The Cambodia Daily
Government considering national oil company
The Ministry of Mines and Energy is in the early stages of developing a national oil company, a ministry spokesman said Wednesday. Meng Saktheara, who is also a secretary of state, said his ministry had been working with the Finance Ministry to assess the risks of ...
Kang Sothear and Chris Mueller
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/government-considering-national-oil-company-79538/
Hopes low as Cambodia begins world cup quest
With thousands of fans expected to fill the stands at Phnom Penh’s Old Stadium Thursday afternoon to watch Cambodia kick off its improbable bid to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in a match against Macau, coach Lee Tae-hoon isn’t sure his side is ready. ...
Ouch Sony and George Wright
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/hopes-low-as-cambodia-begins-world-cup-quest-79540/
Recently bailed union leader vows to continue strike activity
A combative union leader who was released on bail last week pending trial on charges of extortion and making threats during a strike last month vowed Wednesday to continue leading his militant brand of industrial action if workers called upon him. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/recently-bailed-union-leader-vows-to-continue-strike-activity-79565/
Drug smuggling suspects questioned at court
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Wednesday began questioning members of a suspected drug smuggling ring who are accused of trafficking crystal methamphetamine into the country from Laos, according to a police official. ...
Saing Soenthrith
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/drug-smuggling-suspects-questioned-at-court-79561/
New WWF chief says Cambodian tigers a priority
The new director-general of the international environmental group WWF, Marco Lambertini, met Tuesday with Environment Minister Say Sam Al to raise concerns over development projects that could have harmful environmental impacts, and one in particular that could derail plans to reintroduce tigers to Cambodia. ...
Simon Henderson
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/new-wwf%E2%80%88chief-says-cambodian-tigers-a-priority-79478/
Anti-Pedophile group founder denies meddling
The founder of Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE), Thierry Darnaudet, this week dismissed child sex abuse claims made against him by the anti-pedophile NGO’s former director, Hang Vibol, and said their feud had created a quandary for the organization when it was asked to investigate ...
Simon Henderson and Khy Sovuthy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/anti-pedophile-group-founder-denies-meddling-79454/
Hun Sen acknowledges misstep over HIV outbreak
Prime Minister Hun Sen admitted Tuesday that he made an error in judgment when he doubted the veracity of a growing HIV outbreak in Battambang province’s Roka commune in December. ...
Khy Sovuthy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/hun-sen-acknowledges-misstep-over-hiv-outbreak-79466/
Prime minister diagnoses NGOs with ‘main character syndrome’
Prime Minister Hun Sen on Tuesday chided a group of NGOs who boycotted a seminar on a pair of proposed election laws, saying the groups suffered from “main character syndrome.” ...
Kuch Naren
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/prime-minister-diagnoses-ngos-with-main-character-syndrome-79458/
Man who shot 33 times over $3 fine surrenders
A man wanted by police for shooting 33 times in the air with a handgun after he was given a $3 speeding ticket turned himself into police Tuesday morning in Phnom Penh. ...
Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/man-who-shot-33-times-over-3-fine-surrenders-79460/
Court questions General charged in corruption case
A military general charged in connection with a high-profile corruption scandal at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, which led to the removal of its top judge last month, on Tuesday denied the allegations against him after being questioned at the court. ...
Ouch Sony
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/court-questions-general-charged-in-corruption-case-79472/
Thailand extends deadline for migrants on temporary permits
More than 600,000 migrant workers in Thailand who would have faced deportation at the end of the month when their temporary work permits were set to expire now have until the end of June to apply for a one-year renewal, an NGO said Tuesday. ...
Chris Mueller
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/thailand-extends-deadline-for-migrants-on-temporary-permits-79476/
Assembly Secretary-General stonewalls over misspending
The secretary-general of the National Assembly, who has been accused of allowing gross misspending and nepotism in parliament, spent two hours Tuesday refusing to answer questions over allegations from lawmakers on the Assembly’s commission on finance and audits, according to the commission’s vice chairman. ...
