Government
ASEAN market watch: Cambodian corruption, telecoms bidding in Myanmar, and increasing Philippine trade deficits
Transparency International’s 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ranks Cambodia as the ‘Most Corrupt’ country in Southeast Asia. Cambodia score was 21 out a possible 100 points, which is the same as the country’s score in 2014. ...
Montagnards ‘to be processed’
Immigration officials yesterday sought to dial back public remarks by Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak, who on Wednesday appeared to tell reporters that the more than 100 Montagnard asylum seekers currently waiting to have their claims assessed would be summarily deported. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/montagnards-be-processed
Japanese, Chinese navies to visit Cambodia days apart
The final two weeks of February will feature visits to Sihanoukville from both the Japanese and Chinese navies to conduct goodwill and training exercises, as the two powers vie for influence and allies in Southeast Asia amid increasing Asian nautical tensions. ...
Peter Ford and Sek Odom
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/japanese-chinese-navies-to-visit-cambodia-days-apart-108270/
Japan lobbies for joint meeting with ASEAN ministers of defense
A high official from the Japanese Defense Ministry (JDM) has lobbied for Cambodia and another ASEAN members to support the creation of a meeting between their defense ministers and the JDM to be held next year in Laos, according to officials at a meeting at ...
Ban Sokrith and Phun Chan Ousaphea
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/21309/japan-lobbies-for-joint-meeting-with-asean-ministers-of-defense/
Journalist detained over logging story
A journalist who accused a military police commander of accepting bribes from illegal loggers in Mondolkiri province was arrested and briefly detained on Thursday on the commander’s orders, a move that was criticized by the Ministry of Information. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/journalist-detained-over-logging-story-108258/
National police force hires more than 4,500 officer
The National Police has hired more than 4,500 new officials into its ranks, according to a sub-decree dated Wednesday. ...
Sek Odom
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/national-police-force-hires-more-than-4500-officer-108298/
Postal service delivers new partner
Kerry Express, a subsidiary of WorldBridge International (Cambodia), yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with state-owned Cambodia Post to expand delivery services in the Kingdom, executives and officials said after signing the MoU yesterday. ...
Sok Chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/21220/postal-service-delivers-new-partner/
Remaining montagnards not refugees, ministry says
Less than a month after the government announced that more than 170 Montagnard asylum seekers would have their refugee applications processed, an Interior Ministry spokesman said on Wednesday that the group had not met the criteria for refugee status and would be returned to Vietnam. ...
Khuon Narim and George Wright
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/remaining-montagnards-not-refugees-ministry-says-108113/
Government targets foreign retirees with new policy
The government is planning to boost Cambodia’s attractiveness as a second-home tourist destination for foreign retirees, according to a draft policy obtained from the Ministry of Tourism Wednesday. ...
Kang Sothear and Tej Parikh
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/government-targets-foreign-retirees-with-new-policy-108126/
EU to provide 10 million euros for election reform, NEC still needs more
The European Union pledged €10 million in preparation of the upcoming 2017 and 2018 elections yesterday, which the National Election Committee (NEC) hopes to add to in a new budget they will be submitting to the government, according to NEC officials. ...
Chea Takihiro
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/21238/eu-to-provide-10-million-euros-for-election-reform--nec-still-needs-more/
US weighs in on anti-Hun Sen protest
Amid fears of a potential reprise of anti-opposition violence that flared in October, a US Embassy spokesman yesterday called on the government “to ensure that no one is threatened, punished, or harmed in Cambodia” if a planned anti-Hun Sen rally takes place as scheduled next ...
Brent Crane
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/us-weighs-anti-hun-sen-protest
‘Second-home Policy’ aims to entice more tourists
With a surge in visitors from the world’s most populous nation, the government is preparing a “second-home policy” to encourage more Chinese tourists to visit and stay longer, and for those who have already visited to do so more often, Deputy Prime Minister Keat Chhon ...
Sum Manet
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/21219/---second-home-policy----aims-to-entice-more-tourists/
US, ASEAN urged to push rights in Cambodia
Twelve civil society organizations submitted a joint statement asking the US government and heads of democratic ASEAN members to raise issues of human rights violations in Cambodia and the misuse of courts to stifle the opposition at next week’s US-ASEAN Summit in California, in order ...
