News
Union activist freed, but cops keep fliers
A union activist detained in Svay Rieng province on Sunday for delivering fliers promoting a stay-at-home strike was released after three hours, but police kept the leaflets, he said yesterday. When Kem Chamroeun, 25, of the Collective Union of Movement of Workers (CUMW) brought a stack ...
Mom Kunthear and Sean Teehan
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/union-activist-freed-cops-keep-fliers
Cambodian casinos may be at risk
As Vietnam takes steps towards legalising gambling for its own citizens, analysts warn of a threat to the bottom line at Cambodia’s premiere casino, NagaWorld, whose patronage depends largely on gamblers from neighbouring countries. Local Vietnamese news agency Thanh Nien reported on Tuesday that the Vietnamese ...
Daniel de Carteret and May Kunmakara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/cambodian-casinos-may-be-risk
Two Months After Sentencing, Chhouk Bundith Still at Large
Former Bavet City governor Chhouk Bundith, who was convicted in June of shooting into a crowd of protesters and injuring three garment workers, is still at large avoiding an 18-month prison sentence, the national police spokesman said yesterday. “We have ordered all of our authorities to ...
Worker applications eased
Candidates for a government program that sends Cambodians to work in South Korea can file paperwork closer to home this year, as applications will now be distributed in 13 provinces. Applications will be available until Friday in provincial labour offices in Battambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/worker-applications-eased
Project Aims to Make Subsistence Farms Profitable
BATI DISTRICT, Takeo province – At a farming school here last week, 150 poor agricultural workers gathered to celebrate graduating a two-month training course. The new group of educators will now set out with their newly acquired skills to help transform the country’s poorest rural ...
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/project-aims-to-make-subsistence-farms-profitable-39081/
China Loans Cash for Irrigation, Power Projects
Finance Minister Keat Chhon has signed a deal with China’s ambassador to Cambodia to secure a concessional loan of $121 million to fund irrigation and power projects. In the latest promise of cash from Cambodia’s biggest donor, China will fund a power transmission line connecting Phnom ...
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/china-loans-cash-for-irrigation-power-projects-39098/
Glue fumes cause mass workplace faintings
Approximately 40 workers fainted at the TMI garment factory in Svay Rieng yesterday, police and workers said. Workers at the factory began feeling sick and fainting when a heavy air of glue fumes wafted into the factory as workers returned from lunch, So Navy, 23, a ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/glue-fumes-cause-mass-workplace-faintings
Fear keeps workers at home
When the garment factory that employs her opened its doors yesterday for the first time since Sunday’s election, Chan Neoun was about 130 kilometres away, at home in Svay Rieng province. Intense rioting and a military crackdown were just some of the rumours flying around ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/fear-keeps-workers-home
Bamboo crafts furnish an income
Prior to 2009, Kong Channa, a rice farmer from Svay Rieng province, would leave his wife and young child for months at a time in neighbouring provinces to supplement his income in the off season. This all changed, though, when he began working with the Cambodian ...
