Somaly Mam Foundation closes down
Months after announcing the resignation of its founder and promising to start afresh to continue its “vital work” protecting vulnerable girls in Cambodia, the U.S.-based Somaly Mam Foundation (SMF) announced Saturday that it has ceased operations, telling supporters to turn to other organizations to help ...
Chris Mueller
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/somaly-mam-foundation-closes-down-70300/
Cambodian PM defends Australia refugee deal
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is trying to ease concerns over the social and economic costs of the country’s plan with Australia to receive refugees. U.S.-based Human Rights Watch has called for the deal to be halted until Cambodia improves its refugee support system. Hun Sen ...
Ron Corben
http://www.voanews.com/content/cambodian-pm-defends-australia-refugee-deal/2531839.html
Beer promoters see change
A vigorous labour-rights movement outside factories has been paramount in the government essentially doubling the minimum garment wage over the past three years. Sar Mora, president of Cambodian Food and Service Workers Federation (CFSWF), said yesterday that the high-profile push for garment wage increases has ...
Shane Worrell and Mom Kunthear
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/beer-promoters-see-change
ACU lays out rules on receiving gifts
The body overseeing the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) has made public internal regulations that prohibit ACU personnel from receiving gifts worth more than $25 and require them to report business dinners in advance, while also making rare disclosures about the kinds of items proffered to the ...
Chhay Channyda
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/acu-lays-out-rules-receiving-gifts
‘We’re no Funcinpec’
An opposition leader yesterday rejected criticism that his party is becoming too friendly with the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, assuring supporters they would fight to win power and not be lured into the same trap as the now marginalised Funcinpec royalist party. Speaking to hundreds of ...
Meas Sokchea
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/were-no-funcinpec
Mondulkiri officials ‘cleared forest’
Members of the indigenous Bunong tribe and civil society organisations on Wednesday filed a complaint against local authorities in Mondulkiri for illegally clearing 300ha of protected forest. The cleared land is located in O’Raing district’s Pou Les village. ...
Soth Koemsoeun
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/mondulkiri-officials-cleared-forest
Statement in response to allegations by associations and NGOs
On Wednesday evening, 12 February 2020, the Ministry of Interior issued a statement in response to allegations by several associations and non-governmental organizations accusing the Royal Government of not being willing to amend the Law on Association and Non-government Organization (LANGO). ...
Ministry of Interior
Textile manufacturer invests $20 million on expansion programme
TST Group Holding, the Taipei-listed major textile producer, has announced plans to expand its business operations in Cambodia to assist in the current lack of textiles imports because of the Novel Coronavirus. ...
Chhut Bunthoeun
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50698579/textile-manufacturer-invests-20-million-on-expansion-programme
Cambodia’s COVID-19 cases rises to 12
Four new cases of COVID-19 was reported late yesterday, bringing the total number of victims to double digits since the virus outbreak started in late December in Wuhan, China. ...
Khmer Times Staff
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50702156/cambodias-covid-19-cases-rises-to-12/
World Bank: Real-estate boom could backfire on economy
The World Bank has warned that the significant growth recorded in the construction and real-estate sector, considered one of the country’s economic pillars, could ultimately affect overall growth due to a trinity of unanticipated and now negative factors. ...
Chhut Bunthoeun
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50712701/world-bank-real-estate-boom-could-backfire-on-economy/
NA to vote on new ministers
The National Assembly (NA) on Monday will put a vote of confidence in appointing and reshuffling five ministers and appointing five senior ministers, said NA spokesman Leng Peng Long in a press release issued by the General Secretariat of the National Assembly on Friday. ...
Niem Chheng
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/na-vote-new-ministers
Ministry: No plans to revise 6% economic growth forecast
The government is evaluating the current economic situation and monitoring the impact of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic to determine whether to adjust its six per cent projection for economic growth this year, Ministry of Economy and Finance spokesman Meas Sok Sensan said on Wednesday. ...
Long Kimmarita
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/ministry-no-plans-revise-6-economic-growth-forecast
SME Bank officially launched
Small and Medium Enterprise Bank of Cambodia (SME Bank), the Kingdom’s newest bank with initial capital of $100 million to provide financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), was officially launched on Saturday. ...
Thou Vireak
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/sme-bank-officially-launched
Jica loans $50M to HKL to aid rural MSMEs
Hattha Kaksekar Limited (HKL), a subsidiary of Thai-based Bank of Ayudhya Pcl (Krungsri), received a $50 million loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) to expand its operations and support micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in rural areas. ...
May Kunmakara
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/jica-loans-50m-hkl-aid-rural-msmes
‘Stop land grabs at archaeological sites’
The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts said last year, it cracked down on 18 cases of land grabs at archaeological sites, while 6,617 archaeological sites including burial places, ancient temples, ancient pagodas and irrigation systems across the country were registered for conservation. ...
Khorn Savi
https://phnompenhpost.com/national/stop-land-grabs-archaeological-sites
IMF: Gov’t needs to address long-lasting employment
Economic data released this week by the International Monetary Foundation (IMF) shows that the long-lasting effects of five previous pandemics and their economic shocks have much worse effects on the employment prospects for workers with low levels of educational attainment. ...
Harrison White
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50722552/imf-govt-needs-to-address-long-lasting-employment/
Three investment projects worth $246 million approved, to create 1,500 jobs
The Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) has given the green light to three new investment projects with a total investment capital of $246.1 million. According to the council, the newly approved projects are expected to create some 1,547 jobs for the locals. ...
Khmer Times Staff
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50727869/three-investment-projects-worth-246-million-approved-to-create-1500-jobs/
Cambodia scores 157th in world for open data
Cambodia ranked 157th in the world and last in Southeast Asia, according to the report, released on Tuesday by NGO Open Data Watch, dropping four points since last year to a total score of 22 out of 100. ...
Hannah Hawkins
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/cambodia-scores-157th-world-open-data-125977/
Cambodia must seek new trade partners
Cambodia will no doubt look to partners other than the US and the European Union to bolster its economic growth as those key export markets continue to struggle, a senior International Monetary Fund official says. One way in which Cambodia would forge new and growing relationships with higher-income ...
New underground roads said to ease congestion in Phnom Penh
The Phnom Penh Municipal Hall is studying the possibility of building three new underground roadways in the capital to ease traffic congestion. Meas Pheakdey said on Wednesday that municipal specialists are busy studying the potential impacts of the roads and estimating costs. ...
Soth Koemsoeun
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/new-underground-roads-said-ease-congestion-phnom-penh