Visual Essays
CHINA | KAZAKHSTAN | MYANMAR | CAMBODIA
Photographs taken during our research team's field trips offer insights into the role and impact of emerging digital technologies
Connected Worlds: Mobile Tech in
Asian Economies
Mobile technology shapes everyday life across Central and Southeast Asia, blending global influence with local adaptation. This essay offers a glimpse into this diversity through photos of Kazakhstan’s phone markets showcasing global brands, Cambodia’s street stalls offering low-spec phones and repair services, and Myanmar’s specialised stores featuring innovative gadgets and second-hand products.
A phone market store in Almaty displays accessories from global mobile brands Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/July-2022
A placard in Russian advertises repair services for multiple mobile brands. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/July-2022
Vendors pack items to be shipped at the phone market in Almaty. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/July-2022
Men repair mobile phones at a street stall in Cambodia. Photo: Elisa Oreglia/March-2018
Low-spec phones and SIM cards are displayed at a vending stall in Cambodia. Photo: Elisa Oreglia/June-2018
Placards display Facebook account details at a market stall in Cambodia. Photo: Elisa Oreglia/March-2018
An inflatable figure of Oppo's brand mascot stands outside a mobile phone store in Cambodia. Photo: Elisa Oreglia/March-2018
Mobile market in factory area in Cambodia. Photo: Elisa Oreglia/April-2018
Mobile market in Cambodia. Photo: Elisa Oreglia/April-2024
A stall displays a placard with WeChat account details in Cambodia. Photo: Elisa Oreglia/April-2024
A mobile accessories store in Yangon, Myanmar, featuring mobile cases and accessories from China. Photo: Thant Sin Oo/May-2021
Corridors showcase mobile cases from China inside the store in Yangon, Myanmar. Photo: Thant Sin Oo/June-2024
A gadget in the shape of mobile phone case for “a warm coaster”. Photo: Thant Sin Oo/ June-2024
'My Device, My Life' placard in an outlet of Chinese gadgets brand Remax in Yangon, Myanmar. Photo: Thant Sin Oo/ June-2024
Gadget displayed in a mobile store. Photo: Thant Sin Oo/May-2021
'Premium Digital Life' placard in a store selling gadgets from the Hoco brand from China in Yangon, Myanmar. Photo: Thant Sin Oo/ June-2024
A second-hand mobile shop in Mandalay, Myanmar. Photo: Thant Sin Oo/November-2023
Aqkol: A Smart-City
of Contrasts in Kazakhstan
Selected as a prototype for Kazakhstan's future smart cities, Aqkol offers a striking blend of old and new. Its landscape juxtaposes Soviet-era buildings, rural outskirts, and ageing vehicles with a cutting-edge data centre designed to optimise traffic management and security, and monitor household utility consumption.
Passengers walk on a platform of the Aqkol train station where a train waits for departure to Astana. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
Old and new cars are parked on a paved street of Aqkol. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
Unpaved roads on the outskirts of Aqkol on the way to the Aqkol Smart City Situational Center. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
A 24/7 monitored area en route to the Aqkol Smart City Situational Center. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
The Kazakhtelecom building housing the Aqkol Smart City Situational Center. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
Inside the Aqkol Smart City Situational Center, a board displays demonstrations of various smart sensors installed in homes throughout Aqkol. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
Duty officers monitor traffic and other data on the screens at the Aqkol Smart City Situational Center. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
'I Love Akkol' sign features near one of the few traffic lights in the town. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
Building showcases wall graffiti of a couple pointing to the sky near a banner advertising Kazakhstani Air Forces. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
Workers install traffic lights in the centre of Aqkol. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
Along the Silk Road: heritage and hospitality in Uzbekistan
During a visit to Uzbekistan for the Central Eurasian Studies Society conference, our team explored the vibrant capital of Tashkent and the historic city of Samarkand. From bustling markets to stunning architecture, each image tells a story of the country's unique heritage on the historic Silk Road and the warm hospitality of its people.
