1. Wassup
Issue 4 July 2011

2. Wassup
The cultural trends magazine from
Ogilvy & Mather Asia Pacific
Edited & designed by Kunal Sinha
Editorial assistant: Madhumita Bhattacharyya
Correspondents:
Olivia Fang (Beijing)
Wendy Fung (Beijing)
Naima Hamid (Dhaka)
Sabih Ahmed (Dhaka)
Donna Alcoseba (Makati City)
Wine Chua-Leonardo (Makati City)
Tania Chan (Singapore)
Justin Chow(Singapore)
Naoko Ito (Tokyo)
Azusa Fukai (Tokyo)
Natalie Gruis (Ho Chi Minh City)
Siddharth Roy (Colombo)
Mei Wu (Taipei)
Caryl Heah (Kuala Lumpur)
Beatrice Yong (Kuala Lumpur)
Josephine Phang (Kuala Lumpur)
Natasha Soonthornwiratne (Bangkok)
Zubair Siddiqui (Karachi)
© Ogilvy & Mather Asia Pacific, 2011

3. There’s a scene in the Bollywood movie ‘Page 3’. While their
bosses party, the drivers compare notes about the various flings
of their employers – the surreptitious phone calls, the late night
dalliances in five star hotels. No small wonder that we believe
that taxi drivers and chauffeurs are among the best ‘informants’
you could find. But their own life stories are sometimes equally
interesting. Many have made the move from small town to big
city. Our conversations with them are a preview of a Life at the
Edge.
We find equally fascinating uncovering what people in different
cultures are queuing up for. Who would have thought that
Swedish meatballs have caught the fancy of Chinese shoppers,
or that the ukulele is a hot favorite of Thai youngsters?
The emergence of women on the political scene (something we
referred to in the last issue) shows no signs of abating: even if
by proxy, another Asian nation will have a woman as Prime
Minister for the first time ever. Wassup will now accept wagers
on this happening in China and Japan.
Half the year is already over – enjoy the second half !

4. 14 countries.
20 correspondents deeply immersed in
popular and leading edge culture.
JAPAN
TAIWAN Bring you Cultural Insights
that will make a difference to your business.

5. contents
Look who‟s talking:
Hairdressers across Asia
Knowing me, Knowing you:
Taxi drivers
Playing on my iPod
Rage against
Waiting list
Tense about
Everyone‟s talking about
My savior

6. Look who’s talking

7. Look who’s talking …
“Success doesn‟t come to you. You go for it.”
Dushan Corea believed in this more than
anything else when he started out in the
hairdressing industry at the age of 17.
Seventeen years of hard work later, he is the
proud owner of Chopping Block, one of the
best known salons in Colombo, with branches
in Nugegoda, Pellawatte and Horton Place.
Dushan was passionate about hairdressing ever
since he started experimenting with cutting hair
as a child, often styling friends and family.
Then, his first job as a sales representative did
not give him the satisfaction he was craving. His
move into the hairdressing industry was
influenced by friends working at salons who
recognized his talent. He was then introduced
to an owner of a chain of salons, who handed
him a broom and asked him to clean up.
Disheartened, he only ploughed on thanks to
seniors who reminded him that “in order to
reach the top, you need to start humbly at the
bottom”.
With time, Dushan took an active interest in
learning skills by watching his peers styling
their clients‟ hair and advising them on what Men are as fussy about their hair styles, if not
would suit them best. Soon after, he was asked more than women, says Dushan, who tries to
to cut for the salon. Dushan also attended the understand the character of his customer
salon‟s training academy. before he begins styling.
Armed with a new confidence, at age 22, Dushan swears by Keune and L‟Oreal when it
Dushan decided to continue his journey at his comes to colorants, straightening and perming
own salon with a partner, Lauri. The Chopping lotions and conditioning treatments. He also
Block was born. Twelve years have passed uses Sunsilk‟s shampoos and conditioners on
since then, and he and his partner have earned clients. Since he purchases in bulk, he receives
themselves a large and influential clientele. concessionary rates. Another reason he sticks
with these reputed manufacturers is because
The trendsetters of Colombo – both girls and every six months, they bring in world-famous
boys – come to Dushan for the „in‟ hairstyles hairdressers to provide stylists with training on
and hair colors. The favorite amongst the girls the latest products, styles and looks.
is the “Rihanna cut”, whilst the sought-after
style amongst the boys is the “uneven look”, Dushan doesn‟t advertise his salon. Given a
regardless of age. White-collar boys opt for a choice, he would showcase young and fresh
more clean cut. Hair coloring is a rage amongst faces who would best represent the salon‟s
today‟s teenagers, adds Dushan. culture. But for now, customers are his walking-
talking billboards. If he satisfies a customer,
Some even go for adventurous colors such as they will in return spread positive word-of-
pink, purple and blue, though really whacky – mouth amongst friends. “That‟s the best
and slow-moving – colors aren‟t brought in by advertising I can ever get!”
the distributors to Sri Lanka.

8. Look who’s talking …
Bangkok hairdresser Wannee Prapaporn has
been working as a stylist for 10 years now. “I am
happy to make people look beautiful. Being a
hairdresser is fun and I get to meet many people.
Different people, different styles, I‟m always
learning something new. I like the challenge,” she
says.
She was trained in haircuts for men and women at
a beauty salon in Prapadang. It was an ordinary
salon, not a school, but they had teachers who
taught her the craft of hairstyling.
Nowadays, the “usual” haircuts for men include
long crew cuts, while women prefer to wear their
hair long. Preferences also keep changing with
the seasons. Many people just come in for a trim.
Young girls often ask for the Mod style (a crop
with fringe), while boys like the skinhead look or
want their hair to be styled, not cut.
Prapaporn uses Sunsilk shampoo. She keeps a
number of hair color brands so customers can
choose depending on their budget -- L‟Oreal,
Berina, Lolan. She does not buy more than a dozen
units at a time because the products may dry out if
kept for too long. She restocks as needed.

9. Look who’s talking …
They believe that “hair can speak volumes about
“I had nothing planned. I didn‟t long to be a the person”. Often customers, especially
hairstylist,” says Mohammed Munawer Ashker, teenagers, want radical things. “They know what
who has been working at Total Care salon in they want and we try to give them what they
Banani, Dhaka, for the past 10 years. When he need,” says Ashker.
was doing his „O‟ levels, he admired the
profession as an interesting one and so aspired Fashion keeps changing and so do customer
to become a renowned hairstylist. “It‟s like demands. Some popular hairstyles today are the
playing with something that describes one‟s asymmetrical bob, uneven styles and C-
personality,” says Ashker, who was inspired by a curvature, which is a mix of long and short hair
salon he used to visit in Sri Lanka. with a portion of the hair shaped as a “C”. Crazy,
radiant colors are in among the youth. Keune, a
The journey as a trainee was a difficult one. “I Dutch product brought in from Sri Lanka, is
had to do all the dirty work – from mopping, Asker‟s preference for coloring. For shampooing
cleaning and washing customers‟ hair to serving and conditioning hair, he uses Flex, a product of
food.” Watch and learn were his bywords at the Revlon.
time. He would observe his seniors cut hair. In
his salon, when the management feels a trainee
is ready, he has to go through a test which
involves giving a real customer a haircut. All his
patience paid off: having been put through the
paces, Ashker is now a renowned, licensed
stylist known for his quality haircuts.
Total Care doesn‟t advertise as it has strong
word-of-mouth referrals amongst its customer
base. Ashker‟s brother Muffeez Rauff has also
been working in the salon for eight years and
together they have been maintaining and
growing the demand for their services.

