The Phnom Penh Post
Funcinpec shoots down rumours of Chinese VP
The royalist Funcinpec party yesterday denied local media reports that it had appointed a Chinese national as vice president. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/funcinpec-shoots-down-rumours-chinese-vp
Unions and companies alike unhappy with draft changes to law on worker contracts
Both unionists and private sector representatives are unhappy with draft amendments to Cambodia’s Labour Law, which would overhaul the regulations surrounding worker contracts and guaranteed employee protections. ...
Robin Spiess
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/unions-and-companies-alike-unhappy-draft-changes-law-worker-contracts
New Lango committee formed
The government has created a new interministerial committee to manage the activities of international NGOs, with an Interior Ministry official yesterday saying the body was intended to monitor organisations’ compliance with the controversial NGO Law. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/new-lango-committee-formed
Government plans one of world’s biggest airports in Kandal
The Cambodian government has approved plans to build one of the world’s largest airports in Kandal province, though key actors have yet to work out the details and one economist noted yesterday that the current proposal may be short-sighted. ...
Hor Kimsay and Brendan O’Byrne
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/government-plans-one-worlds-biggest-airports-kandal
Vietnamese nationals arrested for logging
Eight Vietnamese nationals were sent to pre-trial detention on Saturday after being arrested last week for allegedly illegally logging on behalf of a local firm in Mondulkiri province. The eight were arrested last Wednesday clearing land in Pech Chreada district near the Sre Pok Wildlife ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/vietnamese-nationals-arrested-logging
Hun Sen marks 33 years in power
Prime Minister Hun Sen marked 33 years in power yesterday, claiming he had maintained his tight grip on power through democratic, not dictatorial, means – while also lamenting that he was unable to step down due to the Kingdom’s needs. ...
Ben Sokhean and Erin Handley
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/hun-sen-marks-33-years-power
Villagers seek help in land dispute with mining firm
Seven villagers from Preah Vihear travelled to Phnom Penh to deliver a petition on Friday asking the government to intervene in a dispute involving gold mining company Delcom, with local authorities turning up to question the wife of one of those delivering the petition shortly ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/villagers-seek-help-land-dispute-mining-firm
Landowner unwittingly begins clearing ‘ancient spirit forest’
A Kampong Thom landowner was stopped by provincial officials from clearing a piece of land used as a “spirit forest” by local villagers. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/landowner-unwittingly-begins-clearing-ancient-spirit-forest
Hun Manet talks colour revolution
Senior military official and son of the prime minister Hun Manet yesterday joined his father in using an event to commemorate the overthrow of the Khmer Rouge as an opportunity to voice authorities’ commitment to thwarting any attempts to topple the current government through a ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/hun-manet-talks-colour-revolution
China deals swiftly signed
Cambodian and Chinese officials and business leaders yesterday signed 19 agreements during a visit to Phnom Penh by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, boosting Chinese investment at a time when the regional power has upped its economic and political support for Hun Sen’s government. ...
Hor Kimsay and Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/china-deals-swiftly-signed
Cop caught on camera beating traffic officer placed in pre-trial detention
A National Police officer who beat up a traffic policeman on Tuesday for reprimanding him for running a red light was sent to pre-trial detention by Phnom Penh Municipal Court this afternoon and faces the preliminary charge of “intentional violence”. ...
Kong Meta
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cop-caught-camera-beating-traffic-officer-placed-pre-trial-detention
Analysis: Cambodia signing up for Chinese billions – at a price
Arriving in Phnom Penh in the midst of a political crackdown on dissent, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang showed no qualms about signing 19 major development deals yesterday with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, making it clear that Chinese aid to the Kingdom remains unaffected by ...
Andrew Nachemson
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/analysis-cambodia-signing-chinese-billions-price
Fake monks arrested in Siem Reap
Police in Siem Reap province yesterday arrested 20 boys and young men pretending to be Buddhist monks in order to beg for money.Huot Sothy, deputy provincial police chief overseeing criminal offences, said officers had followed the group for a while before getting permission to crack ...
