Travelfish #519: The Cool Statues Edition

This week I’m leading with an RFA piece on a brave and talented freelance photojournalist who continues to document the tragedy taking place there. This week I’m leading with an RFA piece on a brave and talented freelance photojournalist who continues to document the tragedy taking place there. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [Return to the Travelfish homepage](%2F%2Fwww.travelfish.org%2F/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/6SJdxvzZO7KlbxZOKHoymqZySWQ=376) [alt_text] [Travelfish #519: The Cool Statues Edition](%2F%2Fwww.travelfish.org%2Fnewsletter%2Fnews%2F519/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/pJRtZzaBFIuKvJPh8xFotG8Hgl0=376) Published: 3rd June, 2024 Hi all, This week I’m leading with an RFA piece on a brave and talented freelance photojournalist who continues to document the tragedy taking place there. Nothing this week on Couchfish as I ended up on a business trip to Manila at very short notice and, while I guess I could have written about 8,000 entries while stuck in the traffic there, I didn’t. I did manage to miss my flight home though—again thanks to the traffic ... truly next level stuff there! Anyways, back to regular programming this week. While the theme this week could have been something along the lines of “why one should allow eleventy million hours to get to the airport,” I figured that was a bit whiny—even for me—so I thought I’d go with cool statues instead. Also, in last week’s newsletter I mentioned a new street food tour in Phnom Penh, but a couple of readers got in touch saying they couldn’t access the site, so, just to repeat, this is Vanarith’s [Instagram page](%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Ffoodtoursphnompenh/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/eFSJiXovhqa4dWEF6QyxaH7ptWk=376), and he is on [Facebook](%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fprofile.php%3Fid=61559629904489/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/MI2-axUi2I8ouGD8e9nT95xdOR8=376) as well. Happy eating! See you next week. Stuart [[READ ONLINE](%2F%2Fwww.travelfish.org%2Fnewsletter%2Fnews%2F519/2/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/PaM0uc9-mViQ3MTQMjRwTO7qpj8=376)] [[UNSUBSCRIBE]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Did you order a beach view? [Salad hut.](%2F%2Fwww.travelfish.org%2Fsaladhut/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/Wf3tmt9Mqdt-MC7OyPyVK5pqypo=376) [Ad: Salad Hut on Ko Pha Ngan’s beautiful west coast, from US$118 per night. Click here for the details.](%2F%2Fwww.travelfish.org%2Fsaladhut/2/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/44WkZPJ7ctXvVeGHnZkrVlEX5hE=376) --------------------------------------------------------------- Don’t make them like they used to. [Just gorgeous.] Just gorgeous. Photo: Stuart McDonald. --------------------------------------------------------------- ⭐️ Story of the week - [Despite Risk, A Photographer Stays At The Front Line In Myanmar](%2F%2Fwww.rfa.org%2Fenglish%2Fnews%2Fspecial%2Fmyanmar-war-photographer%2Findex.html/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/nJg0Bnxeq_qr8QK2mzY80_DDwpw=376) from RFA 📚 What I’m reading - [Not the End of the World](%2F%2Fwww.nottheendoftheworld.co.uk%2F/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/_YAXl_Cr47SuE6sNQz6G2UXJVLE=376) by Hannah Ritchie 🇲🇲 Burma - [On The Shadow Tracks: The Dark History Of Myanmar’s Hidden Railways](%2F%2Fwww.frontiermyanmar.net%2Fen%2Fon-the-shadow-tracks-the-dark-history-of-myanmars-hidden-railways%2F/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/kgDzbUEcttK5gD_9n73KjebZDz8=376) from Frontier Myanmar - [Trafficked And Desperate: A Conversation With Judah Tana](%2F%2Fthediplomat.com%2F2024%2F05%2Ftrafficked-and-desperate-a-conversation-with-judah-tana%2F/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/9Z7YCtHhnXxdxUif2LmhN_QLyYU=376) from The Diplomat - [‘We Were The Kula’: Cambodia’s Missing Myanmar