Thailand bars Cambodian rice, cassava

Photo by: Tracey Shelton
A farmer dries corn in Pailin province. Thailand has blocked Cambodian exports of corn, rice and cassava – among other crops – following pressure from Thai farmers.

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Thet Sambath
Monday, 09 February 2009

Protectionism aimed at other crops, too: officials, traders

THAI authorities have closed the border to agricultural products from Cambodia at all checkpoints between the two countries due to Thai farmers protesting the competition posed by cheaper Cambodian exports, officials and traders said.

In what is being seen as a protectionist measure on Thailand's part, Cambodian sources on the border told the Post that Koh Kong, Pursat, Battambang, Pailin, Banteay Meanchey, Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear provinces are all affected. Cassava and rice were being blocked - the main products barred - and may not reach export markets, traders said. At some crossings, corn, beans and sesame have also been barred, they said.

"The Thai authorities have told us they must close to imports of Cambodian agricultural products because their people are protesting at [government] offices against crops imported into their country because it brings prices down," Sok Pheap, chief of the Cambodia-Thailand Border Relations Office, said Sunday.

Cambodian dry cassava was selling for 2.1 baht (six US cents) per kilogram Sunday compared to 2.6 baht (7.5 cents) per kilogram in Thailand. Similarly, corn was slightly cheaper in Cambodia at 6.2 baht per kilogram - in Thailand it was 6.8 baht per kilogram.

Early last week, some crossings had been kept open, meaning Cambodian exports were still getting through, but since that time the border has been completely closed to Cambodian agricultural produce, said Sok Pheap.


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They didn't tell us when they will again allow crops to be imported.

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"In a meeting, they didn't tell us when they will again allow [Cambodian] crops to be imported into their country," he added.

Keo Narin, a Cambodian army officer in Military Region 5 in O'Beichon commune, O'Chrouv district, Banteay Meanchey province, said Sunday that cassava, corn, rice and other crops are being stored in houses and rice fields along the border.
"The [border] closure continues, so farmers are trying to keep their goods from going bad in the hope the gates will open again in the near future," he said.

Smuggling continues
Despite the blockade, some Thai and Cambodian businessmen are continuing to smuggle agricultural products across the border, he added, but trade is well down.

Ung Oeun, governor of Banteay Meanchey province, said Sunday that he has asked Thai officials in neighbouring Sa Keo province to have a meeting at the end of this month to discuss the issue.

"We will ask them [the Thais] to resume normal border trade," said Ung Oeun, adding that there had been no orders from Phnom Penh to initiate counter-protectionist measures.

Despite the blockade, there was some good news for Cambodian traders. One exporter, Som Mab, said Sunday: "I was told by the Thai authorities this weekend that they will allow Cambodian rice to be imported into Thailand in two days' time." In Pailin, dry cassava was already being allowed through, he added.

Bookies favourite upset by southpaw underdog

Photo by: Robert Starkweather Military Police Boxing Club’s Phal Sophat (right) swings a kick Saturday at Royal Cambodian Armed Forces’s Sarim Vonthon.

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by ROBERT STARKWEATHER
Monday, 09 February 2009

THE final 63.5-kilogram championship fights ended in an upset Saturday when underdog Phal Sophat, 27, outscored Sarim Vonthon, 29, to win the light welterweight division.

The double-elimination tournament began in September with 12 fighters and ended Saturday at Bayon TV with two fights to settle the top four. In the co-feature, Ministry of Interior Boxing Club veteran Pich Arun earned a points win over Club Preah Khan Reach fighter Kao Bunheng to take third place.

Heading into Saturday's main event, Phal Sophat had lost just one match in the tournament on points, in the first round, against rising star Khon Reach. Bookmakers's favourite Sarim Vonthon entered the ring Saturday with a perfect record, but Phal Sophat, a southpaw from Kampong Cham, was confident beforehand that he would box his way to the title.

