Anakut - The podcast about Cambodia's future

This week on Anakut, hosts Meng and Andrew wrap up the first season with a slightly meta -topic: The Cambodian media landscape as it stands today. This is a big topic that covers everything from the country’s falling press freedom ranking to the future of mobile, social information platforms, and so we invited on more guests than ever before. Click to listen to our conversation with reporter Phorn Bopha, media director Ith Sothoeuth from the Cambodia Center of Independent Media and Nov Povleakhena, lead editor of Focus: Ready for Tomorrow, a Khmer language outlet aimed at young Cambodians.

This week, it’s all about democracy. We sat down with Pech Pisey, executive director from Transparency International Cambodia (TI) about the state of play here in Cambodia. From our conversation Pisey shared with us that Cambodia today does not practice democracy in a meaningful way. We spoke at length about the restriction of civil society, including the repression of protesters escalated since the July arrest of unionist Rong Chhun.

For the fifth episode of Anakut, we’re talking leapfrogging. That’s not the classic children’s game, but the concept that developing states can skip old technology to get right up to speed with the latest and greatest. To learn more, we spoke to Kem Bora, partner at Mekong Strategic Partners investment group, and Manu Rajan, the CEO of Wing, one of Cambodia’s major digital money transfer services. Everyone wants to move fast, but what can we do to make sure all Cambodians get to leapfrog together? Listen to hear how people can adapt to a fast-evolving world.

Cambodia is a country steeped in culture and tradition. How does an increasingly international perspective amongst young people create a clash between traditional Cambodian values and more modern, international ways of thinking? We speak with Rithy Lomorpich and Nhem Phannaro to hear their perspectives.

The Mekong and Tonle Sap Rivers are vital resources that support millions of people in Southeast Asia. As the climate emergency and infrastructure developments disrupt previously reliable cycles of nature, the health of the river system and those whom rely on it are in jeopardy, making it a flash point for potential geopolitical conflict. We speak with Pich Charadine, Deputy Director of CICP and Coordinator of Global Center of Mekong Studies and Ham Oudom, Independent Consultant on Environmental and Water Governance, to learn more.