Fire leaves Buddhist temple ruined

Saturday, 23 February, 2008

Building served as unofficial community centre for London's Cambodian community

By JENNIFER O'BRIEN, SUN MEDIA

A blaze that sent worshippers fleeing out the back door of a Northeast London Buddhist temple has left many elderly Cambodians with no place to gather.

For seven years, the Khmer Buddhist Temple has served as a sort of community centre for many Cambodians who arrived in the 1980s but until 2001 would gather to worship in a rented two-bedroom apartment.

“It is very important to the elders. It is more than just a temple, it is where they go,” said Born Heng, a Cambodian Londoner who was “so sad” to hear news of the $100,000 fire
Firefighters say the blaze started from “unattended worship materials” in front of the temple, a former home at 2489 Fanshawe Park Road.

Flames quickly engulfed the shrine and porch roof in front of the temple, then spread into the attic and into the front room, where people were worshipping Thursday night.

“It could have collapsed on them. But people saw the flames and ran out in time,” said Saroeuth Nath, president of the temple.

Nath said people often leave incense and light candles in a designated spot in front of the temple’s two-metre tall Buddha, but that he did not know what happened to trigger the fire.

Today, the once-gold and magnificent statue brought over from Southeast Asia last summer is charred black. Inside, vibrant rugs and cushions scattered on the temple floor are sopping wet and covered in charred pieces of the attic.

“I am so sad,” said Nath. “I couldn’t sleep last night.”

World leaders honour Brunei on National Day

brunei-online.com
Saturday, February 23, 2008

His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam has consented to receive congratulatory messages from the heads of state and foreign dignitaries in conjunction with the 24th National Day of Brunei.

The messages were from His Majesty Al-Wathiqu Billah Al-Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin ibni Al-Mahrum Sultan Mabmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah, Yang Di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia; His Majesty King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, Guardian of the two Holy Mosque and King of Saudi Arabia; His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein, King of Jordan; His Majesty Carl XV I Gustaf, King of Sweden; His Majesty King Albert II, King of Belgium; His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia; Mr S R Nathan, President of the Republic of Singapore; Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar; Mr Choummaly Sayasone, President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic; Mrs Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President of the Republic of the Philippines; Mr Nguyen Minh Triet, State President of Socialist Republic of Vietnam; Colonel Muammar Al-Gadafi, Leader of the Great Al-Fateh Revolution, Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Mr Horst Kohler, President of the Federal Republic of Germany; Mr Vladimir V Putin, President of the Russian Federation; Mrs Pratibha Devisingh Patil, President of the Republic of India; General Pervez Musharraf, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; Major General Michael Jeffery, Governor-General of Australia; Mrs Michaelle Jean, Governor-General of Canada; Mr Stjepan Mesic, President of the Republic of Croatia; Mr George W Bush, President of the United States of America; Mr Lech Kaczynski, President of the Republic of Poland; Mr Roh Moo-hyun, President of the Republic of Korea; Mr Kim Yong Nam, President Presidium, Supreme People's Assembly, Democratic People's Republic of Korea; Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed, President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh; Mr. Hu Jintao, President of the People's Republic of China; Mr Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the Republic of France; Mr Nursultan Nazabayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Mr Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, President of the Republic of Tunisia; Mr Anibal Cavaco Silva, President of the Republic of Portugal; Mr Viktor Yushchenko, President of Ukraine; Mr Felipe Calderon Hinojosa, President of the United Mexican States; Mr Pascal Couchepin, President of The Swiss Confederation; Mr Karolos Papoulias, President of the Hellenic Republic, Greece; Mr Heinz Fischer, President of the Republic of Austria and Mrs Mary McAleese, President of Ireland.

Congratulatory messages also came from Dato' Seri Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi, Prime Minister of Malaysia; Mr Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore; General Thein Sein, Prime Minister of the Union of Myanmar; Mr Bouasone Bouphavanh, Prime Minister of the Lao's People Democratic Republic; Mr Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia; Mr Nguyen Tan Dung, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; Mr Yasuo Fukuda, Prime Minister of Japan, Mr Mohammedmian Soomro, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; Mr Mohamed Ghannouchi, Prime Minister of the Republic of Tunisia and Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, Chief Adviser to the Non-Party Caretaker Government People's Republic of Bangladesh.

