Asia's Perfect 10

A Trip to Koh Kong

2009-11-03T19:53:21-08:00

A Land dubbed as the next Hong Kong

This article is about my trip and my impression over this land. I actually travelled to its city, Koh Kong city, but have reached some destinations along the road there. What I can tell about this land is that it has both potential for tourism and industrial revolution.

The journey to Koh Kong was quite a long one, if you prefer to drive in a reasonable speed to enjoy the beauty of nature surrounding there. It took me 5 and a half hours to reach Koh Kong city. The road was in good condition, there were several spots that need repairing or more attentions. But all in all, the road is reliable. Reaching Koh Kong, we can witness plenty types of landscape, ranging from mountainous to sea side. We can relax during our travelling hour because the scenic views of nature along the road will sap away your stresses. In past time, it is difficult and requires more time to reach Koh Kong, but the government built four important bridge to make the journey faster and easier. The four bridges are Srae Ambel Bridge, OngDong Tek Bridge, Tropeng Roong Bridge and Ta Tai Bridge.

We can say that with these four bridges, it is less costly to travel to Koh Kong as well, because there used to be ferries rent to transport us to other shore, now it is unnecessary. The road could be a long.dragging one because there are hundreds of turning point and the driver needs to have extra cautions in order to maintain the overall safety of the travel. However, there is no many accidents reported, so no need to worry. You can also rest for every time you reaches any of the four bridges, because there will be villages locate there and you can find several things to can buy.

For 5 hours of travelling, you'll arrive at Koh Kong, a land of a new hope for Cambodia. It has several interesting areas such as the Koh Kong resort, Koh Kong Special Economic Zone, Koh Kong Safari World Prey Koang Kang and many other areas. Eventhough beach is scarce at Koh Kong city, we can access the beach through the Koh Kong resort. The beach is good enough for a good sea sight, but not for some other activities because the area is located near the disputed area and the Thai troops will not welcome any "intrusion." In Koh Kong city, you can also find the longest bridge in Cambodia, which is 1,900 meters long and serve as a connection to Koh Kong resort. Koh Kong Special Economic Zone is the most interesting topic, because it is hinted that a Korean vehicle assembly factory will be built there, and many more to come. The Zone is the prospect of the future economic development of Cambodia and for this, Koh Kong has been considered to rise rivals to Hong Kong. The Zone is easily found, but I could not provide details about entry. One other interesting part of Koh Kong city is Prey Koang Kang, which is a mangrove tropical forest. It was initially preserved and re-structured in 1997 and in present day, it is opened for tourists and there is a handful of projects related to the area like hotels, restaurants, and other resorts. Koh Kong Safari World Is another places to visit and we can enjoy our moments with the animals.

Koh Kong, along with Kep and Shihanouk Ville, can give you all a great time with the sea and the mountains. It is also part of Cardamom Mountains and Kirirom National Parks thus nature is abundant . I recommend this place for a "getting-away-from-the-hard-day" resting visit because Koh Kong would offer us many kinds of activities and scenic views. The fresh air is also a healer of stressful head and headaches.

Cambodia becomes permanent member of World Heritage Committee

2009-10-27T17:52:44-07:00

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — Cambodian Prime Minister on Tuesday expressed his warmly welcome as Cambodia becomes the permanent member of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) of UNESCO in 17th general assembly in France.

“ It is a new pride for our country that became fully permanent member of the world heritage committee,” Hun Sen told over 2,000 students in graduation ceremony of a university in Phnom Penh. “ Itwill promote the image and prestige of the Kingdom of Cambodia on the world arena,” he added.

On behalf of new permanent member of the WHC, Cambodia will implement its mission with high responsibility and will strengthen the cooperation with other countries, he said.

“ We will enhance capacity building and study multi experiences with the world heritage committee, UNESCO, and other international forums,” he stressed.

Moreover, Hun Sen said that Cambodia will do more to follow the common purposes in the WHC that has been working on conservation, culture and heritage development. “ We have to enhance more international cooperation to move forward of conservation and heritage development.”

The Kingdom of Cambodia was elected as a member of the WHC thanks to her richness in cultural properties and history including intangible cultural properties, several of which were inscribed on the World Heritage List, namely the Royal Ballet, the Shadow Theater, Angkor area, and the Temple of Preah Vihear, the premier said.

Cambodia becomes one of 21 permanent members which represent 186 countries in the world in the 17th general assembly of world heritage committee that is held from Oct. 23 to 28, 2009 in Paris, France at UNESCO Headquarters.

Cambodia became a member of UNESCO in 1951.

Some Malaysian Food Scenes

2009-10-16T02:17:21-07:00

In Malaysia, the golden word of the Malaysian society is 'makan', which means 'eat' in Malay. Indeed, food is Malaysia's favourite, if not national pastime. This is due to the wide and diverse variety of cuisines available, a reflection of the country's multicultural society. This national love of food makes it Malaysia's most powerful uniting factor, which is why despite the recent race politics rocking the country the Malay will still unhesitatingly enjoy roti canai, the Indian his steaming hot plate of char kuay teow and the Chinese ordering nasi lemak without thinking twice.

Malaysia's cuisine does not only consists of Malay, Chinese, Indian and the lesser-known Dayak, but Nyonya food as well. Nyonya food is a fusion of Chinese and Malay recipes and styles of cooking as the community itself is a result of intermarriages between the Chinese and Malays in olden times. Local cuisines can be widely found in hawker stalls (sometimes called mamak for those serving Indian food), kopitiams (coffee shops) and restaurants as well; although the more popular places for enjoying local food would be at the former two. In fact, it is not uncommon to see people of varied financial and social status eating next to each other under the din of coffee shop chatter or clouded by sweet-smelling smoke and steam arising from the hawkers' humble woks.

Of course, as Malaysia moves alongside other nations of this world, foreign cuisine makes its way to the country and into the welcoming stomachs of eager Malaysians. In fact, foreign cuisine is enjoyed as much as local cuisine is and both exist harmoniously on the menu. Examples of common foreign cuisine available in this country are Western and other Asian varieties, such as Japanese, Thai, Middle Eastern and others. Popular franchises such as KFC, McDonald, Burger King, Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks are also easily found and softens the impact of cultural shock. However it is also not uncommon to see these fast-food outlets offering local twists to their menu.

Malaysia has an active food scene, with new eating hang-outs popping up every now and then. This topic aims to introduce Malaysia's inimitable food scene - from what's good to eat, to where as well as various good food blogs - which while eagerly embracing foreign tastes also takes fierce pride in its local gastronomic heritage.

Nasi Lemak
Nasi lemak basically means 'rice in cream', as the rice is first soaked in coconut cream and then steamed. This gives the rice its distinctive light, creamy flavour. Sometimes pandan (screwpine) leaves will be added as the rice steams to give it some fragrance.

Nasi lemak usually comes with accompaniments such as a slice or two of hard-boiled egg, sambal ikan bilis (spicy anchovy condiment), cucumbers slices and salted fish. It is traditionally served on banana leaf or oil-absorbing brown paper, but nowadays you can find it in a polysterene lunchbox or simply wrapped in plastic. You may also have it served on a plate.

Nasi Dagang
Means 'trader's rice' in Malay. Also known as Nasi Dagae in the Kelantanese dialect. It is a popular dish of the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, especially in Kelantan and Terengganu. Consists of reddish-brown rice cooked in coconut milk and accompaniments like kerisik (toasted grated coconut), acar (pickled vegetables, pronounced 'achar'), hard-boiled egg and fish curry.

Nasi Kerabu
Yes, the rice is blue! A concise description from flickr:
This rice dish is a regional specialty from Kelantan and the rice is tinted blue from petals of flowers called bunga telang (clitoria).

The blue rice is then served with a combination of fresh aromatic herbs, or known as ulam, hence the other name for this rice dish - Nasi Ulam. The Ulam here consists of local mint, basil, lemongrass, kaffir lime/ turmeric leaves, bunga kantan (torch ginger flower buds) etc and is served with raw vegetables (bean sprouts, long beans etc), salted egg, kerisik (grated coconut), tumis (pounded chilli paste) and a good serving of ground black pepper.

