ODC English Site
Factory worker wages to be re-examined
Amid threats of another mass strike in the thriving garment sector, the Ministry of Social Affairs has called a meeting with the industry’s leading players to discuss union demands for a $150-per-month minimum wage, a letter obtained yesterday reveals. At the behest of Prime Minister Hun ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/2013010260589/National/factory-worker-wages-to-be-re-examined.html
Thousands More Logs Found on Company's Land
Ethnic Jarai villagers and a local rights worker yesterday discovered about 3,000 more logs that have been illegally cut by the Vietnamese owners of a rubber concession in Ratanakkiri province’s O’Yadaw district, according to rights group Adhoc. The logs were found stockpiled in dense forest inside ...
Ethnic Kreung Accuse Businessman of Threats
A group of ethnic Kreung families living in Ratanakkiri’s Lumphat district have accused a wealthy plantation owner of destroying their crops and threatening to evict them from their homes, local officials and villagers said yesterday. Soeun Sarath, a representative of 13 indigenous families living in Kaleng ...
Locals in the Dark to Chinese Rail Project
With two Chinese firms due to start work on a 400-km railway, steel mill and port in July, an environmental impact assessment (EIA) has yet to be conducted, and affected provinces are still largely in the dark about the massive infrastructure project. In a ceremony in ...
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/business/locals-in-the-dark-to-chinese-rail-project-7128/
Vietnam investment in Cambodia hits US$2.5 bil
Vietnamese enterprises so far have invested in 124 projects in Cambodia with total registered capital of some US$2.5 billion, four times higher than the figure in 2009. As such, Vietnam is now among the top five investors in Cambodia, said the Association of Vietnamese Investors in ...
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/55818/vietnam-investment-in-cambodia-hits-us-2-5-bil.html
Cambodian, Chinese firms sign deal to build railway, seaport
A Cambodian company and a Chinese firm on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in order to build a railway and a seaport in Cambodia to serve iron and steel mining industry. The deal was inked between Zhang Chuan You, general manager of Cambodia Iron ...
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-12/31/c_132074231.htm
Cambodia battles to save rare Mekong dolphins
KRATIE (Cambodia): The sight of two dolphins twisting playfully in the murky waters of the Mekong river elicits barely-stifled squeals of delight from a boatload of eco-tourists. But a short distance upstream, river guard Pech Sokhan sighs as he holds up two large, tangled gill nets ...
http://www.nst.com.my/latest/cambodia-battles-to-save-rare-mekong-dolphins-1.193943
Students Refer Land Dispute to Hun Sen's Son
The chief of 120 students spearheading the government’s land-titling program in Pursat province has filed a report with Prime Minister Hun Sen’s second son, Hun Manith, to find a solution for villagers who say local officials in the area have confiscated their registration documents. ...
Hun Sen says CPP will never tax farmland
Prime Minister Hun Sen has said the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) will never tax farmland. “It would burden our farmers,” he said in Takeo Sunday. “Although national revenue that comes from land taxes is spent on building roads, water systems, hospitals and schools, we still ...
Land protestors curse court
Residents of property development site Boeung Kok gathered Monday in front of Phnom Penh Municipal Court to put a curse on court officials. Representative Heng Mom asked the court to review the case of Youm Bopha, sentenced to three years in prison for attempted violence on ...
Garment Workers Protest for Higher Wages at Freedom Park
More than 200 garment workers gathered at Phnom Penh’s Freedom Park yesterday to protest for higher wages before marching to Wat Botum Park and the National Assembly. The workers from three factories – Cambo Handsome, Best One and Yang Fong – are requesting $150 as their ...
1,000 More Logs Discovered Inside Ratanakkiri Land Concession
Forestry Administration officials and police yesterday discovered a stockpile of more than 1,000 logs that ethnic Jarai villagers in Ratanakkiri province’s O’Yadaw district claim have been illegally cut by the Vietnamese owners of a rubber concession, a district official said. The 4,000-hectare concession was granted to ...
