News
The New Asian Century
With growing uncertainty in the US economy and an unfolding fiscal and debt crisis in the Eurozone after the global recession in 2008, Asia is expected to continue leading the global recovery. Under such circumstances, the 21st Century is emerging as the “New Asian Century”, ...
Asean to forge ahead through global crises
Southeast Asia needs to push ahead with a regional free trade bloc and policies to cope with global financial crises, Indonesia’s government said yesterday. Indonesia’s Vice President Boediono, addressing trade ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said it was evident since the ...
Exports Rise, but Value of Goods Remains Weak
Cambodia saw significant percentage gains in regional trade in the first six months of the year, though the gap between imports and exports remained large, according to data released yesterday by the Ministry of Commerce. According to the figures, the country saw regional exports to ...
Mekong environment ministers talk on sustainable economic development
Cambodia on July 28th hosted the 3rd Greater Mekong Sub- Region Environment Ministers to look forward to sustainable economic development in the region and to talk about current projects to reduce harm for regions and also to minimize several environmental challenges affecting natural resources, forest and ...
(Khem Sovannara and Chhorng Long Heng, p 7)
http://thesoutheastasiaweekly.com/?p=1289
Region’s links crucial
Improved transportation links will assist further economic growth in the region, as Cambodia’s economy continues to improve, officials said yesterday. Ministers from Cambodia as well as China, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar met yesterday at the 17th Greater Mekong Subregion Ministerial Conference held in Phnom ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011080550888/Business/regions-links-crucial.html
Damning revelations
An environmental group has accused the Lao government of “unilaterally” pushing forward with construction on the controversial US$3.8 billion Xayaburi dam on the Mekong River, despite serious concerns about the project and an incomplete regional decision-making process. In a statement released yesterday, conservation group International ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011080550883/National-news/damning-revelations.html
Economic Plan for Mekong Region Gets Finalized
Ministers from the six Mekong region nations concluded a two-day meeting yesterday in which they solidified plans for an economic strategy that would span a decade and require billions in investment. Speaking at Phnom Penh’s Peace Palace at the annual ministerial meeting, Minister of Commerce ...
Chevron talks oil production
Chevron Overseas Petroleum (Cambodia) has been actively exploring Cambodia’s offshore Block A, and applied for a permit to begin extraction from government authorities. Yesterday, The Post caught up with its President Steve Glick, who has been in his present role in Phnom Penh for about ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011080450868/Business/chevron-talks-oil-production.html
More competition from Thai millers
Thai government proposals to pay above market prices to rice farmers could complicate Cambodia’s goal of becoming a major milled rice exporter, according to industry insiders. Pheu Thai party leader Yingluck Shinawatra has announced plans to buy rough rice for a guaranteed price of 15,000 ...
Bus Company’s Partner Involved in Similar Crash
Kampuchea Angkor Express and Virak Buntham Express Travel, two bus companies that share a fleet of busses and operate services running between Siem Reap, Cambodia and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam have both been involved in bus crashes recently. A number of passengers were injured ...
Medical imports decline
THE supply of pharmaceutical products has outstripped demand, causing a decrease in the value of drug imports during the first half of 2011, experts say. An increase in the number of firms importing pharmaceutical products in 2010 led to this year’s drop, Medical Trust Company ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011080250792/Business/medical-imports-decline.html
International Tourists Up 13.4 Percent
The number of visitors arriving in Cambodia in the first six months of this year has increased 13.4 percent to 1,385,029, compared to the same period in 2010, Kong Sophearak, director of the statistics department at the Ministry of Tourism, said yesterday. The largest influx ...
Length of Time Taken to Export Goods Declines
The time it takes to export goods has fallen 40 percent according to the UN. Southeast Asia has seen an improvement in the average time it takes for trade procedures to be completed, dropping to 19 days, though this is still three times longer than ...
Power Grid Key to Development
According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) the regional and national power grids are key to development, though plans for their development have come under criticism by a number of NGOs who believe that power generation should be decentralized. The ADB’s Greater Mekong Subregion program ...
Environment Minister Defends Concessions
Environment Minister Mok Mareth yesterday defended the recent surge of economic land concessions granted by his ministry inside the country’s enviornmental conservation areas, saying that they would do more to help the areas than hurt them. Mr Mareth’s comments came while responding to questions at ...
Crocodile Farmers Plagued by Volatile Market
Crocodile farmers are feeling the pinch after a year of volatile crocodile prices and market demand. Despite the spike in crocodile prices late last year – which followed on the heels of worrying lows between 2005 and 2007 – demand for the live exports of ...
Construction material imports on the increase
A return to work on larger construction projects in Cambodia is leading to an increase in the impartation of construction materials, experts said yesterday. Cambodia’s construction materials are generally imported from China, Vietnam and Thailand, and also as far afield as Europe, said Khuon Savuth, Statistics ...
Mekong Dam Construction Halted, Laos Says
Construction of the 1,260 megawatt Xayaburi dam on the Mekong river has been suspended after a meeting between the USA, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos. A report from the Mekong River Commission (MRC) has been leaked showing that construction was begun on the dam without ...
Cables From Bangkok, Phnom Penh Show Varying Analyses
According to diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks US officials in Bangkok believed that Prime Minister Hun Sen’s decision to name former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra as an economic adviser in 2009 backfired after it increased support of the opposition. The Premier at the time of ...
Block A oil partner inks finance deal
Chevron partner KrisEnergy Holding Company has secured $115 million for its projects in the offshore petroleum area known as Block A . Block A is leased by Chevron Overseas Petroleum Cambodia Limited with 30 percent interest, KrisEnergy Holding Company with 25 percent, Mitsui Oil Exploration ...
Thais Feared VN Support, Cable Shows
A US diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks shows that Thailand feared Cambodia gaining military support from Vietnam over clashes between the two neighboring kingdoms about the disputed Preah Vihear temple. Thailand was also prepared to invoke a treaty with the USA that requires the US ...
Oil Dispute CNPA ready to discuss claims area
Returning to the negotiating table is once again a possibility for the Cambodian National Petroleum Authority now that they have a stronger legal team. Due to the appointment of ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as an economic advisor to Cambodia, Thailand put the 2001 ...
Army aided loggers: US Cable
A US diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks from the Embassy in Bangkok has provided evidence that Cambodian soldiers were providing assistance and protection to loggers along the Thai-Cambodian border. Some of the loggers were killed in clashes with Thai troops. The allegations have been denied ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011072250578/National-news/army-aided-loggers-us-cable.html
Oil dispute optimism
A solution to the Overlapping Claims Area (OCA) in the Gulf of Thailand may be at hand due to the election of Puea Thai. Petroleum companies are said to to be ready to explore the region, an area of more than 27,000 square kilometers. A ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011072150552/Business/oil-dispute-optimism.html