10. Look who’s talking …
Nida Khan is a junior stylist in Pakistan. She‟s been a
hairdresser for four years. “The last two years is
when I really started learning and applying
myself,” she says. When Nida was in school, she
believed she wanted a career she could enjoy.
“Hairdressing is something that's appealed to me
since I was a little girl, when I'd experiment on my
mother‟s and aunt's hair. One summer I tried my
hand at it and I loved it! Since then I have never
looked back.”
After a basic course form Pivot Point, Karachi, Nida
joined Tariq Amin and his team as an apprentice.
She is now working full time as a junior stylist.
Most clients, she says, are not very experimental
and prefer long hair. With men, the focus is more on For Truong Trung Dao, hair has always been a
traditional short styles, which require a lot of passion. “It was something I have been excited
precision. “With women it‟s a bit simpler but more about pursuing as a career since I was young,”
fun, it‟s all about creativity and glamour. There's a
he says. He‟s been a hairdresser for 15 years,
type of client who wants hairstyles like we see in
having started as an apprentice at a local hair
movies and magazines and then there's the simple
salon.
trim and blow-dry types.”
Truong Trung Dao says that women still want
Teenagers are the ones eager to experiment. You‟ll
beautiful, long and straight hair, which is “so
find a mix of styles – short cropped hair, cutesy
admired in Vietnam”. They will, however,
bobs, the edgy angled 'Rihanna' look, fringes.
Younger girls are more likely to be up for anything, experiment with color nowadays. Another plus
all they need is the “confidence to pull it off”. of having long, flowing and glossy hair is that it
is more versatile to style for different occasions.
Nida‟s salon uses products by Schwarzkopf, which
she feels are light on the hair. They usually buy in “Men‟s hair requires greater attention to detail
bulk and also sell to clients. while women‟s hair is about a total look that can
work with her changing sense of fashion and
style,” explains Truong.
Amongst teenagers, the Korea-inspired looks
are still in, featuring strong colors and
highlights.
Truong Trung Dao uses products by L‟Oreal
and TIGI, which are very popular “for their
good quality”. “I have had a good business
relationship with them for many years,” he
says. His buying patterns may vary, but he
makes it a point to restock as needed so he
“always has the best product for customers”.

11. Look who’s talking …
Generally, customers are young adults, and aren‟t
very experimental. The younger clients who have
Jason Lim, 25, has been a hairstylist for six years just graduated from high school tend to be braver
and is currently in his fourth year as a stylist at with their look, especially as local schools restrict
Peek-a-boo, a chain of salons in Greater Kuala the type of hairstyles students can have. So once
Lumpur, Malaysia. The man from Langkawi, a out of school, they want to show a little more
small town up north, decided to become a personality. Boys go for long and messy styles
hairstylist after being inspired by the hair and while the girls may perm or color their hair.
fashion trends he saw when visiting KL. Back then, Particularly hot with girls around that age is kawaii
fashion was a rare sight in his hometown. He was (translation: cute) – a Japanese style of blonde,
also inspired by the impact a person‟s hairstyle curly hair with a rounded crown.
can have on his or her appearance. “Having the
right hairstyle can make someone look good, Peek-a-boo uses products from L‟Oreal,
even without makeup or nice clothes.” So he especially the Kérastase range that has
trained for seven months at Passion School of Hair ingredients that nourish the scalp and hair. For
Design in Penang before deciding to move to the one branch alone, they buy RM 300,000 worth of
capital for bigger and better opportunities. hair products a month.
At Peek-a-boo, customers take their cues from The salon does not have posters of its own, but it
Malaysia‟s more stylish and trendsetting does use L‟Oreal posters endorsed by local
neighbors; customers often come to the salon celebrities.
asking for hairdos you might see in Korea, Japan
and Hong Kong. However, the most popular style
remains the traditional straight and long for
women. Most customers leave their style
decisions to the hairstylists.
There are as many men who visit the salon as
there are women, says Jason. The men come in
once every three weeks, whereas women come
once in three or four months and spend more time
once they are there – they might get a haircut,
treatment and coloring job all at one go. While the
guys usually keep it simple with smart and clean
hairstyles, a trend that is emerging is hair loss
treatments for both old and young men.

12. Look who’s talking …
Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, Zheng Fan Chen Now they mainly use L‟Oréal and Han Feng, a
dexterously snips away at his customer‟s hair, South Korean brand, due to their lower cost and
transforming her neat bob into a summery pixie high quality. Chen thinks that Chinese
cut. His assistants buzz around him, peppering him professional hair care products are of lower
with questions and trying to absorb his technique. quality and many are counterfeits. They spend
He signals to an assistant to start removing curlers roughly RMB 20,000 (USD 3,000) every four
on another client getting her hair permed and months to purchase products for in-store use and
jokes casually with one of the male customers. sale.
Chen, 31, has not always been this comfortable in Even though the street where his salon sits is lined
his career. He is now a hairdresser at his own salon with dozens of salons that resemble his, Chen says
in Beijing, but it has been an uphill struggle to this he‟s seen many competitors open and close in a
point. “I started to cut hair just as a job to put food hurry. High rents and low profit margins are
on the table,” says Chen, who has been in the blamed for the steep failure rate of these
hairstyling industry since he was 18 years old. He businesses. A haircut at Chen‟s salon costs RMB 48
began to shadow master hairdressers in his (USD 7.40) while coloring and perms start at RMB
hometown in Anhui province and slowly developed 128 (USD 20).
a keen eye and knack for styling hair. A few years
later, he moved to the capital to sharpen his skills Chen‟s salon sees local and foreign clients alike.
and took international training courses at Sassoon He feels his salon has survived because of better
Academy and Toni & Guy. techniques and reliable products, which have
earned the loyalty of customers. “As a small
Chen has been running his own business, YF Hair business that‟s just starting out, I feel pretty
Salon, for two years now in Andingmen in the heart successful where I‟m at and I think that my
of Beijing, close to many tourist destinations and perseverance has really paid off,” says Chen.
cultural zones that attract hip Chinese teenagers
and artsy yuppies. His all-male staff of six each has
their specific role in the small (50sqm) but chicly
furnished salon. One stands guard by the entrance
to meet and greet guests while two assistants
support the three main hairstylists.
Chen receives a lot of requests for short hairstyles
from both genders, not only because of the hot
weather in Beijing, but because it‟s a trend in Japan
now. He says lots of stylish Chinese follow Japanese
hair trends, which are generally an Asian
adaptation of global fashion cues. Chen‟s male
customers tend to go for any short cuts that are
easy to care for, while the women ask for more
styling that is in vogue and suits their face shapes.
He also sees many teenage girls request
unconventional cuts, known as fei zhu liu styles, like
colorful side-swept bangs, shaggy mullets and
teased afros. Teenage boys usually want crew cuts
that are easy and convenient.
Chen and his fellow hairdressers have used both
Chinese and foreign hair care products.

13. Look who’s talking …
Penny has worked as a hairdresser for 16 years. She wanted to
become a hairdresser because she likes challenging work and
the beauty industry. “This industry is very challenging in that
there are always new skills and techniques to learn,” she says.
She knows the importance of developing your own style in the
line of work she is in. Penny has trained at the Toni & Guy
school in England and followed it up with a stint at the Label
institute in Japan. She also passed the hairdresser‟s test to get a
license in Taiwan and Singapore.
She says that her customers in Taipei come with three major
concerns about their hair:
1. Oily hair and itchy scalp, which is the result of stress and
poor lifestyle.
2. Grey hair, which is also a problem for the young.
3. Dry hair due to limited knowledge of hair-care products.
In addition to problem solving, most often Penny‟s customers
ask for hairstyles that are easy to deal with and manage on their
own.
She always finds the most suitable hairstyle for her customers by considering his/her face shape, hair
quantity and quality and lifestyle. She says that customers now are no longer blindly following fashion
trends; instead they seek a customized look that suits them best.
Antonio Arviso has been a hairstylist since the
1980s. He had an aunt and relatives who were
also in the hairstyling business and was
influenced by them to leave the field he studied
(commerce) to do what he “really loves to do”.
He also underwent training at Sa Samson‟s and
Slims, a technological vocational school in
Manila.
For men, Antonio says the barber cut and messy
cut are still the most popular. “I don‟t copy the
Asian Novela look, though it is popular, because
it doesn‟t fit the Filipino style if we copy it
exactly.” For women, layered, geometric, one-
length styles and bangs are back. Teenagers, on
the other hand, are all about the highlights and
crazy colors. He feels female customers are
easier to work with because he can explore
more options.
Antonio uses professional salon brands such as
Innova, Davines and Schwarzkopf for the
customers, buying them by the gallon. “I also
use the same for myself,” he adds. He‟s tested Iza Calzado, Filipina actress
them and found them to be good products. And whose picture is on the wall
he also likes them for the range of variants the of the salon “as she‟s a
companies carry for different types of hair. friend of the boss”

