Courtenay's Cambodian challenge

 via CAAI

5 Jan 11
by Bernie Dowling

OVERSEAS: Courtenay Jensen is now in Cambodia working at a new military clinic

A PINE Rivers nursing student is swapping the Queensland summer for a tough medical environment treating soldiers in a Cambodian health clinic.

Albany Creek’s Courtenay Jensen departed on Wednesday for a four-week volunteer community health placement at a new military clinic at the foot of Phnom Bok Mountain in Cambodia’s northwest.

Ms Jensen and other nursing students from The University of Queensland are accompanying three clinical lecturers.

``I am very excited (but) I am getting a bit nervous,’’ Ms Jensen said.

``I imagine there will be challenges to our skills but it will be good to practise nursing in a place which really needs it.’‘

Ms Jensen, 19, is halfway through her nursing and midwifery studies.

She said students had heard some of the discussion on the ban of midwives at home births unless a doctor was present.

``We have heard a little bit about it, but it is not affecting us at this stage,’’ she said.

Ms Jensen said she liked her course as it provided both academic and practical training.

The students will return from Cambodia in the first week of February.

PM denies border tour was secret

via CAAI

Published: 5/01/2011

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has addressed a news conference to explain a YouTube video clip which shows Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth making a phone call to someone to tell Mr Abhisit's secretary, Somkiart Krongwatanasuk, that he and six other Thais were crossing the border into Cambodia just before they were arrested last Wednesday by Cambodian soldiers. The following are the prime minister's responses to questions from reporters.

Did you order Mr Panich to go on this trip?

I assigned Mr Panich to coordinate with a group of people who do not understand the Thai-Cambodian problem, to ease the conflict in Thai society to prevent it from escalating and affecting the Thai-Cambodian relationship.

Mr Panich reported to me that there were local people who had problems using land along the border. He wanted to go to the area to take care of this issue.

He told me he would go to Prachin Buri, not Sa Kaeo. He also asked me how he could coordinate with the local authorities. I told him to call me when he arrived in the area where he needed to coordinate with the authorities.

Mr Panich's secretary called me after he [Mr Panich] was arrested.

Why did Mr Panich tell somebody to tell your secretary not to tell anybody [that he was inside Cambodian territory]?

Mr Panich informed only me about the trip. If the PM's secretary was to report to other people, they would not understand. So he had to inform me. It was not a secret mission.

Didn't Mr Panich coordinate with the local authorities?

That area was under the responsibility of the Border Patrol Police. We need to find out what happened with the Border Patrol Police checkpoints along the road and why there were no policemen on it that day.

This is not the time to criticise anybody. We will find out when the situation eases.

Have you watched the video clip?

Yes, I have. The clip should be more than four minutes long. The person who posted it on YouTube cut it to a little over one minute.

[Mr Panich] said [in the uncut version of the clip] he believed he was in Thai territory and heading for boundary marker No.46.

We should not make an assumption from the cut version of the video clip [in which Mr Panich was seen speaking on the phone] that he was going into Cambodia and that I was aware of it.

Will this clip make it more difficult for the government to help the seven Thais who were arrested?

There is no indication there will be a problem. I have ordered relevant agencies to follow this issue closely.

Foreign Minister Kasit [Piromya] went to Cambodia and was given the video clip, which lasted more than 20 minutes.

We brought the video back and sent a Thai official on Dec 31 to go to the areas shown in the video [with the cooperation of the Cambodian authorities] to find the exact location where the Thai people were arrested.

Officials tried to locate the area on maps the next day but the existing maps lack the detail of roads and geographic conditions, which makes the identification difficult.

Did you know Veera Somkwamkid, a coordinator with the People's Alliance for Democracy, would also be on the trip?

[Mr Panich] didn't tell me he would go with Mr Veera. He told me only he would go with Mr Samdin [Lertbutr, a PAD activist].

In the video clip, when the Cambodian authorities ask him why he did not coordinate with anybody, he said he didn't find anybody when he passed the Border Patrol Police checkpoints. This is a fact that I know.

So far, I have not yet talked to Mr Panich and I don't want the issue to escalate.

Is the relationship with Cambodia still normal?