French Colonial Class Stirs Property Investment in Cambodia

theopenpress.com
February 23rd, 2008

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There’s more to Cambodia than its cascading waterfalls, exotic tropical life and ancient relics from an austere but nonetheless auspicious cultural heritage. Modern day Cambodia enjoys a lifestyle not too dissimilar to any enjoyed in the developed western world and cinema, nightclubs, wining and dining are commonplace.

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Khmer Rouge torturer to revisit prison

upi.com
Feb. 22, 2008

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- The accused war criminal who served as chief interrogator for the Khmer Rouge is to guide his judges around a torture center and execution site.

Kaing Guek Eav, who used the name Duch, will be accompanied by a few of the survivors of torture at Tuol Sleng, a school outside Phnom Penh that was converted to a prison, The Guardian reported. Only seven Tuol Sleng inmates are known to have survived the "Killing Fields" of the late 1970s.

On Tuesday Duch and the two judges, Marcel Lemonde of France and You Bun Leng of Cambodia are to visit Choeung Ek, where Tuol Sleng inmates were killed and buried.

On Wednesday, they are to go to the prison, The Guardian said.Duch, a former math teacher who converted to Christianity after his years as a Khmer Rouge torture chief, has said that he was following orders from Pol Pot when he presided over the torture and execution of thousands of people.

He and four other former Khmer Rouge leaders are to be tried for crimes against humanity.

Khmer Rouge prison chief to take judges on tour of Killing Fields

Ian MacKinnon, South-east Asia correspondent
The Guardian
Saturday February 23 2008

The Khmer Rouge's chief interrogator who headed the notorious prison where 14,000 Cambodian men, women and children met their deaths is to return to the scene of his alleged crime next week.

Kaing Guek Eav, known as Duch, 65, will guide judges from Cambodia's UN-backed genocide trial through the Tuol Sleng torture centre almost three decades after he fled advancing Vietnamese troops who ended the Khmer Rouge's four-year reign of terror.

Some of the seven people who survived their incarceration in the former school in Phnom Penh's suburbs will join the party next Wednesday and give taped evidence at the tribunal's headquarters.

A day earlier Duch, charged with crimes against humanity along with four other senior Khmer Rouge leaders, will be taken to the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, where most Tuol Sleng inmates were murdered and buried in shallow graves.

Duch, a former maths teacher before joining the revolution to establish a peasant utopia, will explain to the French co-investigating judge, Marcel Lemonde, and his Cambodian counterpart, You Bun Leng, what happened there after 1975, when up to 1.7 million people died.

The first war crimes trials are due to begin later this year, confounding fears of many of the Khmer Rouge's victims that the communist ideologues responsible for killing a quarter of the population might never be brought to justice.

The re-enactment is part of the judges' investigative process to gather evidence against Duch, who has already acknowledged his role in the Killing Fields after finding Christianity. However, he has always contended he was following Pol Pot's "verbal orders". Duch will be accompanied by his lawyers as he walks around the sites. Both serve as a memorial and museum but will be closed to visitors.

Terror Group Suspects Head to Supreme Court

By Heng Reaksmey,
VOA Khmer Phnom Penh
22 February 2008

Heng Reaksmey reports in Khmer(546 KB) - Listen (MP3)

Three men allegedly linked to the terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah will appeal life sentences in Cambodian Supreme Court next week, officials said.

The three suspects, Abdul Azi Jaiji Chiming and Muhammad Yalaludin Mading, both from Thailand, and Cambodian Muslim Sman Esma El, were sentenced to life in prison for commission of acts of international terrorism and attempted murder in 2003.

Rights groups have said the men were sentenced following hasty court proceedings.

Kao Sopha, defense lawyer for the three men, said Friday he expected an overturned verdict when his appeal is heard by the Supreme Court Feb. 27.