"I've got good hands and I'm taller," said Phal Sophat, who has fought Queensberry rules. He held numerous physical advantages too - his reach longer, height taller and age younger than his opponent.

After a typically uneventful first round, the tempo quickened in the second. Fighting from the red corner, Sarim Vonthon was the driving force, firing right-left-kick combinations and diving headlong in to clinch to overpower his taller opponent with knees and elbows.

The strategy worked early on, but by the middle of the round Phal Sophat began to find his range. He answered his red adversary with repeated combinations of hooks before stepping away. And, as the man in red charged in, the Kampong Cham southpaw began landing with elbows.

By the end of round two, whatever advantage Sarim Vonthon carried into the ring had evaporated. It was anybody's fight.

Determined to take control, Sarim Vonthon continued to pressure at a furious pace, chasing his opponent around the ring while relentlessly trying to get inside his guard. But Phal Sophat only got stronger and harder to find.

After round three, the bookmakers saw the tide turn, abandoning the man in red for his blue opponent as the early favourite took on underdog status.

And in the fourth, Phal Sophat took complete control.

He caught Sarim Vonthon with a huge knee to the body, and then a minute later the Military Police Boxing Club fighter cut Sarim Vonthon with an elbow, prompting referee Meas Sokry to pause the action to inspect a gash above his right eye.

An ecstatic Phal Sophat danced his way to the neutral corner and raised a fist into the air. The crowd erupted with raucous applause: "Keo, keo, keo (blue, blue, blue)," they chanted.

Sarim Vonthon could perhaps sense the fight slipping away and frustration set in.

Referee Meas Sokry cautioned him twice in the fourth and once again in the fifth for clearly late blows - once for a kick to his downed opponent. But by then it was too late.

When the closing bell rang, Phal Sophat leapt into the air and ran in circles around the ring."Keo, keo, keo," the crowd chanted again.

Captivated by Cambodia's temples

From illawarramercury.com.au

There is no denying that the temple of Angkor Wat is beautiful. In fact, I'd call it grand. But after seeing some of the nearby temples, it suddenly dropped a few notches on my "wow" radar.

The ruins of temples such as Ta Prohm, Banteay Kdei and Preah Khan, with the thickest tree trunks I have ever seen protruding through the walls and strangler figs entwined with the darkened stones - all a result of the jungle reclaiming territory deserted by humans for centuries - are much more enchanting than their famous neighbour.

When our motorbike pulled up to the side of Bayon, the main temple in the ancient city of Angkor Thom, I could not help but gasp as I looked up to the overwhelming structure. Its dark colour and complex design, with almost 40 towers (there used to be 49, according to most historians), is captivating.

I felt nothing like this when I entered the large, yet strangely empty, ancient city of Angkor Wat.

I had a three-day ticket to explore the ancient capitals of the Khmer empire, which reigned over various parts of South East Asia from what is now known as north-western Cambodia, between the 9th and 15th centuries. Sound like a lot of temple gazing? It is, but, believe me, I could easily spend a week here.

The sheer size of the Angkor Archaeological Park, which includes about 30 temples and other significant structures in the main complex, two sites further north and the Roluos collection in the south-east, makes it difficult, though not impossible, to see all of the sites in a couple of days. The amazing detail and the need to slowly take in the enormity of the striking constructions also puts a serious strain on time.

I joined up with an American girl called Jill, who I met on the boat from Battambang to Siem Reap. We started with what was considered to be the most spectacular experience: sunrise over Angkor Wat.

Yes, it was pink and it was beautiful, particularly when the temple's five towers reflected in the basins. But although we left exploring the temple until the second day, this quick glimpse left me with an early feeling that it was not going to live up to its reputation.

After sunrise we hopped on the back of a motorbike and headed to the Roluos group of temples to the south-east of the main complex, because they were the first to be built. It was a fantastic taste of what was to come.

After lunch back in Siem Reap, we hired bicycles and pedalled back to the main complex. I was hesitant to take up the people-powered bike - it had been a long time - but the afternoon was a highlight of the three days, as we pushed along the relatively flat roads lined with gorgeous orange-leaved trees, towards Banteay Kdei and Ta Prohm.