Taing Vida
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/21239/us--asean-urged-to-push-rights-in-cambodia/
Cambodia still controls ‘three rocks’: scholar
An academic tasked with researching the country’s border with Vietnam visited the latest flashpoint of political tension—the “Three Rocks” village in Takeo province—on Wednesday and determined that the boulders were still under Cambodian control. ...
Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/cambodia-still-controls-three-rocks-scholar-108123/
Departments of Forestry and Fisheries to decentralize
The Ministry of Agriculture’s departments of Forestry and Fisheries will be placed under the control of the provincial agricultural administrations, according to an official letter released by Agricultural Minister Ouk Rabun on Monday. The move is part of an effort to decentralize government responsibilities and ...
Ven Rathavong
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/21232/departments-of-forestry-and-fisheries-to-decentralize/
Fumes from toilets lead to mass faintings at factory
More than 30 workers fainted at a garment factory in Kandal province over the past two days after inhaling noxious fumes circulated by a ventilation fan located near the facility’s toilets, an official said. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/fumes-from-toilets-lead-to-mass-faintings-at-factory-107996/
Maid to return from Saudi Arabia as deal nears
Consular officials yesterday were working to repatriate a Cambodian maid fleeing what she described as unfair working conditions in Saudi Arabia, even as Cambodia’s minister of labour was en route to seal a long-awaited deal to open a pipeline of workers to the Gulf nation. ...
Charles Rollet and Sen David
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/maid-return-saudi-arabia-deal-nears
Facing threats over protests in US, CNRP seeks help
Facing threats of retaliation if Prime Minister Hun Sen is met by protests during his first official visit to the U.S. next week, the opposition CNRP said on Monday that it would seek a meeting with government officials this week over security concerns. ...
Kuch Naren and Colin Meyn
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/107833-107833/
Sihanoukville tries not to miss the boat
The Seabourn Sojourn, a luxury liner operated by US-based Seabourn Cruise Line Ltd, arrives at Sihanoukville port this morning, delivering hundreds of well-heeled tourists to what industry experts say is a backwater market that is increasingly on cruise ship itineraries, yet still falls short of ...
Ayanna Runcie
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/sihanoukville-tries-not-miss-boat
Citizens and civil society hailed Sihanouk provincial authorities demolished stone fence surrounding Beach
The provincial Governor of Sihanoukville claimed that the relevant authorities is implementing the content of the coastal development plan of the government of Cambodia to be more effective for benefit to the tourism sector and to the public use of the beach as it used ...
Den Ayuthyear
http://www.rfa.org/khmer/news/land/NGO-Villagers-appreciate-the-authorities-demolished-walls-along-the-beach-02072016042101.html
Steng Treng community accuses forest and local officers of not protect forests
Steng Treng’s forestry protection communities called on the government and relevant institutions to investigate the irregularities of duty of the local authorities and Stung Treng provincial forestry officers who did not pay attention to local forest conservation, also enable logger to encroach land arbitrarily. ...
Men Sothy
http://www.rfa.org/khmer/news/environment/illegal-logging-in-stungstreng-02072016000919.html
India to ease visa norms to lure visitors
India is looking to ease its visa regime for ASEAN nations in a bid to increase Buddhist tourist arrivals – travellers looking to visit Buddhist heritage sites – to the country, India’s vice president said. ...
Ananth Baliga
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/india-ease-visa-norms-lure-visitors
Does foreign policy not really partial to China or not?
As the followers political events mostly seen, Cambodia seem not adhere to the neutral foreign policy enshrined in its Constitution, yet the relationship between Cambodia and China and Cambodia – the United States, Prime Minister Hun Sen reaffirmed that Cambodia’s foreign policy is independence, not ...
Yeang Socheameta
http://www.rfa.org/khmer/news/politics/Is-Cambodia-foreign-policy-independent-02072016024601.html
Company denies responsibility in chicken deaths
The cause of death of more than 11,000 diseased broiler chickens found dumped in a canal in Kompong Thom province last month has been identified as an infectious virus transmittable to humans, according to the Ministry of Agriculture’s animal health department. ...
Khy Sovuthy and Taylor O'Connell
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/company-denies-responsibility-in-chicken-deaths-107679/