You mean now? It's normal. Please let me work on the issue first.

PM's Son Faces Reform Challenge

 via CAAI

2011-01-04

Following his two-star general appointment, critics pressure Hun Sen’s son to clean up Cambodia’s military image.

AFP

Hun Sen salutes during a military parade in Phnom Penh, Oct. 13, 2009.

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen has made his fast-rising son a two-star general amid pressure to reform the country's tainted military.

Hun Manet, a West Point graduate with a doctorate in economics, was appointed deputy infantry commander-in-chief in the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF).

He currently serves as chief of his father’s bodyguard unit as well as head of the anti-terrorist unit at Cambodia’s Ministry of Defense.

A key challenge facing Hun Manet is reforming the Cambodian military, which has been accused of human rights abuses by various organizations and the U.S. State Department.

Phil Robertson, deputy director of the Asia division at Human Rights Watch in Bangkok, said Hun Sen’s bodyguard unit itself was involved in rights abuses and that Hun Manet faced an enormous challenge in any bid to clean up the military's tarnished image.

“He should … take on the human rights record of the RCAF because many of the units in the RCAF have abused human rights, so if he wants to take this on as a personal mission or as an objective in order to reform the Cambodian military, we would welcome that,” Robertson said.

“But we want to see some action, we don’t just want to hear words. We would want to see clear evidence that there are reforms taking place and that persons who have been responsible for human rights abuses are held accountable,” Robertson said.

Stepping stone

Outspoken Cambodian opposition MP Mu Sochua felt the appointment was temporary and a stepping stone for a "higher position," saying she might not seriously consider restructuring the infantry.

“I don’t oppose the promotion of Hun Sen’s son, because he is qualified for the job, but I’m concerned that he has too many positions,” said the parliamentarian for Kompot province.

According to New York-based Human Rights Watch, Hun Sen's personal bodyguard unit has been linked to a deadly March 1997 grenade attack on the political opposition.

Aside from the charge, various Cambodian military units have been accused of summary executions, arbitrary detentions, political violence, torture, illegal logging and farmland seizures, Human Rights Watch said.

"Cambodian military personnel are not held accountable for serious rights violations. Instead, Hun Sen has promoted military officers implicated in torture, extrajudicial killings, and political violence," the rights group had charged on its website last year.

Hun Sen, 58, is the longest serving leader in Southeast Asia, having ruled Cambodia since 1985. Observers have long speculated, according to local newspaper The Phnom Penh Post, that Hun Manet is being groomed as a potential successor.

Executive director of the Khmer Institute for Democracy Hang Chhaya said that Hun Manet's promotion is “part of the prime minister’s attempt to consolidate power in politics,” the Post reported.

Family involvement

The appointment also highlighted Hun Sen's family involvement in the country's administration and business.

Although Hun Sen's wife Bun Rany holds no elected office, she is addressed as “Lok Chumteav” (Her Excellency), a rank similar to secretary of state.

She has also worn a military uniform in public and received salutes from generals in the RCAF, despite a law that forbids civilians from wearing uniforms or impersonating soldiers.

Hun Sen’s eldest daughter, Hun Mana, serves as the general director of the pro-government Bayon Television station.

Hun Sen has promised that he would not let his son replace him. In a 2008 statement, he called Cambodia a democracy that has no place for nepotism in politics.

He has ruled Cambodia nearly uncontested for the past 25 years and said last year that he plans to serve as prime minister for at least 15 more years.

Reported and translated by Yun Samean for RFA’s Khmer service. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.

PM pulls out stops for detainees

Seven Thais expected to face court tomorrow

via CAAI

Published: 5/01/2011

The government is doing all it can to free seven Thais being held in a Cambodian prison, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva says.

Thai Patriots Network and People’s Alliance for Democracy demonstrators gather in front of Aranyaprathet Municipal Office in Sa Kaeo yesterday. The demonstrators held talks with the provincial governor and local security authorities on their plan to rally near the Cambodian border in Khok Sung district to press Phnom Penh to release seven Thais. THITI WANNAMONTHA

Mr Abhisit said after the cabinet meeting yesterday that all contacts at the Foreign, Justice and Defence ministries were being deployed to help the seven.

