Anakut - The podcast about Cambodia's future

This week we take a walk through Prey Lang Forest, in theory a protected sanctuary, but which has seen rampant deforestation propelled by official corruption. Joining us are Meou Chandara, an activist from the Cambodian Youth Network, and Fran Lambrick, a co-founder of environmental and human rights group Not1More

The outlook seemed bleak for the Kingdom's garment industry when early last year Cambodia simultaneously lost tariff-free access to the EU and the pandemic struck the global economy. Almost 18 months on, we speak with GMAC head Ken Loo and researcher Dennis Arnold to learn about the state of the industry today

Being Khmer is often treated as synonymous to being Cambodian. But many ethnicities are woven throughout the Kingdom's rich tapestry, as social commentator Din Darathtey and Cambodian Living Arts executive director Prim Phloeun join the podcast to discuss

We have a hot one for the second episode of Anakut Season 2. Things get animated as former Cambodian ambassador to Japan Pou Sothirak and former Singaporean diplomat Bilahari Kausikan discuss Cambodia's role in ASEAN, under scrutiny as its ties with China grow stronger

Welcome to Season 2 of the Anakut podcast! As June is the Pride Month, we're kicking off with Cambodia's LGBTQ+ community, discussing the hopes and challenges facing individuals today. Joining us is Skyler Ros, a transgender fashion designer, and Seng Reasey, executive director of rights group SILAKA

This week on Anakut, hosts Meng and Andrew wrap up the first season with a slightly meta -topic: The Cambodian media landscape as it stands today. This is a big topic that covers everything from the country's falling press freedom ranking to the future of mobile, social information platforms, and so we invited on more guests than ever before. Click to listen to our conversation with reporter Phorn Bopha, media director Ith Sothoeuth from the Cambodia Center of Independent Media and Nov Povleakhena, lead editor of Focus: Ready for Tomorrow, a Khmer language outlet aimed at young Cambodians.

This week, it's all about democracy. We sat down with Pech Pisey, executive director from Transparency International Cambodia (TI) about the state of play here in Cambodia. From our conversation Pisey shared with us that Cambodia today does not practice democracy in a meaningful way. We spoke at length about the restriction of civil society, including the repression of protesters escalated since the July arrest of unionist Rong Chhun.

In this sixth episode of Anakut, we discuss what lies after aid for Cambodia. We're already in a time when a fast-growing economy is pushing Cambodia into early middle-income status and into a new stage of development. That's not to say aid is leaving just yet, or that foreign money is going anywhere. To learn more, we invited Ear Sophal, associate professor of diplomacy and world affairs at Occidental College in the US. Sophal is a long-time political observer of Cambodian politics and, directly to our theme today, is the author of the 2013 Aid Dependence in Cambodia: How Foreign Assistance Undermines Democracy. Hit play to hear what lies beyond the aid horizon.

For the fifth episode of Anakut, we're talking leapfrogging. That's not the classic children's game, but the concept that developing states can skip old technology to get right up to speed with the latest and greatest. To learn more, we spoke to Kem Bora, partner at Mekong Strategic Partners investment group, and Manu Rajan, the CEO of Wing, one of Cambodia's major digital money transfer services. Everyone wants to move fast, but what can we do to make sure all Cambodians get to leapfrog together? Listen to hear how people can adapt to a fast-evolving world.

Cambodia is a country steeped in culture and tradition. How does an increasingly international perspective amongst young people create a clash between traditional Cambodian values and more modern, international ways of thinking?  We speak with  Rithy Lomorpich and Nhem Phannaro to hear their perspectives.

The  Mekong  and Tonle Sap Rivers are vital resources that support millions of people in Southeast Asia. As the climate emergency and infrastructure developments disrupt previously reliable cycles of nature, the health of the river system and those whom rely on it are in jeopardy, making it a flash point for potential geopolitical conflict. We speak with Pich Charadine, Deputy Director of CICP and Coordinator of Global Center of Mekong Studies and Ham Oudom, Independent Consultant on Environmental and Water Governance, to learn more.

For the first ever episode of Anakut - The podcast about Cambodia's future, we speak with Mr. Ou Virak, the Founder and President of Future Forum a leading Cambodian political think-tank and Dr. Chheng Kimlong, the Director of Asian Vision Institute. Learn how Covid-19 has impacted Cambodian society and the economy and whether or not social unrest could be on the horizon.

For the second episode of Anakut - The podcast about Cambodia's future, we spoke to Chak Sopheap, Executive Director of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, and Pidor Ham, Influencer and body positive blogger about women in Cambodia. Listen to learn more about how social norms are changing in the Kingdom and why sometimes tradition slows progress.