WTF is Up in Southeast Asia + Hong Kong

The impact of Russia's invasion on Ukraine goes beyond the needless devastation and suffering in Eastern Europe. This week, we had the honor of welcoming His Excellency Vasyl Hamianin, Ukraine's ambassador to Indonesia, for his perspective on the invasion and how Ukrainians in the archipelago country and throughout the region are affected. Tune in!

NOTE: Due to scheduling constraints, we will only be able to upload Mr Hamianin's interview around noon SGT on Friday, March 11, 2022. Please refresh your podcast player by that time to access the updated version of the episode when it becomes available.

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Other stories include:

PH finally raises age of sexual consent from 12 to 16 | Myanmar junta leader sick in his mansion with COVID-19: report | 2 COVID-19 positive children, aged 4 and 8, die in Hong Kong | Geprek Bensu smashed over Paris Fashion Week claim | Thai beauty tuber jokes about invading Ukraine to pimp products, internet isn't happy | Best buds Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire spotted ordering coconuts in Bali | Tesla-hater boldly keys car in Clementi unaware of built-in surveillance cameras (Video)

The Coconuts Podcast delivers impactful, weird, and wonderful reporting by our journalists on the ground in eight cities: Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Yangon, and Bali. Listen to headline news and insightful interviews on matters large and small, designed for people located in - or curious about - Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

The Coconuts Podcast is available on Apple, Spotify, Google, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Subscribe today!

Heads up, tourists: Bali is finally lifting its quarantine restrictions! While it's a bit of good news for those aching to visit the island, is it all that it's cracked up to be? The new policy has left some unanswered questions, so we roped in Coconuts Bali managing editor and island resident Amahl Azwar to give us the lowdown - including travel do's and don'ts, as well as the Balinese dishes that should be on top of your bucket list. Tune in!

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Other stories include:

You can now get your booster shot 3 months after your second jab | 'I did not join Ukraine as a Thai national, but as a human being': former airman volunteers to fight Russian invasion | 'I wanna lick your p*ssy': Singapore woman calls out catcaller (Video) | Panic buying: Hong Kong shoppers strip supermarket shelves bare amid lockdown fears | Ogoh-ogoh returns ahead of Nyepi tomorrow with COVID-themed effigies | 'It's here, bruh': Scotland's first Jollibee greeted by long lines in Edinburgh | Myanmar beefcake Paing Thakon free after 11 months in junta captivity

The Coconuts Podcast delivers impactful, weird, and wonderful reporting by our journalists on the ground in eight cities: Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Yangon, and Bali. Listen to headline news and insightful interviews on matters large and small, designed for people located in - or curious about - Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

The Coconuts Podcast is available on Apple, Spotify, Google, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Subscribe today!

We're nerding out hard this week as we had the privilege of welcoming Filipina sociologist and political commentator Ash Presto (@sosyolohija) to The Coconuts Podcast. Join us for a lengthy and extensive talk on the upcoming Filipino elections, why the son of a dictator is polling so high, and deeper philosophical takes on leadership in the region. Also, we couldn't help but find parallels between Filipino politics and Game of Thrones (hopefully excluding the trainwreck that was Season 8). Tune in!

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Other stories include:

BBQ owner wins internet hearts grilling meat for blind Bangkok couple | Botched breast filler by an unlicensed practitioner caused Jakarta woman's death: police | 11-month-old girl infected with COVID-19 dies, Hong Kong's youngest fatality suspected to be caused by the virus | Naughty Officers: 2 policemen arrested for allegedly spreading young couple's public sex CCTV video | Mixed reactions to Jake Zyrus' topless photo proves we still suck at LGBTQ acceptance | Respect! Mystery man cheered for rescuing wild boar, liberating traffic (Video) | Battered Myanmar model recounts abduction from her Yangon home

The Coconuts Podcast delivers impactful, weird, and wonderful reporting by our journalists on the ground in eight cities: Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Yangon, and Bali. Listen to headline news and insightful interviews on matters large and small, designed for people located in - or curious about - Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

The Coconuts Podcast is available on Apple, Spotify, Google, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Subscribe today!