However, the prime minister made it clear that no high-level contact with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen was needed at this time as it could only complicate the issue.

"This incident happened at the border. It will be best if the judicial process does not take too long," he said.

The issue was tabled yesterday at the cabinet meeting attended by top-level security officers.

The seven Thais being held at Prey Sor prison outside Phnom Penh are expected to appear in court tomorrow. They include Democrat MP for Bangkok Panich Vikitsreth and Veera Somkwamkid, a leading member of the People's Alliance for Democracy.

The seven face charges of entering Cambodia illegally and going into a Cambodian military-controlled area without permission. They were arrested by Cambodian soldiers last Wednesday.

They entered Cambodia from Ban Nong Jan in Sa Kaeo's Khok Sung district to inspect an area which a Thai villager claimed was part of Thailand.

High-ranking Thai officials, including Mr Abhisit, sent a message yesterday that the seven had no intention of entering Cambodia if it is proved that they did enter the country.

Mr Abhisit said that based on the arrested Thais' explanation, he believed they did not intend to trespass because they thought the area belonged to Thailand.

"We have to look into it," he said.

But video footage posted on YouTube at the weekend shows Mr Panich engaged in a telephone conversation with his aide. He is heard saying that he and the six other Thais "were on Cambodian soil".

The former vice minister for foreign affairs also told the aide to pass the message to the prime minister through Mr Abhisit's secretary that he was in Cambodia.

The prime minister told reporters yesterday he had sent Mr Panich to the border to inspect an area which had not been demarcated.

"I assigned Mr Panich to coordinate with a group of people who do not understand the Thai-Cambodian problem, to ease the conflict in Thai society and prevent it from expanding and affecting the Thai-Cambodian relationship," he said.

But the prime minister stopped short of making clear whether he knew that the MP had decided to cross into Cambodia.

"We should not make an assumption from the cut version of the video clip [in which Mr Panich was seen speaking on the phone] that he was going into Cambodia and that I was aware of it," he said.

Acting government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said yesterday Mr Panich's delegation did not intentionally intrude on Cambodian soil. He also said Cambodian authorities refused to release the group because a member of the group had previously entered Cambodia. Mr Panitan was apparently referring to Mr Veera.

Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, secretary to the Thai foreign minister, said the Foreign Affairs Ministry would seek bail for the seven if the court allowed their temporary release.

Pracha Prasopdee, an opposition Puea Thai Party MP and chair of the lower house committee on justice and human rights, said the video clip of Mr Panich should prompt Cambodia to question the intention of the Thai prime minister.

Mr Pracha said he was ready to ask former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is close to Hun Sen, to lobby for the release of the seven Thais if the Thai government was unable to do so.Defence Ministry spokesman Thanathip Sawangsaeng said the ministry was considering filing a lawsuit against Chaiwat Sinsuwong, a leader of the Thai Patriots Network, after he accused Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon of asking a Cambodian general to arrest the group of seven Thais and of seeking their release when he learned later that the group included Mr Panich.

The spokesman denied the allegation.

Meanwhile, Suthiphon Thaveechaiyagarn, secretary-general of the Election Commission, said the commission was looking into the Panich issue and would review his status as an MP. An MP will lose his seat if he is jailed by a court order.

The EC wants to know if Mr Panich's present detention was ordered by a court. He is a first-time MP who won his seat in a Bangkok by-election last July.

Thai Protesters Demand Cambodia Release Seven Thai Nationals

http://english.ntdtv.com/

via CAAI

2011-01-04

About 150 protesters rally at the Thai-Cambodia border of Sa Kaew Province Tuesday. They are demanding the release of seven Thais who were detained and charged with illegal entry into Cambodian territory.

The detainees entered the disputed territory along the border on December 29th.

The protest leader says the land where the Cambodian army arrested the men, belongs to Thailand.

[Chaiwat Sinsuwong, Protest Leader]:

"The land deed document was issued by the Thai government in 1974. The document was verified by Thai authorities last year."

Protesters carried banners and Thai national flags during the peaceful demonstration.

They also urged the Thai government to speed up the process to release the detained men.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva also calls for their immediate release and says a case concerning a disputed border area should be settled out of court.

The 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple is at the center of the dispute.

