Economy and commerce
Investment
Free Trade Union Reports Overall Jump in Labor Strikes in 2013
The Free Trade Union (FTU) on Monday reported an overall increase in industrial action by its local branches last year with 136 total strikes in the first 11 months of 2013, up 35 percent from all of 2012, when there were 101 strikes by its ...
Jailed UK Businessman Faces Fresh Charges
The Banteay Meanchey Provincial Court laid fresh charges of money laundering on the detained chairman of an embattled British investment firm on Friday, the same day that a provincial official was arrested in relation to fraud charges the businessman was already facing, a court official ...
Kuch Naren
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/jailed-uk-businessman-faces-fresh-charges-50494/
Government Urged to Ease Pressure on Unions
Visiting representatives from the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) on Monday urged the Labor Ministry to withdraw its threat to revoke the licenses of six unions behind recent strikes, and to drop legal proceedings against union leader Rong Chhun. His visit follows garment worker protests ...
Mech Dara and Zsombor Peter
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/government-urged-to-ease-pressure-on-unions-50492/
Mixed results for local dealerships
The new year has brought with it a mixed outlook for the vehicle market, as dealers post both positive and negative sales figures for 2013. Pily Wong, chief executive of Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen distributor Hung Hiep (Cambodia), said sales had been seriously affected by the Kingdom’s ...
Chan Muy Hong
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/mixed-results-local-dealerships
Hotel with foreigners in mind set for PPSEZ
A hotel catering to foreign investors and expatriate employees is being built inside the Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone (PPSEZ), management confirmed yesterday. The project will be constructed through a joint venture between PPSEZ and the Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed Tama Home. ...
Daniel de Carteret
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/hotel-foreigners-mind-set-ppsez
Hun Sen says investment in Cambodia increases sharply
Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday said that the flow of investment in Cambodia increased sharply from USD2.9 billion in 2012 to USD4.9 billion in 2013. During the 4th Cambodia-Vietnam Conference on Investment Cooperation at Peace Palace, he said the Vietnamese investments also increased, from ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://www.thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/detail/1?page=13&token=ODA4OGVlYjcxNmM
Construction investment notably increases in 2013
Construction investment in Cambodia in the past 11 months of 2013 was worth of USD 2.4 billion or 1526 projects, covering construction area of 7 million sq km, said The Ministry of Urbanization and Construction. The ministry added that compared with the same period of last ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://www.thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/detail/1?page=13&token=NTEzNDI5N2YzMGE
Major Brands Concerned About Cambodia Violence
Major labels that have clothing manufactured in Cambodian factories have written an open letter expressing concern for the recent shootings of workers demonstrating for higher wages. Adidas, Gap, H&M, Levi’s and Puma were among those that signed the January 7 letter to the Phnom Penh government, ...
VOA News Staff
http://www.voanews.com/content/major-brands-express-concern-for-violence-against-striking-cambodians/1826132.html
UN wants probe into Cambodian violence
The UN human rights agency urged Cambodia to launch an investigation into the “disproportionate” use of force by security forces last week against garment factory workers striking over pay. Military police opened fire on workers protesting outside a factory in Phnom Penh on January 3 and ...
Peninsula On-line News Staff
http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/news/asia/267595/un-wants-probe-into-cambodian-violence
Koh Pich: diamond in the rough slowly comes together
Since being designated for development by the municipal government in 2006, Koh Pich has been abuzz with activity. Now covered in the widest, least-congested roads in central Phnom Penh, this island is filling up quickly with residential, retail and hospitality projects aimed at affluent locals ...
Chris Horton
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/real-estate/koh-pich-diamond-rough-slowly-comes-together
Korean deal gives palm sugar farmers pay day
Palm sugar farmers in Kampong Speu province will soon export their goods to South Korea, the senior officer of a grower’s network said on Monday. Sam Saroeun, president of the Kampong Speu Palm Sugar Promotion Association, said an agreement with the Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency ...
Chan Muy Hong
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/korean-deal-gives-palm-sugar-farmers-pay-day
Germany's finance firm lends 10 mln USD to Cambodian microfinance institution
German Investment and Development Corporation (DEG) on Thursday signed to lend 10 million U.S. dollars to a leading Cambodian microfinance institution Hattha Kaksekar. The loan deal was inked here between Herbert Jaeger, Vice President of DEG Representative Office in Bangkok, and Hout Ieng Tong, President and ...
