Dam in Northeast Built on Earthquake Site, Study Finds
Experts are recommending that a proposed dam on the Sesan River in northeast Cambodia be equipped with earthquake protection measures, after discovering a quake occurred in the area some 30 years ago. The proposed Lower Sesan II dam would be situated on a site in Stung ...
Rights Group Denounces Gag Order on Lawyers Before Election
New York-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the Cambodian Bar Association of trying to silence potential government critics ahead of July’s national elections by imposing restrictions on lawyers making public statements. The Bar Association and the Information Ministry have both issued edicts that ...
ILO Respond to Scathing Stanford Report on Factory Monitoring
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) Better Factories Program (BFC) has responded to a scathing report released last week by Stanford University, which said the ILO program was ineffectual as it had not helped secure Cambodian workers a significant wage increase since the program started over ...
Unions to Form Committee to Focus on Minimum Wage
The leaders of seven major unions and labor confederations announced yesterday in a joint statement that they will form an inter-union committee to rally the government on raising the country’s minimum wage of $61, with the unions believe is too low. ...
Thai Rights Commission to Publish Report on Sugar Plantations
A final report from Thailand’s human rights commission on the alleged rights violations of a Thai company involved in two Cambodian sugar plantations is expected by late January, a member of the commission said. In July, the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand said its investigation ...
With Election on the Horizon, Politicians Defend Land Policies
Cambodian politicians have begun a public campaign to defend their records on land policies, as they prepare for the run-up to July elections. Politicians from the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, as well as the opposition Sam Rainsy and Human Rights parties, have said they will give ...
A Year on, No Sign of Donor Forum Meeting
Exactly one year after the Finance Ministry indefinitely postponed its last top-level meeting with the international aid donors, there is still no sign that the government is ready to set a new date to engage face-to-face with the country’s development partners. The forum is held once ...
Reporting on Sonando Case Shows Differences in Local Media
The 20-year jail sentence for independent radio station owner Mam Sonando made headlines around the world yesterday, but coverage of Mr. Sonando’s case was markedly different in local Khmer-language media yesterday, particularly national TV where not a mention was made. While the three major Khmer-language newspapers- ...
Riot Police Stop March on Last Day of Summits
A group of roughly 100 anti-eviction protestors were blocked by riot police yesterday from marching to Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Peace Palace to appeal to U.S. President Barack Obama for help in reforming Cambodia’s land rights policy. The protest, which took place at the Boeng Kak ...
Land activists welcome Hun Sen’s position on outsiders
About 60 land activists including children marched to the Peace Palace Monday to welcome Prime Minister Hun Sen’s position on outside involvement in land disputes. The residents of two property development sites and Thmor Kol community near Phnom Penh International Airport also presented a list of ...
Ground broken on Koh Pich for Japan-Cambodia venture
Popular Japanese hotel chain Toyoko Inn has embarked on a joint-investment with Cambodian company OCIC to build a three-star hotel on Phnom Penh’s Koh Pich, to cater to the growth of foreign investors and visitors to Cambodia. The groundbreaking ceremony for the 22-storey, 304 unit Toyoko ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/Business/ground-broken-on-koh-pich-for-japan-cambodia-venture.html
Report shows lack of information on Chinese-Funded Railway
With locals demanding dialogue with the Chinese firms behind a proposed multibillion dollar rail line to Preah Vihear province, an NGO report released yesterday highlights the dearth of information that has been made available on the project. Chinese company Cambodia Iron Steel Mining Industry Group (CISMIG) ...
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/report-shows-lack-of-information-on-chinese-funded-railway-12723/
Hun Sen Orders Crackdown On Illegal Fishing in Lake
Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday blasted local officials for not working hard enough to curb illegal fishing in and around the Tonle Sap lake, where fisheries crimes are still rampant despite 90,000 hectares of protected areas. “Don’t do illegal fishing, use illegal equipment to fish, or ...
Poipet project: Gaming firm starts build on slot hall
Entertainment Gaming Asia Inc, which today will launch its Dreamworld Casino in Pailin, also will break ground on a slot hall project in Poipet, near the Thai border, on Thursday, according to a company statement. ...
Cambodian workers on £10 a week making Olympics 'fanwear’
Adidas, the sportswear company, is facing an investigation over claims that Cambodian workers are being paid £10 a week in basic wages to make official merchandise for the London Olympics. It is one of the 2012 Games’ largest sponsors, believed to have invested £100 million, and ...
UN Delegates Call on Cambodia to Heed Envoy's Remarks
U.N. representatives from Japan, the European Union and Australia called on Cambodia to heed recommendations made in a report on human rights and economic land concessions by the U.N.’s envoy Surya Subedi at the Human Rights Council in Geneva Tuesday. While the E.U. commended Cambodia ...
Cambodia ratifies agreement on visa exemption for Asean nationals
The Royal Government of Cambodia has deposited their instrument of ratification to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Framework Agreement on visa exemption for Asean nationals last week with Surin Pitsuwan, secretary-general of Asean, in accordance with the Article 8 of the agreement The agreement ...
World Bank Tight-Lipped on Resumption of Financial Assistance
The World Bank has declined to say whether it will resume providing financial assistance to Cambodia, despite a bank official allegedly telling anti-eviction protesters last week that the organization planned to do so next year. In August 2011, World Bank country director for Southeast Asia Annette ...
Government Tells Unions to Agree on Minimum Wage Demands
The government on Monday requested that manufacturers look at raising the minimum wage for garment workers, but only after divided trade unions agree on what that wage should be. “After discussions, those present at the meeting agree in principle to discuss raising the minimum wage ...
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/business/government-tells-unions-to-agree-on-minimum-wage-demands-8193/
Government Asks for Asian Development Bank's Help on Railway
The government yesterday asked the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to continue to help Cambodia’s troubled railway rehabilitation project, which is in desperate need of more funding in order to complete the network’s northern line. Foreign Affairs Minister Hor Namhong met with the ADB’s recently appointed country ...