PM dispatches sons to handle land dispute arrests
Two village representatives in Kampong Speu who were detained for protesting against the actions of their provincial authority were released yesterday by the provincial court after Prime Minister Hun Sen sent two of his sons to help deal with the situation. ...
Ros Chanveasna
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/22816/pm-dispatches-sons-to-handle-land-dispute-arrests/
Preah Vihear land grant illegal: Adhoc
Local rights group Adhoc has cried foul after roughly 1,200 square metres on 2 hectares of land that used to be home to an airport in Preah Vihear province have been granted to a local official to build a house. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/preah-vihear-land-grant-illegal-adhoc
Commuting accident sends 18 garment workers to hospital
Eighteen garment workers were sent to the hospital on Wednesday when the truck they were riding to work overturned in Kompong Speu province after its two back tires blew out, according to police, who arrested the driver. ...
Khy Sovuthy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/commuting-accident-sends-18-garment-workers-to-hospital-111851/
Government sets dates for auction of final lots of seized timber
The government has set the dates to auction off the last of the 71,000 cubic meters of illegally logged timber seized by authorities this year, carrying on a practice riddled with signs of corruption in the past. ...
Government wage hikes depend on cost cutting
Slashing unnecessary spending by ministries will allow the government to guarantee a monthly minimum wage of $250 for civil servants in time for the 2018 national election, a secretary of state at the Finance Ministry said on Tuesday. ...
Kang Sothear
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/government-wage-hikes-depend-on-cost-cutting-114142/
PM: no customs privatization
In his speech to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Customs and Excise Department, he said the proposal to privatize the collection of customs and excise duties was politically motivated to put pressure on the government. ...
Chea vannak
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/26679/pm--no-customs-privatization/
More Cambodians struggling to repay MFI loans
Banking industry insiders expressed concern yesterday over a spike in the amount of delinquent debts reported by microfinance institutions (MFIs) across the Kingdom, which they attributed to farmers struggling to repay their loans after adverse weather conditions affected their crops. ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/more-cambodians-struggling-repay-mfi-loans
Mobile services often first step to banking
The rapid growth in the number of Cambodians using mobile money services to transfer remittances is a positive step towards greater financial inclusion, and is serving as a gateway to financial services for the largely unbanked rural population, experts said yesterday. ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/mobile-services-often-first-step-banking
Animal deaths from pesticide spark fears
Evidence that a deadly pesticide is being used to kill wildlife at watering holes in two provinces has raised fears of widespread poisoning that could jeopardize biodiversity and the health of rural communities, according to a new report. ...
Kang Sothear and Sonia Kohlbacher
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/animal-deaths-from-pesticide-spark-fears-116162/
Salt imports spoil market
Though the Kingdom’s existing salt farms in Kampot and Kep produce enough salt to support domestic consumption, industry experts, however, are worried that a flood of the vital commodity from neighboring countries will spoil the market for Cambodian producers. ...
Chea Vannak
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/27907/salt-imports-spoil-market/
Phnom Penh rated one of the world’s least livable cities
Widespread corruption, poor health care and a lack of adequate infrastructure continue to make Phnom Penh one of the least livable major cities in the world, according to the annual Global Livability Ranking, released on Thursday by the Economist Intelligence Unit. ...
Sonia Kohlbacher and Hang Sokunthea
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/phnom-penh-rated-one-worlds-least-livable-cities-116895/
UN Rights review ‘Not business as usual’
With rebuke raining down on the ruling CPP for its judicial assault, arrests and intimidation of the political opposition and other critics, Cambodia’s annual assessment by the U.N. Human Rights Council will be held next week in Geneva. ...
Janelle Retka
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/un-rights-review-not-business-usual-117790/
Eight Nigerians get 10 years for trafficking meth
Eight Nigerians were sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Friday following a sting operation last year that culminated with an undercover officer purchasing 100 grams of crystal methamphetamine from one of the eight. ...
Sek Odom
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/eight-nigerians-get-10-years-for-trafficking-meth-94835/
Cambodia begins minimum wage talks after Myanmar Government approves salary for garment workers
Cambodia’s 700,000 garment and footwear workers currently earn a minimum wage of $128 a month. Last year, the lowest legal salary for Cambodian workers in the $5.7 billion industry was only $100 per month. ...
Foreign affairs minister dodges defamation case
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court has thrown out a defamation case against Foreign Affairs Minister Hor Namhong that was filed by Khmer Power Party (KPP) President Sourn Serey Ratha in December after Mr. Namhong called the politician’s supporters terrorists. ...
Khy Sovuthy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/foreign-affairs-minister-dodges-defamation-case-107255/
Japanese, Chinese navies to visit Cambodia days apart
The final two weeks of February will feature visits to Sihanoukville from both the Japanese and Chinese navies to conduct goodwill and training exercises, as the two powers vie for influence and allies in Southeast Asia amid increasing Asian nautical tensions. ...
Peter Ford and Sek Odom
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/japanese-chinese-navies-to-visit-cambodia-days-apart-108270/
With job cuts on horizon, factory’s staff walks
Roughly 2,000 workers from the Malaysian-owned Global Apparels Limited garment factory in Phnom Penh went on strike yesterday after the factory announced it would be reducing staff numbers by 500 over the coming months, union representatives said yesterday. ...
Sen David
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/job-cuts-horizon-factorys-staff-walks
Fire season brings warning from ministry
As the Kingdom moves into the heart of the dry season, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries has issued a set of guidelines on the prevention of forest fires, stressing that jail is in the cards for those starting blazes. ...
Bun Sengkong and Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/fire-season-brings-warning-ministry
More doctors to become public servants: PM
Prime Minister Hun Sen wants more specialized doctors to work for the government in public medical facilities and become public servants, according to a speech given by the premier to close yesterday’s annual conference held by the Ministry of Health. ...
Ven Rathavong
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/22635/more-doctors-to-become-public-servants--pm/
Offshore search for oil on the backburner
Singapore-based oil and gas firm KrisEnergy has not responded to inquiries from the government on when it will start work on the offshore field it has the rights to in the Gulf of Thailand known as Block A. ...
May Kunmakara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/23016/offshore-search-for-oil-on-the-backburner/