Asian Centuries Podcast

30/08/2023

Hun Sen has resigned as Cambodia’s prime minister and handed over power to his eldest son. But how did Hun Sen rise to become one of the longest-serving rulers, the prime minister since 1985? How did he go from ”pagoda boy” and Khmer Rouge cadre to an Asian statesman and one of the world's longest-ruling leaders?

To discuss Hun Sen's rise and his accumulation of power, I'm joined by Sebastian Strangio, a journalist and the author of the definitive book on Hun Sen’s life, "Hun Sen's Cambodia". We discuss Hun Sen's early life; when and why he joined the Khmer Rouge; his rise to power in 1985; how he consolidated power afterward; his use of historical narratives; and his legacy.

Today, a new prime minister takes power in Cambodia for the first time in decades. Hun Sen, in charge since 1985, making him one of the world’s longest-servi...

30/08/2023

Hanging was a form of punishment inherited from British colonialists, and Singapore kept the hangman's noose after it became independent in 1965. More than a dozen people have been killed since the country resumed hangings in March 2022 after a two-year hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are thought to be 50 people currently on death row.
Kirsten Han joined Asian Centuries to discuss the use of the death penalty in colonial times, the focus on drugs after independence, what Singaporeans think about state-led executions, and whether the tide of history in Asia is turning against capital punishment.

Hanging was a form of punishment during British colonial times, and Singapore kept it on the books once it became independent in 1965. During the 1970s, as p...

28/08/2023

What was Cambodia like in the 1970s that allowed the genocidal Khmer Rouge to come to power?

To listen to the whole podcast episode 👉 https://linktr.ee/asiancenturies

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/XZTGFokNi5o

What was Cambodia like in the 1970s that allowed the genocidal Khmer Rouge to come to power? To listen to the whole podcast episode 👉 https:...

26/08/2023

ON THIS DAY, in 1642, as part of the 65-year Dutch–Portuguese War, was the Second Battle of San Salvador. The Dutch forced a Spanish garrison at San Salvador (Keelung, Taiwan) to surrender, replacing the short-lived Spanish colony on Formosa with a new Dutch administration.

24/08/2023

This week, Hun Sen resigned as Cambodia’s prime minister and handed over power to his eldest son. But how did Hun Sen rise to become one of the longest-serving rulers, the prime minister since 1985? How did he go from ”pagoda boy” and Khmer Rouge cadre to a Asian statesman?

‎Show Asian Centuries, Ep 1. The Life And Times Of Hun Sen - 21 Aug 2023

24/08/2023

This week, Hun Sen resigned as Cambodia’s prime minister and handed over power to his eldest son. But how did Hun Sen rise to become one of the longest-serving rulers, the prime minister since 1985? How did he go from ”pagoda boy” and Khmer Rouge cadre to a Asian statesman?

Today, a new prime minister takes power in Cambodia for the first time in decades. Hun Sen, in charge since 1985, making him one of the world’s longest-servi...

23/09/2022

23/09/2022