Cambodian, Chinese firms unveil 1st oil refinery project in Cambodia
Cambodian Petrochemical Company and Sinomach China Perfect Machinery Industry Corp jointly announced on Friday to build the first oil refinery in Cambodia and the construction is expected to be completed at the end of 2015. Zhang Sugang, president of Sinomach China Perfect Machinery Industry Corp, said ...
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-12/28/c_132069193.htm
Cambodia-Vietnam trade, investment see marked rises in 2012
Bilateral trade volume between Cambodia and Vietnam jumped to 3.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2012, a 18 percent rise from 2.8 billion U.S. dollars in 2011, according to a report provided by the Association of Vietnam Investment in Cambodia on Saturday. The report also said ...
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-12/29/c_132070890.htm
Cambodia's first commercial train begins operation
Cambodia’s modern railway system on Friday commenced commercial rail operations on the 256- kilometer”Southern Line” between the capital city of Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville Port. The launching was made after years of renovation with the financial support from the Asian Development Bank and development partners. “ADB ...
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-12/28/c_132069644.htm
Garment strikers march on despite ban
About 300 workers continued protesting at the Master and Frank garment factory yesterday, rejecting a Kandal Provincial Court injunction ordering them back to work within 48 hours. After the company promised to consider workers’ demands that it reinstate fired union members, workers cancelled their plans to ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/2012122860510/National/garment-strikers-march-on-despite-ban.html
Hun Sen Encourages Cambodians to Emulate Chinese-Style Wealth
Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday encouraged Cambodians to strive for Chinese-style millionaire status as he inaugurated a sugar refinery located inside two controversial plantations belonging to CPP Senator Ly Yong Phat and his wife in Kompong Speu province. “I have one clear policy in strengthening the ...
Protest against former Bavet governor set for January 27
Free Trade Union of Workers President Chea Mony has announced plans to protest the dropping of charges against former Bavet governor Chhouk Bandith. The former governor was accused of seriously injuring three women when he opened fire on striking workers in Bavet in February. ...
Illegal Luxury Wood Seized From National Police Truck
Forestry officials in Siem Reap province seized 14 cubic meters if illegally logged luxury wood being transported by a truck bearing National Police license plates, Forestry Administration officials said yesterday. ...
Cambodian sugar plant leaves villagers bitter
Though the mood was congratulatory yesterday at the inauguration of ruling party Senator Ly Yong Phat’s sugar company – a gleaming, new facility nestled in between two hills in Kampong Speu province’s Omlaing commune – the mood just a few kilometres away bordered on desperation. Sitting ...
Cambodia opens first largest sugar cane factory with $150 million investment from local company
Cambodia today opened first largest sugar factory in Kampong Speu province, western part of city of Phnom Penh with $ 150 million investment from a local company which employs 2 554 workers. Ly Yong Phat, owner of Sugar factory ( Phnom Penh sugar company) said: his ...
In Koh Kong land fight, volunteers requested
More than 30 representatives of families who claim a dispute piece of land in Koh Kong province went to provincial hall for the second time yesterday and submitted an official request to allow Prime Minister Hun Sen’s youth volunteer corps to measure the area. ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/2012122760493/National/in-koh-kong-land-fight-volunteers-requested.html
Court Releases Anti-Eviction Activist, but Charge Stands
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday convicted 64-year-old Borei Keila resident Tim Sakmony for making a false declaration, but released the anti-eviction activist owing to time already served in prison. Ms. Sakmony’s day in court came, without explanation, at precisely the same time as the trial ...
Residents ask PM to intervene in dispute
Villagers travelled from Poipet to Phnom Penh yesterday to seek the prime minister’s help in ending a land dispute with military police officials. About 30 villagers travelling on behalf of families from Banteay Meanchey province’s Poipet town gathered in front of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s home ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/2012122760494/National/residents-ask-pm-to-intervene-in-dispute.html