew Haffner • Mar 06, 2021

Southeast Asia • Mar 04, 2021 • 14 min read
Myanmar coup

‘He shot straight at me’: Myanmar journalists describe covering the coup

Amidst brutal military crackdowns, journalists across Myanmar are spotlighting events on the ground. Faced with violence and threats of arrest, many tread a fine line – at once offering a global audience updates, while also protecting themselves from military action
By Allegra Mendelson • Mar 04, 2021

Southeast Asia • Feb 27, 2021 • 3 min read
Editorial

Leaked documents in Myanmar and a free-press battle in Malaysia

This week we’ve dug into a trove of information that has gone largely unregistered in the mainstream press, as hundreds of gigabytes of information, leaked from government websites in Myanmar, detail the length and breadth of the military’s influence in the country’s economy. We also look at the fight for press freedom in Malaysia, speaking with embattled outlet Malaysiakini about their recent 500,000 ringgit fine for five user comments on their website
By Andrew Haffner • Feb 27, 2021