14. Look who’s talking … What about youth or teenagers? What are
their favorite styles?
Same as the adults, it doesn‟t vary much. But
How long have you been a hair stylist? something interesting I‟ve noticed is parents
I started in 1998, so approximately 14 years, but I these days are investing more in their
took a break during NS and two years after that as I children‟s hair. They want solid, trendy cuts
explored other career options. But I soon realized for their little ones, too. Young girls will get
that hair was still my passion. pixies or bobs and young boys will get the
page boy cut. It‟s so difficult because these
Why did you decide to become one? children won‟t sit still!
Two words - Barbie dolls. My love for hair started
when I was a kid and saw my sister‟s barbie dolls. I What brands of shampoo, hair color, hair gel
was completely fascinated by the colour, shape or creams do you use?
and movement of her hair and often tried different Goldwell and L‟Oreal for colour, Kerastase for
hairstyles on them. shampoo and Redken/L‟Oreal for hair
products.
Did you undergo any kind of training? Where?
Yes in southeast Asia, London and Australia. I Why do you use these brands?
frequently attend seminars and workshops because Goldwell offers a good range of hair colours,
you need to upgrade your skills in order to stay on Kerastase offers great scalp care, Redken has
top. The one course I would really love to go for is some awesome products like their Wool
one by Vidal Sassoon. He really is a man of great Shake (sea salt spray) which is so important
vision and skill – his 5 point cut, asymmetrical cut for styling hair in Singapore‟s hot, humid
(which he created 40 years ago) are basic cuts that weather.)
require brilliant craftsmanship and are still
relevant and trendy today. Any styling tips for our readers?
When using hair spray, it is just as important
What do your customers ask for these days? to spray inside (in between the layers of hair)
Which styles are most popular? as it is outside for a fuller look. Also, be sure to
Either Pixie cuts or long flowy layers. Pixie cuts are use a good hair spray which doesn‟t damage
very trendy now and also help battle this insane your hair. (The test: spray your hair then rush
heat. But I must say, Singaporeans are becoming a a brush through it. If it combs through with
lot more daring; edgier hairstyles are increasingly ease, you‟re golden.)
common.
How are men and women different?
Hardly any difference unless you‟re referring to the
amount we charge them! Haha. There are
differences between races though. Caucasians
have softer hair, Chinese have straighter harder
hair, Indians have more wavy, shiny hair and
Malays tend to have frizzier hair.
In spite of the slew of
celebrity customers
that patronize Cinq on
a regular basis, they
do not believe in
hanging their pictures
on their walls. Instead,
wallspace is dedicated
to contemporary art
pieces, which are for
sale as well!
Leong, Creative Director, CINQ

15. Look who’s talking …
Wielding a hair dryer in one hand, a comb in the
other, and with another comb held between his Bridgette Jones is one of the best known stylists in
teeth, hairdresser Hideki Sato, 34, tackles the jet- Kolkata, India, with an eponymous salon at Sarat
black locks of a male model. Bose Road. She‟s been a stylist since 1997, and her
entry to the field was no accident, as her mother-in-
Sato has been a hairdresser for almost 10 years law June Tomkyns runs one of the city‟s most
now. He was inspired by watching a Japanese TV respected salons. “I always had this creative streak
drama called the Beautiful Life in 2000 to take up and my mother-in-law June Tomkyns gave me the
hairstyling as a profession. opportunity to discover it.”
After graduating in hairstyling from a vocational Bridgette trained at James Albert School of
school in Tokyo, he went to work for Toshio Cosmetology in California. “I love bringing out the
Tanaka, a high-profile hairdresser who runs movement of the hair and then finishing the style
seven salons in western Tokyo and is a pioneer by adding attitude in the form of lots of color.”
in Japan's beauty industry. In the early 1990s, After working with her mother-in-law for a few
Tanaka became the first Japanese to win gold years, Bridgette opened her own salon in 2006,
medals in hairstyling championships overseas, with most of the equipment being imported from
and he still serves as an adviser to the Japan China.
team for Hairworld, which Sato says attracts
some 100,000 people working in beauty Bridgette‟s salon uses products by Schwarzkopf
industries around the world. Tanaka's training and offers a diverse range of services. Apart from
was so rigorous that eight of the 13 hairdressers haircuts and hair treatments for women, they do
who joined Tanaka's salons in the same year as waxing, threading, manicures, pedicures and
him quit halfway through facials. She has also tapped into the huge wedding
market by setting up a bridal boudoir where she
Today, Sato is skilled at his trade. “Short hair is dresses women on the big day itself, draping saris
popular now. I think people are preparing for a and doing their make-up. She also provides a pre-
hot summer season,” he says. wedding beauty package including a facial,
manicure, pedicure and haircut.
Both men and women in Japan ask for a “natural
hair style” nowadays. Teens too prefer the Bridgette‟s skill and reputation for innovation has
natural look. Sato‟s salon uses Shiseido FOG Bar landed her a regular column in an Indian
products, primarily because they find the TV newspaper and a number of loyal celebrity clients.
commercials so funny!

17. Knowing me, knowing you
Mr Lee has been driving a taxi for the last 12 years. He took up the job after being
retrenched from his factory manager position. His daily routine is difficult as he struggles
to provide for his family, being the only breadwinner, and his slightly cynical approach to
life and customers stems from his belief that society has moved forward and left him
behind. “People always horn me when I overtake them; don‟t they know I need to rush
about just to do my job?”.
Which part of the country are you originally What do you expect your children to do when
from? they grow up?
I am from Singapore, lah! Singapore so small. Now I have two children, one in poly, one „O‟
level. If they can go to university I‟m happy
How long have you lived in this city? already.
I‟ve lived here all my life, and I‟m not going
anywhere. What do you and your friends do when you get
together?
Who do you stay with? We drink, play mahjong, go to each others‟
I have a wife and two kids – they stay with me of houses. Same as other people I think.
course.
Any interesting anecdotes to tell?
How many hours do you spend on the road? No.. But I have very irritating passengers; there
Every day, at least seven hours, not including was this guy asked to go to place A, then when we
breaks. reached he changed his mind and asked to go to
place B. Then he kept scolding me and threatened
Who do you admire (political leader, sports to beat me. Crazy!
star, film star, gangster…)?
Please lah, Singapore like that, who can I
admire? No don‟t have, don‟t have… (with a
wave of the hand).
Have you ever used a computer? Been on the
internet? What for?
Not really…sometimes I will use my son‟s laptop
to see see.
Which mobile phone do you own?
I have an iPhone 4, everyone also uses. Why you
ask so many questions? Next you want to find out
what kind of toilet paper I use!
Which brand of toilet soap do you use?
I said don‟t ask me that kind of questions, lah! So
strange!

18. Knowing me, knowing you
Md Shahabuddin moved from Noakhali to Dhaka
19 years ago. Thanks to the consistent rise in
prices in Bangladesh, he has to live away from
Xufeng Gao is a Beijinger who lives with his his family to make ends meet. It is a hard life: he
elderly parents, wife and daughter. He usually has to spend up to 16 hours in his cab every day.
starts his day at 6am and takes a one-hour lunch His dream is to see his son working as a
break at noon. At 4pm, he goes to the local market government officer and his daughter as a doctor.
to get groceries for dinner. “I cook for my family
every day. Then I go out again at eight and come Md Shahabuddin has never used a computer in
back to sleep before midnight.” his life, or the internet. But he has two mobile
phones, one Nokia and another Samsung. Lux is
He has a computer at home. “My wife and my his choice of soap. In his leisure time he hangs
daughter love shopping on Taobao. They get the out with his friends, gossips and plays carom.
same stuff a lot cheaper there.” He also carries a Md Shahabuddin has been lucky enough to have
Nokia mobile phone. given rides to many famous movie stars,
including Reaz and Kabila. Sakib Khan is his
Gao wants his daughter to get a decent job. “I favorite movie star, but he hasn‟t given him a
hope she does not have to work too hard. A stable ride – till now, at least.
job with stable income would be good enough.
The important thing for her is to find a good He is a supporter of the opposition party BNP as
husband.” Khaleda Zia is his favorite politician. But his heart
lies with local football club Mohamedan and his
In his time off, he goes to a tiny restaurant nearby favorite player is Kawser Hamid.
Qianmen. “It looks filthy and smells bad, but the
tripe they make tastes so good. The place is cheap
and popular. We always have a good time there.”
He hasn‟t ever had a famous passenger, but he
spotted a famous person last fall in a rather
curious incident. He was driving by the Ming
Dynasty city wall ruins one morning when he saw
a group of bodyguards walking along the wall. “I
noticed a familiar old man. It was Lao Jiang!” He
was happy to see former president Jiang Zemin
alive and well!
Gao admires Chairman Mao. “Back in those days,
society was pure and people were good-hearted.
Today‟s people and society only believes in
money; nobody is reliable and that‟s a dangerous
thing.”

