Dancing with Dictators: a very problematic publisher
“Jinxed” is how the Australian media described Dancing with Dictators, a documentary film about Southeast Asia’s most controversial newspaper man, when it was canned at the 11th hour during last year’s Sydney film festival.
When Phnom Penh Post and Myanmar Times publisher Ross Dunkley agreed to allow filmmakers to follow in his footsteps for an exposé on how the foreign media fares under one of the world’s most repressive regimes, few outside his immediate circle could have imagined what was to come.
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An artist rises from the ashes
Srey Bandaul has come a long way since he first picked up a paint brush at the SiteTwo Refugee camp on the Thai border. Spooked by personal experience of fleeing the murderous Khmer Rouge, the 38-year-old has turned memories of a traumatic past into a promising artistic future.
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Christie’s to hold first art auction in Cambodia
One of the world’s most esteemed auction houses is poised to stage its first ever event in Cambodia.
Christie’s, founded in London in 1766, is synonymous with fine art and today boasts offices around the world, including in London, New York, Paris, Geneva, Milan, Amsterdam, Dubai, and Hong Kong.
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18 January shooting – Prime Minister's interventions bringing changes?
This is to document events related to the shooting of villagers on 18 January 2012 who saw their land getting lost – until finally the Prime Minister intervened on 31 January 2012, ordering decisive action to be taken. But new reports on 2 February 2012 do not show that the atmosphere has changed.
Land disputes happened in increasing numbers since many months. Some cases of violent evictions had received also wide international attention – like the destruction of the settlement in Dey Krahom - the continuing conflicts around the Boeng Kak lake (the lake has by now completely disappeared, it has been filled with sand) – and the struggle of a final group of residents evicted from the Borei Keila area.
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The Magic of Myanmar- Part 1
Republished - Nov 2017
It was a decision based on avoidance. An avoidance of two things: Christmas and Cambodia. The idea of another December 25th with fake snow and Happy Merry Christmas written on every available surface while you felt your skin being fried under the relentless Cambodian sun was enough to prompt the quest for a location far, far away from sweaty Santas. After a bit of geographical and financial arithmetic Myanmar presented itself.
The Magic of Myanmar- Part 2 Mandalay and beyond
(Continued from last week, The Magic of Myanmar Part 1)
Republished - Feb 2012
I’m not sure if it was the suitcase crashing down on my head, or the cold and hunger on the train that did it, but when we arrived at our hotel in Mandalay, the Emerald land Inn, it did indeed feel like we had walked into a giant gem. The room was spacious, comfortable and had a bath. Sold.
The magic of Myanmar- Part 3 Boats, Bicycles and Balloons in Bagan
(Continued from last week- Part 2 Mandalay and Beyond)
Republished - Feb 2012
Super early wake-up calls result in most of the morning resembling an out-of-focus film, and this one was no different. By the time I was able to concentrate I realized that it was dark and cold, and we were sitting on a boat staring at a TV screen playing back-to-back music videos by Boney M. I never remembered them as being such activists, and exactly how ‘far out’ their wardrobes were.
The Magic of Myanmar- Inle Lake
(Continued from last week- Part 4 Trekking into 2010)
Republished Feb 2012
It wasn’t a particularly arduous walk that we faced on our second day of trekking, but having set off at 8am it was with joy that our guide Saw’s words “not far now” were met, four hours later.
A boat was waiting for us at Inde ready to take us to Nyaungshwe where we would be staying during our Inle Lake experience. After so much land it was wonderful to see water!
Street Photography in Vietnam
A question that I’m often asked by clients, and a question frequently asked on Tripadvisor, is “Is it OK to take photographs of people in Vietnam?” Certainly for photography beginners/amateurs, street photography, and the thought of approaching a complete stranger & taking their picture, is an intimidating prospect – however, Vietnam’s buzzing street life and its photogenic people are simply begging to be photographed.
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Council of Ministers and UN Special Expert - continued
The following items are added as follow-up to the previous posting here: Council of Ministers Spokesperson Censured UN Special Expert on 26 January 2012.
On Friday, 27 January 2012, The Cambodia Daily reported:
In a letter addressed to Mr. Scheffer dated yesterday, Mr. Siphan said his comments on the meeting were misinterpreted. According to Mr. Siphan, he had only said that Mr. Scheffer "understood" Mr. Sok An's position "that the Royal Government of Cambodia cannot overturn the decision of the Supreme Council of the Magistracy."
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