The Southeast Asia Desk | Substack

🇲🇾🇮🇩 A cross-border collaboration for Ramadan 2026 in Walid (Heaven’s Reign)

Malaysia and Indonesia unite for a high-stakes thriller of faith and power

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🇹🇭 🇰🇭 Thailand, Cambodia agree to ceasefire deal after 20-day border war

Jan 6 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Nugrahanto Margo Raharjo, and Elias Widhi

🐟 The silent invader: Suckermouth catfish choking SE Asian waters

Jan 26 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Elias Widhi, and Alvin Qobulsyah

👹 "Ghost in the Cell": An Indonesian prison horror comedy goes global

Feb 7 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Vila Marescotti, Veronica Berna, and Alvin Qobulsyah

🎑 Lunar new year as Southeast Asia’s cultural mosaic

Jan 31 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Veronica Berna, and Alvin Qobulsyah

Daily Angle

🌏 The ASEAN Foundation launches Digital Outlook to strengthen regional AI governance

New regional studies shift the focus from AI adoption to readiness, governance, and long-term impact

Feb 26 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Cecilia Setiawan, Elias Widhi, and Alvin Qobulsyah

🇰🇭 In Cambodia a stealthier malaria parasite now threatens the 2030 finish line

A collaborative article with Sonny Inbaraj Krishnan of Cambodianess

Feb 25 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Zerlina Brezky, Alvin Qobulsyah, and Elias Widhi

🌊 Can Blue Carbon Empower Indonesia’s Climate Leadership?

As COP31 approaches, Jakarta is betting that its mangroves and seagrass can deliver both emissions cuts and diplomatic leverage

Feb 24 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Indryan Swarandaru Djamin, and Alvin Qobulsyah

🌍🎖️Southeast Asia’s winter awakening: Breaking ice in Milano Cortina

From Vietnam’s historic debut to Singapore’s mid-pack slalom surge, Southeast Asia proves heritage isn't bound by climate

Feb 23 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Marianne Ayko, Zerlina Brezky, Elias Widhi, and Alvin Qobulsyah

🤖📗 Can an AI learning app help improve Quranic literacy and worship practices in Indonesia?

Ngaji.ai offers easy-to-use Islamic and Quranic learning modules to support Muslims’ daily worship

Feb 19 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Nugrahanto Margo Raharjo, and Alvin Qobulsyah

Weekend Brew

🇲🇾🇮🇩 A cross-border collaboration for Ramadan 2026 in Walid (Heaven’s Reign)

Malaysia and Indonesia unite for a high-stakes thriller of faith and power

6 hrs ago • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Nazila Fitri Adinda, Veronica Berna, and Alvin Qobulsyah

🌏 The World’s Next Coffee Capital is in Southeast Asia

Discover how Southeast Asia evolved from a coffee supplier to a lifestyle trendsetter. Explore 7 standout signature brews defining the region's cafe…

Feb 22 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Vila Marescotti, and Aris Satya

🎙️Songs from ASEAN: Southeast Asia music release hype in February 2026

Southeast Asian artist following the flow of February events!

Feb 21 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Fredrick Samuel Haryanto, Nazila Fitri Adinda, and Alvin Qobulsyah

🧧🍊Taste of prosperity: How Southeast Asia celebrates the Lunar New Year on a Plate

Tracing how traditional recipes adapted to define the Southeast Asian palate.

Feb 15 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Ananda Saridevi, Cecilia Setiawan, and Aris Satya

The Centripetals

Harmony of Balinese gamelan: Bridging tradition and technology through micro learning

Ulli Aulia Ruki, Anak Agung Ayu Wulandari, Adilla Amelia, Ferric Limano, School of Design, BINUS University

Dec 19, 2025 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Indryan Swarandaru Djamin, and Rheza Ardiansyah

The new FOMO: Gen Zs in Southeast Asia are living for the performance

Dentsu’s 2025 report reveals how Southeast Asia’s Gen Z turns life into performance as algorithms, trends, and aesthetics redefine culture and identity.

Nov 21, 2025 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Rheza Ardiansyah, and Elias Widhi

🤡 When Toys Do More Than Play 🎲✨

Toys can ease anxiety, spark learning ✨, and help children face tough moments ❤️—like scary hospital scans 🏥.

Aug 31, 2025 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Rheza Ardiansyah, and Alvin Qobulsyah

♻️ Reuse Rising, Treaty Stalling

Plastics are everywhere and so are the problems they bring.

Aug 24, 2025 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Rheza Ardiansyah, and Alvin Qobulsyah

🌙 Living Ramadan in ASEAN: Discipline, society, and the architecture of sacred time

How does a single revelation unfold within many political and cultural landscapes?