The wall of the 15th-century Bibi Khanym Mosque with a man and a boy on a bicycle in Samarkand. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /June-2022
Uzbek women in front of the 15-th century Amir Temur Mausoleum in Samarkand. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova / June-2022
Group photo in the 12th-century Shah-i-Zinda memorial complex in Samarkand. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova / June-2022
Buyers of traditional Uzbek ceramics at the Siab Bazaar in Samarkand. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova / June-2022
Uzbek flatbread sold at the Siab Bazaar in Samarkand. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /June-2022
Boys and girls looking at Registan Square in Samarkand. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /June-2022
Spectators watching the light show at Registan Square in Samarkand. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /June-2022
Men chatting at the nuts and dried fruits stall at Chorsu Bazaar in Tashkent. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /June-2022
Waiters preparing plates of plov at Besh Qozon restaurant in Tashkent. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /June-2022
A boy selling watermelons at a stall at the entrance to Chorsu Bazaar in Tashkent. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /June-2022
Paintings of Uzbekistan in front of a door in the souvenir shop quarter in Tashkent. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /June-2022
Women taking a photo in front of the “Love” sign at Tashkent City Park. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /June-2022
Boys riding a cart pulled by a donkey in Samarkand. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /June-2022
Tangled cities:
Visible infrastructures
of Digital Expansion
From high-rises in Astana to the tangled cables of Phnom Penh and an abandoned development project in Yangon, these photographs capture both the ambitions and challenges in these rapidly evolving cityscapes. Explore the physical infrastructures that illustrate the entanglements between digital expansion and urban development.
Newly built high-rises in the centre of Astana. Photo: Oyuna Badakova/August 2022
Unfinished Light Rail Transit (LRT) in Astana. Photo: Oyuna Badakova/August 2022
Tangle of aerial cables, Phnom Penh. Photo: Elisa Oreglia/October 2023
Power telephone and fiber cables, Phnom Penh. Photo: Elisa Oreglia/October 2023
Universal power socket in Myanmar. Photo: Mo/April 2024
Tangle of aerial cables next to a mobile phone accessories shop, Mandalay, Myanmar. Photo: Mo/February 2024
Fibre internet box on the street, Yangon, Myanmar. Photo: Mo/May 2024
Tangled internet and electric cables and an electric transformer on the street, Yangon, Myanmar. Photo: Mo/May 2024
Abandoned development project beside a railway in the city centre, Yangon, Myanmar. Photo: Mo/May 2024
Scan the Day:
Digital Living in
Almaty and Astana
Life in Kazakhstan's major cities is highly digitised — living well without a smartphone is nearly impossible. Explore a collection of photos illustrating the digital side of daily life, from grocery shopping and transportation payments to sightseeing and accessing government services through QR codes
Fruit and vegetable stall displays phone placards for mobile payments in Almaty. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/July-2022
Banner with a QR code for the Magnum Go grocery delivery app in Almaty. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/July-2022
Bus window with a QR code to be scanned via the Onay bus payment app in Almaty. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /July-2022
QR code for an online menu at a Coffee Boom cafe in Astana. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/May-2023
Sign displays parking payment QR codes to be scanned via Kazakhstani banking apps – Kaspi and Halyk - at the Nazarbayev Airport in Astana. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
Hikvision face recognition entry system at the SmArt.Point co-working center in Almaty. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/August-2022
Kaspi postomat at the SmArt.Point co-working center in Almaty. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/August-2022
Banner with QR codes of official social media accounts of the Kazakhstani Gov4C (Government for Citizens) system. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /July-2022
Taxpayers’ information point with a phone number, online address and social media accounts of the State Revenue Committee of the Almaty city. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/July-2023
Placard with a QR code in front of the Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Almaty. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /July-2022
Online Cashier banner displays QR codes of different payment systems’ apps at the Shymbulak mountain resort in Almaty. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /July-2022
Silk Road Footprints: Chinese presence in neighbouring cultures
From technology to cultural elements, these images capture the pervasive yet subtle ways in which China is present in the daily life of cities like Almaty, Phnom Penh and Yangon. Businesses, products and services integrate into local landscapes, shaping social and economic dynamics
Huawei's box at the flea section of Kok-Tobe market in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/October 2022
Chinese language centre in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/July 2022
