Opposition, NGO rallies expected to cross over
NGOs yesterday were granted permission to hold an International Human Rights Day event on Tuesday outside Wat Phnom – just a short distance from Freedom Park, where the Cambodia National Rescue Party has been given approval for a 10,000-person mass demonstration. In letters signed by Minister ...
Shane Worrell and Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/opposition-ngo-rallies-expected-cross-over
Land-title program ‘Ineffective’
Land certificates handed out by Prime Minister Hun Sen’s youth volunteers have been seized by local authorities in some parts of the country and sold on to companies, a forum on land rights was told yesterday, amid reports of rising numbers of land conflicts. Speaking at ...
May Titthara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/land-title-program-%E2%80%98ineffective%E2%80%99
CPP Parliament Approves Two Ministers, 2014 Budget
CPP lawmakers including Prime Minister Hun Sen unanimously voted Friday for their party members, Suy Sem and Cham Prasidh, to become heads of the newly created Ministry of Mines and Energy, and the Ministry of Industry and Handicrafts, respectively. The 67 ruling-party parliamentarians present also approved ...
Kuch Naren
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/cpp-parliament-approves-two-ministers-2014-budget-49542/
Kampot’s famous pepper goes global
When Him Anna started to plant pepper crops seven years ago, she would have never thought that one day it would turn into a profitable business. Today, Anna is the chief executive officer of Bright Starling Holdings Co, which owns Starling Farm Kampot Pepper. Established ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/kampot%E2%80%99s-famous-pepper-goes-global
Evictees, Activists Scuffle With Police in Front of City Hall
Evictees and anti-eviction activists on Wednesday briefly scuffled with police and security guards after cutting off traffic in front of Phnom Penh City Hall to demand that businesswoman Suy Sophan compensate them for homes that were bulldozed early last year. Human rights group Adhoc said at ...
Khuon Narim and Zsombor Peter
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/evictees-activists-scuffle-with-police-in-front-of-city-hall-46362/
Despite Ban, Operators Offer Bonuses
Two of the country’s largest mobile phone operators are again offering attractive deals on calls, despite the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia’s (TRC) recent order to mobile operators to follow the government’s minimum prices for calls and to scale back customer promotions. On Sunday, Smart, which is ...
Joshua Wilwohl
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/despite-ban-operators-offer-bonuses-49483/
Cambodian Sommeliers Head to Singapore for Regional Contest
Beer, whisky and strong, home-brewed moonshine have long been Cambodians’ favorite tipples, but with an ever-growing middle class, tastes are changing and if you’re part of the new elite, it is increasingly important to know your Pinot Gris from your Pinot Noir. To help enhance one’s ...
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/cambodian-sommeliers-head-to-singapore-for-regional-contest-40504/
B’bang ballots to be examined
The Constitutional Council yesterday ordered the opening of another batch of ballots and original documents, this time from eight contested polling stations in Battambang town, even as opposition members expressed doubt the council had the will to seriously investigate their complaints. Coming a day after the ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/b%E2%80%99bang-ballots-be-examined
CNRP ready to talk
Following a high-level meeting yesterday, Cambodia National Rescue Party leader Sam Rainsy said that his party would seek to restart negotiations with the ruling party and possibly join the government. The move marks an apparent about-turn from a party press conference held on Wednesday when Rainsy ...
Kevin Ponniah
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cnrp-ready-talk
Tougher laws for recruiters
A new set of prakases tacked onto a law that regulates overseas employment recruitment agencies is a “step in the right direction” towards protecting some of Cambodia’s most vulnerable citizens from scams and abuse, local and international NGOs said yesterday. But some remain unconvinced that the ...
Sean Teehan
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/tougher-laws-recruiters
Bun Rany Slams CNRP During Red Cross Event
Prime Minister Hun Sen’s wife Bun Rany on Saturday used a Cambodian Red Cross flood relief event in Pailin province to denounce the opposition CNRP’s three-day rally and marches in Phnom Penh last week as part of an effort to “cheat” the people of Cambodia. Ms. ...