19. Knowing me, knowing you
Jayasiri Pathirana knows Colombo well. The 43- In Jayasiri‟s profession, regular run-ins with the
year-old drives a Bajaj three-wheeler often seen law are unavoidable, and that is why he admires
racing through the city streets. Jayasundara‟s honesty and incorruptibility.
His job takes him to some of the most well-known As a man about town, Jayasiri has amassed quite a
landmarks and hidden nooks across the city. He few stories. But the most memorable, if
spends over 13 hours on the road, and still there unpleasant, one is the day a passenger robbed
can be days when he hardly picks up a passenger. him on the outskirts of Colombo. Fortunately, he
Jayasiri, who is married and lives with his father, was not harmed and his tuk-tuk was safe. But he
wife Shriya and their three children, gets stressed was left without his wrist-watch and wallet.
out by days like these.
Jayasiri‟s favorite way to unwind after a hard day‟s
So it‟s no surprise that his fervent hope is for his work is to meet his friends over a bottle of fiery
children Kaushali, Menik and Jeewaka to find local arrack.
careers that will make them more happy when they
grow up. And hopefully they will use computers –
something he has never done. His humble Nokia
mobile phone is probably the most sophisticated
piece of technology that he owns.
However, if there is one thing he enjoys about his
vocation, it is those rare times when a famous
person hails his tuk-tuk. Former Sri Lankan cricket
captain Sanath Jayasuriya is his most memorable
celebrity passenger. But it is not the sports star he
admires most, it‟s former assistant superintendent
of police Poojitha Jayasundara.

20. Knowing me, knowing you
Sombat Siriteerawut comes from Manjakeeree,
Khon Kaen, in the northeast of Thailand. He‟s
lived in Bangkok for 13 years and stays with his
wife and 10-year-old son.
Half of his day is spent on the road -- from
midday to midnight he is hard at work.
He has never used a computer or the Internet,
and owns a WellcoM W920 mobile phone. His
only dream for his son is that he will grow up to
be a good person. “About his career path, I will
let him decided for himself.”
In his leisure time, Sombat watches movies at the
cinema or DVDs with his family. “If I‟m with my
guy friends, we will hang out and do what guys
Masaki Aoki is originally from Shizuoka, but has do -- it‟s a secret!
spent the past 36 years in Tokyo. His children
have grown up and are working, so he lives with Sombat admires Thaksin Shinawatra because he
his wife and dog. is smart and able to lead Thailand to a strong
economy.
Spending nine hours on the road a day doesn‟t
leave a lot of time in his life for technology. But During the New Year holiday last year, Sombat
he makes it a point to access the Internet via his Siriteerawut picked up a foreign couple from
mobile phone to check the horseracing results. Century Park Hotel and took them to
Aoki uses a Docomo phone. Suvarnabhumi Airport. He speaks a little English
so he talked to them as he drove. “Maybe it is
But apart from driving and racing, Masaki Aoki because we connected with each other, but the
leads a quiet life. He spends most of his time on taxi fare was about 500 baht, and I got an
his own, or with family. He doesn‟t usually notice additional 200 euro as a tip!”
who gets into his cab, but he does remember
giving a ride to a few sumo wrestlers, though he
does know their names.
Just to make things interesting, read about a
Bangladeshi taxi driver in Tokyo here:
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-
bin/fl20100408jk.html

21. Knowing me, knowing you
Ngyuen Than Xuan usually spends about 14
hours on the road a day. Originally from Central
Vietnam, he has lived for eight years in Ho Chi
Minh City.
He shares a house with friends, and in his free
time likes to hang out and “enjoy some beers”.
Ngyuen doesn‟t really follow politics and prefers
to watch sports like football and tennis. He
admires stars such as Messi and Nadal. He has
used a computer and the Internet in the past, but
doesn‟t have much use for them. “It is hard to
find the time,” he says. He uses a Nokia mobile
phone, though.
Samy is a 69-year-old taxi driver from Kuala
Ngyuen doesn‟t have children yet but says that if Lumpur, Malaysia. He‟s been a driver his entire
he did, he would want them to pursue adult life and spends 12 hours at work every day,
engineering, medicine or any other white-collar from 7am to 7pm.
profession.
He lives in a small flat in the heart of the city with
Being a driver has had its interesting moments his wife and grandchild. His three children have
for Ngyuen, such as when he gave a ride to the moved out but live in the vicinity. One of his sons
president of Laos and some famous singers “on is a mechanic and the other is a bodyguard,
the way back from one their many big parties”. while his daughter works in sales. He had hoped
But you also have to be on the lookout for they would become doctors and engineers but
trouble. “You have to be careful late at night. this was not possible as they did not have access
One time, I was resting in my car when someone to high-quality education.
tried to break in and rob me.”
Samy has a deep admiration for Indian film actor
Kamal Haasan. “He is a very good actor because
he started acting from the age of eight,” feels
Samy.
He has never used the Internet. He owns a Nokia
262 mobile phone. In his free time, Samy and his
friends get together in Chinese coffee shops to
chat over tea.
Samy used to have to pick up many drunkards
who would make a mess in his taxi and often
forget to pay him. He now avoids the route
where this is likely to happen.

22. Knowing me, knowing you
Camilo Dominguez hails from Pangasinan, and has
lived in Manila for 23 years. He spends between 14
and 17 hours on the road a day.
He lives with his wife and has never used a
computer. “I‟m old so I don‟t need those things,” he
says. But he does own a Nokia phone.
He wants his child to become a nurse in the US. He
admires most boxer Manny Pacquiao and actress
Anne Curtis. In his spare time, Camilo drinks rum
at home or plays mahjong.
Camilo has once given a ride to Si Ted Failon, a
famous local news analyst, and is sure that he had a
brush with the supernatural another night. He had
taken a passenger to Bicol, about 14 hours away
from Manila, as one long trip can earn more than
many small fares through the day. It was late at
night when he was driving back and was flagged
down by three women by the mountainside.
Anthony Telesporo spends about 15 hours
behind the wheel every day. He is from
“I was relieved to have company on the ride back
Carcar, Cebu, and has lived in Manila for the
to Manila as that part of the mountain is rumored to
past nine years with his sister.
be haunted. I told them it would cost Php1,000 per
head, and Php 3,000 all together. Only two of them
There are hidden dangers for taxi drivers in
were addressing me directly, while the third one
the Philippines, says Anthony. Once, two
remained quiet. The two looked at me oddly and
pretty girls flagged him down on a side street.
each gave me Php 1,500. I kept looking at the third
They got into the cab and tried to convince
girl, but she refused to make eye contact the whole
him to go to a motel with them. Then, a
time. I kept quiet all the way home and felt chills
policeman stopped the cab and fined him for
when the third girl got off and walked away without
taking advantage of the women. “I was forced
speaking. A ghost just rode with me!”
to pay him off even though I didn‟t do
anything. The policeman was in cahoots with
the girls.”
It‟s not all bad, though. Once he gave a ride to
Jennylyn Mercado, a TV star. Still, he would
prefer it if his children have office jobs when
they grow up.
Anthony looks up to Manny Villar, a Filipino
businessman and politician, and Manny
Pacquiao, boxing champion. In his leisure
time, he and his friends drink a little, or play
basketball. He uses the computer at his sister‟s
home and his nephew loves playing on the
computer. He has a Nokia phone of his own.