I felt the magic of Machu Picchu return as I wandered through the temples, which have been partly left in the overgrown state in which they were found in the late 19th century.

On our second day, we hired a guide so we could have the opportunity to ask questions about any of the sites. After our humorous day on bicycles, we tried to convince Sah to do the tour on a bike, but he wasn't game. Instead we both hopped on the back of his motorbike and explored the two major cities of Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat.

Even after Sah's insightful and energetic (some might say overly-enthusiastic) tour of Angkor Wat, neither Jill nor I were more impressed. The temple complex is huge and each wall is covered in finely carved designs depicting religious scenes, including images of heaven and hell and various Gods, apsaras (celestial dancers), lotus flowers (which symbolise a woman's marital status) and various symbolic animals. (Although Jill and I were puzzled as to why a sacred place such as a temple would have scenes of war carved on its walls. We weren't convinced by Sah's explanation that the king wanted the people to know about past battles so they would protect the city).

As we exited the temple and returned along the causeway to the outer wall, I imagined large chariots carrying King Suryavarman II (he built Angkor Wat in the early 12th century) through the main gopura, with his soldiers marching in from the entrances either side. Pretty apsuras would be dancing in the courtyard and ordinary citizens giving their leader a welcome cheer.

The temple also looked grandeur from the height of Phnom Bakheng, another ancient temple on top of a towering hill with picturesque views of the area. It is a hot spot to watch the sunset after a long day exploring one of the most intriguing sites in the world.

Yet, it was still the jungle-clad ruins that left me awe-struck. On day three, after venturing further afield to the outlying sites of Kbal Spean, where images of the gods have been carved into the river bed, and the pretty pink temple of Banteay Srei, we returned to the main complex to visit Preah Khan.

Once a Buddhist university and bustling city, Preah Khan (built in 1191) is now another prime example of nature and human construction battling for existence. It is an engrossing maze of small corridors, more tangled vines and obtrusive tree trunks. I keep saying it, but this truly is magical.

And I'm not finished yet. I am hoping to also go to Beng Mealea, about 70km from Siem Reap and not included in the standard ticket. A major monument during the 12th century and described by the travel guidebook Lonely Planet as "one of the most mysterious temples at Angkor", it is also in a ruinous state, which should make for some adventurous fun.

After sunrise we hopped on the back of a motorbike and headed to the Roluos group of temples to the south-east of the main complex, because they were the first to be built. It was a fantastic taste of what was to come.

After lunch back in Siem Reap, we hired bicycles and pedalled back to the main complex. I was hesitant to take up the people-powered bike - it had been a long time - but the afternoon was a highlight of the three days, as we pushed along the relatively flat roads lined with gorgeous orange-leaved trees, towards Banteay Kdei and Ta Prohm.

I felt the magic of Machu Picchu return as I wandered through the temples, which have been partly left in the overgrown state in which they were found in the late 19th century.

On our second day, we hired a guide so we could have the opportunity to ask questions about any of the sites. After our humorous day on bicycles, we tried to convince Sah to do the tour on a bike, but he wasn't game. Instead we both hopped on the back of his motorbike and explored the two major cities of Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat.

Even after Sah's insightful and energetic (some might say overly-enthusiastic) tour of Angkor Wat, neither Jill nor I were more impressed. The temple complex is huge and each wall is covered in finely carved designs depicting religious scenes, including images of heaven and hell and various Gods, apsaras (celestial dancers), lotus flowers (which symbolise a woman's marital status) and various symbolic animals. (Although Jill and I were puzzled as to why a sacred place such as a temple would have scenes of war carved on its walls. We weren't convinced by Sah's explanation that the king wanted the people to know about past battles so they would protect the city).

