Some Cambodian Youth Do Not Respect Traffic Law

UAE, Cambodia initial Air Services Agreement

H.E Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and Mr. .Chea Aoun while signing the ASA agreement with representatives from both countries.

via CAAI

25 December 2010

 DUBAI - The United Arab Emirates, represented by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) initialed an Air Services Agreement (ASA) with the Kingdom of Cambodia in Phnom Penh on December22th, 2010.

It is the first time such an agreement is initialed between the two countries, said GCAA in an emailed statement.

The agreement was initialed by Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and Chea Aoun, the Director General of the Secretariat for Civil Aviation of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

The UAE Delegation designated Etihad Airways, Emirates Airline, Air Arabia RAK Airways, and FlyDubai as UAE designated carriers to operate the agreed services between the two countries.

The agreement grants each of the designated carriers one daily flight with third and fourth freedom traffic rights between the two countries and the right to exercise full fifth freedom traffic rights through three (3) intermediate points (Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore) and to three points beyond to be freely selected by the designated carriers.

The two delegations agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding in UAE during the first quarter of 2011.

Cambodia Keen To Sell Rice To Brunei

http://www.brudirect.com/

Written by Sally Piri

Saturday, 25 December 2010

via CAAI

Bandar Seri Begawan - Cambodia, one of the Southeast Asian countries relying on agriculture sector to boost its economy, reiterated its keen interest to export high-quality rice to Brunei.

In an interview with The Brunei Times, Ambassador of Cambodia to Brunei Darussalam Nan Sy said recently that the plan was part of his country's effort to expand cooperation in investment sector.

"We wish that (cooperation in agriculture sector) will soon be coming," the ambassador said.

He said that agriculture has been the most important sector in Cambodia, as it contributes 80 to 85 per cent to its country's economy. While the remaining contributions are received from the tourism sector and mining industry. He said that the country has also been exporting rice to Vietnam and Thailand.

The ambassador recalled that the plan on agriculture cooperation such as rice was previously brought up to the table during the 2008 Cambodia visit of then-permanent secretary at the Brunei's Ministry of Finance Dato Paduka Hj Ali Hj Apong, who is now Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister's Office. During the talk with his Cambodian counterpart, Dato Paduka Hj Ali wished for the Sultanate to buy rice from Cambodia, said Nan Sy.

Cambodia, a country with more than 14 million population, have been enjoying a close affinity with the Sultanate which has been pro-viding scholarship as well as information and technology training assistance to Cambodian students and government officers.

The ambassador said the state visit by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam to Cambodia in 2007 had enhanced the cooperation between the two nations and had opened the path for bilateral cooperation such as technical assistance in oil and gas industry as well as education.

Both states established diplomatic relations on June 9, 1992, which saw bilateral visits by leaders and government officials.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah visited Cambodia for the 17th Asean-EU Ministerial Meeting in 2009. While

Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen attended His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam's 60th birthday celebrations on July 15, 2006. Also, His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni made a state visit to Brunei from 24-25 March 2008. At the ministerial level, Dr Thong Khan, who is the Cambodia's Minister of Tourism has attended the 28th Asean Tourism Forum in January this year.

The bilateral cooperation between the two covers a number of areas including defence, trade and education. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

It's sawasdee, ka, even in Cambodia

via CAAI

Thai courses in the Khmer capital help forge ties with our sometimes distant neighbour

Published: 25/12/2010

Heang Sreychea, 19, a Cambodian student at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, is listening to the Thai traditional Loy Krathong song and singing along to the lyrics displayed on a karaoke TV screen.

Heang Sreychea, 19, a media and communications student at the Royal University ofPhnom Penh, displays the lyrics of a traditional Loy Krathong song at aThailanguageclass. ANUCHACHAROENPO

The young woman is among 27 Cambodian students enrolled in a basic Thai language and culture class run by the university's Institute of Foreign Language (IFL) in the Cambodian capital.

"I want to go to Thailand. That's why I study Thai," said Ms Sreychea, a media and communications student.

"I think Thai is similar to Cambodian. So it isn't too difficult for me to remember Thai words."