Going home to vote? Expect a hike in travel prices
Voters who travel to cast ballots in the upcoming poll Sunday could face higher transportation fees as drivers and companies try to capitalise on heavier passenger volume. Phan Na, general manager at Phnom Penh Sorya Transportation, which sells bus tickets to several provinces, said fees could ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/going-home-vote-expect-hike-travel-prices
Swine imports spell the end of good fortune for farmers
Three years ago, the high prices for pig livestock inspired Chhoeurng Sarun and many other villagers in Svay Rieng province, near the Vietnam border, to go into small-scale farming. Imports coming over from the Vietnamese and Thai borders flooded the market, and prices fell. Srun ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/swine-imports-spell-end-good-fortune-farmers
Bandith appeals while on the lam
Former Bavet town governor Chhouk Bandith has appealed — from hiding — his conviction for shooting three women at a protest earlier last year, his lawyer said. His attorney, Sun Bunnarith, said that he had filed the appeal about two weeks ago, and that Bandith’s ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/bandith-appeals-while-lam
Bavet border crossings up 6.2%
The number of foreigners arriving into Cambodia from its biggest border with Vietnam at the Bavet international crossing in Svay Rieng province increased 6.2 per cent in the first six months of this year compared with the same period in 2012. Data from the checkpoint show ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/bavet-border-crossings-62
Language gap cited at job fair
While Japanese investment is soaring in Cambodia, Japanese employers say there is a shortage of Japanese-speaking staff available to fill the demand. Kong Solina, assistant to the manager of the Service and Culture Department of the Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Center (CJCC), said the purpose of the ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/language-gap-cited-job-fair
GI benefits yet to be fully realised
While Kampot pepper and Kampong Speu palm sugar carry the brand-building Geographical Indication (GI) status, newcomers seeking the same tag continue to wait for funding to get their products off the ground. In 2010, Kampot pepper and Kampong Speu palm sugar were the first Cambodian goods ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/gi-benefits-yet-be-fully-realised
Former Cambodia governor jailed in absentia for shooting three factory workers
A Cambodian court sentenced a former governor in absentia to 18 months in prison for shooting three female workers at a factory supplying sportswear giant Puma, a judge said yesterday. The women, employees of Puma supplier Kaoway Sports, were wounded when someone opened fire on protesters ...
http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1268733/ex-cambodian-official-convicted-absentia
Bandith trial ends with prosecutor accusing two
The final day of former Bavet town governor Chhouk Bandith’s trial on Friday saw heated argument between lawyers and witnesses over who was responsible for shootings that injured three garment factory workers at a demonstration last year. More than 20 witnesses testified during the three days ...
Bundith Fails to Show Up at Retrial for Triple Shooting
Former Bavet City governor Chhouk Bundith failed to show up Wednesday for the first day of his long-awaited retrial at Svay Rieng Provincial Court for his alleged involvement in a shooting that left three workers wounded, court officials said. According to provincial Judge Leang Sour, Mr. ...
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/bundith-fails-to-show-up-at-retrial-for-triple-shooting-30758/
Solar panels see sunny times ahead
Officials and business people say solar panels are gaining in popularity in rural areas, where the power grid does not reach. Mao Sangat, director of Solar Energy Cambodia, told the Post yesterday that his company saw increases of installation of solar power systems for families whose ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/2013052165730/Business/solar-panels-see-sunny-times-ahead.html
Thousands drawn to Prey Lang
More than 10,000 families have poured into an area of Prey Lang forest in Kampong Thom province since January, clearing 20,000 hectares of trees to sell as luxury timber and building houses, Prey Lang Community Network members claimed yesterday. Many are believed to be from ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/2013041165034/National/thousands-drawn-to-prey-lang.html
Going black before going green
HIDDEN in the labyrinth of Stung Meanchey province’s factories, the Sustainable Green Fuel Enterprise (SGFE) found a cleaner way to produce charcoal: from coconut shells and industry leftovers. It is still one of the principal sources of energy for cooking in urban areas. Chief Executive Carlo ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/2013030661774/Business/going-black-before-going-green.html
Cambodia launches $200 mln irrigation project in eastern provinces
The government launched Thursday a $200 million project to divert water from the Mekong River to irrigate 300,000 hectares of rice fields in Prey Veng, Svay Rieng and Kampong Cham provinces. Under the first phase, estimated to cost $100 million, canals will be restored between ...
http://www.thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/detail/1?page=13&token=MzIxZTMyNDAzMjV
Cassava production dropped in 2012
The area of cassava under cultivation fell by 11.5 per cent across the country this season, while the price of cassava chips remained the same as last season’s price. Officials blamed an unstable price during the previous season (from April to April) for the drop. According ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/2013020561173/Business/cassava-production-dropped-in-2012.html
Better to Ride These Bikes Than Make Them
Cambodia’s export business is in the process of changing due to shifts in manufacturing in Asia. A business publication in the country has reported unexpected growth in the “machinery and transport equipment” sector and speculated it was as [sic] “probably bicycles.” But when Cambodia jumped ...
http://www.iede.co.uk/news/2013_750/better-ride-these-bikes-make-them