Episodes

Today we finish up the podcast's narrative about Vietnam. This time it won't be war stories, but the story of how Vietnam recovered from the wars it suffered in the twentieth century, and how it has become the exciting, growing country that visitors see today. Do you think you would like to become a podcaster on Blubrry? Click here for the details on joining. Enter my promo code, HSEASIA, to let them know I sent you, and you will get the first month's hosting for free! Support this podcast! An...

Today we finish up the podcast's narrative about Vietnam. This time it won't be war stories, but the story of how Vietnam recovered from the wars it suffered in the twentieth century, and how it has become the exciting, growing country that visitors see today. Do you think you would like to become a podcaster on Blubrry? Click here for the details on joining. Enter my promo code, HSEASIA, to let them know I sent you, and you will get the first month's hosting for free! Support this podcast! An...

All right, Episode 112 of the podcast is now available! Today we pay another visit to Burma, to look at what happened from late 1988 to 2011. To start with, from this time onward, the country will usually be called Myanmar. During this period, the military is still in charge, and while the generals aren't as eccentric as Ne Win, the general who ran the show in Episode 101, they pull one crazy stunt: a new capital city is built from scratch, and the government is suddenly ordered to move to it, w...

All right, Episode 112 of the podcast is now available! Today we pay another visit to Burma, to look at what happened from late 1988 to 2011. To start with, from this time onward, the country will usually be called Myanmar. During this period, the military is still in charge, and while the generals aren't as eccentric as Ne Win, the general who ran the show in Episode 101, they pull one crazy stunt: a new capital city is built from scratch, and the government is suddenly ordered to move to it, w...

All right, Episode 112 of the podcast is now available! Today we pay another visit to Burma, to look at what happened from late 1988 to 2011. To start with, from this time onward, the country will usually be called Myanmar. During this period, the military is still in charge, and while the generals aren't as eccentric as Ne Win, the general who ran the show in Episode 101, they pull one crazy stunt: a new capital city is built from scratch, and the government is suddenly ordered to move to it, w...

Today's episode is the first that is just about Brunei, a country that the podcast has mentioned many times in the past. It is also the last, because this episode covers Brunei up to the present. Although Brunei is one of the smallest countries in Southeast Asia (only Singapore has less land), and it is home to only a few hundred thousand people, its recent history is amazing, thanks to its oil wealth. Thirty years ago, the current sultan was the richest man in the world. Listen to hear what he ...

Today's episode is the first that is just about Brunei, a country that the podcast has mentioned many times in the past. It is also the last, because this episode covers Brunei up to the present. Although Brunei is one of the smallest countries in Southeast Asia (only Singapore has less land), and it is home to only a few hundred thousand people, its recent history is amazing, thanks to its oil wealth. Thirty years ago, the current sultan was the richest man in the world. Listen to hear what he ...

Today's episode is the first that is just about Brunei, a country that the podcast has mentioned many times in the past. It is also the last, because this episode covers Brunei up to the present. Although Brunei is one of the smallest countries in Southeast Asia (only Singapore has less land), and it is home to only a few hundred thousand people, its recent history is amazing, thanks to its oil wealth. Thirty years ago, the current sultan was the richest man in the world. Listen to hear what he ...

It has been five weeks since I gave you an episode, so thank you for your patience! This time we look at the Philippines from 1981 to 1992, the end of the Marcos presidency, and the presidency of Corazon Aquino. And since I told you previously that my wife is from the Philippines, this episode finishes with the story of how we met. Listen and enjoy! Do you think you would like to become a podcaster on Blubrry? Click here for the details on joining. Enter my promo code, HSEASIA, to let them know...

It has been five weeks since I gave you an episode, so thank you for your patience! This time we look at the Philippines from 1981 to 1992, the end of the Marcos presidency, and the presidency of Corazon Aquino. And since I told you previously that my wife is from the Philippines, this episode finishes with the story of how we met. Listen and enjoy! Do you think you would like to become a podcaster on Blubrry? Click here for the details on joining. Enter my promo code, HSEASIA, to let them know...

It has been five weeks since I gave you an episode, so thank you for your patience! This time we look at the Philippines from 1981 to 1992, the end of the Marcos presidency, and the presidency of Corazon Aquino. And since I told you previously that my wife is from the Philippines, this episode finishes with the story of how we met. Listen and enjoy! Do you think you would like to become a podcaster on Blubrry? Click here for the details on joining. Enter my promo code, HSEASIA, to let them know...

Today's episode covers Thailand, from 1976 to 2000. In the middle of the nineteenth century, modernization became the top priority of the Thai kingdom. While the Thais found it fairly easy to adopt new technology, they found it harder to switch from absolute monarchy to a more modern government, and they have been trying to do that since 1932. Listen in to find out if Thailand can get it right this time. Do you think you would like to become a podcaster on Blubrry? Click here for the details on...

