Government
International relations
Aid ‘to fund’ refugees
Australian opposition parties have accused the government there of using its foreign aid budget to pay Cambodia to resettle refugees that have sought asylum in Australia. Senators from the Labor and Greens parties interrogated Attorney-General George Brandis at a hearing on Wednesday, accusing the government of ...
Kevin Ponniah
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/aid-%E2%80%98-fund%E2%80%99-refugees
A bridge too far for Sokha?
Deputy opposition leader Kem Sokha has drawn the ire of the government and civil society groups after on Wednesday accusing Vietnam of orchestrating the Koh Pich bridge stampede that killed more than 350 people in 2010 as part of a plot to “eliminate the Khmer ...
Meas Sokchea and Kevin Ponniah
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/bridge-too-far-sokha
Thailand releases loggers
Four Cambodian nationals who had been incarcerated in Thailand for logging and illegally crossing the border were released on Monday after completing their prison terms, officials said yesterday. Touch Ra, deputy director of the Chaom-Sa Ngaom international border checkpoint in Oddar Meanchey province, said two of ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/thailand-releases-loggers
Rights groups concerned over Australian refugee deal
Cambodian human rights organizations say they have major concerns over a deal with Australia that could send unwanted refugees to Cambodia. The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee says Cambodia’s track record of human rights abuse and corruption make people “living on the margins” vulnerable to abuse. Australia ...
Heng Reaksmey
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/rights-groups-concerned-over-australian-refugee-deal/1929653.html
‘Be more responsible’, Rainsy tells Australia
Cambodia’s opposition leader yesterday called on the Australian government to reconsider its plan to send refugees to the country, which he said was a short-term solution that does not address the root causes of displacement. Sam Rainsy, Cambodia National Rescue Party president, told the Post that Australia should ...
Daniel Pye
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/%E2%80%98be-more-responsible%E2%80%99-rainsy-tells-australia
Laos draws ire of neighbors with Mekong River dam plans
Laos will push ahead with its ambition to become the “battery of Southeast Asia,” planning a Mekong River dam that has drawn opposition from neighbors and threatens to involve China and the U.S. Four Mekong River nations are scheduled to meet June 26-27 in Thailand to ...
Bloomberg News Staff
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-06-03/laos-draws-ire-of-neighbors-with-mekong-river-dam-plans
New Zealand provides Cambodia with 3.7 mln USD to preserve Angkor Wat
The government of New Zealand on Wednesday signed up to provide Cambodia with 3.7 million U.S. dollars for the preservation and protection of Angkor Wat Temple, one of the world heritage sites, said a news statement from the Cambodian government. Bun Narith, director general of Apsara ...
Xinhuanet News Staff
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-06/04/c_133383466.htm
Cambodia unveils U.S.-aided defense strategic plan
The Cambodian Ministry of Defense on Tuesday launched a U.S.-aided strategic planning manual with an aim to assist Cambodian strategists to design standardized and effective defense strategic plans. Major Gen. Phat Vibolsopheak, chief of international relations department at the Defense Ministry, said the 17-page instruction manual ...
Global Post News Staff
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/xinhua-news-agency/140603/cambodia-unveils-us-aided-defense-strategic-plan
Activist set to receive recognition in Boston
Housing rights activist Yorm Bopha, who spent nearly a year in jail for leading demonstrations, will receive a reward and recognition for her work. The James Lawson Award, named for an American activist and given for nonviolent achievements, will grant her $6,000 in Boston later ...
Heng Reaksmey
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/activist-set-to-receive-recognition-in-boston/1928496.html
Cambodia NGO concerns over funding, after Somaly case
Anti-trafficking groups in Cambodia are urging donors to maintain support for their cause, following claims a well-known activist fabricated her life story, to raise funds. Somaly Mam resigned from the charity she co-founded, after a news investigation cast doubt on her story, including being sold into ...
ABC Radio Australia News Staff
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/program/asia-pacific/cambodia-ngo-concerns-over-funding-after-somaly-case/1320972
China's police chief meets Cambodian deputy PM
China’s minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun Tuesday held talks with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Kheng on boosting security cooperation. Guo, also a state councilor, said China and Cambodia have conducted fruitful cooperation on combating telecom fraud, hunting for those who have ...
English People Daily News Staff
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/n/2014/0604/c90883-8736346.html
Ongoing woes for Cambodian workers in Thailand
Thailand’s political crisis could create ongoing problems for Cambodian migrant workers, especially night time curfew, a development expert says. Ya Navuth, executive director of Caram Cambodia, said undocumented Cambodian workers in Thailand may not know about the curfew and could be arrested when they travel. ...
