The Southeast Asia Desk

The Southeast Asia Desk

Home
Daily Angle
Weekend Brew
Podcast
The Centripetals
Regional Line
Desk Briefing
About

🪬 Avatar Economy: How Southeast Asia Built a Multi-Billion-Dollar Virtual YouTuber Hub

Inside the explosive growth of Southeast Asia's VTuber ecosystem, where USD commissions, indie gaming, and digital soft power are redefining regional creative industries
READ THE LATEST

Daily Angle

View all
💡 Digital sovereignty and Southeast Asia: Lessons from Global Digital Forum 2026
For Southeast Asia, that tension is becoming increasingly consequential
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Alvin Qobulsyah, and Elias Widhi
⚡🌱 Indonesia's $3.8 trillion energy pivot: Solar, B50, and Nuclear take center stage at ISF 2026
Indonesia is exploring clean energy and new investment opportunities to strengthen energy security, develop domestic industries and support sustainable…
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Nugrahanto Margo Raharjo, and Alvin Qobulsyah
🌳 Unified front: ASEAN aligning joint climate strategy ahead of COP31
Under the Philippines' 2026 chairship, Southeast Asian nations are forging a collective voice on climate finance, carbon markets, and grid connectivity…
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Fredrick Samuel Haryanto, and Alvin Qobulsyah
🖲️ AI is changing Asia Pacific’s digital infrastructure: Can Southeast Asia keep up?
Artificial intelligence is changing what countries need from digital infrastructure, and Southeast Asia is entering this transition with different…
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Ni Made Landra, and Alvin Qobulsyah
🌳 Beyond planting: Nuanu and Bali Tourism Board fund 12-month Batukaru reforestation project
A new collaboration between government, community, and the private sector aims to ensure tree survival and protect critical water catchments in Bali
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Novia Ayu Lestari, and Alvin Qobulsyah

Weekend Brew

View all
🦄 Animals you won’t find anywhere else but Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is home to animals that sound straight out of fantasy stories; from dragons and unicorns to giant eagles and tiny primates
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Vanessa Yotania, Nazila Fitri Adinda, and Veronica Berna
☁️🏔️ Chasing the clouds: 5 highland destinations to discover in Southeast Asia
From Flores' Wae Rebo to Vietnam's terraced hills, these highlands trade the crowds for cool air and slow mornings.
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Dhamayanti Pratiwi, Nazila Fitri Adinda, and Aris Satya
🎥 Across the ocean, behind the lens: Southeast Asian directors in Hollywood
How a tight-knit network of Southeast Asian auteurs bypassed the gatekeepers to enter the Hollywood studio system.
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Maheswara Wibowo, and Aris Satya
🚢🌊 Charting a new course: Why cruising is Southeast Asia’s next big tourism frontier
Short regional sailings and multi-country itineraries are making it easier to explore Southeast Asia by sea
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Dhamayanti Pratiwi, Nazila Fitri Adinda, and Alvin Qobulsyah
☕️✨Beyond the Instagrammable café: Why Southeast Asia still drinks the old way
From plastic stools to polished cafés, Southeast Asia is embracing new café trends while keeping its own way of drinking and gathering.
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Vanessa Yotania, and Elias Widhi
⛰️ Southeast Asia from heights: The region's most unforgettable mountain adventure
From a gentle urban stroll in Singapore to a brutal limestone scramble in Malaysia, discover the region's top summits.
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Ananda Saridevi, Elias Widhi, and Aris Satya
🥥🍠 Pandan, ube, and palm sugar: Southeast Asian ingredients becoming global food trends🍴😋
From café menus to premium desserts, Southeast Asia's signature ingredients are stepping into the global spotlight, carrying the region's culture and…
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Dhamayanti Pratiwi, and Nazila Fitri Adinda
🌊 Beyond the beach: 5 Southeast Asian waterfalls to climb, swim, and explore
From Thailand’s ‘Sticky’ limestone to Indonesia’s sunlit caves, these geological marvels redefine nature-based travel.
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Ananda Saridevi, and Aris Satya
✂️💇🏻‍♂️Cutting hair, carrying stories: Southeast Asia's sacred hair traditions, explained 🙏🏻🪔
From Dieng’s gimbal-haired children to coming-of-age rituals in Thailand and Cambodia, discover how hair can carry spiritual meaning, mark life…
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Dhamayanti Pratiwi, and Nazila Fitri Adinda
🎬 Hollywood's Southeast Asian names behind the lens
From Oscar-winning cinematographers to Marvel VFX artists, meet the regional trailblazers rewriting the rules of global cinema.
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Vila Marescotti, and Aris Satya
🍠 🍜 From kimpul to mie ganyong: Indonesia's forgotten tubers go viral
How familiar foods are giving Indonesia's lesser-known local tubers a new place on the table
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Dhamayanti Pratiwi, Nazila Fitri Adinda, and Alvin Qobulsyah
🌿 Spices or herbs? The two flavour traditions that define Southeast Asian cuisine
Unpacking the different histories, ingredients, and traditions behind Southeast Asia’s globally loved flavours.
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Ananda Saridevi, and Elias Widhi