"The Supreme Court has no proof to charge my clients," he said.

Jemaah Islamiyah was responsible for the Bali bombings in October 2002. The group's leader, Hambali, was arrested by Thai authorities in February 2004, after he reportedly stayed six months in Cambodia.

Spanish Queen Sofía Pays a Visit to the National Institute of Education

Posted on 23 February 2008.

The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 548

“During her visit to Cambodia, Queen Sofía of the Kingdom of Spain paid a visit to the National Institute of Education on the morning of 20 February 2008, visiting the workplace of the Open Schools Program, using communication and information technology, a joint initiative of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and the [Cambodian non-government organization] Open Institute, with support from the Spanish International Coopertion Agency for Development [Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo] for the Khmer Software Initiative KhmerOS.

“Mr. Kol Pheng, the Senior Minister and Minister of Education, who was present to welcome the Spanish Queen Sofía, explained that with the support from the Spanish International Coopertion Agency for Development and the Khmer Software Initiative KhmerOS, the Ministry of Education initiated the Open Schools Program, making free [Open Source] computer programs in the Khmer language available, for word processing, for Internet use including blogging, and many other computer programs. Currently, these programs are being introduced in all Teachers’ Training Colleges and in all high schools [that have computers] in the Kingdom of Cambodia.

“The Senior Minister also stated that the Ministry of Education considers that the wide utilization of technology is a crucial element for the development of Cambodia, and this becomes possible as this technology can now be used in the national language. Moreover, the Ministry also considers that this system of education provides a vehicle for disseminating technological knowledge to people across the whole country at high speed.

“At this occasion, Mr. Kol Pheng presented to the Queen also an example of original ancient Khmer text inscribed on palm leaves.

“During the tour, Queen Sofía expressed her interest and her appreciation for the good cooperation, which had let also to the creation of a computer laboratory for low cost computers for the sector of education, something which before did not existe in Cambodia. She also talked to students of communication and information technology. These communication and information technology projects are promoted by the Khmer Software Initiative KhmerOS for the Open Schools Program, supported by the Spanish Coopertion Agency for Development, by UNECO, and by InWEnt [Capacity Building International Germany].”

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vo.16. #4521, 21.2.2008

Thailand threat to shoot 4,000 in drug war

Bangkok Post
By Thomas Bell in Bangkok
23/02/2008

The new Thai government is to relaunch the country's "war on drugs" which killed more than 2,500 people allegedly involved in the trade.

During a three-month killing spree in 2003 as intense as a full-scale armed conflict, thousands named on police "black lists" were shot dead, allegedly on government orders.

Yet the government's narcotics control board concluded that more than half the victims had no involvement in drugs. One couple from north-eastern Thailand were shot dead after coming into unexplained wealth and being added to a black list. They were, in fact, lottery winners.

The campaign was one of the principal policies of Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister and Mr Samak's political patron, who now lives in exile and owns Manchester City Football Club.

"My government will decisively implement a policy against drug trafficking. Government officials must implement this policy 24 hours a day, but I will not set a target for how many people should die," said Samak Sundaravej, the new prime minister.

The interior minister Chalerm Yubamrung, said: "When we implement a policy that may bring 3,000 to 4,000 bodies, we will do it,"

Although the military junta which overthrew Mr Thaksin in 2006 called the killings "a crime against humanity", the former premier and his supporters - who were re-elected in December - insist that the dead were the victims of gang warfare, not police killings.

Yet there is strong evidence of police involvement. Many were shot days after being summoned to defend themselves before local authorities or after reporting to a police station to have their name removed from the "black list".

The government ordered the police to compile "back lists" which were as comprehensive as possible, then shorten the list by 25 per cent every month. Often the only way off the list was death.

Khieu Samphan Lawyer Demands French Translation

By Mean Veasna,
VOA Khmer Phnom Penh
22 February 2008

Mean Veasna reports in Khmer (996 KB) - Listen (MP3)

Jailed Khmer Rouge leader Khieu Samphan has refused to work with tribunal investigators until the 16,000 pages of documents to be used against him are translated into French, a lawyer confirmed Friday.

