The Best Episodes of Asia Insight Season 4

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   #1 - Retail Revolution: Philippines

   S4:E11/2/2015

   A social entrepreneur in the Philippines is engineering a grassroots revolution in the retail industry. His group is working with small neighborhood shops known as sari-sari stores. These vendors supply millions of Filipinos with their daily essentials. Most sari-sari operators are women trying to supplement family incomes, but they often struggle to make a profit. In this episode of Asia Insight, we follow the group's trainers as they help the shopkeepers turn their businesses around - and leverage the power of networking.

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   #2 - Spreading Light with Plastic Bottles

   S4:E21/9/2015

   In impoverished areas of the Philippines, many households cannot afford electricity and don't use their lights. As the homes are so densely packed, they block sunlight and remain in darkness even during the day. Illac Diaz is a social entrepreneur who is striving to help those in this situation by promoting the use of an ingenious method of lighting using plastic bottles. This episode of Asia Insight focuses on his project and the lives of those who struggle to find adequate sources of lighting in the Philippines.

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   #3 - Thailand's Low Carbon Vision

   S4:E31/23/2015

   Thailand's CO2 emissions have reached a staggering 310 million tons per year, mostly due to heavy traffic in urban areas and smog-spewing factories. At the 2014 COP20 climate change conference in Peru, the country boldly announced its plans to reduce CO2 emissions by between 7% and 20% before 2020, in line with its ambitions of becoming the industrial center of Asia. Many companies have already begun following the government's lead, by investing in modern facilities and switching to new fuels and materials. Members of the public are also doing their part with some people making products from waste that would otherwise be incinerated. In this episode, we follow Thailand's efforts on the frontline of greenhouse gas reduction.

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   #4 - Escaping Poverty: Brick Workers in Bangladesh

   S4:E41/30/2015

   Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and is famous as the world's most densely populated city. More and more international companies are making inroads into the market in pursuit of cheap labour and although the country is experiencing rapid economic growth - an average of 6% every year - Bangladesh still remains one of the poorest nations in Asia. Dhaka's port bustles with migrants coming in from rural areas in search of work. Outside the city, however, life is hard with not enough farming work to go round. But with increased construction in the city, the demand for brick exceeds the supply. Is this a chance for the people of Bangladesh to escape poverty and look forward to a life of more abundance?

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   #5 - Prayers for Aceh: A Decade after the Indian Ocean Tsunami

   S4:E52/6/2015

   On December 26, 2004, a massive 9.1-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, triggering an enormous tsunami. About 220,000 people died and missing in 14 countries. Aceh, a province in the north of Sumatra, was very close to the epicentre. The dead and missing there numbered 170,000, and over 400,000 people lost their homes. Mr. Lukman sold precious metals in Banda Aceh. When the tsunami hit, Lukman's wife Susilowati was visiting her parents' home; her husband was in their store. When Mr. Lukman finally reached their village hours later, their home had vanished, and their 3 children were nowhere to be found. 10 years later, Mr. Lukman and his wife are still haunted by memories of their children, crying as they remember them. The people of Aceh agree that the biggest change since the tsunami is the arrival of peace.

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   #6 - Vietnamese Chase their Dreams in Laos

   S4:E62/13/2015

   Laos has enjoyed constant economic growth averaging over 7.5% over the past 10 years. This has created new jobs and a demand for various types of workers, resulting in an influx of tens of thousands of migrants from neighboring Vietnam. Many Vietnamese see Laos' rapid growth as a golden opportunity for success, especially with the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community and the region's economic integration expected later this year. We follow several Vietnamese migrants in Laos as they search for wealth and prosperity.

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   #7 - Shoes for Everyone: Bhutan

   S4:E72/20/2015

   Bhutan is still one of the world's Least Developed Countries and many people in rural areas only own one pair of shoes and cannot afford to replace them when they are worn out. With the support of many volunteers, shoe-repair-shop owner, Dawa Dakpa, has been collecting, cleaning and repairing old shoes and distributing them all over the country free of charge. His goal is to make sure that everyone in the country will never have to go without proper footwear. In this episode of Asia Insight, we follow his tireless efforts to achieve this.

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   #8 - Finding the Missing Elderly: Zhejiang, China

   S4:E83/6/2015

   China's one-child policy has contributed to a rapid greying of the population. This has led to an increase in senile dementia, a condition in which memory and thinking skills decline so severely, that the ability to perform everyday activities becomes extremely difficult. Many elderly citizens have started wandering off and going missing with some disappearing altogether. Volunteer groups and the government have started taking action, in a bid to locate and reunite such seniors with their families. In this episode, we follow China's efforts to find its missing aging citizens.

