Chinese firm to build $2 bil agriculture SEZ
Kampong Speu province will soon be home to a Chinese-funded agricultural special economic zone (SEZ) with facilities to research plant diseases, after the Ministry of Agriculture and Tian Rui (Cambodia) Agricultural Cooperation SEZ Co., signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) yesterday. ...
Sok Chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/31025/chinese-firm-to-build---2-bil-agriculture-sez--/
House collapses into river, others removed
One home collapsed into the Tonle Bassac river on Saturday in Kandal’s Sa’ang district, while two others are at risk of collapse and eight others had to be dismantled and moved across the road, away from the riverbank, officials said yesterday. ...
Touch Sokha
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/house-collapses-river-others-removed
Independent election monitor will dispatch 15,000 observers
Come voting day on June 4, at least 15,000 independent observers recruited by the Committee for Free and Fair Elections (Comfrel) will be on duty at polling stations to ensure that voters feel free to cast their votes as they wish. ...
Michelle Vachon
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/second2/independent-election-monitor-will-dispatch-15000-observers-129985/
Acleda’s new ATM cards
Acleda Bank spent about $1 million to produce 800,000 new ATM cards with EMV chips to enable them to be used globally and also to mitigate the risk of fraud, said the bank’s president and group managing director on Friday. ...
Sok Chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/38780/acleda---s-new-atm-cards/
Government spokesman admits to NGO scare
Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak’s pre-election warning that some NGOs and their leaders were being watched for illegally aiding the opposition was a threat designed to frighten them, General Sopheak said on Wednesday, as civil society groups warily condemned the statements. ...
Aun Pheap and Ben Paviour
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/government-spokesman-admits-to-ngo-scare-131115/
Economists assail opposition proposal to ditch US dollars
Economists on Tuesday lambasted the CNRP’s proposal to eliminate the use of U.S. dollars for transactions in the country within one year of a victory in next year’s national elections, saying the policy would be “a disaster” and “impossible.” ...
Brendan O’byrne
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/economists-assail-opposition-proposal-to-ditch-us-dollars-131307/
‘Adhoc 5’ investigation concluded; trial awaits
The 13-month investigation into five current and former human rights workers known as the ‘Adhoc 5’ has ended, a court spokesman said on Wednesday, paving the way for a trial in a case widely condemned as being unjust and politically motivated. ...
Sek Odom
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/adhoc-5-investigation-concluded-trial-awaits-131614/
Phnom Penh set to open first airport railway link by April
A railway line that will transport passengers from the center of Phnom Penh to its airport is set to open in April, Transport Minister Sun Chanthol announced on Friday, adding that no evictions would be necessary to make way for the development. ...
Minister calls for car check-ups
Transport Minister Sun Chanthol said yesterday that there are about 150,000 cars on Cambodia’s roads without valid road safety certificates, and called on vehicle owners to schedule safety checks on his ministry’s website or risk being fined by police. ...
Touch Sokha
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/minister-calls-car-check-ups
KPP asked to submit reports to government
A meeting yesterday between Interior Ministry officials and the acting leader of jailed government critic Sourn Serey Ratha’s Khmer Power Party ended with the party being asked to file missing annual reports to bring it in line with the Political Parties Law. ...
Meas Sokchea
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/kpp-asked-submit-reports-government
Government plans new cassava policy
Minister of Commerce Pan Sorasak has announced that the government will be spearheading a new National Cassava Policy which aims to address challenges in the industry and work towards ensuring a sustainable and resilient crop, strong value chains and greater regional market presence. ...
Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/government-plans-new-cassava-policy
Typhoon Tembin to bring heavy rain next week
All provinces, especially those along the border with Vietnam, will be affected by heavy rain when Typhoon Tembin hits next week. The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology announced that Tembin appeared in the Pacific Ocean yesterday and is currently in the Philippines. ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5097622/typhoon-tembin-bring-heavy-rain-next-week/
Poipet families protest for help in land dispute
Some 30 families from Poipet city’s Phsar Kandal commune yesterday protested in front of the Poipet Town Hall to demand intervention from authorities to resolve a land dispute with a man who claims to be an “adviser” to Prime Minister Hun Sen. ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/poipet-families-protest-help-land-dispute
Construction project approvals up, but locals aren't reaping the rewards
The government announced a more than 20 percent increase in approved construction projects last year over the year before, but not all the benefits of the booming industry are being passed on to Cambodian workers and property buyers, according to industry insiders. ...
Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/construction-project-approvals-locals-arent-reaping-rewards
Soft tax approach sends mixed signals
The Tax Department has announced a one-month extension to its traditional March 31 deadline for companies to submit their annual corporate tax filings – an unprecedented last-minute move that some legal experts argue could be sending the wrong message to taxpayers. ...
Kali Kotoski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/soft-tax-approach-sends-mixed-signals
Government’s ‘late’ UNESCO bid draws social media outcry
The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts yesterday announced that they have submitted the Khmer martial art Bokator, as well as Lakhon Khol – the traditional masked dance theatre – to be considered for recognition on UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list. ...
Rinith Taing
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/governments-late-unesco-bid-draws-social-media-outcry
Voter rolls accurate: Comfrel
Two election monitoring groups have conducted an audit of National Election Committe-issued NEC voter lists in 252 communes and found them to be 98 percent accurate, potentially quelling, at least in part, past anxieties over the quality and veracity of these lists. ...
Touch Sokha
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/voter-rolls-accurate-comfrel
White Building residents asked to help CPP
Land Management Minister Chea Sophara on Friday reminded more than 200 residents and soon-to-be evictees of Phnom Penh’s iconic White Building to “help us back” by voting in upcoming elections in return for the government negotiating compensation for their properties. ...
Sek Odom
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/white-building-residents-asked-to-help-cpp-127793/
Justice official denies authenticity of emails
Cambodia’s embattled justice system and its alleged tight alignment with the ruling party have been thrust into the spotlight after what appeared to be a string of hacked emails were leaked from Justice Ministry spokesman Kim Santepheap’s account over the weekend. ...
Mech Dara and Erin Handley
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/justice-official-denies-authenticity-emails
Safe water from Kamchay dam
A feasibility study on producing safe drinking water from the Chinese-built Kamchay hydropower dam in Kampot province has been completed, according to the Ministry of Industry, raising hopes that the current water shortage in the province and neighbouring Kep could be alleviated. ...
Chea Vannak
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/39782/safe-water-from-kamchay-dam/