News
Villagers vow to defy fresh ban on marches
More than 1,500 villagers plan to march to the Anti-Corruption Unit and National Assembly in Phnom Penh on Thursday in defiance of a fresh ban issued by City Hall prohibiting them from doing so. The villagers form a group known as the Land Communities for Peace ...
Joshua Wilwohl
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/villagers-vow-to-defy-fresh-ban-on-marches-59966/
Reporter, ‘witnesses’ tell different stories
Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said that radio journalist Lay Samean, who was badly beaten by district security guards on May 2 while covering a planned opposition rally, may have provoked the violence by calling the guards “yuon’s dogs”, among other insults. The minister added, however, that ...
Kevin Ponniah and Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/reporter-%E2%80%98witnesses%E2%80%99-tell-different-stories
Veng Sreng Street Upgrade behind schedule
The head of a construction company working to upgrade Phnom Penh’s dusty, potholed Veng Sreng Street said Thursday that the project would take twice as long to complete as expected. In November, Phnom Penh governor Pa Socheatvong announced that a 6.5 km strip of the road—which ...
Sek Odom
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/veng-sreng-street-upgrade-behind-schedule-58872/
After strong start, city bus’ future unclear
After a monthlong test run saw 10 buses often filled with passengers, a Chinese-owned company promised in early March to inject millions into the project and add hundreds of new buses. But Global Trade Development left the project last month after the municipality refused to grant ...
Hul Reaksmey and Simon Henderson
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/after-strong-start-city-bus-future-unclear-58640/
Can’t fight, forced to take flight
The residents of Por Sen Chey district’s Prey Chisak village could do nothing but stand and stare. Early yesterday, representatives of Green Goal, a private company tasked with measuring and marking sought-after property for Phnom Penh’s airport expansion, arrived in the village and started to measure ...
Chhay Channyda and Alice Cuddy
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/can%E2%80%99t-fight-forced-take-flight
Cambodian rights worker faces death threats over land dispute
A worker with the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) has been intimidated and received death threats while trying to document the plight of three families involved in a bitter land dispute with a developer in the country’s capital, according to the center. The worker, Vann ...
Radio Free Asia Staff
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/threats-05122014162650.html
Parking rules kicked to kerb
City Hall is turning its focus to Phnom Penh’s “anarchic parking” situation. Phnom Penh Governor Pa Socheatvong yesterday said the municipality plans to cancel old contracts awarding private companies the right to charge for parking in certain parts of the city, and introduce new restrictions on ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/parking-rules-kicked-kerb
For communities, threats routine
Two disputes involving a land developer with ties to the highest ranks of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party have once again exposed the lack of justice faced by impoverished communities in the capital, affected residents and rights groups have said. In Phnom Penh’s Tuol Kork district, ...
Daniel Pye and Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/communities-threats-routine
Families petition City Hall over wall built in road
More than 170 families in Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district submitted a petition to City Hall on Monday complaining about wealthy businessman Khun Sear’s decision to build a wall in the middle of a road in their neighborhood. The road in Chak Angre Leu commune is under ...
Ben Sokhean
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/families-petition-city-hall-over-wall-built-in-road-58176/
Giant development in Cambodia hinges on Chinese buyers
There is an island in Cambodia that, unlike others in Southeast Asia, is not the object of an ownership dispute. But it is equally clear whom its current owners would like to land there: Chinese property buyers. If all goes according to plan, Koh Pich — ...
Chris Horton
http://www.property-report.com/cambodias-mega-development-lures-chinese-investors-34672
City Hall security guards tear up petition at land rights protest
About 80 activists from Phnom Penh’s Borei Keila and Boeng Kak communities protested outside City Hall on Monday morning, but were confronted by municipal security guards who prevented them from delivering a petition to the governor. Sar Soun, a representative of families from the Borei Keila ...
Ben Sokhean
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/city-hall-security-guards-tear-up-petition-at-land-rights-protest-58147/
Security dressed down
For months now, Daun Penh district security forces, identifiable by their dark blue uniforms, black motorbike helmets and merciless truncheon swinging, have been unleashed on protesters, opposition and otherwise, as the all-too-willing enforcers of government-approved crackdowns. But as district forces have begun targeting more journalists during ...