23. Knowing me, Knowing You
Mr Lin moved from Taichung to Taipei 30 years Mr Lin lives with his wife and three children. He
ago and started a grocery store with his wife. watches baseball games with his son during the
After their third child was born, he needed holidays. Wang, the first famous Taiwanese
more income and flexibility to take care of the player in MLB, is his favorite baseball star and
family. So 25 years ago, he shut down the Mr Lin is proud very of him.
grocery store and started driving a taxi.
Like many Taiwanese people, Mr Lin is warm
He works 12 hours a day, and starts at noon. He and hospitable - he likes inviting friends for a
eats in the restaurant where taxi drivers often meal and playing mahjong. Mr Lin is keenly
go and chats with other drivers there. Even interested in politics and likes discussing the
though he works long hours, his income is latest news with friends.
variable. Mr Lin still likes his job because he
has flexible working hours, and he can chat
with different passengers and make money at
the same time.
Premchand Yadav (above right) is a taxi driver He knows that not all passengers look on taxi
in Mumbai, India. He‟s easy to reach on his cell drivers as the most accommodating of creatures.
phone whenever you need him, and he‟s For them he has a message: “People shouldn‟t
generally happy to come around. behave badly with taxi drivers. After all, the
drivers are always there to help when you need
Premchand feels taxis are a critical part of the them late at night to go home, or to get to the
economy of Mumbai, India‟s financial hub. hospital or airport. The driver may or may not
“There are about 50,000 taxis and 100,000 taxi have had a meal, but he‟ll still drop everything
drivers in Mumbai. Most of those drivers are also to take you.”
supporting their families, and have a wife and a
few kids, so if you think about it, the income from Despite his conviction that cabs are an essential
taxis is supporting around 500,000 people in service, Premchand admits that if he had studied
Mumbai alone!” more, he may have taken up some other sort of
job himself. “But since I didn‟t, I started driving,
He believes that taxis are a huge support for the and I saw that I could make good money doing
passengers. “People who don‟t have a vehicle of it.” Now he can‟t quit. “If I do get another job, I‟ll
their own, or have some sort of emergency, hail make around Rs 6,000 or Rs 7,000 a month,
a cab to go to work, to the airport, to the market maybe around Rs 8,000. And what good will that
or wherever else they need to go.” The bus, he do me?”
says, will only take you as far as the main road.
“But the taxi will drive through the narrowest of
lanes to drop you to your doorstep.” Take a ride with Premchand here:
http://arunshanbhag.com/2011/01/27/premchand-yadav/

24. Playing on my iPod*
* or at my favorite
KTV parlor

25. Playing on my iPod*
PHILIPPINES INDONESIA
Rihanna Senyum semangat
Only Girl in the World Sm*sh
http://www.youtube.com/ http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=mkYVI2FYlT0&fea
watch?v=pa14VNsdSYM
ture=related
Vierra
Katy Perry
Takut
Last Friday Night
http://www.youtube.com/
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=oBc9P9MdRqo
watch?v=Ghe52kEPpAQ
The Changcuters
SINGAPORE ParamPamPam
http://www.youtube.com/
Bruno Mars watch?v=l_pC95haJTE
The Lazy Song
http://www.youtube.com/ RAN
watch?v=fLexgOxsZu0
Sepeda
http://www.youtube.
LMFAO com/watch?v=ZDxzeft
tdQ8
Party Rock Anthem
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=KQ6zr6kCPj8

26. Playing on my iPod*
CHINA THAILAND
Fan Fan Bell Supol
"Dengbudao Deai" “Mai tummada”
http://v.youku.com/v_show http://www.youtube.com/
/id_XMjc1NDk1MDQ4.html watch?v=CNYYFhTgEiU
A-lin Boy Peacemaker
"Yishun Zhiguang" “Yung mai pon keed
untarai”
http://v.youku.com/v_sh
ow/id_XMjc2ODQzOTEy. http://www.youtube.com/
html watch?v=D2MG3aJQ98k
New & Jiew
INDIA
Ram Sampath “Ror leaw dai arai”
“Bhag DK Bose” http://www.youtube.
From the film Delhi Belly com/watch?v=hTX2y
http://www.youtube.com/ Rga4Sg
watch?v=8OVGbdOG7dA
JAPAN BANGLADESH
Girl’s Generation Lamb of God
“Shojo Jidai” “Redneck”
http://www.youtube.co http://www.youtu
m/watch?v=vLwSuJSoma be.com/watch?v=
Y&feature=related oqdZpxkzNvc

27. Playing on my iPod*
PAKISTAN TAIWAN
ADP (Aunty Disco Project)
“Hum Na Rahey (Mere
Masoom Dost)”
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=JwUpItcDuhc
VIETNAM A-Fu
Lil Pig
“So that‘s how it is”
“Tau thich mi ( I do like
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
ya)”
v=dR5pFPfv2wk
http://mp3.zing.vn/video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
-clip/Tau-Thich-Mi-Lil-
v=nHkIX_YJE_s
Pig/ZWZBDFZC.html
MALAYSIA
Adele
“Rolling In The Deep”
http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=rYEDA3J
cQqw
Yoga Lin
Reza Salleh (a local “Goodnight, Freedom”
singer-songwriter)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
“Kasih” =NuiAOSii_sk
http://www.youtube.c http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
om/watch?v=CFM1lq3 =GTMdyZnjJhk
uXx4

28. What‟s making people really angry,
and why?

29. Rage against
SOCIAL INSECURITY
The Sri Lankan government recently tried to It was the first major challenge that President
introduce a new pension fund for the country‟s Rajapaksa faced from the powerful trade
seven million workers to supplement existing unions since he came to power in 2005. It was
retirement schemes. The plan would have also a rare miscalculation of public sentiment
involved an additional two percent docked from by the PR-savvy leader.
wages and would have forced employers to
make additional contributions to the fund. The The pension plan was quickly shelved. The
authorities said the social security net was chief of police stepped down, taking
essential to cope with an increasingly ageing responsibility for the use of ammunition on
population. protestors. But opposition parties still
pounced on this opportunity to gain political
Yet neither workers nor employers supported mileage.
the move, and matters came to a head on May
30 when thousands of factory workers from a The trade unions also remain agitated.
free-trade zone outside Colombo took to the University dons are at loggerheads with the
streets in protest. A face-off with the police state, calling for better wages. There are
turned into clashes in which one worker was rumblings from the state-run power and oil
shot dead and over 150 others were reportedly corporations. The army is standing guard at
wounded. the free-trade zone and may be dispatched to
others across the island. The fear is that this
Sri Lankans, who usually don‟t pay much discontent may boil over and retard Sri
attention even when potentially-contentious Lanka‟s nascent US$50 billion economy.
legislation is rushed through Parliament, were
suddenly sitting up.

30. Rage against
POLITICS IN SPORT
The two things Pakistanis are most passionate about
are religion and the sport of cricket. And of late,
cricket has been letting the country down.
Pakistan cricket has been plagued with match-fixing
and ball tampering allegations, the ban of star
cricketers, and the World Cup semi-final loss. The
latest in this slew of unfortunate events happened
after Pakistan‟s tour of the West Indies. The team
POLICE MANHANDLING
came home victorious in the One Days only to learn
Protesters in southern China's manufacturing hub that Shahid Afridi had been removed as captain by
in Guangdong province torched emergency the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The reason:
vehicles in an outburst of outrage at police abuse disciplinary issues. Afridi had stated in a press
of migrant workers. conference that he was „not happy with people
interfering in his work‟ and although he didn‟t name
The violence in Xintang broke out in mid-June names, reports suggested that he had differences
after a pregnant woman was pushed to the with coach Waqar Younis over team selection.
ground in a police sweep against street vendors,
most of whom were migrants from the south- Afridi then resigned from One Day cricket
western province of Sichuan. Such disputes are altogether. The PCB in turn revoked his NOC and
common and bystanders often side with the his central contract was suspended, meaning that he
vendors and accuse the police of heavy-handed wouldn‟t be able to play any form of cricket
action. anywhere in world.
After the assault on the pregnant woman, crowds
People are now angry at the PCB on two fronts.
gathered, blocking traffic and attacking
Firstly, Afridi is a national hero revered by the
government offices with bottles and bricks, state
news agency Xinhua said. The police used tear nation and seems to be the only captain in a long
gas in response and arrested 25 people accused time whose sincerity shows on the field. Secondly,
of inciting unrest. No deaths or injuries were Misbah-ul-Haq is the new captain. Haq is the reason,
reported. many believe, Pakistan lost the World Cup semi-
final and question whether he‟s even fit to be on the
The anger continued to brew and tens of team, let alone lead it.
thousands of people gathered on Sunday night at
a major highway junction, setting fire to more Both Afridi and the PCB don‟t seem to be handling
than 24 emergency vehicles and fighting with the situation well, shifting blame and pointing
the police and paramilitary forces. In a fingers. But cricket lovers largely feel that the PCB
particularly unusual instance of media openness, is in the wrong.
images of the rioting were broadcast regularly
on international and local TV, without
Afridi has now filed a case against the PCB and the
censorship.
country cheers him in his fight.

