Commune elections open
A total of 22,148 polling stations across the country opened their doors to registered voters at 7:00 AM. Some 7.8 million people are registered to vote for chiefs and councilors in more than 1,600 communes, with close to 12 political parties fielding candidates. ...
Cheang Sokha and Khy Sovuthy
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/39008/commune-elections-open/
Dam’s consultation process concludes
The consultation process for the controversial proposed Pak Beng dam in Laos concluded on Monday, allowing construction to begin even as local and international civil society groups continued to urge a delay until a forthcoming Mekong River Commission (MRC) environmental assessment is released later this ...
Andrew Nachemson
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/dams-consultation-process-concludes
Sar Kheng says official held in Thailand avoided checkpoint, vows arms probe
Interior Minister Sar Kheng has vowed an investigation into an alleged arms trafficking operation linked to a Cambodian official, saying information from suspects indicated the guns were smuggled via a “corridor” in Cambodia’s Koh Kong province into Thailand and did not pass through the international ...
Mech Dara and Shaun Turton
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/sar-kheng-says-official-held-thailand-avoided-checkpoint-vows-arms-probe
Cambodia Daily slapped with huge tax bill
Government-aligned media outlet Fresh News has published a leaked letter from the Taxation Department to the Cambodia Daily claiming that it owes $6.3 million in back taxes, a disclosure accompanied by scathing anonymous “letters” attacking the English-language newspaper and prominent NGOs. ...
Phak Seangly and Shaun Turton
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodia-daily-slapped-huge-tax-bill
Thai-Cambodia trade on the rise
Trade between Cambodia and Thailand increased by about 10 percent in the first half of the year to $2.9 billion, up from $2.6 billion in the same period last year, according to figures released by the Thai embassy yesterday. ...
Chea Vannak
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5078088/thai-cambodia-trade-rise/
Industry 4.0: Executives on how ‘smart factories’ will impact Cambodia
The next industrial revolution will introduce “smart factories” in which computers and robotics communicating wirelessly will handle physical processes with very little input from human operators, leaving few job opportunities for unskilled workers, executives of German industrial giants said during a briefing in Phnom Penh ...
Robin Spiess
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/industry-40-executives-how-smart-factories-will-impact-cambodia
Solar, wind advances offer Mekong countries alternatives to dams, coal: experts
Mekong Region countries like Cambodia should reconsider their plans to expand hydropower dams and coal plants, as the costs of alternative energy sources, such as solar power, are rapidly falling, a U.S. think-tank said, while improved regional grid connections can also ease growing energy demand. ...
Nem Sopheakpanha, Seourn Vathana, and Sun Narin
https://www.voacambodia.com/a/solar-wind-advances-offer-mekong-countries-alternatives-to-dams-coal-experts/4045082.html
Terms settled on deal to supply rice to Bangladesh: CRF
Cambodia and Bangladesh have finalised terms on a massive rice deal that could see up to 1 million tonnes of rice purchased from the Kingdom over the next five years, with the first shipment due to begin by November, a source close to the deal ...
Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/terms-settled-deal-supply-rice-bangladesh-crf
China woos Hun Sen at Beijing dinner
The Communist Party of China has again publicly announced its strong support for the ruling CPP. The comments were made at a dinner on Wednesday night in Beijing, attended by Prime Minister Hun Sen and Song Tao, head of the International Liaison Department of the CPC. ...
May Titthara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5093483/china-woos-hun-sen-beijing-dinner/
Government officials, including PM, continue to dispute Post story on Germany's ending of preferential visa treatment
Prime Minister Hun Sen and a spokesman for the ruling party yesterday joined a chorus of government officials attacking the veracity of an article published by The Post on Monday stating that Germany had cancelled preferential visa treatment for private travel by certain high-ranking Cambodian ...
Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/government-officials-including-pm-continue-dispute-post-story-germanys-ending-preferential
T-Shop offers first domestic franchise
T-Shop Cambodia, a Phnom-Penh based electronics and gadget shop founded in 2012, has announced that due to nationwide interest it is offering franchise options, with two already sold. This makes it the first Cambodian-owned business to sell franchises, according to CEO Bung Hor. ...
Sok Chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/31416/t-shop-offers-first-domestic-franchise/
Banteay Meanchey undergoes infrastructure boost
Banteay Meanchey province, nestled between the better known provinces of Siem Reap and Battambang, once suffered from a lack of business activity partly due to a long-running border dispute with Thailand. Recent indications, however, show the area is recovering some lost ground on the infrastructure ...
Vandy Muong
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-property/banteay-meanchey-undergoes-infrastructure-boost
Court denies analyst Sok’s request for bail
The Supreme Court yesterday upheld a lower court’s decision to deny jailed political analyst Kim Sok’s request for bail, also rejecting his request to summons Prime Minister Hun Sen, the plaintiff in the two defamation and incitement cases that landed the analyst in detention. ...
Kim Sarom
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/court-denies-analyst-soks-request-bail
Under pressure, senior KNUP officials jump ship to Funcinpec
Several senior officials from the embattled KNUP have defected to rival party Funcinpec, a spokesman said on Sunday, following the sacking of 12 government advisers and a warning from the ruling party that all government workers linked to KNUP leader Nhek Bun Chhay will be ...
Van Roeun and Chhorn Phearun
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/under-pressure-senior-knup-officials-jump-ship-to-funcinpec-132806/
Tax department rakes in $1.2B in revenue
The General Department of Taxation (GDT) collected a whopping $1.19 billion in tax revenue during the first half of this year, an increase of 32 percent compared to the same period last year, led by a surge of value-added tax (VAT) and profit-tax revenue. ...
Kali Kotoski and Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/tax-department-rakes-12b-revenue
Call to protect ancient temple in Prey Lang
The Ministry of Environment has appealed to authorities and the community to protect a temple discovered in Prey Lang forest in Kampong Thom province’s Sandan district. Minister of Environment Say Sam Al lead a delegation to visit Trapaing Prers temple in Prey Lang forest last ...
Sen David
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5093920/call-protect-ancient-temple-prey-lang/
Grant excludes HIV support group
A national network of people living with HIV, which has been key in helping coordinate anti-HIV services at the grassroots level, is now being excluded from a new Global Fund grant, raising “deep” concerns, according to NGOs and a leaked internal email sent to government ...
Yesenia Amaro
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/grant-excludes-hiv-support-group
Cambodia’s budget process slightly more transparent, but issues remain: report
Cambodia’s budget process was slightly more transparent last year than in previous years, according to a new report, though scant information is provided to the public over the course of the budget process, with few opportunities for public engagement and limited oversight in its creation. ...
Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodias-budget-process-slightly-more-transparent-issues-remain-report
RCAF ‘observing’ in Thailand, with photos showing army-plated vehicles in Bangkok
Days after Cambodian and Thai officials reportedly agreed on closer coordination over “foreign fugitives”, opposition party members who have fled the country for Thailand have provided evidence of Cambodian military vehicles stationed near their homes in Bangkok, increasing fear among asylum seekers that they could ...
Ben Sokhean and Ananth Baliga
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/rcaf-observing-thailand-photos-showing-army-plated-vehicles-bangkok
Locked-up villagers set off protests
More than 100 villagers protested in front of Banan district hall in Battambang province yesterday, demanding the release of six villagers who were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly accepting money to illegally divide state land. The six suspects have been accused of advertising land and then ...