The International Court of Justice awarded Preah Vihear to Cambodia in 1962 but Thailand lays claim too much of the land surrounding it.

Ties'at risk' if Phnom Penh drags out case

 via CAAI

By Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation
Published on January 5, 2011

Kasit wants Cabinet to review relations if no progress in two days

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya wants the Cabinet to review Thailand's relations with Cambodia unless Phnom Penh makes progress with the case of the seven arrested Thai nationals, including Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth, in the next couple of days, a government source said.

Kasit told the Cabinet meeting yesterday that he had failed to talk Cambodian authorities into settling the case out of court, because Phnom Penh was angry with some members of the group, especially yellowshirt activist Veera Somkwamkid, who was caught twice in the same location, the source said.

Panich, Veera and the other yellowshirt activists were arrested last Wednesday on Cambodian soil near Sa Kaew's Bang Nong Chan community while allegedly inspecting the disputed border area.

Veera was captured at the same location in August when he and his group crossed the border illegally. He was released shortly afterwards thanks to help from the border police.

This time, though, Phnom Penh is taking the case seriously and is prosecuting the intruders. However, a Cambodian senior security source said Panich might be given bail because he apparently had no intention to provoke arrest.

Kasit said on television that though the government was unable to intervene in the Cambodian justice system, he hoped the authorities in Phnom Penh would speed up the process. Illegal entry is not a serious crime and they do not deserve tough punishment, he said.

"Our relations are improving and I hope Cambodia does not take this minor case of illegal entry so seriously. Otherwise, we would need to review our relations," he said.

Information from the Royal Thai Survey Department indicated that the group had gone just 55 metres into Cambodian territory, Kasit said.

A series of leaked video clips showed that Panich was speaking on the phone with an unknown person and wanted this person to tell Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva that he was walking into Cambodia and wanted them to keep in touch in case "something" happens.

Abhisit said he was aware of Panich's trip to the border area but did not expect him to go that far. He said he had simply told Panich to listen to members of the People's Alliance for Democracy movement, who have problems with the boundary area.

Government spokesman Panithan Wattanayakorn said Panich had told Abhisit that he would visit the border area in Prachin Buri province. "However, he changed the destination. If Panich had informed the prime minister that he would enter Cambodia, the premier would have stopped him."

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said the video clip posted on YouTube had put Thailand at a disadvantage.

A Phnom Penh court has charged the seven Thais with illegal entry and unlawfully entering a military base, which could see each of them getting a combined jail term of 18 months if convicted.

Kasit said the Foreign Ministry had provided legal assistance by hiring a lawyer to defend the group and assigned officials at the Thai Embassy to monitor their wellbeing in prison. He said the court would hold the first hearing on Thursday tomorrow and that the group had the right to request bail.

Meanwhile, a group of about 200 yellowshirt protesters, led by former industry minister Chaiwat Sinsuwong, rallied at a border market in Sa Kaew province, demanding that the government help rescue their compatriots.

However, residents of Bang Nong Chan and Non Mak Moon communities were against this gathering and about 800 of them gathered at the subdistrict administration office demanding that the yellow shirts be kept out. They said they did not want their peace to be disturbed and that people on both sides of the border could live together peacefully even though the governments were in a conflict over the boundary.

A snake, a duck, a Cambodian and an American

via CAAI

By Sarah Morris

Daily Leader

Posted Jan 04, 2011

Stuttgart, Ark. — Good luck and happiness was ensured for hundreds of Cambodians recently after they attended the wedding of two pythons.

The pair of snakes were tied in matrimony after fortune-tellers warned that they belonged together and would bring bad tidings if not married. Their wedding brought good luck and happiness to the country's villages, the bride's owner told media.

It is an unusual — and eye-catching — story to read on a Monday morning. It is also a glaring reminder of the vast differences between the world's various cultures.

In Arkansas, I am confident that most residents would not have heeded this prediction and, instead, made it a source of jokes. I am even more confident that the wedding turnout — if held in Arkansas — would not come close to the Cambodian wedding turnout.

Although, I am also confident that most Cambodians would not attend a duck-calling contest or even understand the point of it.