As we exited the temple and returned along the causeway to the outer wall, I imagined large chariots carrying King Suryavarman II (he built Angkor Wat in the early 12th century) through the main gopura, with his soldiers marching in from the entrances either side. Pretty apsuras would be dancing in the courtyard and ordinary citizens giving their leader a welcome cheer.

The temple also looked grandeur from the height of Phnom Bakheng, another ancient temple on top of a towering hill with picturesque views of the area. It is a hot spot to watch the sunset after a long day exploring one of the most intriguing sites in the world.

Yet, it was still the jungle-clad ruins that left me awe-struck. On day three, after venturing further afield to the outlying sites of Kbal Spean, where images of the gods have been carved into the river bed, and the pretty pink temple of Banteay Srei, we returned to the main complex to visit Preah Khan.

Once a Buddhist university and bustling city, Preah Khan (built in 1191) is now another prime example of nature and human construction battling for existence. It is an engrossing maze of small corridors, more tangled vines and obtrusive tree trunks. I keep saying it, but this truly is magical.

And I'm not finished yet. I am hoping to also go to Beng Mealea, about 70km from Siem Reap and not included in the standard ticket. A major monument during the 12th century and described by the travel guidebook Lonely Planet as "one of the most mysterious temples at Angkor", it is also in a ruinous state, which should make for some adventurous fun.

The temple also looked grandeur from the height of Phnom Bakheng, another ancient temple on top of a towering hill with picturesque views of the area. It is a hot spot to watch the sunset after a long day exploring one of the most intriguing sites in the world.

Yet, it was still the jungle-clad ruins that left me awe-struck. On day three, after venturing further afield to the outlying sites of Kbal Spean, where images of the gods have been carved into the river bed, and the pretty pink temple of Banteay Srei, we returned to the main complex to visit Preah Khan.

Once a Buddhist university and bustling city, Preah Khan (built in 1191) is now another prime example of nature and human construction battling for existence. It is an engrossing maze of small corridors, more tangled vines and obtrusive tree trunks. I keep saying it, but this truly is magical.

And I'm not finished yet. I am hoping to also go to Beng Mealea, about 70km from Siem Reap and not included in the standard ticket. A major monument during the 12th century and described by the travel guidebook Lonely Planet as "one of the most mysterious temples at Angkor", it is also in a ruinous state, which should make for some adventurous fun.

WHO confirms effectiveness of anti-malaria drug artemisinin

www.chinaview.cn

2009-02-09

PHNOM PENH, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- An official of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Cambodia has expressed its trust in artemisinin for its effectiveness to prevent malaria, the Phnom Penh Post reported on Monday.

Widespread use of artemisinin in a combination or co-formulated pill is central to its administration, which can in effect fend off resistance and contain malaria, the English-language newspaper quoted Pascal Ringwald, WHO malaria coordinator, as saying.

Ringwald acknowledged that two studies, including the one published last December in The New England Journal of Medicine, concluded that artemisinin has become less effective, but dismissed the idea that drug-resistant malaria strains are likely to spread.

"There are some cases (of resistance), but they have been contained. We have the combination drug that still works," said Ringwald.

Artemisinin is designed to be taken with a drug that stays in the blood longer and clears out residual malaria parasites, said the coordinator, adding that the risk of resistance development rises when the drug is administrated without partner drug.

"The delay in eradication is due to monotherapy still being on the market," said Ringwald.

Malaria is the major epidemic in Cambodia and claimed dozens of lives each year.

Editor: Sun Yunlong

Cambodian PM: Culture products portraying monks' life must be approved first by authorities

www.chinaview.cn

2009-02-09

PHNOM PENH, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Any play, movie or musical featuring monks must from now on be screened and approved by the Ministry of Cults and Religions and leader of a Buddhist sect before it can be broadcast on television, national media on Monday quoted Prime Minister Hun Sen as saying.

The premier called on all TV stations, private and public, to seek permission from the ministry and Non Nget, the supreme patriarch of the dominant Mohanikaya sect, before presenting shows with actors depicting monks, said English-Khmer language newspaper the Cambodia Daily.

