Government weighs up China challenge
China has thrown the military government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha a curve ball with its tough negotiating stance for the high-speed railway deal. This comes after the government appeared to cleave to Beijing’s interests in a series of foreign affairs decisions which critics said ...
Achara Ashayagachat
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/779965/government-weighs-up-china-challenge
The Fatal nature of garbage dumps
On the outskirts of Phnom Penh once stood a smoldering testament to mankind’s assault on the Earth. Stung Meanchey was the largest waste disposal site in Cambodia, the size of 76 football fields. Scavengers sifted through 900 tons of new waste delivered each day, amid ...
Mikaela Lefrak
https://newrepublic.com/article/123304/fatal-nature-garbage-dumps
City hall orders utility firms to bury ‘anarchic’ cables
Private utility companies that run their cables along overhead lines in central Phnom Penh will now have to bury them beneath the city’s streets, and pay to do so, City Hall announced on Friday. ...
Khuon Narim
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/city-hall-orders-utility-firms-to-bury-anarchic-cables-102154/
Tuk-tuk association to lodge complaint against Licadho
The Cambodia Confederation Development Association (CCDA), a well-known tuk-tuk and moto-taxi association, plans to lodge complaints against local rights group Licadho next week over a statement the NGO co-signed with 33 other civil society groups regarding the association’s involvement in a Saturday protest at the ...
Chea Vannak
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/21235/tuk-tuk-association-to-lodge-complaint-against-licadho/
A clearer picture for lenders
The double-digit growth of consumer lending in Cambodia has created a need for a comprehensive and centralised database of individual credit histories. The Post’s Cam McGrath sat down with Pascal Ly, CEO of the Credit Bureau Cambodia (CBC), to discuss the role of the Kingdom’s ...
Cam McGrath
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/clearer-picture-lenders
Changes rolled out to prop up rice sector
The government took steps to shore up the rice sector yesterday, saying it would remove the current value added tax [VAT] on milling machines in the country and shut down companies importing rice from neighboring countries and rebranding it as Cambodian during an emergency meeting ...
Sok chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/23419/changes-rolled-out-to-prop-up-rice-sector/
Tourism forum to focus on ‘authentic’ Mekong experiences
This year’s theme will be “Authentic Experiences along the Mekong River.” According to Jens Thraenhart, executive director of the MTCO, “Travellers want to be able to truly experience the country that they are visiting and come away with a true appreciation of the local experience. ...
Logan Connor
http://sea-globe.com/mekong-tourism-forum/
More rice name confusion
The seeds of confusion in the rice industry have been sown further. After endorsing the Phka Romduol and Phka Chansensor varieties to be the Kingdom’s own umbrella brands for fragrant and premium rice last week, the National Standards Council (NSC) said yesterday it did not ...
Chea Vannak
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/27410/more-rice-name-confusion/
Minister urges officials to speed up ID scheme
Officials responsible for issuing new identity cards, which every adult will eventually need, must get a grip on the task and speed up, the Ministry of Interior said yesterday.In an “instruction” to staff, Interior Minister Sar Kheng said the number of new ID cards issued ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/minister-urges-officials-speed-id-scheme
Interior ministry threatens to fire “ghost employees” who haunt gov’t offices
The Interior Ministry has warned 140 of its employees to stop skipping work or risk being fired. It is one of the first government ministries to penalize “ghost workers” – the thousands of bureaucrats, police officers, and other civil servants who are on the government ...
May Titthara / Jonathan Cox
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/20480/interior-ministry-threatens-to-fire----ghost-employees----who-haunt-gov---t-offices/
SME federation wants its own SEZ
The Federation of Associations for Small and Medium Enterprises of Cambodia is planning to propose that the government set up special economic zone (SEZ) for small and medium-sized sized enterprises (SMEs) so that they can work in clusters, saying this will enhance their productivity, increase ...
Sok Chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/21157/sme-federation-wants-its-own-sez/
First direct flight with Japan set for September
Plans were finalized last week for the first direct flight between Cambodia and Japan, which is set to launch in September, according to Tourism Minister Thong Khon, who met with Japanese Ambassador Kumamaru Yuji on Thursday. ...
Kang Sothear
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/business/first-direct-flight-with-japan-set-for-september-112616/
Cambodian rails linked to Thailand’s
The long-awaited railroad between Phnom Penh and Bangkok moved one step closer to completion yesterday after tracks on the Cambodian side were connected to those in Thailand. The Poipet-Phnom Penh rail line was joined to the Bangkok-Sa Kaeo line during a ceremony at the international border ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodian-rails-linked-thailands
Contentious draft law to regulate unions approved for assembly debate
The Council of Ministers on Friday green-lighted a contentious law that labor leaders say will make it hard to form unions and collectively bargain.The draft law will now be debated in the National Assembly, where the ruling Cambodian People’s Party has a majority and will ...
Sok Khemara
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/contentious-draft-law-to-regulate-unions-approved-for-assembly-debate/3056778.html
Human rights: Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Cambodia
Parliament urges Cambodia to drop all charges brought against opposition leader Sam Rainsy and Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) members; calls on the Bangladesh authorities to restore the full independence of the media; and appeals to the government of Afghanistan to intensify cooperation with the ...
European Parliament
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/content/20151120IPR03620/html/Human-rights-Bangladesh-Afghanistan-Cambodia
Major facelift for notorious Prey Speu
Officials in the Ministry of Social Affairs are planning to make a set of major changes to the infamous Prey Speu detention center, aimed at improving its healthcare services, educational options, and the quality of the housing it offers. But some critics say the changes ...
Jonathan Cox
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/18784/major-facelift-for-notorious-prey-speu/
Workers from shuttered garment factory demand wages
More than 500 garment workers from a shuttered garment factory in the capital’s Dangkor district are demanding their salaries after the firm’s owner ran away.According to its website, the Chinese-owned Muse Garment (Cambodia) Factory Limited produced pants and shorts exclusively for the European market. ...
Sen David
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/workers-shuttered-garment-factory-demand-wages
Japan boosts primary healthcare
The government of Japan has agreed to provide a $134,526 grant to PH-Japan (PHJ) – a Japanese NGO working to improve Cambodia’s healthcare system – the embassy announced yesterday. According to an embassy press release, PHJ will use the money in Kampong Cham province, focusing on ...
Tin Sokhavuth
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/29496/japan-boosts-primary-healthcare/
Krungsri acquisition approved
Thailand’s Bank of Ayudhya PLC., known more commonly as Krungsri announced last week that it was entering the Cambodian microfinance market with the acquisition of Hatta Kaksekar Limited (HKL). In a press release, Krungsri ‒ itself part of the Japanese-based Mitsubishi UFJ since 2013 ‒ described ...
Sum Manet
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/30191/krungsri-acquisition-approved/
Voter registration drive falls behind schedule
Voter registration has fallen far behind schedule over the past two weeks, with enrolment dropping to just 30,000 a day from a target of 100,000, according to official figures, leaving more than 2 million Cambodians at risk of not registering to vote in time. ...
Bun Sengkong
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/voter-registration-drive-falls-behind-schedule