Regardless of each other's skepticism, the two events highlight the beliefs and interests of citizens in two vastly different places.

In today's world of advanced technology, bridging the gap between these different cultures is an easier feat. Thanks to the Internet, I am able to read stories or see pictures on other countries' customs and beliefs and, through it, learn and be able to understand more about these world residents, whether they are from Cambodia or another nation.

Technology really is a handy tool in an already merging society where it is not uncommon to travel the world for jobs, internships or for no reason at all. It is also a necessary tool if all of the world's residents are wanting to coexist in a thriving world that is constantly globalizing the way society works: More International businesses, relationships and social globe-trotting.

The story of the snakes’ wedding reminded me of an Egyptian-American dialogue I participated in during an internship experience in Washington, D.C. The dialogue between junior and senior college students consisted of 16 Egyptians and 18 Americans.

In 40 minutes, we discussed the Gaza War and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, the Obama administration and U.S. Relations with the Arab and Muslim world as well as correcting negative stereotypes between Americans and Arabs and Muslims.

It was an eye-opening experience to see the way culture impacts the viewer's take on events, and how the different political structures of the two countries impacted these outlooks and how they were expressed.

It is often easy to downplay the broadening multicultural impacts on the local community by looking only on the state and national level, but its important to recognize that its affect also touches the local level, both positive and negative. There are thriving Mexican, Chinese and Greek restaurants, and the county's literacy council actively teaches English as a Second Language to immigrants.

The schools also teach Spanish, and several of our residents go on missionary trips and study abroad trips to respectively respond to a nation's need or to gain a further understanding of the nation.

However to the same degree, there is also a degree of skeptical attitude regarding the legal status of every immigrant.

In the end, I guess it boils down to a need for everyone to understand and respect each other's cultures and beliefs regardless of whether they agree or understand.

So while a marriage between two pythons might seem a bit odd to us, just remember it's a source of comfort to some and a difference of opinion before passing judgment.

Leopard Cambodia Fund backs local microfinance group IPR

http://www.altassets.com/

via CAAI

04 Jan 2011. Source: AltAssets

Developing market-focused private equity group Leopard Capital has acquired a 33.7 per cent stake in a Cambodian microfinance institution (MFI), Intean Poalroath Rongroeurng (IPR).

The Cayman Islands-domiciled firm’s Leopard Cambodia Fund will back IPR, giving it the capital to fund new microfinance loans and update its information technology systems.

“IPR is unique among local MFIs as it supports Cambodia’s rice industry by helping farmers invest in better seeds, fertiliser and equipment,” said Douglas Clayton, Leopard Capital’s CEO.

The company was established and granted a MFI license in 2005. It was set up by entrepreneur Okhna Phou Puy in response to capital constraints faced by the Federation of Cambodian Rice Millers Association, of which he serves as Chairman.

Okhna Phou Puy is based in Battambang, Cambodia’s second largest city, and has set up businesses in rice milling, microfinance, consumer goods distribution,and real estate development primarily in Northwest Cambodia.

IPR provides individual loans to farmers and small agricultural businesses primarily in rural areas of Cambodia. The business offers working loans of between one and 12 months and investment loans from 12 to 36 months.

It operates in six provinces in Cambodia and has its headquarters in Phnom Penh.

“Leopard’s participation will help strengthen our management and reporting systems while facilitating further expansion of our loan book, foreign borrowings, and branch network,” said Hort Bun Song, CEO of IPR.

The Leopard Cambodia Fund, the southeast Asian country’s first private equity fund. was launched in April 2008, and raised $34m even during global financial turmoil.

It has since made eight investments in Cambodia in the telecommunications, banking, agriculture, food processing, energy, and housing sectors.

Leopard has raised other funds to invest in other Asian countries including Laos, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Road Deaths Leveled Off in 2010: Report

Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Tuesday, 04 January 2011

via CAAI

Photo: by VOA Khmer

"The slight decrease in fatalities was linked to stricter enforcement of helmet laws and measures to prevent drunk driving."

More than 1,600 Cambodians died in road accidents in 2010, a number that has leveled off compared to the previous year, officials said Tuesday.

Him Yan, director of the Interior Ministry’s department of public order, said the death toll had dropped by five people, from 1,654 in 2009, while the number of injured also fell, by 770 people from 10,310 last year.

