Built in 2005 as Myanmar’s titanic new capital, the city of Naypyidaw is a surreal stop between Yangon and Mandalay – and an unmissable experience for travellers looking for a glimpse into a golden era yet to come
Mobile networks
Cambodia: 4G speeds drop as customer numbers increase
Access to 4G mobile networks has steadily grown in Cambodia over the past six months, but the country’s telecommunications companies continue to struggle with maintaining 4G speeds as their networks grow
Banking on change
Gender inequality stifling Cambodian women in finance sector
Cambodian women are traditionally charged with overseeing their families’ finances once the paycheque comes home. But while this skillset remains an essential part of Cambodia’s economy, what more can the financial sector do to take advantage of this home-grown expertise?
Chin tribes
Myanmar’s tattooed women: an artist’s interpretation
In northwestern Myanmar, the indigenous Chin people have a unique tradition of tattooing the women’s faces. In 2012, Belgian artist Christian Develter travelled to the region to meet these women, which served as an inspiration for his series Chin Urban & Tribal. He discusses his experience of living with the tribes, and his thoughts on
Bat conservation
Almost a quarter of Southeast Asia’s bats face extinction
A large portion of Southeast Asia’s bat population is currently at risk of extinction, a conservation expert announced at the 4th annual Southeast Asia Bat Conference hosted in the Philippines earlier this week
Mental health
‘The whole mental healthcare system in Malaysia seems to be behind the times’
Malaysia is grappling with mental healthcare. Affordable and effective treatment exists but is out of reach to many, thanks to a confounding and constricting system
Augmented reality
Why AR technology could be a game changer in bomb disposal methods
Bomb disposal is perhaps the most difficult job in the world; one wrong move, and it’s over. But one organisation may have a way to make it that much easier. Golden West, operating out of Cambodia, is using the latest augmented reality technology to help in the demining effort
Animal rights
Thailand’s strays: saving the street dogs
When Thai authorities poisoned dogs at a temple while battling a rabies outbreak, it raised the ire of animal welfare groups – which are leading efforts to find humane solutions and bring the stray dogs in off the streets
Interview: Gerardo Calagui
Those Long Haired Nights: Filipino film highlights struggle for transgender rights
With its true-to-life representation of transgender sex workers in Manila, Gerardo Calagui’s 2017 film Those Long Haired Nights is not afraid to court controversy. Southeast Asia Globe spoke with the Filipino director about the film and the challenges facing the LGBT+ community in his homeland
Opinion
What made the story of the Thai Cave Boys so special?
The world was transfixed by the story of a football team stuck in a cave in northern Thailand as reporters from all over the planet filed updates to a hungry public – but what about news of other horrors in forgotten places?
Sponsored
AccorHotels wins Sustainable Business Award Singapore
AccorHotels has won the Sustainable Business Award in recognition of the Group’s policy on responsibility and ethics. The prestigious accolade was presented in the presence of Singapore’s Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Masagos Zulkifli
George Town Festival
Photo project examines how food challenges the notion of poverty
Since 2010, photographer Stefen Chow and his economist partner Lin Huiyi have been challenging perceptions of what it means to be poor across the globe. Their award-winning project The Poverty Line, which will exhibit at this month’s George Town Festival in Malaysia, compares 29 countries through photographs of the food choices available to those living