The Centripetals

View all
Indonesia's Converging Crises: Tectonic Shock, Toxic Haze, and the Limits of Resilience
Earthquakes, volcanic activity, wildfires, and drought are putting Indonesia's communities and SEAblings under growing danger
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Zerlina Brezky, and Alvin Qobulsyah
🏴‍☠️ Somali Pirates are Back: Why Southeast Asia’s Seafarers are Paying the Price
How global supply chain chaos and a $3 million ransom economy have put Southeast Asian seafarers back in the crosshairs of the world’s most dangerous…
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Aris Satya, 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?
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Indryan Swarandaru Djamin, Zerlina Brezky, Cecilia Setiawan, Alvin Qobulsyah, and Elias Widhi
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
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Indryan Swarandaru Djamin, and Rheza Ardiansyah
🪬 Avatar Economy: How Southeast Asia Built a Multi-Billion-Dollar Virtual YouTuber Hub
Inside the explosive growth of Southeast Asia's VTuber ecosystem, where USD commissions, indie gaming, and digital soft power are redefining regional…
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Ananda Saridevi, Fredrick Samuel Haryanto, and Alvin Qobulsyah

Podcast

View all
8:48
S26E35 — Olivia Dean and the Soul of Southeast Asia
Beyond the New Princess: Discovering Southeast Asia’s Soulful Women Artists
 • Ni Made Landra and Akasha Viandri
7:39
S26E34 - Ancestral Dining: The $107 Billion Taste of Southeast Asia
Traditional food is transforming from local nostalgia into ASEAN’s most valuable global export.
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Rheza Ardiansyah, Novia Ayu Lestari, and Dilla Sunarya
10:21
S26E33 - Why Is Southeast Asia So Funny?
From family drama to political satire, Southeast Asian humour is going global
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Dilla Sunarya, Novia Ayu Lestari, and Rheza Ardiansyah
7:13
S26E32 - Beats, Borders, and Billions: How Music Is Powering Southeast Asia
How songs bring people together, move economies, and help shape Southeast Asia's future.
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Akasha Viandri, Dilla Sunarya, and Rheza Ardiansyah
7:59
S26E31 - They Came to Fight. Now They’re Calling the Shots
Southeast Asian action stars are taking their martial arts traditions — and increasingly, their creative power — onto the global stage.
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Dilla Sunarya, Akasha Viandri, and Rheza Ardiansyah
7:08
S26E30 - Southeast Asia's Independence Month: Growing Older, Living Better?
Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia celebrate another year of independence. But is life getting better for their people?
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Akasha Viandri, Dilla Sunarya, and Rheza Ardiansyah
8:50
S26E29 - Wearing Our Heritage: How Southeast Asia Is Redefining Traditional Fashion
Tradition finds a new life in Southeast Asia’s modern fashion scene.
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Dilla Sunarya, and Rheza Ardiansyah
18:00
S26E28 - Solo Traveling Across Southeast Asia
As Indian travelers flock to Southeast Asia, a new generation of solo explorers is discovering the region through deeper, more spontaneous experiences.
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Rheza Ardiansyah, and Akasha Viandri
7:34
S26E27 - Tea in Southeast Asia: A Story in Every Cup
From Camellia sinensis to Thai tea, Teh Tarik, and laphet, the history behind the region's tea culture.
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Akasha Viandri, and Rheza Ardiansyah
6:59
S26E26 - Press Start, If You Dare...
Horror games across Southeast Asia are bringing the region's folklore to global audiences through interactive storytelling.
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Dilla Sunarya, Akasha Viandri, and Rheza Ardiansyah
4:57
S26E25 - One Label, Better Health
Countries across Southeast Asia are redesigning food labels to help consumers make healthier choices.
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Akasha Viandri, Dilla Sunarya, and Rheza Ardiansyah
7:08
S26E24 - When Southeast Asia Takes the Conductor’s Podium
From Jakarta to Manila and Bangkok, the region’s orchestras are proving that music can be one of Southeast Asia’s most powerful forms of diplomacy.
 • THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DESK, Dilla Sunarya, and Rheza Ardiansyah
You’re not on the list yet. Join us to get the stories shaping Southeast Asia, straight to your inbox.

Subscribe

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

The Southeast Asia Desk

© 2026 The Southeast Asia Desk · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture