The Phnom Penh Post
Vietnam border sealed against loggers
Cambodia’s military police said yesterday that they have sealed the Vietnam border against wood transport following a major crackdown on two tycoons’ logging warehouses on Sunday. Local observers and experts, however, suggested the actions were little more than a hiccup for a long-tolerated illicit trade. ...
Mech Dara, Igor Kossov and Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/vietnam-border-sealed-against-loggers
Gov’t creates new forestry crimes task force
Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday announced the creation of a committee tasked with putting an end to the rampant illegal logging and cross-border timber smuggling taking place in the country’s northeast. លោកនាយករដ្ឋម ន្រ្តីហ៊ុនសែន នៅថ្ងៃសុក្រនេះ បានប្រកាស ការបង្កើតនៃ គណៈកម្មាធិ ការបញ្ចប់ ការកាប់ឈើខុសច្បាប់ ទោរទន់ រត់ពន្ធ និងជាកន្លែង ទទួលយក ឈើ ...
Khy Sovuthy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/govt-creates-new-forestry-crimes-task-force-105629/
Religion ministry to hold wedding rituals seminar
In an effort to standardise wedding rituals, Cambodia’s achars, or laymen who carry out Buddhist rites of passage, have been invited to a 10-day training course next month in the capital, the Ministry of Cults and Religion announced last week. ...
Lay Samean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/religion-ministry-hold-wedding-rituals-seminar
Tbong Khmum timber warehouses raide
Authorities yesterday raided several logging warehouses in the country’s east, just days after Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered a crackdown on illegal timber smuggling into Vietnam. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/tbong-khmum-timber-warehouses-raided
Life begins for health sciences lab
The Kingdom’s first clinical skills and simulation laboratories were inaugurated yesterday at the University of Health Sciences in Phnom Penh along with computerised exam rooms – part of the public university’s strategic four-year plan launched in 2014. ...
Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/life-begins-health-sciences-lab
Training in works for garment truck drivers
Reacting to a spate of garment worker transport truck accidents in the past 12 months, including one on Tuesday that took four lives, the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) yesterday announced plans to provide truck drivers with road safety education, with the aim of having ...
Lay Samean and Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/training-works-garment-truck-drivers
Traffic law enforcement to step up
The government has announced several amendments to the troubled Traffic Law which, according to National Police spokesman Kirt Chantharith, will be fully enforced starting March 15. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/traffic-law-enforcement-step
Drug trial delayed over false statement claims
Two women charged with drug trafficking told the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Friday that their original police statements, which placed them in a trafficking ring, had been falsified by police. ...
Khy Sovuthy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/archives/drug-trial-delayed-over-false-statement-claims-85494/
Kingdom’s auto importers cast a wary eye on gov’t tax decree
Importers can expect a substantial increase in the “specific tax” component of certain products, especially automobiles and auto spare parts, according to a sub-decree by the Customs and Excise Department released yesterday. ...
Ananth Baliga
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/kingdoms-auto-importers-cast-wary-eye-govt-tax-decree
Hundreds pray for release of unionists
Hundreds of workers from the Agile Sweater factory in Kampong Speu province gathered in front of the provincial court yesterday, praying for authorities to release five unionists arrested at the factory on Tuesday. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/hundreds-pray-release-unionists
Trash pact in crosshairs
City Hall has warned Phnom Penh’s sole waste management firm that it has just one more opportunity to lift its game before its oft-criticised contract comes under threat. ...
Morn Vanntey and Daniel de Carteret
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/trash-pact-crosshairs
‘Gaps’ in protection of cultural sites discussed
Officials from the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts expressed grave concerns yesterday over damage caused to remote heritage and conservation sites at their annual review meeting in Phnom Penh. ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/gaps-protection-cultural-sites-discussed
Approved construction investments up 30 per cent in 2015
Investment in the construction industry in 2015 amounted to $3.3 billion – a 33.14 per cent increase from the same period in 2014, which was only $2.5 billion.Seng Lot, spokesperson for the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction (MLMUPC) said on Tuesday that ...
Siv Meng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/real-estate/approved-construction-investments-30-cent-2015
Rescues of trafficked migrant workers surge
More than 500 trafficked Cambodian migrant workers were rescued abroad and sent home in 2015, a huge increase compared to 2014 numbers, though largely attributable to a handful of mass repatriations from Indonesia.According to a report by the Foreign Ministry, 573 workers were returned home ...
Sen David
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/rescues-trafficked-migrant-workers-surge
Industry ministry aims to increase patent protection
Due to the lack of qualified personnel to evaluate new patents and enforce the existing law, the Industry Ministry is cooperating with the European Patent Office to enhance their capacity so that Cambodia can better ensure protection of patents to draw more investment, Industry Minister ...
Sok Chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/19745/industry-ministry-aims-to-increase-patent-protection/
Fish catches slowing as waters deteriorate
Coastal fish yields declined by 5 per cent in the past year, a coastal fishery administration officer said yesterday. ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/fish-catches-slowing-waters-deteriorate
Slew of websites hacked
A group of online hackers calling themselves Cyber TeamRox have breached several local websites over the past two days, including those of the Cambodian Navy, AEON Microfinance and Build Bright University. Defence Ministry spokesman Chhum Socheath confirmed yesterday that the hackers had been able to ...
Mech Dara and Daniel de Carteret
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/slew-websites-hacked
Financial adjustments ‘key to decentralisation’
Government ministries were yesterday urged to continue their efforts in shifting responsibilities towards local authorities at an annual meeting to discuss ongoing decentralisation reforms, reforms one top official called key to the ruling party’s upcoming election hopes. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/financial-adjustments-key-decentralisation
Wing outlet held up at gunpoint
An armed robbery on Sunday evening at a Wing money transfer outlet in Prey Veng province’s Komchay Mear district left two people with head injuries after they were pistol-whipped by five perpetrators, police said yesterday. ...
Kim Sarom
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/wing-outlet-held-gunpoint
Licence duties go local
In its own decentralisation efforts, the Ministry of Education has delegated authority over the issuing of licences to pre-schools to provincial- and city-level education departments, Minister of Education Hang Chuon Naron said yesterday. ...
Igor Kossov
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/licence-duties-go-local
Monitor says NEC selection opaque
The watchdog coalition Electoral Reform Alliance (ERA) yesterday voiced concern after the National Election Committee short-listed its incumbent secretary-general Tep Nytha as a candidate to hold the position, accusing the nine-member body of lacking transparency in its selection process. ...
Vong Sokheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/monitor-says-nec-selection-opaque
Rescues of trafficked migrant workers surge
More than 500 trafficked Cambodian migrant workers were rescued abroad and sent home in 2015, a huge increase compared to 2014 numbers, though largely attributable to a handful of mass repatriations from Indonesia.According to a report by the Foreign Ministry, 573 workers were returned home ...
Sen David
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/rescues-trafficked-migrant-workers-surge
Siem Reap hotel protest moves to courthouse
About 200 unionists and past and present employees of Siem Reap City’s Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa on Monday demonstrated outside the Siem Reap Provincial Court against an injunction ordering them to stop protesting outside the high-end hotel, but agreed to disperse when military police ...
Ben Sokhean and Aria Danaparamita
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/siem-reap-hotel-protest-moves-to-courthouse-105062/
For reform agenda, CPP takes cues from CNRP
In the aftermath of the 2013 election, Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered his colleagues in the ruling CPP to stand before a mirror and cleanse themselves of the sins that had almost allowed a united opposition led by Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha to sweep ...
Alex Willemyns and Kuch Naren
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/for-reform-agenda-cpp-takes-cues-from-cnrp-105049/