The Phnom Penh Post
Phnong want damages for Sesan flooded graves
Fifty-eight Phnong ethnic families in Kbal Romeas village, whose land was flooded late last year by the reservoir of the controversial Lower Sesan II Dam, are seeking at least 1,500 buffaloes from authorities and company representatives in compensation for their ancestral graves that are now ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/phnong-want-damages-sesan-flooded-graves
Government sticks to plan on power price cuts ahead of election
Officials appeared to walk back a promise to issue larger-than-average electricity price reductions ahead of July’s elections, instead following a previously announced plan to make small reductions in costs. Ty Norin, chairman of the Electricity Authority of Cambodia (EAC), released a statement earlier this month announcing ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/government-sticks-plan-power-price-cuts-ahead-election
EU council condemns crackdown but stops short of concrete action
The Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union yesterday adopted a set of conclusions condemning “recent worrying political developments and the continuing deterioration of democracy” in Cambodia, though some politicians expressed regret about a missed opportunity to take concrete measures. The conclusions, passed by the European ...
Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/eu-council-condemns-crackdown-stops-short-concrete-action
CPP spokesman touts one-party rule, points to China’s example
Fresh off a clean sweep in the Senate elections on Sunday, a ruling party spokesman and newly elected senator yesterday espoused the benefits of one-party rule in Cambodia, pointing to the example of chief patron China while glossing over longstanding concerns about the superpower’s human ...
Ben Sokhean and Ananth Baliga
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/cpp-spokesman-touts-one-party-rule-points-chinas-example
Government swaps 30 hectares
The Ministry of Interior is giving 30 hectares of land to a well-connected development company in exchange for a smaller piece of land on the southern outskirts of Phnom Penh. The land swap, announced in a sub-decree signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen on January 18, ...
Mech Dara and Daphne Chen
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/government-swaps-30-hectares
Officials inspect forest that was filled in, sold
On the orders of Prime Minister Hun Sen, Koh Kong provincial authorities on Friday inspected a section of protected mangrove forest that in December was discovered to have been filled in with sand and illegally sold, with the consent of local authorities, to tycoon Chea ...
Phak Seangly and Yesenia Amaro
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/officials-inspect-forest-was-filled-sold
Industrial sector grows, but still reliant on garment factories
The government released a summary of the country’s industrial sector over the past five years, showing a marked increase in growth across a wide variety of indicators. The report, released by the Ministry of Industry and Handicrafts (MIH) last week, lacks specific data but shows a ...
Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/industrial-sector-grows-still-reliant-garment-factories
Cambodian media under threat: report
Media outlets in Cambodia have came under increasing threat over the past year, according to a new report by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), though the Ministry of Information, responding to a similar recent report, has insisted freedom of expression and the press is ...
Leonie Kijewski and Rinith Taing
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodian-media-under-threat-report
Village representative arrested in LYP dispute
A villager representing 50 families in a long-running dispute with a company owned by ruling party Senator Ly Yong Phat is in pre-trial detention after his Saturday arrest for allegedly installing boundary markers on disputed company land. Lay Tiro, deputy head of the felonies office at ...
Soth Koemsoeun
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/village-representative-arrested-lyp-dispute
CPP claims all 58 seats up for grabs in Senate
Absent any legitimate competition, the ruling Cambodian People’s Party swept all 58 elected seats in Sunday’s Senate elections, giving it near-absolute control in the upper house of parliament, according to preliminary results. The four-party ballot was expected to be a blowout for the CPP, given its ...
Ben Sokhean and Ananth Baliga
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/cpp-claims-all-58-seats-grabs-senate
Army, Ministry of Environment agree to cooperate
Environment Minster Say Sam Al and Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Commander Pol Saroeun announced three new points of cooperation following a meeting earlier this week, Saroeun announced on his official Facebook page. ...
Yesenia Amaro and Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/army-ministry-environment-agree-cooperate
Kheng defends plans for new luxury prisons for inmates who can pay up
Interior Minister Sar Kheng defended plans to create “pay-to-stay” luxury prisons yesterday, claiming the scheme would also help poorer prisoners by reducing overcrowding. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/kheng-defends-plans-new-luxury-prisons-inmates-who-can-pay
Officials seek assistance in planning for marine park
Environmental officials confirmed yesterday that they are seeking the assistance of conservation NGO Fauna and Flora International (FFI) in drafting a management plan for the new Koh Rong Marine National Park, and that for now, the previous conservation structure operated by the Fisheries Administration and ...
Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon and Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/officials-seek-assistance-planning-marine-park
Kem Ley foundation registered
The Ministry of Interior has officially registered a newly created “Kem Ley Foundation Association” after months of processing the application. Chhim Kan, director of the Interior Ministry’s Department of Associations and Political Parties, yesterday confirmed the association’s registration had been successful. ...
Yon Sineat and Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/kem-ley-foundation-registered
Cambodia drops in graft index, taking bottom spot in Asean for third year running
A global corruption perceptions index has ranked Cambodia 161st out of 180 countries, with the report specifically pointing to weak press freedoms and NGO protections as facilitators of graft – issues that commentators have repeatedly raised as concerns in the Kingdom. ...
Ananth Baliga and Niem Chheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodia-drops-graft-index-taking-bottom-spot-asean-third-year-running
Kampong Speu villagers burn seized load of timber
Forestry Administration officials and local police on Wednesday intercepted a load of illegal timber in Kampong Speu, but only managed to seize two of the 10 first-grade logs after villagers began to burn the timber – and attempted to do the same to an FA ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/kampong-speu-villagers-burn-seized-load-timber
Monitors ready for Senate vote
With the absence of independent election monitors like Comfrel and Nicfec, Sunday’s Senate elections will be monitored by a hodgepodge of associations, with some representing the pharmacy, travel and hospitality industries, and another run by Hun Many, son of Prime Minister Hun Sen. ...
Niem Chheng and Ananth Baliga
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/monitors-ready-senate-vote
Press freedom ‘collapsed’ in 2017, journalist survey says
The “façade of media freedom” in the Kingdom “collapsed” last year, with journalists reporting a sharp drop in their hopes for independent press, according to the results of a new survey launched yesterday. The Cambodian Center for Independent Media (CCIM) study surveyed 75 journalists from ...
Rinith Taing
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/press-freedom-collapsed-2017-journalist-survey-says
Cambodia’s budget process slightly more transparent, but issues remain: report
Cambodia’s budget process was slightly more transparent last year than in previous years, according to a new report, though scant information is provided to the public over the course of the budget process, with few opportunities for public engagement and limited oversight in its creation. ...
Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodias-budget-process-slightly-more-transparent-issues-remain-report
Okhna owns land at site of illegal Koh Kong mangrove filling, contract shows
A section of protected mangrove forest in Koh Kong that in December was discovered to have been filled with sand was illegally sold to tycoon Chea Leanghong in 2017, documents show, with local authorities having signed off on the deal. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/okhna-owns-land-site-illegal-koh-kong-mangrove-filling-contract-shows
Can Cambodia stay competitive with so many public holidays?
Cambodia likely became the country with the largest number of public holidays in the world on Tuesday, raising questions about the ability of Cambodia to stay economically competitive with so many mandatory leave days. ...
Brendan O’Byrne and Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/can-cambodia-stay-competitive-so-many-public-holidays
Major garment industry hauler says crackdown ensnaring legal trucks
The government’s strict enforcement efforts against oversized trucks are starting to ensnare legal trucks at checkpoints, further hampering the time-sensitive garment industry, according to the head of the country’s largest trucking federation. ...
Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/major-garment-industry-hauler-says-crackdown-ensnaring-legal-trucks
Japan pledges $7.5 million for Cambodian elections despite legitimacy concerns
Amid widespread international condemnation of Cambodia’s upcoming elections, Japan pledged an additional $7.5 million worth of equipment for the July polls this morning. The grant, signed by Foreign Affairs Minister Prak Sokhonn and Japanese Ambassador Hidehisa Horinouchi, will provide “ballot boxes as well as other ...
Mech Dara and Andrew Nachemson
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/japan-pledges-75-million-cambodian-elections-despite-legitimacy-concerns
Hun Sen threatens to boycott Asean summit proceedings if faced with 'pressure'
Prime Minister Hun Sen today threatened to boycott next month’s Asean-Australia Special Summit in Sydney – and to “beat” demonstrators outside who burn his image – after apparently being supplied leaked telephone calls between opposition members predicting forthcoming international “pressure”. ...
Ben Sokhean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/hun-sen-threatens-boycott-asean-summit-proceedings-if-faced-pressure