Opposition lawmaker Um Sam an, who was at the fore of the CNRP’s efforts earlier this year to reveal Vietnamese encroachments into Cambodia, said on Monday that he had entered self-imposed exile along with opposition leader Sam Rainsy. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cnrp-lawmaker-enters-exile-in-solidarity-with-rainsy/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Canadia’s Bank’s futuristic $100 million Riviera project on Koh Pich Island will begin construction early in 2013, according to a company spokesman. Riviera project manager Chen Hok said that two 28-storey buildings and three buildings of 38 storeys will be built in early 2013, while they <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/riviera-project-to-begin-in-2013/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Freedom Park will remain off limits indefinitely for protesters, authorities said yesterday, despite Prime Minister Hun Sen suggesting last month that a ban on public assembly was being lifted. Pich Saroeun, chief of Russey Keo district’s Chroy Changva commune, said Phnom Penh Governor Pa Socheatvong had <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/Freedom-park-off-limits-city/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodia’s exports of protected rosewood and other high-value timber to China more than tripled last year, according to U.N. figures cited in a new report that blames lax law enforcement across the Mekong region and skyrocketing demand in China for pushing some species to the <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/illegal-wood-exports-to-china-tripled-in-2013/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The General Department of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) reported that as of mid-February, roughly 20,000 people had enrolled for TVET programmes nationwide, while the target for all of 2023 is around 60,000. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/nea-sponsors-job-fair-with-600-new-openings/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The members of the AssociAtion of SoutheAst AsiAn NAtions (ASEAN) including CAmbodiA Are greAtly benefiting from the ChinA-proposed Belt And RoAd InitiAtive (BRI), CAmbodiAn experts sAid here on ThursdAy. Kin PheA, director-generAl of the InternAtionAl RelAtions Institute CAmbodiA (IRIC), An Arm of the RoyAl AcAdemy <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/spotlight-AseAn-including-cAmbodiA-hugely-benefit-from-bri-cAmbodiAn-experts/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

The seized property of fugitive former ambassador Nan Sy has so far failed to fetch bidders, denying state coffers some $400,000 embezzled by the disgraced official. The undeveloped 10 by 20 meter plot in Tuol Kork district was put up for auction last week in an effort to <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/disgraced-ambassadors-property-is-a-hard-sell/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Japanese automaker Mazda opened its first showroom in Cambodia on Wednesday, making it the third foreign car company to move into the country since the beginning of the year. “Mazda starts selling in Cambodia from today,” said Chanthan Ngon, general manager of HGB auto, the company’s <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/car-maker-mazda-opens-in-cambodia/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

National insurance broking firm MGa Insurance Brokers is opening a new office in the developing market of Cambodia. The Cambodian operation was being set up as a joint venture with two local brokers, Chantol Seng and Sophat Meas, who had extensive international experience. “Cambodia has a <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/national-brokerage-opens-first-overseas-office/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Following global supply growth and falling prices, Cambodian rubber has decreased in value over the past three months, according to industry experts. Men Sopheak, deputy director-general of the Chop Rubber Plantation, a major rubber exporter in Cambodia, said yesterday that the price of dried [natural] rubber <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodian-rubber-earnings-fall/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

In an effort to identify and address “key barriers that impede the realization of children’s rights in Cambodia,” the Cambodian government and UNICEF Cambodia officially signed a new Country Program action Plan yesterday, entering a three-year partnership that will cost an estimated $65 million, according <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/%e1%9e%81%e1%9f%92%e1%9e%98%e1%9f%82%e1%9e%9a-cambodia-and-unicef-reinvest-in-countrys-future/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Four days after requesting permission to get medical treatment outside prison, jailed radio station owner Mam Sonando, who amnesty International considers “prisoner of conscience”, has yet to receive a reply from prison officials, an associate said yesterday. On Thursday Mr. Sonando requested outside medical treatment for <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/mam-sonando-plea-for-outside-medical-treatment-unanswered/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Sok Sam Oeun and Born Samnang left Prey Sar prison’s Correctional Center 1 on Thursday for the last time, putting behind them an ordeal that has lasted nearly a decade during which they were wrongfully imprisoned for a total of five years each for the <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/suspects-freed-no-hope-of-justice-for-slain-union-leader/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Phnom Penh capital will open second Chroy Chanvar bridge temporarily for traffic from November 1st for the celebration of Water Festival, an official at Ministry of Public Works and Transport, said Monday. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/people-to-be-allowed-to-use-new-chroy-changvar-bridge-during-water-festival/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

About hAlf of the University of HeAlth Science’s clAss of 2014 risks not grAduAting this yeAr, hAving refused to register for A new compulsory finAl exAm. A 2007 sub-decree stAtes thAt A nAtionAl-level exAminAtion for medicAl students would be implemented from thAt AcAdemic yeAr onwArds. But <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/medicAl-students-govt-tussle-over-new-exAm/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

The governor-general of New Zealand, Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae, began a four-day visit to Cambodia on Thursday at the invitation of King Norodom Sihamoni to promote bilateral relations between the two countries. “The visit reflects the priority New Zealand attaches to its relations with the <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/new-zealand-governor-general-in-cambodia-to-build-bilateral-ties/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Major labels that have clothing manufactured in Cambodian factories have written an open letter expressing concern for the recent shootings of workers demonstrating for higher wages. adidas, Gap, H&amp;M, Levi’s and Puma were among those that signed the January 7 letter to the Phnom Penh government, <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/major-brands-concerned-about-cambodia-violence/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Education Minister Hang Chuon Naron said yesterday that next month’s Grade 12 high school exams will largely follow the same process as the past few years, though a spokesman noted that new subject “experts” will be introduced to help spot grading errors. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/ministry-to-use-experts-to-review-exam-grading/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

“From my view, I don’t want to have it, but it is development, we can’t stop them,” says Srekor’s village chief, Leang Saroeurn. Cambodia’s impressive yearly GDP growth rates of 7 percent for the last decade have come, in part, through a ravenous consumption of the countries <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/development-pushes-poor-from-land-as-cambodia-dams-its-rivers/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Commerce Minister said yesterday that China is a potential market for Cambodia’s garment exports and some other agricultural products while the traditional big markets of Europe and the United States are experiencing an economic slowdown. Cham Prasidh said at the sidelines of the Cambodia-China Trade <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/china-seen-as-potential-market-for-cambodias-exports/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>