Party-busting bill passed in ‘final blow’ to democracy
In what some are calling one of the most significant threats to democracy that Cambodia has faced in a generation, the CPP-controlled National Assembly on Monday voted to give the government and courts sweeping new powers over political parties. ...
Ben Sokhean and Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/party-busting-bill-passed-in-final-blow-to-democracy-125486/
Laos’ Pak Beng dam proposal under scrutiny
Members of Mekong River Commission and civil society groups will be heading to Luang Prabang in Laos to attend the regional stakeholder meeting on Wednesday to discuss Laos’ proposal to build a third dam on the Mekong mainstream, the Pak Beng. ...
Leakhena Sreng
http://www.voacambodia.com/a/lao-pak-beng-dam-proposal-under-scrunity/3733702.html
Top court upholds decision to deny bail for Adhoc officials
Four senior officials for rights group Adhoc will remain behind bars after the Supreme Court on Monday upheld the Court of Appeal’s ruling that they should be held in detention while awaiting trial, but gave no reason for the decision. ...
Railway firm eyes Cambodia
Chinese locomotive and railway equipment giant CRRC Zelc is to conduct a feasibility study into the investment potential of Cambodia to help improve the kingdom’s railway system while contributing to the One Belt; One Road initiative. ...
May Kunmakara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/37716/railway-firm-eyes-cambodia/
Emerald’s gold prospects improve
The Australian-listed mining firm behind Cambodia’s Okvau gold project in Mondulkiri province released its definitive feasibility study (DFS) yesterday, confirming its predictions of 1.14 million ounces in gold reserves while reducing its projected investment costs for extraction. ...
Kali Kotoski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/emeralds-gold-prospects-improve
Grow Asia to focus on value chain projects
Cambodia’s agricultural sector must improve post-harvest processing to increase the value of its products, while increased knowledge sharing could help farmers better understand the different value chains and identify opportunities, agricultural experts participating in the Grow Asia Forum said yesterday. ...
Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/grow-asia-focus-value-chain-projects
Hopefuls duel for votes in Takeo
Residents of Takeo province’s Trapeang Thom Khang Cheung commune turned out to their local pagoda yesterday to experience something common during elections the world over but rarer in Cambodia: a public debate between the people seeking to govern them. ...
Mech Dara and Alex Willemyns
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/commune-elections/hopefuls-duel-votes-takeo
Acleda Bank reports $28M net profit in Q1
Aceleda Bank, Cambodia’s largest bank by assets, reported a net profit of $28.39 million in first quarter this year, down slightly from $30.19 million in the same period in 2016, according to the bank’s latest financial report. ...
The Phnom Penh Post Staff
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/acleda-bank-reports-28m-net-profit-q1
Gov’t rejects 11th-hour reprieve for Sesan dam families
An official in Stung Treng province said there was no way to grant a laSt-minute reprieve requeSted on Thursday by villagers whose homes could be flooded within days once teSting of the Lower Sesan II hydropower dam begins on Saturday. ...
Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/govt-rejects-11th-hour-reprieve-for-sesan-dam-families-132499/
Community forests fall short
A newly leaked document attesting to a $15,000 deal between representatives of Ratanakkiri’s Samut Krom village and a timber trader to allow Vietnamese-backed logging in the community’s forest appears to add further weight to its critique. ...
Phak Seangly and Shaun Turton
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/community-forests-fall-short
KNUP leader Nhek Bun Chhay charged over 2007 drugs case
Political fixture and former Co-Defence Minister Nhek Bun Chhay was officially charged yesterday with conspiracy to produce drugs and importing drug components after being linked to a decade-old bust by one of the men convicted in the original case. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/knup-leader-nhek-bun-chhay-charged-over-2007-drugs-case
RDB closes bidding on rice storage facilities
The state-run Rural Development Bank (RDB) received a total of 10 proposals from Cambodian agricultural firms expressing interest in developing rice storage and drying facilities across three provinces using government-backed low-interest loans, a bank official said yesterday. ...
Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/rdb-closes-bidding-rice-storage-facilities
China pledges UXO funding days after US spat
Prime Minister Hun Sen announced yesterday that China will begin funding demining efforts, just days after the US said it would pull financial support for a removal project with the Cambodian Mine Action Centre in the eastern part of the country. ...
Andrew Nachemson and Kong Meta
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/china-pledges-uxo-funding-days-after-us-spat
Cop caught on camera beating traffic officer placed in pre-trial detention
A National Police officer who beat up a traffic policeman on Tuesday for reprimanding him for running a red light was sent to pre-trial detention by Phnom Penh Municipal Court this afternoon and faces the preliminary charge of “intentional violence”. ...
Kong Meta
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cop-caught-camera-beating-traffic-officer-placed-pre-trial-detention
New Borei Keila offer rejected
Borei Keila residents have continued to reject compensation in exchange for leaving their land, claiming the latest offer was inadequate. Two of the remaining 11 families met with the 7 Makara district governor in Phnom Penh yesterday to discuss compensation. ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50102236/new-borei-keila-offer-rejected/
GDP to focus on government efficiency
The Grassroots Democracy Party yesterday suggested taking a pin to Cambodia’s inflated bureaucracy, saying it would campaign on a proposal to reduce the number of ministries from 23 to just 15 in order to improve efficiency and cut wasteful spending. ...
Ben Sokhean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/gdp-focus-government-efficiency
Germany puts pressure on Cambodia, ending preferential visa treatment for Hun family and high-ranking officials
In a response to a parliamentary inquiry, the German government on Wednesday laid out a number of measures it has quietly taken over recent months to pressure the Cambodian government following its crackdown on media outlets, NGOs and the political opposition. ...
Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/germany-puts-pressure-cambodia-ending-preferential-visa-treatment-hun-family-and
Smart eyes 41.5% stake sale for expansion
Malaysian telecom giant Axiata Group will consider divesting a portion of its stake in Cambodian mobile operator Smart Mobile in a bid to free up capital to “pursue opportunities”, including infrastructure expansion and future acquisitions, a company executive said yesterday. ...
Kali Kotoski and Cam McGrath
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/smart-eyes-415-stake-sale-expansion
Quality infrastructure needed to support economic growth
Cambodia sits at a crossroads in the Asean region, potentially making it a key part of regional economic development and trade flows, though improved infrastructure and more innovative financing approaches are still needed, infrastructure experts meeting in Phnom Penh said yesterday. ...
Matthieu de Gaudemar
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/quality-infrastructure-needed-support-economic-growth
Axiata sells 10% stake in Cambodia’s Smart
Axiata Group sold a 10 percent stake of its Cambodian subsidiary Smart Axiata to Japanese group Mitsui Co Ltd to form a strategic partnership and further the firm’s activity in the Kingdom, according to a company release on Friday. ...
Matthieu de Gaudemar
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/axiata-sells-10-stake-cambodias-smart