Niem Chheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/fake-monks-arrested-siem-reap
Ex-deputy PM Lay Sreng called in to court for defamation
Former Deputy Prime Minister Lu Lay Sreng, who has been abroad since October, has been summonsed to appear in Phnom Penh Municipal Court for a defamation hearing on January 25. Lay Sreng, 77, was sued for defamation by his former party, Funcinpec, and Prime Minister ...
Niem Chheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ex-deputy-pm-lay-sreng-called-court-defamation
RDB loans $30M to boost rice purchases
The government has provided $30 million in loans to rice millers since September to facilitate the purchase of paddy rice, with the head of a state-run bank saying more money was available if necessary. The loans were issued to 38 rice millers by the state-owned ...
Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/rdb-loans-30m-boost-rice-purchases
Lightning strikes kill two as return of colder temps predicted
Two people were killed and one injured in three separate lightning strikes in Pursat and Prey Veng provinces on Monday, according to the National Committee for Disaster Management. ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/lightning-strikes-kill-two-return-colder-temps-predicted
Analyst Kim Sok's bail request denied at Supreme Court
Outspoken government critic Kim Sok was rejected bail at the Supreme Court this morning, with the prosecutor arguing that to grant Sok early release from an 18-month prison sentence would cause “chaos” in society. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/analyst-kim-soks-bail-request-denied-supreme-court
Monovithya appeals to US officials
Kem Monovithya, the daughter of jailed opposition leader Kem Sokha and a CNRP official, met with United States officials yesterday to discuss the possibility of further sanctions on the Cambodian government if measures taken in an ongoing political crackdown are not reversed. ...
Andrew Nachemson and Ben Sokhean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/monovithya-appeals-us-officials
Bag firm plans to grow local operations
Wah Sun Handbags International Holding unveiled plans yesterday to expand its Cambodia operations, citing the country’s low labour costs as the primary reason for the move. In a filing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the handbag manufacturer announced plans to raise up to $18 ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/bag-firm-plans-grow-local-operations
Chinese firm invests in forest
A little-known Chinese company is investing $200 million in a massive timber plantation in Stung Treng that the government has equated to “replanting the forest”, despite concerns among environmental protection groups that existing forest will be destroyed in favour of non-native commercial species. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/chinese-firm-invests-forest
China and Mekong states sign 5-year plan for cooperation, but details remain undisclosed
The leaders of Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand and Laos, along with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, announced the adoption of a five-year plan for cooperation on matters relating to the Mekong River, though experts and observers yesterday questioned who would benefit from China’s increasing involvement in ...
Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/china-and-mekong-states-sign-5-year-plan-cooperation-details-remain-undisclosed
Chinese, local firms sign agricultural deals worth $526M
More than a dozen Chinese companies inked deals to purchase about $526 million worth of agricultural products from Cambodian firms on Monday. The 34 agreements between 14 Chinese firms and 18 Cambodian firms were announced by the two country’s commerce ministries at a press conference ...
Post Staff
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/chinese-local-firms-sign-agricultural-deals-worth-526m
Virgin ‘stops purchases of Oddar Meanchey REDD credits’
A Virgin Atlantic representative yesterday said that the British airline is no longer purchasing carbon credits from an area of Oddar Meanchey province set aside for a UN REDD+ program after a report describing widespread problems. ...
Yesenia Amaro
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/virgin-stops-purchases-oddar-meanchey-redd-credits
ADB signs $180M in loans to Cambodia
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) yesterday signed a $180 million package of loans and grants to Cambodia that are meant to improve the country’s roads, water supply and small-scale farms. One $70 million loan will go towards improving 147-kilometres’ worth of flood-prone stretches of National Road ...
Hor Kimsay and Brendan O’Byrne
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/adb-signs-180m-loans-cambodia