James Clark
LightNews LightNews
banner
nomadicnotes.bsky.social
James Clark
@nomadicnotes.bsky.social
530 followers 350 following 290 posts
Aussie in Southeast Asia (mainly Vietnam and Thailand)
Travel blog https://www.nomadicnotes.com
Transport and urban development https://futuresoutheastasia.com
Travel newsletter https://www.thetravelwire.net/
#travel #southeastasia
Posts Replies Media Videos
nomadicnotes.bsky.social
Centuries-old shipwreck exposed on Vietnam beach after storm Kalmaegi
news.tuoitre.vn/centuries-ol...
Centuries-old shipwreck exposed on Vietnam beach after storm Kalmaegi
The Hoi An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Center has submitted a report on the current condition and preliminary findings regarding a shipwreck believed to be of historical significance in Da Na...
news.tuoitre.vn
November 11, 2025 at 7:07 AM
nomadicnotes.bsky.social
Vietnam also needs to consider redenomination

"Indonesia plans a bill to redenominate rupiah currency"
www.businesstimes.com.sg/internationa...
Indonesia plans a bill to redenominate rupiah currency
[JAKARTA] Indonesia’s finance ministry said it is planning a new bill to redenominate the rupiah in an effort to improve economic efficiency, maintain stability and improve the currency’s credibility....
www.businesstimes.com.sg
November 9, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Reposted by James Clark
anildash.com
Ten things I took away from one remarkable, history-making moment. Turn the volume up. www.anildash.com/2025/11/05/t...
Turn the volume up. - Anil Dash
A blog about making culture. Since 1999.
www.anildash.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:30 PM
nomadicnotes.bsky.social
Japan's decorated trucks face 'extinction' but fans and truckies are trying to bring them back
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
Why these famous Japanese trucks are at risk of 'extinction'
The dekotora, large decorated trucks covered in colour and bright lights, were once a common sight across Japan. Now they are fighting for survival.
www.abc.net.au
November 7, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Reposted by James Clark
mymodernmet.bsky.social
Renzo Piano has designed a stunning performing arts center situated between two lakes in Hanoi. trib.al/0N3FW2I
Renzo Piano’s Floating Performance Center in Hanoi Is Shaped Like a Mother of Pearl
This performance center is now under construction. What do you think of it?
trib.al
November 7, 2025 at 4:48 AM
nomadicnotes.bsky.social
Karen community fighting corn and coal for clean air in northern Thailand
news.mongabay.com/2025/11/kare...
Karen community fighting corn and coal for clean air in northern Thailand
MAE CHAM/OMKOI, Thailand — Rain lashed down in the northern Thai village of Nong Krating as Sawattiphon Wongkasettakon described the worsening air pollution that sweeps in through the mountains here e...
news.mongabay.com
November 6, 2025 at 11:26 AM
nomadicnotes.bsky.social
A country in a cup: understanding Vietnam’s coffee journey
www.eastside.asia/articles/a-c...
A country in a cup: understanding Vietnam’s coffee journey — Vietnam ✦ eastside.asia
I used to tell friends that every good thing in Vietnam was down an alley and up a flight of stairs. But my first encounter with Vietnamese coffee took place right on the sidewalk, across from a cathe...
www.eastside.asia
October 28, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Reposted by James Clark
futuresoutheastasia.com
The last days of the DDR Apartments of Vinh
news.futuresoutheastasia.com/p/ddr-apartm...
October 27, 2025 at 9:02 AM
nomadicnotes.bsky.social
East Timor formally admitted to ASEAN in the group’s first expansion since the 1990s
www.independent.co.uk/news/kuala-l...
East Timor formally admitted to ASEAN in the group’s first expansion since the 1990s
East Timor has been formally admitted into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in the group’s first expansion since the 1990s
www.independent.co.uk
October 26, 2025 at 3:10 AM
nomadicnotes.bsky.social
Introducing my latest travel website, @railvietnam.bsky.social. This guide covers every train line in Vietnam, station information, and how to buy tickets.
www.nomadicnotes.com/rail-vietnam/
October 25, 2025 at 8:11 AM
nomadicnotes.bsky.social
Old Phnom Penh Airport to be Transformed into A Park
kiripost.com/stories/old-...
October 21, 2025 at 12:15 AM
nomadicnotes.bsky.social
I have started a new website at @railvietnam.bsky.social , so follow me there for more Vietnam rail content!

This month I am getting the train from Da Nang to Hanoi to get more stock photos for this new site. Here is the rail bridge in Hue.
Train crossing an old rail bridge in Hue, Vietnam
October 20, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Reposted by James Clark
connla-stokes.bsky.social
If you need a Sunday afternoon/ evening read...

