Latest posts by Mong Palatino from August, 2014
Activist Blogger in Vietnam Gets 3 Years Behind Bars for ‘Obstructing Traffic’
A court has sentenced a prominent Vietnamese activist blogger to three years in prison for posing a “serious obstruction to traffic.” Her two other companions will join her behind bars.
One Person Holds the Three Most Powerful Positions in Thailand Today
Prayuth Chan-ocha is Thailand’s new prime minister. He is also the army chief who staged a coup last May and appointed himself as head of the coup government.
Experience the “Hanoi Soundwalk” Interactive Audio Tour
The Soundwalk is an “interactive, geo-locative audio tour” where a user with a headphone and smartphone app equipped with GPS can hear sounds as he or she walks around the city. …when you move around the sounds will appear to be coming from a particular location, and you can discover...
Digital Reconstruction of Cambodia's Angkor Wat
The Smithsonian Channel has uploaded a video showing a digital reconstruction of Cambodia's Angkor Wat using 3D image technology. Angkor Wat (Temple City) is a popular tourism destination in Cambodia which used to be the capital of the Khmer Empire in the 12th century. It is also a massive religious...
Beatriz’s War: East Timor's First Feature Film
A Guerra da Beatriz (Beatriz’s War) is the first feature film from East Timor. It is about Indonesia's occupation of East Timor from 1975 to 1999 and its impact on the Timorese society. According to the producers of the film, it was “made guerrilla style by the men and women...
Five Million People Have Had Enough of Myanmar's Current Constitution
Myanmar's opposition is pushing a large-scale constitutional reform effort to remove "undemocratic provisions" that it says sustain the country's current military-backed government.
Thailand's Military Junta Cements Its Power With ‘Undemocratic’ Interim Constitution
Thailand’s military government has enacted an interim constitution which critics described as a charter that is designed to perpetuate a military dictatorship.
Derailed Train Exposed Inefficient Philippine Mass Transport System
Scores were injured when a train overshot its stop at a busy intersection in south Manila. The crash ignited an intense discussion about the weak and inefficient mass transportation system in the Philippines. Authorities vowed to improve train service amid rising public anger over the incident.
Yasmine: Brunei's First Feature Film
The film Yasmine is notable because it is Brunei's first feature film. It is about a young woman who wanted to be a champion of silat, an indigenous martial arts from Brunei. The film has been well-received in various international film festivals.
How the ‘Boycott McDonald’s’ Campaign for Gaza is Hurting Some Muslims in Malaysia
The campaign was organized to pressure companies accused of supporting Israel. But McDonald's in Malaysia says it is hurting their workers and their families.
Malaysian Government Threatens to Block Facebook Over “Abuse” Reports
Other legislators want to create a government registry of Facebook accounts or amend the country's Sedition Act to address online hate speech -- moves that would still threaten free speech.
Improving Internet Access in Cambodia
Danièle Adler, a consultant in communications strategy, gives an overview of the significant improvement of the IT sector in Cambodia: Six years ago, fewer than 10,000 Cambodians had a web connection, and it was extremely slow. Today 2.5 million people have Internet access at home, and an additional two million...
Thailand's Junta Bans ‘Tropico’, a Computer Game That Simulates Military Dictatorship
The game allows a player to be a dictator named 'El Presidente' and launch a coup in a tropical paradise island.
Cambodia’s Freedom Park, a Site of Protest and Symbol of Free Expression, Reopens
Cambodia's Freedom Park was barricaded by the police after it became the main site of protest actions against the government.
How the Singapore-Malaysia ‘Toll Wars’ Are Hurting Workers and Commuters
The cost of crossing the Singapore-Johor Causeway suddenly went up by almost 400 percent after toll fees were raised by Malaysia and Singapore.
Malaysia’s Longest Serving PM Repeats Call to Censor the Internet
Dr. Mahathir Mohamad says Web platforms and services are worse for online freedom than government regulation...and that the Malaysian government needs to start censoring the Web.
VIDEO: Development Master Plan for Brunei's Capital
This video shows the master plan to develop Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei's capital city, into a “livable, uniquely Bruneian, riverfront city.”
The World’s First Dengue Vaccine Could Be Available in Southeast Asia Next Year
Up to 100 million people across the world are infected with dengue each year. Will the vaccine finally stop the spread of the virus?
Indonesia Is Fighting Haze With a New Online Fire Monitoring Tool
An online fire monitoring tool using real-time information has reportedly reduced the time it takes for firefighters to respond to blazes from 20 hours to two to four hours.
