Despite multiple road safety campaigns this year, the number of accidents rose by an alarming 32 percent and the death toll jumped by 27 percent, a police report published yesterday showed. The Kingdom’s roads are notoriously deadly, with an average of five people dying per day <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/alarming-increase-in-road-accidents-and-deaths/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The rural southwestern province of Koh Kong, previously off the international community’s radar screen, has drawn the global spotlight. That’s because a massive runway stretching approximately 3,200 meters appeared suddenly at a resort being developed by a Chinese company in this otherwise out-of-the-way province, about a <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/farmers-and-workers-carry-on-as-chinese-transplants-drive-up-land-prices/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Cambodian Bar association has refuted a scathing critique of its independence and ethics by the International Bar association (IBa) that questioned Cambodia’s membership in the global group, calling the assessment an unfounded “insult.”Following a visit to the country by a team of legal experts, <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/iba-denies-political-influence-claims/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The trip to the hills of eastern Cambodia had all the makings of a luxurious getaway: delicious fresh fruit fed by hand, a dip in a refreshingly cold watering hole and a relaxing massage. at the Mondulkiri Project, it’s not the people who call the <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/elephants-get-love-and-care-in-cambodia-with-tourists-help/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodia is seeking a budget of $800 million to develop an automated gateway transit (aGT) system following the completion of a year-long feasibility study by the Japan International Cooperation agency (JICa), said Minister of Transport Sun Chanthol yesterday. “The feasibility study of the aGT project conducted <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/800-million-for-mass-transit-system/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

In the aftermath of the 2013 election, Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered his colleagues in the ruling CPP to stand before a mirror and cleanse themselves of the sins that had almost allowed a united opposition led by Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha to sweep <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/for-reform-agenda-cpp-takes-cues-from-cnrp/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A legAl frAmework thAt ensures A “sound, strong And efficient” finAnciAl sector hAs ensured the swift expAnsion of bAnking services throughout the country, but borrowing rAtes remAin high And A lArge segment of the populAtion &ndAsh; primArily those in rurAl AreAs &ndAsh; fAce difficulties Accessing <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/greAter-use-of-the-riel-will-lower-interest-rAtes/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Environment NGO Mother Nature on Saturday debuted a new video about threatened mangroves in Koh Kong province featuring an unlikely spokesperson, or rather, spokes-puppet. The video is about a plot of mangrove forest inside the Peam Krasaop Wildlife Sanctuary that was illegally filled in with sand, <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/mother-nature-turns-to-puppets-to-protect-its-activists/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

US retailer Gap Inc says it has “demanded an immediate investigation” in response to allegations of harassment at one of its suppliers in Cambodia. a strike at the Ocean Garment Factory in Phnom Penh has now entered its third week, despite a court ordering the 2,500 <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodia-gap-calls-for-probe-into-supplier-strike/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A pAcket of locAl CAmbodiAn ARA cigArettes costs 1400Riel, Around £0.22. Government tobAcco tAx on locAl products is currently 10%. Smoking And drinking is endemic in the poor youth of CAmbodiA And tAx hike is proposed to cut the Addiction. AydA Yurekli, An AcAdemic from the <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/cAmbodiAn-government-considers-rAising-duty-tAx-on-locAl-cigArettes-2/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Sao Sareoun and Ly Chanary, the two land-rights activists arrested outside the three-hour trial of 13 women from Boeung Kak lake in May, hope an easing of bail conditions is a sign authorities are planning to drop charges against them. The Court of appeal yesterday ruled <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/b-kak-duos-reins-loosened/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The AseAn GrAssroots People’s Assembly (AGPA) Agreed yesterdAy on A list of demAnds it intends to present to the CAmbodiAn And regionAl governments. A crowd of more thAn 2,000 people-including gArment fActory workers, victims of evictions, And sex workers, As well As undercover police-gAthered At Phnom <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/grAssroots-forum-issues-demAnds-AheAd-of-AseAn/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

About 70 villAgers in PursAt province’s KrAkor district held A dAylong prAyer ceremony yesterdAy to request help from spirits to curse the powerful PheApimex compAny for destroying their fArmlAnd, villAgers sAid. PheApimex, owned by the wife of CPP SenAtor LAo Meng Khin, hAs mAintAined A 316,000-hectAre <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/villAgers-in-pursAt-Ask-spirits-to-curse-pheApimex-compAny/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Cambodia yesterday signed deals for about US$430 million in loans from China, the latest in a number of high-profile borrowing deals with its northern neighbour. The bulk of the loans, from Export-Import Bank of China, would go towards two national road projects and a multipurpose dam <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodia-takes-430m-china-loan/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A trio of internAtionAl NGOs representing lAwyers And journAlists Added their voice lAst week to the mounting cAlls for the government to releAse rAdio stAtion owner MAm SonAndo And drop All chArges AgAinst him “immediAtely And unconditionAlly.” Authorities Arrested Mr. SonAndo, owner of the independent Beehive <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/cAlls-mount-for-the-releAse-of-beehive-rAdio-stAtion-owner/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Cambodia collected $633 million in taxes over the first 10 months of this year, a 31 per cent rise from $483 million over the same period last year, according to the General Department of Taxation. However, an opposition watchdog claimed the amount is still far <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/tax-revenue-up-from-2011/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Economic growth in Cambodia is estimated to reach 6.7 percent this year, a 0.2 percent drop compared with 2011, the U.N. said in a report released on Friday, citing a modest slowdown in exports from Cambodia to the U.S. and Europe. In its Economic and Social <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/un-sees-cambodian-economic-growth-slowing-in-2012/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Svay Rieng Provincial Court on Friday questioned three female factory workers who were shot, allegedly by Bavet City Governor Chhouk Bundith, during a protest inside a special economic zone (SEZ) in February, the plaintiffs said. More than 20 union leaders and labor activists also gathered <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/svay-rieng-court-questions-victims-in-sez-shooting-case/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

After rising significAntly in recent yeArs, CAmbodiA’s rice production will fAll this yeAr becAuse of A shortAge of rAin, the U.N. Food And Agriculture OrgAnizAtion (FAO) sAid in A new report. In its second quArter Rice MArket Monitor report for 2012 published on MondAy, the FAO <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/rice-production-down-due-to-limited-rAinfAll-report-sAys/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

The government is beset with high-level corruption, a lack of transparency in public procurements, poor auditing practices and political interference in the country’s main anti-corruption body, a report produced by the asian Development Bank (aDB) sent to the media yesterday states. In a 66-page report that <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/adb-report-links-corruption-political-culture-in-cambodia/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>