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   #9 - Islamic Fashion: In Vogue

   S4:E93/13/2015

   Indonesia is home to 240 million people, 90% of whom are Muslim. Right now, Islamic fashion is very much in vogue, especially among the younger generation. Shopping malls in the capital city of Jakarta have more and more shops selling clothing and accessories, while websites specializing in Islamic fashion are enjoying big success. This program takes a close look at the work and life of Ria Miranda, and investigates the reasons why Islamic fashion is enjoying such a burst of popularity in Indonesia and beyond.

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    #10 - The World's Largest Kung Fu School

    S4:E103/20/2015

    Kung Fu or Chinese martial arts have become a way for many youngsters from rural parts of China to escape from poverty. They enter academies in and around the mythical Shaolin Temple and train in a severe environment, miles away from their families and homes. Graduates typically go on to become police officers, military personnel, bodyguards or even movie actors. In this episode, we follow one 14-year-old trainee who is fighting for his dream of joining China's special police force and one day supporting his parents.

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    #11 - Women Mean Business in Papua New Guinea

    S4:E113/27/2015

    As its economy develops, the women of Papua New Guinea are becoming more enterprising and starting to play a wider role in society. The government feels that women are central to the country's future and have begun providing financial assistance to help females get started in business. The ventures women undertake are diverse, ranging from coffin decoration to hotel ownership. In this episode, we follow the female entrepreneurs of Papua New Guinea, as they forge new roads ahead.

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    #12 - New Challenges for an Aging Society: Singapore

    S4:E124/3/2015

    By 2016, more than 14% of Singapore's population will be over the age of 65 and with a birthrate of just 1.19%, there is an urgent need to create a new social system to cope with this ageing society. Both government schemes and private sector investment are being put into place to create new opportunities for the elderly. On this episode of Asia Insight, we take a look at how Singapore is challenging its aging society.

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    #13 - Public Transport Taipei Style

    S4:E134/10/2015

    Bright orange bicycles have become an increasingly common sight in Taiwan's biggest city, Taipei. They're all part of YouBike, the public bike sharing system introduced by the city's Department of Transportation to combat traffic congestion, global warming and energy issues. There are now around 6,000 bikes in service, with over 160 rental stations. Since its official launch in 2012, YouBike users have continued to climb. The total number of rentals has exceeded 40 million in just over 2 years. That translates to 11 users per bike per day - far more than user numbers in France and the U.K. where bike sharing systems have long been in operation. What's behind Taipei's success? We examine the efforts and initiatives of the city's transportation department and the company contracted to run the service - Taiwan's largest bicycle manufacturer. We'll also reveal the diverse ways in which the public has embraced the service.

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    #14 - China's Fight against Counterfeit Products

    S4:E145/1/2015

    China is known all over the world for its counterfeit goods, with millions of tourists taking home fake products from the country as souvenirs every year. But, as the nation's reputation for phony merchandise continues to grow, some people are standing up against unscrupulous vendors and are trying to make a change. In this episode, we follow China's Counterfeit Hunters in their quest to protect consumers and raise the quality of products made in China.

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    #15 - Living with Agent Orange

    S4:E155/8/2015

    40 years after the Vietnam War, a painful legacy of the jungle fighting continues to inflict suffering. The toxic defoliant Agent Orange - sprayed by the US and South Vietnamese forces - damaged the minds and bodies of civilians and soldiers. The Vietnamese government acknowledges at least 300,000 victims. With 3rd and 4th generations being affected, that figure keeps growing. In this episode, we follow the Dao family as it struggles to survive a war that never ends.

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    #16 - Leading the Way for Gay Marriage: Vietnam

    S4:E165/15/2015

    Vietnam has emerged as one of the most gay-friendly nations in Southeast Asia after recently ending a ban on same-sex marriage. In a country, which used to treat homosexuality as a sin on par with crime and prostitution, it's a significant change of direction. Gay-friendly businesses are becoming less taboo and new enterprises targeting homosexuals are beginning to emerge. They range from wedding planners to hotels and restaurants. In this episode, we look at the changing attitudes towards gay people in Vietnam as the country begins to embrace its homosexual population.

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    #17 - Vietnam War: Young Men in an Old Film

    S4:E175/22/2015

    An old film reel is uncovered. Shot by a Japanese news agency, it shows a village in North Vietnam sending its young men off to war. Who are they? What were they thinking as they left for the battlefield? The undocumented footage offers no clues - except a possible timeframe: It was taken sometime around 1971. 40 years after the end of the Vietnam War, our Asia Insight crew set out to find the young men in the film.