The university has taught Thai for five years as an extra-curricular course to promote cultural and educational ties between Thailand and Cambodia.

Three Thais teach the students.

Thai language courses are gaining popularity among Cambodians at the university (RUPP) even though relations between the countries go through ups and downs.

The vice-rector of RUPP and overseer of the IFL, Sous Man, said the university had asked the Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports to upgrade Thai as a major subject at undergraduate level.

This would give Cambodian students more chance to improve their Thai skills, find good jobs with Thai companies and win scholarships to pursue higher degrees in Thailand.

If it allowed the IFL to add the Thai language to its foreign language majors for undergraduate students, more Thai teachers would be needed for the programme, she said.

Since Thai courses have been offered at the IFL, the number of Cambodian students has increased every year.

No more than 35 students are allowed for each course to ensure quality standards can be met.

The IFL has four Thai courses ranging from basic learning to advanced tuition for those who want to learn various techniques and styles in Thai.

Students pay about 1,000 baht for each one-year Thai course.

Sa-ngop Boonkloy, a Thai language teacher from Buri Ram Rajabhat University, has been teaching at the Cambodian university for three years.

He said that after finishing four Thai courses, his Cambodian students were highly qualified and could find decent jobs with Thai companies and the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh.

Some work as interpreters and translators while others are waiting to receive scholarships to study at Thai universities, Mr Sa-ngop said.

"I will try to teach many more Cambodian students to speak and understand Thai because I believe the language will help foster ties between our two countries," he said.

In the same way, he wanted to see more Thai universities teaching the Khmer language to Thai students.

Ly Bonthunnarak, 17, an architect student at RUPP, who has enrolled in the basic Thai language course, said he learns Thai because he wants to help his mother run a flower shop.

The young man's mother has a flower shop in Phnom Penh and travels to Bangkok's Pak Khlong flower market several times a month to place orders. "If I can speak Thai more fluently, I will be able to help," he said.

Thep Pharin, 22, a psychology student at RUPP, has studied Thai for four years because she plans to take scholarship exams to study graduate level psychology in Thailand. "I'm proud I can speak Thai fluently. I have to thank Acharn Sa-ngop for his support," Ms Pharin said.

Annalynne Mccord - Mccord's Charity Christmas In Cambodia

Caption: AnnaLynne McCord (Picture) Spike TV's 2010 Video Game Awards held at The LA Convention Center - Arrivals Los Angeles, California ....

via CAAI

Actress ANNALYNNE MCCORD is spending Christmas Day (25Dec10) in Cambodia to help raise awareness of sex slavery in the country.

The 90210 star jetted to the nation with her sister Angel earlier this week (begs20Dec10), and informed her Twitter.com followers, "Taking off to Cambodia with Angel MCCord and 1 of my BFFs, Melissa H. to spend Christmas with @somalymam  and bring Christmas 2 her girls!"

MCCord was referring to the Somaly Mam Foundation, which aims to help women who have been previously forced into sex slavery.

Taking to her Twitter.com page on Thursday (24Dec10), she writes, "Merry Christmas Eve from Cambodia!"

China's Yunnan businesses seek investment in Cambodia

via CAAI

The Association for Economic Cooperation and Trade Promotion between Yunnan and Southeast and South Asia (ECTPA) on Friday signed an investor facilitation cooperation agreement with Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia, aimed to seek business opportunities in the country.

The agreement was signed by Jammy Gao, president of Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia and Wang Guoliang, vice chairman of the ECTPA.

Under the agreement, when there is an investment delegation from Yunnan province to seek investment opportunity in Cambodia or vice-versa, each party has obligation to assist and arrange meetings with local businesspeople or government officials in order to facilitate them in their investment seeking purpose.

Niu Shaoyao, chairman of the association, said that the delegation consisted of investors from 13 investment companies in Yunnan, which specialize in construction, mining, post express logistics, steel factory, real estate development, technology, and agriculture.

"Our visit to Cambodia is to explore investment opportunities," he said.