The documents are being translated at the behest of infamous French attorney Jacques Verges, who is part of Khieu Samphan's defense team.

More Than 20 Families Forced From Homes

By Chun Sakada,
VOA Khmer Phnom Penh
22 February 2008

Chun Sakada reports in Khmer (1.10 MB) - Listen (MP3)

Cambodian police and military police launched tear gas into a crowd of residents, injuring several, prior to forcibly evicting them from their Phnom Penh neighborhood early Friday morning, rights investigators and witnesses said.

Around 500 security forces armed with batons and riot shields forcibly evicted the families, in Russie Keo district, firing multiple rifle shots into the air and accompanied by a water cannon and bulldozer, witnesses said.

"I no longer have a home to live in," said one evicted resident who, like others, asked not to be named.

"Where is the justice for the protection of the people?" asked another. "They don't help the people, but they come to destroy the people. I saved money from one cent to build the house, for 20 years."

Police fired around 27 canisters of tear gas, according to a statement by the rights group Adhoc.
"I protected my house," said a third resident. "When they forced me out, I refused. They stoned me in the head."

Russei Keo District Chief Khlang Hout said the forces were carrying out a court order.
"The court verdict is an independent power, and we have a duty to cooperate with the court to do this," Khlang Hout said.

Chan Saveth, an investigator for the group, called the eviction "very brutal" and condemned "the carrying out of a court verdict with the blood and tears of the people."

Police arrested 11 people during the eviction, and at least seven were injured, Adhoc said.
Keo Remy, vice president of the Human Rights Party, called the eviction "a violation of the people's rights and additional tragedy for them."

"The land problem is more important than the political problem right now, because the land problem is related to personal interests, and [those who take the land] can use all means, through both a company and powerful men, to capture land," Keo Remy said.

The value of land in Cambodia doubled from 2006 to 2007, Adhoc has said.

No Tribunal Adviser Could Hurt US Fund Bid, Experts Warn

By Sok Khemara,
VOA Khmer Washington
22 February 2008

Sok Khemara reports in Khmer (1.35 MB) - Listen (MP3)

The government's decision not to create a foreign advisory role within the Khmer Rouge tribunal could hurt the case for US funding, experts said Thursday.

"It affects the funding," said Hisham Mousar, a tribunal monitor for the rights group Adhoc. "If the government does not agree to allow a US citizen to open his office in Phnom Penh, the US will additionally consider whether to give funds or not."

Cambodia has declined to create a UN-proposed advisory position at a time when the tribunal needs another $114 million to prosecute jailed leaders of the Khmer Rouge.

An independent advisor could help promote the tribunal's transparency and make it more credible in the eyes of donors, experts said.

"The UN side wants a US citizen and the government side does not want other Americans to investigate on Cambodian soil, as it's enough to have the FBI," Hisham Mousar said. "There's no need for stronger domination from the US."

Coordinating the position through New York would be difficult, though an offer to coordinate through Phnom Penh has been made, he said.

The US has not yet agreed to directly aid in funding for the tribunal.

Tribunal spokesman Reach Sambath said the tribunal had "opened the door" for corruption investigation "many times."

UN officials were not immediately available for comment.

Cambodian public sector corruption endemic, says report

earthtimes.org
Fri, 22 Feb 2008
Author : DPA

Phnom Penh - Nearly three quarters of Cambodians reported paying a bribe to receive a public service in the past year, and more than half were pessimistic that endemic corruption would lessen in the near future, according to a survey received Friday. The survey of 1,016 Cambodians conducted in September as part of a study by Berlin-based anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International (TI) claimed that 72 per cent of participants who reported paying bribes was "by far the highest percentage in the Asia-Pacific region and second to only Cameroon internationally."

Cameroon citizens reported 79 per cent of respondents had paid bribes for a public service, the report said.

The survey also found that 61 per cent of Cambodians do not expect corruption to decrease in the next three years and 42 per cent of respondents expect corruption to increase over that period.

