Asian Insider

Since Ms Piang Ngaih Don’s death in 2016, a slew of measures have been introduced to stem domestic worker abuse.

Synopsis (headphones recommended): A special edition 6-part series by The Straits Times in Singapore, exploring recent real crimes that gripped, horrified and laid bare the issues that afflicted societies in Asia. Episodes drop every fourth Tuesday of the month from April 25, 2023.

Warning: This podcast is an audio documentary of a real crime case which may be troubling and upsetting to certain listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

In 2016, the abuse and eventual death of a young Myanmar domestic worker led to shock and an outpouring of grief in Singapore.

Ms Piang Ngaih Don left her hometown in Chin State, Myanmar, to work for Gaiyathiri Murugayan and her then-husband and suspended police officer Kevin Chelvam in 2015.

The details and extent of her torture, at the hands of Gaiyathiri and her mother Prema S. Naraynasamy, brought about heightened checks and health screenings for domestic workers in Singapore. Yet activists say more can be done.

ST's Singapore journalist Jean Iau interviews and narrates this podcast.

Highlights (click/tap above):

4:23 "Their attitude is like animal attitude", says Mr Tin Maung Win who runs an NGO for migrant workers

6:35 Verbal abuse turns physical: CCTV footage captures the assaults on Ms Piang Ngaih Don over the last 35 days of her life

9:05 Chilling events the night before she died; Gaiyathiri and Prema now serving sentences

15:25 Reactions from Ms Piang Ngaih Don’s family; hundreds take to the streets in Yangon to mourn her

21:06 Revisiting the scene: A young neighbour recalls hearing shouting from Gaiyathiri's flat and avoiding her

22:48 In February 2021, then-Manpower Minister Josephine Teo said Singapore "must do better"; Manpower Ministry spells out some measures introduced since 2021

28:10 Should foreign domestic workers be given option to "live out", regardless of higher costs to employers? Ms Jaya Anil Kumar, senior research and advocacy manager at Human Organisation for Migration Economics (Home) believes so

Interviews & narration by: Jean Iau ([email protected])

Executive Producers: Ernest Luis ([email protected]) and Tan Tam Mei ([email protected])

Podcast Producers: Hadyu Rahim & Fa'izah Sani

Voiceovers: Leonie Teo, Vimalaraj Rajaratnam

Copy editor: Choo Li Meng

Audio clip of Ms Piang Ngaih Don's sister reproduced with permission from Al Jazeera (see full documentary - https://str.sg/iUQz)

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Asean needs strong leadership in a fast moving world, or risks losing relevance, warns former top diplomat Marty Natalegawa, citing drifting policy on Myanmar.

Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the biggest global talking points with expert guests.

Former Indonesia Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, currently a Distinguished Fellow with the Asia Society Policy Institute, sees a fraying of Asean's common response to developments in Myanmar. 

Asean has been skilled in employing adept and calibrated formal and informal diplomacy, and both open and quiet diplomacy, to obtain certain outcomes, but currently Asean's approach has become predictable. Indonesia, Asean’s current chair, must exercise leadership and vision while maintaining  ASEAN unity, the former top regional diplomat says. Yet, Asean is not doing much more than exercising its convening power. 

The United States must understand that Asean countries cherish and value their own autonomy.  Meanwhile the international geopolitical environment is seeing the diminution of diplomacy, and weaponisation of issues in the public goods domain - like semiconductors, technology, public health and climate. Asean cannot afford to be complacent. 

Highlights (click/tap above):

03:20 Asean’s gains must be constantly earned, we can’t be complacent

04:30 There really hasn’t been any demonstration of Asean’s leadership or centrality beyond convening power

06:50 There is clearly a recognition that South East Asia is important, but that does not automatically translate into recognition of Asean’s importance.

07:30 It is important for a country like the United States to recognize that the diversity within Asean is not a design fault but a feature – and not to try to force uniformity of foreign policy on the region

08:45 Asean cherishes and values its autonomy

10:12 Diplomacy as statecraft is fraying. Those who speak on behalf of dialogue and negotiation and engagement tend to be accused of pursuing appeasement

11:35 There is a weaponisation of some of the public goods domain that ought to be the very definition of the need for cooperative partnership – technology, cyber, semiconductors, health.

15:45 Things have not been made easier by the lack of unity among Asean member states on Myanmar

19:00 There is chairmanship (of Asean) and there is leadership. 