Nasi Paprik (also known as Nasi Goreng Paprik)
While Nasi Paprik is considered part of the Malay cuisine in Malaysia, it is actually Thai in origin. It is also known as Nasi Pad Prik, with Pad Prik being a Thai phrase (I looked up somewhere and it said pad = stir-fried, prik = chilli). It is rice fried in chilli or tomato sauce with a topping of stir-fried chicken and vegetables. This picture features sambal belacan (shrimp paste condiment) in the background.

Nasi Goreng Kampung
Means 'Village-Style Fried Rice'. A simple but delicious consisting of rice fried with anchovies, shallots and vegetables. There are several versions, but the fried anchovies and shallots are what makes it a nasi goreng kampung. This dish can also be fried with soy sauce, which would give it a dark colour.

Ketupat
Ketupat is basically rice wrapped in woven palm leaf. Uncooked rice is first filled into the woven pouch and then boiled. The grains will then expand and the rice becomes compressed. Usually served during Hari Raya Aidilfitri, a Muslim festival also known as Eid ul-Fitr in other countries. It is eaten with curry or rendang, or served as an accompaniment to satay. To eat the ketupat, simply slice the pouch into half. Traditional ketupat is usually plain, but nowadays other varieties are made by adding spices, corn, etc.

Kangkung Belacan
One of the popular dishes in Malay cuisine that is also a common household dish due to the simplicity of its nature. Consists of kangkung (water spinach) stir-fried in belacan (shrimp paste). Chilli is commonly added in the wok as well for extra oomph, although one can opt out of it. Kangkung can be quite a challenge to chew due to its stringy (and some say rubbery) characteristic for the uninitiated, but once you get over that this simple dish is a delight to eat.

Ayam Percik
Spicy barbequed chicken and easily found in roadside stalls in Kelantan. The chicken is marinated with salt, sugar, chilli powder and turmeric powder. The spice paste on the other hand is made of candlenuts, garlic, dried chillies, red chillies, ginger and shallots. The paste is then fried with tamarind (for the sourness) and lemon grass (for flavour and fragrance), after which water, coconut milk, sugar and salt are added to make a spicy gravy. The chicken is then barbequed over 'a low charcoal fire or under a grill, basting frequently with the gravy, until the chicken is cooked' (norlia.com).

Beef Rendang
A dish brought to Malaysia by Minangkabau settlers, it is a popular serving at Malay feasts and festivals. It takes around 3 hours to cook, during which it boils until it is almost dry, moist only with the thick gravy that is left behind. The meat is also tenderised during this period and absorbs the spicy condiments, which makes this dish such a burst of flavours. It is in a nutshell, a spicy beef stew cooked in coconut milk.

Serunding
Serunding is basically the dry, floss version of rendang and has a long shelf life. I LOVE serunding. One can munch on it as a snack or eat it with a steaming hot plate of rice.

Ikan Bakar
Fish barbequed/grilled with turmeric, chilli or a spicy sauce.

Keropok Lekor
A specialty of Terengganu and other east coast states of Peninsular Malaysia. A recipe borne out of the largely fishing communities there. It is basically shredded fish and batter deep-fried, and usually eaten as a snack with chilli sauce.

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Disclaimer: text and photos is taken from http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=212744&st=0 ... The thread is posted by member by the sn "Crystalized Dream" Thus these photos and texts are not in our possessions.

The Legendary "Tomb of The White Elephant" at Koh Ker

2009-10-13T02:08:26-07:00

Prasat Thom pyramid standing 40 meters high without the ligham! At it's peak would have been 50 meters high!

Builder of Koh ker is King Jayavarman 6th! Here's a portrait of the King on the last section showing the first three pictures!

In the Northern Cambodian province of Preah Vihear, the eponymous temple acquired some international fame with its listing in July 2008 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and because of the border dispute with neighbouring Thailand around the area. However, another highly sacred place in the same province, which deserves some attention: the Koh Ker archaeological group, located 50 miles northeast of the Angkor complex, has long been inaccessible. A week ago, the Phnom Penh branch of the French Ecole Française d'Extrême-Orient (EFEO) launched a campaign to excavate this exceptional site.

The particularity of Koh Ker
To this day, only Henri Parmentier carried out an important study of Koh Ker, back at the beginning of last century and as part of research at the EFEO . Since then, a few archaeological soundings have been made by archaeologists from Apsara (the authority in charge of the site management) but no important excavation was carried out, thus leaving the site surrounded by mystery. The site used to be a temporary capital founded by Jayavarman IV – he later settled there in 921AD. That period of time was short but crucial in the history of the Khmer empire, the epicentre of which revolved around the Angkorian era in the present-day Siem Reap province.

A few sculptures from Koh Ker found their way to the Phnom Penh National Museum: here, a giant Garuda is on display at the entrance, welcoming visitors and there, a dancing Shiva is the evidence of a true revolution in Angkorian art.

To Eric Bourdonneau, a lecturer at the EFEO and a professor at the Phnom Penh Faculty of Archaeology, the site is a remarkable group for many reasons, whether it be in terms of architecture, with its mount-temple culminating at 115ft, a record height, or in terms of iconography, as it introduces “narrative scenes via the staging of sculpture in the round [three-dimension sculpture] when up until then, temple iconography was limited to a few divine representations displayed in the narrow frame of the lintels and pediments of the structure.

Having a small artificial hill talk…
In Koh Ker, non-believers might not detect the presence, in a straight line with the main temple (Prasat Thom) – the development of a plan controlled by lines had never been observed previously and conveyed the expansion of the divine here below –, of an artificial hill, named the “Tomb of the White Elephant” as a reference to a Khmer legend. The hill is indeed the centre of Eric Bourdonneau’s research and he intends, with two excavation campaigns, to find out about the secrets of that place: which part did the hill play in the layout of the ritual of Prasat Thom?

The historian and archaeologist, who specialised his research in the study of great sacred sites in Cambodia, seems to have his own theory, even though he wishes to remain cautious on the topic for the time being. What he can tell us at least, is that “the erecting of that hill – which is unique, or nearly unique in the field of archaeology relating to ancient Cambodia – is to be classified among the many innovations which come together with the ‘exploit’ of King Jayavarman IV, i.e. the transformation of the King’s place of activity (the capital and its Royal sanctuary) into a ‘natural’ sacred place, just like Wat Phou”. The latter, the EFEO expert details, is located on the western bank of the Mekong in the far South of Laos and was probably the most important of all sacred places in ancient Cambodia. The successive Kings were always intent on placing their reign under the protection of the divinities present in those places, which stood out due to their sacred worth.

“The Tomb of the White Elephant”: the legend
The tale, as it has been handed down throughout the centuries, is that of a white elephant, then King of all elephants. His daughter, Eric Bourdonneau recounts, “Had great beauty; she was descended from the gods and was taken away by the King of Cambodia who empowered her as first Queen in the Kingdom. The white elephant – well-identified in ethnological literature as both the sign and the source of Royal power – desperately tried to find his daughter but died of exhaustion before succeeding in weakening the compound of the Royal palace built by Jayavarman IV. A mausoleum was constructed nearby in his honour: this mausoleum is the hill located to the West of Prasat Thom”. And today, at the top of that hill, a small structure shelters the image of the white elephant.

Excavations will lead to more digging
The excavation campaign is part of a wider research project about the great sacred places of ancient Cambodia, and was started in 2007 by the Phnom Penh archaeological branch of the EFEO. It comes after more than a decade of efforts to constitute, under the direction of Bruno Bruguier, an inventory of the odd 3,000 sites and a series of archaeological maps covering the whole of Cambodia. “The idea is to study the different ways in which the divine is present”, Eric Bourdonneau explains. “And I call ‘sacred’ places where the divine was not erected by devout followers but appears in a natural way. Man only makes this presence more obvious, but it is already there.”

It would be bad manners to disturb a place that is somewhat “inhabited” and where cult is of high importance. On Tuesday February 17th, a ceremony was organised on the site of Koh Ker, as if to obtain consent to start digging and opening up the ground to divide it into two so-called diagnostic trenches. The ground was cleared of mines prior to the operation. The digging work required some thirty workers supervised by Eric Bourdonneau and an archeologist who is not part of the EFEO, and was carried out in collaboration with two young archeologists from Apsara. The first campaign should last for about 6 weeks and will be followed by a second digging mission during the next dry season, in March/April 2010.