Feb 27 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Indryan Swarandaru Djamin, Zerlina Brezky, Cecilia Setiawan, Alvin Qobulsyah, and Elias Widhi

Regional Line

When brands hide behind AI, Malaysians push back

Ellison Fernandez, Executive Creative Director, Dentsu Creative Malaysia

Feb 20 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Indryan Swarandaru Djamin, and Alvin Qobulsyah

Two Celebrations, One Wallet: How Ramadan and Lunar New Year Colliding Will Change Southeast Asian Spending Habits

Ahmad Nazril Ibrahim, Executive Creative Director, Dentsu Creative Malaysia, and Li Ying Chua, Senior Consultant, Growth, Merkle Singapore

Feb 11 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Indryan Swarandaru Djamin, and Alvin Qobulsyah

Southeast Asia’s Faith-Tech Sector and the Future of Ethical AI

Nafees Khundker, CEO of Bitsmedia (Muslim Pro)

Feb 6 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Indryan Swarandaru Djamin, and Alvin Qobulsyah

ASEAN Members grow impatient over Myanmar civil war

Han Kyeol Kim, Editor in Southeast Asia Analyst

Jan 30 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Indryan Swarandaru Djamin, and Alvin Qobulsyah

Steering Indonesia’s aviation sector safely through cyber turbulence

Gareth Cox, Vice President, APJ at Exabeam

Jan 23 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Indryan Swarandaru Djamin, and Alvin Qobulsyah

Podcast

The Weekly Dispatch Podcast on Spotify

Podcast

4:26

S26E07 - Durian: Southeast Asia’s Economic Powerhouse

Driven by China’s booming imports, Southeast Asian economies are leveraging durian as a rising export powerhouse.

Feb 22 • Akasha Viandri, Rheza Ardiansyah, and THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK

4:14

S26E06 - Blending Traditions: Lunar New Year in Southeast Asia

Across Southeast Asia, local traditions shape how Lunar New Year is celebrated

Feb 15 • Akasha Viandri and Rheza Ardiansyah

4:15

S26E05 - Pets to Pests: Southeast Asia’s Catfish Crisis

Failing native ecosystems and a warning about polluted rivers

Feb 8 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Cecilia Setiawan, Akasha Viandri, and Rheza Ardiansyah

5:50

S26E04 Harmony of Balinese gamelan: Bridging tradition and technology

A digital approach helps the arts community document gamelan techniques more systematically, ensuring that traditions can be passed down in a more…

Feb 1 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Cecilia Setiawan, and Rheza Ardiansyah

5:33

S26E03 - From Bali to the World: Salak Earns Global Recognition

Indonesia joins the Philippines and Thailand in earning global recognition for its agricultural systems

Jan 25 • Akasha Viandri and Rheza Ardiansyah

6:51

S26E02 -FOMO in Southeast Asia: Afraid to Miss, Trapped in the Hype

The fear of being left behind — pressured to keep up with trends that don’t resonate, and that can lead to anything from stress to impulsive buying.

Jan 18 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Akasha Viandri, Rheza Ardiansyah, and Alvin Qobulsyah

Desk Briefing

Carbon, code, and coffee: Southeast Asia’s week of reinvention (Week 4 February, 2026)

From malaria breakthroughs to digital literacy drives, the region balanced health, innovation, and identity

9 hrs ago • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Alvin Qobulsyah, and Elias Widhi

🌏 Faith, fortune, and fast lanes: Southeast Asia’s week of blended traditions (Week 3 February, 2026)

From Ramadan markets to Lunar New Year feasts, the region balanced devotion, desire, and digital ambition

Feb 21 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Alvin Qobulsyah, and Elias Widhi

🌏 Ballots, borders, and breakthroughs: Southeast Asia's week in transition (Week 2 February, 2026)

From constitutional votes to tourism strategy, the region tested institutions while redefining identity.

Feb 14 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK and Alvin Qobulsyah

Newsletters

CLEAR, CONCISE, TO THE POINT AND TIMELY SOUTHEAST ASIA NEWS

STORIES TO LINGER OVER, ONE WEEKEND AT A TIME.

The Centripetals

PULLING MEANING FROM THE MARGINS, ORBITING THE NOISE, LANDING ON THE TRUTH

IN-DEPTH INSIGHTS WITH KEY VOICES ON THE ISSUES SHAPING SOUTHEAST ASIA

QUICK AND ESSENTIAL ROUNDUP WITH WHAT MATTERS THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE

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Independent analysis and reporting on Southeast Asia’s politics, economy, culture and more with depth, context and clarity.

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