Across Southeast Asia death threats, hate speech and misinformation are seeping through the network of social media behemoth Facebook, recently renamed Meta. Patchy regulation has allowed authoritarian regimes to spread propaganda through the technology giant and silence those daring to speak out against them. Globe’s Jack Brook and Govi Snell navigate this network of political oppression and intimidation and speak to the silenced voices who fear the virtual platform will become a sinister weapon for real-life oppression.
#Region #Facebook #Misinformaiton #JackBrook #GoviSnell

https://southeastasiaglobe.com/facebook-authoritarianism-hate-in-southeast-asia/

Throughout the pandemic, Angkor Wat, one of the most important archaeological sites in Southeast Asia, has lain in a state of relative calm. Now, as restrictions lift, the archaeological park prepares for a fresh influx of international visitors. On the 29th anniversary of Angkor Wat’s designation as a World Heritage Site, Globe’s Anton L. Delgado speaks to Long Kosal, deputy director-general at APSARA National Authority, who shares the changes to the temple circuits that will help direct a new visitor experience and gives insights into what tourists can expect as they return to the iconic attraction.
#Cambodia #Culture #Interview #AntonLDelgado

https://southeastasiaglobe.com/angkor-archaeological-park-changes-in-the-year-ahead/

US Department of State counselor Derek Chollet’s visit to the Cambodian capital while on a trip through Southeast Asia signalled the start of a big year for ASEAN international relations and diplomacy. Globe’s Brian P. D. Hannon attended a media briefing where the senior diplomat shared insights on Southeast Asia’s strategic role in the global economy, Cambodia’s relations with China and Myanmar’s autocratic abuses.
#Region #ASEAN #China #Diplomacy #BrianPDHannon

https://southeastasiaglobe.com/us-diplomat-visit-to-cambodia-opens-big-asean-year/

Yip Yew Chong is breaking down the walls of private art ownership with his public facing murals which bring Singapore’s history to life. As the celebrated street artist finished his latest mural, Globe’s Amanda Oon spoke to him about how art in public spaces is making Singapore’s heritage accessible and the balance between reflecting back on the past and looking forward to the future.
#Singapore #Art #Culture #History #AmandaOon

https://southeastasiaglobe.com/mural-artist-singapore-heritage-accessible-yip-yew-chong/

“For an entire year, I worked for nothing. I had been a slave.”
This is the chilling account of a Laotian worker who crossed the border to Thailand on the promise of a job which was not what it seemed. To mark this year’s upcoming International Migrants Day on 18 December, Matthew Friedman, a former project manager with the UN Interagency Project on Human Trafficking, shares this young Laotian man’s story of debt, betrayal and deportation to illustrate the wider issues of migrant exploitation and abuse in the region.
#Laos #HumanTrafficking #Migrants #InternationalMigrantsDay #MatthewFriedman

https://southeastasiaglobe.com/survivors-story-migrant-worker-abuse-laos/

Many historians look back on the Indochina wars as unavoidable. Yet failed communication and missed opportunities in the run-up to the conflict cast doubt on this certainty. In his analysis, Stein Tønnesson examines events leading up to the Việt Minh attack on the French in December 1946 that sparked a series of Indochina wars, as he questions the widely accepted view that conflict was inevitable. 
#Vietnam #War #History #SteinTønnesson

https://southeastasiaglobe.com/vietnam-france-war-causes-indochina-hanoi-1946/

Environmental activist group Mother Nature Cambodia has led the way in drawing attention to the grave threats facing the Kingdom’s natural environment. But campaigning comes at a high cost. In separate incidents in 2020 and 2021 Mother Nature activists Long Kunthea and Sun Ratha were imprisoned for their advocacy. Shortly after their release on bail, Globe’s Jack Brook and Samphors Sao interviewed the two activists on their incarceration, their hopes for the future and their fight for a more sustainable Cambodia.
#Cambodia #Activism #Environment #JackBrook #SamphorsSao

https://southeastasiaglobe.com/mother-nature-activists-imprisonment-environmental-advocacy-cambodia/

🎆Celebrate the New Year with a 60% discount on Southeast Asia Globe memberships. Help support independent journalism from Southeast Asia for less than $0.08 per day.

Only $28 USD for the first year. Offer ends January 15. Subscribe now at https://bit.ly/2022-new-year-sale

Ros Serey Sothea was revered as the ‘Golden Voice’ of Cambodia throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Decades on, her popularity prevails and there are plans to celebrate her life through a new graphic novel. Globe’s Anton L. Delgado speaks to family members of the beloved musician and the artists who are celebrating her life and the Kingdom’s history through this new project.
#Cambodia #Culture #Music #Art #AntonLDelgado

https://southeastasiaglobe.com/legacy-cambodia-golden-voice-new-form-graphic-novel/

US president Joe Biden’s first year has been an uncertain time for US-Thai relations. What could have been an opportunity to advance strategic objectives, depart from the soured relations of the Trump and Obama administrations and recognise Thailand’s geographical position as a critical Indo-Pacific partner, instead has been characterised by a lack of engagement and exclusion from Biden’s strategic vision. Globe’s columnist Mark S. Cogan discusses the missed opportunities and overlooked importance of Thailand-US diplomacy and why in 2022 Biden has his work cut out for him. 
#Thailand #USA #Diplomacy #MarkSCogan

https://southeastasiaglobe.com/inconsistency-biden-us-relations-with-thailand/

In the forests of Northeast Cambodia, a gold company and indigenous Jarai communities forged an unlikely agreement after years of conflict. But a history of unfulfilled company promises still makes local villagers wary. Globe’s Jack Brook was on the ground to investigate how mineral exploration companies have operated on indigenous land for decades under the protection of Cambodian law but without the consent of communities.
#Cambodia #Mining #Indigenous #JackBrook

https://southeastasiaglobe.com/mining-companies-hunt-for-buried-treasure-on-indigenous-cambodian-land/

As 2021 nears its end and we look ahead to 2022, the Globe team aims to continue our coverage of the most important stories and issues facing Southeast Asia today and in the year ahead. From agriculture and food security to illegal logging and the looming climate crisis, our reporters work with passion and precision to produce the stories you need to know. 

