Riverboat services between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh are scheduled to restart on aug 15 after closing down in March due to low water levels in the Tonle Sap river, a port official said yesterday. Chieat Thol, deputy director of the administrative department and the <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/boat-route-to-siem-reap-to-reopen-on-august-15/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Minister of Water Resource and Meteorology announced yesterday that the Japanese government’s international aid agency will provide his ministry with $47 million on loans for an agriculture development project near the Tonle Sap lake. During a donation ceremony for 144 Japanese-funded agricultural machines held <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/jpaanese-government-to-loan-47m-for-agro-development/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Bank of India will move to a larger location on Norodom Boulevard, aiming to attract increased business from both Cambodian and Indian clients, said Chief Manager Sripada Rao. The Mumbai, India-based bank first opened in the Kingdom in 2009 headquartered on the capital’s Monivong <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/bank-of-india-looks-ahead/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Almost  650,000 hectAres of ecologicAlly-rich flooded forest surrounding the Tonle SAp lAke hAs been protected by A sub-decree signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen on MondAy. The 647,406 hectAre AreA spAns sections of KAmpong ChhnAng, PursAt, BAttAmbAng, BAnteAy MeAnchey, Siem ReAp And KAmpong Thom provinces. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/km/news/huge-swAths-of-flooded-forest-protected-by-decree/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Kompong Chhnang Provincial Court on Tuesday gave permission to M&amp;V International Manufacturing garment factory to suspend two Free Trade Union representatives and 13 other workers after they allegedly instigated an illegal protest earlier this month, a court official said Wednesday. Penh Vibol, provincial chief prosecutor, said <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/k-chhnang-court-suspends-15-from-mv-factory/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Advertising compAnies generAted $73.6 million in revenue during the first nine months of the yeAr, A 28 percent increAse compAred to the sAme period in 2010, According to dAtA releAsed by mArketing reseArch firm IndochinA ReseArch. BeverAge And telecommunicAtion compAnies led the wAy, spending $12.75 million <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/km/news/beverAge-firms-telcos-lift-revenues/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

The drafting of a law on e-commerce that would regulate electronic transfers in Cambodia has been postponed because the World Bank has suspended funds over the government’s handling of land evictions in Phnom Penh. In September, Commerce Minister Cham Prasidh said that the government should aim <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/suspended-funds-stymie-e-commerce-law/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Pakistan and Cambodia yesterday discussed strengthening economic ties in areas such banking and transportation, a government official said. ambassador of Pakistan Fazal-ur-Rahman Kazi and Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Sok an considered an agreement on the protection of trade and investment, Ek Tha, spokesman for the Council <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/pakistan-cambodia-talk-economic-ties/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

More than 11,000 families were affected by government-granted economic land concessions in 2011, nearly 3,000 more families than were affected the previous year, according to figures released yesterday by local rights group Licadho. a total of more than 2 million hectares of the country’s forests and <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/land-grants-affected-11377-families-in-2011-rights-groups-say/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Japanese technology companies Toshiba Corp and Kyosan Electric have met with Phnom Penh Municipality to discuss investing in a light rail system and new traffic light network. according to an announcement on the municipality’s website yesterday, Kazutoshi Fukuda, managing director of Kyosan Electric, and Yasuyoshi Mugiya, <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/firms-may-invest-in-light-rail-traffic-lights/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Villagers in Kompong Thom province’s Sandan district said yesterday that they handed over 77 pieces of luxury wood, which they had seized from illegal loggers, to the Forestry administration after they were threatened with arrest. Fed up with the perceived lack of government action against illegal <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/villagers-hand-over-seized-illegal-wood/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Japan’s second-largest bank, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, officially opened a representative office in Phnom Penh on Friday. The office would serve as an information centre for potential investors and hoped to attract more Japanese companies, Masato Miyachi, general manager of the bank’s asia and China division, <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/bank-of-tokyo-opens-phnom-penh-office/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Four former workers at the angkor Villa Hotel and Resort appeared in the appeal Court yesterday for questioning in relation to allegations that they ransacked the hotel during a strike last year. Korng Kimlean, union president of the Cambodian Tourism and Service Workers’ Federation and the <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/alleged-hotel-ransacking-probed/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

More than 400 workers at the Hwa Sin Print  factory, in the capital’s Choam Chao commune, had resumed their strike yesterday after management failed to meet their demands, a union official said. Khat Lot, vice-director of the Collective Union of Movement of Workers, said workers had <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/workers-vow-to-keep-striking/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

2,000 some fashionistas from around asia will descend on Phnom Penh in October for 10 days during the country’s first fashion event, costing an estimated $1 million. according to Sophy Ke, president of the Cambodia Fashion Council, Cambodia Fashion Week is intended to increase domestic <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/fashionistas-plan-extravanganza-in-cambodia/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodian exporters ought to make further use of tariff-free entry to the European Union, particularly given loosened regulations governing rule of origin, EU officials said at a trade seminar yesterday. Least Developed Countries such as the Kingdom could export to the EU duty and quota <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/potential-for-more-europe-exports/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Thousands of workers who were sacked after part of the June Textile garment factory burned down in March are finally receiving severance payments and other awards following a ruling from the arbitration Council. Taing Kisay, an administration assistant at the factory, said yesterday that more <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/june-textile-workers-get-paid/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

At leAst 50 gArment fActory workers fAinted over the pAst two dAys in Phnom Penh’s DAngkAo district, bringing the number of workers who hAve fAinted in the district in August to 60, workers And union members sAid yesterdAy. N TuesdAy, workers from HeArt Enterprise CAmbodiA <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/km/news/At-leAst-50-gArment-workers-fAint-over-two-dAys/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Multiple government ministries and the International Labor organization will form a group to investigate the mass fainting that have plagued Cambodia’s garment industry over the past several months, Commerce Minister Cham Prasidh said yesterday. There have been at least 15 mass fainting since the beginning <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/countrys-buyers-discuss-faintings-union-law/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A rice-husk powered power plAnt will officiAlly open in KAmpong Speu At the end of the yeAr, set to provide electricity to the district’s rice millers, According to officiAls from operAtor Golden Rice CAmbodiA. The US$2 million generAtor is set to supply power to All of <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/km/news/bio-fuelled-power-plAnt-to-go-online/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>