Quoted from a thread of an AsiaFinest member by the sn: Intradaka1.

Original thread posted on 13th Oct 2009.

http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=214864

Storm and flash floods kill 8 Cambodian

2009-09-29T06:46:59-07:00

After Philippine, this time is Cambodia:

A torrential storm and flash floods killed at least eight people, including six children, Cambodian officials said Tuesday.

Three girls and a boy, aged between 14 and 18, were killed Sunday when they were swept out to sea while swimming in a heavy storm in Preah Sihanouk province, in the southeast of the country, said the province's deputy police chief Yim Bunnath.

In nearby Kampot province, two men were killed by flash floods, said the province's deputy governor Soth Ya. Another 1,500 people were evacuated Monday to higher ground, he said.

In Kampong Cham province in the east, a six-year-old boy and a nine-year-old girl drowned Sunday while swimming in a pond during heavy rain, the Khmer-language newspaper Rasmei Kampuchea reported Tuesday.

Parts of the Cambodian countryside are now flooded because of seasonal monsoon rain.

Quoted from other sites:
http://www.aol.com.au/news/story/Storm-and-flash-floods-kill-8-Cambodians/2363028/index.html

Donate for FREE via XOOM, to the Philippine National Red Cross

2009-09-29T06:32:32-07:00

Death toll nears 100 from tropical storm Ketsana

2009-09-28T01:00:56-07:00

By Manila
Deutsche Presse-Agentur

Nearly 100 people were killed as tropical storm Ketsana battered a wide area in the Philippines, dumping record rainfall on the capital that caused the worst flooding in 40 years, officials said Sunday.

Fifty people were also missing in floods and landslides following rains that exceeded what Hurricane Katrina dumped on New Orleans in August 2005, local officials and military spokesmen said.

Authorities rushed rescue and relief efforts to thousands of people who spent the night on the roofs of submerged houses in Manila and surrounding provinces. Some were trapped in their cars on flooded streets.

Defence Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said soldiers and volunteers rescued more than 5,000 drenched people from rooftops as the weather improved and floods receded in affected municipalities on Sunday.

"Our target is to finish the rescue operations before dark today," he said. "We have mobilized our air assets to find the people who need help and direct our forces there. We will continue our rescue operations until everyone that needs help is reached."

The US government dispatched a helicopter and additional rubber boats to help in the rescue operations. Various UN agencies also donated funds to assist relief operations.

Rizal province east of Manila was one of the worst hit. One municipality in the province, Cainta, was almost completely submerged in floodwaters and still unreachable on Sunday.

At least 56 people died in floods in the province, provincial Governor Casimiro Ynares III said.

"Forty-five are still missing," he said. "We really need more rubber boats. We can't get through roads that are flooded. In some areas, the roads are blocked by stranded vehicles."

Lieutenant Colonel Noel Detoyato, a civil military operations officer, said soldiers recovered 30 bodies in the town of Tanay alone in Rizal. The other fatalities drowned in the towns of Angono, Baras, Rodriguez, Teresa and San Mateo.

At least 11 people drowned in the Manila suburb of Marikina. The bodies were laid out on the streets as rescuers struggled to reach some isolated areas.

Thirty more people either drowned, were electrocuted, buried in landslides, struck by fallen trees and collapsed walls or suffered a heart attack in Manila, as well as the provinces of Laguna, Batangas, Quezon, Cavite and Apayao.

Detoyato said the fatalities in Laguna included two soldiers and three government militiamen who were dispatched to rescue flood victims in Pami town.

"The ill-fated team rescued more than 20 people before they were swept away by the strong current," he said. "Two other militiamen were missing."

The weather bureau said the rainfall recorded Saturday in Manila was the capital's heaviest since 1967.

Nilo Prisco, head of the weather bureau, said the storm dumped 410.6 millimetres of rain in Manila in just nine hours, which was almost double the rainfall brought about by Hurricane Katrina.

The amount also exceeded the average monthly rainfall of 391 millimetres and the 1967 record of 331 millimetres.

"We can only attribute this to climate change," Prisco said.

School classes in all levels were suspended on Monday in Manila and the affected provinces to allow unhampered relief operations.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council said more than 290,000 people were affected by Ketsana, which has strengthened as it moved away from the Philippines. More than 47,000 were in evacuation centres, it added.

The weather bureau said the storm was packing maximum winds of 105 kilometres per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 135 kph. It was moving west-north-west at 24 kph towards the South China Sea.

Quoted from other sites. Be praise to the originator.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/09/27/regional/regional_30113165.php

A Message of Peace on the Holy Month

2009-08-21T02:09:11-07:00

Look at this building and have a guess... What do you see? A Hindu temple? Or a Buddhist one, perhaps? In fact, this is an Islamic mosque. The name is Masjid Menara Kudus located in Kauman Village, Central Java, Indonesia.

This old minaret of the mosque built by Sunan Kudus (one of the '9 Saints' credited for the spread of Islam on Java island) in 1549 adopted traditional Javanese architecture of that time, which was heavily influenced by Hindu and Buddhist styles. Sunan Kudus was very gentle and tolerant to the local culture. He made good use of the symbolisms in Hinduism and Buddhism such as Noble Eightfold Path ('Ārya'ṣṭāṅga mārgaḥ' in Buddhism) and manifested it into architecure (especially for mosques, minarets, entrance gates, and place of ablutions).

To respect the Hindus, on one occasion he deliberately tied his cow on the courtyard of his mosque. The Hindus who revered cows soon felt sympathetic after listening to his explanation. To this very day, there are still a lot of people in the area (most of them are Muslims) who refused to slaughter bulls and cows out of respect to his teachings.

Isn't it a wonderful world if respect each other and maintain peace? As the new moon begins to reveal itself in the nightsky, we would like to wish our Muslim sisters and brothers Ramadan Kareem, Happy Ramadan! May this holy month shower blessing upon you and the entire world. Let peace be your guide! Selamat Menunaikan Ibadah Puasa Bulan Suci Ramadhan!

Burmese Secret Beautifier

2009-08-18T21:44:44-07:00

Burmese Secret Beauty

What kind of gift it is for that a cosmetic and skin conditioner are not made from factory but from forest? Burmese people has been treasuring this
treasures for so long and it is quite guilty for not to share to others.

Thanaka, Burmese ancient cosmetic which is used until present day, is that gift. It is made from Sandalwood tree, when ground, the bark of Thanaka Tree acts as an astringent, sunscreen and antiseptic. [3] It is worn by ladies, old and young alike, and it is hard to find a woman who does not like Thanaka. [1] You can only find it on sell in Myanmar.

The scientific name of thanatkha plant is Limonia acidissima (Roxb). It belongs to the Rutaceae family together with the Thi or Linonium elephantum (corr), the Okshit or Aegle marmelos (L) and the pyindaw-thein or Micromelum hirsutum (Oliver) plants. The thanatkha grows in the southern and western parts of India, the northwestern part of the Himalayas, the Punjab State, the Assam State and in Myanmar, in the dry zone: from Shwebo district in the midlands to Pyay district further south. The thanatkha plants that grow on dry, rocky soil produce hard, thin barks, long-lasting and durable in use. The best thanatkha plants are naturally slow in growth and it takes three to ten years for the tree trunk to grow two inches in diameter. The barks obtained from these trees are so fragrant that the womenfolk here adore them very much. Accordingly, they fetch good prices in the market. Various kinds of thanatkha differs in quality but those produced from Shwebo district and the Shinmataung thanatkha from Pakokku district are the best and the most famous in our country. [3]

Following the destruction of the Shwemadaw Pagoda in the earthquake of 1930, the clearing the ruins there led to the discovery of a circular stone slab used by Princess Razadatukalya, daughter of Hanthawaddy Sinbyshin Minn for grinding the Thanakha bark . Afterwards, the slab was donated to the Pagoda as a valuable antique. [2]

The thankatkha is a very useful plant and its plays a great part in the field of Myanmar indigenous medicine. The leaves are used as a remedy for epilepsy, in some regions. The berry-like fruit also is used as antidotes and tonics. The ripe fruits, plucked and cultivated within the same day is supposed to produce healthy plants. The blossoms are adorned by women and their smell is sweet and fragrant. The bark is rubbed with a little water to induce the liquid which is worn for self-beautification. The thanatkha liquid has the properties of making the skin cool and smooth, having a refreshing and cool fragrance, beautifying the users. It also cures pimples and acne. The hard, yellowish, sweet-smelling thanatkha wood is used to make handicrafts such as trinkets, combs, boxes and many others. The root possesses much medicinal value and is used in Myanmar indigenous laxatives. [3]

The cosmetic appears in many forms; in its raw - and highly prized - state it will be sold in markets in small 10-18cm long branches and logs. These are ground vertically, round and round, on a special flat circular whetstone with a few drops of water, producing a milky yellow liquid that ist hen immediately applied to the skin. While wet it is virtually translucent but in an hour, it dries to a rich yellow crust. [1]

Thanaka is a prized wood, in 1958, The former British colonial government has approved the Forest Act, which added Thanaka tress to its list of protected trees. It stated: "no person shall collect or remove for trade purposes… Thanaka wood and bark."