"I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the producers of any form of rock opera, movie and drama that involve actors acting as monks. They must have permission from Non Nget and the Ministry of Cults and Religions," he told the inauguration ceremony of a pagoda here on Sunday.

"Don't use monks to joke," he added.

Hun Sen's comments came following a controversy over the rock opera "Where Elephants Weep," which told a story involving two reckless young monks.

Some Buddhist monks were outraged by the show's Dec. 25 broadcast on CTN and demanded it be banned.

Editor: Sun Yunlong

Buddhism on TV should be approved: Cambodian PM

A young buddhist monk takes pictures of his fellow monks oustide the Temple of Angkor

PHNOM PENH (AFP) — Cambodian premier Hun Sen on Sunday called for television shows related to Buddhism to be approved by clergy after the country's first rock opera was deemed insulting to the religion.

"Where Elephants Weep," a modern take on a traditional Cambodian love story, was banned from airing in January when the Supreme Sangha Council of Buddhist Monks objected to some of its scenes implying monks engaged in sexual activity.

"I completely agree with the monks council about banning the insulting scenes," Hun Sen said in a speech at a Buddhist pagoda inauguration ceremony broadcast on the radio.

"(Broadcasters) should have let the Ministry of Cults and Religion check it first. We do not want such a story to happen again," he added.

Local human rights groups expressed concern that the cancelled television broadcast threatened freedom of expression, after rave reviews of the show that merges pop and rock music with more traditional and historical Cambodian tunes.

But Hun Sen applauded a compromise in which the rock opera's creators agreed to make three specific edits after meeting with clergy and government officials.

"It's good that they (the authors) found a solution by making an apology and a promise of change," Hun Sen said during his speech.

The show tells the story of a Cambodian-American man who returns after the demise of the 1970s Khmer Rouge regime to reconnect with his roots. While he is a monk, he falls into a doomed love affair with a pop singer.

After a successful run in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh last November and December, organisers are in discussions to resume its broadcast and remount the production in tourist hub Siem Reap next year.

There are also plans for the opera to tour South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and the United States.

Prime Minister Hun Sen Explains the Change in the Position of the Commander-in-Chief - Saturday, 7.2.2009

Posted on 9 February 2009
The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 598

“Phnom Penh: Rumors about the reasons for the removal, two weeks ago, of General Ke Kim Yan moved Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen on Friday 6 February 2009 to clearly explain that the removal of the commander-in-chief was part of the ongoing military reform, but it was not the result of internal disputes in the Cambodian People’s Party [CPP], the party ruling the country.

“Speaking to journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Samdech Hun Sen said that he is aware that some people say that the removal of the commander-in-chief is to strengthen the forces of Hun Sen and to diminish the forces of Samdech Chea Sim. But Samdech [Hun Sen] added that even if Mr. Ke Kim Yan were still the commander-in-chief, there would be no problem in the CPP.

“Together with this claim, Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen went on to say that General Ke Kim Yan is still a general, having protection forces for which the government has to be responsible. As for the party’s affairs, Mr. Ke Kim Yan is still a permanent member of the Central Committee of the CPP, and head of a certain working group in Banteay Meanchey.

“With reference to the motions in the CPP, raised in public opinions recently, Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen stressed that military adjustments are normal in military reforms, when the government wants to improve efficiency, just as in reforms in other sectors. But this time, this is not happening in the form of a slow method, but Samdech Hun Sen wants that it happens faster in order to be in line with the present situation.

“As for the rights of a prime minister, since the time when Samdech took over the office as prime minister for the first time in 1985, Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen said that for all decisions about any reforms or changes in appointments, the prime minister did not need to ask for ideas from the party.

“As mentioned above, Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen warned opposition groups and accused them of provoking fractional splits among the CPP, using the information about the removal of General Ke Kim Yan as the commander-in-chief.

“Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen warned, ‘Anyone and any party which dares to interfere in CPP affairs, that person and that party will not have peace. I will fight until your last shelter is no more, like with the Funcinpec in 1997. And now, all commentators, please stop making comments to split the CPP into factions and opposition,’ where Samdech seemed to refer to the Sam Rainsy Party, which nowadays should be able to control their own party members.

“Mr. Yim Sovann added that real military reform has not only to do with the change of persons among the top leadership, but it is also necessary to check the salaries of the military, to check weapons, medicines, and the livelihood of military families. Another point is that all military commanders must be neutral in their attitudes and thinking, and they must not be involved with any political party, in order to avoid conflicts of interest in fulfilling their roles.”

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #4815, 7.2.2009
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Saturday, 7 February 2009

NGO website barred in Cambodia for releasing scathing report

Xinhua
Updated: 2009-02-09

PHNOM PENH -- The website of UK-based corruption watchdog the Global Witness has been blocked for some local web users following its release of a scathing report on Cambodia's nascent oil and mining industries last week, national media said on Monday.

AngkorNet, one of the kingdom's leading internet service providers (ISP), had blocked the site over the weekend in a manner consistent with a deliberate attempt to prevent access, English- language newspaper the Phnom Penh Post quoted Norbert Klein, editor of the online Cambodia Mirror, as saying.

"This doesn't happen automatically. Somebody somewhere must have done something," he said, adding that the block could either have originated with the ISP itself, or "somewhere further upstream."

AngkorNet representatives confirmed the Global Witness site was barred to its customers, but could not provide further details into the reasons for the restricted access.

The 70-page "Country for Sale" report accused corrupt ruling elites of monopolizing the kingdom's mining and oil industries, aided by a "total lack" of transparency.

The report has drawn fierce criticism from Cambodian government officials since its release on January 5.

Great King of Cambodia Pays Respects to Kim Jong Il

Pyongyang, February 8 (KCNA) -- Great King of Cambodia Norodom Sihanouk sent a large basket of flowers to the DPRK embassy in Phnom Penh on the occasion of the birthday of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.

Written on the ribbon of the basket were letters reading "Glory to H.E. Kim Jong Il, the great leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Cambodian Great King Norodom Sihanouk."

Upon the authorization of the great king, a delegation of the Ministry of the Royal Palace of Cambodia led by Kong Sam Ol, deputy prime minister in charge of the royal palace, visited the DPRK embassy on February 3, 2009 to place the floral basket before the portraits of PresidentKim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.

Preah Vihear set to reopen

By the nation
Published on February 9, 2009

The 11th-century Preah Vihear Temple will reopen tomorrow after being closed for months.

Seni Jitkasem, governor of Si Sa Ket province, where the entrance to the hill-top Hindu temple is situated, said the decision to reopen was taken because the Thai-Cambodian border situation had returned to normal.

Cambodia last year unilaterally got the temple listed as as a Unesco World Heritage Site, even though access to the ancient site is on Thai soil.

Seni said Lt-General Wibulsak Neepanm the commander-in-chief of the second region army, had endorsed the reopening of Thailand's Phra Viharn national park.

Phra Viharn is the Thai name of the Hindu temple whose original name was Preah Vihear.

"The reopening would benefit local tourism and related businesses. Tomorrow, we would reopen the entrance to the temple unofficially to welcome Thai and foreign visitors ahead of Valentine's Day which falls on February 14.

"In the second stage, we will prepare for a grand opening ceremony around April this year. We'll turn the Phra Viharn or Pa Mor E-daeng national park into a major tourist attraction in northeastern Thailand. "Initially, we will allow only Thai vendors and businesses inside the park," he said.

The Preah Vihear Temple became a hot political issue last year between the two countries when former foreign minister Noppadon Pattama was accused of mishandling the sensitive bilateral issue regarding Cambodia's listing it as a Unesco World Heritage Site.