Produced by: Nirmal Ghosh ([email protected]), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani

Follow Asian Insider with Nirmal Ghosh every fourth Friday of the month:

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Special edition series:

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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Assessing the outcomes from the Modi-Biden summit in Washington

Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, join The Straits Times' associate editor & Senior Asia columnist Ravi Velloor, as he distills his experience from four decades of covering the continent.

In this episode, which focuses on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent summit with US President Joe Biden, he chats with Dr Sanjaya Baru, the eminent Indian geo-economist, and commentator who was Media Adviser to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The Modi-Biden summit produced many startling results, including the likely sale and transfer of frontline jet engine technology to India, the stationing of officers from each nation in each other’s military commands, and close cooperation in science and technology.

During the visit, Mr Modi also became a rare global leader to be given the honour of delivering an address to the combined houses of US Congress for a second time. The first was in June 2016.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:40 Highlights of the Modi-Biden summit

7:00 Concern about India’s handling of minorities

12:00 Are US and India in a quasi-alliance?

14:20 Russia-India ties will endure

17:00 Modi has played foreign policy well

20:30 Outlook for Sino Indian ties

23:30 How Asean should view US-India ties

Produced by: Ravi Velloor ([email protected]), Ernest Luis, Teo Tong Kai and Fa’izah Sani

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai and Fa’izah Sani

Follow Speaking Of Asia Podcast every second Friday of the month on our Asian Insider Podcast channel here:

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Special edition series:

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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Kannauj is a sleepy Indian town that has managed to nurture a prized skill for generations.

Synopsis: The Straits Times' foreign editor Bhagyashree Garekar chats with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.

They talk about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises. In this episode, she chats with ST's India correspondent Debarshi Dasgupta.

Perfume-making is an ancient tradition in Kannauj, a city by the Ganges river in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Kannauj’s perfume industry flourished for centuries under royal patronage, especially that of the Mughals, who ruled South Asia from the 16th to 19th century.

Cheap foreign perfumes and deodorants, with their heady mix of new fragrances, swamped India from the 1990s, edging out Kannauj’s attars. Now, a new Perfume Tourism initiative launched in March 2023, seeks to revive Kannauj’s lost glory and popularise its products among individual users, allowing tourists to take a deep personalised whiff of Kannauj’s ancient perfume-making tradition, from flower to bottle.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:04 What’s so special about Kannauj?

2:40 Narrow lanes and expansive imagination

4:44 Can you make perfumes in your kitchen; what marks a good perfume 

9:05 What might a Singapore-inspired perfume smell like, if Mr Pranav Kapoor, an eighth-generation perfumer, were commissioned to make it?

12:22 What is ‘mitti attar’? 

14:11 Does traditional perfume making have a future? 

Read Debarshi Dasgupta’s article here: https://str.sg/iw5d

Produced by: Bhagyashree Garekar ([email protected]), Ernest Luis and Fa’izah Sani

Edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Follow Letter From The Bureau Podcast every first Friday of the month on our Asian Insider Podcast channel here:

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Special edition series:

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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Pakistan’s economy is in dire straits, its political and security situation volatile - and it is in a spot as India becomes more important to Washington. 

Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the biggest global talking points with expert guests.

Former prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan’s arrest in May triggered riots as his supporters attacked installations and the headquarters of the Pakistan army which had once supported him. This came as the economy, hit last year by a massive flood disaster, is in the doldrums and awaiting a bailout.

The Pakistani Taliban has also stepped up its attacks, and on the foreign front, India and the United States are deepening their relationship. Pakistan remains resilient, but not successful.

Find out why, as Nirmal Ghosh hosts Mr Husain Haqqani, Pakistan‘s former ambassador to the US and currently diplomat-in-residence at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi, and senior fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington. 

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:07 Why we must first understand the political layout and the military's role in Pakistan, a country of 230 million people and a nuclear power

4:30 Imran Khan's cult-like following; military wanted good relations with the US but Imran Khan had anti-American sentiments

9:15 How vulnerable is Pakistan? Why the military is a political reality, so they need to be part of any national reconciliation

15:25 After US has chosen India as its big Asian partner, find out why Pakistan should resolve issues with India

Produced by: Nirmal Ghosh ([email protected]), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim, Paxton Pang and Fa’izah Sani

Edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Follow Asian Insider with Nirmal Ghosh every fourth Friday of the month:

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Follow Nirmal Ghosh on Twitter: https://str.sg/JD7r

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Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

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Special edition series:

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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More young people dream of becoming influencers and that’s ok with Beijing.

Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times' foreign editor Bhagyashree Garekar chats with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.

They talk about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises. 

In this episode, she chats with ST's China correspondent Aw Cheng Wei. 

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:03 How does the influencer economy work?

2:14 Why has the Chinese influencer economy become so huge?

4:37 How much do the influencers earn?

6:00 Where is Viya now? 

7:32 What does it take to be a successful wang hong? 

11:34 What is a day in the life of a wang hong like?

13:25 How does the Chinese government view the wang hong? 

Read Aw Cheng Wei’s article here: https://str.sg/i3Hw

Produced by: Bhagyashree Garekar ([email protected]), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani

Follow Letter From The Bureau Podcast every first Friday of the month on our Asian Insider Podcast channel here:

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Read Bhagyashree Garekar’s articles: https://str.sg/whNo

Read Aw Cheng Wei's articles: https://str.sg/wzce

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Special edition series:

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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This is the 2010 case that became a turning point in Thailand's debate over abortion.  

Synopsis (headphones recommended): A special edition 6-part series by The Straits Times in Singapore, exploring recent real crimes that gripped, horrified and laid bare the issues that afflicted societies in Asia. Episodes drop every fourth Tuesday of the month from April 25, 2023.

Warning: This podcast is an audio documentary of a real crime case which may be troubling and upsetting to certain listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

Be transported back to the events of 2010, when the discovery of thousands of rotting foetuses, hidden in a Bangkok temple - led to more awareness and debate over illegal abortions in Buddhist-majority Thailand.

The grisly remains at Wat Phai Ngern were traced to a network of clinics. The case uncovered the scale of the illegal abortion industry at a time when the procedure was still largely illegal and heavily stigmatised.

ST's Thailand correspondent Tan Tam Mei interviews and narrates this podcast.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:03 A dog chews on something in the middle of a Bangkok temple; long-time temple worker Supote Leangbamrong recalls the stench and discovery by authorities in 2010

5:52 Shockwaves throughout Thailand; abortion hardly discussed and was largely illegal and taboo back then 

08:57 Nursing assistant Lanchakorn Janthamanas's underground operation; roping in two temple undertakers to dispose of the bodies

11:40 Abortion activist Supeecha Baotip on how voices of women were missing in the discussion on abortion, her own story and how much has changed since the crime case

17:44 Restrictions against abortion relaxed in 2021, sweeping legal changes in Thailand

20:00 Cultural beliefs: Why some doctors don't perform abortions because they are afraid of karma

23:09 Expanding availability of legal abortions and to change mindsets; abortion offered as a tele-health service in Thailand

25:05 Rumours about the souls of the aborted foetuses haunting the temple still linger, even more than a decade later

Interviews & narration by: Tan Tam Mei ([email protected])

Executive Producers: Ernest Luis ([email protected]) and Tan Tam Mei

Podcast Producers: Teo Tong Kai and Fa’izah Sani

Voiceovers: Raul Dancel, Shahrena Hassan, Lee Nian Tjoe, Joel Chng

Copy editor: Choo Li Meng

Follow ST’s True Crimes Of Asia Podcast:

Channel: https://str.sg/i44T

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/i44q

Spotify: https://str.sg/i44c

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: [email protected]

Read Tan Tam Mei's articles: https://str.sg/iJxJ

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Asean also needs long-term low carbon vision to reinforce supply chain security and competitiveness.

Synopsis: Each fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the biggest global talking points with expert guests. 

Asean recently held a summit in Indonesia, which in 2023, holds the rotating chair of the 10-member grouping. Indonesia has a key role to play at a critical juncture in global geopolitics.

Former Indonesian Cabinet minister and outgoing managing director of Development Policy and Partnerships at the World Bank in Washington DC - Dr Mari Elka Pangestu - is an avowed “Aseanist”.

In this episode, she tells host Nirmal Ghosh why she urges Asean leaders to take charge and strengthen open regionalism, as a collective "middle power" which can use its agency and benefit from opportunities in the midst of uncertainty. 