Thanaka is sure a good souvenir to be brought home when travelling to Myanmar. Its smell, its figure and its secret are sure to keep a good memory of this country.

[1]http://www.articlesbase.com/skin-care-articles/a-natural-skin-care-thanaka-thanakha-traditional-make-up-and-eco-friendly-solution-of-chemicals-503667.html
[2]http://myanmartravelinformation.com/mti-myanmar-culture/thanakha.htm
[3]http://www.myanmar-image.com/articles/thanakha/

Asean City

2009-08-07T13:34:36-07:00

Today marks the 42^nd Asean Day a non-Holiday for a region struggling to get recognized by its own peoples. I said it before, time and again, to make August 8^th a special non-working Holiday so that people will talk about it - increase awareness.

If people are working, their minds are set on their jobs. But if they don't have work, or they'll receive premium or double pay, they will ask about "the Holiday". What is it about? Why August 8^th? Where are we now? Is it really working?

I can't help but think that this Asean Day is just another regular day because they do not want the Asean peoples to be aware of it, once we the public are, then questions like "Is it effective?" and "Are they really doing their jobs?" and "Do our country need Asean?" will be asked. Are there things to hide from the Asean people?

Let's leave it at that, for today we are going to take a tour... so let's go to Asean City.

"Welcome to Asean City", the tour guide said, as the bus carrying you enters the city. "This city is home to 100,000 people from across the region, living together as one united neighborhood sharing their cultures with each other."

People are walking doing their own business as the the bus continues to roll on. Some will stop and wave to you, while some put their hands on their chest. "On your right is the Asean University. This is a dream come true after long years of being just a collection of State Universities across the region.", the tour guide proudly declares.

"I graduated from this University, with a Major in Asean Cultures, which enables me to work in any Asean member states in different culture-related fields," she continued.

Elementary school children are lining up waving the Asean flags as the tourist bus passes by. There are also the High School and College students, themselves wearing their respective national dress.

You were also shown the Asean Museum of Arts and Culture where each member States history are displayed (both in traditional means and virtual reality). There was also the Asean Religions block where different churches, mosques, and temples of the various faiths in the region are located - and co-existing peacefully with each other. The the Asean Hospital, the Asean City Hall, the Asean Sports Center, the Asean Police and Fire Stations, and the Asean Cyber Exchange Center.

"This is the Asean Cyber Exchange Center where each Asean City across the region can exchange information and knowledge with each other," Babysher said, which you just remembered. She showed you a virtual representation of the Asean Region (formerly known as South-East Asia) with each Asean City marked. Babysher moves her hand and the virtual scene moves accordingly, "this is where we are 'Asean City #7' in Bataan, Philippines, or 'Asean City Mabuhay' as it is officially named.

"These cities are villages with some privileges and restrictions. For example, Asean Cities have some autonomousity when it comes to the management of the village. And an example of restriction, the city have to exemplify the ideals of the ASEAN Organization - non-interference. In simplest of terms, these cities are meant for cultural exchanges, for you and me, as well as to serve as an ideal example of how we, as a region, can live together in spite of our diversity.

"And this ends today's tour my fellow Aseans. You are free to roam the city and learn more about Asean and its peoples. You can also visit the City Hall and ask for information of how you can become part of an Asean City. We will meet back here 4 hours from now. Mabuhay!" Babysher smiles and bows down.

Is this possible? Asean City? I hope so. This is, in my opinion, one way of spreading the Asean integration in the grassroots level. A huge project and will take maybe ten years to materialize. But how about choosing a village or a city and giving them the title "Asean City" if they pass a set of rigid tests and criteria?

The main purpose and objective of an Asean City is for cultural and information exchange. There is no better way to learn of each other's cultures but by establishing each cultures in each regional hub in the region. As someone hailing from the Philippines, we can have at least four Asean Cities - Northern Luzon, Megapolitan Manila, Visayas Region, and Mindanao Region.

Each Asean City will first and foremost, focus on its national culture. In this case the Philippine culture. Next, its local culture - for example in Mega Manila, the Tagalog culture. Then third and the most important of all, the culture of the other Asean Nations.

We're not just talking about Museums here, there's little cultural exchange in that, but rather making this Asean City a real village (or a city if one believes they can pull it out). A village where real people, real families are living. I am thinking that each Asean City should have 2 to 4 families of each member Nations.

These Asean Cities will be for cultural purposes only, they won't be allowed to have a say on politics specially the State in which it is located lest we invite unnecessary criticisms and possible collapse of the project. Leave the politics to the ASEAN Organization itself, and leave the cultural aspects to the people, after all it you and me that matters in this "Asean Integration".

I really hope this is possible. Feel free to expound on this idea.

Happy Asean Day everyone!!

Sisophon

2009-07-02T05:46:30-07:00

Sisophon (unofficial name) is known as Serey Sophorn which is the official name of this town.

It is only a few hours away from the Thai border town of Aranyaprathet.

Serey Sophone is the provincial town capital of Banteay Meanchey province.
Before 1986, it used to be a district in Battambang province before being elevated into a provincial capital of a new founded province.

Like most northwestern provinces, Banteay Meanchey province is fairly a rural area which is not quite developed as Phnom Penh or Siem Reap.

Sisophon is derived from Sri Sophon which is in Thai language despite being a Cambodian provincial capital town. It used to be captured and governed by the Siamese/Thai many times during 1800s to 1900s, then 1940-1945 before returning to Cambodia again and again.

In Wat Phnom which is located in Phnom Penh, there is a monument depicting the return of Battambang, Siem Reap and Sisophon provinces when the French (protectorate of Cambodia) successfully negotiated with the Siamese during the early 1900s.

You can notice the Treaty on the left side of the Late King Sisowath who ruled Cambodia from early 1900s to his death in 1927.

The treaty is in French language and is translated as Treaty between French and Siam on 15 March 1907 and it lists the three provinces that was returned to Cambodia from Siam, former name of Thailand.

The picture of the three ladies are on the right wall. They represent the returned provinces.
They give presents to the King Sisowath to show respect and also to rejoin the country again.

The left lady represent Siem Reap province as she wears the typical ancient Khmer style worn by royalties in Angkor Wat time, and she present the gift of Angkor Wat.

The middle lady represent Sisophon province. She give the king a present of Sisophon's flower symbolising beauty and graceness and the temple of Banteay Chmar (Not very sure). Her dressing looks a bit Siamese though it's probably result from being under the rule of Siam for many hundred years.

The right lady represent Battambang province. She present the king the powerful stick of Preah Kronhuong Dombong. In Khmer, the stick symbolise power and authority. Preah Kronhuong Dombong statue can be found in Battambang city of Battambang province.

There are many ways to get to Sisophon. One can travel to Sisophon via Poipet by crossing the Thai border from Aranyaprathet a.k.a Aran of Sra Kaew province. One can travel to Sisophon from Battambang province or even as far as Phnom Penh using National Road 5. One also can travel to Sisophon from Siem Reap province using National Road 6.
Thus Sisophon can be described as a hub, connecting three places together (Battambang, Siemreap, Aran/Poipet) . It's not uncommon to see goods and products coming out from Thailand via Poipet and her Thai sister town Aran to arrive in Sisophon and also to go to Phnom Penh, Battambang or Siem Reap.