About Kipling, imperialism, a consequential British intervention in Vietnam -- and more.

connla.substack.com/p/kipling-in...
Kipling in Saigon - and his curious afterlife in Vietnam
Once upon a time, Saigon had streets named after several Britons, including Rudyard Kipling. Naturally, I had to find out why, and the digging led me down a curious trail of imperial folly and regret
connla.substack.com
October 19, 2025 at 11:57 AM
nomadicnotes.bsky.social
More than a Powerful Symbol: The Importance of Lotus for Mekong Delta Women and Ecosystems
saigoneer.com/saigon-envir...
More than a Powerful Symbol: The Importance of Lotus for Mekong Delta Women and Ecosystems | Saigoneer
Women in the Mekong Delta face numerous challenges, including limited access to educational opportunities and agricultural occupations threatened by the effects of climate change. A source of hope in ...
saigoneer.com
October 15, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Reposted by James Clark
connla-stokes.bsky.social
In the mid 60s, the revered British illustrator Gerald Scarfe took his sharp eye – and sharper pen – to Vietnam, capturing the madness (and sadness) of war with dark wit and brutal honesty. Here’s what I found out about his time in Saigon and beyond.

open.substack.com/pub/connla/p...
Somewhat forgotten visitors to Vietnam Episode #714: Gerald Scarfe (1967-1968)
The British illustrator Gerald Scarfe came to Vietnam for about a year in the mid 1960s. Here's what I know about his time in the country, which he toured with the journalist Richard West.
open.substack.com
October 11, 2025 at 12:43 PM
nomadicnotes.bsky.social
Australian bird of the year 2025: vote now for your favourite
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
#birdoftheyear
Australian bird of the year 2025: vote for your favourite #birdoftheyear in the Guardian / BirdLife Australia poll
From little penguins to (very big) cassowaries, every bird has its fans. Vote for your favourite in the 2025 Guardian/BirdLife Australia poll
www.theguardian.com
October 10, 2025 at 5:02 AM
nomadicnotes.bsky.social
Hanoi breaks ground on metro line tunneling beneath Old Quarter
e.vnexpress.net/news/news/tr...
Hanoi breaks ground on metro line tunneling beneath Old Quarter - VnExpress International
Hanoi began construction Thursday on the Nam Thang Long–Tran Hung Dao metro line, a 10.9 km route, with 8.9 km running underground through the heart of the city's Old Quarter.
e.vnexpress.net
October 10, 2025 at 3:11 AM
nomadicnotes.bsky.social
Notes on Bao Loc – Like Da Lat as it once was
www.nomadicnotes.com/notes-on-bao...
October 9, 2025 at 5:20 AM
nomadicnotes.bsky.social
‘You’re going about your day and suddenly see a little Godzilla’: Bangkok reckons with a giant lizard boom
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘You’re going about your day and suddenly see a little Godzilla’: Bangkok reckons with a giant lizard boom
Viral videos have shifted public opinion about water monitors, long held in contempt in Thai culture, even as rising numbers of the reptiles pose problems for residents
www.theguardian.com
September 16, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Reposted by James Clark
futuresoutheastasia.com
Chiang Mai Metro System – Reviewing the routes of the 3 proposed transit lines
news.futuresoutheastasia.com/p/chiang-mai...
Chiang Mai Metro System – Reviewing the routes of the 3 proposed transit lines
Chiang Mai is planning to build a 3-line urban rail transit system that will be the first provincial subway in Thailand. I visited the locations of every station of the proposed first line, and I revi...
news.futuresoutheastasia.com
September 15, 2025 at 7:37 AM
nomadicnotes.bsky.social
Riding the rails: Malaysia rediscovers allure of train travel
www.straitstimes.com/multimedia/g...
Riding the rails: Malaysia rediscovers allure of train travel
Once neglected in favour of planes and cars, Malaysia’s trains are enjoying a quiet resurgence.
www.straitstimes.com
September 13, 2025 at 2:50 AM
nomadicnotes.bsky.social
Revisit the Colorful, Diverse Universe of Multinational Xe Đò in 1990s Saigon
saigoneer.com/saigon-herit...
September 12, 2025 at 1:43 PM
nomadicnotes.bsky.social
From Indonesia to Nepal, anime pirate flag has become symbol of Asian Gen Z’s discontent
www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia...
From Indonesia to Nepal, anime pirate flag has become symbol of Asian Gen Z’s discontent
Its rise reflects how Indonesia’s unrest has captured global attention, experts tell The Straits Times. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.
www.straitstimes.com
September 12, 2025 at 7:48 AM
nomadicnotes.bsky.social
More covered walkways for Bangkok.
"This covered walkway will connect the Lumpini MRT station to the Chong Nonsi Skywalk, spanning more than 1.6 kilometres."
www.nationthailand.com/thailand/ban...
BMA to open covered walkway on South Sathorn, linking two stations by 2025
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is progressing with its smart city initiative, set to unveil a covered walkway that will connect two train stations, ready for use by the end of 2025.
www.nationthailand.com
September 5, 2025 at 7:50 AM
nomadicnotes.bsky.social
Notes on Sri Racha – The Little Osaka of Thailand
www.nomadicnotes.com/notes-on-sri...
September 4, 2025 at 11:56 AM