The Phnom Penh Post
Push to ban public smoking
The Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a joint memo yesterday advising recipients to take measures to ban smoking in public places. The “circular” is the first of its kind in Cambodia, and is to be distributed by all government ministries in ...
Sen David
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/push-ban-public-smoking
Forest almost gone: Adhoc
About 200 families from Mondulkiri’s Keo Seima district filed a complaint on Sunday against a Vietnamese-owned company alleged to have razed more than 3,500 hectares of community forest since 2010, villagers and a rights group said yesterday. A rubber concessionaire identified as Sovan Reachsey has been ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/forest-almost-gone-adhoc
Local transfers push Wing revenue
Wing, a growing Cambodian mobile payment and money transfer company, had a better-than-expected 2013. In May, Wing’s CEO Anthony Perkins estimated that the company would reach transaction volumes totaling $1 billion by the end of the year, including domestic remittances, mobile phone top ups, bills and ...
Eddie Morton
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/local-transfers-push-wing-revenue
Fear ‘making bloggers, reporters self-censor’
Cambodian bloggers and journalists often self-censor out of fear that they could face legal or physical threats, the Cambodian Center for Human Rights said in a report on freedom of expression released yesterday. The policy brief, a summary of six roundtable discussions held over the past ...
Kevin Ponniah
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/fear-%E2%80%98making-bloggers-reporters-self-censor%E2%80%99
Koh Kong dam online since late last year
Cambodia’s largest hydropower plant to date, the Stung Russey Chrum, is operational. The 338-megawatt dam, located in Koh Kong’s Mondul Sima district forest, produced and transmitted electricity to Phnom Penh last month, according to its developer, China Huadian Corporation. “It is the biggest and best dam we ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/koh-kong-dam-online-late-last-year
Bail denied for 21 detainees
Defence attorneys will now turn to the Supreme Court after a Court of Appeals judge denied bail this morning for all 21 people still detained from clashes with authorities during garment strike demonstrations last month. The presiding judge said he decided not to allow bail based ...
Sean Teehan and May Titthara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/bail-denied-21-detainees
Unions, opposition ‘hindering wage talks’
Labour Minister Ith Sam Heng and ministry spokesman Heng Sour yesterday accused unions and the opposition of derailing the government’s efforts at minimum wage reform by striking and stirring up violence for their own political gain. “The government has set up a committee to study the ...
Sen David
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/unions-opposition-%E2%80%98hindering-wage-talks%E2%80%99
Government warns frequent flier
A dispute has erupted off the coast of Sihanoukville. On one side is the country’s aviation authority, backed by the local airport. On the other side are a couple of guys and a few flying boats. The State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) said yesterday that ...
Eddie Morton and Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/government-warns-frequent-flier
Despite deadlock, PM says business as usual
Despite the country remaining trapped in a tense political stalemate that shows no signs of abating, Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday reiterated that the government would continue working as normal while the opposition’s boycott of parliament continues. “I will not talk about the political situation, as ...
Vong Sokheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/despite-deadlock-pm-says-business-usual
Not going without a fight
Teng Khorn’s living room is under a tree, his bedroom in a boat hauled up on a slipway for caulking beside the mangroves that lead to his source of income: the sea. His choice of abode is also his act of defiance against the monolithic Chinese ...
May Titthara and David Boyle
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/not-going-without-fight
Supporters of 21 to march to embassies
Activists may find themselves in a showdown with police this morning during a planned vigil on Phnom Penh’s riverside and a march to several embassies. National Military Police spokesman Kheng Tito said yesterday that people supporting the release of 21 people detained during a garment strike ...
Mom Kunthear and Sean Teehan
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/supporters-21-march-embassies
Fate of teen still a mystery
The fate of Khim Saphath, the 16-year-old boy missing since clashes between striking garment workers and security forces erupted on Veng Sreng Boulevard on January 3, continues to differentiate fatality lists compiled by rights groups. He was last seen lying on the ground with a bloody ...