Community](%2F%2Fwww.frontiermyanmar.net%2Fen%2Fwe-were-the-kula-cambodias-missing-myanmar-community%2F/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/m5Ak0psseM5--Gt1vGmagMAVMy0=376) from Frontier Myanmar 🇰🇭 Cambodia - [Small-Scale Fishers Lose Out To Trawlers In Race To Catch Cambodia’s Last Fish](%2F%2Fnews.mongabay.com%2F2024%2F05%2Fsmall-scale-fishers-lose-out-to-trawlers-in-race-to-catch-cambodias-last-fish%2F/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/O5513iU7dGsP-Ou8O2MGTAyU36k=376) from Monga Bay - [Cambodia’s Traditional Marble And Sandstone Sculptors Still Carve By Hand](%2F%2Fwww.rfa.org%2Fenglish%2Fnews%2Fcambodia%2Fmarble-sandstone-khmer-sculptures-05302024160523.html/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/-a4BXz2lCsGhBWRlzofUhnr-w6k=376) from RFA - [Young Cambodians Fight To Preserve Ancient Martial Art](%2F%2Fsg.news.yahoo.com%2Fyoung-cambodians-fight-preserve-ancient-042917492.html/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/ZWnIlExu8nEAt5yUwmn00FBRdAw=376) from AFP - [Can A Green Transition Save The Mekong River?](%2F%2Fwww.dw.com%2Fen%2Fcan-a-green-transition-save-the-mekong-river%2Fa-69222761/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/3rI-Ojud2Hgg4nXoAoII4Jepqwo=376) from DW - [The Last Plane Out Of Cambodia](%2F%2Fopen.substack.com%2Fpub%2Fsimonostheimer%2Fp%2Fthe-last-plane-out-of-cambodia%3Fr=5w2iv%26utm_campaign=post%26utm_medium=web/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/Ks_Da4xW4mnT12H-Ltrsz89fPSg=376) from Tales Of The Orient 🌴 Environment - [‘More Profitable Than Farming’: How Ecuador’s Birding Boom Is Benefiting Wildlife](%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fenvironment%2Farticle%2F2024%2Fjun%2F01%2Fmore-profitable-than-farming-how-ecuadors-birding-boom-is-benefiting-wildlife/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/xgzVk_2hzbjwOm9jUp0ri4zVhbM=376) from The Guardian - [Panama Prepares To Evacuate First Island In Face Of Rising Sea Levels](%2F%2Fwww.yahoo.com%2Fnews%2Fpanama-prepares-evacuate-first-island-151000223.html/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/at8AVFRqXH11gYsaJqKZttsb3eQ=376) from AP - [Why The EU’s Deforestation-Free Regulation Is Not Working In Southeast Asia](%2F%2Fthediplomat.com%2F2024%2F06%2Fwhy-the-eus-deforestation-free-regulation-is-not-working-in-southeast-asia%2F/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/-NhjtH1VOdTQrN0xC9v-Kec0Umg=376) from The Diplomat - [Global Airlines Raise 2024 Profit Outlook As Travel Soars](%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Fbusiness%2Faerospace-defense%2Fglobal-airlines-raise-profit-outlook-2024-2024-06-03%2F/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/1Szyg3yh1KEgys65yODlBfJHb34=376) from Reuters 🇮🇩 Indonesia - [Jakarta’s Roadside Food Sellers](%2F%2Fkontinentalist.com%2Fstories%2Fjakarta-roadside-food-sellers-challenges-in-future-technology/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/oskNemcaLbqDv4C8CwztYGNXRfg=376) from Kontineltalist - [Investors Rediscover Bali, But Deals Are Like Needles In Haystacks](%2F%2Fwww.hotelinvestmenttoday.com%2FRegions%2FAsia-Pacific%2FInvestors-rediscover-Bali-but-deals-are-like-needles-in-haystacks/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/zGTM6gH0vd1K447WgjbtItwF1KM=376) from Hotel Investment Today - [Why Lesser-Visited Lombok Is The Perfect Alternative To Bali](%2F%2Fwww.thetimes.co.uk%2Farticle%2Fb53c81d4-4efa-459d-9a9e-45ca8d278bda/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/9zEUsQudWxrCu1aiHy4VEpLAHWY=376) from The Times ($) - [Paving Paradise: Sustainable Tourism In Bali](%2F%2Fwww.asiasentinel.com%2Fp%2Fpaving-paradise-sustainable-tourism-bali%3Futm_campaign=post%26utm_medium=web/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/cVNdwEEbR9XQ9yCBa6WrOkv_5Do=376) from Asia Sentinal - [Indonesians Eat The Most Microplastics, According To Study](%2F%2Fwww.thestar.com.my%2Flifestyle%2Fhealth%2F2024%2F06%2F02%2Findonesians-eat-the-most-microplastics-according-to-study/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/UVNYKvlKO1U1dzX1PinRE7hashw=376) from The Star 🇱🇦 Laos - [Luang Prabang Approves New Economic