A King's Final Journey

Published on Nov 5, 2012 by Luke Hunt

Half of the country’s population is expected to make the pilgrimage to Phnom Penh to pay their respects to King Father Norodom Sihanouk, demonstrating their reverence for him as well as their unease about what his absence will mean for the country’s future. Luke Hunt Reports for the Bangkok PostFor weeks, Cambodians have filed into the capital, ending a pilgrimage which for most is a once in a lifetime event. The streets along the riverside are jammed with traffic while in the parks outside the Royal Palace children dressed in white with black ribbons play and pray with their parents.From a distance the palace gates - adorned by portraits of the late King Father Norodom Sihanouk _ appear like an....

Vietnam's Urban Poor

Published on Oct 24, 2012 by Luke Hunt

Vietnam has the highest urbanization rate in Southeast Asia. Just a decade ago, only 24% of its population lived in cities, with 65% of the labor force employed in rural agriculture. Today, already more than 30 million people live in urban areas, accounting for approximately 34% of Vietnam’s total population.The country is witnessing a rapid proliferation of urban areas, with the number of towns or cities at 755 and rising.Planners estimate that Vietnam’s cities will be home to more than 46 million people by the year 2020. The largest of these cities, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, are the growth engines of the country, supported by a relatively low urban unemployment rate of 4.6%.Read more from Taufik Indrakesuma &....

Dan White: 1965-2012

Published on Sep 25, 2012 by Luke Hunt

As a photographer and writer, Dan White could count Afghanistan, Cambodia and East Timor among the many conflicts he covered.The British journalist was always brave but often troubled by the brutalities he witnessed and at times endured first-hand. Nevertheless he stuck to his core values, denouncing all types of violence and emerging in recent years as one of the most affable men in Southeast Asian journalism. Dan, tragically, passed away on September 20, following a brain hemorrhage. He was 47.My initial encounters with Dan, well over a decade ago, were marked by humor and his ability to see the funny side of life even when confronted by deadly threats. His sense of the ridiculous often stood him in good stead.Read....

Oi gioi oi! Rapping in Vietnam

Published on Jun 14, 2012 by Luke Hunt

A foreigner rapping about the annoyances and joys of living in Hanoi might not sound like the hit of the year. But add one common Vietnamese expression, and strangely enough you have something that rivals Vietnam’s top pop stars for online views.The song, “Oi gioi oi” (sounds like oi zoi oi), is by Hanoi Sessions, a group of longtime Hanoi expats, and was released online only a few months ago. It’s racked up over 360,000 views on YouTube, and about as many on the local Yahoo! site and Zing! a local pop-culture site.Read more in The Economist..

Lady Gaga: Threat to Kids?

Published on May 11, 2012 by Luke Hunt

The self-appointed culture police are at it again. Indonesia’s hard-line Muslims are promising to block American singer Lady Gaga from taking to the stage during a scheduled June 3 performance in Jakarta. Among their many complaints are that the pop diva is a danger to children.In threatening to mobilize 30,000 people, the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) also described the hottest artist in contemporary music as vulgar, very dangerous and argued that her sense of dress were threatening to a child’s sense of morality. Read more in The Diplomat from Luke Hunt..