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    #18 - Vietnam's New Distribution Hub

    S4:E185/29/2015

    Da Nang, Vietnam is located directly between the capital of Hanoi and the economic metropolis of Ho Chi Minh. The city has long prospered as a trading base between the east and west and thanks to the opening of the East West Economic Corridor, a road that cuts through Southeast Asia from Vietnam, Laos, Thailand to Myanmar, Da Nang has undergone a dramatic economic transformation. It now has the potential to become one of the largest distribution base in Southeast Asia. On this episode of Asia Insight, we take a look at how these new developments are benefiting the business people of Da Nang.

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    #19 - Cambodia's Mother of Disabled Children

    S4:E196/12/2015

    Phalla Neang has been teaching young people with visual and hearing impairments in Cambodia for over 20 years. She began her work in a Thai refugee camp after fleeing Cambodia's Pol Pot regime in the late 1970's. She's known as the mother of education for disabled children, and is the head teacher of several schools run by a foundation that offers disabled youngsters an inclusive education program. We follow her in her tireless efforts to provide a quality and fair education.

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    #20 - Learning English in the Philipines

    S4:E206/19/2015

    English language education for students from overseas is now a huge industry in the Philippines. In Cebu City, the country's 2nd largest metropolis, there are currently more than 200 schools with thousands of young students enrolled from all over Asia. Parents of Southeast Asian students in particular are attracted to the low fees. They also feel that as their home countries become richer, their children will have more opportunities to work abroad in an English speaking environment. Our crew follows the fortunes of a young Vietnamese student and a popular teacher.

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    #21 - A Tough Test for Silk Road Merchants

    S4:E216/26/2015

    The Dordoi Bazaar in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek is Eurasia's largest. It is a key way-stop on the route by which Chinese products travel to Russia and Central Asia. But the bazaar faces major change, as Kyrgyzstan joins the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) led by Russia. Before, import and export taxes were very low, and the intermediary trade of the bazaar blossomed. Having joined the EEU, however, import tariffs on Chinese products are expected to soar, which will have a massive impact on sales. Merchants are troubled, with some choosing to downsize their business, or close up shop altogether. As China's "One Belt, One Road" strategy unfolds, and the country turns its attention to Central Asia, small landlocked Kyrgyzstan is stuck between 2 giants. By looking at the Dordoi Bazaar, we'll examine the pressures faced by merchants throughout Kyrgyzstan.

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    #22 - Innovative Farming in Singapore

    S4:E227/3/2015

    The small, yet affluent city-state of Singapore, on the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. Occupying an area of just 710 square kilometers, the population already exceeds 5.4 million and is expected to grow even further due to migration from overseas. Only 1% of the country's land is used for agriculture, making Singapore dependent upon imports for 90% of its food. To combat this problem, businessmen have come together with the government to develop new and inventive agricultural techniques. Such innovations include rooftop farms in the city, and indoor greenhouses and vertical farming in more rural areas. In this episode of "Asia Insight", we follow the progress of new agricultural innovations in the urban state of Singapore.

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    #23 - The Battle against Legal Abandonment

    S4:E237/17/2015

    The Central Asian Republic of Kazakhstan is seeing an unending stream of 'legally' abandoned children. As many as 2,000 infants are relinquished every year in accordance with a family law that seems to reflect the nation's socialist history. The number is particularly high in the capital of Astana where large-scale development is attracting people from the regions coming in search of work. Many babies resulting from encounters between such men and women end up being legally abandoned. The program delves into this troubling social problem by looking at a children's home for "relinquished" infants and a mothers' home for solo mothers who have decided to keep their babies.

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    #24 - China's Car Models Clean-up

    S4:E247/24/2015

    Xi Jinping, the Chinese President, recently expressed concerns over a culture of vulgarity that was taking root in the country. This led to self-regulations by certain industries - the most noticeable being the sudden ban of models at the Shanghai auto show, which had a reputation for using scantily dressed females. This move tarnished the image of modeling in China altogether and many girls found themselves out of work. In this episode, we follow a model, an agent and an auto show PR Director who are trying to restore and change people's perceptions of modeling in China.

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    #25 - Retail Revolution - Philippines

    S4:E257/31/2015

    A social entrepreneur in the Philippines is engineering a grassroots revolution in the retail industry. His group is working with small neighborhood shops known as sari-sari stores. These vendors supply millions of Filipinos with their daily essentials. Most sari-sari operators are women trying to supplement family incomes, but they often struggle to make a profit. In this episode of Asia Insight, we follow the group's trainers as they help the shopkeepers turn their businesses around - and leverage the power of networking.

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