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:05 Why the need for a counter-narrative from "middle powers" such as Asean, to navigate great global power competition

3:43 Reinforcing Asean principles such as non-interference, non-alignment; more "open regionalism" meaning not being exclusive to major global powers

4:40 New economy in electric vehicles, climate goals, Asean Digital Economy Framework: Is Asean in the right direction and the critical reforms needed

10:40 Is Asean in a "sweet spot" with US-China rivalry? Data shows relocation of trade and investment

Produced by: Nirmal Ghosh ([email protected]), Ernest Luis, Eden Soh and Fa’izah Sani

Edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Follow Asian Insider with Nirmal Ghosh every fourth Friday of the month:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB 

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: [email protected]

Follow Nirmal Ghosh on Twitter: https://str.sg/JD7r

Read Nirmal Ghosh's stories: https://str.sg/JbxG

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters

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In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

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Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

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Special edition series:

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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Find out what our guest expert says about Nato planning to open a liaison office in Japan, its first in Asia, to facilitate consultations in the region.

Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, join The Straits Times' associate editor & Senior Asia columnist Ravi Velloor, as he distills his experience from four decades of covering the continent.

In this episode, he chats with Mr James Crabtree, the Singapore-based executive director for Asia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). 

Mr Crabtree is a former journalist and policy analyst whose previous job was an Associate Professor of Practice at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. 

The podcast was conducted against the backdrop of Asia’s worsening security situation, and weeks ahead of the Shangri-La Dialogue that brings together security leaders of Asia and counterparts from major global powers. 

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:05 Asia’s deteriorating security situation; a confident Chinese President Xi Jinping

9:40 What Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Albanese might say in Singapore

14:40 Overlaying of Euro Atlantic issues with Indo Pacific

19:15 Nato in Asia; it will attend the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore from June 2-4, 2023

23:00 On the China-India spat, and the Quad

26:35 Artificial Intelligence as a national security issue

Produced by: Ravi Velloor ([email protected]), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani

Edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Follow Speaking Of Asia Podcast every second Friday of the month on our Asian Insider Podcast channel here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: [email protected]

Ravi Velloor's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP

Ravi Velloor on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

---

Special edition series:

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

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Find out about the insidious 'Nth room' crimes in one of Asia's most highly-wired countries.

Synopsis (headphones recommended): A special edition 6-part series by The Straits Times in Singapore, exploring recent real crimes that gripped, horrified and laid bare the issues that afflicted societies in Asia. Episodes drop every fourth Tuesday of the month from April 25, 2023.

Warning: This podcast is an audio documentary of a real crime case which may be troubling and upsetting to certain listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

Digital sex crimes have become so common in highly-wired South Korea, leading to several copycat versions of what have become known as the 'Nth room' crimes.

Why does this keep happening, and what are the underlying causes of these cases? Despite government efforts to crack down on these cases, they return again and again.

This is the side of South Korean society that the world may not know as well, away from the global appeal of its K-drama series and glamour of its K-pop music.

ST's South Korea correspondent Chang May Choon interviews and narrates this podcast.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:00 The year was 2019; blackmail and even making victims engrave their names or IDs on their bodies, using knives

5:15 Student journalist Park Ji-hyun and college friend aiming to "pull out the roots of evil", expose published in September 2019; hear the actual voice of the ringleader Cho Ju-bin

10:00 Activist Summer Cha (her voice in Korean is digitally altered to protect her identity) on why digital sex crimes are trending upwards

13:38 Lewd and disgusting reactions in male-only sites towards victims in the recent Itaewon crush incident

14:38 Big cities such as Seoul, Busan and Incheon have now set up their own digital sex crime centres to provide support for victims; Seoul centre director Lee Eun-jeong explains SOPs

17:22 New 'anti-Nth Room Bill' was passed in Korean parliament and went into effect in December 2021; why encrypted messaging app Telegram has slipped through the net

22:17 Park Ji-hyun now a young politician; more Nth room copycats still emerging

25:18 ST correspondent Chang May Choon wraps up, having lived and worked as a Singaporean woman in South Korea for the past eight years

Interviews & narration by: Chang May Choon ([email protected])

Executive Producers: Ernest Luis ([email protected]) and Tan Tam Mei ([email protected]) 

Podcast Producers: Teo Tong Kai and Fa’izah Sani

Voiceovers: Fa’izah Sani, Friday Farzanah, Joyce Teo, Jean Iau, Kim Jin-ha, Samuel Devaraj and Paxton Pang

Copy editor: Choo Li Meng

Follow ST's True Crimes Of Asia Podcast:

Channel: https://str.sg/i44T

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/i44q

Spotify: https://str.sg/i44c

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: [email protected]

Read Chang May Choon's articles: https://str.sg/ioon

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All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

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The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

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