BREAKING NEWS Australia: 86 dead in fires 08 February

Australia: 86 dead in fires
World 08 February 11:42

76 people have so far died in forest fires that affected southern Australia. According to news agency AP, it is the worst fire disaster ever to hit the island. Around 700 houses have been destroyed and over 4000 people evacuated.

Accompanying the flames is one of the most powerful heat waves in memory, with temperatures in parts of Melbourne reaching 48 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit) in the last few weeks. Dozens of heat-related deaths have been reported.

By Sunday, the temperatures had dropped to the mid-20s in the area.


The fires were being fought mostly with aircraft, except in areas where homes were at risk, authorities said.

In northern Australia, 60 percent of the state of Queensland was flooded, officials reported, and residents were warned to be on the lookout for crocodiles in urban areas.

Still, despite earlier reports, the fires have not posed a significant threat to more populous areas, including Melbourne, as they sweep across rural outskirts of southeastern Australia, Walshe said.

By Sunday afternoon, eight major fires were burning through Victoria, destroying hundreds of thousands of acres, said Daniel Connell, spokesman for the state's Country Fire Authority. The largest blaze has centered around Kinglake, where 100,000 hectares (247,000 acres) have burned down.

Another fire ravaged 90,000 hectares in Churchill, about 160 km (100 miles) southeast of Melbourne.

In Victoria, 30 blazes were registered in 30 hours, said Fran Ludgate with the Fire Protection Association

The New South Wales Rural Fire Service asked residents to remain indoors and close all windows, as winds continued to push smoke from the bush into the Sydney metropolitan area.

Sue McMahon thought she could stay in her home as wildfires burned, but changed her mind after taking a look at the blackening sky in Victoria

Key South East Asian Countries Rank Low in Budget Transparency

S. Korean Deputy Trade Minister Ahn Ho-yuang shows a copy of newspaper featuring a protest in S. Korea during the World Economic Forum on East Asia (File)

VOA
By Ron Corben
Bangkok
08 February 2009

A new survey indicates several South East Asian countries rank poorly in providing accessible and transparent information on their national budgets, raising fears of corruption in spending programs. Survey by the Washington-based International Budget Partnership says for many countries minor steps could be taken to improve transparency and accountability.

According to the Washington-based International Budget Partnership, most countries fall short in providing readily available information on budgets and spending programs.

Malou Mangahas, executive director of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, says access to budget documents is a major challenge. The IBP says in many countries the public is simply shut out from the budget formation process.

"The report with you right now gives a very sad story. About 80 per cent of the governments in 85 countries of the world are not transparent about their budget and financial processes," said Mangahas. "The battle that we have really as journalists and development advocates is that that means misuse, abuse, and corruption of public funds continue in small and large measures in many countries."

The International Budget Partnership works with civil organizations in developing countries to analyze, monitor and influence the government budget process. The organization says the aim is to ensure budgets respond to the needs of the poor as well as provide more transparency and accountability.

At the top of the Open Budget Index were the United Kingdom, South Africa, France, New Zealand and United States in providing extensive information in the budget process.

Among the lowest ranking were Angola, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In South East Asia, Vietnam and Cambodia received low rankings, placing among the group of countries that provide little or no information on national budgets.


"The Royal Government of Cambodia provides scant information to the public in terms of central government budget and financial activity during the fiscal year," said Kim Song Chea, of the non-government organization, Forum on Cambodia.

Song Chea says Cambodia faces a number of challenges. He says the country lacks funds to boost the auditing process and has few means to press the government to enact freedom of information laws.

Song Chea says foreign donors, key contributors to Cambodia's development budget, need to press the government on issues of accountability.

According to the report, the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand also fell short in transparency and information on national budgets. Only Indonesia showed signs of progress towards reform over recent years.

Khairiah Makhtaruddin, a researcher with the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute in Kuala Lumpur, says the Malaysian government offers little chance for public participation in the budget process.

She says the government should improve the parliamentary review processes to raise levels of transparency.

Only Indonesia ranked better than 50 per cent in providing "significant information" to the public in its budget documents, with an improvement following reforms by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Finance at the national level.