Zone For Tourism, Economic Growth](%2F%2Flaotiantimes.com%2F2024%2F05%2F30%2Fluang-prabang-approves-new-economic-zone-for-tourism-economic-growth%2F/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/il6zGDqQzaUNZSurBgPUAYkZxQw=376) from The Laotion Times - [Why Dollarization Is The Solution To Laos’ Economic Woes](%2F%2Fthediplomat.com%2F2024%2F05%2Fwhy-dollarization-is-the-solution-to-laos-economic-woes%2F/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/WDJJ8yDOFhIp2MhUT0yexuKYz8w=376) from The Diplomat - [This Ancient Temple In Laos Rivals Angkor Wat—Without The Crowds](%2F%2Fwww.nationalgeographic.com%2Ftravel%2Farticle%2Fancient-laos-temple-rival-angkor-wat/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/jJzJ28NJ-TYHNowzmzRZ-_oTvQw=376) from National Geographic 🇲🇾 Malaysia - [Tourist Arrivals On The Rise In Penang](%2F%2Fwww.thestar.com.my%2Fmetro%2Fmetro-news%2F2024%2F05%2F29%2Ftourist-arrivals-on-the-rise-in-penang/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/UMKoKYyl8ffnnXW2BiUEd1tdKc0=376) from The Star - [Malaysia’s Rainforest Threat Is Focused On Sarawak](%2F%2Fwww.sarawakreport.org%2F2024%2F06%2Fmalaysias-rainforest-threat-is-focused-on-sarawak%2F/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/Kwz1berewCAV7_F0IslbD95xSvQ=376) from Sarawak Report 🇸🇬 Singapore - [The Singapore Dream Fades For The ‘Sandwich Class’](%2F%2Fwww.jom.media%2Fthe-singapore-dream-fades-for-the-sandwich-class%2F/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/C7D-2bqnh7Y7JwwqcRByKpo5y6w=376) from Jom ($) - [Peranakan And Proud](%2F%2Fwww.newindianexpress.com%2Ffashion%2F2024%2FJun%2F02%2Fperanakan-and-proud/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/K1BZRDmsqFMpyW3kauyZ5nuA600=376) from The New Indian Express - [Singapore Begins Second Phase Of Casino Resort Development](%2F%2Fasia.nikkei.com%2FBusiness%2FTravel-Leisure%2FSingapore-begins-second-phase-of-casino-resort-development/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/6sN08wWoLXA3dcMwQiN4P7mS9HM=376) from Nikkei Asia ($) 🇹🇭 Thailand - [Thai Election Winner Pita Says Party Ban Would ‘Turbocharge’ Calls For Change](%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcontent%2F45fbbff3-613a-488b-9f87-69904804186d/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/WHtHbH0TBDDtcYt2bybmdQI6a88=376) from The Financial Times($) - [Thai Island Of Samui Weighs ‘White Lotus Effect’ Against Environmental Cost](%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2Farticle%2F2024%2Fjun%2F01%2Fthai-island-samui-white-lotus-effect-tourism-environment/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/ph9nVuKtJwhhwsNYkOUSQBbdbTo=376) from The Guardian - [New Visa Promotions, Retiree Insurance Reduced](%2F%2Fwww.bangkokpost.com%2Fthailand%2Fgeneral%2F2800891%2Fnew-visa-promotions-retiree-insurance-reduced/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/ilABxFDbgKiKBecnbockTP4pKTQ=376) from Bangkok Post - [In The Footsteps Of The Teak Wallahs In Northern Thailand: Legacy Of Logging On Show](%2F%2Fwww.scmp.com%2Fmagazines%2Fpost-magazine%2Ftravel%2Farticle%2F3263980%2Ffootsteps-teak-wallahs-northern-thailand-legacy-logging-show/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/Sa-zmxcMK_7aC60dqrVqtVgajHw=376) from SCMP ($) --------------------------------------------------------------- Looking for somewhere special in Penang? [Ad: Campbell House in Georgetown, Penang from US$72 per night. Click here for the details.](%2F%2Fwww.travelfish.org%2Fcampbellhouse/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/-zVzO-FV8XBu_Fpcokd95oR8aKw=376) [Ad: Campbell House in Georgetown, Penang from US$72 per night. Click here for the details.](%2F%2Fwww.travelfish.org%2Fcampbellhouse/2/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/68eub4lHvDVNgs2sDpw8yN2p4HM=376) --------------------------------------------------------------- 🇻🇳 Vietnam - [Vietnam’s Great Untapped Rare Earth Bounty](%2F%2Fasiatimes.com%2F2024%2F05%2Fvietnams-great-untapped-rare-earth-bounty%2F/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/0RZFEJ17Y2TF0f66L_yzIrsxa-s=376) from