The pictures below shows what Sisophon looks like.

You know you have arrived in Sisophon when you see the statue of Neang Srey Sisophon.

A random street.

Some areas are typically undeveloped and dusty. Life is very laidback in Sisophon.

The pictures honors the current His Majesty the King Norodom Sihamoni and pay respect to the ex king His Majesty King Norodom Sihanook who is the father of our new King.

Another picture showing respect to the Royal Family of Cambodia.

Another major statue in Sisophon.

A close up picture of the statue Preah Noreay, otherwise known as Preah Pisnu or Visnu.

A spanning shot of the town.

One of the markets in Sisophon, they sell anything from fresh vegetables to fruits and whatnot.

Another vendor sells fried crickets with some herbs, chilli and some sauce in Sisophon.

A vendor seller sells sticky rice in bamboo shoots, a delicacy and a fast food on the go.

Monks can be seen strolling around like in any other places in Cambodia.

A shop in Long Beach, California state in America.
The shop owners are probably from Sisophon.

Disclaimer: All of these pictures are founded from Google Images and are not the pictures of the blog or the author's. Credits go out to whoever took this pictures.

Boom and Booming

2009-07-01T21:27:35-07:00

Ann ThongPrasom, or can be called "Boom" as her nickname, is a forever rising star for Thai entertainment industry. Starting at the age of 13, she is not one of the most popular Thai actress and a role model for the later generations. Born to a Swedish-Arabian father and a Thai mother, she has been living and sharing her life with her grandmother, and only her grandmother.[2] She regards her grandmother to be an eternal source of love. She also has an older brother and a younger brother [1]

"I didn't think that I'm a star, all I could do look but can't so anything about it. Ann never think that I'm a star, but just an actress that have the duty to act in a lakorn and so the job that I love. I love my job very much, but one day I might not be on-screen any more, so if that happens, I would like to do the directing job instead and direct for others to play. It's a dream that I want to do." (From her official website.) [1]

Her education background is great, having graduated from Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand with a Masters Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication on August 4, 2005 [2]. During her childhood, she also attended Wat Tabe ReeRa School and BangKapee School.

She received a chance to enter the industry after being invited by her mother's friend, also with some helps from the neighbors. She was introduced to a Video MV of a Thai singer of RS Production "Pisoot Supwijit." Her career started to bloom after she accepted to star in a lakorn (Thai drama) "Song Naree." In this drama, she had to starred as a twin, back in time, which requires a lot of skills to represent two different persons of a same blood. Later, she won a Best Leading Actress for that Lakorn[1]. Her biggest success, however, was her role in "The Letter: Jod Mai Rak" which earned 50 Million Bahts at that time and and had won many awards, including best actress at the Thailand National Film Association Awards[3]. During her career, she has won many other awards for the similar success, most notably, Lakorn Oum Ruk in 2006, in which she co-stared with Ken Theeradeth. [1]

She has been putting her effort in inspiring Thai new generation children. Her Channel 3 TV Show "English on Tour," which aired only 1 minute, is a program to teach English to children for one minute, the program which is receiving high rating than expected. This also encourages her to continue her social service by expanding it to a new TV Show "Sanam Dek Len or Playground," which is also aired on Channel 3. This program teaches new games to children.

Ann Thornprasom, unarguably a very talent Thai actress of this era. Not only she experiences many successes in the acting career, but also in the producing career. She has been pointing her direction to the producing career and it is clear that she will do her best when the time has come for her to take this complete new role.

[1] http://www.annethongprasom.com/anne.php?biography
[2] http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1801652/bio
[3] Wikipedia.org

The wrath of lightning

2009-06-25T18:29:12-07:00

Lightning strikes kill 93 in Cambodia this year
PHNOM PENH (Xinhua): Lightning strikes have killed 93 people in Cambodia at the end of May this year, local media reported on Tuesday.

According to a report of the Cambodia Daily, Ly Thuch, second vice president of the National Committee for disaster Management, said the death toll so far has amounted to the total number of last year. He said the actual death toll of this year was likely higher than the official tally.

With nearly six months of rainy season still ahead, this year promises to be far more deadly for lightning strikes.

Last week alone, at least five people were struck dead throughout the country. Kem Gunawadh, director general of state broadcaster TVK (TV of Kampuchea), said his station had begun airing messages in the evening, warning the public not to shelter under trees and to avoid metal objects during inclement weather.

Note: Quoted from news.

The Ancient Capital of Chenla (Zhenla)

2009-06-12T19:55:07-07:00

Every ancient kingdom has their own capital. Chenla, a kingdom which was once based in Cambodia in between 6th and 9th century, designated its capital in Sambor Prey Kuk, located in nowaday Kompong Thom province. This site is a collection of ancient temples, some are in bad conditions, which was once known as Isanapura, the capital of Isanavarman. There are 150 temples within this double-walled city, accumulate size to 1,000 acre[2]. They are divided into 3 main groups: the North, Central and South.

The North Group is called "Prasat Sambor" which is dedicated to Gambhireshvara, one of Shiva’s many incarnations (the other groups are dedicated to Shiva himself)[3].

The Central Group is called "Prasat Tor" (Lion Temple), as the name suggested, two lion stone sit at the entrance of the main door (which is actually, the only accessible door because other three are the delusive doors. You can find a B52 Bomb crater around that area (American dropped some bombs onto Cambodia during the Vietnam War and this one is bombed in the early 1970s)[4].

Prasat Tor (Lion Temple)

The South Group is called "Praset Yeuy Poun" is arguably the most atmospheric complex, as it feels lost in the forest. The eastern gateway is being both held up and torn asunder by an ancient tree, the bricks interwoven with the tree’s extensive, probing roots. A truly massive tree shades the western gate.

All of the temples are Hinduism, dedicated to Shiva. The temple is made of solid brick and late-rite stone with sculpture decorated whereas the artistic fronton and doorframe are made of sandstone[1]. In present days, these temple has become a cultural and historical tourism sites for Cambodia. The admission ticket to this serene site costs around 3$[3].

The trip to the temple can consume at least half a day. The road condition is good, if not so bad. The price of food, drink and souvenir are reasonable. The cost of bus to Kampong Thom could be around 3 to 5$. A 37-km ride from the provincial town should take you there. There are guides to be hired over there, but you can give chance to urban citizens there who can speak good English and has good knowledge about the temple.

[1] http://cambodia.threeland.com
[2] http://www.mandalayinn.com/tour_SamborPreKuk.htm
[3] http://www.lonelyplanet.com/cambodia/northwestern-cambodia/sambor-prei-kuk
[4] http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sarahbooth/9_months_away/1161085560/tpod.html

Zooming in on Biodiversity

2009-06-04T22:36:50-07:00

The 1st ASEAN-Wide Photo Contest on Biodiversity beings on May 22, 2009 and ends at 12:00nn ACT (ASEAN Common Time) of August 30, 2009.

The contest theme is "Zooming in on Biodiversity" and should capture various images related to biodiversity (plants, animals, marine life, ASEAN Heritage Parks) or the many benefits that biodiversity brings to human beings, its importance, the threats biodiversity face (deforestation, Climate change), or how biodiversity affects lives. Photos showing initiatives to protect biodiversity resources such as plants, animals, and marine species are also welcome.

