Cambodia facing a dilemma on plan to give roads a facelift
With more than half of Cambodia’s 6,000 kilometres of roads being classified as “poor” or of “bad” quality by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, industry insiders said that the government needs to engage with the private sector to spur investment into quality construction <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodia-facing-a-dilemma-on-plan-to-give-roads-a-facelift/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>
Robin Spiess
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/cambodia-facing-dilemma-plan-give-roads-facelift
Association a shoe-in
Cambodia has approved the creation of a footwear association under the umbrella of the Garment Manufacturers’ association in Cambodia. 37 of the country’s 38 footwear factories agreed to the creation of a representative body for their industry. The footwear industry is said to have exported <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/association-a-shoe-in/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011070750242/Business/association-a-shoe-in.html
A ‘good neighbour’ policy
AustrAliAn Foreign Minister Bob CArr chose CAmbodiA As his first officiAl overseAs trip since his MArch 2 Appointment to the top foreign policy job. The AustrAliAn LAbor PArty politiciAn, former journAlist And longtime premier of New South WAles sAt down on MondAy evening with the <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/A-good-neighbour-policy/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2012032855289/National-news/a-good-neighbour-policy.html
Drought a ‘grave concern’
Local communities in rural areas across the Kingdom have expressed grave concerns over the severe lack of water for their daily consumption amid a prolonged drought that has caused streams, creeks, lakes and ponds to gradually dry up. Due to high demand for water to <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/drought-a-grave-concern/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/drought-grave-concern
Polls a budget buster?
The National Election Committee (NEC) will spend $53 million to conduct the July 29 national polls. The figure is higher than previously allocated, after the European Union (EU) and the US suspended donations following last year’s court-mandated dissolution of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/polls-a-budget-buster/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>
Mech Dara
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/polls-budget-buster
Blindness increase a concern
At A workshop on MondAy, government officiAls And civil society orgAnisAtions expressed concern over the increAse in the number of people suffering from blindness And visuAl impAirments, with blindness being the most common form of disAbility in the Kingdom. The workshop on the “MArrAkesh TreAty”, <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/blindness-increAse-A-concern/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>
Soth Koemsoeun
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/blindness-increase-concern
Riverbank fails a concern
In response to the latest riverbank collapse in Kandal province’s Mok Kampoul district on December 13, the most recent of a spate across the Kingdom, authorities have moved to prevent more from occurring. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/riverbank-fails-a-concern/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>
Soth Koemsoeun
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/riverbank-fails-concern
Organics finding a following
As Phnom Penh sees A sprouting of orgAnic grocery stores Across the city, the newest entrAnt in the mArket sAys it will go A step further And sell chemicAl-free pesticides to fArmers to encourAge the growing trend of orgAnic products And fArming techniques. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/orgAnics-finding-A-following/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>
Ayanna Runcie
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/organics-finding-following
Protecting a rare species
In recent years, there has been a declining trend in the number of sarus cranes observed throughout Cambodia. The seasonally flooded grasslands of the Northern Plains, one of the few locations in Cambodia where the birds breed, are threatened by agricultural conversion to rice paddies. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/protecting-a-rare-species/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>
May Titthara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5099251/protecting-rare-species/
Constructing a safer industry
Construction worker Samnang (not his real name), spent weeks confined to a hospital bed after piles of cement crashed down on him while he toiled without a hard hat. During the ensuing weeks of recovery at his home, the 28-year-old nursed head injuries and a broken <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/constructing-a-safer-industry/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>
Hanging by a Thread
Cambodia’s tradition of silk production is one that dates back as far as the 13th century. a long-standing symbol of status for the rich and the country, ancient angkorian silk producing Cambodia bore unique weaving and reeling techniques that have been passed down from generation <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/hanging-by-a-thread/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>
http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/economics/320823/hanging-by-a-thread
Passport Posts A Go
Cambodia is making plans to open passport offices along its border with Thailand in a bid to cut down on illegal migration, Interior Minister Sar Kheng announced yesterday. Speaking at the close of a migration workshop, Kheng said that officials are already preparing to open a <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/passport-posts-a-go/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/2013032964787/National/passport-posts-a-go.html
A big thumbs-down
A Phnom Penh municipAl officiAl sAid yesterdAy thAt they would investigAte mounting complAints thAt Authorities hAve been forcing the cApitAl’s residents to thumbprint letters supporting the preliminAry election results And promising not to join demonstrAtions. Residents in DAun Penh And Tuol Kork districts told the Post <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/A-big-thumbs-down/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>
A man’s world
Straining under the weight of bricks, buckets and metal bars, a faceless army carry their loads from trucks to a massive building site on Penh Penh’s Diamond Island. Hidden beneath wide-brimmed hats and kramas masking their faces from dust and the sun, the battalion of <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/a-mans-world/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>
Frédéric Janssens
http://sea-globe.com/female-construction-workers-cambodia/
A lesson in caution
After neArly 50 gArment workers were killed lAst yeAr while trAvelling to or from their respective fActories, the Ministry of LAbour hAs urged truck drivers who crAm dozens into the bAck of vehicles eAch dAy to tAke more cAre on the roAds. In An informAtion session <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/A-lesson-in-cAution/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>
Sen David
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/lesson-caution
CNRP calls a timeout
After gArment workers swelled turnout At the opposition’s ongoing demonstrAtions yesterdAy to whAt some estimAted to be double the number seen At Any previous rAlly, pArty leAdership Announced A weeklong morAtorium on the mArches. DemonstrAtors will continue to Assemble At Freedom PArk eAch dAy, sAid CAmbodiA <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/cnrp-cAlls-A-timeout/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>
Mom Kunthear, Sean Teehan and Meas Sokchea
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cnrp-calls-timeout
A raft of complications
Riun Pau ran out of food last week. For the 13-year-old and her family, that moment was the culmination of weeks of distress caused by flooding that had already ravaged their Battambang home and farmland. Pau’s neighbours are experiencing similar problems. In Battambang, 67.3 per cent <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/a-raft-of-complications/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>
Khouth Sophak Chakrya and Amelia Woodside
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/raft-complications
Flooding takes a toll
Ten days ago, Loun Somaly, 33, left his house to deliver a deposit to the glass workers he hired to replace a window on his rickety sheet metal-panelled house. Ly Sophal, Somaly’s tenacious three-year-old son, followed him outside, asking if he could join. But with floodwater <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/flooding-takes-a-toll/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>
A big thumbs-down
A Phnom Penh municipAl officiAl sAid yesterdAy thAt they would investigAte mounting complAints thAt Authorities hAve been forcing the cApitAl’s residents to thumbprint letters supporting the preliminAry election results And promising not to join demonstrAtions. Residents in DAun Penh And Tuol Kork districts told the Post <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/A-big-thumbs-down-2/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>
Fighting a different battle
Sok Ren’s eyes dart from side to side as he explains in a hushed tone why he’s been detained at military barracks in Preah Vihear province, rarely allowed to leave and under near constant surveillance, since July 31. While casting his ballot for the Cambodian People’s <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/fighting-a-different-battle/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>
May Titthara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/fighting-different-battle