covid-19



STORY OF THE DAY • May 08, 2020 • 10 min read

Covid-19 As migrant mental health suffers in Singapore dorms, aid groups rally

By Toh Ee Ming and Kelly Ng • May 08, 2020
As Singapore enters its 5th week of "circuit breaker" mode, the migrant workers quarantined in the city-state's dormitories are suffering under the psychological toll of isolation in squalid conditions and the ever-looming threat of contracting the virus

STORY OF THE DAY • May 06, 2020 • 3 min read

Covid-19 Bangkok’s millionaires’ club enjoys lockdown luxury

By Dene-Hern Chen / Agence France-Presse • May 06, 2020
While the majority of Thai citizens suffer with a lockdown that has crushed the economy, left millions unemployed and created lines for food donations, the kingdom's super-rich have not forgone luxury during the pandemic and are enjoying a VIP delivery experience

STORY OF THE DAY • May 05, 2020 • 2 min read

Covid-19 Indonesia economy sees weakest growth in almost two decades

By Agence France-Presse • May 05, 2020
Indonesia's economy grew in the first quarter at its slowest pace for almost two decades, and economists warned on May 5 the ongoing coronavirus pandemic would likely deal an even greater economic blow in the next three months

May 04, 2020 • 9 min read
Tales of the Pandemic

Lockdown with the monks at Myanmar’s Pa-Auk monastery

As much of the world struggles with enforced isolation to stem the spread of Covid-19, there is one group who are better prepared than most to weather this storm. Buddhist monk Bhante Subhūti gives an insight into how his monastery near Mandalay is coping with this not-so-slow pace of life
By Bhante Bhikkhu Subhūti • May 04, 2020

May 01, 2020 • 8 min read
Cambodian economy

‘Government support for workers during Covid-19 insufficient’

With the halt of global tourism, and the mass cancellation of orders from the West, the global pandemic has hit the Cambodian economy especially hard. While the government has instituted support measures for workers, Cambodian labour rights organisation CENTRAL marks Labour Day 2020 with the message that it's not nearly enough
By Patrick Lee • May 01, 2020

Apr 29, 2020 • 4 min read
Covid-19

Cambodian rum distillery puts hand sanitiser on the menu

With the price of hand sanitiser skyrocketing since the pandemic, Phnom Penh’s Samai Distillery has thought outside the box to help the local community by producing affordable bottles of cleansing alcohol using leftovers from rum production
By Alexi Demetriadi • Apr 29, 2020

Apr 28, 2020 • 9 min read
Covid-19

As the pandemic takes hold, Singapore’s mental health suffers

While attempts to stem the spread of Covid-19 has led to the shutdown of virtually all economic and social activity in Singapore, life grinding to a halt in the city-state is giving rise to a different public health issue: poor mental health
By Kelly Ng • Apr 28, 2020

Apr 27, 2020 • 10 min read
Tales of the Pandemic

Reflecting on society as Singapore embraces “circuit breaker” mode

Last week Singapore announced it was extending "circuit breaker" measures, severely restricting movement to stem the spread of Covid-19. Resident Gabrielle See describes how these measures, and the pandemic, have highlighted divisions in her family home, as well as Singaporean society more widely
By Gabrielle See • Apr 27, 2020

Apr 27, 2020 • 7 min read
Tales of the Pandemic

Hunkering down in tourist-free Siem Reap

Cambodia's Siem Reap thrives and survives on its tourist industry, with millions flocking to the ancient Angkor Wat temple each year. But as Covid-19 halts global travel, writer Jonathan Evans describes life minus the tourists in this once-again sleepy little town
By Jonathan Evans • Apr 27, 2020

Apr 22, 2020 • 8 min read
Covid-19

‘Pandemic a chance for governments to prove themselves or stumble’

With Covid-19, errors have been made in the public health responses of many countries. Darshan Joshi of Malaysian think-tank REFSA argues that if past failures on climate change and inequality are any indication of what is to come, we might be in a lot of trouble
By Darshan Joshi • Apr 22, 2020

Apr 21, 2020 • 9 min read
Thai monarchy

Online criticism of Thai king goes viral during pandemic

In Thailand, the ruling monarchy has long been protected by some of the harshest lèse-majesté laws in the world. But the behaviour of the controversial King Maha Vajiralongkorn during the pandemic has opened him up to a flurry of online backlash
By Sarah Kim • Apr 21, 2020