The poor and those living in remote areas are particularly pessimistic, according a statement on the TI survey results released by the locally-based Coalition of Civil Society Organizations Against Corruption (CCSOAC).

"The judiciary and the police were viewed as the most corrupt institutions by all income groups," the group said, but that 30 per cent had also reported paying bribes to educators.

"This is worrisome because it undermines educational integrity and teaches children the wrong messages about corruption from an early age," the group said in the statement.

Donors have pressured the government to implement anti-corruption laws, but the government has said it can only do so after other amendments such as a drastic overhaul of the nation's penal code.

CCSOAC said the TI survey showed only 29 per cent of respondents view the Cambodian government's actions as either very or somewhat effective in fighting corruption.

CCSOAC claims more than 40 member organizations nationwide.

Cambodia deports threat-making American

Friday 22nd February, 2008
Big News Network.com

Cambodia has decided to deport a 63-year-old American man who allegedly told journalists that militants were planning a rocket attack on the U.S embassy in the capital, Phnom Penh.

Police say the man, who is from Hawaii, was arrested for sending emails to journalists with details of the alleged threat.

The emails asked the journalists to print the information.

The man, who has since admitted the threat was false, was finding it difficult to live as his U.S military pension had not arrived.

Riot police were reportedly sent to guard the embassy on Monday, when the man said the attack would take place.

Thaksinomics, Redux

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ASIA

February 22, 2008

Thailand's new Prime Minister this week gave some indication of his government's planned economic policies and it's back to the future. By promising to revive Keynesian economics, Samak Sundaravej is hearkening back to "Thaksinomics," the populist agenda that endeared former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to rural voters. While politically that might seem a savvy move, economically speaking it's a big mistake.

Mr. Samak has yet to lay out all the details of his plan, but here's what we know so far: On Monday, he delivered a policy statement to Parliament outlining his government's priorities. Citing the subprime crisis and rising inflationary pressures, Mr. Samak wants to lay the "groundwork for stable and sustainable growth," shift Thailand's manufacturing sector to higher-end products and attract foreign investment.

By using words such as "growth" and "foreign investment," Mr. Samak is distinguishing himself from the former military junta, which had a distinct disdain for both. But Mr. Samak's first order of business isn't serious structural economic reform. Like Mr. Thaksin's administration, the Samak government would prime the fiscal pump by expanding state health-care coverage, giving money to "village funds," building public housing, backing megainfrastructure projects, providing soft loans to small and medium-sized businesses, and imposing a debt moratorium for farmers. And that's just a partial list of his spending plans.

It's hard to estimate how much Mr. Thaksin spent on his Keynesian adventure, given that some of those projects weren't included on the federal government's balance sheet but, rather, funded through state banks. Rough estimates put Thaksinomics outlays around 100 billion baht ($3 billion) a year. Mr. Samak has mentioned "mega-projects" of 500 billion baht. That's big money for a central government whose total projected revenue for 2007 was 1.5 trillion baht.

The irony here is that Thaksinomics was never a great success. Mr. Thaksin's hodge-podge spending projects didn't do much to upgrade the country's export sector, attract foreign investment or boost overall economic growth. Rather, Thailand under Thaksin -- like much of the rest of Asia -- enjoyed the flood of investment dollars created by the U.S. Federal Reserve under Alan Greenspan and the upswing in export demand from the U.S., Europe and the rest of the region. As Thai exports soared, so did tax revenue.

That's not the external environment that Thailand faces today. The Fed may again be flooding the world with dollars, but as the Prime Minister notes, inflationary pressures are mounting. Thailand's consumer confidence is recovering after the military junta's economic mismanagement but it is still fragile. Foreign investment in Thailand lags that of its Asian peers. Couple that with shaky financial markets, and there's no guarantee Thailand will enjoy robust investment or buoyant export demand this year.

Mr. Samak's newly elected government would serve its constituents better if it kept its spending promises constrained and focused on making Thailand an easier place to do business. It could start by cutting corporate and personal income taxes, getting rid of all capital controls and reinvigorating free trade talks. Rather than borrowing money to increase the government deficit, Mr. Samak could aim for a balanced budget.

