The Phnom Penh Post
Big boost for garment sector minimum wage, though some see a political motive
The government yesterday significantly upped the garment and footwear sector’s minimum wage to $170 a month, from $153, the highest increase in wages in the past two years and one that comes ahead of a crucial national election next July. ...
Yon Sineat and Ananth Baliga
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/big-boost-garment-sector-minimum-wage-though-some-see-political-motive
Croc-toberfest
Provincial and border police in Banteay Meanchey province caught a crocodile on Wednesday night while on flood patrol along the river, prompting officials to warn people living in flood zones along rivers to be on the lookout for the toothy interlopers. Officials are looking into ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/croc-toberfest
Former Cambodia Daily reporters charged with ‘incitement’
Two former Cambodia Daily journalists have been charged with “incitement to commit a felony” over seemingly routine commune election coverage in Ratanakkiri. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/former-cambodia-daily-reporters-charged-incitement
Rice exports grow on strength of China quota
Cambodian rice exports increased nearly 17 percent during the first nine months compared to the same period last year, with exporters pushing to fill orders under China’s higher import quota as European markets remained steady. ...
Post Staff
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/rice-exports-grow-strength-china-quota
Embassies meet with NEC over voter registration
Representatives from the United States and Japanese embassies and the European Union delegation met with the National Election Committee (NEC) yesterday about ongoing voter registration, with EU Ambassador George Edgar saying the current political tension was not addressed in detail during the meeting. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/embassies-meet-nec-over-voter-registration
Teachers’ wage rally blocked
On the same day that Prime Minister Hun Sen gave a speech touting salary increases for teachers ahead of next year’s national election, about 20 Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association (CITA) members were blocked from having a peaceful demonstration seeking just that. ...
Ben Sokhean, Yon Sineat and Yesenia Amaro
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/teachers-wage-rally-blocked
Thousands more drug arrests
About 5,000 people have been arrested for drug use and trafficking since July in the second phase of an ongoing controversial drug crackdown, bringing the total number of arrestees this year to almost 13,700 people. ...
Niem Chheng and Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/thousands-more-drug-arrests
Oknha files complaint in dispute over land
An Oknha has filed a complaint seeking $100,000 in compensation from a navy commander in Preah Sihanouk for allegedly encroaching on his land and threatening his employees. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/oknha-files-complaint-dispute-over-land
Cambodian Youth Party launches bid to end CNRP
The Cambodian Youth Party (CYP) filed a complaint to the Ministry of Interior yesterday requesting the dissolution of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, as the royalist party Funcinpec reaffirmed its commitment to do the same. ...
Andrew Nachemson and Soth Koemsoeun
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodian-youth-party-launches-bid-end-cnrp
Hun Sen takes a dig at US for Vegas shooting
Even as he expressed condolences for the mass shooting in Las Vegas on Sunday that left 59 people dead, Prime Minister Hun Sen appeared yesterday to suggest that the incident was a kind of cosmic rebuke following American warnings to its citizens about safety in ...
Ben Sokhean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/hun-sen-takes-dig-us-vegas-shooting
GMAC calls on government to help offset rising labour costs
The industry body representing Cambodia’s garment sector issued a statement yesterday urging the government to help manufacturers reduce the cost of doing business in order to offset a higher minimum wage and workers benefit package due to come into effect on January 1. ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/gmac-calls-government-help-offset-rising-labour-costs
Interior Ministry identifies 70,000 ‘improper’ citizens, mostly ethnic Vietnamese
The Ministry of Interior is moving forward with a plan to revoke official documents from 70,000 individuals living in Cambodia, claiming they were “improperly” issued and mistakenly confer citizenship on “immigrants” – many of whom are ethnic Vietnamese born in Cambodia. ...
Amid strife, the CNRP is a party on pause
When Cambodia National Rescue Party President Kem Sokha stood arm-in-arm with three newly minted deputies earlier this year, the quartet seemed eager and ready to address the party’s next challenge at hand: critical commune elections that could greatly bolster grassroots support. ...
Mech Dara and Ananth Baliga
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/amid-strife-cnrp-party-pause
Economy still on track: World Bank
Despite better than predicted overall growth for global economies, the World Bank has slightly downgraded its 2017 forecast for Cambodia due to wage and price concerns in the Kingdom’s the garment industry as well as uncertainty surrounding next year’s national election. ...
Kali Kotoski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/economy-still-track-world-bank
Work permits now required for long-term visa renewals
The Immigration Department yesterday confirmed that foreigners requesting long-term business visa extensions in the country are now required to submit a work permit proving their place of employment. ...
Niem Chheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/work-permits-now-required-long-term-visa-renewals
Small Planet granted local Air Operator's Certificate
The Kingdom’s aviation regulator yesterday granted an operator’s licence to Small Planet Airlines, allowing the Lithuanian-based leisure airline to operate flights from its new regional hub in Cambodia, civil aviation officials said. ...
Cam McGrath
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/small-planet-granted-local-air-operators-certificate
Locals evacuated for bomb removal
Over 800 villagers were evacuated yesterday in preparation for the removal of two tear gas barrel bombs in Svay Rieng province, while a provincial committee is attempting to “reduce the fear” surrounding the bombs – fear seemingly stoked by erroneous statements from government officials. ...
Phak Seangly and Andrew Nachemson
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/locals-evacuated-bomb-removal
Government destroys over 80 tonnes of fake products
Government officials yesterday destroyed more than 80 tonnes of counterfeit chemical products, chief among them hazardous skin-whitening creams and knock-off Viagra pills. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/government-destroys-over-80-tonnes-fake-products
Lenders foresee challenges in raising the local currency ratio
Commercial lenders have said the central bank’s requirement that banks and microfinance institutions (MFIs) increase the share of local currency in their loan portfolio to at least 10 percent by the end of 2019 could prove challenging to implement as their biggest clients exhibit a ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/lenders-foresee-challenges-raising-local-currency-ratio
HR forum sees role for digital technology
Business should embrace digital strategies that can improve the speed and efficiency of human resource management activities, speakers at a conference on the impact of digital transformation on human resources said yesterday. ...
Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/hr-forum-sees-role-digital-technology
ADB offers $70M loan to improve transportation
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $70 million loan to develop the Kingdom’s transportation infrastructure with the majority of the funding going towards improvements of national roads in Prey Veng, Siem Reap and Svay Rieng provinces. ...
Kali Kotoski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/adb-offers-70m-loan-improve-transportation
Handful of protesters arrested at US Embassy
Around six people were arrested outside the United States Embassy in Phnom Penh yesterday for attempting to stage a small protest, but were released later in the afternoon after agreeing to not demonstrate again without a City Hall permit. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/handful-protesters-arrested-us-embassy
Baby cranes
Fifty endangered sarus cranes have hatched from 27 nests protected by conservationists and villagers in Cambodia’s Northern Plains, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). The nests are in Kulen Promtep and Chhep wildlife sanctuaries. ...
Post Staff
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/baby-cranes
Chea Sim bodyguard appeals sentence
A former senior army official and head of the late Chea Sim’s bodyguard unit yesterday appealed to the Supreme Court to once again reduce his jail time for a raft of crimes including embezzlement, weapons possession, breach of trust and forgery. ...
Kim Sarom
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/chea-sim-bodyguard-appeals-sentence