Xinhuanet News Staff
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/business/2014-01/09/c_133032485.htm
Still much to learn about Times Centre
Construction on Times Centre’s three skyscrapers near Olympic Stadium will commence early this year, but little is known about several key aspects of the project, including the company behind the project. The Times Centre project, which will incorporate retail and office space with 1,000 condominium ...
Siv Meng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/real-estate/still-much-learn-about-times-centre
As Strikers Return to Work, Factories Sue Garment Unions
As garment workers continued to return to their factories Wednesday after several days of strikes that turned deadly last week, some of their employers have wasted no time in suing the unions behind the strikes, demanding compensation. Phnom Penh Municipal Court chief clerk Prak Savouth said ...
Aun Pheap and Zsombor Peter
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/as-strikers-return-to-work-factories-sue-garment-unions-50360/
Vietnamese Shops Worry Over Possible Violence
Vietnamese business owners and managers in Phnom Penh on Tuesday said they were concerned their shops could become potential targets of ethnically motivated violence as anti-Vietnamese sentiment among protesters increases, but added they would continue to operate as normal—for now. In recent weeks, there has ...
Ben Sokhean and Joshua Wilwohl
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/business/vietnamese-shops-worry-over-possible-violence-50301/
Unions Tell Garment Workers to Suspend Strike
Unions behind last week’s garment factory strikes said their members had largely gone back to work this week, although they have not ruled out resuming protests for a higher minimum wage later this month. Tens of thousands of workers went on strike starting on December 24 ...
Aun Pheap
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/unions-tell-garment-workers-to-suspend-strike-50299/
Cambodia's industry loses 275 mln USD due to outlawed protests
Cambodia’s garment and shoe industry has lost roughly 275 million U.S. dollars due to outlawed garment strikes in the past two weeks, Van Sou Ieng, President of the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC), said Monday. The garment and shoe industry comprise more than 900 ...
Xinhuanet News Staff
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-01/06/c_133022880.htm
Borei Keila Families Mark Anniversary Of Eviction
About 100 former residents of the Borei Keila community on Friday morning marked their violent eviction two years ago by authorities from their former neighborhood and demanded that their homes be rebuilt. “We are the families of Borei Keila, and with this ceremony we mark the ...
Sek Odom
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/borei-keila-families-mark-anniversary-of-eviction-50070/
Cambodia says outlawed strikes adversely affect investment climate
Cambodian Ministry of Labor said Friday that outlawed strikes have frightened employers and worsened investment climate in the country. “The ministry calls for the (opposition) Cambodia National Rescue Party and six trade unions to immediately stop inciting workers to commit violence, road blockade, and destruction of ...
Xinhuanet News Staff
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-01/03/c_133017093.htm
Cambodia’s GMAC says factory closures continue due to ongoing strikes
The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) said Thursday most of its 559 factories would continue to be closed due to security concerns after six pro-opposition trade unions led striking workers to destroy factories’ properties and forced workers to join their protests. “Because of the current ...
NZ Week News Staff
http://www.nzweek.com/world/cambodias-gmac-says-factory-closures-continue-due-to-ongoing-strikes-107149/
Four Dead in Cambodia Garment Strike
A weeklong strike by Cambodian garment workers turned deadly Friday as police shot and killed at least four people and wounded several others in an attempt to break up a protest for higher wages. The violence came after weeks of escalating political and labor unrest marked ...
Chun Han Wong and Sun Narin
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304325004579297511167310046
Hitachi Sunway Making Inroads Into Cambodia
A Malaysia-Japan joint-venture company, Hitachi Sunway Information Systems Sdn Bhd, is making a foray into Cambodia after securing a deal with Aeon Co to supply point-of-sales (POS) systems to the Japanese retailer. The POS systems will be used to facilitate transactions for the tenants of the ...
Malaysian Digest News Staff
http://www.malaysiandigest.com/business/483263-hitachi-sunway-making-inroads-into-cambodia.html
Striking Workers Refuse Government Offer in Wage Dispute
Union leaders and striking workers on Wednesday said they would not agree to a minimum wage of $100 per month and would continue demonstrations until a higher wage is set. Government officials say they are willing to raise the minimum wage from $80 to $100 ...
Kong Sothanarith
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/striking-workers-refuse-government-offer-in-wage-dispute/1821569.html
Cambodian Military Cracks Down on Striking Garment Workers
Cambodia’s capital on Thursday, arresting five monks and 10 others in a display of force that has been described by a rights group as unprecedented. The soldiers from Special Command Unit 911 were deployed to crush the demonstration over minimum wages near the Yak Jin ...
Radio Free Asia News Staff
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/strike-01022014190125.html