Mong Palatino · June, 2009

Latest posts by Mong Palatino from June, 2009

Indonesia: Vice President Debate

  30 June 2009

Indonesia conducted a debate among vice president hopefuls. My Busy Brain thinks the candidates were all colorul. Listen to the audio podcast of the debate.

Preetam Rai interview

  27 June 2009

GV author Preetam Rai was interviewed by Syed Syahrul Zarizi of Malaysia about his online projects and his thoughts on blogging and travel.

Singapore: Infamous Burger King ad

  26 June 2009

Burger King has a new sandwich offering in Singapore called the “Super Seven Incher.” To promote the new product, a local ad agency produced an outdoor ad which is now getting a lot of attention and criticism around the world.

Laos: Strange pineapples on display

  26 June 2009

Two strange pineapples, one shaped like a dragon and the other shaped like a heart, are on display in a temple in Laos. The pineapples harvested from a Vientiane farm are drawing huge crowds everyday.

Thailand: Thousands affected by train strike

  24 June 2009

Thousands of passengers were affected by the two-day nationwide train strike launched by employees of the State Railway of Thailand. The workers were protesting a cabinet resolution which they claim would lead to the privatization of the railway company. A survey shows that majority of Thais are upset with the strike.

Philippines: A(H1N1) panic continues to grow

  23 June 2009

Asia’s first A(H1N1)-related death is a Filipina from Metro Manila. This was confirmed by health authorities who also warned that 25 percent of the country’s 90 million population could be affected by the dreaded influenza virus. More schools have suspended their classes to protect the health and safety of their students.

Vietnam: Growth of Saigon

  21 June 2009

Michael Sieburg writes about the economic expansion of Saigon and enumerates some of the notable construction projects in the city.

Vietnam arrests prominent lawyer and writer

  19 June 2009

Vietnam ’s Ministry of Public Security police arrested Le Cong Dinh in Ho Chi Minh City for participating in subversive activities. Dinh is a prominent pro-democracy lawyer, human rights advocate and writer. Several media groups and local scholars have condemned Dinh’s arrest.

Cambodia: Controversial Angkor Wat lighting project

  14 June 2009

To promote "night lighting" tours and to reverse the 20 per cent drop in visitors, the Cambodian government has installed artificial lighting in the 11th century-old Angkor Wat Temple. This project is opposed by some heritage conservationists and concerned Cambodian citizens. Angkor Wat is the most popular tourist site in Cambodia and is recognized as a World Heritage site.