Phnom Penh (Cambodia). 05/02/ 2009: Police at Mobitel office on Sihanouk boulevard. ©John Vink/ Magnum
Ka-set
By Duong Sokha
05-02-2009
Customers of mobile telephony company Mobitel were surprised on Thursday February 5th when activity at the company’s head office in Phnom Penh was offhandedly suspended. Indeed, some ten military police officials deployed at dawn outside the office and forbade staff to come in. On site, it was impossible to obtain any information whatsoever. The company could not be reached in the morning through either of its helpline numbers (812 and 012 812812).
Rumour s started spreading, according to which the company allegedly incurred debt towards the state or that there might have been an internal conflict at the head office.
In the middle of the afternoon, a company employee in charge of answering customers’ questions explained on the phone that the morning disruption was caused by “the visit of eminent persons who came to observe the functioning of the company”... yet empty of its staff. “This is why we suspended our activity… ”
Refusing to reveal the identity of these distinguished guests, she added that “the deployment of police forces was meant to protect the security of these persons in the same way high-ranking government officials are protected by siren-equipped cars opening their convoy”. She declared that rumours heard were unfounded and added that the company had resumed normal service at 1pm the same day.
The telephony company Mobitel, which reaches the largest number of customers in Cambodia, belongs to oknha Kith Meng, CEO of the powerful Royal Group (the group includes Mobitel and the ANZ Royal bank, of which the company is a shareholder) and also chairman of the Phnom Penh Chamber of Commerce. Considered as close to prime Minister Hun Sen, he could not be reached on Thursday.
By Duong Sokha
05-02-2009
Customers of mobile telephony company Mobitel were surprised on Thursday February 5th when activity at the company’s head office in Phnom Penh was offhandedly suspended. Indeed, some ten military police officials deployed at dawn outside the office and forbade staff to come in. On site, it was impossible to obtain any information whatsoever. The company could not be reached in the morning through either of its helpline numbers (812 and 012 812812).
Rumour s started spreading, according to which the company allegedly incurred debt towards the state or that there might have been an internal conflict at the head office.
In the middle of the afternoon, a company employee in charge of answering customers’ questions explained on the phone that the morning disruption was caused by “the visit of eminent persons who came to observe the functioning of the company”... yet empty of its staff. “This is why we suspended our activity… ”
Refusing to reveal the identity of these distinguished guests, she added that “the deployment of police forces was meant to protect the security of these persons in the same way high-ranking government officials are protected by siren-equipped cars opening their convoy”. She declared that rumours heard were unfounded and added that the company had resumed normal service at 1pm the same day.
The telephony company Mobitel, which reaches the largest number of customers in Cambodia, belongs to oknha Kith Meng, CEO of the powerful Royal Group (the group includes Mobitel and the ANZ Royal bank, of which the company is a shareholder) and also chairman of the Phnom Penh Chamber of Commerce. Considered as close to prime Minister Hun Sen, he could not be reached on Thursday.
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