Contest Categories

Professional Category - Professional photographers who derive income from the sale of photographs or provision of photographic services
Amateur Category - Amateur photographers
Student Category - High School and College/University students (must be 18 to 25 years old)

Contest Mechanics

Entries must be exclusive to this contest, unpublished, and must not have been submitted as entries in previous contests.
Each contestant can submit a maximum of three (3) photos.
Only color photos are qualified.
Contestants can enter photos taken using a digital or non-digital camera.
Entries must be submitted in JPEG format (as .jpg files) and should have a minimum resolution of six megapixles (6mb) or a screen resolution of 3000x2000 pixels.
Digitally altered images will be disqualified.
Traditional or standard photo enhancing must be limited to only photo resizing.
Each photo entry should have the following information:
- Contestant's name
- Nationality
- The category in which you are entering the photo
- Short caption (maximum of four sentences) for the photo that describes the image.
- The place where the photo was taken
- Date the photo was taken
- Contestant's email address
- Home address
- Home, office, and/or mobile phone numbers
- Age
- Gender
- If a student: name of school, address, and contact number must be indicated. Also include a certification from the head of the school that the contestant is a student of that school.
The title of the photo must contain the following:
- Photographer's name
- Image name (title)
- Number of the photo entry (1 to 3) (e.g. charmlee_thegrasshopper1.jpg)
- Method of submission. Methods of sending entries can be by post office (snail mail), courier services, or email (as attachment).
- By email:
  - Submit the actual image file, not a link or other type of file.
  - Images should be sent as .jpg attachment to aseanbiodiversityphoto@yahoo.com with "Photo Contest" in the subject line.
  - An email should contain one photo entry only.
  - If an image file is not readable and cannot be downloaded, the entry will be disqualified.
- By mail, courier services:
  - Photos must be stored in a compact disc (CD).
  - Please address all entries to:
    
    The Public Affairs Unit
    
    ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity
    
    UPLB Forestry Campus
    
    College, Los Baños, Laguna 4031
    
    Philippines

Contest Criteria

Relevance to the theme - 40%
Composition - 20%
Creativity - 20%
Technical excellence - 20%

Prizes

Professional Category
- 1st Prize: $1,500 + travel, meals, and accommodation to attend the awarding ceremonies in Singapore
- 2nd Prize: $1,000
- 3rd Prize: $700
Amateur Category
- 1st Prize: $1,000 + travel, meals, and accommodation to attend the awarding ceremonies in Singapore
- 2nd Prize: $750
- 3rd Prize: $500
Student Category
- 1st Prize: $1,000 + travel, meals, and accommodation to attend the awarding ceremonies in Singapore
- 2nd Prize: $750
- 3rd Prize: $500

Notes:

Travel documents, taxes, and other travel-related expenses shall be the responsibility of the winner.
Prizes are not transferable. Cash prizes can be claimed at the ACB Headquarters in the Philippines, or offices of ACB's National Contact Points in the ASEAN Member States within 60 days from receipt of notification. Winners must present valid identification.
Winners will be notified through phone, email, or registered mail by the Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity.

Awarding Ceremony

For the first prize winners of the three categories, the awarding ceremony will be held in Singapore on October 21, 2009 as a side event of the ASEAN Conference on Biodiversity 2009 (ACB2009).

Other winners may attend the ceremony at their own expense.

For the second and third prize winners, who cannot attend the ceremony, the cash prizes and certificates will be presented by ACB's Governing Board Member and/or National Contact Point of the ASEAN Member State where the winner is a citizen.

Source: Zooming in on Biodiversity: The First ASEAN-Wide Photo Contest on Biodiversity

With the salutation "Iron hand over benevolent heart," Vovinam rises.

2009-05-27T18:53:11-07:00

Thailand has mauy Thai, Cambodia has prodal serey... And Vietnam has got Vovinam.

Vovinam Vo Dao is originated in the land of Vietnam, during the French colonization. Young Nguyen Loc, at that time, with his nationalism spirit, he read about other martial arts, and his clear mind, along with strong body and pure soul, invented "Vovinam." He introduced this new art to public in 1938, and gained the support of all Vietnamese people. It was carried with every immigrants to where they went, specially France. His successor, Le Sang, continued developing and distributing Vovinam to the whole world.

Vovinam believes that hard and soft go together as equals. Students are required to develop this concept in both training and daily life. The combination of these two are crucial to the training of Vovinam. The basic techniques of this art are elbow, hand, kicking, knee, Forms, attacking, wrestling, leg, staff, sword and Hallebarde.

This is the ten principles of Vovinam (can be vary from school to school):

1. Vovinam's disciples vow to pursue high proficiency in their martial art in order to serve the people and humanity.
2. Promise to be faithful to the intentions and teaching of Vovinam and develop the young generation of Vovinam Viêt Võ Dao
3. Be united in spirit and heart, respect one's elder, be kind to one's peers.
4. Respect discipline absolutely, maintain the high standard of personal conduct and honour of a martial art disciple.
5. Have respect for other martial art schools, only use martial art skills for self defense and protect justice.
6. Be studious, strengthen the mind, enrich one's thought & behavior.
7. Live simply, with chastity, loyalty, high principles and ethics.
8. Build up a spirit of steely determination and vigor, overcome powers of violence.
9. Make intelligent judgments, carry out struggles with perseverance and act with alertness.
10. Be self-confident, self-controlled, modest and generous.

The belt system is quite unique compares to other arts.

Belts
The adult begins with a light blue belt - the same color as his/her suit. He then is a "Võ Sinh", a student aspirant. The old school Vovinam had two navy blue stripes before getting the Navy Blue Belt. But recently, some Vovinam schools have changed under the direction of Le Sang and do not have a Light Blue Belt 1 stripe, or two.
Following the light blue is the dark blue belt. Then he/she is a "Mon Sinh", a student.

Blue stands for the factor of the sea, and the hope - the hope in being successful in learning Vovinam.
With the following 3 exams yellow stripes are added to the blue belt. The 3rd yellow stripe is followed by the yellow belt. The student has reached the instructor's level.

Yellow It symbolically stands for the skin color of all people. It symbolizes the "skin deep" internalization of the martial art and the philosophy.
In other martial arts this belt is black. Therefore a Vovinam student who carries a yellow belt is allowed to carry a black belt. This makes a comparison to other martial arts easier, eg. in public performances. A person who wears a yellow belt with one or more stripes is considered an instructor.
Following in a longer period of time, respectively 3 red stripes are added to the yellow belt. This corresponds to the 1st, 2nd, respectively 3rd Dang (Dan). The exam following the 3rd red stripe is the master's exam. Passing the exam successfully assigns the right to wear a red belt with a circulating yellow border.

Red stands for the blood and the intensive flame. The student has internalized Vovinam Viêt Võ Dao even further.
The 5th to 10th Dang are shown as a completed red belt with 1 to 6 white stripes.

White stands for the infiniteness, the bones; is the symbol of the depth of the spirit. The white belt assigns the master the absolute mastery of Vovinam Viêt Võ Dao.
On the white belt thin, lengthwise stripes in blue, yellow and red symbolize the whole of Vovinam Viêt Võ Dao again. This belt is reserved for the "Patriarch". 2005 this is Granmaster Le Sang.

With every change of belt color the name plate color changes. Blue belt students start off with yellow text on blue name plates. With the yellow belt the name plate changes to red text on yellow ground. The red belt comes along with white text on a red name plate. The patriarch carries red text on a white name plate. Thin, colored lines in blue, yellow and red are shown on the upper and lower borders of this white name plate.

Author notes: I have only found an article about Vovinam in Wikipedia. I tried to access to other sites for various resources but can not gain any favourable results. Thus, this article is merely based on Wikipedia guidance.

THE HUB OF HISTORY

2009-05-25T06:25:57-07:00

Museums are the most important players in the development of a country's future. It measures how well the people preserve culture and tell the tale of its glorious history.

For a country very much searching for its own identity, the Philippines has made great efforts to retrace its historic pursuit to what is now a strong republic.

Some of our country's pieces of history is preserved and retold at the National Museum of the Philippines.

The National Museum of the Philippines is a government-funded institution assigned to facilitate and rehabilitate the historical pieces that are vital to the Philippine history. The National Museum, located at the former congress building of the Philippines in Manila holds the arts, natural sciences and other support divisions while its sister institution, the National Museum of the Filipino People houses the Anthropology and Archaeology Divisions. The National Museum of the Filipino People is located at the former Finance Building adjacent to the Agrifina Circle of the Rizal Park.

Both museums house countless galleries, exhibiting art pieces and historical artifacts like old vases from sunken chinese junks in the South China Sea, astrolabes used by the Spanish voyagers, paintings by renowned Filipino painters and more.

The museums are open from Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00AM to 4:30PM with discounts on entrance fees for Filipino students and senior citizen.

