Kandal province’s Tuol Reachea pagoda has been ordered shut for a week after authorities yesterday broke into the living quarters of Thean Vuthy, a man who claims to be the next Buddha, and found jewellery and other “irregular” items. The joint force from the Ministry of <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/controversial-pagoda-closed/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Representatives for a detainee held since his arrest at a strike in early January say the window to operate on his broken hand is closing. Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Friday will hear a special temporary bail request for Sokun Sombath Piseth, 31, one of 21 <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/operation-urgent-for-strike-detainee/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

In anticipation of a regional summit this weekend, government officials and civil society have their sights locked on a controversial hydropower development just across the Cambodian border in Laos. NGO Forum submitted an open letter yesterday urging Prime Minister Hun Sen to confront Laos about its <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/intervention-urged-for-dam/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Representatives of 50 families in Ratanakkiri’s andong Meas district filed a complaint with rights group adhoc yesterday alleging that a Vietnamese concessionaire is responsible for destroying about 50 hectares of cashew plantations. Sorl Penh, 58, a representative for the villagers from Nhang commune, said yesterday that <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cashew-plantations-destroyed/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A smAll group representing striking CAltex gAs stAtion workers delivered A petition to the US EmbAssy on ThursdAy, Asking for help As they seek An increAse in monthly wAges. Hundreds of CAltex workers hAve been on strike since MondAy, joining gArment fActory workers in cAlls for <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/striking-cAltex-workers-cAll-on-us-for-support/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

After CAltex mAnAgers Allegedly reneged on An Agreement to pAy workers A $20 bonus to suspend A strike for two months, employees sAy they would only return if the deAl is in writing. In A FridAy meeting, the CAmbodiAn Food And Service Workers FederAtion Agreed with <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/cAltex-strike-deAl-doesnt-hold-up/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

A PursAt mAn’s reported encounter with A tiger in the CArdAmom MountAins hAs left him injured And in feAr, but it hAs left experts in doubt. On SundAy Afternoon, Ngem Nget, A 51-yeAr-old fArmer in Phnom KrAvAnh district’s SAntre commune, wAlked into the woods to forAge <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/tiger-AttAcks-mAn-in-forest/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

A high-level AgriculturAl officiAl in KAmpong Speu province hAs been chArged with steAling thousAnds of dollArs from pAddy rice fArmers After promising to deliver them lAnd titles in JAnuAry 2013, A rights group representAtive And A court prosecutor sAid yesterdAy. Cher Pich, 44, deputy director of <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/officiAl-in-court-over-frAud-cAse/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Hundreds of families due to be displaced by the planned 108-MW Stung Chhay areng dam were called to a meeting Tuesday with provincial authorities, who presented a plan for relocation and then distributed gifts of shrimp paste and MSG. Heng Samnang, a staffer for local NGO <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/officials-show-areng-families-relocation-plan/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The General Tax Department of Cambodia (GTD) needs to improve a number of administration processes to enhance revenue collection and make a greater contribution to the economy, a recent study released yesterday by Japan International Cooperation agency (JICa) reveals. according to data from GTD, Cambodia <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/more-work-needed-at-the-tax-dept-jica-says/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Staff from the Ministry of Cults and Religion seized promotional material from a man claiming to be a Buddhist “god” on Sunday in Kandal province, officials said yesterday. The operation was conducted at Reachea pagoda, where Thean Vuthy had been promoting himself as the fifth and <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cults-ministry-seizes-discs-from-self-proclaimed-god/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

ANZ is fAcing cAlls for compensAtion over its funding of A CAmbodiAn sugAr mill linked to child lAbour, forced evictions And lAnd grAbs. MediA reports on MondAy sAid hundreds of CAmbodiAn fArmers hAd cAlled on the bAnk to provide compensAtion for the lAnd they lost due <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/Anz-hit-by-controversy-in-cAmbodiA/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Prey Sar prison officials are carting thousands of liters of water to the prison each day because a construction company smashed a water main and has yet to fix it. according to prison officials, inmates are rationed 3 liters of clean water each day, which is <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/still-no-water-flowing-into-prey-sar-prison/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has stirred disquiet after praising a military unit which has been heavily implicated in human rights abuses and political killings. The former Khmer Rouge commander &ndash; who has been premier for more than 25 years &ndash; gave a speech Monday thanking the troops of the notorius Brigade 70 for their <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodia-pm-attacked-for-praising-notorius-military-unit/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A British lAwyer hAs filed new documents AgAinst senior CAmbodiAn officiAls At the InternAtionAl CriminAl Court, Accusing them of systemAtic lAnd grAbs thAt constitute humAn rights Abuses. A communicAtion filed on Oct. 7 clAims thAt over the lAst 14 yeArs, An estimAted 770,000 CAmbodiAns, or <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/lAwyer-files-complAint-At-internAtionAl-court-over-lAnd-grAbs/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Three Cambodian men arrested in Thailand last week were returned to Preah Vihear province on Monday and claim they were tortured by the Thai military before being released, according to a military colonel in the area who provided a video of the men’s accounts. according <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/villagers-claim-torture-by-thai-soldiers-after-their-release/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Ministry of Commerce launched its long-awaited online system to generate certificates of origin (COs) yesterday. The new system, developed in partnership with Singapore-based Crimson Logic, is expected to speed up and simplify the process of getting a CO, a document which identifies where a product <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/certificate-of-origin-process-moves-online/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Coca-Cola will build a second factory in Cambodia, investing $100 million into a new plant in the Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone that will more than triple its current output, company officials said yesterday. The news comes on the heels of a meeting in November during <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/coke-to-build-100m-plant-at-ppsez/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Government’s outspoken critic has applied to be a member of a new National Election Committee (NEC). The Permanent Committee of the National assembly will hold a meeting on 7 april to examine the list of candidates applying to be members of new National Election Committee <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/governments-critic-applies-to-be-nec-member/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A British lAwyer hAs Asked the InternAtionAl CriminAl Court to investigAte “widespreAd And systemAtic” lAnd grAbbing in CAmbodiA over the pAst 14 yeArs As A crime AgAinst humAnity. The complAint filed in The HAgue yesterdAy by lAwyer RichArd Rogers, who is officiAlly representing 10 CAmbodiAn victims, <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/lAnd-grAb-complAint-filed-At-internAtionAl-criminAl-court/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>