Phak Seangly and Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/fate-teen-still-mystery
Talks could restart after Rainsy return
Talks between the opposition and ruling parties to break the political deadlock that has now dragged on for more than six months could soon occur, Cambodia National Rescue Party officials said yesterday, ahead of party leader Sam Rainsy’s return from abroad. Kuoy Bunroeun, head of the ...
Meas Sokchea
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/talks-could-restart-after-rainsy-return
Valentine’s targetted for blood
The National Blood Transfusion Center hopes to boost the Kingdom’s blood stocks by targetting youth donors at a second annual Valentine’s Day blood drive. This year’s February 14 campaign will target university students and youth aged 18 and older, who make up about 70 per ...
Khoun Leakhana
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/valentine%E2%80%99s-targetted-blood
Buddha relic at palace: gov’t
A golden urn police maintain was the one stolen from Oudong mountain in December – sparking a furore and police investigation – was taken to the Royal Palace on Friday, police have said. Deputy Prime Minister Kong Sam Ol on Friday transported the relics – said ...
Chhay Channyda
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/buddha-relic-palace-gov%E2%80%99t
Demining Mali goal for troops
The Ministry of Defence will dispatch more than 300 members of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) to Mali as part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission, a senior government official said yesterday. ...
Vong Sokheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/demining-mali-goal-troops
Suppliers to Global Fund back in biz
Two suppliers of mosquito nets to Cambodia found to have bribed officials to gain contracts under the Global Fund’s health grant scheme have had their contracts renewed. The two firms, Sumitomo Chemical and Vestergaard Frandsen, were found by the fund’s Office of the Inspector General in ...
Daniel Pye
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/suppliers-global-fund-back-biz
Worse off than before
In May of 2010, just four days after their family was resettled in Battambang province, two children, accompanied by their sister-in-law, walked to a pond. Stories differ as to why they were there. Rights groups say they went to bathe and collect water. Police claim ...
Daniel de Carteret
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/worse
Stolen Buddha urn reclaimed
Authorities say they have recovered a priceless gold urn believed to contain the ashes of the Buddha from a house in Takeo province’s Traing district. Kandal provincial police chief Eav Chamroeun said officers arrested two suspects yesterday, in the process seizing back the urn, along with ...
Chhay Channyda, Shane Worrell and Sen David
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/buddha-urn-found-police
Guards tell vendors it’s time to go
More than 100 vendors from Phe Leu market in Kratie town protested yesterday after they arrived at work to find security guards refusing to let them sell at their usual spots, vendors said. More than 20 unarmed guards blocked the protesters, forcing them to set up ...
Sen David
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/guards-tell-vendors-it%E2%80%99s-time-go
Police officer called to face logging allegations
A commune police officer has been summonsed to appear at Ratanakkiri’s provincial court on Friday after 10 villagers filed lawsuits against him in September for his alleged involvement in illegal logging in a community forest and for threatening them with a rifle, villagers and the ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/police-officer-called-face-logging-allegations
A burden to bear
Among the exotic wildlife that prowls Cambodia’s forests are large furry creatures that may be far more familiar to European and North American visitors than the ever-dwindling populations of large cats and beastly elephants. The Kingdom’s bears climb trees and devour honey just like their ...
Bennett Murray
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/7days/burden-bear
Groups tell ILO to retract ‘right to strike’ claim
An employers and businesses federation that took out paid newspaper advertisements claiming Cambodia’s workers have no fundamental right to strike has hit back at the International Labour Organization (ILO), asking it to retract comments it made in response to the ads. Last week, the Cambodian Federation ...
Shane Worrell
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/groups-tell-ilo-retract-%E2%80%98right-strike%E2%80%99-claim
Ministry to ‘examine’ probe results
Officials from the Ministry of Interior will meet tomorrow to review the results of an investigation into a crackdown that left four dead on Veng Sreng Boulevard in Phnom Penh last month, a police spokesman said. After saying on Tuesday that a report on the investigation’s ...
Meas Sokchea
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ministry-%E2%80%98examine%E2%80%99-probe-results