It's possible that the Prime Minister wants to cement his government's popularity with its rural voter base before turning to reform. But as any Japanese politician could tell you, once a government starts down a road of handouts and infrastructure spending promises, it's hard to turn back.

'Online gaming can earn government $300 million'

hindustantimes.com
New Delhi

Online gaming has the potential to fetch the government at least Rs 12.5 billion ($318 million) a year with the figure steadily rising over the years, says the chief executive of the company that pioneered online lottery in India.

"If the government permits online gaming, we estimate that it will generate business in the region of Rs.250 billion ($6.37 billion) in five to 10 years. Of this, five percent (Rs.12.5 billion) will accrue to the government by way of taxes," said Amar Sinha of Pan India Network Infravest that runs the Playwin lottery brand.

"This money can be used to fund social sector projects in the fields of education, healthcare and the welfare of senior citizens," Sinha, whose company is part of Subhash Chandra's $1-billion Essel Group, told IANS.

Since online gaming is aimed at the upper end players "who have deep pockets, the potential for the government to earn revenue is tremendous. This can only go up over the years", he pointed out.

"Besides, it will also help create large numbers of jobs and thus reduce unemployment," Sinha added.

Globally, online gaming was a $200-billion industry as it had gradually eased out paper lotteries, he stated.

"As India globalises, it cannot be indifferent to the phenomena," Sinha maintained.

"The challenge lies in making the government understand the revenue potential of online gaming and of the huge revenues it is losing out due to paper lotteries and illegal betting," he contended.

"Online gaming will wean people away from both legal and illegal lotteries as it is completely transparent and is properly audited, in our case by Ernst & Young," Sinha stated.

The size of the legal lottery business in India is estimated at some Rs.250 billion, with the grey market accounting for a similar figure.

Significantly, the government earns just one percent or Rs.2.5 billion from the legal lotteries as 90 percent of the collections are paid out by way of prizes and nine percent goes into administrative and other costs.

Apart from running the Playwin lottery that hopes to generate revenues of Rs.30 billion ($764 million) in fiscal 2007-08, Pan India is also readying for the launch in March of a casino on a luxury vessel that will be anchored in the high seas off Goa. The company also plans to ramp up its global operations.

The Rs.1-billion ($25 million) casino project will offer 20,000 sq ft of gaming area "that will rival the best Las Vegas has to offer," Sinha said.

The company has purchased a ship for Rs.150 million ($3.82 million) that is currently being fitted out in Italy. The ship will be anchored in international waters off Goa. High-speed motorboats will ferry gamers back and forth.

Speaking about his expansion plans for Playwin, Sinha said he hoped to expand its global reach to Central Asia, Europe and South Africa.

"We are currently in Kenya, Cambodia and the Philippines and a lot of other opportunities are being contemplated," he added.

Cambodia offers fresh investment opportunities

Written by David Stanley
Redfern Ltd
Friday, 22 February 2008

Cambodia’s capital city of Phnom Penh and the finesse of its French riverside quarter play host to refurbished yet undeniably remarkable 1-2 bedroom apartments and the 2 year guaranteed 10% rental return they offer.

In light of its freshly found allure amidst the international property investment market, Cambodia’s capital growth is expected to see a 15-20% growth. So, considering the fact that Cambodia and its economy are set to grow from strength to strength, along with any investment made in the region, perhaps this is an opportunity to be investigated further. Available exclusively through reputable and award winning overseas property investment specialists David Stanley Redfern Ltd from $55,000, at least an enquiry into the many attractive features on offer is surely worth making. But first, let’s take a closer look at what that kind of money can buy.