The slight decrease in fatalities was linked to stricter enforcement of helmet laws and measures to prevent drunk driving, Him Yan said. This was done through stricter law enforcement overall and public awareness campaigns, as well as the construction of better roads, he said.

In an annual report discussed by police and road safety advocates in Phnom Penh on Tuesday, speeding was identified as the No. 1 cause of accidents, accounting for nearly half, while drunk driving accounted for about 12 percent. Other causes include drivers not respecting the right-of-way, carelessness, and breaking of traffic laws.

Kong Sovan, a project manager for traffic safety for the World Health Organization, said tighter controls on helmet use and crackdowns on drunk drivers helped.

“In addition, we've provided training and professional equipment and materials to police to strengthen traffic laws and reduce road accidents in the future,” he said.

Prime Minister Hun Sen last year lambasted road accidents as the leading cause of death for Cambodians.

Sa Hua, undersecretary of state for the Ministry of Health, said road accidents were a cause for concern not only for people's health, but the national economy as well.

Seven Thais To Be Questioned by Courts This Week

Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Tuesday, 04 January 2011

via CAAI

Photo: AP

The seven Thais, including a member of parliament, were arrested in Banteay Meanchey province last week, sparking protests in Bangkok and along the border.

Phnom Penh Municipal Court this week will question seven high-profile Thais who are charged with illegally entering the country, lawyers said Tuesday.

The seven Thais, including a member of parliament, were arrested in Banteay Meanchey province last week, sparking protests in Bangkok and along the border, but officials from both sides say there will be no political release.

Ros Oun, a lawyer for three of the defendants, including Panich Vikitsreth, a member of the Democrat Party, said he was notified by the courts Tuesday morning that his clients will be questioned. He is preparing documents to request their release on bail, he said.

Pich Vicheka, who is representing the other four Thais, said he will seek to prove they did not intend to cross the border.

Thai media reports have said the five men and two women were on a fact-finding mission investigating Thai claims of Cambodian border encroachment, a politically sensitive topic following nearly two and a half years of military tension over disputed border areas.

The Bangkok Post reported Tuesday that Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva admitted to sending Panich Vikitsreth to the border with a delegation and that the incident is a high priority for Cabinet discussions.

AKP - Agent Kampuchea Press

via CAAI

Senate President Presides Over the 19th Buddhist Monks General Assembly

Phnom Penh, January 4, 2011 AKP -- The 19th Buddhist Monks General Assembly was held at Chaktomuk Conference Hall in Phnom on Jan. 3 in the presence of Senate President Samdech Akka Moha Thamma Pothisal Chea Sim.

The assembly takes place for two days, during which the Buddhist works implemented in the past by the monks were reviewed, the discussion relating to the current Buddhist field was held and the objective for strengthening the management structure was set, said H.E. Min Khin, minister of Cults and Religion.

In his remarks at the function, Samdech Chea Sim treated Buddhism as a path leading to a good behavior and harmonious society, thus contributing to the strengthening the good governance and the social works of the royal government.

The Senate president appreciated the Buddhist followers for training and educating themselves as having said in the Buddhism observance of the “Tripitaka” (Three Baskets).

He also urged the Cambodian countrymen to remove all bad feelings and behaviors by taking the Buddhism discipline for the peaceful living and harmony in the society.

Now, about 56,300 monks served in 4,466 Wats (Pagodas) in Cambodia, according to a report delivered by the Ministry of Cults and Religion. --AKP

By THOU Peou

-------------------

AKP/02

South Korean Bank Provides Fund for Dam Development Project

Phnom Penh, January 4, 2011 AKP -- The Export-Import Bank of Korea has provided a total loan of approximately US$19 million for the Mongkol Borey Dam Development project and a hydro-electricity plant in Battambang province, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance H.E. Keat Chhon signed here last Friday the loan agreement with a representative of the bank.

The loan agreement worth of US$18.7 million will be used for the Mongkol Borey Dam development project and a hydro-electricity plant construction project in Battambang province, said H.E. Keat Chhon, indicating that it is the 10th of its kind, bringing the total number of aid from the Republic of Korea to Cambodia since 2001 to US$268 million.