Tea master demonstrates Chinese tea ceremony at the Chinese language centre in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/July 2022
Ad banner for the Chinese taxi hail service DiDi drivers’ recruitment in Almaty centre, Kazakhstan. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/July 2022
Camel milk powder brand Saubota diplays the slogan "One Belt One Road" in a shop in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/November 2022
Kazakhstani-Chinese cooperation centre “One Belt One Road” in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/November 2022
Seeds from Russia and China sold at the Kok-Tobe market in Almaty, Kazakstan. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/October 2022
Chinese mobile phone and computer shop: sales and repairs of Chinese brand electronics, staffed by Chinese employees in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photo: Elisa Oreglia/October 2023
Offices of the Wu Clan Association in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photo: Elisa Oreglia/March 2024
Chinese stores in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photo: Elisa Oreglia/April 2024
Huawei sun umbrella in Wat Langka pagoda in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photo: Elisa Oreglia/April 2024
Prizes for the best salesperson of Huawei and Tecno smartphones in Phnom Penh. Photo: Elisa Oreglia/April 2024
Advertisement for creating Chinese social media accounts and classes for live broadcast sales in the Mandalay Jade Market, Myanmar. Photo: February 2024
Mobile shop’s banner for selling Mobile Legends Bang Bang (MLBB) diamonds in Yangon, Myanmar. MLBB is a multiplayer online battle arena game from Shanghai that is popular in Southeast Asia. Photo: May 2024
Halls of tech:
industry networking
in Kazakhstan
Experience the country's tech scene through images taken at ICT events in Almaty and Astana during 2022 and 2023. They showcase the dynamic national startup sector, collaborations between the government and local businesses, and the strong presence of international tech companies, particularly from Russia and China
Huawei logo displayed on the Nur Alem during the Digital Bridge Forum in Astana. The spherical building was built for the Kazakhstan Pavilion at the Expo 2017. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/September-2022
On the central stage of the Digital Bridge Forum, heads of major Kazakhstani banks and the Minister of Digital Development discuss the development of govtech in collaboration with businesses. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/September-2022
5G on the Silk Road: Huawei stand features information about the 5G technology during the Digital Bridge Forum in Astana. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/ September-2022
Participant of the Digital Bridge Forum interacts with a human-size robot. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/September-2022
Mikhail Lomtadze, CEO of fintech group Kaspi, speaks about providing governmental services on the platform during the Fintech Without Borders event in Almaty. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/ October-2022
Machines can see: VisionLabs stand at the Fintech Without Borders features information about the face recognition technology developed by the Russian firm. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/ October-2022
Safder Nazir, Huawei's Senior Vice President, speaks about digital twins during the Tech Carnival 2023, a summit for the Chinese firm's partners from the Middle East and Central Asia. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/ June-2023
Participants at Huawei's Tech Carnival 2023 take photos during a presentation by Dmitry Nikitov, Deputy Director General at Marvel Distribution, on market opportunities in Central Asia. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/ June-2023
Tech Garden, a high-tech innovation cluster in Almaty, hosts an event organised by QazInnovations, a state agency promoting national innovation ecosystem. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/ August-2022
Elnora Rozmut, head of the ER10 Media, an online media outlet specialised in business and IT, delivers an opening speech at the STARTUP Kitchen. The event showcased startups' achievements at the Restopark in Almaty. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/ October-2022
Encountering Almaty: Technology, People,
and Everyday Life
Kazakhstan's largest city and former capital offers a unique insight into how mobile phones have become ubiquitous in daily life. Images captured during our field trip in July 2022 showcase markets dedicated to selling and repairing devices, mobile payments in street shops and everyday communication facilitated by smartphones
Seller with a mobile phone at a toy store. Photo: Shalen Fu
Women speaking on mobile phones in front of a shoe store. Photo: Shalen Fu
Lingerie street shop with a phone placard for mobile payments. Photo: Shalen Fu
Phone market displays Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi devices. Photo: Shalen Fu
Phone stall offers repair services and displays mobile devices and accessories. Photo: Shalen Fu
Placard advertises in Russian for repair of cellphones of American, Chinese and Korean brands. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova
Cellphone sellers prepare packages purchased online for shipping. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova
Xiaomi and Asus logos feature on the top of a building. Photo: Shalen Fu