31. Rage against
DEADLY PRIVILEDGE
In Thailand, a 16-year-old girl, Orachorn
„Praewa‟ Thephasadin Na Ayudhya, was at the
wheel of a Honda sedan when it had a crash
resulting in the deaths of nine people in a
passenger van. The girl didn‟t have a driver‟s
license and was also under the legal driving
age.
But as her name immediately made clear, the
girl came from an influential family – what is
called „hi-so‟ in Thailand. Everyone feared
that she would get off scot-free or that she
would only be booked for a less serious
offence. People grew increasingly angry when
the investigation into the matter seemed to get
very complicated, and observers created an
„Anti-Praewa‟ Facebook page to put pressure
on the media and the police. Within 18 hours Atas. A local colloquialism that explains the
of the page being created, more than 150,000 perceived gap that has formed between the
supporters had made themselves heard via People‟s Action Party and the man on the street.
the „like‟ button. The undercurrents of rage against the PAP were
undeniable throughout the hustings, and it was
Following this mounting public pressure, the directed, not at the usual national development
girl was charged with reckless driving grouses like unemployment rates, but largely at the
causing death and injury. image of the ruling party.
Thais have been faced with an unfair justice The PAP did not appear to be helping its case
system and hierarchy in society for a long either, with questionable comparisons to
time. Well-to-do families are believed to have neighbouring countries and their living costs,
too much control over government officers. heavy-handed defensiveness and clever
“Justice does not exist in Thailand,” say some. manoeuvres around public questioning fast
becoming predictable clichés. Threats that
Aljunied voters would have “five years to live and
repent” if they backed the opposition only
reinforced this impression and were met with
strong public backlash, with the Workers Party
finally winning the ward by no small margin.
Democracy is about the people, and if nothing else,
the May 2011 elections were a timely reminder to
the ruling party to spruce up its image and listen to
its people.

32. Rage against
SOVEREIGN SEAS
Chinese vessels cut the Vietnamese Binh Minh 02
exploration cables at a location 120 nautical miles
from the Dai Lanh cape, saying that it was
violating Chinese sovereignty.
These latest actions are the source of new tension
in the region. The contentious waters are
bordered by Vietnam, China, the Philippines,
Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia
and Singapore.
The Vietnamese have taken to the streets to
protest against China‟s imperialism, with 300
BAD ATTITUDE people marching to the Chinese embassy, waving
placards and shouting slogans against China.
The three-wheelers on the roads of Bangladesh Many people around Vietnam are also boycotting
are the source of constant anger for urban made-in-China goods.
commuters. Those who are dependent on this
mode of transport believe that the auto- Although they do not want to be dragged into
rickshaw or tuk tuk drivers act like they rule the another war, the Vietnamese are prepared to do
roads. They refuse to use the meter when what it takes to protect the country‟s sovereignty.
plying a fare and ask for enormous sums which
are nowhere near the actual price.
Unfortunately for helpless commuters, their fate
lies in the hands of these drivers who refuse to
take passengers whenever they choose. And
though the police have been known to step in,
after some time the drivers are back to their
usual ways. Ordinary people are left wondering
when the system will change so they can just
get home from work in peace.
WATER WORLD
Cotabato, a far-flung province of the Philippines, experienced massive flooding from a recent typhoon.
The apparent culprit is the water hyacinth that has accumulated over the years, clogging the rivers and
submerging several parts of Cotabato in six-foot deep waters, affecting nearly 100,000 families.
The local government has claimed that President Aquino‟s response to the disaster hasn‟t been
satisfactory. The national government has already sent Php 7.8 million worth of food and non-food items
to the affected areas, and is in the midst of finalizing the plan to clear the rivers of the plants. The Palace
has also indicated that during past administrations, the province used to get disaster relief in the form of
cash, the appropriation of which has raised many questions.
Affected families are angry and frustrated, feeling that the flood could have been prevented had the
budget for disaster prevention been spent properly. After all, the water hyacinth didn‟t grow overnight.

33. Rage against
LEADERS‟ INACTION
On April 30, 1,000 people gathered in
Shibuya to demonstrate their
opposition to nuclear power plants in
Japan.
Considering the country‟s relatively
reserved nature, this is a large
number of people to turn out for a
public protest. Other citizens showed
their support virtually as the message
spread quickly through Twitter.
Another source of continuing rage in
Japan is TEPCO and the government‟s
response to the continuing crisis at
the Fukushima power plant.
And yet, even with so much work left
to be done, the political parties seem
to be busy fighting over who the
leader should be. For the common
man in Japan, this is a shameful,
depressing and very frustrating
situation. Many people are asking
whether the infighting can‟t wait till
after the reconstruction of the country
has been completed. With so many
emergencies to address, what Japan‟s
people want is for their leaders to put
their heads together and cooperate to
forge a better tomorrow for the
country.

34. Rage against
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpLpy4VSJXE
EXECUTION OF A CITIZEN ON FOREIGN SHORES IN The execution tarnished the image of the Susilo
INDONESIA Bambang Yudhoyono government. Yet just a
few day later in a speech at the 100th ILO council
Indonesians were once again shocked when another in Geneva, Yudhoyono said that the protection
migrant worker was beheaded in Saudi Arabia. mechanism for migrant workers was already
Ruyati binti Satubi, a 54-year-old mother, was the running well. What a shame!
28th Indonesian migrant worker to be beheaded in
Saudi Arabia. Last year, she admitted in court to The discontent of civil society poured out
killing her physically and mentally abusive through demonstrations and in the social media.
employer who was not allowing her to go home. The Politicians, celebrities, students and housewives
representative of the Indonesian government in all spoke out to criticize the government for its
Riyadh was not informed of the execution, but it was negligence and for not enacting more stringent
eventually exposed in the news. laws to protect the migrant worker. Despite the
large numbers of migrant workers, the
The Indonesian public was appalled by the failure of government does not seem serious about
the government to protect Satubi. Six million providing protection. Even now there are more
Indonesian migrant workers contribute 82 trillion Indonesians who face threat of execution in
rupiahs or US$9 Billion per year in remittances. One Saudi Arabia but aren‟t getting an adequate
million of them are working in Saudi Arabia, and legal aid.
another 2.2 million work in Malaysia.
If only government would create more
employment opportunities within the country,
citizens might not have to go to Saudi Arabia
and face danger.

35. Rage against
A WOMAN‟S ROLE
A group of Muslim women in Malaysia has "Sex is a taboo in Asian society. We have
recently launched the Obedient Wives Club, ignored it in our marriages but it's all down to
which has kicked up quite a bit of dust in the sex. A good wife is a good sex worker to her
country. Its message that wives need to obey husband. What is wrong with being a whore...
and serve their husbands in every way, to your husband? A man married to a woman
including fulfilling every sexual desire, has who is as good or better than a prostitute in bed
attracted media attention from around the has no reason to stray. Rather than allowing him
world. According to the club‟s members, to sin, a woman must do all she can to ensure
modern women are too engrossed with their his desires are met.”
careers and leisure time and have forgotten
their responsibility to keep their husbands The club‟s views have angered politicians,
satisfied. They are offering sex lessons to help women‟s rights groups and community leaders.
wives perform better in bed. Enraged citizens set up a Facebook group „We
Do Not Want Sexist Nonsense From Global
Controversy has also erupted over claims that Ikhwan Sdn. Bhd‟, which attracted 2,613
obedient wives could prevent social problems members in four days. However, the page has
such as prostitution, divorce, gambling and since been taken down.
domestic violence. A good wife should serve
her husband "better than a first-class prostitute” Despite the backlash, the Obedient Wives Club
in order to keep him from straying, said the has already branched out to Jordan and has
club‟s president Dr Rohaya Mohamed, mother 1,200 members, and plans to expand to
of eight and head of a multi-million dollar Singapore and Indonesia.
global company, Global Ikhwan Sdn. Bhd.

37. Waiting list
Malaysians are crazy about food. They go
on holidays specifically to eat good food
and are prepared to drive two hours out of
town just for a meal.
This passion sometimes culminates in food
fads, such as the craze for “designer”
cupcakes, “gourmet” donuts, frozen
yoghurt and macarons we‟ve seen in
recent years.
Now, Malaysians have been bitten by the
bubble tea bug. It all started with the
launch of two Taiwanese chains in
Malaysia, Gong Cha and Chatime. People
If you thought that the longest queues at Ikea have been queuing for 30 minutes and
in China were for an Ektorp sofa or the each brand already has its avid fans
colorful Lack kids‟ table, think again. It‟s the debating over which is better.
Swedish meatballs which draw the crowds in.
Ikea knockoff furniture you can get on
Taobao. Meatballs for a little more than
dollar a plate, nowhere else.
Although bubble tea was available in
Malaysia before, these two brands have
stood out as they are made from real tea
and not powder, giving customers the
freedom to choose sugar and ice levels.
Gong Cha and Chatime switched up the
game by providing new options for a more
authentic and customizable tea
experience.