The above said project is part of the royal government’s efforts to cope with the impacts of the global financial crisis, he said, adding that the project will also support the government policy in promoting the rice production and export. --AKP

By Neou

-------------------

AKP/03

Government Confers Top Appreciation Award to GTZ

Phnom Penh, January 4, 2011 AKP -- Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance H.E. Keat Chhon conferred here on Dec. 31, 2010 Cambodia’s top appreciation award to the German Development Cooperation (GTZ) for the organization’s committed partnership to fasten the country’s poverty reduction.

“GTZ has brought about various quality achievements and acted as government’s key development partners. Those achievements are government’s priorities to fight the poverty,” said H.E. Keat Chhon when awarding the German organization at the Council for the Development of Cambodia.

As a priority development partner of the Royal Government of Cambodia, GTZ has been implementing a wide range of development projects at all levels in Cambodia with primary funding source from the Federal Republic of Germany.

From 1992 to 2009, Germany has granted assistance to Cambodia with the total amount of US$280 million, making the country the fifth top aid donor to Cambodia after China, Japan, the United States of America and France. --AKP

By MOM Chan Dara Soleil

-------------------

AKP/04

Information Minister Visits Deaf and Dumb Pupils in Kampong Cham

Phnom Penh, January 4, 2011 AKP -- Information Minister H.E. Khieu Kanharith and his spouse together with government officials from the Ministry of Information held a get-together today with deaf and dumb pupils at Kampong Cham’s Kruosar Thmey School for Deaf and Dumb Children.

Speaking on the occasion, the Cambodian Information minister said the government has paid keen attention to the well-being and the future of the disabled people.

“At least 1 to 2 percent of employment shall be reserved for the disabled in Cambodia or a fine shall be applied on any refusal to recruit the capable disabled applicants,” H.E. Khieu Kanharith said.

Wishing them the best for the year of 2011, the minister gave away donation to the 170 disabled pupils and all staff of the school.

The school hosts about 170 deaf and dumb children, staffed by 27 education officers with class ranging from 1st through 8th grade of general education. --AKP

By OUK Kimseng

-------------------

AKP/05

CMAC To Begin Exploring UXO This Month

Phnom Penh, January 4, 2011 AKP -- Under the financial support from the government of Norway, Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC) will begin exploring unexploded ordnance (UXO) this month in some provinces.

This is the first time that CMAC set to explore UXO and explosive remnants of war, said yesterday Mr. Heng Ratana, director general of CMAC.

We have so far conducted exploration only on mine-suspected areas, but as the number of UXO victims has increased, we have decided to search for the number of UXO and explosive remnants of war throughout the country, he explained.

The one-year UXO’s exploration will start in Kampong Cham, Prey Veng, Svay Rieng, Kratie and Stung Treng provinces at the total cost of more than US$200,000, he said.

According to CMAC, there were 260 victims of UXO during the first eleven months of 2010, of them 70 were killed, 129 were injured and 41 were crippled, showing an increase of 50 victims if compared to the same period of 2009. --AKP

By LIM Nary

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AKP/06

Organic Food on the Rise in Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh, January 4, 2011 AKP -- Demand for organic food products is increasing in Phnom Penh, according to a CEDAC (Cambodian Center for the Study and Development of Agriculture) market facilitator.

“The amount of organic vegetables and meat produced is lower than the emerging demand for it – thanks to people’s awareness of the benefit of organic food products,” said CEDAC market facilitator Lang Seng Horn on Jan. 1.

As an organic agricultural product supplier, CEDAC’s endeavor to introduce environment-and-health friendly food items in Cambodia since 1997 has seen the sign of success.

The organization as of now has been working with 3,000 families in the rural areas to produce agricultural food products without using chemical fertilizer. The outputs from these families are channeled to CEDAC markets in Phnom Penh.

For the organic rice supply alone, it increases from 1,500 tons in 2009 to 2,500 tons in 2010.

