Government
Pursat railway gets greenlight
An extended rail service from Battambang province to Pursat province is due to start today to improve transport for people and cargo, the Transport Ministry says. The first section of the rail line, linking Poipet and Serey Sophorn, was inaugurated last month. ...
Pav Suy
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50494596/pursat-railway-gets-greenlight/
Agriculture ministry halts imports of pesticides
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has temporarily halted the import, supply and distribution of all pesticides. The ban comes after at least 14 people died and around 300 were warded after poisonings in Sre Norn and Alorch villages in Chet Borey district’s Kantuot ...
Post Staff
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/agriculture-ministry-halts-imports-pesticides
NEC warns press on elections
The National Election Committee (NEC) has reminded media outlets to abide by the Code of Conduct for Media during the coming campaign season for July’s national elections, and called on reporters to remain professional, fair and transparent. ...
Soth Koemsoeun
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/nec-warns-press-elections
Miners flee amid compliance push
Chong Phlas commune, Mondulkiri province – As officials from the Mines and Environment ministries continue their compliance push here, villagers from the Chong Phlas Gold Mining Community have fled or withdrawn into their homes, too scared to continue their work for fear of being blamed ...
Khy Sovuthy
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50494101/miners-flee-amid-compliance-push/
Feasibility study to begin in Koh Kong
The government has announced the approval of a feasibility study to be conducted in Koh Kong province, signalling to demonstrators who have been rallying in front of the Land Management Ministry office in Phnom Penh that their land dispute may come to a close. ...
Pech Sotheary
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50493620/feasibility-study-to-begin-in-koh-kong/
Business leaders urged to curb plastic bag use
Senior Environment Ministry officials have urged owners of big businesses to help cut the use of plastic bags to reduce damage on the environment and people’s health. Tin Ponlok, secretary-general of the ministry’s national council for sustainable development, addressed the problem at a training workshop ...
Pech Sotheary
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50493621/business-leaders-urged-to-curb-plastic-bag-use/
Koh Kong villagers to be given UDG land
The government has ordered the Ministry of Environment to work with the relevant authorities to grant Koh Kong province villagers land from Union Development Group (UDG), a Chinese company, following a long-standing dispute. ...
Mech Dara
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/koh-kong-villagers-be-given-udg-land
Parties deny they exist for purpose of adding legitimacy to elections
Several of the 20 political parties registered to contest in the July 29 national elections denied on Thursday that they were “created” purely to add legitimacy to the polls and stave off criticisms against Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Cambodian People’s Party (CPP). ...
Meas Sokchea and Ben Sokhean
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/parties-deny-they-exist-purpose-adding-legitimacy-elections
Government urged to move fast on draft organic food law
The private sector has called on the government to speed up enacting the organic food law, which is currently languishing in the draft stage. Having the law, it said, will provide product recognition. Ten Ra, the technical adviser on trade facilitation and standards for German ...
Cheng Sokhorng
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/government-urged-move-fast-draft-organic-food-law
Oddar Meanchey villagers told to leave tourist site
The governor of Samrong city, Oddar Meanchey province, issued a letter on Tuesday, ordering villagers to remove huts, houses and other structures from the Roluos Thom Natural Eco Tourist Site, after allegedly moving onto the land illegally. ...
Yon Sineat
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/oddar-meanchey-villagers-told-leave-tourist-site
Disaster agency stockpiling rice and seeds for flood prep
National Committee for Disaster Management spokesman Keo Vy said on Wednesday that the government had stockpiled 12,000 tonnes of rice and crop seeds to support Cambodians in rural areas facing natural disasters such as droughts and floods. Vy said natural disasters are notably caused by ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/disaster-agency-stockpiling-rice-and-seeds-flood-prep
Villagers’ deaths prompt mines meeting
Mines Minister Suy Sem yesterday ordered mining operators to follow the law to prevent mining waste from polluting rivers in the wake of more than 10 villagers dying from consuming tainted water in Kratie province. ...
