Monocle 24: Asia Pac Unwrapped

Grab a bag of popcorn as we shine a spotlight on film production in Thailand. We also explore a new exhibition in Cambodia that is stoking curiosity in the country’s long history thanks to some rather mysterious burial jars. Plus: we look into the state of economic equality for entrepreneurs in Hong Kong and take an audible tour of Tokyo.

Touching down in Tokyo, we explore the department store scene that also acts as a key destination for Japanese design. Plus: how an innovative approach to education is helping one Cambodian school inspire students, and how to navigate the delicate process of rebranding.

We look to Cambodia, which in recent years has emerged as a very attractive destination for investors, particularly among the Japanese. We also check-in at Melbourne’s Hotel Windsor for the city’s favourite high tea as the luxury icon’s future is still in doubt. Plus: we ask what role architecture plays in creating a cosy home and preview a new television from Samsung that comes complete with a high-end design.

As another crazy week unfolds in the Australian capital, we ask comedian Tom Ballard what’s going on in the nation’s political circus. We’re also in Hong Kong, where high-class tailoring rivals that of the traditional high streets in London. Plus: what’s behind Japan’s intergalactic obsession with ‘Star Wars’?

The burgeoning tourism sector is pushing many airlines in Asia back into profit so we take a look at which other sectors might be feeling the effects. We ask how sought-after is Danish design among discerning Hong Kong shoppers and examine the factors behind up-and-coming neighbourhoods in Seoul. Plus we take a look at the surprisingly stylish and technologically innovative art of keeping goldfish in Tokyo.

It’s a sad week in Tokyo as we bid farewell to one of the city’s most beloved architectural marvels, the Hotel Okura. We also hear from a company that specialises in bringing that cosy-home feeling to those who constantly find themselves on the move. And touching down in Singapore, we hear how the importance of community plays a central role in creating a cosy home. Plus: the final chapter of our interview with former Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer.

Is Japan’s rail system too safe? We tune in to the difficulties facing Tokyo as it tries to market its famous transport internationally. We’re also in Melbourne where designing a high-end hair salon and a cocktail lounge is all in a day’s work for architect Travis Walton. Plus: we continue our interview with former Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer and check-in to an eco-luxury resort making waves in Cambodia.

The mining boom is over, diplomacy has taken a beating and the prime minister isn’t very popular. We discuss the challenges facing Australia with the country’s former foreign minister Alexander Downer. We also browse a new retail concept in Singapore that’s catching plenty of attention at Changi Airport. Plus: touching down in Chengdu, we learn how one architecture firm is gaining admiration for its unique blend of modern style and traditional Chinese design.

As the economic clouds continue to gather over China, we examine how it all came to this. We also ask whether there’s a noticeable gap between casual shorts and fancier attire – according to one Melbourne entrepreneur, there is. Plus: we’re in Jakarta, where diplomacy is emerging as a major factor in the struggles facing the Indonesian president.

We take a closer look at the presidency of Indonesia’s Joko Widodo. Then we’re in Sichuan, where spicy hotpot isn’t the only thing putting the region on the map. We also take in Phnom Penh’s growing interest in artisan coffee, tour Singapore’s innovative home for tech start-ups and find out how to spend 24 hours in Auckland.

Superb wine, delicious food and a restaurant design sure to impress. We’re in Melbourne, where culinary magic is a serious business. We also head to Japan, where developers and government officials are trading barbs over preparations for the 2020 Olympics. Plus: we check-in at a new luxury high-rise in Hong Kong and get the best of Singapore in 24 hours.

Can Japanese carmaker Suzuki tap into the higher end of the market in India? Plus, despite claims of an accommodation shortage, we look at why Melbourne is set to lose one of its most historic hotels. We also learn how foreign investment is spawning tiny bars in Phnom Penh. And what to do if you have just 24 hours in Bangkok.

Pouring ourselves a glass of cachaça, we ponder a bizarre Australian law preventing importation of the spirit. We also check in with our Tokyo bureau to sample some of the rotating array of puddings on offer at the city’s convenience stores. Plus: we examine efforts by Singapore to boost its national identity with beautifully designed souvenirs.

We explore the shady side of a cinema in Melbourne that’s now home to a hidden jazz bar. We then venture out for a spot of shopping at one of Hong Kong’s favourite luxury department stores. Plus, we hear about the rebirth of Sydney’s Circular Quay district and we discover the best of Tokyo in little more than 24 hours.

We hear about Mandarin Oriental’s plans for a new luxury hotel in Beijing. Barely a week goes by without a trendy burger joint popping up in Melbourne but the latest comes with an interesting twist. In Tokyo we find out why folk are waiting in queues for… ice shavings. Plus we’ll hear about some of the best ways to spend 24 hours in Sydney.

We discover that Melbourne is not the only city in the Asia PAC region garnering a reputation as a coffee lover’s capital. We also hear about the Indonesian-flag carrier’s plans for global expansion. Plus: we sample the delights on offer at Tokyo’s new cronut bakery.

We travel to the mountainous Indonesian city of Bandung to discuss architecture. In Tokyo, Kenji Hall ditches the bug spray in favour of luxury camping (or “glamping”). Plus: Brisbane architects Ingrid Richards and Adrian Spence continue the theme as they pop into Midori House to give us their take on renewal in the world of urban design.

As Thailand’s largest retail conglomerate leaps into the world of German luxury department stores, we cross to Bangkok to find out why. Plus: our bureau chief in Singapore runs through this year’s MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index and we discover why old-style cinema makes good business sense in Melbourne.

We sample some of Melbourne’s small-scale coffee roasters and stop off in New Zealand, where a fall in dairy prices is proving tough for one of the country’s core industries. Plus, Monocle’s Tokyo correspondent tries a tipple at a new brewery and we investigate the political complexities behind retirement savings in Australia.

Watch out Silicon Valley, a new hotspot for entrepreneurial tech start-ups is on the horizon. We’re also popping the cork on the emerging market for wine collectors across Asia. We hear about a Japanese city that’s turning its sewage into sought-after fuel. And fresh off a flight from Sydney, Tyler Brûlé discusses the city's harbour redevelopment.

As a surprising number of think-tanks pop up across China we discuss what might be behind the government’s new venture. We also take a look at a new regional rail project in Japan and explore the sticky business of investing in Indonesian infrastructure.

We explore an emerging regional project set to make waves in the constantly evolving island city of Singapore. In Sydney, fashion designer Dion Lee explains why his eyes are firmly set on the Asian market. Plus, we hear about a new retail and transport hub gentrifying an area of Tokyo.

With a leading Australian architecture firm attracting a lot of attention throughout Asian markets, Nolan Giles finds out more. In Hong Kong, our bureau chief Aisha Speirs explores the rising popularity of entrepreneurial co-working spaces and Mele-Ane Havea drops into Midori House to discuss how impact investing is making a big difference for a few small giants in Melbourne. Plus high-speed rail comes with big changes for a small Japanese city and the week ahead in numbers.

We delve into the world of art investment with our Hong Kong bureau chief Aisha Speirs and the senior vice president of Christie's auction house. In Thailand Nolan Giles investigates the dining options at extraordinary new retail behemoth EmQuartier and Kenji Hall touches down in Tokyo to explore a new low-cost airport terminal that comes with a high-class design aesthetic.