The National Museum of the Filipino People building is also the site of the acclaimed opening of the Ms. Earth Pageant in 2006.

For more information, you may contact the National Museum:

Mailing Address:
National Museum of the Philippines
Teodoro Valencia Circle, Rizal Park, Ermita
Manila, 1045 Philippines

Phone: +63 2 527 1215

All Hail Pacquiao!!!

2009-05-07T19:25:31-07:00

A former donut and ice water seller, now a World Light Welterweight champion, Manny Pacquiao travels some hundred thousand miles to give his opponent the taste of his fist.

Being Nickname "Pac-Man," Emmanuel Dapidran "Manny" Pacquiao, born December 17, 1978, now is regarded as the world and Philippine newest hero of the 21st century. His hometown is Kibawe, Bukidnon, Mindano but his current residence is at General Santos City, South Cotabato, Philippine. Starting his boxing career at the age of 16, he is now more than a professional fighter, but also a potential politician (as he stated that he would enter politics once his career ends[1]), businessman and even actor. He is a happy husband and a father of four children.

The 30 year-old holds a record of 49-3-2 [2], and used to bear WBC lightweight world champion, WBC super featherweight world champion, IBF super bantamweight world champion, and WBC flyweight world champion. He became the first Asian to win four world title in four different weight divisions. He is currently rated by the Ring Magazine as the #1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world.

"I was just doing my job in the ring and doing my best to make people happy. Nothing personal — I am just doing my job."
— Following his recent win against Hatton (Miami Herald, May 4, 2009)[2]. With his latest victory, now the world all sings his name to hail the new best pound-to-pound fighter in the world.

However, his memorial match would be the dream match against Oscar De La Hoya at Las Vegas on 6 December, 2008. He won by technical knockout, but his match became the second best-selling ticket of the boxing history, with 17millions gate revenue. [3]

To honour his country, during the summer Olympic 2008 in China, he is the sole bearer of the Filipino flags, although he did not fight in this competition and he was the first Filipino to do so (attending the Olympic game without actually enter the game).[2]

In Philippine, his name has become a brand name for varieties of products, from medical to food. Moreover, his biography has been filmed by Filipino production, under director Joel Lamangan, and starred by Jericho Rosales. The film entitled "Pacquiao: The Movie." He also appears in video game, the Fight Night series (FN: Round 2, 3 and 4). He became the first athlete to appear on postage stamp.[2]

There are rumours that he and Sylvester Stallone would are in plans of doing a movie, could be another "Rocky." For sure! Pac-Man is more than Rock now, because Stallone shall knows this fact: Under Philippine Laws, the army would come to Pacquiao's aid if his family is in danger. [2]

[1]Zonio, Aquiles (2007-07-29). "Pacquiao files bid for South Cotabato’s Congress seat" (in English). Philippine Daily Inquirer. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/topstories/topstories/view_article.php?article_id=57725. Retrieved on 2007-04-17.
[2]www.time.com
[3]Sept 24, 6:14 pm EDT. "Tickets for De La Hoya-Pacquiao nearly sold out - Boxing - Yahoo! Sports". sports.yahoo.com. http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ap-delahoya-pacquiaosellout&prov=ap&type=lgns. Retrieved on 2008-10-02.
----------
And Of course: wikipedia.org

The first Prime Minister of Singapore

2009-05-02T20:29:21-07:00

The first Prime Minister of Singapore

Who would have thought, a fourth-generation Chinese Singaporean who once left the country to study in England, returned to transform a small island into Asian important seaport, from a land for fishing villages into a land for commercial center, and from and underdeveloped colonial outpost with no natural resources into a stable First World Asian Tiger. He is Lee Kuan Yew, the first prime minister of Singapore who held office from 1959 to 1990.

Born 16 September 1923, Lee is a descendant of - to his father side - Guangdung resident. His mother is a Hokkien Nyonnya. He studied in Raffles Institution and Raffles College before World War II. During WWII, his education was suspended, and he worked for Japanese government propaganda department as he has taken Chinese and Japanese lessons prior to that period. After WWII, he studied Laws at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge , UK and due to his outstanding performance, he was able to attend London School of Economics. In his return to Singapore in 1949, he became a popular nationalist leader and in 1954, he formed the People's Action Party. He joined the movement to negotiate Singapore's independence from the British rule and partly succeed. and Lee became the first prime minister of Singapore on 3 June 1959, taking over from Chief Minister Lim Yew Hock. After Malayan Prime MinisterTunku Abdul Rahman proposed the formation of a federation which would include Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak in 1961, Lee began to campaign for a merger with Malaysia to end British colonial rules. On 16 September 1963, Singapore joined of the Federation of Malaysia as one nation. However, after several incidence including the clash between Chinese and Malaysian people, on 9 August 1965, the republic of Singapore was born. Lee would then face plenty of headaches, including designate solution to seek sufficient water supply, strengthen the defence department and select effective economic plan to run on a land which lack resources.

However under his rule, Singapore became UN members on 21 September 1965, one of the five father of ASEAN on 8 August 1967 and he always dedicate his energy to sought worldwide recognition to Singapore's independence. His main task, in that sense, is then the economic issues. He chose to industrialize Singapore and in 1961, he established the Economics Development Board to attract foreign investment. His best move would be to offer investors of highly-skilled, low-paid worker with undeniably tax incentives. Lee also created Singapore Tourism Promotion Board to compete in the tourism industry. He promoted Mandarin as a mother-tongue for Singaporean, and made English for commercial and administrative use.

On 28 November 1990, he handed over his prime minister post to Goh Chok Tong, thus ending his reign. He was then Singapore longest ever serving Prime Minister, and also the world's longest serving Prime Minister. He was made Senior Minister from 1990 to 2004, and Minister Mentor from 2004 to present.

His son, Lee Hsien Loong, continues his legacy by succeeding Goh Chok Tong as prime minister.

Quick Information About the Mexican Flu

2009-04-30T00:38:19-07:00

Just a public service, the World Health Organization (WHO) raised the alert level to 5 out of 6 levels. This is the first time the system, since first used, reached this high level. WHO also fears that a pandemic is 'imminent'.

Inside you will find select information I personally believe that you should know immediately.

Q: What is swine flu?
A: Swine flu is a respiratory disease, caused by influenza type A.

Q: What is new about this type of swine flue?
A: The World Health Organization has confirmed that at least some of the human cases are a never-before-seen version of the H1N1 strain of influenza type A.

Q: What is the H1N1 strain?
A: H1N1 is the same strain which causes seasonal outbreaks of flu in humans on a regular basis.

But this latest version of H1N1 is different: it contains genetic material that is typically found in strains of the virus that affect humans, birds, and swine.

It seems likely that the new version of H1N1 developed from pigs, a 'melting pot' that mixed the different versions of the virus.

Q: Is it safe to eat pig meat?
A: Yes. There is no evidence that swine flue can be transmitted through eating meat from infected animals. However, it is essential to cook meat properly. A temperature of 70C (158F) would be sure to kill the virus.

Q: Can the virus be contained?
A: The virus appears already to have started to spread around the world, and most experts believe that containment of the virus in the era of readily available air travel will be extremely difficult.

WHO says that restricting flights will have little effect. It argues that screening of passengers is also unlikely to have much impact, as symptoms may not be apparent in many infected people.

In other reports, the new strain incubates for at least 1 day up to 4 days, country entry point monitors will more likely have missed infected people as the virus is still incubating.

Q: How worried should people be?
A: WHO has warned that swine flu could potentially trigger a global pandemic, and stress that the situation is serious.

There is hope that, as humans are often exposed to forms of H1N1 through seasonal flu, our immune systems may have something of a head start in fighting infection.

However, the fact that many of the victims are young does point to something unusual. Normal, seasonal flu tends to affect the elderly disproportionately.

Q: What precations should I take to minimize infection?
A: Back to basics of health care.

Avoid close contact with people who appear unwell (like fever and cough).

Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. Use a tissue when possible and dispose of it properly. (And inform the people around you to do the same.)

Wash your hands properly, if you know it, the Doctor's way.

Wear a mask to cover your nose and mouth.

Bring hand sanitizers and use it frequently.

