News
New baby makes waves on way to hospital
A baby was born at sea on Monday afternoon in Koh Kong province after a mother went in labor on a boat on her way to hospital. ...
Srey Kumneth
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24536/new-baby-makes-waves-on-way-to-hospital/
One logging standoff, two differing accounts
Soldiers allegedly protecting an illegal logging operation in Oddar Meanchey threatened to shoot a group of forest patrollers that stumbled across their logging site on Sunday, Rattanak Rokha community forest patrol leader Chea Chuong said yesterday, though an RCAF commander denied the account. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/one-logging-standoff-two-differing-accounts
Micro lenders see steady expansion
Loans and deposits in the Kingdom’s crowded microfinance sector rose about 10 percent during the first quarter of the year from the same period last year, according to a report from the Cambodia Microfinance Association, which put the rise down to an expanding economy. ...
Sok Chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24525/micro-lenders-see-steady-expansion/
Riel fund transfers to expand under FAST system
Two weeks since the central bank launched its FAST system, which provides instant riel-denominated fund transfers between banking institutions, operations are running smoothly, with usage of the new electronic payment system expected to pick up as it integrates more customers. ...
Kali Kotoski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/riel-fund-transfers-expand-under-fast-system
Embassies keep wary eye on cases against rights workers
Foreign diplomatic missions in Phnom Penh say they are closely watching the handling of the cases of human rights monitors and a national election official charged and jailed on Monday in connection with a sex scandal being prosecuted against an opposition leader. ...
Alex Willemyns
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/embassies-keep-wary-eye-cases-rights-workers-112137/
Justice minister wants Battambang land dispute resolved
Minister of Justice Ang Vong Vattana has weighed in on a prolonged land dispute at the Battambang Provincial Court that has seen three protestors shot and another imprisoned. ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/justice-minister-wants-battambang-land-dispute-resolved
Drought exacerbates hoof and mouth outbreak among cattle
A vaccine campaign has been launched in response to an outbreak of hoof and mouth disease exacerbated by drought conditions in Kampong Thom province, officials said yesterday, as drought-relief efforts continued in Banteay Meanchey. ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya and Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/drought-exacerbates-hoof-and-mouth-outbreak-among-cattle
Information law a step closer
The information minister announced yesterday that the government is one step closer to establishing an access to information law, in response to demands for a more transparent and responsive government. ...
Ros Chanveasna
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24538/information-law-a-step-closer/
School budgets to be used to buy water
In an attempt to solve the water shortages plaguing schools across the country, the Minister for Education advised all schools to use money from their own budgets to buy water, despite some schools saying they do not have the funds to do so. ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24540/school-budgets-to-be-used-to-buy-water/
Protest follows failure to lower electric rates
Citizens in two communes in Svay Rieng and another in Prey Veng yesterday protested their high power bills after a local electric company failed to lower its price to 800 riel per kilowatt-hour as promised. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/protest-follows-failure-lower-electric-rates
NEC decides not to seek bail for its deputy in bribery case
The National Election Committee (NEC) decided yesterday that it would not attempt to intervene on behalf of its deputy secretary-general, who was jailed on bribery charges on Monday in connection with the government’s probe of a sex scandal involving opposition leader Kem Sokha. ...
Kuch Naren
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/nec-decides-not-to-seek-bail-for-its-deputy-in-bribery-case-112124/
Governors ordered to stay put during drought
Prime Minister Hun Sen called for a continuation of the national effort to distribute water to those in need yesterday, instructing all provincial governors to stay in their provinces until the water crisis is over. ...
Ven Rathavong
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24532/governors-ordered-to-stay-put-during-drought/
Cambodia declares protected area in hotly contested Prey Lang forest
A landmark decision by Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen could see almost a million hectares of forest reclassified as protected areas in a country with one of the highest deforestation rates in the world. But the order, circulated on Friday, to transfer control of the sites ...
Daniel Pye
https://news.mongabay.com/2016/05/cambodia-protected-areas/
Korea opens market to Cambodian mangoes
Mango growers now have access to the South Korean market following an agreement signed on Friday between officials from Korea and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. ...
Sum Mane
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24424/korea-opens-market-to-cambodian-mangoes/
Cashew price jump sparks call for investment
The price of cashew nuts has jumped about 15 percent this year prompting processers and exporters to call for the government to help funnel more investment into growing the crop. ...
Sok Chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24423/cashew-price-jump-sparks-call-for-investment/
On regional tour, Japanese minister skips Cambodia
Cambodia is conspicuously missing from Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida’s itinerary for a trip to Southeast Asia this week that will see him visit Burma, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand—where he on Monday pledged $7 billion for the region over three years. ...
Alex Willemyns
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/on-regional-tour-japanese-minister-skips-cambodia-112052/
Fish death toll rises in Tonle Chhmar lake
The number of dead fish found in Kampong Thom’s protected Tonle Chhmar Lake climbed higher over the weekend – nearly 70 tons of fish have now died since the first were found by provincial fishery officials on April 23. ...
Pav Suy
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24438/fish-death-toll-rises-in-tonle-chhmar-lake/
LANGO looming in Adhoc rearview
With the screws tightening on Adhoc, pro-government NGOs are calling for the government to use the newly enacted NGO Law to punish the rights group and other organisations caught up in the Kem Sokha mistress scandal using a provision that can be used to shut ...
Shaun Turton and Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/lango-looming-adhoc-rearview
Cambodia and EU committee talks trade
The 9th session of the Cambodia-EU Joint Committee for bilateral cooperation to ensure the smooth operation and effective implement of trade and economic relations as well as the political development between the Kingdom and the EU is underway, and set to run until tomorrow. ...
Ros Chanveasna
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24492/cambodia-and-eu-committee-talks-trade/
Disease-carrying bats to be tracked
Scientists are attaching tracking devices to a colony of flying foxes near Phnom Penh in a bid to prevent a possible outbreak of a deadly virus. ...
Brent Crane
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/disease-carrying-bats-be-tracked
Thousands rally for labor day, demand wage increase
Thousands of workers and unions gathered yesterday to celebrate the 130th International Labor Day, once again demanding the government raise the minimum wage in the garment and footwear industries to $207 a month. ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24440/thousands-rally-for-labor-day--demand-wage-increase/
UN, Adhoc staff charged over sex scandal
Four senior officers from local rights group Adhoc and a former officer who now works for the National Election Committee (NEC) were imprisoned on Monday on bribery charges over a sex scandal involving deputy opposition leader Kem Sokha. ...
Ben Sokhean and Alex Willemyns
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/un-adhoc-staff-charged-over-sex-scandal-112053/
Rain and storms coming, says committee
More than 1,200 houses and buildings were affected and more than 70 people died or were injured by rainstorms and lightning in the first four months of 2016, according to Keo Vy, Cabinet director and a spokesman for the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM). ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24486/rain-and-storms-coming--says-committee/
Tea Banh’s sons given top gov’t jobs
As the government fends off continued accusations of nepotism within its institutions, a royal decree issued in early March revealed the appointment of four official assistants to four-star general and deputy prime minister Tea Banh, two of whom are the general’s own sons. ...
May Titthara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24491/tea-banh---s-sons-given-top-gov---t-jobs/