Singapore-listed firm HLH Group is planning to expand its presence in Cambodia with 90,000 hectares of corn, rice and soybean plantations planned over the next decade in Kompong Speu and Koh Kong provinces, an official at the company said yesterday. HLH Group came under scrutiny <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/hlh-to-expand-with-corn-rice-plantations/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Police in Kompong Chhnang Province arrested four men and confiscated two bulldozers Tuesday for illegally clearing more than 10 hectares of national forest in the Toek Phos district, officials said yesterday. District Police Chief Kim Sareth said that police apprehended the four laborers in Chorng <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/four-men-arrested-for-illegal-clearing-of-national-forest/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The deaths of four more Cambodian over the past two weeks brings to 11 the number of people killed by Thai soldiers so far this year while illegally logging across the border. The death toll is fast approaching the 15 Cambodians killed in the entirety <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/11-cambodian-loggers-killed-in-two-months/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Opposition SRP has asked the government to halt plans to proceed with the next hydropower dam slated for Koh Kong, saying that experiences with dams currently in construction in the province suggest the government has been unable to control the attendant illegal logging. In <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/opposition-party-highlights-illegal-logging-near-dam-site/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Japanese ambassador Masafumi Kuroki yesterday said he hoped the government arrests the gunman behind the Feb. 20 triple shooting of protesting workers in Svay Rieng province, and that safety must be ensured for investors in the special economic zone (SEZ) where the incident took place. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/japanese-ambassador-airs-concerns-over-sez-shooting/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Prime Minister Hun Sen defended the government’s plan for Strung Treng province’s 400-megawatt Lower Sesan 2 dam project in a letter to an SRP lawmaker, and accused opposition parties, NGOs and the media of exaggerating the negative impacts of hydropower dams. In the six-page letter <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/premier-defends-sesan-dam-says-critics-are-scaremongering/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

In response to the vision of land policy in Cambodia, which is to administer, manage, use and distribute land in an equitable, transparent, efficient, and sustainable manner in order to contribute to achieving national goals of poverty alleviation, ensuring food security, national resources and environmental <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/comprehensive-land-policy-is-under-construction/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Environment Minister Mok Mareth yesterday asked China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) to provide more details on the environmental impact of its project, though he said that exploration for oil and gas would likely begin later this month. at a meeting at the Ministry of Environment, <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/officials-ask-for-more-info-ahead-of-drilling/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

More than 45,000 hectares of land in Preah Vihear province were granted to five companies for rubber plantations on July 6 after the government reclassified the land from state public to state private land on the same day, according to the five sub-decrees signed by <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/july-sub-decree-lists-preah-vihear-grants/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A combined tAsk force of ThAi soldiers And nAtionAl pArk officiAls yesterdAy Arrested 38 CAmbodiAn villAgers who encroAched on the PAnom Dong RAk Wildlife SAnctuAry in ThAilAnd’s Si SA Ket province, which borders OddAr MeAnchey province. ThAi NAtionAl PArks, Wildlife And PlAnt ConservAtion DepArtment chief DAmrong <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/thAis-Arrest-38-cAmbodiAns-on-chArges-of-illegAl-logging/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Cambodia is importing hundreds of tons of silk from China and Vietnam to compensate for a fast-declining domestic industry, which is suffering due to producers opting to grow other crops instead or raising silk worms, according to silk producers. Men Sinoeun, director of the artisans’ association <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/imports-fill-the-gap-as-domestic-silk-production-dwindles/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The government has instructed the owners of all venues providing Internet and telephone access to the public to install security cameras on their premises to record the identity of users in an effort to crack down on terrorism and cyber-crime, states a government directive obtained <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/internet-cafes-phone-kiosks-told-to-install-security-cameras/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

On 18 March 2019, the Electricite Du Cambodge (EDC) in Cambodia issued a press release to express the current status of electricity supply during the dry season. Due to the high temperature and unusual water shortage, the demand for electricity in 2019 has been rising <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/announcements/press-release-on-the-status-of-electricity-supply-during-the-dry-season/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

One More Manufacturing Co Ltd on Saturday officially inaugurated “Mee Chiet” an instant-noodle processing factory with a production capacity of 150 million packages per year. The factory, which is located in Kouk Roka commune’s Trapaing Por village in the capital’s Prek Pnov district, will produce noodles <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/one-more-manufacturing-opens-door-to-local-noodle-production/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A Ministry of Justice spokesmAn And CAmbodiA’s PermAnent Mission to the UN Office At GenevA (Unog) hAve described demAnds for the treAson chArge AgAinst Kem SokhA to be dropped As tAntAmount to interference in the judiciAry. RhonA Smith, the UN SpeciAl RApporteur on the situAtion <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/sokhA-chArge-cAlls-Are-judiciAl-interference/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Cambodia and the US continue to strengthen cooperation in the management and conservation of natural resources. Minister of Environment Say Sam al said the two countries were involved in the management and conservation of more than seven million hectares of natural resources and biodiversity. Sam <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/us-to-assist-biodiversity-efforts/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The U.S. Mission to Vietnam and the Resource Center for Community Development (RCCD), an Giang University seek candidates for the 2018 YSEaLI Regional Workshop: Protecting The Mekong Delta Environment which will be being held from June 4-9, 2018.aSEaN citizens between the ages of 18 and <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/announcements/announcement-on-the-2018-yseali-regional-workshop-protecting-the-mekong-delta-environment/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Ministry of Mines and Energy has called on local and international companies to apply for licences to study and explore gold mining in four provinces believed to be rich in gold. according to a statement signed on November 9 by Mines and Energy Minister <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/four-provinces-open-for-gold-mine-exploration/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Minister of Foreign AffAirs And InternAtionAl CooperAtion PrAk Sokhonn on MondAy requested the government of the Republic of KoreA to receive more CAmbodiAn migrAnt workers. The request wAs mAde At A bilAterAl meeting with South KoreAn Minister of Foreign AffAirs KAng Kyung-whA during the AseAn-Republic of <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/foreign-ministry-cAlls-on-s-koreA-to-tAke-on-more-cAmbodiAn-migrAnt-workers/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Civil societies on Tuesday applauded the Cambodian Human Rights Committee’s (CHRC) new legal hotline meant to promote access to justice and empower financially vulnerable people.​​ CHRC spokesman Chin Malin told The Post on Thursday that a 35-strong legal team is to be placed on standby <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/human-rights-committees-legal-hotline-receives-praise/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>