Men Kimseng
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/ongoing-woes-for-cambodian-workers-in-thailand/1928562.html
South Korea Denies Asking Gov’t to Stop Strike
The South Korean ambassador to Cambodia, Kim Han-soo, on Monday denied having asked the Labor Ministry to stop a strike at a South Korean-owned garment factory last week, but said the dispute has put a $40 million investment from the parent company on hold. On Sunday, ...
Zsombor Peter and Hul Reaksmey
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/south-korea-denies-asking-govt-to-stop-strike-60316/
Police thwart cross-border foray by group of Thai farmers
Officials in Banteay Meanchey province said a group of Thai farmers once again tried to plow a piece of land hundreds of meters inside Cambodian territory on Sunday but were turned back by border police. Prak Sarath, deputy commander of border police Unit 911, said the ...
Khuon Narim
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/police-thwart-cross-border-foray-by-group-of-thai-farmers-60314/
Sentinel page drops photos
Less than two weeks after a major rights group lambasted the US’s training of Cambodia’s “abusive armed forces”, allegedly incriminating photographs have been removed from the official Facebook page of the joint training exercise. On May 20, Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a statement hitting out ...
Alice Cuddy
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/sentinel-page-drops-photos
Sanctuary from the storm
Hidden at the end of a pathway that breaks off from Mao Tse Tung Boulevard in Phnom Penh is a temple of a different kind, where seances are sacrosant and French writer Victor Hugo – author of Les Miserables – is considered a saint. Worshippers there practise Caodaism, ...
Amelia Woodside and Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/sanctuary-storm
Medical trips await 9 of 23
Nine of the group of 23 workers and labour activists who were released from custody and given suspended sentences on Friday over January’s garment employee protests will receive medical care in Thailand, rights group Licadho said yesterday. A number of the men were beaten by security ...
Meas Sokchea
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/medical-trips-await-9-23
Cambodian army asks Thailand to remove new barbed wire near Preah Vihear temple
Cambodia has accused the Thai troops of erecting a new barbed wire fence on land in front of the 11th century Preah Vihear temple and has asked Thai side to remove it, Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Monday. “Our military ...
Xinhuanet News Staff
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-06/02/c_133378332.htm
S. Korea grants 21 mln USD to Cambodia for 4 projects
South Korea on Monday signed up to provide a grant aid of 21 million U.S. dollars to Cambodia to support four projects for rural development, waterway improvement, health and the stock market. Speaking after the signing ceremony, Hor Namhong said 8 million U.S. dollars of ...
Xinhuanet News Staff
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-06/02/c_133377903.htm
Cambodia, Iran look to enhance bilateral ties, cooperation
Cambodia and Iran are looking for possibilities to strengthen and expand bilateral ties and cooperation for the mutual benefits of the two countries and peoples. Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong held a talk on Monday with the Hanoi-based Iranian Ambassador to Cambodia ...
Shanghai Daily News Staff
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/article_xinhua.aspx?id=221964
Questions over spending plan
The Council of Ministers on Friday approved a new five-year National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) – the guiding policy document used by the government – requiring an estimated $26.58 billion in spending and investment, or more than $5.3 billion a year, until 2018. The plan ...
May Kunmakara and Kevin Ponniah
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/questions-over-spending-plan
Marubeni powers into Cambodia
Marubeni Corp. said Monday that it would acquire a 20 percent stake in a Cambodia-based electricity generation and transmission business owned and operated by Malaysia’s Leader Group, marking Japan’s first foray into Cambodia’s power market. Leader Infrastructure Ltd. operates two 50 megawatt coal-fired power stations in ...
Kyodo News Staff
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/06/02/business/marubeni-powers-into-cambodia/#.U4128fmSx8F
Bordering on despair
In the wake of last month’s Thai military coup, an uneasy quiet has fallen over official checkpoints in Oddar Meanchey province, leading many on this side of the border to fear for their livelihoods. Sitting on a motorbike in the queue for O’Smach international border checkpoint ...
May Titthara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/bordering-despair
Cambodia needs 26.5 bln USD for next five-year development plan
The Cambodian Council of Ministers on Friday approved a five-year development strategic plan (2014-2018), which needs financial resources of 26.5 billion U.S. dollars to achieve the target, according to a news statement released after a weekly cabinet meeting. The plan is designed to develop infrastructure, ...
Xinhuanet News Staff
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-05/30/c_133374027.htm