Hun Sen’s bodyguard unit marks seven years
Pol Saroeun, commander-in-chief of the military, said his forces were “absolutely loyal” to Prime Minister Hun Sen and his family on Sunday at an event marking seven years since Mr. Hun Sen’s personal bodyguard unit was formed as a distinct entity from Brigade 70. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/hun-sens-bodyguard-unit-marks-seven-years-117578/
Jarai say no to Ratanakiri gold mine
An insurrection led by ethnic Jarai villagers against the Kingdom’s first commercial underground gold mine, to be operated by Indian-owned Mesco Gold (Cambodia), looms over the green, serene remote hamlet of Plung, a few kilometers from the Vietnamese border, in Ratanakiri’s O’Yadaw district. ...
Sonny Inbaraj Krishnan and May Kunmakara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/30569/jarai-say-no-to-ratanakiri-gold-mine/
Massive $23.2B project gets ‘green light’
Several subordinates of a senior minister within the office of the prime minister registered and rubber-stamped a gargantuan $23.2 billion investment project chaired by the minister’s wife, while officials in the know say the project stands little chance of getting off the ground. ...
Jack Davies, Kali Kotoski and Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/massive-232b-project-gets-green-light
Messy sand depots suspended
The Mines and Energy Ministry yesterday shut down six sand depots in Kandal province’s Sa’ang district for allegedly failing to “respect” a ministry directive concerning the proper transportation of sand, but they will be allowed to reopen on Wednesday if they agree to comply. ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/31486/messy-sand-depots-suspended/
Three forex giants hold sway
A recent study on the role of Cambodia’s moneychangers found that three private forex traders control two-thirds of the total demand for riel currency and exert more influence on foreign currency exchange rates than the central bank, raising the possibility of collusion in fixing rates. ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/three-forex-giants-hold-sway
CPP touts populist policies at party congress, promises a win
At its 40th party congress over the weekend, the ruling CPP predicted another victory in commune elections next year and national elections the year after on the back of recent populist policies including cheaper electricity and more land for the poor. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/cpp-touts-populist-policies-party-congress-promises-win-122159/
PM affirms ‘One-China’ stance
Prime Minister Hun Sen has told a solidarity dinner with the Cambodian-Chinese Association that Cambodia backs the “One-China policy” and will not allow the Taiwanese flag to be raised in the kingdom. This stance would avoid affecting the good relationship between the two countries. ...
May Titthara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/35123/pm-affirms----one-china----stance/
Villagers complain about dam deal
Several families affected by the construction of the Lower Sesan II dam yesterday renewed their calls for the government to demarcate boundaries so they can stay on their “ancestral land,” while others who chose to relocate painted a grim picture of squalid conditions in their ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/36329/villagers-complain-about-dam-deal/
Palm sugar’s GI status could soon get EU protection
The European Union is expected to enter Kampong Speu palm sugar into its registry of protected geographical indicators (GI) by July following a push by the Cambodian government to protect the specialty food product in one of its biggest markets, a Ministry of Commerce official ...
Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/palm-sugars-gi-status-could-soon-get-eu-protection
Logging ‘conspiracy’: Cambodian, Vietnamese officials accused of taking huge bribes
Cambodian and Vietnamese officials have received millions of dollars in bribes from Vietnamese timber traders as part of a cross-border “conspiracy” to log vast swathes of Ratanakkiri province and funnel the timber to Vietnam, according to a damning report by the Environmental Investigation Agency released ...
Shaun Turton and Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/logging-conspiracy-cambodian-vietnamese-officials-accused-taking-huge-bribes
CNRP would dismantle Development Ministry
Opposition leader Kem Sokha said on Saturday his party would shutter the Rural Development Ministry and put the savings towards the goal of funding each of Cambodia’s more than 1,600 commune councils with half a million dollars a year if it wins power in 2018. ...
Touch Sokha and Yesenia Amaro
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cnrp-would-dismantle-development-ministry
Poipet children face abuse
The trend of Cambodian workers flocking to Thailand can have a devastating ripple effect on children living on the margins in the border town of Poipet, where they face a litany of risks such as drug use, sexual abuse and physical violence, according to a ...
Erin Handley
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/poipet-children-face-abuse
Cambodia’s Facebook crackdown: Police are monitoring site for ‘enemies’ and ‘rebel movements’
National Police are monitoring Facebook to repress attempts to create a “rebel movement against the government” through negative posts and are working to better control civil society groups that have “opposition trends” and try to cause instability in society, a semiannual police report issued yesterday ...
Returning Sesan families warned of greater floods from dam
Families in Stung Treng province that returned to a village near the Lower Sesan II dam after floodwaters temporarily receded are being warned they will be forced again to flee when a far worse deluge comes as all of the new dam’s gates are shut. ...
New cement plants to max out production capacity
Two large cement plants are expected to begin operations by the end of the year, according to a state official, who said the Kingdom has reached its limit for domestic cement production and the government will stop issuing new licences in order to protect dwindling ...
Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/new-cement-plants-max-out-production-capacity
Project to connect buyers to local produce suppliers
USAID Cambodia officially launched its Feed the Future Cambodia Harvest II project yesterday, a five-year initiative that aims to promote commercial horticulture in four Cambodian provinces and help smallholder farmers gain access to markets, reducing the country’s high dependence on imported fruits and vegetables. ...
Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/project-connect-buyers-local-produce-suppliers
‘Completely forsaken’: Sokha and NGOs ask France and Indonesia to help save Paris Peace Accords
Jailed opposition leader Kem Sokha, exiled former opposition leader Sam Rainsy and more than 50 human rights NGOs called on France and Indonesia to reconvene the signatories to the Paris Peace Accords yesterday amid fears that the historic treaty is in danger of being “completely ...
Leonie Kijewski, Ben Sokhean and Daphne Chen
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/completely-forsaken-sokha-and-ngos-ask-france-and-indonesia-help-save-paris-peace-accords
NGOs express concerns over new Prey Lang rules
Environmental NGOs expressed concerns this week about a requirement from the Ministry of Environment to get advanced permission to patrol the Prey Lang protected forest, saying doing so could lead to illegal loggers getting tipped off, given the history of collusion with officials in the ...
Yesenia Amaro and Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ngos-express-concerns-over-new-prey-lang-rules
New UK envoy incoming
Cambodia will have a new British ambassador in June. Tina Redshaw, most recently the British consul general to the Chinese city of Chongqing from 2013 until 2016, will take over the role from Bill Longhurst, according to an announcement from British Foreign & Commonwealth Office ...
Daphne Chen
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/new-uk-envoy-incoming
NEC warns NGOs and foreigners
NGOs and foreigners have been warned that they could face fines or expulsion from the country for causing confusion or affecting the results of the upcoming Senate elections. NEC spokesman Hang Puthea said the NEC has made regulations and procedures based on existing laws in Cambodia. ...
Mom Sophon
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50108174/nec-warns-ngos-foreigners/