Officials survey Prey Lang from sky
Making a dramatic arrival by helicopter at the Sofitel Hotel in Phnom Penh after a flyover of Prey Lang forest, Environment Minister Say Sam Al and US Ambassador to Cambodia William Heidt discussed a plan to make the Kingdom’s largest forest a protected area. ...
Pech Sotheary and Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/officials-survey-prey-lang-sky
Officials identify leader of capital’s sex trafficking ring
Military police have identified the suspected leader of what they believe to be a sex trafficking ring masquerading as a masseuse-training agency as a 40-year-old businesswoman with Cambodian and Thai citizenship who owns karaoke parlors in both countries. ...
Tea Banh’s sons given top gov’t jobs
As the government fends off continued accusations of nepotism within its institutions, a royal decree issued in early March revealed the appointment of four official assistants to four-star general and deputy prime minister Tea Banh, two of whom are the general’s own sons. ...
May Titthara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24491/tea-banh---s-sons-given-top-gov---t-jobs/
SEZs hold key to economic corridor growth
Industrial parks that offer special privileges to companies that operate inside them play a dominant role in attracting investment in the region, but countries must focus more on building up their infrastructure and human resources to take advantage of increased connectivity, development experts said yesterday. ...
Kali Kotoski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/sezs-hold-key-economic-corridor-growth
Mesco closes in on gold licence
After an unexpectedly lengthy review, the Ministry of Environment has approved the environmental and social impact study of Indian mining firm Mesco Gold, clearing the last major hurdle for the company to receive a licence to operate the Kingdom’s first royalty-generating mine. ...
Cam McGrath
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/mesco-closes-gold-licence
Indonesia, Cambodia discuss defence cooperation
Indonesia is willing to offer Cambodia’s navy ships at a discount and would like the Kingdom to be involved in joint patrols in the region, Indonesia’s Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu yesterday told the Post, amid his meetings with government leaders. ...
Shaun Turton and Vong Sokheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/indonesia-cambodia-discuss-defence-cooperation
Brexit won’t affect ties, says UK ambassador
The British ambassador yesterday reaffirmed to the Cambodian government that the results of a recent referendum on leaving the EU, and a cabinet reshuffle by the ruling Conservative Party, would not have a negative impact on the country’s ties with Cambodia. ...
Ros Chanveasna
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/28856/brexit-won---t-affect-ties--says-uk-ambassador/
Poverty causes trafficking to China, says report
A report published last week by the UN Action for Cooperation Against Trafficking in Persons (UN-ACT) says the main cause of human trafficking from Cambodia to China was a lack of jobs and low wages, forcing many young women to look at opportunities abroad. ...
Tin Sokhavuth
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/29214/poverty-causes-trafficking-to-china--says-report/
MoU with UN stalled by government
A memorandum of understanding between Cambodia and the United Nations has been stalled for almost 10 months thanks to the government’s insistence that an updated version include pointed references to the concept of “non-interference” lifted from the UN charter, the Post has learned. ...
Shaun Turton
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/mou-un-stalled-government
ASEAN creates 'community' encompassing 600+ million people
Leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Sunday signed a declaration establishing a formal economic, political, security and socio-cultural community. The AEC is set to become fully functional December 31. ...
Steve Herman
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/asean-economic-community/3069046.html
Gov’t wants only $8 wage increase
The government revealed its favored figure for the new garment and footwear industry minimum wage in 2017 during a Technical Working Group meeting on Friday, telling attendees that they believed it should be raised by about $8 per month – representing only a five percent ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/29609/gov---t-wants-only--8-wage-increase/
Government responds to Global Witness
Government officials reacted strongly yesterday to a recent statement by NGO Global Witness calling on Switzerland, the host of this year’s World Economic Forum, to turn away Prime Minister Hun Sen and not give him a platform to find new international business partners. ...
May Titthara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/34549/government--responds-to--global-witness/
Khmer New Year festival brings in more income
Angkor Sangkranta, Siem Reap’s largest cultural festival held over Khmer New Year, raked in a total income of $95 million on the back of 1.6 million domestic and international visitors, a 23 percent year-on-year increase, state news agency AKP said yesterday. ...
Post Staff
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/khmer-new-year-festival-brings-more-income
Commune elections 2017: Parties strut in first push for polls
The campaign for the June 4 commune elections officially began on Saturday morning with opposition CNRP leader Kem Sokha telling supporters that his party’s time had finally come and CPP Senate President Say Chhum similarly pledging an easy victory for the ruling party. ...
Mech Dara and Alex Willemyns
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/commune-elections-2017-parties-strut-first-push-polls
Bangladesh signs big rice deal
Two weeks after Bangladesh and Cambodia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Phnom Penh to purchase rice from Cambodia, on Monday of this week Bangladesh signed a deal to buy 250,000 tonnes of milled rice from Cambodia. ...
Sok Chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5078380/bangladesh-signs-big-rice-deal/
Government taken to task at UN meet
The UN’s special rapporteur on Cambodia yesterday slammed the Kingdom’s government at the 36th session of the UN Human Rights Council, going so far as to express doubt as to whether next year’s crucial elections will be free and fair. ...
Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/government-taken-task-un-meet
Hun Sen says he will ‘stop talking’ about CNRP
Prime Minister Hun Sen said from now on he will “stop talking” about the recently dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party and instructed his government officials to do the same, before vowing that self-exiled opposition members who returned to Cambodia would not face arrest. ...
Ben Sokhean and Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/hun-sen-says-he-will-stop-talking-about-cnrp
Chinese firm snaps up $49.2M in local assets
Shanghai-listed Guangzhou Yuetai Group will purchase $49.2 million in assets in Cambodia by buying a 45 percent stake in a local property development firm and a 19 percent stake in a Cambodian import-export company, the company said in a filing yesterday. ...
Post Staff
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/chinese-firm-snaps-492m-local-assets
Beaten activists accused
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court issued a warrant yesterday summoning human rights activists Am Sam Ath and Chan Puthisak to court today on charges that they incited an attack on two Daun Penh district security guards during a World Habitat Day protest on October 10. ...
May Titthara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/35233/beaten-activists-accused/
Parties’ funding plans differ
The two main political parties contesting the upcoming commune elections revealed disparate campaign budget plans yesterday, with the opposition pledging to spend over $1 million and a spokesman for the ruling CPP saying his party will not be creating a central campaigning budget at all. ...
Meas Sokchea
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/parties-funding-plans-differ