News

Cambodians’ growing appetite for fast food and franchised food outlets, and the increasing number of restaurants springing up in the capital and other towns, has become a healthy business for some of the food chains now operating in the Kingdom.    ...

The World Bank has approved $130 million in developmental aid aimed at reducing poverty in Cambodia, signalling its first direct re-engagement with the Kingdom since it left in protest in 2011 after one of the largest forceful evictions led by the government displaced more than ...

The Environment Ministry on Friday released its final study on the algal bloom that forced swimmers out of the water in Kep province in early April, stating no chemical substances were found in the bloom that would have negatively affected human or animal health. ...

Cambodia’s election body has called for regular meetings with political parties, journalists and civil society organisations (CSOs) in a bid to stave off suspicions of bias as two of its non-CPP aligned officials face prosecution. ...

The developer of the controversial Gold Tower 42, which has sat idle for years, has been refused permission to restart development and finish off the hulking, half-built concrete shell. ...

Cambodian soldiers stationed at Preah Vihear temple said relations with their Thai counterparts have remained friendly despite reports that a controversial replica temple built by the Thai military could be reopened. ...

People smoking tobacco in offices, restaurants and other public spaces will have to indulge their habit in clearly demarcated smoking areas or both the smoker and establishment owner will face fines, the Ministry of Health announced. ...

A new report has alleged labour rights abuses at Cambodian supplier factories for apparel giant H&M, as more than 500 garment workers gathered in Phnom Penh yesterday to air some of the same concerns over working conditions during a workers’ forum.   ...

Defence Minister Tea Banh will lead a delegation of about 10 other senior military officials to Vientiane, Laos, to attend the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting from May 24 to 27, which will focus on regional cooperation in defence technology and natural-disaster response. ...

Turkish Airlines, a member of the Star Alliance network, has become the newest player to enter into Cambodia’s air freight business after launching operations last Saturday.    ...

Cambodia dispatched a group of 45 troops to take part in the 2016 multinational peacekeeping exercise in Mongolia late on Thursday. ...

The Ministry of Mines and Energy signed joint prakas with the Ministry of Environment to simplifying the environmental impact assessment (EIA) requirements for artisanal and small-scale mining practices.   ...

A military officer convicted of fraud and sentenced to one year in prison in October is still em­ployed by the National Defense Uni­versity (NDU), the school con­firmed this week, despite the fact that the officer’s co-conspirator is now behind bars.   ...

Any appointments to the National Election Committee (NEC) to replace CNRP-appointed Rong Chhun, who now faces a criminal trial for “intentional violence,” would have to be approved by the ruling CPP under current laws, a lawmaker said on Thursday. ...

Cambodia’s tourist arrivals registered an increase of 2.6% during January to March, this year, according to the Statistics and Tourist Information Department. ...

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s push for “quality infrastructure” investment in Asia is expected to be among the key items on the agenda of next week’s G7 summit in Japan. ...

Khmer Specialized Bank, a subsidiary of Khmer Holding Group, was officially inaugurated to offer financial services to Cambodians yesterday, with $21 million worth of investment capital and becoming the 13th specialized bank in Cambodia. ...

Bilateral trade between Thailand and Cambodia decreased by 13 per cent in the first three months of this year compared to the same period in 2015, according to statistics provided by the Royal Thai Embassy. ...

An ecologically-friendly satellite town called Le Urban Eco Park, a $50 million joint venture between Singaporean and local investors, is expected to be completed in the next couple of months after the more than two years of construction. ...

Teachers at Toul Mead Primary School in Siem Reap province tell students to bring drinking water from home to keep them hydrated in the scorching heat. But water is increasingly hard to come by as the worst drought in decades drags on.   ...

As Cambodia continues its battle against raging thunderstorms and stifling droughts, officials from a variety of ministries attended a three-day workshop last week on how to incorporate the wide-ranging effects of climate change into the national and provincial budgeting process.   ...

More than 300 families in Kompong Speu province this week signed a deal with Senator Ly Yong Phat’s Phnom Penh Sugar Company aimed at ending their long-running land dispute, though several of the families have yet to agree on compensation.   ...

The World Bank’s board of directors could vote today to renew a project for landless families in Cambodia that has run into major problems, a move that would effectively lift a five-year freeze on lending its own money to the country in protest over forced ...

Cambodia and Russia have officially inked agreements to promote bilateral trade and investment until 2020, although concrete details about how that will be accomplished have yet to be released. ...