The Phnom Penh Post
Extradition pact sees next steps
The Ministry of Justice has established a working group to examine a draft extradition treaty with Russia, the latest step in a process that could ultimately see prominent fugitives deported, a ministry spokesman said yesterday. ...
Taing Vida
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/extradition-pact-sees-next-steps
‘Scales are needed to stop road damage’
Following a directive by Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Keat Chhon to the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation to improve their monitoring of overloaded vehicles, a ministry official said they will build more vehicle scales. ...
Sean Teehan and Pech Sotheary
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/scales-are-needed-stop-road-damage
City says ‘fake cops’ nailed
Capital police yesterday revealed the identities of five men who had allegedly been posing as Flying Tigers – an elite Ministry of Interior rapid-response unit – and extorting money from victims who believed they were in danger of being jailed. ...
Buth Reaksmey Kongkea
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/city-says-fake-cops-nailed
Food safety needs tightening
The Cambodian government will introduce a food-safety law later this year that would see the Kingdom adopt a set of national food safety standards and ensure greater coordination across ministries, according to a health official. Aing Hoksrun, chief of the food bureau at the Department of ...
Ananth Baliga
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/food-safety-needs-tightening
Election gifts under scrutiny
Chuon Phang, the 79-year-old chief of Tasanh commune in Battambang’s Samlot district, has always handed out free cotton kramas to local villagers about a month ahead of elections. But the ruling Cambodian People’s Party representative does not characterise the practice as vote-buying. He says he gives ...
Kevin Ponniah and Vong Sokheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/election-gifts-under-scrutiny
Holiday clemency requested for 900 prisoners
The names of more than 900 prisoners have been put forward to receive pardons and sentence reductions during next month’s Khmer New Year festivities, officials said yesterday. The inmates were selected by the Ministry of Interior and their cases are now being assessed by the Ministry ...
Chhay Channyda
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/holiday-clemency-requested-900-prisoners
4 dolphins found dead this year, WWF says
As the Mekong Irrawaddy dolphin population steadily declines, conservation groups have voiced concern that the critically endangered species may be swimming toward extinction if drastic measures are not soon taken to protect them. The numbers tell a depressing tale: From 2011 to 2014, 23 dolphins were ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/4-dolphins-found-dead-year-wwf-says
200 strike over unionist’s dismissal
More than 200 striking workers demonstrated in front of Siko Phnom Penh Garment Factory in the capital’s Dangkor district yesterday after management fired an employee who founded a new labour union there, according to a union representative. ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/200-strike-over-unionists-dismissal
Advans SA increases holdings in local MFI
Luxembourg-based Advans SA Group and two other foreign investors have increased their share holdings in local microfinance institution Amret, giving Advans a controlling stake in the company. Claude Falgon, executive director of Advans SA SICAR, said that since the first stake acquisition, the business had acquired ...
May Kunmakara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/advans-sa-increases-holdings-local-mfi
Mafia ‘not welcome’
Cambodia’s National Police chief Neth Savoeun has told foreign embassies that it won’t tolerate “foreign mafia” in the Kingdom, in what appears to be a thinly veiled message to Russia concerning recent conflict between Russian nationals in Sihanoukville. According to the statement, Savoeun has been ...
Vong Sokheng and Shaun Turton
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/mafia-not-welcome
PM’s response to licence plate problem ‘too little’
Prime Minister Hun Sen has called on citizens to report the illegal use of army, police and civil servant licence plates, while at the same time defending the government’s regulation of the plates – a response that an opposition parliamentarian said was insufficient to combat ...
May Titthara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/pms-response-licence-plate-problem-too-little
Hefty sentence: Ketamine bust lands duo 25 years
Two Vietnamese nationals were each sentenced to 25 years in prison for concealing nearly 40 kilograms of powdered ketamine in a Phnom Penh condo last year. ...
Buth Reaksmey Kongkea
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/hefty-sentence-ketamine-bust-lands-duo-25-years
Cambodia rides out recession smoothly
Cambodia was the only country in the Greater Mekong subregion to have increased its rate of exports following the 2008 global financial crisis, thanks largely to garments accounting for the majority of its manufacturing exports, a new report has found. The Greater Mekong 5 – Cambodia, ...
Ananth Baliga
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/cambodia-rides-out-recession-smoothly
Charcoal trade unlawful: NGO
Between 40 and 80 tonnes of charcoal, made from trees logged inside protected areas of community forests in Battambang’s Samlot district, have been illegally exported to Thailand over the last year, an NGO officer said yesterday. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/charcoal-trade-unlawful-ngo
Community mulling mining co’s proposal
Following talks with indigenous villagers over the weekend, which saw promises of jobs and English language lessons, there are high hopes that a foreign company looking to extract gold in Ratanakkiri will be awarded the first-ever mining licence in the province. Representatives of Mesco Gold met ...
Alice Cuddy and Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/community-mulling-mining-cos-proposal
Election laws to get ‘no more’ discussion
Two new laws governing elections and the functioning of the National Election Committee are expected to be passed without further debate during a session of parliament later this week. ...
Meas Sokchea
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/election-laws-get-no-more-discussion
‘E-premier’ eyes digital future
Prime Minister and self-proclaimed “e-premier” Hun Sen shamed technological troglodytes throughout the government yesterday for their laggardly embrace of new communication tools, which he maintained would quicken the government’s work if properly applied. ...
Vong Sokheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/e-premier-eyes-digital-future
Principal accused of budget theft
Teachers at Koki Som secondary school in Svay Rieng’s Svay Tiep district yesterday asked the Anti-Corruption Unit to investigate the school’s principal, who, they claim, embezzled thousands of dollars from the school budget. ...
Chhay Channyda
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/principal-accused-budget-theft
Products edge closer to GI status
Feasibility studies on achieving Geographical Indication status for Thma Koul rice, Kampot durian and Cambodian golden silk have been completed, officials said yesterday. Ouk Prachea, secretary of state at the Ministry of Commerce, said the ministry was waiting for the results of the studies done by ...
Chan Muyhong
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/products-edge-closer-gi-status
Wat Phnom to be restored
The Phnom Penh municipality is finalising plans for a potential $1 million renovation of Wat Phnom, City Hall spokesman Long Dimanche said yesterday. The project, which will commence at an unspecified date, will focus on combating hillside erosion while restoring worn-out structures. ...
Taing Vida
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/wat-phnom-be-restored
Refugees must enter legally: gov’t
A senior refugee department official has said that ethnic Jarai Montagnards fleeing alleged persecution in neighbouring Vietnam need to enter Cambodia via official checkpoints in order to register as asylum seekers on arrival. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/refugees-must-enter-legally-govt
Thai firm latest to offer lease financing
Sousdey Finance, a subsidiary of Thitikorn Limited in Thailand, will start a financial hire-leasing service for motorbikes in Phnom Penh, with an initial start-up fund of $100,000. ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/thai-firm-latest-offer-lease-financing
Self-sufficiency in 3 years: minister
Cambodia’s energy minister promised lawmakers from the National Assembly’s public works and energy commission yesterday that the country will be weaned off of foreign electricity imports within three years, the commission’s vice chairman said in a press conference after the meeting. According to Mao Monyvann, a ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/self-sufficiency-3-years-minister
Assembly's finance chief denies malfeasance
The chairman of parliament’s banking and finance commission yesterday rejected allegations of misuse of state funds at the National Assembly, which were raised on Tuesday by opposition lawmaker Son Chhay. Cheam Yeap, a ruling Cambodian People’s Party lawmaker who heads the commission, said Chhay was wrong ...
Taing Vida
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/assemblys-finance-chief-denies-malfeasance