Khuon Narim
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/assembly-secretary-general-stonewalls-over-misspending-79456/
Battambang residents protest over land redistribution plans
About 70 villagers representing hundreds of families living in Battambang City’s Prek Preah Sdech commune protested outside the provincial hall Tuesday over fears that local authorities intend to evict them to make way for military families. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/battambang-residents-protest-over-land-redistribution-plans-79474/
No more ADB funding to finish stalled railway project
ប្រធានធនាគារអភិវឌ្ឍន៍អាស៊ីដែលមកធ្វើទស្សនកិច្ច លោក តាកេហ៊ីកុ ណាកាវ (Takehiko Nakao) បានមានប្រសាសន៍កាលពីថ្ងៃអង្គារថា នឹងមិនមានប្រាក់ថែមទៀតពីធនាគារនេះដើម្បីបញ្ចប់គម្រោងដែលជាប់ គាំងនិងក្ស័យធន ដើម្បីស្ថារបណ្តាញផ្លូវដែកចាស់របស់ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា គឺគម្រោងមានទឹកប្រាក់១៤២លានដុល្លារ ដែលត្រូវគេចាត់ទុកថាជាការផ្តួចផ្តើមហេដ្ឋារចនាសម្ព័ន្ធដ៏ សំខាន់។ ...
Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/no-more-adb-funding-to-finish-stalled-railway-project-79470/
In new election body law, room for mischief
The opposition hailed the rewriting of Cambodia’s election laws a success on Monday, with the completion of the bills coming eight months after it ended its parliamentary boycott for pledges of a comprehensive overhaul of the National Election Committee (NEC). ...
Alex Willemyns and Kuch Naren
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/in-new-election-body-law-room-for-mischief-79451/
Police arrest four smuggling crystal meth from Laos
Police arrested four men in Phnom Penh’s Chbar Ampov district on Sunday on suspicion of smuggling drugs from Laos, confiscating more than half a kilogram of crystal methamphetamine in the bust, officials said Monday. ...
Saing Soenthrith
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/police-arrest-four-smuggling-crystal-meth-from-laos-79356/
Hun Sen slaps freeze on new gov’t positions, departments
Prime Minister Hun Sen last week issued a directive ordering all government bodies to hold off on new hires for the rest of the year except to fill existing positions being vacated, in an apparent bid to keep spending in line with the current state ...
Hul Reaksmey
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/hun-sen-slaps-freeze-on-new-govt-positions-departments-79340/
In court, kidney trader denies running transplant enterprise
A woman accused of organ trafficking was tried at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Monday for allegedly persuading her two cousins and a neighbor to sell their kidneys in Thailand last year. Anti-human trafficking police arrested Nhem Sinuon, 29, in Phnom Penh’s Chroy Changva district ...
Thailand deports monks across border
Thai authorities deported 20 Cambodian monks through the Poipet International Checkpoint on Saturday after they illegally crossed into Thailand to seek alms, an immigration official said Monday. ...
Hul Reaksmey
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/thailand-deports-monks-across-border-79346/
Massive crack in ‘White Building’ widens
A four-story crack in the south-facing side of Phnom Penh’s aging “White Building”—which first appeared in early February as a pile driver broke up earth inside an adjacent construction site—widened over the weekend, shortly after a meeting between worried tenants and the firms behind a ...
Sek Odom
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/massive-crack-in-white-building-widens-79358/
Plantations lose land for encroaching on farms
Environment Minister Say Sam Al on Monday said that more than 9,000 hectares granted to companies as economic land concessions (ELCs) were recently taken back from the owners because local villagers had been farming the land first, and announced that 14 companies had been put ...
Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/plantations-lose-land-for-encroaching-on-farms-79364/
Sixth HIV-positive villager dies in Battambang
A 69-year-old man who was among the more than 240 villagers to test positive for HIV in Battambang province’s Roka commune died on Saturday, local health officials said Monday. ...
Khy Sovuthy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/sixth-hiv-positive-villager-dies-in-battambang-79350/
Gov’t to examine Vietnamese grave site on Bokor mountain
In the coming weeks, a task force composed of officials from the ministries of tourism, religion, culture and education will lead an expedition to a remote patch of forest on Kampot province’s Bokor Mountain where Vietnamese tourists pray, the education minister said Monday. ...
Khuon Narim
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/govt-to-examine-vietnamese-grave-site-on-bokor-mountain-79352/
Developer sparks another dispute over wall
Families in Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district have been protesting since Friday against wealthy businessman Khun Sear’s plan to build a brick wall that will effectively block access to their village. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/developer-sparks-another-dispute-over-wall-79360/