Aside from the auspicious apartment itself, abundant with only the most sleek and modern furnishings and finished to an incomparably high standard, what does the surrounding Cambodian capital have to offer? Once referred to as The Pearl of Asia, this architecturally awe inspiring city is today’s wealthiest and most populous Cambodian city, giving it a charged and vibrant climate that’s simply wonderful. Its busy inhabitants are peaceful folk of which some are Buddhists, who along with many tourists frequent the many breathtaking attractions, the most popular being the Royal Palace. Phnom Penh’s main shopping centre is the Phsar Thom Thmei market place which too attracts visitors, each eager to behold its vast array of treasures. From plant life to antique currency and opulent foods to fancy fabrics, it’s sure to be found on the stalls of this enigmatic, once in a lifetime shopping experience.

Serviced by the usual taxis and tuk-tuks, Phnom Penh also boasts road, river and rail transport as well as its very own airport, notably Cambodia’s largest. Phnom Penh is both accessible and accommodating for any international investment making traveller, enabling simple return visits to and from its shores. So, a top specification apartment in one of the world’s most exciting cities, how do you get a piece of the action? Anyone interested in this unique investment opportunity amidst a recognised emerging and opportune market, enhanced by the regions economic boom should contact David Stanley Redfern Ltd to discuss the range of helpful options that are available to potential investors.

Cambodia tribunal to visit K Rouge torture centre

radionetherlands.n
Friday 22 February 2008

Phnom Penh - A former Khmer Rouge jailer on trial for genocide and crimes against humanity by Cambodia's UN-backed tribunal will re-enact his alleged crimes as part of the investigation against him. Duch, a 65-year-old former mathematics teacher, oversaw the Communist regime's main torture centre of Tuol Sleng where around 16,000 men women and children were tortured before being executed. He will lead tribunal judges through the notorious torture centre and describe his actions before going to the killing fields outside Phnom Penh where most of the inmates were slaughtered.

Some of the regime's victim's will probably be present at the re-enactment. Just seven people are known to have survived Tuol Sleng. Duch, whose real name is Kaing Guek Eav, has never denied his crimes.

The Khmer Rouge came to power in 1975 and terrorised the country's population during its four-year rule. Around two million people died of starvation and overwork or were executed by the Khmer Rouge, who were attempting to create a modern agrarian society.

Vietnam and Cambodia promote border co-operation

nhandan.com.vn
February 22, 2008

The 4th meeting on co-operation and development of Vietnam-Cambodia border provinces will be held in Cambodia from February 27-28, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Le Dung said on February 21.

Speaking at the Foreign Ministry’s regular press conference, the spokesman said that Vietnamese Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Sar Kheng will co-chair the meeting.

A series of issues will be discussed, including the implementation of agreements reached at the 3 rd meeting; measures and orientations for co-operation in 2008; and expansion of comprehensive co-operation and mutual assistance among provinces along borderline. (VNA)

Phnom Penh residents hold off developers

ABC Radio Australia
22/02/2008

In a stand off with Cambodian authorities, a number of residents in a Phnom Penh suburb are refusing to make way for developers.

A few dozen families are refusing to leave their homes in the suburb of Dey Krahom, despite a multi-million-dollar development scheme.

Cambodia is in the midst of a building boom that has caused land prices to skyrocket across the country.

A Dey Krahom resident, Keo Navann, says those who are refusing to leave just want a fair price for their land.

She says developers are offering some people $US4,300 for their land, but then sell it for $3,000 a square metre.

Their standoff with authorities is just one of many increasingly violent conflicts over land in Cambodia that has seen dozens killed and tens of thousands evicted from their homes over the past few years.

Cambodian soccer club beats Ulsan Hyundai 2-0

chinaview.cn
2008-02-22

PHNOM PENH, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Naga Corp Football Club of Cambodia here on Friday beat Ulsan Hyundai Football Club from South Korea 2-0 in a friendly.

In the first half of the match, both teams scored no goals.

In the second half, Cambodian team scored two goals through Ernest Dipita and Chin Chum in the 84th and 86th minutes.

The match, which was held in the Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh, attracted about 2,000 spectators.

Naga Corp Football Club is one of the leading football clubs in the kingdom.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Cambodian national football team lost2-3 to the Ulsan Hyundai Football Club in a friendly.　

Editor: An Lu