Thailand’s Body Painting Competition: Preserve the Paradise

Koh Samui is one of the most vital tourist spots in the Gulf of Thailand. Its luxurious beaches and tropical splendor make it the ideal venue for art-related events such as the Samui International Bod…

Buddha Tattoos In Thailand Are Not For Visitors

If Thailand’s Culture Minister, Niphit Intharasombat, gets his way, tattoo parlors will be off limits to the millions of foreigners who visit the Southeast Asian nation every year. The Cultur…

Giant Crocodile Wanted for Murder in Philippines Finally Captured

A monster crocodile that has been terrorizing the quiet village of Agusan in the Philippines has finally been silenced, thanks to the work of a number of villagers. The crocodile, which checks …

431 Rare Reptiles Found Stuffed In Luggage at Bangkok Airport

While it is well known that Thailand is a major hub for illegal international wildlife trade, customs authorities and inadequate police enforcement cannot curtail the influx of endangered animals that…

Some Weird Asian Secret Societies

There are clubs and elitist societies to suit the strangest of penchants of almost everyone under the sun. There’s a John Smith Club for all those who share that name, antique poison bottle clubs…

Singapore Protests Anti-Immigration With Curry

Reminiscent of the solidarity demonstrated by angry American colonists when they dumped gallons of highly taxed British tea into Boston Harbor, history has repeated itself in the southeastern Asian ci…

Tibetan Buddhists Liberate More Than 500 Lobsters

In honor of the Buddhist celebration known as Wheel Turning Day on this year’s Tibetan calendar, some 30 Buddhists of all ages released 534 live purchased lobsters in to the Atlantic Ocean. Thi…

Thailand Ritual of Renewal: Practice Death

Many things in life require rehearsals but for most of us, death isn’t among them. The idea of renewal and starting again is experienced every year in nature with the change of seasons, but for the …

Singaporean Man with Wallet Fetish Arrested for Theft

There are some bizarre fetishes out there, many of which are illustrated in graphic detail by Japanese cartoons. But a wallet fetish? That's a new one. In Singapore, 46-year old Luo Shun Qing w…

Thailand’s Ladyboy ID Pictures: Gender Confusion at the Polls

Can ID pictures be confusing? They can if you are a member of the 2,500-member organization known in Thailand as ladyboys. Many of them complained that they weren’t being fairly represented at the e…

Dead Whale Given Burial Ceremony in Vietnam

In most place, when a dead whale is found on a beach, it's either dragged back into the water or, in keeping with mankind's fascination with explosions, blown up. Not in Veitnam. No, in Vietnam, dead …

Illegal Baby Sales Ring Shut Down in Thailand

Baby for sale! Fresh baby for sale! Thai police put the kibosh in February on a baby selling ring called Baby 101, which offers surrogate motherhood services. Sounds legit, I suppose, save for the …

Indonesian Golf Caddies Double As Prostitutes

Twenty-six Indonesian female caddies have been arrested for performing acts of prostitution with golfers at a resort in Kulai, Malaysia. Someone who worked at the usually reputable resort informed the…

Malaysia Man Pronounced Dead: Returns to Life

In keeping with the tales of being buried alive and the disturbing legacy of Edgar Alan Poe and his ilk, we have a real life tale of a man from Malaysia whom authorities pronounced dead by authorities…