The IBP called on governments to take urgent action to improve budget transparency and accountability, calling on international donors to add their weight along with civil society to publicize and demand explanations from governments to provide more information on spending programs.

The Washington-based organization recommended governments provide more timely information on the Internet and improve public accessibility to pre-budget documents. It also called for more debate and wider distribution of information through radio in countries where literacy rates are low.

Rules to follow when registering Cambodian spouse

The Korean Herald
Monday, February 9, 2009

International marriages are becoming more and more common not only in the big cities of Seoul and Busan but even more so in the farming communities and countryside.

According to the National Statistics Office, for every eight married couples in Korea, one is an international or interracial marriage.

The Cambodian Embassy receives at least one call per day concerning the proper paperwork that needs to be completed for the Korean-Cambodian marriage to be legally binding in Cambodia.

The embassy explained that applicants must submit their request with a duly completed application form to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia through the embassy.

Application forms must be submitted with a certificate of celibacy or late spouse's death certificate or divorce verdict, criminal records, certificate of profession and monthly income, medical certificate issued by an officially recognized Cambodian medical institution, copy of passport and entry visa into Cambodia and family record book.

Furthermore the embassy said that all marriage applicants are not under any legal obligation or requirement to be a member of any association or organization to be eligible for marriage with a Cambodian citizen.

The embassy also advised against engaging an intermediary agency or association which constitutes a violation of Cambodian law.

By Yoav Cerralbo

Cambodia strengthens Vietnamese trade with economic zones

THANHNIEN
Sunday, February 8, 2009

Cambodia has licensed six special economic zones along its border with Vietnam to boost bilateral trade, according to the Council for Development in Cambodia (CDC).

Of the six SEZs, two are already operational and the rest are still under construction.

The largest, the 100-hectare Phnom Den SEZ along the border with An Giang Province, which cost about US$100 million to build, would house agricultural processing companies and is slated for completion in 2015, the CDC said.

The Phnom Penh Post newswire quoted Kim Sithan, a secretary of state at the Ministry of Commerce, as saying that trade between Cambodia and Vietnam would increase to over $2 billion after this SEZ is completed.

Bilateral trade was an estimated $1.6 billion last year and is expected to reach $2 billion in 2010.

Another Cambodian official was quoted by the Post as saying that Phnom Den would “attract both tourists and businesses because it shares a border with the An Giang Province of Vietnam, which is a high growth region.”

Reported by Vinh Bao

Thailand, Cambodia reach temple agreemeht

Thailand said they will not withdraw any troop from Preah Vihear but Phnom Penh said they reach the agreement with thailand of withdraw the remain troop.

Why they both speak different language?

www.chinaview.cn
2009-02-08



BEIJING, Feb. 8 -- Cambodian Prime Minister, Hun Sen, says Cambodia and Thailand have solved all their main differences in the 8-month-long dispute surrounding the Preah Vihear temple.

Wan Chunning has more on Friday's meeting between Hun Sen and Thai Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan.

The two sides have agreed to withdraw their remaining troops from the disputed pagoda situated near the 900-year-old temple. The troops will be replaced by joint observers next month to facilitate de-mining and border demarcation.

Hun Sen told reporters after the meeting that the two sides have agreed to jointly demarcate the area.

Hun Sen, said, "I think we can accept the agreement that there are no troops in the area around Preah Vihear (PREH VEE-HEAR) pagoda and temple. We also agree to create a temporary task force to de-mine together in that area and also create a border committee to determine the border demarcation. So I think that area is no longer an area where there is confrontation by the two armies."

He also said the two neighbors will work together to develop the area for tourism.

One Thai and three Cambodian soldiers died in an exchange of rifle and rocket fire near the temple in October. Both sides accused the each other of starting the violence.

The Preah Vihear temple sits on an escarpment that forms a natural border between the two countries, and has been a source of tension for generations.

(Source: CCTV.com)

Editor: Mo Hong'e