Controversial elephant swap with Japan called off
A controversial proposed animal swap that would have seen elephants Kiri and Seila sent from the notorious Teuk Chhou Zoo in Kampot to a zoo in Japan in exchange for other exotic species has been officially called off, new documents show. ...
Charles Parkinson and Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/controversial-elephant-swap-japan-called
Kampong Chhnang disputants’ water woes ‘ignored’
Some 34 families in Kampong Chhnang’s Lorpeang village yesterday filed a new petition at the provincial hall urging authorities to intervene in a nine-year land dispute with KDC International, which villagers say has reached a bottleneck and is affecting their daily lives. ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/kampong-chhnang-disputants-water-woes-ignored
Gov’t tells Unions to pick a minimum wage or lose their say
The Labor Ministry on Tuesday warned unions that if they failed to reach a consensus on a new minimum wage for the garment sector ahead of Friday’s Labor Advisory Committee meeting on the issue, the committee would not consider any proposal from the unions at ...
Mech Dara and Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/govt-tells-unions-to-pick-a-minimum-wage-or-lose-their-say-95155/
National carrier adds route to Laos, Hanoi
National flag carrier Cambodia Angkor Air (CAA) yesterday launched a new route to Laos and Vietnam, aiming to tap the rising numbers of nationals from the two countries visiting the Kingdom as well as the foreign tourists visiting neighboring countries. ...
May Kunmakara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/17143/national-carrier-adds-route-to-laos--hanoi/
Under fire, rice federation vows action
A week after an alliance of millers and exporters criticized the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) for its inaction in the face of the sector’s possible collapse, the federation Wednesday announced the formation of a new task force to manage challenges facing its members. ...
Kang Sothear
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/under-fire-rice-federation-vows-action-109691/
Past deadline, most cigarettes still lack graphic pictures
Days after a law went into effect requiring all cigarette packages sold in Cambodia to be plastered with graphic images of the health effects of smoking—blackened lungs and an infant on a respirator—there was little evidence of the new packaging in the capital. ...
Samoeurth Seavmeng and Janelle Retka
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/past-deadline-most-cigarettes-still-lack-graphic-pictures-115942/
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/
Courts ‘must solve’ corruption conundrum
Cambodia’s judicial system is troubled by a cycle of corruption, with both sides of the bench accusing the other of perpetuating the practice of bribery, Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) Chairman Om Yentieng said on Thursday at the inauguration of the new bar association president. ...
Khy Sovuthy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/courts-must-solve-corruption-conundrum-123755/
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/
Mango exporter targets Hungary and Russia
Mong Reththy Group, an agro-industrial conglomerate that invested heavily in the mango sector, is expanding markets for exports to Russia and Hungary. Group president Mong Reththy said the new markets will increase group exports from Cambodia to 5,000 metric tons a year. ...
Chea Vannak
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/36314/mango-exporter-targets-hungary-and-russia/
More than 50 dead in holiday traffic accidents
More than 50 people died and 200 were injured in 121 traffic accidents during the five days of Khmer New Year. According to an Interior Ministry report, 55 people were killed and 226 were injured, 126 of which were seriously hurt. ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/37567/more-than-50-dead-in-holiday-traffic-accidents/
After Sok An’s death, Bin Chhin’s duties continue to grow
The portfolio of Deputy Prime Minister Bin Chhin has grown again after he was handed a handful of new jobs on Tuesday, including advising the prime minister on anti-corruption efforts and overseeing the Council of Jurists and “one-window” service for foreign investors. ...
Van Roeun
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/after-sok-ans-death-bin-chhins-duties-continue-to-grow-127247/
Police block marchers seeking Kampuchea Krom holiday
Riot police were deployed near Phnom Penh’s Wat Chas on Monday to prevent about 30 people from marching to the National Assembly to submit a petition seeking a new national holiday marking the day the French officially handed former Kampuchea Krom provinces to Vietnam. ...
Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/police-block-marchers-seeking-kampuchea-krom-holiday-131822/
Agro-processing SEZ moves closer to reality
A Chinese firm that plans to invest $2 billion into developing the Kingdom’s first special economic zone (SEZ) dedicated solely to agricultural processing and storage has signed on a new partner to help jumpstart the stalled project, a top agriculture official said yesterday. ...
Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/agro-processing-sez-moves-closer-reality
Malaysia firm to bring Oddar Meanchey onto national power grid
Malaysian-owned power infrastructure provider Pestech (Cambodia) Ltd has won a $26 million job to start on a new electricity project in Cambodia that will see Oddar Meanchey province connected to the national power grid, according to a filing on the Malaysian stock exchange. ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/malaysia-firm-bring-oddar-meanchey-national-power-grid
Technical issue mars voter list publication
Prospective voters ran into problems yesterday during the first publication of the country’s new voter lists. Citizens will have until January 14 to check their names and information on voter lists to confirm they are correct, either in person, at registration offices or online. ...
Taing Vida
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/33877/technical-issue-mars-voter-list-publication/
Cambodia’s loss of LDC status will bring challenges: World Bank
As Cambodia continues its upward trajectory towards becoming a lower-middle-income country, it will face even greater challenges in reducing high levels of poverty as the Kingdom loses its preferential trade privileges and donor funding dries up, according to a new World Bank report. ...
Kali Kotoski and Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/cambodias-loss-ldc-status-will-bring-challenges-world-bank
Kem Sokha, Hun Sen offer very different hopes for 2018
Prime Minister Hun Sen and former opposition leader Kem Sokha offered starkly divergent New Year’s messages to the Cambodian people, with the former hailing the Kingdom’s “stability” even as the latter grimly warned that recent democratic backsliding could lead to a “fragmented nation”. ...
Ben Sokhean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/kem-sokha-hun-sen-offer-very-different-hopes-2018
Tiger Airways launches Hyderabad and Phnom Penh routes from Singapore
Tiger Airways has launched two new routes from its Singapore (SIN) base, using its single fleet of 180-seat A320s. On 27 September, the low-cost airline began operating five times weekly to Hyderabad (HYD) in southeast India – the airline’s sixth destination in India ...
Construction comeback- After an overheated rise and thundering crash, the building sector returns to stable growth
Back in 2007 and 2008, Phnom Penh was positively abuzz with the sound of drills, hammers and cranes. Construction sites were found all over the city and it seemed that every day new projects were being announced in the media—a skyscraper here, a retail development ...