Source: BBC Swine Flu Q&A

* Some additional information taken from media reports via cable - CNN, BBC, and ChannelNewsAsia.

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Some view of Cambodia

2009-04-01T20:16:02-07:00

These pictures are taken during my trips to my mother's hometown in Srok Kroc Chma, Kampong Cham. Well! I'm not much a commentator here, so enjoy the pix:

Baybayin - the lost script

2009-04-01T19:41:47-07:00

Baybayin - the lost script

Baybayin is a pre-Hispanic Philippine writing system which is believed to be in used since 14th century, and lost its popularity and eventually ceased existed in the 18th century. The system is a member of the Bhramic family and has had quite a unique setting. Firstly, The system is an abugida system using consonant-vowel combination, and only using this combination. This give a major setback for this system when trying to write modern language. Another interesting points is that, the system only comprises of three vowels: a, i/e, o/u. The whole system can not produce a stand-alone consonant for pronunciation. This system begins with a-row characters, leading to i/e, o/u row. To proceed from 'a' character, we only need to insert certain diacritical mark (Kudlit) to change the sound of the character. [1]

This is a table of the Baybayin characters:

http://www.bibingka.com/dahon/tagalog/tagsamp.gif

The da/ra row is a special row. As it seems, that does not suggest that da and ra can be used interchangeably, but to replace one another in a circumstance when d is in the middle of two vowels and some other special cases. For more explanation, please use this site: [2].

Another special note for the system is of the "nga." As we mentioned earlier, the system introduce the consonant-vowel combination, and people might mistakenly think nga does not follow the same rule. But it does, and "ng" is considered one syllable.[2]

To the Filipinos, Baybayin has given the country "its own ancient writing system" as most of Philippine history are covered by Spanish colonization, controls and liberation who bring about changes in language adaption and adoption which result in multiple language usage (Filipino, English and indigenous language). To the surprise, even with lengthy Spanish colonization over this country, very few people of the present speaks Spanish. But Tagalog has been influenced by both Spanish and English. [2]

There are many question raised, some questions have been answered, specially about the reason of the "lost." Some concerns the responsibility of the Spanish administration over Philippine of the time for the disappearance of Baybayin. But here is the most controversial parts. As Spanish authorities established their power in Philippine during their colonization, they has much intentions to maintain the original objects of the country, maybe including this writing system. We called this system "lost," because we hardly find any Tagalog documents using Baybayin from the pre-Hispanic period and earlier. In addition, there is suggestion that since the Tagalog is more a spoken than a writing, [2] there is not much record about the history of Baybayin and its continuation until that era. The Spanish, however, has tried to conserve the system and allow the Filipino to sign using this system.

But on the other hand, there are claims that Spanish had destroyed Tagalog Script with Baybayin, to hold protective measure for their religious purpose, as they consider these writings would include spiritual story which would harm their religious campaign in the country. But there is no evidence to this claim, and there is exact theory about the concept behind the destructions of the files, as there is a study which show that the original inhabitants writes on such leaves or bamboos as a letter or a reminder, not a record of any subjects, stories or history. Thus, we may be in the middle of riddles if we continue alleging the Spanish as a destroyer when both facts and theories does not show much supports.[2]

There are a few answers which are acceptable. Most aimed to the system itself, blaming it for not be able to adapt new words from other languages, thus making language progression ceased. It is easy to understand that, with the Baybayin, we can not produce stand-alone character, thus making end-of-word pronunciation very impossible. The theory also says that, as the Spanish whole much powers and developments, people must changed to new environment which would give them hopes and chances to progress also. The Baybayin, which was sited as the nationwide writing system, then, began to lose its popularity due to its limited standard.[2]

Then, there is THIS final question, is it truly "lost?" There is a "yes" and a "no." The "no" side claims that the system has been developed into a new system. [2] BUT for one thing for sure, the system has been revived but not used. Modern media, education and scientific measure has enable Filipino people, specially students to study more about this system and had it in their heart once again.

To try Baybayin: http://www.baybayin.com/

Links:
1. http://www.bibingka.com/dahon/tagalog/tagalog.htm
2. http://www.mts.net/~pmorrow/bayeng1.htm
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baybayin

Join Earth Hour and Spread Awareness About Climate Change!!

2009-03-27T01:53:51-07:00

Tomorrow Saturday, March 28, 2009, starting from 8:30pm to 9:30pm (your local time) is Earth Hour. A worldwide event and movement to raise awareness about Climate Change - not just Global Warming (although that's what their "About" page says) but to all areas and factors that contributes to negative climate change.

Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.

Source: Earth Hour: About

More inside...

This year, the target is at least 1 billion people switching off their lights. This will be the first worldwide vote in Earth's History that is not about Nations, States, or Organizations, it is about and for the only Planet we live - Earth.

Yesterday, I asked a question via Plurk (the #1 microblogging tool here in Asia) that goes "Do you believe in...... Sentient Beings other than the Human Race?" Mike replied, "Sometimes I wonder if the human race is sentient."

We will find out tomorrow if the Human Race of Planet Earth are Sentient Beings. Will Earth Hour 2009 succeed? Are we conscious of what really is happening in our environment? Do we really care for our children or we only care for ourselves?

Listen to the message and call of Mr. Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General:

So make your vote count! Vote Earth tomorrow by switching off your lights for 60 minutes. That's all you have to do, nothing so fancy, you don't need to spend money or anything - just switch off your lights! By showing your support, you will be helping in telling the world leaders that it is time to take this negative climate change seriously. The result of this movement will be presented at the coming Global Climate Change Conference.

You can also show support beyond switching off your lights. Here are other ways:

Photo

Take a photo on the night, upload it to Flicky and add it to Earth Hour's Flickr group which you can find here.

For the Google Picasa fans (like me), just upload your photos to PicasaWeb. Or if you prefer to upload it elsewhere, just be sure to tag all your photos with: EarthHour, VoteEarth, and your location. I'll add the year of the photo as well ;)

Video

Make a video of your event, upload it to YouTube and add it to Earth Hour's YouTube group.

Again, follow the same tagging as the photos above.

Blog

Just like this (the one you are reading), write a blog post during the event (or after the event if you will be outside) about Earth Hour, for example, did you have a candlelight dinner with your family? Have you witnessed how establishments and your own company participated?

Once again, tag it with EarthHour, VoteEarth, and your location.

Microblogging

During that 60 minutes, go update all your microblogging accounts and share to the world your experience of Earth Hour in your locality. Yes, tag it with EarthHour, VoteEarth, and your location. (Of course use the tagging format of your microblog platform.)

As simple as that! After this event, it is all in the hands of the politicians and our Creator.

As Neil Armstrong said, "That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind."

Website: EarthHour.org

:: Official Accounts ::
Flickr: Earth Hour Global
MySpace: Earth Hour @MySpace
Twitter: Earth Hour @Twitter
YouTube: Earth Hour 2009
Facebook Group: Earth Hour Group
Facebook Fans: Earth Hour Fans

:: News ::
Google Blog: Introducing Earth Connect for Earth

:: Other Event Websites ::
Bloggers Unite for Earth Hour

Image Source: Earth Hour Philippine merchandise - Button Pin. Photo taken by me and licensed under CC By-SA 3.0 Philippines.

Residue - New Khmer Movie

2009-03-17T19:00:16-07:00

Japan and ASEAN to cooperate in security issues

2009-03-17T18:43:44-07:00

Japan and ASEAN to cooperate in security issues

Defense officials of Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have agreed to strengthen their cooperation to deal with security issues, including piracy and natural disasters.

20 senior defense officials of Japan and ASEAN member countries took part in their first conference in Tokyo on Tuesday.

In the meeting, Parliamentary Defense Secretary, Ryota Takeda said Japan wants to further cooperate with ASEAN not only in economy but also in security issues, as the Asia-Pacific region now faces new challenges such as natural disasters, terrorism and piracy.

Some attendants suggested that countries should share information to effectively tackle piracy off Somalia and the Straits of Malacca as well as natural disasters including Tsunami.

Japan's Defense Ministry which hosted the meeting says that it plans to hold this kind of meeting periodically to strengthen ties with ASEAN.

2009/03/17 16:01(JST)
(JST: UTC+9hrs.)

http://www.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/17_25.html