Since winning Lao’s Close Up Music Award in 2006, Nalin Daravong’s singing career has gone from strength to strength. After signing with Indee Records, the 21-year-old released her eponymous debut album in 2008, which stayed at the top of the Lao charts for many months. Her music echoes punk, 1950s rock and roll and sounds from the Caribbean.

The second speaker on the Bridges programme, Hong Kong actor, filmmaker and producer Jackie Chan, has worked tirelessly for humanitarian causes for years and is a Unicef and UNAids goodwill ambassador.

Phnom Penh’s nightlife scene has had an injection of cash and a facelift in style during recent months.

Celebrated atheist Richard Dawkins reveals his respect for Darwin, his reasons for disliking religion in any shape or form and why one percent of him still can’t let go.

Nearly 200 years after the birth of Louis Braille, the alphabet of raised dots he created, commonly known as Braille, is still in regular use by 150m blind people around the world.

As one of the world’s oldest belief systems, Buddhism has touched everyone from warrior kings to film stars.

Fitness enthusiasts and charity supporters can put on their running shoes and hit the steps for the 11th Banyan Tree Vertical Marathon. Supporting the Hiv Formula Feeding Fund, which provides babies of HIV-positive mothers with specially formulated milk, contestants will run up 1,093 steps from the main entrance of the Banyan Tree Bangkok to the finishing line at the Vertigo Grill and Moon Bar on the hotel’s 61st floor. Conducted every year since 1999, the organisers hope to add to the $88,000 already collected for the fund. The run takes place on September 20, from 6am-12pm, and the registration fee is 250 baht ($10).

Anyone who wishes to participate can register online by September 18 at www.banyantree.com