VOA Khmer

First Lady Michelle Obama will visit Cambodia as part of a tour later this month to promote a Peace Corps initiative for the education of girls. ...

Civil society groups have contributed significantly to the development of Cambodia over the past 20 years, working as a government partner, but sometimes they face challenges in the areas of good governance and legal education, an expert says. Government spokesman Phay Siphan said there are ...

A parliamentary committee will look into allegations of illegal logging and timber exports, where big money and deep corruption have led to conflict, deforestation and tax fraud. Opposition lawmaker Ho Vann, who leads the National Assembly committee, told VOA Khmer he is looking into evidence and ...

Two major US beverage companies say they are mindful of alleged human rights abuses amid sugar plantations in Cambodia and will not do business with those proven to be involved in them. Representatives from Coca-Cola and Pepsi both said in emails to VOA Khmer that they ...

The chief judge at Phnom Penh Municipal Court has replaced, in a shake-up at the behest of Prime Minister Hun Sen, as the court pursues an ongoing murder investigation. Hours after Hun Sen’s order, the chief of Phnom Penh’s court, Ang Maldey, was fired and ...

While it is true that Cambodia has some women in politics and positions of leadership, a new report says they often lack true power. According to the study, issued by USAID in December, women’s positions in leadership are more symbolic than substantive, and their political influence ...

Cambodia’s efforts to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger have yielded mixed results, despite the government’s claim it has reduced the poverty rate ahead of a UN deadline. But many people remain near the poverty line, vulnerable to natural disasters, such as flooding, that could put ...

Cambodia desperately needs more youth leadership, if it is to achieve its goals in the coming future, a youth leader says. Ou Ritthy, co-founder of Politikoffee, a politically oriented youth group, told “Hello VOA” on Monday that political parties in particular will have to engage the ...

Prime Minister Hun Sen has been named acted president of the Cambodian People’s Party, temporarily taking over duties for Chea Sim. ...

Phnom Penh is one of the fastest-growing cities in Southeast Asia. It added nearly 500,000 people between 2000 and 2010, for a total of 1.4 million. That has meant a lot of changes in a short period: more congestion, more markets, more housing. And, newcomers ...

Members of Cambodia’s Muslim community say they fear increased animosity across the Middle East, with the recent murder of a Jordanian pilot by militants and Jordan’s announcement it will execute two members of the group currently in prison. ...

The ruling Cambodian People’s Party has added at least 80 commanders and other security officials to its Central Committee, a move that even more closely ties security forces to the party. ...

A draft telecommunications law is causing concern from rights groups, who say it threatens freedom of speech online, one of the few spaces open to political discussion. ...

The ruling Cambodian People’s Party began a three-day conference on Friday, to discuss party policies and restructuring. The party is expected to adopt a new five-year plan at the end of the three-day congress. ...

The Jan. 7 holiday marking the 1979 ouster of the Khmer Rouge is most often celebrated by supporters of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party. On Monday Prime Minister Hun Sen lashed out at the opposition, saying their lack of support for the day meant they ...

Cambodia has become increasingly reliant on China for aid. But critics warn that financial support from China is not well tracked and likely means the country has undue influence over the government, and that could mean more trouble down the road as Cambodia looks toward ...

Cambodian officials say they are investigating a health clinic in a small village where more than 100 people have now tested positive for HIV. Authorities say they fear the repeated use of an infected needle could be causing the devastating outbreak in northwestern Battambang province. ...

US Ambassador William Todd created the Ambassador’s Youth Council in Cambodia in 2012, one of 80 such groups of youth around the world. The goal is to create better relations between Cambodia and the US and to cultivate young leaders for Cambodia, he said. “Those ...

Provincial authorities in Ratanakkiri province on the Vietnam border have yet to allow a team of UN workers to actively seek out a group of Montagnards potentially seeking asylum. UN refugee workers met with provincial officials for more than an hour on Wednesday, but no permission ...

As part of political negotiations, the opposition party will be allowed a minority leader in parliament—a system analysts say could strengthen the checks and balances in the government. The legislative branch has traditionally been considered weaker than the executive, with the National Assembly stacked with supporters ...

An increasing number of Cambodians are dissatisfied with the direction the country is moving toward, according to results from a nationwide survey by the Asia Foundation. The foundation interviewed 1,000 people face to face in May and June of this year—prior to a political deal struck ...

Cambodian health officials are investigating an alarmingly high rate of infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, in a remote village. At least 82 people have tested positive for HIV in Rokar, Battambang province, which has a population of 2,000 people. Officials said they suspected a ...

Anti-corruption groups say Cambodia needs to do more to curb the practice. Preap Kol, executive director of Transparency International Cambodia, told “Hello VOA” on Thursday that Cambodia is going the “right way,” but it needs to do more. ...

A public consultation organized by the Mekong River Commission opened in Pakse, Laos, Friday, where opponents continued to call for Laos to reconsider a controversial dam project. Cambodia, whose border is just two kilometers from the dam site, urged the commission to “educate” Mega First ...