Stories about East Asia from March, 2011
Myanmar: Post-Earthquake Stories from Aid Workers
Myanmar is still reeling from a 6.8 earthquake which hit the country two days ago. Our Myanmar-based author translates interviews and stories of residents and aid workers who witnessed the extent of the quake damage in northeast Myanmar
Russia: Unexpected Results of Radiation Mapping
The crowdsourcing project of mapping radiation levels in Russia measured by private dosimeters not only became an interesting case of digital activism, but also showed some effects its creators didn’t even think of.
South Korea: Controversial Memoir Mixes Art, Sex and Politics
An art curator who shocked South Korea with her fake Yale diploma and government connections released a memoir on March 22, 2011, rocking the nation once again with her revelations. Called the 'art world Cinderella', Shin Jeong-ah's alleged relationships with high-profile political and social figures have made her something of a celebrity.
Myanmar: Photos of Earthquake Disaster
A 6.8 earthquake hit northeast Myanmar on the evening of Thursday 24 March, 2011, which was felt in nearby Thailand and as far away as Vietnam and China. The quake killed at least 70 people and destroyed more than 240 buildings in Myanmar alone but casualties could be higher. In Tachilek town, coffins were sold out hours after the quake.
Japan: The Importance of Getting Back to Normal
As more time passes since the devastating Earthquake that shook Japan on March 11th, people in Japan are feeling the need to return to normal and put the disaster behind them. Although for many Japanese who lost their homes or loved ones this will be quite difficult, those who weren't as unlucky feel the need to do their part and help the economy get back on its feet.
Taiwan: Call for Energy Policy Review
The ongoing Fukushima nuclear power plant incident in Japan has alerted people in Taiwan about the safety of nuclear power plants in their own country. In order to transform current concern into long term government policy, many netizens are demanding the Taiwanese government conduct a comprehensive review on the country's energy and industrial policy.
Should Indonesia Abandon its Nuclear Plans?
Indonesia’s plan to build its first nuclear plant in the next decade has been shelved indefinitely because of the nuclear disaster in Japan. Bloggers are joining the debate on whether Indonesia should pursue its nuclear dreams.
Japan: Fundraising through art
A group of international artists realized paintings and drawings dedicated to the victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. The works are part of an open project called Tsunami, Des Images pour le Japon. You can send your original illustrations here [fr].
Singapore: Doctors as politicians
At least three public sector doctors may stand as local candidates of the ruling party in the coming elections in Singapore.
Philippines: Manila Twestival
Proceeds from the Manila Twestival which will take place today will go to JeepneED. The group aims to provide mobile science and tech materials for rural schools in the Philippines.
Myanmar: VoIP services banned
shwedarling uploads a letter from the Myanmar government banning VoIP services in the country like Gtalk, Vzo, Skype and Pfingo.
Cambodia: Use of Khmer language in the web
The Mirror is a bit worried that many Cambodian internet surfers are using Romanized Khmer instead of Khmer Unicode.
Indonesia: Expense tracker applications
BudiPutra features three expense tracker websites developed by Indonesian developers.
Indonesia: Football foreign coaches banned
Jakarta Casual reports that four football foreign coaches were temporarily banned in Indonesia.
Indonesia: Torture and human rights
Blogger donnyputranto urges Indonesian authorities to stop treating torture as a regular crime since it's a serious human rights violation.
Japan: Hoarding Water in Wake of Radiation Fears
South Korea's blogger/citizen news site, Wikitree posted a photo sent by a Japanese net user which shows people hoarding bottled water in big supermarket chains in Tokyo, reflecting heightened fears of radiation contamination.
South Korea: Special Parking Lot for Pregnant Women
In South Korea, a local district office had received rare compliments from net users with their women-friendly policy. The Yeongi country office had created a special parking lot saved for pregnant women. (See Wiki Tree‘s photo here. It is marked with pink lane)
China’s property bubble
Edward Khoo from Fool's Mountain looks into the market psychology that contributes to the property bubble and affects the government's soft landing measures.
Indonesia: Geothermal power potential
Blogger Multibrand hopes that Indonesia would maximize its geothermal power potential since it has 40 percent of the world's geothermal reserves.
The Coming Collapse of China's Soft Power
Johan Lagerkvist from Chinaroader foresees the coming collapse of China's soft power.
Macedonia: QR Campaign to Aid Japan
It.com.mk noted [MKD] that Kalina Zografska, Kristijan Ivanovski and Iva Dujak started an independent campaign using QR codes containing Japanese proverbs, quotes and links, to promote the humanitarian concert “Heart for Japan” [MKD] (#srcejp) and remind Skopje's citizens of the legacy of Kenzo Tange, a Japanese architect who helped rebuild...
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