Today's episode covers Thailand, from 1976 to 2000. In the middle of the nineteenth century, modernization became the top priority of the Thai kingdom. While the Thais found it fairly easy to adopt new technology, they found it harder to switch from absolute monarchy to a more modern government, and they have been trying to do that since 1932. Listen in to find out if Thailand can get it right this time. Do you think you would like to become a podcaster on Blubrry? Click here for the details on...

Today's episode covers Thailand, from 1976 to 2000. In the middle of the nineteenth century, modernization became the top priority of the Thai kingdom. While the Thais found it fairly easy to adopt new technology, they found it harder to switch from absolute monarchy to a more modern government, and they have been trying to do that since 1932. Listen in to find out if Thailand can get it right this time. Do you think you would like to become a podcaster on Blubrry? Click here for the details on...

Here's a phrase I want you to remember: sabai di, pronounced "sa-bye dee." In the Thai and Lao languages it means "feel good." Just as Swahili speakers may say "hakuna matata" (no worries) when they are in a good mood, so the phrase sabai di summarizes the general mood in Laos. In fact, an old article from Time Magazine used the phrase to call Laos "The Land of Feeling Good." Now listen to the latest episode of the History of Southeast Asia Podcast as we finish up the historical narrative on Lao...

Here's a phrase I want you to remember: sabai di, pronounced "sa-bye dee." In the Thai and Lao languages it means "feel good." Just as Swahili speakers may say "hakuna matata" (no worries) when they are in a good mood, so the phrase sabai di summarizes the general mood in Laos. In fact, an old article from Time Magazine used the phrase to call Laos "The Land of Feeling Good." Now listen to the latest episode of the History of Southeast Asia Podcast as we finish up the historical narrative on Lao...

Here's a phrase I want you to remember: sabai di, pronounced "sa-bye dee." In the Thai and Lao languages it means "feel good." Just as Swahili speakers may say "hakuna matata" (no worries) when they are in a good mood, so the phrase sabai di summarizes the general mood in Laos. In fact, an old article from Time Magazine used the phrase to call Laos "The Land of Feeling Good." Now listen to the latest episode of the History of Southeast Asia Podcast as we finish up the historical narrative on Lao...

Spring is on the way! While you are waiting for the season to change, here is the next episode of the podcast. This episode looks at Vietnam from 1975 to 1986, and Cambodia from 1979 to 1989. During this time there were conflicts between Vietnam and the Khmer Rouge, and between Vietnam and China. Together we call these clashes the Third Indochina War, and because they were waged on a small scale, without big battles like those of the previous wars, they are almost forgotten today. Do you think ...

Spring is on the way! While you are waiting for the season to change, here is the next episode of the podcast. This episode looks at Vietnam from 1975 to 1986, and Cambodia from 1979 to 1989. During this time there were conflicts between Vietnam and the Khmer Rouge, and between Vietnam and China. Together we call these clashes the Third Indochina War, and because they were waged on a small scale, without big battles like those of the previous wars, they are almost forgotten today. Do you think ...

Spring is on the way! While you are waiting for the season to change, here is the next episode of the podcast. This episode looks at Vietnam from 1975 to 1986, and Cambodia from 1979 to 1989. During this time there were conflicts between Vietnam and the Khmer Rouge, and between Vietnam and China. Together we call these clashes the Third Indochina War, and because they were waged on a small scale, without big battles like those of the previous wars, they are almost forgotten today. Do you think ...

Here is the next episode at last! I couldn't go anywhere yesterday, because the area where I live is covered with ice and snow, so I finally had time to finish Episode 106. At the beginning of the episode, I will explain what kept me from finishing it at the beginning of February, as I had originally planned to do. Today the topic is Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, the grim period known as "the Pol Pot Terror" or "the Killing Fields." And because I was a teenager when these events were happening, I ...

Here is the next episode at last! I couldn't go anywhere yesterday, because the area where I live is covered with ice and snow, so I finally had time to finish Episode 106. At the beginning of the episode, I will explain what kept me from finishing it at the beginning of February, as I had originally planned to do. Today the topic is Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, the grim period known as "the Pol Pot Terror" or "the Killing Fields." And because I was a teenager when these events were happening, I ...

Here is the next episode at last! I couldn't go anywhere yesterday, because the area where I live is covered with ice and snow, so I finally had time to finish Episode 106. At the beginning of the episode, I will explain what kept me from finishing it at the beginning of February, as I had originally planned to do. Today the topic is Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, the grim period known as "the Pol Pot Terror" or "the Killing Fields." And because I was a teenager when these events were happening, I ...

This episode completes the historical narrative for another Southeast Asian nation. Here we see Malaysia from 1970 to 2021. In fact, one of the events covered, the 1MDB scandal, blew up after I started recording this podcast. Although Malaysia is not as rich as Singapore or Brunei, it comes in a respectable third place, and here you will learn how they did it. Do you think you would like to become a podcaster on Blubrry? Click here for the details on joining. Enter my promo code, HSEASIA, to let...