38. Waiting list
Arugam Bay Beachwear is a 100% Sri Lankan brand inspired by the vibrant colors of Sri Lanka‟s
magical east coast. The beachwear company has just introduced a new line of beach sandals for
the ladies, deliciously called CandyFloss. Colorful, fun and affordable, they‟re fast disappearing
from the shelves, despite being priced at LKR 1,750.
Arugam Bay is the brainchild of Ajay Virr Singh – mastermind behind the HSBC Colombo Fashion
Week. Ajay has launched several other Sri Lankan fashion labels such as String Hopper and
Conscience.
The ukulele or „uke‟ is Hawaii's national
instrument. Hawaiians have been
playing the ukulele for a century now.
On the other hand, Thailand has just
been introduced to the tiny guitar. But
that hasn‟t stopped the ukulele from
developing into a big trend here, with a
rush so strong that the queues in front of
instrument stores are bringing back
memories of the iPhone launch!
The ukulele phenomenon started at Ribbee Boutique, the first full-scale ukulele shop in Thailand,
and Uke Club, whose members share a love for the ukulele. They introduced the instrument to
the public through free workshops and a contest. A free ukulele festival was held on March12-13
in Thailand, the biggest ukulele festival in Asia.
The most famous ukulele series in Thailand is Anuenue U900, called the „rabbit and bear series‟
– and everyone seems to want one. Many celebrities and stars have now begun to show interest
in the ukulele.

39. Waiting list
Since March 11, people in the earthquake- and
tsunami-affected area of north-eastern Japan
have reportedly experienced a significant shift
in mindset, especially single women.
Due to the increased anxiety about the future,
people have started to seek out more marriage
opportunities than they had before the disaster.
According to O-net, the largest marriage
agency, the number of people registering for
marriage meetings has increased by 20% to
30%.
The majority of the new registrations are from
women in their late 20s and 30s. Perhaps after
feeling alone in their time of need, they now
desire a family to stand by them.
It has also been said that many women who had
not yet accepted marriage proposals before
tragedy struck did so after March 11. Wedding
related businesses, such as jewelers, wedding
planners and venues have had a boost in
business.
Right now, music fans in Bangladesh are eagerly
waiting for the second issue of the music
magazine, The Playlist. It is the first magazine
dedicated to music in Bangladesh, and the
monthly has generated a lot of interest among
musicians and music lovers.
Impatience has appeared on the magazine‟s
Facebook page, with the delay of the second
edition prompting one fan to ask whether it is a
yearly magazine and not a monthly one!

40. Waiting list
In Singapore, too, everyone wants a tall, cold glass of
Gong Cha. The queue starts building at 10 in the morning,
and only gets busier as the day goes by. At closing time,
disappointed customers have to be turned away despite
having queued for the better part of 30 minutes on
average.
Gong Cha is the latest and greatest fad in beverages to hit
Singapore since the bubble tea craze hit in the late 90s.
Though this new entrant is also a kind of bubble tea, like
Malaysia, Singapore too has fallen for its better taste
thanks to the brand‟s use of real tea.
Gong Cha‟s sales have soared since opening. All that
remains to be seen is whether the new Starbucks of the
bubble tea world (a drink at Gong Cha can set you back
$5!) is here to stay.
Vietnam has always had a special place in its
heart for celebrities, even though international
star sightings were once considered a rarity in
the country. However, an increasing number of
international performances has helped fans get
their fill of the rich and famous in the flesh.
In Ho Chi Minh City, Brangelina sightings have
been replaced by the Backstreet Boys, Bi-Rain,
Lenka, Shayne Ward and a number of other
artists taking turns to entertain sell-out crowds.
Fans are now looking forward to SuJu, 2AM from
Korea, Alexander Burke and David Cook in the
upcoming Hennessy Artistry show. They are
waiting outside hotels, come rain or shine,
hoping for a chance to be just a little star struck.

41. Tense about …

42. Tense about
MOON SHADOW
Sri Lanka is making every effort to come out of “The public release of the report at this stage
a diplomatic muddle following the release of is divisive, and disrupts our efforts to reinforce
the UN report that is being called the „Ban-Ki- peace, security and stability in Sri Lanka,” it
Moon report‟, on the last stages of the war added, arguing that the establishment of
against the LTTE. The 214-page report Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission
includes allegations of human rights abuses, and the Inter-Agency Committee are among
war crimes and crimes against humanity by the domestic mechanisms put in place by the
both the LTTE and the government of Sri government to address the issue.
Lanka. The government is yet to make up its
mind whether to respond to the report in a The validity of the report has been questioned
credible manner or to reject it completely. in several articles. Tension also appears to be
stemming from confusion in almost all quarters
“Following the end of conflict, the government of Sri Lanka‟s government about whether at
of Sri Lanka, has given the highest priority to least some of the requirements of the report
post-conflict reconciliation, rehabilitation, should be implemented to avoid international
reconstruction and development,” the inquiry.
government said in a statement it issued
recently. There has been, it said, “significant
success” on many of these fronts, including
resettlement of internally displaced persons,
release of former child soldiers recruited by
the LTTE and rehabilitation of detainees.

43. Tense about
ELECTIONS IN THAILAND
Thailand's general election is being held on July Although this election will take the country‟s
3, so this is a hugely sensitive time for the divisions from the streets (between the Red
country which hopes to move forward after and the Yellow shirts) into the political arena,
being faced with violent political conflict for there will be some protesters who are bound
five years now. to be dissatisfied at the result of the election
no matter what, fearing that the Thai people
There are 1,410 candidates from 40 parties in will face the same old story all over again –
the election race, with the two major parties mobs, riots, roadblocks, destroyed
being Democrat and Puea Thai. For the prime businesses.
minister‟s chair, Puea Thai-nominated Yingluck
Shinawatra, deposed former Prime Minister Thailand is desperate for a real democracy
Thaksin Shinawatra's sister, goes up against and, for many, it is difficult to believe that this
current leader Abhisit Vejjajiva from Democrat election will be different from all the rest.
Party.
STRIKE SYNDROME
Bangladesh is being crippled by
strikes – known locally as hartals – at
all too regular intervals. People want
to work, but the recurrent strikes
called by political parties are
stopping them from doing so. The
result is chaos on the streets. The
supporters of strikes destroy personal
property and cause huge damage.
The blow to the economy is huge, and
everyone is suffering for it. And there
is no end in sight. It seems that hartal
has become a way of life in
Bangladesh.

44. Tense about
RISING DIVORCE RATES IN CHINA
The number of couples that formally notified
the government of their split in the first three
months of 2011 is 465,000, a 17% increase
over the same period last year, according to
a report in Beijing Times, a Chinese-
language daily.
Shanghai has a 38% divorce rate, second
only to Beijing. Pushed by their parents to get
married quickly, many little emperors and
empresses find that dating and running a
home together are completely different
things.
“He is totally dependent on his parents to
take any decisions. He is their mouthpiece,”
said one 32-year-old woman of her husband.
In another case, a 28-year-old groom found
himself without a bride. She resurfaced a
month after the planned wedding to say that
she had reunited with her former boyfriend.
Some young folks are taking it in their stride,
Around 80% of Shanghainese women want saying that they have grown up emotionally
their husbands to have an apartment and a after their divorces.
car at the time of marriage, and this can
create difficulties. One woman called off her Serena of Liaoning province said that she
wedding after the invitations had gone out may have got to know her ex-husband better
because her fiance‟s parents refused to put had she been able to live with him before
her name on the deed of their proposed new getting married, but she wasn‟t allowed to
home. do so by her parents. “This is a very big
problem for Chinese girls from traditional
"The reason the divorce rate is high among families,” she says.
post-80s couples is mainly that they value
their own interests and rarely care about Now her parents have eased off. “I‟m lucky
other people's feelings," says Sun Yunxiao, that my family is not pressurizing me to
deputy director of the China Youth and remarry or have a child. You often find the
Children Research Center. "They are wrong guy if you just want a replacement,"
officially China's first 'Me Generation'.” she added.

