Today marks 20 years since the devastating trash slide in Manila, the Philippines. More than 250 people died, and hundreds got injured. Many are still missing. July in 2000 had abysmal weather in the Philippines. Typhoons Kirogi and Kai-Tak passed over the main island Luzon and had a significant impact on the people and infrastructure. The heavy rain shower was…
More than one-third of Haitians are now facing “severe food insecurity,” according to a new report by the World Food Programme (WFP). That is 3.7 million people. Among them, one million are facing “food emergency,” just one step away from famine. Families face extreme hardship to meet their food needs. I feel so sorry for this suffering people. After decades…
Crisis pushes Haiti to the brink of collapse! Is there any solution? A struggle between President Moïse and an opposition movement demanding his ouster has led to violent demonstrations. Seven weeks of unrest around Haiti have led to soaring prices, non-existing public services, and a galloping sense of insecurity and lawlessness. Some 30 people have been killed in the demonstrations,…
Since 2018 the economic situation in Haiti has steadily deteriorated with an increase in the cost of living related among other things to the depreciation of 23% of the national currency in 6 months. This situation, combined with socio-political tensions and low agricultural productivity, has led to an increase in the “food basket” price of 26% on an annual basis….
New records in Haiti, but for all the wrong reasons. The prices increased by 1,5% in February compared to January, and on year-to-year the inflation is now at 17%. Food prices soared more than 20% over the last year. Selected price increases in one year that make daily life a bigger struggle than in a long time: Imported rice +…
Angkor is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia. Stretching over some 400 km2, including forested area, Angkor Archaeological Park contains the magnificent remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century. They include the famous Temple of Angkor Wat and, at Angkor Thom, the Bayon Temple with its countless…
The oldest movie theater in Bangkok – Prince’s – once called Bang Rak Cinema (built in 1908) was getting demolished earlier this year. I walked by the hidden trok (side street), looking for a restaurant, and walked straight into the demolishing. They let me enter, and I got a few shots. While I was there they found old movie posters…
First of all. I’m all for development and enhancement of cities and neighborhoods. But in my world, Bangkok is moving in the wrong direction on a few levels. Old classic housing areas and projects are taken down for new skyscrapers and shopping malls (seriously, many of the malls we have are empty). A few years back the authorities started to…
This week it’s the HeForShe Arts Week Bangkok at Bangkok Art and Culture Center. There are a lot of interesting activities during the week. The event aims to raise public awareness – thought arts and culture – to promote gender equality. One of the activities is the photo exhibition Swedish Dads by Swedish photographer Johan Bävman. Great pics. At the…
It was a great Labor Day Weekend in NY. The Big Apple is always nice to return to. This time did not disappoint either. Five days felt at least one day to short! But I will be back soon. Some general pics from around the city:
The United Nations has finally acknowledged it played a role in an outbreak of cholera in Haiti in 2010 that has since killed about 10,000 people in the country. Studies have shown that Nepalese UN troops were the source of the disease – but the UN repeatedly denied responsibility until now. The cholera outbreak has been blamed on leaking sewage…
The school year 2015-2016 has just finished in Haiti. Millions of school kids are on their well deserved break. They will be back in their classrooms in September. The education system in Haiti is developing but to slow. Primary school enrollment is about 75%, up a bit from earlier years but still to low. An average Haitian over 25 years…
The Philippine school year 2016-2017 started on June 13. Millions of school children are back in the classroom. The said school year is comprised of 54 days for the first quarter, 48 days for the second quarter, another 48 days for the third quarter, and 52 days for the fourth quarter. It will officially end on April 7, 2017. This…
Finally the book “Bangkok – 10 vandringar och utflykter” was released. It is all in Swedish, but hopefully there will be an English version as well. The book is about 10 walks and day trips in Bangkok. It is an excellent book to complement any regular tourist book. Seasoned journalist and author Bertil Lintner has been living in Thailand since…
On April 26, 1986, the world’s worst nuclear disaster took place; the explosion of Chernobyl’s No. 4 nuclear reactor in the Ukraine. About nine tone of radio active dust, 90 times more than the Hiroshima bomb, spread over a large area of Europe. Some five million people, among them one million children have been exposed to this radiation. The independent…