During the five-day visit, the delegation has met with Cambodia 's Second Vice President of the Senate Tep Ngorn and Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam On as well as some investors in Cambodia.

"We have learnt that Cambodia has huge potentials and its law is preferential for investors," he said. "Chinese investors in Cambodia have told us their successful experiences in their investments."

"I believed that during the visit, investors from Yunnan would be able to find good investment partners or favorable sectors in Cambodia for their future investment plans," he added.

Jin Yuan, economic and commercial counselor of the Chinese embassy in Cambodia, said during the signing ceremony that even though Cambodia is a small and poor country, but it is an attractive place for foreign investors for its rich natural resources and political stability and its emerging economy.

"It is an opportunity for investors from Yunnan province to do business in Cambodia," he said. "Moreover, the relation between Cambodia and China has reached the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation, which builds more confidence for Chinese investors in Cambodia."

The delegation arrived in Cambodia on Thursday after visiting Laos and Thailand for investment opportunity seeking.

Source: Xinhua

Restaurant Review: Yumi, a Japanese Bistro in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

 via CAAI

By NAOMI LINDT

Published: December 24, 2010

How did an English chef come to open a Japanese bistro in Cambodia?

It actually began on a late night in Shanghai in March 2009, when the chef, Caspar von Hofmannsthal, happened upon an izakaya, a Japanese gastropub, hidden behind an unmarked door.

“It was packed, loud and smoky, but the food was so simple and well-executed,” said Mr. von Hofmannsthal, 28, who previously managed high-end London restaurants like Quo Vadis.

So when the Londoner moved to Phnom Penh two months later, he set out to recreate the izakaya experience, but with a twist.

Mr. von Hofmannsthal opened Yumi in November 2009, turning a garage into a sleek, ambient bistro with recessed lighting, entered through a leafy terrace edged in funky fortified vines.

“We let the ingredients speak for themselves,” Mr. von Hofmannsthal said of the recipes that he and his head chef, Ross Erikson, conceive in Yumi’s open kitchen.

Using locally grown, seasonal products — including whatever’s freshest at the market — Yumi delivers small, artful, sauce-heavy plates of pleasure that are meant to be shared. During a summer visit, these included refreshingly light tempura squid with a ponzu dip spiced up with chilies and garlic, and niku dango, skewered Japanese beef meatballs, dressed in fragrant black pepper from the seaside town of Kampot.

Then, there are the ribs. Sublime, supremely addictive, melt-off-the-bone-and-into-your-mouth ribs: slow cooked, finished off on the yakitori grill, and slathered in katsu sauce.

“People call ahead to ensure we haven’t run out of them,” Mr. von Hofmannsthal said.

Vegetables shone as well. Eggplant wheels were braised to a seductive softness in mirin and soy sauce. A green bean and lotus root salad, in a frothy sesame paste emulsion, delicately balanced tender, woody bamboo root, served with crispy green beans, pumpkin seeds and disks of lotus.

For dessert, the young chef can’t help but return to his childhood. Banoffee, or banana and toffee pie, is a staple of many English families; Yumi’s “deconstructed version” features homemade ice cream accompanied by a Cambodian miniature banana, drizzled with a toffee recipe that the von Hofmannsthals have passed down for generations.

Yumi, 29a Street 288; (855) 92-163-903; theyumi.com. An average meal for two, without drinks or tip, is about $30 (U.S. dollars are widely accepted in Cambodia).

Cambodia accepts apology by WFP

via CAAI

December 25, 2010

PHNOM PENH: Cambodia’s premier said on Friday he accepted an apology from the World Food Programme (WFP) for an incorrect statement about the country’s food security, days after the controversial jailing of a WFP worker.

Cambodian warehouse employee Seng Kunnaka was sentenced on Sunday to six months in prison for printing and distributing anti-government material in a rushed trial.

The arrest came not long after Prime Minister Hun Sen gave a speech in which he attacked the WFP for wrongly claiming Cambodia was vulnerable to food shortages.

WFP has since apologised for the error. A government spokesman had said this week that there was no connection between the arrest and Hun Sen’s attack on WFP.

Agence France-Presse