Mong Palatino · February, 2012

Latest posts by Mong Palatino from February, 2012

Thailand: Facebook Blamed for Teen Pregnancies

  29 February 2012

Netizens in Thailand react to the report of the National Economic and Social Development Board that popular social networking site Facebook is partly to blame for the unwanted teen pregnancies in the country. Thailand has one of the highest rates of teen pregnancies in the world.

Singapore: Reactions to the Proposed 2012 Budget

  27 February 2012

Netizens react to the proposed 2012 budget of the Singapore government, which includes a commitment to lower the country’s dependence on foreign workforce, greater assistance to the elderly, the disabled and the lower-income families, and boosting the capacity of public transport and public hospitals.

Southeast Asia’s Three-Wheeled Vehicles

  21 February 2012

Tuktuk, Beca, Kuliglig, Trishaw, Pedicab, Becak, Tricycle. These are the famous three-wheeled vehicles in the Southeast Asian region. They can be seen in the streets of urban centers but governments are trying to ban these ubiquitous pedicabs and motorized rickshaws in major throughfares.

Malaysia: Petition Against Sarawak Dams

  20 February 2012

An online petition urges the Malaysian government to review its plan to build twelve “highly destructive” hydroelectric dams in Sarawak that will displace tens of thousands of people and flood large tracts of tropical rainforest.

Cambodia: Information About Land Evictions

  20 February 2012

Stories Without Borders provides links to pertinent news articles, videos, and other documents about the land evictions in Cambodia. Over 250,000 Cambodians have been displaced by illegal land evictions in both urban and rural areas.

Vietnam: Land Rights Violations

  20 February 2012

Adam Bray writes about the struggle of Vietnamese villagers for their land rights. He accuses the government of secretly demolishing homes and forcibly evicting religious and ethnic minorities in the rural provinces of Quang Ngai, Kon Tum, and Quang Nam.

Singapore Budget 2012

  20 February 2012

Leong Sze Hian analyzes the Singapore budget presentation for the year 2012. He concludes: “Need to cut rhetoric, and do something, anything, if the government wants to regain some credibility.”

Thailand: “Reform the World’s Harshest Lèse Majesté Law”

  12 February 2012

Several groups, scholars, and activists in Thailand are demanding the amendment of Article 112 of the country’s Criminal Code or the lese majeste law, which forbids anyone from insulting the King and members of the Royal Family. The issue has sparked debates on whether it's time to reform this controversial law.

Thailand: “The Purple People Toilet”

  12 February 2012

Richard Barrow uploads a photo of the ‘Purple People Toilet’ in Thailand. It's a toilet for those who belong to the “Third Sex” or in Thailand they are often called “Lady Boys”

Southeast Asia: Restoring Historic Towns

  11 February 2012

Dr. Apiwat Ratanawaraha writes about several projects in Southeast Asia that seek to restore historic towns and promote cultural tourism. Some of the ongoing projects are located in Singapore’s Boat Quay, Malaysia’s Georgetown, and Thailand’s Chiang Mai

Vietnam's “Bad Education Stories” of 2011

  5 February 2012

VietNamNet Bridge posts an article about the “bad stories in the education sector in 2011.” Some of the bad stories include cases of corporal punishment, school bullying, and low performance of schools.