In Southeast Asia, they say "Vietnamese plant rice, Cambodians look at rice, and Lao listen to rice. It's the main food for everyone's day to day life.Luang Prabang, Laos 2006
Buddhism is a deep philosophical practice in the region. You would see monks like this on the streets and in temples.Luang Prabang, Laos 2006
Monk school is normaly free of tuitions, and provide the best education in the nation. Only if you can refrain from luxuarious modern lifestyle, this could be the best educational deal.Siem Reap, Cambodia 2007
Yet the traditional philosophy of Buddhism and rapidly imported capitalistic way of life co-exists in fine balance. You would see many young monks like these in a market of electronics and modern gadgets, or on motorbikes or on their cellphones.Bangkok, Thailand 2007
In this region of booming tourism, education and health care is long-forgotten issue for any government. Children's opportunities are extremely limited.Poum Steung Village, Cambodia 2007
Children often bring their palms together they speak to you or listen to you talk. It's the way deeply rooted in the region and their religeous practice to show respect to others.Poum Steung Village, Cambodia 2007
Some schools are in worse condition than others. This one, for example, doesn't have desks or chairs, doesn't have any money to hire teachers. Still, the children come gather at school building every day hoping for the day when the school becomes finaly active.Tram Sorsor Village, Cambodia 2007
Childeren take half-day classes so they can work to help their family for the other half of the day. There is no electricity, no proper sewage and no books or notebooks for the kids. 4 teachers look over 200 kids of 5-11 years old. Once the children finish the 5 years here there's little guarantee for their continuing education.Poum Steung Village, Cambodia 2007
Children would alternate morning classes and afternoon classes so that everyone can get to their school breakfast every other occasion. Rice and Fish donated from foreign countries, kick in some energy for the kids to get through the day.Poum Steung Village, Cambodia 2007
children love to be photographed. only in my case, I wasn't taking digital photos, so when the kids got all excited and came around to see the back of my camera, there was no picture of them to see. those who travel and take digital photos, please share the pictures with locals if you are taking their photos.Luang Prabang, Laos 2006
the first person I met in Cambodia. As I walked across the small border north of the country from Thailand, all I could see is a straw hut strip of souvenier stands and children like him. No school or hospital in the area.Choam, Cambodia 2007
children go to school for half of the day, and help their family's work for the other half of the day. taking cows to feeding is important part of this community's cycle, where the cows can fertilize the soil for the next rice season.Poum Steung Village, Cambodia 2007
cows transport people and merchandise, fertilize the rice field, give you milk and meat. having one cow is a luxuary amoungs farmers.Kabbar Kropoo Village, Cambodia 2007
moo! so unafraid yet so cautious. graceful munching time is not to be distracted.Phnom Krom, Cambodia 2007
as I woke out of my meditation on the beach, I saw a cow walking on it from far away. Most unexpected place to run into such a beautiful creature like this.Koh Samui, Thailand 2007
Train station in Battambang, the second largest Cambodian city, has become a hangout joint for homeless children. "Hello" they say, in English. "Hello, what's your name?" I ask, then they reply, "Hello, what's your name?" for them, speaking little English they know is more the way of survival than education. some Khmer kids can beg in 7 languages while they can't read or write their own language.Battambang, Cambodia 2007
Great Meckong starts runing from China through Laos and Cambodia, then out to the delta down in southern Vietnam.While Laos have only one paved highway, the water way is still some of their most developed system of transportation.
Luang Prabang, Laos 2007
Cambodia's National Highway 6. It connects from Phoipet, the shady border town coming from Bangkok, Thailand, to Cambodia's tourism capital Siem Reap. the condition of this road is unimaginable. I have learned that, Bangkok airways, who monopolizes flights from Bangkok to Siem Reap, is paying off the Cambodian government officials to delay the road work of this route 6. Dust, mud, holes in the road and perpetual tourism scam will exhaust you before you get to Angkor Wat.Sisophone, Cambodia 2007
these little 100cc scooters 'motos' are everywhere. watch when you cross the street, they keep coming, honking like buzzing wasps.Hanoi, Vietnam 2006
after Khmer Rouge killed all the musicians, doctors and teachers in the country in 70's, traditional music is slowly returning to orphanes, handicapped and landmine victimes. with supports from local temples and NGO's these fortunate few can experience the joy of playing music.Siem Reap, 2007
sunset over the Bang Po beach. I have been fasting for several days by now, here at Health Oasis resort away from booming toursim of the whole region.Koh Samui, Thailand 2006
we canoed through misty skinny islands of Ha Long bay, landed on this tiny empty island with nobody on it. all we found was this mysterious Dali-esque table and chairs.Ha Long bay, Vietnam 2006
my brother Tez on icy lake Kawaguchi, with Mt. Fuji behind him.Yamanashi, Japan 2004
I am heas you are he
as you are me
and we are all together
bliss
Bangkok, Thailand 2007
