Life

 The Patpong Museum in Bangkok's original red-light district is an ode to spies, sleaze and swinging Bangkok, recording over 100 years of history. (Photo by George Styllis)
Tea Leaves

Patpong moves from notoriety to nostalgia

Museum gives new meaning to Bangkok's raciest district in fast-changing times

4 March 2020
Itoki has introduced a line of desks that come in three heights, the tallest of which allows people to work at their PC while standing.
Consumer

Office furniture makers' new frontier: the home

The coronavirus and Tokyo Olympics drive demand for ergonomic chairs and desks

1 March 2020
It's what's on the inside that counts: A duck is stuffed with the special mix of spices necessary to create the Indonesian delicacy bebek betutu. (Ian Neubauer)
Life

Bali scores gastro-points with 'indescribable' roast duck

Traditional dish is so good that food critics struggle to describe it

28 February 2020
Wild camels in South Australia: Driven from the desert by a prolonged drought, camels are descending on towns in search of water, wreaking havoc on infrastructure and endangering residents in the process.
Life

Australia's wild camel dilemma: to cull or cultivate?

Mass shooting after fires prompts calls for more feral animals to be farmed

26 February 2020
Join Earth's cricket-based dark ale is said to taste like roasted caramel. (Photo courtesy of Join Earth)
Food & Beverage

Cricket-flavored brew makes beer lovers chirp

Glasses will be served during a four-day limited event in Tokyo

26 February 2020
Karen hill tribe villagers display their prized wild honey. (Courtesy of Kongwuth Chaiwongkachon)
Life

Chefs give Thailand's wild bees a helping hand

Northern hill tribe shows restaurateurs a sweet way to conserve forests

21 February 2020
A portrait of former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos taken by Lauren Greenfield during the filming of "The Kingmaker." (Courtesy of Evergreen Pictures/Lauren Greenfield)
Life

Philippines fired up over Imelda Marcos documentary

Amid Duterte controversy, 'The Kingmaker' raises fresh fears over comeback of a fallen dynasty

19 February 2020
Travelers wear masks at an airport in Bangkok in January. The Thai government is bracing for the impact of mass cancellations of Chinese group tours. (Photo by Akira Kodaka)
Tea Leaves

What virus fears can teach Asia's tourism industry

Collapse in visitor demand highlights over-reliance on Chinese visitors

19 February 2020
Ko Nishimama, center, founder of job-placement service Shangri-La, says the "bandwagon jumpers have been weeded out," leaving only serious foreign students to apply for jobs in Japan.
Startups

Ex-Japan diplomat helps South Korean job seekers find their feet

Ko Nishiyama has 'no regrets' pursuing dream of building bridges in Asia

16 February 2020
Yakult Swallows manager Katsuya Nomura is tossed in the air by his jubilating players at the Seibu Lions Stadium in Saitama after they capped thier 1993 season with a 4-3 victory over the Seibu Lions on Nov. 1, 1993.
Obituaries

Katsuya Nomura, star baseball player with rocky personal life

He spent 26 years at Nankai Hawks, racking up achievements

14 February 2020
A girl stands in the doorway of her family's ger in Altanbulag, Mongolia. Her family, herders, began accepting guests via Airbnb in 2016. 
Life

Mongolians embrace 21st century tourism boom

Business opportunities blossom as nomads discover Airbnb

14 February 2020
Rosewood Yangon, the city's first "ultraluxury" hotel.
Life

Discreet boom highlights Yangon's resilience

Politics have fueled Western criticism, but new investors are flocking

12 February 2020
Buildings on the Philippine resort island of Boracay are left in ruins on Dec. 26, the day after Typhoon Phanfone hit the area. (Photo by Dave Kendall)
Tea Leaves

Typhoon highlights technology's relentless grip

Boracay calamity delivers a warning of our 'machine-learned helplessness'

12 February 2020
South Korean director Bong Joon-ho poses with the Palme d'Or award received for his film "Parasite" at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2019.
Arts

'Parasite' marks a breakthrough for South Korean cinema

Film's unprecedented international success raises hopes of Oscars triumph

5 February 2020
A Myanmar woman spreads out fish to dry in the sun. (Photo by Lindsay Stubbs)
Tea Leaves

In Myanmar's remote north, China is the key

Irrawaddy town that inspired Orwell's 'Burmese Days' hopes for BRI prosperity

5 February 2020
Put together by a Japanese marketing man, Laos' LaoNavy pose in school uniform-style sailor costumes.
Media & Entertainment

Japanese-style idols LaoNavy put Laos on the pop culture map

Girl group created to advertise strawberries build Southeast Asian fan base

1 February 2020
Outpost Ubud Penestanan, a co-living space in Bali, Indonesia. Spaces that make it easy to socialize are especially popular among the digital nomads they cater to. (Courtesy of Outpost Ubud Penestanan)
Life

Co-living boom faces hurdles in developing Asia

Doubts rise as 'digital nomads' start to shun business model

29 January 2020
An injured koala looks on while being treated at the Wildlife Emergency Response Centre on Australia's Kangaroo Island on Jan. 19. 
Tea Leaves

Australia's firestorm is a wildlife disaster

More than 1 billion animals are feared to have died, and many more will follow

29 January 2020
Kobe Bryant is greeted by young Chinese players during his visit to Shanghai in August 2015: the development of his charity represented the strong tie that existed between China and him.
Obituaries

Hard work and strength of character made Kobe Bryant a star in Asia

He showed endurance and charity, which endeared him to millions in China

29 January 2020
A growing middle class has expanded the Asian market for Japanese cuisine. 
Food & Beverage

Japanese restaurants in Asia grow 50% in 2 years

Rising middle class embraces sushi, ramen and washoku favorites

28 January 2020
Artist's rendering of the National Ainu Museum and Park: The opening will follow last year's passage of the first law recognizing the Ainu as an indigenous people.
Arts

Japanese museum to showcase culture of country's indigenous Ainu

Hokkaido's first national park set for April opening, expects 1 million visitors

25 January 2020
Warren Hsu, CEO of Fu Wan Chocolate, inspects cacao fruit in Pingtung, in southern Taiwan. The "tree to bar" process for the company, which sources beans from the area, takes place within a range of just 30 km. (Courtesy of Fu Wan Chocolate)
Life

Taiwan's chocolate is making a sweet impression on global consumers

Despite small crops and uneven farming, Pingtung's cocoa industry is booming

24 January 2020
A cashier places groceries into a reusable bag in Bangkok on Jan. 2. Some shoppers have turned to less conventional alternatives, like wheelbarrows.
Environment

Once plastic bag addicted, Thai shoppers find creative alternatives

Customers bring buckets and wheelbarrows, while others turn to delivery

23 January 2020
The contents of a bag left behind by a protester inside Hong Kong Polytechnic University. (Photo by Laurel Chor)
Life

In pictures: Abandoned belongings from Hong Kong university siege

Personal items left behind tell stories of fear, survival and resistance

22 January 2020
A scene from Ho Chi Minh City's popular "book street." (Photo by Nguyen Thi Hoang Yen)
Tea Leaves

In Vietnam, economic success underpins literary boom

Interest in new and traditional writing soars despite rampant consumerism

22 January 2020