We’ll be taking a short break for the rest of this week and will be sharing top stories from 2021 so you get the opportunity to recap on this unusual and eventful year. And we’ll be back on 3 January, full of energy, enthusiasm and content for the year ahead. See you soon and Happy Holidays!
#GlobeTeam #Editorial #2022

https://southeastasiaglobe.com/scanning-the-horizon-globe-turns-to-2022/

A subpoena in August 2020 from one of Indonesia’s largest palm oil producers warned Sulawesi resident Hemsi that he had 72 hours to vacate the land where he and his neighbours had lived and farmed for years. Globe’s Jack Brook delves into how Hemsi’s case parallels the frustration of many of his fellow residents grappling with a palm oil industry that leaves indigenous landowners fighting for their rights. 
#Indonesia #Environment #LandRights #PalmOil #JackBrook

https://southeastasiaglobe.com/palm-oil-policies-fail-to-resolve-land-disputes/

Kuy teav, Cambodia’s rice-noodles served in steaming pork broth, have become a staple in Asian cookbooks and a firm favourite in the Kingdom’s capital. Even as restaurants were hit hard by the global health crisis, the clip-clop clack-clack of noodle callers satisfying hungry residents’ cravings never waned. Globe’s Stew Post and Anton L. Delgado hit the streets of Phnom Penh to get a taste of the prized pork-based soup noodles and their resilient vendors who have navigated the uncertainties of the pandemic as deftly as they steer through the streets of the city. 
#Cambodia #Culture #StreetFood #Covid19 #StewPost #AntonLDelgado

https://southeastasiaglobe.com/street-cravings-phnom-penh-delivers-night-bowls-of-kuy-teav/

Cambodia’s second ever investment law highlights green business as a critical priority for tax incentives. As climate change rises in urgency, the circular economy, green energy and sustainable technology sectors are gaining increased attention and economic potential. But while considered ‘a step in the right direction’, much of the law still needs to be defined in a forthcoming sub decree. Globe’s Anton L. Delgado considers this critical period for the Kingdom’s green economy. 
#Cambodia #ClimateChange #GreenEconomy #Tax #AntonLDelgado

https://southeastasiaglobe.com/cambodias-new-tax-law-incentives-green-business/

The written form of Kao Kalia Yang’s native Hmong language was destroyed centuries ago by Chinese forces, only to reappear in the 1950’s. But members of the ethnic group have continuously found ways to share their stories and keep their history alive. For Yang, this is through her memoirs, essays, books and public speaking. Globe’s Govi Snell speaks to the author and former refugee about documenting the experiences of these displaced people and giving unheard communities a voice.
#Hmong #Literature #Culture #Community #GoviSnell

https://southeastasiaglobe.com/former-hmong-refugee-writes-stories-the-world-needs/

At the high-profile COP26 conference, Grace Fu, Singapore’s minister for sustainability and the environment, boldly claimed Singapore “does not shy away from taking bold action…”. But in a country where political expression is strictly regulated and rights to protest are limited, youth activists are becoming increasingly frustrated at authorities’ empty rhetoric on environmental action while their own voices are being silenced. Ashley Tan speaks to the campaigners treading the fine balance between being vocal and politically delicate over the increasingly critical issue of climate change. 
#Singapore #ClimateChange #Activism #AshleyTan

https://southeastasiaglobe.com/singapore-youth-climate-activists-hold-country-to-account/

In the rural and remote communities of Vietnam, access to educational and professional guidance and support remains largely out of reach for the many ethnic minority populations. But vocational training reforms, a new National Gender Equality Strategy and the dedication of some educators are equipping current and future generations with vital vocational skills. Christine Redmond highlights the passion and resilience of the ethnic minority women inspiring a new generation through their practical talents and their determination in facing and forging a better future. 
#Vietnam #Education #Training #Ethnic #Women #ChristineRedmond

https://southeastasiaglobe.com/vietnam-vocational-training-skills-with-a-future-aide-action/

When Chhim Sithar joined a protest with her former colleagues from Phnom Penh’s NagaWorld casino, she was violently grabbed and arrested by the police. The strike, which has lasted several weeks, is a determined fight to preserve one of Cambodia's remaining independent unions and protect workers already overwhelmed by the pandemic. Globe’s Jack Brook was at the heart of the protest and spoke to NagaWorld employees about their struggle for rights in the face of authorities’ crackdown. 
#Cambodia #Union #WorkersRights #Protest #JackBrook

https://southeastasiaglobe.com/striking-casino-workers-stand-against-crackdown-nagaworld/

Cambodia’s lack of affordable housing does not stem from a single cause. The contributing factors are multifaceted and interconnected, stemming from construction sector constraints, real estate developers’ economic prudence and unintended urban policy consequences. Ses Aronsakda taps into the foundations of this prevailing gap and explores why the Kingdom needs solutions from several directions. 
#Cambodia #AffordableHousing #Development #RealEstate #SesAronsakda

https://southeastasiaglobe.com/cambodia-plugs-affordable-housing-gap-from-several-directions/