This Fresh Tunes Friday, get ready to say "I Love You 3000" as 88Rising artist and Indonesian pop star Stephanie Poetri joins us all the way from LA to talk about her newest single, "Picture Myself." The 21-year-old dishes about breaking through the global music scene, life in America, and the food she misses the most from home. Tune in!

Other stories include:

Thai YouTuber hounded over leaked sex tape escapes to Netherlands | Singapore Airlines lands in Bali for the first time in 2 years, carrying 156 passengers | 3-year-old girl dies after testing positive, becomes Hong Kong's youngest COVID-19-related death | Indonesian trans icon Dorce Gamalama passes away at 58 | Environment authorities seize smuggled exotic ants in tubes | 19 corgis and Shiba Inu rescued from illegal breeding couple: AVS

The Coconuts Podcast delivers impactful, weird, and wonderful reporting by our journalists on the ground in eight cities: Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Yangon, and Bali. Listen to headline news and insightful interviews on matters large and small, designed for people located in - or curious about - Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

The Coconuts Podcast is available on Apple, Spotify, Google, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Subscribe today!

What is the big deal about two blokes kissing? Well, it depends from where you're seeing it. In Singapore, there's a bit of fuss surrounding two men who smooched in the background of a live report aired by Channel News Asia for the Beijing Winter Olympics. The incident has once again sparked discussions on LGBTQ+ rights in the Little Red Dot, the laws that are shackling full-on expression, and how Singaporean society views the marginalized community. Joining us to shed light on this complicated issue is Coconuts Singapore's own Carolyn Teo. Tune in!

Other stories include:

Actually a barbershop, not a brothel, Thai salon admits (Photos) | Bali now under Level 3 PPKM as Omicron continues spread | New COVID-19 cases pass 1,000-mark for the first time as Hong Kong reports first deaths in 5 months | 6 years later, crocodile in Indonesia finally free from tire 'necklace' | After controversial hosting stint at BBM-Sara campaign kickoff, Toni Gonzaga bids goodbye to 'Pinoy Big Brother' | 'Whack your motherf***ing face': Singapore patient goes off on nurse (Video)

The Coconuts Podcast delivers impactful, weird, and wonderful reporting by our journalists on the ground in eight cities: Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Yangon, and Bali. Listen to headline news and insightful interviews on matters large and small, designed for people located in - or curious about - Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

The Coconuts Podcast is available on Apple, Spotify, Google, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Subscribe today!

Croc meat krapow? What the croc? Bangkok is apparently experiencing a "pork-flation", and food hawkers and foodies are putting this reptile meat in demand. Coconuts Bangkok's Nicky Tanskul gives us the lowdown on devouring this (arguably) cute creature, what it tastes like, where first-timers should give it a go, and whether it's better than chicken. Tune in!

Other stories include:

Thai YouTuber faces prosecution over her own leaked sex tape | iClout: Status symbol for rent in Indonesia | The #MarcosDuwag fiasco has a sequel, after Bongbong Marcos declines another presidential forum | Quarantine hotels and direct flights: Bali gears up for international tourism re-relaunch this week | New York Times on boil over its bizarro 'Singaporean Chicken Curry'

The Coconuts Podcast delivers impactful, weird, and wonderful reporting by our journalists on the ground in eight cities: Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Yangon, and Bali. Listen to headline news and insightful interviews on matters large and small, designed for people located in - or curious about - Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

The Coconuts Podcast is available on Apple, Spotify, Google, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Subscribe today!

Gather round, potheads! Well, only those in Thailand, because it's the only country in Southeast Asia to have all but legalized recreational weed. The legality of the decriminalization is about as clear as a stoner's train of thought at this point, so we spoke at length with Coconuts Bangkok's Chayanit "Milk" Itthipongmaetee to shed light on when it would be safe to toke up in public, whether or not tourists can partake, and where to find delectable edibles like deep-fried marijuana leaves. Tune in!

