VOA Khmer

The use of bicycling to get around the crowded streets of Phnom Penh has become increasingly popular. Not only do people use bikes more often to get around the city, but on weekends, cyclists can be seen on the outskirts of town. ...

Every Saturday afternoon, in a room in the Phnom Penh offices of a German political foundation, chairs are arranged in a u-shape. About 50 people, from a range of backgrounds, gather and chit-chat. ...

Cambodia launched a health strategic plan in 2002, in an effort to improve services to areas that lack medical personnel and resources. But in many rural areas, there has been little progress, and even an awareness of basic hygiene and disease prevention remains considerably low. ...

Cambodian wildlife officials have released a pair of Asian gibbons into the forests near Angkor Wat, seeking to spread their population.The rare gibbons have been the subject of a protection program between the government and Wildlife Alliance since 2009. ...

Dengue fever has killed at least 16 people so far this year, an uptick from the same period last year, health officials say. The deaths are the result of nearly 4,700 infections. ...

The Constitutional Council has officially accepted the contentious Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations, which would tighten regulations on thousands of organizations in the country in what critics fear could mean a major crackdown on basic freedoms and government criticism. ...

The number of cargo and cruise ships moving in and out of the port at Sihanoukville continues to increase. More than 2.2 million tons of cargo moved through the port in the first seven months of this year, officials say, an increase of some 200,000 ...

The infection rate of HIV has fallen sharply in Cambodia over the last five years, new statistics show, though the rate for men who have sex with men in the sex industry remains high. ...

The Constitutional Council will meet with a group of opposition lawmakers on Wednesday over a controversial draft law to regulate NGOs, as it prepares to review the bill and send it to the king to be signed into law. ...

For many residents of Phnom Penh, a public bus system makes sense. The traffic in the capital is crowded with cars, SUVs and motor scooters, making public transportation a good, affordable option. Right now, a bus system that started in 2014 is working, but many ...

Cambodia has failed to meet a number of UN Millennium Development Goals, which were set out years ago and aimed at halving global poverty. Ros Sopheap, executive director for Gender and Development for Cambodia, said gender equality and the empowerment of women have not been ...

Union leaders will send yet another request to the Ministry of Labor this week to call for changes to a contentious draft law that critics fear will take power away from labor organizations and benefit factories in Cambodia’s largest industry. ...

A United Nations agency will soon begin holding public meetings nationwide to consult the public on a long-awaited law that would give Cambodians access to important information held by the government. ...

Staff of Anco Brother beer company, owed by a senator of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, barred labor officials from entering the company Wednesday, as workers staged a demonstration outside. ...

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced Wednesday Beijing has halted land reclamation in the South China Sea, but other regional leaders voiced concerns China was simply moving to a new phase on the disputed islands: construction of outposts. ...

Cambodia’s wild bears are under unprecedented pressure. Their native forests are being cut down at record rates, and China’s huge demand for traditional medicine has made them targets. But experts say Cambodia’s conservation efforts are setting an example that has put it well ahead of ...

Two months after Cambodia received its first group of asylum seekers from Australia as part of a controversial resettlement deal, a Cambodian government official has said the refugees are “very happy” in their new homes. ...

The southern river terrapin is among the lesser-known of Cambodia’s many globally endangered species, which also include the Asiatic black bear, the Asian elephant and the Indochinese tiger. ...

A group of beer promoters plan to stage a demonstration Wednesday to demand payment for eight women who were fired by a beer company owned by a ruling party senator. ...

ASEAN foreign ministers will meet in Malaysia later this week, where they are expected to discuss their stance on the South China Sea issue and take steps toward more agreements to ensure peace in the region. ...

Addressing critics of his diplomatic approach to the Vietnam border issue, Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday made a public call for evidence of land encroachment and proposals for its solution. ...

Rights groups say the Cambodian government should prioritize the passage of a law that would provide better guidance on the treatment of juveniles by the court system. ...

The Ministry of Social Affairs has completed drafting a law on juvenile justice that will soon be moved forward for approval and debate at the legislature. The new law, as drafted, aims to provide rehabilitation opportunities for juveniles, rather than simple prison sentences, and meets ...

Victims of sexual violence can often have difficulty reintegrating into society, but experts say the healing process from such assault can be a lifelong struggle. ...