Vong Sokheng and Alice Cuddy
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/security-dressed-down
Five injured in Labor Day clashes near Phnom Penh’s Freedom Park
Security forces in the Cambodian capital violently dispersed Labor Day demonstrators gathered near the city’s Freedom Park Thursday, injuring at least five people, including bystanders, according to eyewitnesses and rights groups. They took the action after opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) leaders finished speaking to ...
Rachel Vandenbrink
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/labor-day-05012014194525.html
Former Boeng Kak activists protest at City Hall
About 50 residents evicted from Phnom Penh’s Boeng Kak neighborhood in 2008 and 2009 to make way for a senator’s real estate project once again protested in front of City Hall Monday to demand better compensation. They are among some 3,000 families who were forced ...
Mech Dara
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/former-boeng-kak-activists-protest-at-city-hall-57647/
No scheme in place for congestion near AEON
Despite expecting 27,000 visitors per day, little planning has gone into tackling traffic congestion at Cambodia’s long-awaited AEON Mall when it opens June 30, City Hall said yesterday. There are 1,400 vehicle parking spaces allotted at AEON and 1,600 bikes spaces accessed via both Sothearos ...
Chan Muyhong
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/no-scheme-place-congestion-near-aeon
Labor unions, associations not allowed to celebrate Labor Day at Freedom Park
Phnom Penh City Hall has refused labor unions and associations to celebrate 128th International Labor Day (May 1) at Freedom Park. The decision was made during a meeting on Thursday between representatives of labor unions, association and Phnom Penh City Hall officials. ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://www.thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/detail/1?page=13&token=YzFjZmRmZjg4ODE
Thousands expected at municipal court in support of 23
Union leaders say they expect upwards of 1,000 people to jam the streets around Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Friday in a show of support for 23 unionists, workers and bystanders who are on trial for their alleged part in violent protests in Pur Senchey ...
Mech Dara
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/thousands-expected-at-municipal-court-in-support-of-23-57342/
UN envoy hits out at Freedom Park cutoff
The United Nations special rapporteur on freedom of assembly has called the Cambodian authorities’ continuous blockade of Freedom Park, the enforcement of which saw security guards attack journalists and supporters of opposition lawmaker-elect Mu Sochua on Monday, “deeply disturbing”. “The authorities have no legal basis for ...
Kevin Ponniah
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/un-envoy-hits-out-freedom-park-cutoff
Boeung Kok residents petition World Bank over years-long land dispute
Residents of property development site, Boeung Kok, on Thursday gathered in front of an office of World Bank in Phnom Penh in order to present petition to the World Bank. They were seeking intervention from the World Bank to help solve years-long land dispute in their ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://www.thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/detail/1?page=13&token=YjgxMzRkNGNkZDQ
Sihanouk statue waves down on Royal Palace
A familiar figure has popped up atop a building that authorities in Phnom Penh ordered demolished in October for violating height restrictions around the Royal Palace: a statue of late King Father Norodom Sihanouk. “I have built a King statue on the top of my building ...
Aun Pheap
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/sihanouk-statue-waves-down-on-royal-palace-56896/
Once again, Sochua denied
Following a break over Khmer New Year, opposition lawmaker-elect Mu Sochua continued her campaign to bring freedom to Freedom Park yesterday morning and was once again met with force, this time metres outside of the park. At about 8am yesterday, the Cambodia National Rescue Party member ...
Alice Cuddy and Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/once-again-sochua-denied
Phnom Penh Authority decides to run public buses
Phnom Penh City Hall decides to run public buses by itself after Chinese-owned Global withdrew itself due to internal issues. Long Dimanche, spokesman for the City Hall, said that the Global withdrew itslef from the public bus service project after two-month trial from February 5th to ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/detail/1?page=13&token=MTg1OGY1OGUzZjl
GPS tracking system could be answer to city’s garbage problem
Keeping ahead of Phnom Penh’s mounting piles of garbage has proved tough for Cintri since it was awarded sole rights in 2002 to keep the city clean. But a new plan harnessing global satellite positioning and digital mapping is offering the company a high-tech helping ...
Khuon Narim and Simon Henderson
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/gps-tracking-system-could-be-answer-to-citys-garbage-problem-56286/
Families blocked from fencing disputed land
About a dozen Tuol Kok district security guards in Phnom Penh on Tuesday blocked three families involved in a long-running land dispute from building a fence around the disputed property in Boeng Kak I commune, an official said. Deputy district governor Saing Sopheak Vichet said the ...
Hul Reaksmey
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/families-blocked-from-fencing-disputed-land-56160/