Asia Times - [Vietnam's Sustainable Tourism Challenge](%2F%2Fopen.substack.com%2Fpub%2Fvietnamweekly%2Fp%2Fvietnams-sustainable-tourism-challenge%3Fr=5fap%26utm_campaign=post%26utm_medium=web/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/fMMQalZ6co-y4JyP_9kgQMbFSPk=376) from Vietnam Weekly (Podcast) - [Thich Minh Tue: The Monk Who Walks And Moves Vietnam](%2F%2Ffulcrum.sg%2Fthich-minh-tue-the-monk-who-walks-and-moves-vietnam%2F/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/ITyJzK_iC7ATuBsNrzekNjXnQLk=376) from Fulcrum - [A Slow Journey Through The Waterways And Islands Of Southern Vietnam](%2F%2Fwww.nationalgeographic.com%2Ftravel%2Farticle%2Fwaterways-islands-southern-vietnam/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/Px1IciQ-tsX5p-R3b6y_4_KmXcU=376) from National Geographic Random other stuff - [How To Be A Sustainable Tourist, According To This Travel Editor](%2F%2Fwww.weforum.org%2Fvideos%2Fsustainable-tourism-d786c79d73%2F/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/s36szcktFHrV03oR15mgMoeIyhs=376) from World Economic Forum (Video) - [Protecting The Magic Of Travel - And Local Economies](%2F%2Fwww.weforum.org%2Fagenda%2F2024%2F05%2Fbalance-over-tourism-sustainable-travel-future-economic-growth%2F/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/9_ElF88NJ0qQtsUgiw7QLQ4DiCs=376) from World Economic Forum - [Travel Industry’s ‘Luxewashing’ Is Confusing Consumers](%2F%2Flatteluxurynews.com%2F2024%2F05%2F31%2Fluxewashing-runs-rampant-in-the-travel-industry%2F/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/-ls_3IYE21ADxrEwyfXdnnjbPHs=376) from LATTE - [The New Generation Of Online Culture Curators](%2F%2Fwww.newyorker.com%2Fculture%2Finfinite-scroll%2Fthe-new-generation-of-online-culture-curators/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/Vvdmlidi4rZZHL3DktowJmhP7eE=376) from The New Yorker ($) - [Chief Sustainability Officers Are Burning Out. Has The Role Become Unsustainable?](%2F%2Fwww.eco-business.com%2Fnews%2Fchief-sustainability-officers-are-burning-out-has-the-role-become-unsustainable%2F/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/RZGhw9y5mWaOFf-xGGFoEfKGxsQ=376) from Eco Business - [Be A Better Tourist! 28 Ways To Have A Fantastic Holiday – Without Infuriating The Locals](%2F%2Famp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org%2Fc%2Fs%2Famp.theguardian.com%2Ftravel%2Farticle%2F2024%2Fmay%2F28%2Fbe-better-tourist-28-ways-to-have-fantastic-holiday-without-infuriating-locals/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/CgXrlct9xgU34vmgFETjvOYEdRM=376) from The Guardian - [Amidst India’s Tourism Boom, Boutique Accommodations Focus On Sustainability](%2F%2Fsustainablebrands.com%2Fread%2Fdefining-the-next-economy%2Findia-boutique-accommodations-sustainability/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/KY00zZjgLFFZMUvJhjYQV62iUMU=376) from Sustainable Brands - [Why You Shouldn't Try To Travel Like A Local](%2F%2Fopen.substack.com%2Fpub%2Fsamanthachildress%2Fp%2Fwhy-you-shouldnt-try-to-travel-like-618%3Fr=5fap%26utm_campaign=post%26utm_medium=web/1/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/XmfLDW_hDe-udjrsU66eybqhbK8=376) from Caravanserai My kind of recycling [Fashioning art from tools of death in Battambang, Cambodia.] Fashioning art from tools of death in Battambang, Cambodia. Photo: Stuart McDonald. --------------------------------------------------------------- So that’s the wrap. I hope you are all in good health, and thanks for reading. Cheers! Stuart --------------------------------------------------------------- If you’d like to view this newsletter online, you can [do so here](%2F%2Fwww.travelfish.org%2Fnewsletter%2Fnews%2F519/3/0100018fdead9623-41dddabb-876a-44ab-b9a8-d1b3d8127ceb-000000/68bKoEwZJMW8qLAwsPuEIBDqvAw=376). This email was sent to {EMAIL} because you are subscribed to the Travelfish newsletter. If you no longer want to receive these emails, [you can unsubscribe at any time here](. Travelfish.org Bali, Indonesia & Sydney, Australia Copyright ©️ 2024 Travelfish.org. All rights reserved.