Khy Sovuthy
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50492837/villagers-deaths-prompt-mines-meeting/
Cambodia's Hun Sen Calls Parties on Ballot Real Opposition
Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen denied on Tuesday that 20 small and little-known political parties registered to compete in July 29 national elections were created by his ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) to provide an illusion of political opposition in the coming polls. ...
Richard Finney
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/parties-05222018161010.html
Villagers again flock to Land Ministry
About 70 people representing thousands of Kampong Speu province households yesterday gathered once again in front of the Land Management Ministry to appeal to the authorities to take action against three rubber plantations and a sugar cane plantation over more than 2,000 hectares of disputed ...
Pech Sotheary
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50492515/villagers-again-flock-to-land-ministry/
Villagers not poisoned by cyanide: Mines Minister
Mines Minister Suy Sem has dismissed a claim by Industry Minister Cham Prasidh, who said that villagers in Kratie province were poisoned and killed by cyanide-tainted water due to run-off from gold mines. ...
Khy Sovuthy
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50492555/villagers-not-poisoned-by-cyanide-mines-minister/
What’s missing from Cambodia’s democracy?
In a nationally televised speech after the dissolution of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen declared that “the government will commit to protecting the multiparty democracy process.” Indeed, 20 parties have submitted applications to compete in this year’s national ...
Andrew Nachemson
https://thediplomat.com/2018/05/whats-missing-from-cambodias-democracy/
Best tourism communities to be chosen in new contest
The Ministry of Tourism recently announced a new contest to find the best community-based tourism sites in the Kingdom and has called on villages and communities around the country to submit their application. ...
Chea Vannak
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50492441/best-tourism-communities-to-be-chosen-in-new-contest/
New passport offices to protect migrant workers
Interior Minister Sar Kheng yesterday said the government is trying to protect Cambodian migrant workers by creating more passport offices and cooperating with international bodies to protect them from labour abuses. ...
Sen David
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50492559/new-passport-offices-to-protect-migrant-workers/
NCCT investigating and closing down factories over child labour
The permanent vice chair of the National Committee for Counter Trafficking (NCCT) delivered a progress report on efforts to eradicate child labour in the Kingdom on Tuesday, saying that factories are being investigated, and some shut down, for employing children illegally. ...
Are Cambodia and Laos really any closer to resolving their border dispute?
Cambodia and Los have again agreed to work together to resolve the issue of their disputed border area. This time, two countries decided to set up a coordination mechanism at the departmental level to facilitate the work, while seeking more frequent meetings between the board committees of ...
Tae-jun Kang
https://thediplomat.com/2018/05/are-cambodia-and-laos-really-any-closer-to-resolving-their-border-dispute/
Factory workers to march to ministry after salaries unpaid
Aggrieved workers of First Gawon Apparel (Cambodia) plan to march to the offices of the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT) again on Tuesday, seeking a solution from the ministry in a salary dispute that has dragged on for more than five months. Heng ...
Yon Sineat
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/factory-workers-march-ministry-after-salaries-unpaid
Cambodia's election committee releases code of conduct for electoral observers
Cambodia’s National Election Committee (NEC) on Monday released the code of conduct for national and international observers in the forthcoming national election. “The code of conduct of electoral observers aims to set out important measures for non-governmental organizations, associations, and electoral observers to fulfill their ...
Xinhua
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-05/21/c_137195723.htm
Ruling CPP fields candidates from armed forces, police for elections
The Prime Minister Hun Sen-led Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), which many consider as having already won July’s national elections with no major rival in sight, is planning to bring influential senior military officials into the Kingdom’s legislature by nominating them as candidates, an act seen ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ruling-cpp-fields-candidates-armed-forces-police-elections
New Koh Kong dams under discussion
The China Huadian Corporation, who currently operates a 338-megawatt hydropower dam on the Russey Chrum River in Koh Kong, is now conducting negotiations with the government to build two more dams in the province. ...
Chea Vannak
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50492003/new-koh-kong-dams-under-discussion/