Mech Dara and Alex Willemyns
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/elections/bun-rany-slams-cnrp-during-red-cross-event-45988/
MobiTel Named in Leaked Australian Phone Tap Document
When one of Australia’s top intelligence agencies in 2009 presented staff with a slideshow detailing their attempts to intercept mobile telephone calls by Indonesia’s president, first lady and top officials, it also revealed other possible spying targets—including one of Cambodia’s largest mobile operators, MobiTel, according ...
Joshua Wilwohl
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/business/mobitel-named-in-leaked-australian-phone-tap-documents-47672/
City Hall Warns Monks Over Political Activism
Phnom Penh governor Pa Socheatvong warned monks Thursday that if they do not follow orders to keep out of politics, they could create a rift within the monkhood that could threaten the very existence of Buddhism in the country. Mr. Socheatvong also said that if monks ...
Mech Dara and Colin Meyn
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/city-hall-warns-monks-over-political-activism-49496/
Flying squirrel and eyeless spider discovered in Greater Mekong
A series of high-flying creatures, including giant flying frogs and squirrels and a parachute gecko, are among the hundreds of exotic new species recently discovered in the greater Mekong region in southeast Asia. A new eyeless spider and a fish that mates head-to-head are also highlighted ...
Damian Carrington
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jun/04/flying-squirrel-and-eyeless-spider-discovered-in-greater-mekong?CMP=fb_gu
State regulator warned Smart over luring qb subscribers
The Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia (TRC) last week warned mobile operator Smart that it could face legal action for attempting to lure customers away from rival operator qb, and ordered Smart to resolve the issue “immediately,” according to a letter from TRC to Smart’s CEO ...
Joshua Wilwohl
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/business/state-regulator-warned-smart-over-qb-dispute-59813/
How Cambodia’s secretive timber auctions are fueling the illegal logging trade
In the predawn hours of May 6, a flatbed truck packed with lengths of illegally logged timber sped past a checkpoint in Ratanakkiri province, knocking aside a police car and racing off. Police later tracked down the truck to a house in Banlung City. In the ...
Zsombor Peter and Aun Pheap
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/how-cambodias-secretive-timber-auctions-are-fueling-the-illegal-logging-trade-63919/
Leprosy Dark Spot Healed by Early Detection
It started with a small, dark spot on Oeur Pisey’s left arm: A spot that he simply ignored. Slowly, other spots appeared. They soon covered Mr. Pisey’s thighs, upper body, and eventually, his face. A local health clinic in Kompong Cham province told him not to worry: ...
Denise Hruby
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/leprosy-dark-spot-healed-by-early-detection-51173/
Students compete in counseling competition
About 30 law students on Friday participated in the seventh Client Counseling Competition to put their newly acquired professional skills into practice and compete for a trip to the international competition in Puerto Rico in April. “We created the case based on this year’s theme, ...
Denise Hruby
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/students-compete-in-counseling-competition-52970/
Not only Vietnamese threatened by racism, rights worker says
The beating death of a Vietnamese-Cambodian earlier this month was the first incident in several years that some are calling a hate crime. Leaders of the Vietnamese community in Cambodia, as well as the Vietnamese Embassy, say they want the Cambodian authorities to pay more attention ...
Men Kimseng
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/not-only-vietnamese-threatened-by-racism-rights-worker-says/1858791.html
The bitter aftertaste of a sugar deal gone bad
Houy Mai has lost everything to the global demand for cheap sugar and biofuel. The 54-year-old mother-of-eight has fought a years-long battle with Mitr Phol, Asia’s biggest sugar producer and one of three major suppliers to Coca-Cola. Her family was left homeless and without a sustainable ...
May Titthara and Daniel Pye
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-weekend/bitter-aftertaste-sugar-deal-gone-bad