Although interest high, NEC applications sow confusion
More than 100 people have expressed interest in taking positions with the National Election Committee (NEC) since applications were made available to the public five days ago, but complicated identity and background checks have prevented anyone from actually applying, the NEC’s spokesman said on Monday. ...
Kuch Naren
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/although-interest-high-nec-applications-sow-confusion-103586/
Seized wood nears end of 120-km trip
After more than a week traveling along remote forest trails in eastern Mondolkiri province, police and forestry officials transporting 30 large pieces of valuable timber seized from Vietnamese loggers earlier this month are expected to reach the end of their 120-km journey today, an official ...
Saing Soenthrith
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/seized-wood-nears-end-of-120-km-trip-104078/
GIZ pumps euros into workplace inspections
In a bid to reassure European shoppers concerned with unfair labour practices, Germany’s state aid agency GIZ has pledged €1.2 million ($1.3 million) to a new program focused on enhancing Cambodia’s labour inspections system for the garment sector. ...
Charles Rollet
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/giz-pumps-euros-workplace-inspections
Firms ready to expand despite local skills gap
A Eurocham business confidence survey has revealed that 81 per cent of respondents – members of the business association – planned to increase investments and expand their operations in the Kingdom, but viewed transparency and the lack of skilled human resources as the major downsides ...
Ananth Baliga
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/firms-ready-expand-despite-local-skills-gap
Protesters call for release of imprisoned bus driver, activist
About 500 people gathered outside Phnom Penh’s Prey Sar prison on Tuesday to demand the release of former Capitol Tours bus driver Nan Vanna and labor activist Ros Siphay, who were arrested two weeks ago for participating in a demonstration against the company. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/protesters-call-for-release-of-imprisoned-bus-driver-activist-108888/
PM scraps ministry’s passport control plan
Prime Minister Hun Sen issued a directive on Monday instructing officials returning from work overseas to hold on to their mission passports, directly contravening two recent Foreign Ministry announcements calling on officials to hand the passports over upon return in a bid to prevent their ...
Lay Samean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/pm-scraps-ministrys-passport-control-plan
Deported Spanish activist gets tourist visa; return uncertain
Environmental activist Alex Gonzalez-Davidson, who was deported in February last year, has been granted a one-month tourist visa through the Foreign Ministry’s online “e-visa” service, but an immigration official said yesterday that it was unlikely he would be allowed to use it. ...
Alex Willemyns and Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/deported-spanish-activist-gets-tourist-visa-return-uncertain-111008/
PM threatens to use courts to silence pundits, with Virak top of list
Prime Minister Hun Sen has called for legal action against those who “twist” the truth to malign the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, taking aim at the nation’s political analysts and commentators, with one of its most prominent, Ou Virak, the first in the crosshairs. ...
Ananth Baliga and Meas Sokchea
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/pm-threatens-use-courts-silence-pundits-virak-top-list
Kingdom to clean up to ASEAN standards
The Kingdom’s first automated measures to apply for sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) certification of imports and exports will be launched by the end of June in an effort to boost and facilitate communication between Ministry of Agriculture officials and importers and exporters applying for SPS ...
Sok Chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24860/kingdom-to-clean-up-to-asean-standards/
Garment, footwear exports on the rise
The total value of exports from the Kingdom’s garment and footwear industry increased sharply this first quarter by 39.1 percent to some $2 billion compared to about $1.5 billion in the same period last year, according to figures released by the Ministry of Commerce. ...
Sok Chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/26220/garment--footwear-exports-on-the-rise/
Land dispute resolution teams unveiled
The Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction unveiled the team members and case loads of the 27 land dispute resolution teams it announced it was creating on June 3 in an effort to more quickly handle such conflicts. ...
Pech Sotheary and Donna M Airoldi
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/land-dispute-resolution-teams-unveiled
Bavet SEZ unequipped to treat its wastewater: ministry
The Ministry of Environment said yesterday that a recently constructed water-treatment facility at the Manhattan Special Economic Zone in Svay Rieng is unable to deal with most of the polluted water generated by factories at the site, and that 70 per cent was being dumped ...
Kong Meta
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/bavet-sez-unequipped-treat-its-wastewater-ministry
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/