45. Tense about
A QUESTION OF FAITH IN MALAYSIA
POWERLESS IN PAKISTAN Government-owned newspaper Utusan
Malaysia recently published a front page
Nowadays it seems Karachi-ites have few article entitled “Kristian agama rasmi?”
conversations that don‟t include cursing (“Christianity the official religion?”). The
their local electricity provider. Layoffs, piece was a reaction to alleged statements
equipment failures and crackdowns on made by a group of Christian pastors and
illegal employment have plagued the key representatives from the political party
Karachi Electric Supply Company for in opposition outlining their aim to “elect a
months and, as a result, it feels like the Christian prime minister and turn Malaysia
whole organization is on strike and into a Christian country”. However, the
unwilling to resolve consumer issues. groups have subsequently denied any such
intent.
What does that mean for the average
Javed? Near-constant power outages Despite nationwide uproar over the report,
(“load shedding,” they call it) that have with some calling it a blatant attempt to
crippled daily life and incited city-wide incite religious hatred, the home ministry
anger towards the KESC (Karachi Electric only slapped the Malay daily with a
Supply Company). Gone are the smiling cautionary letter.
faces in the morning, replaced by
grumpy scowls because of yet another Tensions also surged briefly last January
sleepless night, ruined social event or
after 11 churches suffered firebomb attacks
delayed work project.
and vandalism after some Muslims were
angered by a court verdict allowing
Even the fortunate few who have private
minorities to use the word „Allah‟ as a
electric back-up through generators are
translation for God. Some Muslims say the
no longer immune as the prolonged
use of „Allah‟ in Christian literature could
unscheduled outages have forced them to
be used to convert Muslims, who comprise
come out of their air-conditioned bubbles
nearly two-thirds of the population.
and join the rest of the sweaty city.
Everyday life is being held hostage by Islam is the official religion of Malaysia, a
the KESC, giving a whole new spin on country where everyone is allowed to
feeling “powerless!” practice their faith freely.

46. Tense about
PRICE PINCH IN THE PHILIPPINES
Private and public motorists have been
feeling the pinch of increasing oil prices in
the Philippines. Diesel prices are up from
P39/L in January 2011 to P49/L as of June 21,
2011.
These additional transport costs have affected
prices of many other essentials for Filipino
household. The majority of Filipinos do not
have the financial resources to indulge in
many luxuries, so when prices go up, it
means basic needs have to be sacrificed to
stay within the constrained budget.
FOOD SAFETY IN TAIWAN…
Food safety issues have been plaguing the region,
and in May it was learnt that chemical additives
were not only being added to drinks and fruit
juices, but also to many children‟s health food
products. This triggered growing anxiety among
many mothers concerned about what was in the
food they were feeding their children.
Mothers lost faith in vendor inspection reports and
took food for testing to labs on their own to be
sure it was safe. According to news reports, the
number of outpatient psychiatric consultations
increased by about 10%, largely due to mothers
who were anxious about the situation.
On Facebook, mothers initiated a program urging
everyone to send a letter to the President
demanding c o m p e n s a t i o n from f o o d
manufacturers, an initiative which gained the
support of 1,300 mothers.
https://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_
213343065364130
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc82kkzo79c

47. Tense about
AND IN SINGAPORE …
It has been two years since China‟s government, reeling from nationwide outrage over melamine-
contaminated baby milk that sickened 300,000 infants and killed at least six, declared food safety a
national priority. Since then, even more ludicrous food scandals have hit global food markets; from
eggs made of gelatin and paraffin, to pork meat tainted with detergent additives and sold as beef, to
recycled buns and exploding watermelons, the occurrences of 'bad food‟ being sold have hit an all-
time high. The result: consumer sentiment in Singapore has hit a low. Some choose to buy only from
trusted importers, while many others now avoid Chinese food products altogether. Given that
Singapore imports over 90% of its food, many are now worried about shortages of select produce.
Food sellers at the wet markets advise locals to select imperfect looking stock over the perfect,
produced-in-China ones – which end up being sold to less financially able customers like construction
workers. Sourcing from alternative suppliers like Australia, Brazil and Thailand will only drive food
prices up, and we can only wait for the uproar that will be inevitable with the next price hike.
EXAM RESULTS IN INDONESIA
May to July is the time of year when students appearing for
exams and their parents face one hurdle after another. For the
past eight years, final exam time in Indonesia has been a
growing source of stress, with neck-at-neck competition between
schools, high tuition fees, tough exams and changing curricula
all adding to the mix.
But more than the kids, it is the adults who are cracking under
pressure. Parents are afraid that their children will not fare well
and not get into their preferred schools. The schools are afraid
they will fall short of the number of graduates required by the
government, resulting in cheating cases involving teachers,
school deans and question paper printing firms.
And then there is the biggest source of tension of all: what is all
of this teaching the students about honesty and integrity?

48. Everyone’s talking
about …
Campaigns & events generating buzz

49. Everyone’s talking about
PRETTY AND PINK IN VIETNAM
Ponds White Beauty launched a music video featuring
Van Mai Huong, Vietnam Idol‟s runner-up from last
season, and the country‟s hottest teen phenomenon of
the moment.
The lyrics are about the benefits of using facial foam for
fairer skin. Many girls in Vietnam still only use water to
cleanse their faces and are uncertain about beauty
products and how to integrate them into their regular
regimen. The „Pinkish White New Day‟ single tells the
facial foam story through Van Mai Huong‟s romance.
The song can be shared with friends through Vietnam‟s
hot teen social networking platform www.zing.vn, which
drives audiences to a Ponds site to learn more about
Ponds White Beauty products.
Watch it at: mp3.zing.vn/pondstranghong
SCANDALOUS SOAP IN THAILAND
The hottest topic in Thailand is Channel 3‟s prime-
time soap opera Dok Dom See Thong or “Golden
Orange Flower”. It‟s about Raya, a girl whose
ambition drives her to the brink of morality and
ethics. It also reflects Thai society‟s typical marriage,
which includes a husband, wife and mistress.
The storyline is simple, the dialogue real and the
desperation of the mistress intense. People are glued
to the screen, as a result of which Bangkok roads are
noticeably less congested on Wednesdays and
Thursdays at the time when it is aired.
There are many critics who disapprove of the
aggression of the story and don‟t feel it is
appropriate for children. The Minister of Culture and
a number of viewers feel that teenagers, especially
girls, will see Raya as a role model, and they have
demanded the show either be suspended or certain
scenes be deleted.
But everyone else is now waiting for the soon-to-
release sequel!

50. Everyone’s talking about
MOVIE INSPIRATION IN CHINA…
The Oppo Smartphone „Find Leonardo‟ series
(minisite: http://www.oppofind.com/) has been
a big draw in China. Leonardo DiCaprio has
put his name to a new product for the Chinese
market – the Oppo Find smartphone. The ad
campaign is highly influenced by the style and
plot of the film Inception as Leonardo
DiCaprio‟s character travels to Paris on a quest
to find a mysterious woman.
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjc0NzU5ND
M2.html
MINI‟s “Chinese Job” driving competition will
take place in 36 cities throughout China over
the course of the next four months. Happening
at MINI dealerships, the event involves
participants taking one of three driving
challenges by the end of August, with regional
finalists squaring off between September 10
and October 10. The national finals will be held
on October 23, and will see drivers compete for
a chance to win a Mini Cooper S, Mini Cooper S
Clubman, or Mini Cooper S Countryman.
TVC:
http://www.minichina.com.cn/mini/cn/zh/mini http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjc3NzY2Mzky.
_race_2011/index.html html
… AND THE BOY WHO STOLE HEARTS
Uudam, the 12-year-old contestant on China’s Got
Talent has been a huge talking point of late after he
sang Mother in my dream, dedicated to his mother
who has passed away.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJJDvh8cIsY

51. Everyone’s talking about
POP PRINCESSES IN JAPAN
AKB 48, a Japanese group of pop idols, has been
dominating recent conversation in the country.
AKB 48 stands for Akihabara, a district in Tokyo
where the group has its own theatre.
There are 48 members in the group, with a
maximum of 16 members making appearances at
a time. There are votes to choose members and
the leader who stands in the center of the group.
The trick is if fans want to vote, they must get a
voting ticket that comes with every CD purchased.
One CD gives you one vote.
Many passionate fans have gone to great lengths
to vote for their favorite idol. One man apparently
purchased 5,500 CDs, valued at US$110,000, so he
could have that many votes! As a result, AKB 48‟s
CD has sold over a million copies, though with the
average purchase size being 30 pieces, the actual
number of users is probably closer to 30,000.
Fan or not, everyone is talking about this social
phenomenon. And with results soon to be
announced, voting is likely to get far more
aggressive.