tier-1



STORY OF THE DAY • Oct 23, 2020 • 8 min read

Thai democracy Live streams and citizen journalism defy Thailand’s media crackdown

By Wanpen Pajai and Tara Abhasakun • Oct 23, 2020
In recent days, Thailand’s government has attempted to crackdown on several outlets offering coverage of the ongoing pro-democracy movement. But while efforts are made to muzzle traditional media, live-streaming and citizen journalism is ready to fill the void

STORY OF THE DAY • Oct 22, 2020 • 3 min read

Podcast The Anakut podcast: The fate of the Mighty Mekong

By Andrew Haffner • Oct 22, 2020
Joining Meng and Andrew in their Phnom Penh studio this week are Ham Oudom and Pich Charadine, with chatter turning to one, very large, issue – the fate of the once-Mighty Mekong

STORY OF THE DAY • Oct 21, 2020 • 2 min read

Covid-19 Thailand welcomes first tourists since March

By Agence France-Presse • Oct 21, 2020
October 20 saw the first tourists to arrive in the Land of Smiles in seven months, an experiment to see if a wider opening is possible as Thailand attempts to reinvigorate its battered economy

Oct 21, 2020 • 6 min read
Opinion

The hidden plight of Phnom Penh’s urban poor during flooding

Cambodia has experienced severe flooding in recent weeks, with large sections of the capital under water. But major events like these don't tell the whole story, with small and consistent issues associated with flooding worsening a cycle of poverty among the urban poor
By Horn Chanvoitey • Oct 21, 2020

Oct 21, 2020 • 14 min read
History

Who hijacked Malaysia Airlines 653? Revisiting the mystery 43 years on

On December 4, 1977, Malaysia Airlines flight 653 crashed into a swamp in Johor state, killing all 100 people onboard in what was then the deadliest plane hijacking in history. 43 years later, while the identity and motivations of the person behind the crash remain a mystery, an unearthed report sheds new light on the tragedy
By Kylan Dempsey • Oct 21, 2020

Oct 20, 2020 • 4 min read
Thai democracy

‘A moving current’: Thai protesters adopt Hong Kong tactics

As Thais continue to defy the government and gather in the streets of the capital Bangkok, they are finding inspiration and support from their counterparts in Hong Kong, a solidarity movement that has been dubbed the Milk Tea Alliance in recent months
By Vijitra Duangdee and Dene-Hern Chen/AFP • Oct 20, 2020

Oct 20, 2020 • 10 min read
Industry 4.0

Cambodia’s newest dairy farm offers vision of tech-driven agriculture

Cambodia's agricultural sector is still heavily reliant on traditional, and inefficient, methods of cultivation. But the Kingdom's newest dairy farm, Kirisu, offers a vision of how technology could play a bigger role in helping the ailing sector offer better yields
By Andrew Haffner • Oct 20, 2020

Oct 19, 2020 • 8 min read
History

The Jakarta Method: How US-backed communist purges shaped our world

Recently released book The Jakarta Method documents the deadly game of trial and error practiced by the CIA in 1960s Indonesia, as the Southeast Asian nation's US-backed mass killings would become the model for anti-communist purges around the globe
By Shanti du Rocher • Oct 19, 2020

Oct 17, 2020 • 2 min read
Editorial

Jokowi’s oligarchs and Anakut

Rarely does the average citizen become concerned with the passage of an economic stimulus law, not least the finer details of a 1,000-page piece of legislation. But in Indonesia, riots erupted last week as parliament pushed through the Omnibus Bill on Job Creation, a law that many feel benefits political and economic elites. Contributor Stania Puspa unravels the controversial bill. We also publish the second episode of Anakut: The Podcast About Cambodia’s Future. This week Meng and Andrew enter the booth to discuss women’s issues in the Kingdom with two esteemed guests
By Andrew Haffner • Oct 17, 2020

Oct 16, 2020 • 8 min read
Recycling

Vietnam’s long and winding road to plastic waste reduction

A booming economy has given rise to fast-tracked consumption in Vietnam, and with it mounting waste. The country's leaders have introduced legislation to curb its plastic habit, but some observers warn it still has the potential to become the world's garbage dump
By Ashley Lampard • Oct 16, 2020

Oct 16, 2020 • 4 min read
Thai democracy

‘Keep on fighting’: Detained Thai lawyer keeps up rallying cries

Detained Thai human rights lawyer Anon Numpa called on pro-democracy activists to keep fighting in the face of a crackdown by the Thai government, that has seen an emergency decree put into place in recent days to quell unrest
By Dene-Hern Chen and Pitcha Dangprasith/AFP • Oct 16, 2020