Other stories include:

Singapore dad charged with murdering 11-year-old twin boys | 89 y.o. Jakarta man accused of car theft by motorcyclists beaten to death despite driving own vehicle | Cop kills gifted Bangkok eye doctor, testing pledges for safer roads | Faced with a deadline while on vacation, guy sends email while on a parasail | Bali may be quarantine-free travel option for Singaporeans: Luhut

The Coconuts Podcast delivers impactful, weird, and wonderful reporting by our journalists on the ground in eight cities: Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Yangon, and Bali. Listen to headline news and insightful interviews on matters large and small, designed for people located in - or curious about - Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

The Coconuts Podcast is available on Apple, Spotify, Google, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Subscribe today!

Welcome to the first edition of Fresh Tunes Friday in 2022! Singapore's Lincoln Lim hopped on, where the singer-songwriter waxed poetic about his new single, Home, the progress vs heritage debate in Singapore, and the country's music industry. We also talk about Home's music video, shot by Coconuts pal Jeremy Hu. Tune in!

Other stories include:

Bali woman 'marries' dagger in place of absent groom | Sexpat blogger 'Stickboy' abruptly pulls out of Bangkok | In a world where people share content before verifying, Indonesian tidal bore thrill-seekers find themselves the face of the Tonga tsunami | After assault on change-less GrabFood rider, Pinoys call for greater rider protection | Smart Singapore mom realizes baby's hidden potential: water shield (Video)

The Coconuts Podcast delivers impactful, weird, and wonderful reporting by our journalists on the ground in eight cities: Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Yangon, and Bali. Listen to headline news and insightful interviews on matters large and small, designed for people located in - or curious about - Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

The Coconuts Podcast is available on Apple, Spotify, Google, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Subscribe today!

Welcome to a brand new season of The Coconuts Podcast! We hope 2022 has brought good things to you, as they have to us in the form of new host Samantha Beltran of Coconuts Manila. Sam is joining relative veteran Andra Nasrie of Coconuts Jakarta in the never-ending quest to bring you the latest, most important, and most wondrous stories from Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

This week, we spoke with Coconuts Singapore's Carolyn Teo about a small but vocal band of anti-vaxxers in Singapore. "Anti-vaxxers in Singapore?" we hear you ask. To that we say of course, as ignorance knows no borders.

We hope you enjoy this week's episode. Until next week!

Other stories include:

Clown desperate for a way home commits crime in Bali | 2022's worst food crime has already hit Bangkok: ramen floats | Ghozali Everyday: Indonesian man with US$1 million selfies an unlikely NFT star | This local cake shop created an exact replica of Aunt Petunia's famous cake in Harry Potter | S'pore Art Museum opens Friday with musical mushrooms, forced flirting

The Coconuts Podcast delivers impactful, weird, and wonderful reporting by our journalists on the ground in eight cities: Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Yangon, and Bali. Listen to headline news and insightful interviews on matters large and small, designed for people located in - or curious about - Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

The curtain falls on another season of The Coconuts Podcast. Hosts Nurul Azliah and Andra Nasrie take listeners through a best of episode comprising the biggest hits across all Coconuts cities in 2021, including a story about a mermaid sleeping among rubbish in Bali, a "mystery" crazy rich family buying an entire condo building in Singapore, and an aerobics routine that captures the year's craziness in Yangon.

The Coconuts Podcast is taking a break this month, and we'll be back in January 2022. Thanks for listening, and until then!

Other stories include:

Danish man who damaged shrine in Bali set for deportation after serving prison sentence | Rainbow Power: Hundreds demand marriage equality in Bangkok (Photos) | Hong Kong breakdancer Cha Cha Kong sets sights on Olympics 2024 | Back to 2: Jakarta PPKM level upgraded amid faltering tracing | Najib Razak, Rosmah Mansor welcome new grandchild in Singapore | 'Weak explosion' recorded on Mt. Pinatubo, Phivolcs confirms | Singapore now world's second most expensive city: Economist | Yangon mall eerily empty after guards brutalize anti-violence campaigners

The Coconuts Podcast delivers impactful, weird, and wonderful reporting by our journalists on the ground in eight cities: Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Yangon, and Bali. Listen to headline news and insightful interviews on matters large and small, designed for people located in - or curious about - Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

The Coconuts Podcast is available on Apple, Spotify, Google, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Subscribe today!