...that we celebrate the festive season in New Mandala's habitual style. In recognition of some of the year's major players, we have opted to introduce some new figures into our winter wonderland.

Proposed dam sets the stage for an uncertain future in Kok Wao village according to a Thailand-based research team.

Murray Hunter argues that the recent Singapore labour strike has brought matters of foreign worker mistreatment and unhappiness out into the public arena.

Electoral trends in Malaysia suggests that there has, is, and will always be latent discontent against the Barisan Nasional.

Yesterday a diverse group enthusiastically celebrated the 25th anniversary of Desmond Ball's Special Professorship at the Australian National University.

The massive yellow crowd that assembled to mark King Bhumipol’s birthday leaves no doubt that he remains an enormously potent figure in Thai public life.

How corruption is conceptualised is critical in how it is dealt with. In Malaysia, the conventional views are patently misplaced.

Nicholas Farrelly argues that if Thein Sein really wants to earn the world's applause then some well-timed domestic travel should be a priority.

A strike by foreign workers in Singapore has implications for democracy, suggests Elvin Ong.

Nate Thayer, the final journalist to interview Pol Pot before his death in 1998, offers a glimpse into his conversations with former Khmer Rouge leaders.

A spicy debate about curry is putting Singapore’s multicultural credentials under the grill, writes Yuta Sugarno.

Racism and bigotry are crutches or shields for the journey towards European type progress for the Malays, and ultimately Malay dignity.

Acclaimed photojournalist Nick Nostitz reports from the weekend's "pretty disastrous" Pitak Siam rally in central Bangkok.

The Pitak Siam rallies have failed in terms of leadership, numbers and coordination among the various groups.

There is an urgent need for a critical debate on mass tourism in Myanmar, particularly the viability and frailty of the Myanmar Responsible Tourism Policy.

Hot-shot journalist Thomas Kean gets reactions from Naypyidaw about President Obama's recent visit to Myanmar.

Keith Barney examines comments on the Theun-Hinboun Dam by environmental consultant Murray Watson, who disappeared in Somalia in 2008.

Inevitably there are questions from the vantage of 2012 -- 80 years after the 1932 revolution -- about what any future Thai coup might look like.

A former American diplomat in Cambodia and Myanmar reflects on the trickiness of Obama's visit.

Chris Baker and Pasuk Phongpaichit will be exploring gender and sexuality through a discussion of their translation of an epic poem.

New Mandala readers may be interested in next week’s annual conference of the Research School of Asia and the Pacific.

With all the buzz over Obama's visit and Pitak Siam's looming rally, it appears to have escaped the attention of most media that we are seeing the biggest Red Shirt gatherings in a year.

Andrew Walker reflects on the political symbolism of Barack Obama's short visit to Bangkok.