The Cambodia Daily
US still urging Cambodia to broaden and clarify union law
The U.S. is continuing to urge the government to change and clarify key parts of a controversial trade union law that took effect in April, including an amendment to cover civil servants, the U.S.’s international labor affairs representative said on Tuesday. ...
Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/us%E2%80%88still-urging-cambodia-broaden-clarify-union-law-118851/
Xi to make first presidential visit this month
Amid deteriorating relations with Western countries due to the government’s suppression of critics, Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to visit Cambodia this month for the first time since taking office, according to a Facebook post by National Police chief Neth Savoeun. ...
The Cambodia Daily
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/xi-make-first-presidential-visit-month-118764/
For migrants, votes in Phnom Penh ‘wasted’
The just-passed Pchum Ben holiday weekend was a rare opportunity for many migrant workers to return home to register to vote in the provinces, where their ballots will count for more than if they are cast in Phnom Penh. ...
Michael Dickison
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/migrants-votes-phnom-penh-wasted-118796/
NEC says soldiers registered for vote in wrong commune
A spokesman for the country’s election authority said officials in Preah Vihear province were wrong to have registered a group of soldiers who neither lived nor worked there regularly, but added that they might get a pass because the soldiers could end up monitoring polling ...
Khuon Narim and Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/nec-says-soldiers-registered-vote-wrong-commune-118798/
Election officials brace for Pchum Ben rush
Commune offices around the country are bracing for a surge in voter registrations over the Pchum Ben holiday that could become a make-or-miss moment in building the foundation for upcoming elections. After nearly a month of registrations, the National Election Committee reported on Tuesday that 3.5 ...
Michael Dickison and Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/election-officials-brace-pchum-ben-rush-118530/
Household income falls, debt rises sharply after drought
The economic stability of Cambodian households took a beating during the El Nino weather cycle that enveloped the region during the last dry season, resulting in drought conditions that drove many families into debt and lower income brackets, a new study has found. The study, released ...
Janelle Retka
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/household-income-falls-debt-rises-sharply-drought-118540/
Minister tells UN ‘perfect democracy’ not realistic
Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn defended the government before the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Saturday, saying that the ruling party was being held to unrealistic expectations of a “perfect democracy” while the opposition was “committing very serious crimes.” Delivering his first major address to ...
Colin Meyn
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/minister-tells-un-perfect-democracy-not-realistic-118422/
Cash influx a band-aid for failing rice sector
As the government scrambles to buoy a rice sector suffering from crashing paddy prices and fierce international competition, Prime Minister Hun Sen on Thursday lauded the government officials and “generous businesspeople” who heeded calls for emergency funds. ...
Janelle Retka and Kuch Naren
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/cash-influx-band-aid-failing-rice-sector-118340/
Police chief admits wife is timber smuggler
A Toyota SUV and the load of illegally logged luxury wood found inside it on Monday belong to the wife of a district police chief in Tbong Khmum province, according to local officials, who say they have no intention of taking action against the couple. “We ...
Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/police-chief-admits-wife-timber-smuggler-118251/
Who owns the 2,949 logs found by a government task force?
The government’s anti-logging task force on Monday confiscated nearly 3,000 logs stashed in a forest clearing in Mondolkiri province, officials said on Tuesday. The owner of the 2,949 pieces of second-grade timber—Khlong, Tbeng and Trach—is unknown, said Eng Hy, spokesman for the National Military Police, which ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/second2/owns-3000-logs-found-government-task-force-118253/
Prime minister vows to ‘eliminate’ opponents who protest
Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday said he would “eliminate” opponents who dare to protest against his government during a speech in which he also declared that he personally ordered the military to deploy around the CNRP’s headquarters late last month. Speaking at a graduation ceremony ...
Kuch Naren
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/prime-minister-vows-eliminate-opponents-protest-118198/
Unfinished Railway Connected to Thailand
Cambodia’s northern railway line has been linked to Thailand at the border in Poipet City, officials said at a ceremony on Monday—although sections of track in Cambodia still need to be finished before trains can start running between the two countries. At a ceremony marking a ...
Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/unfinished-railway-connected-thailand-118206/
Prime minister seeks $300 million from china for rice sector
In the latest effort to mitigate the impact of plummeting rice prices, Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Monday that the government was seeking $300 million from China to boost the capacity of rice millers and provide funds to them for purchasing paddy from farmers. ...
Kuch Naren and Janelle Retka
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/prime-minister-seeks-300-million-china-rice-sector-118209/
Beating of woman in South Korea prompts embassy response
Photographs and video footage of a Cambodian woman being savagely beaten by her Chinese supervisor in a satellite city of Seoul were shared more than a thousand times on social media on Wednesday, prompting the Cambodian Embassy to find the woman and take her to ...
Kuch Naren
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/beating-woman-south-korea-prompts-embassy-response-118023/
Troops mobilized to ‘disperse’ farmers clearing state forest
The governor of Kompong Speu on Tuesday ordered 10 armed soldiers to help a team of environmental officials confront a group of “anarchic” farmers clearing state forestland in the province. ...
Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/troops-mobilized-disperse-farmers-clearing-state-forest-117983/
Kem Ley’s brother brands official’s comments ‘insulting’
After an Interior Ministry spokesman last week suggested that an investigation into the murder of Kem Ley had been slowed by his wife fleeing the country, the slain analyst’s friends and family on Sunday blasted the government’s slow and secretive response over the past two ...
Ouch Sony
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/kem-leys-brother-brands-officials-comments-insulting-117879/
CNRP talks mass protests after Sokha conviction
Opposition leaders on Sunday called on supporters to consider mass demonstrations after the conviction on Friday of CNRP Vice President Kem Sokha, while a government spokesman warned that those who attempted to heed the call to action would pay a “very high price.” ...
Khuon Narim and George Wright
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/second/cnrp-talks-mass-protests-sokha-conviction-117862/
China promises additional aid after ASEAN skirts sea dispute
China promised Cambodia funds for a variety of projects during a meeting between Prime Minister Hun Sen and Chinese Prime Minister Li Kequiang during this week’s Asean Summit in Vientiane, a minister attached to Mr. Hun Sen told reporters on Thursday night. ...
Khuon Narim
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/china-promises-additional-aid-asean-skirts-sea-dispute-117783/
Police confiscate 34 national IDs with Vietnamese names
Authorities near the Vietnamese border in Kandal province’s Koh Thom district say they will investigate 34 national identification cards seized from local police because they bear names that “do not sound Cambodian.” ...
Kang Sothear
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/second2/police-confiscate-34-national-ids-vietnamese-names-117795/
UN Rights review ‘Not business as usual’
With rebuke raining down on the ruling CPP for its judicial assault, arrests and intimidation of the political opposition and other critics, Cambodia’s annual assessment by the U.N. Human Rights Council will be held next week in Geneva. ...
Janelle Retka
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/un-rights-review-not-business-usual-117790/
Timber negotiations scrapped; seized wood to be divided up
In the latest setback to its attempt to sell off millions of dollars worth of seized timber, the government canceled five days of negotiations with potential buyers scheduled for this week, an official said on Monday. ...
Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/timber-negotiations-scrapped-seized-wood-divided-117641/
Hun Sen’s bodyguard unit marks seven years
Pol Saroeun, commander-in-chief of the military, said his forces were “absolutely loyal” to Prime Minister Hun Sen and his family on Sunday at an event marking seven years since Mr. Hun Sen’s personal bodyguard unit was formed as a distinct entity from Brigade 70. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/hun-sens-bodyguard-unit-marks-seven-years-117578/
Unions will negotiate for a $180 minimum wage
A group of 17 union leaders will demand $179.60 when they sit down for the latest round of negotiations this week to determine the minimum wage in the garment sector, which employs more than 600,000 Cambodians. The monthly minimum wage is currently $140. The new figure ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/unions-will-negotiate-180-minimum-wage-117581/
Hun Sen hopes days of post-election protests are finished
The three-month voter registration period opened on Thursday, with Prime Minister Hun Sen telling reporters after enrolling at his local commune office that he hopes the new voter registry will put an end to post-election protests. After the July 2013 national election, the CNRP refused to ...
Khuon Narim and Alex Willemyns
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/hun-sen-hopes-days-post-election-protests-finished-117491/