“In 2011, CEDAC will establish another 20 markets of this kind,” said Mr. Lang Seng Horn adding that the organization planned to expand to 200 markets in 2015 across the country. --AKP

By MOM Chan Dara Soleil

Visitors to Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple increase sharply in 2010

via CAAI

Source: Xinhua

[January 04 2011]

Tourists visiting Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple increased by 3.6 folds in 2010 thanks to good security and better infrastructure in the area, director of Preah Vihear province's tourism department Kong Vibol said on Saturday.

There had been 80,356 people visiting the temple in 2010, increased by 3.6 times from 17,174 people in 2009, he told Xinhua by telephone. Of the figure, the domestic visitors were up 3.7 times to 78,419 from 16,405 and the foreign tourists increased by 1.5 times to 1,937 from 769.

"It's a huge increase of the tourists to the temple in 2010 due to better security and stability as the border tension with Thailand has been eased, and the good condition roads--easy to travel,"said Kong Vibol, adding "so visitors feel safe and more confidence to visit the temple."

Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008. Just a week after the enlistment, Cambodia and Thailand have had border conflict due to Thai claim of the ownership of 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub next to the temple, triggering a military build-up along the border, and periodic clashes between Cambodian and Thai soldiers have resulted in the deaths of troops on both sides.

The border issue, however, has been eased as the top leaders of Cambodia and Thailand have held four meetings since September.

In 2010, the province as a whole received 135,657 tourists, up 119 percent from 61,903 in 2009, Kong Vibol said. Of the figure, foreign tourists were up 32 percent to 11,249 from 8,512 in 2009.

Preah Vihear province has three attractive ancient temples for tourists. They are Preah Vihear temple, Koh Ker temple and Preah Khan Kampong Svay temple.

Thais Visit Relatives Held in Cambodian Prison

http://english.ntdtv.com/

via CAAI

2011-01-03

Seven Thai prisoners detained in a Cambodian prison were granted a visit by their relatives on Monday.

The seven are charged with crossing into Cambodia without permission last Thursday. They are also accused of entering a Cambodian military zone.

Most of the seven are members of the People's Alliance for Democracy, a group also called the yellow shirts. The yellow-shirts are known for whipping up nationalistic sentiment over border disputes with Cambodia. There is no information on whether the relatives will remain in Cambodia for another meeting.

Thai media reports that thousands of protesters are making their way to Sa Kaeo Province to stage a rally to campaign for their release.

Cambodian court set Thursday for hearing - reports

via CAAI

By The Nation

The Cambodian Court sets Thursday for hearing the case of seven Thais, including a Democrat MP, charged with illegal entry into Cambodia.

The hearing will start in the morning and spend about one or two days as there were altogether seven suspects, a Thai media online reported Tuesday.

The seven Thais, including Bangkok MP Panich Vikitsetr and Veera Somkwamkit, an activist, were arrested while inspecting an area in Sa Kaew's Koksung district which is opposite Banteay Meanchay of Cambodia last week.

They were brought to Phnom Penh and detained in a central prison pending trial. They claimed that they were on the Thai soil when they were arrested. However Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya claimed that they were in Cambodia.

Some video clips believed to confiscate from the group by Cambodia troops were posted on the YouTube during the weekend. A clip showed that Panich was well aware that he was really in Cambodia.

Meanwhile Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said the thai authorities were coordinated to help the detained Thais but the video clip of Panich admitting that the group was entering Cambodian territory could cause a disadvantage in defending the case.

Government spokesman Panithan Wattanayakorn said Tuesday that Panich informed Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajvia that he would visit the border area. "However Khun Panich changed the spot of visit," he said.

"If Panich had informed the premier that he would enter Cambodia, the premier would have prevented him from going there."

Chavanond: Help after court process

via CAAI

Published: 4/01/2011

Thai authorities will have to wait for the Phnom Penh Municipal Court's legal process to run its course before they can help the seven Thais charged with illegal entry into Cambodia, assistant to the foreign minister Chavanond Intarakomalyasut said on Tuesday.

"If the legal process goes quickly and the court gives its verdict ... Thailand will hold talks with Cambodia to bring the seven Thais back to this country as soon as possible," Mr Chavanond said.

He said the first hearing is set for Jan 6 at 8am. The Thai embassy in Phnom Penh had hired a defence lawyer.

"The Foreign Ministry is using all available channels to help the detained Thais, but we ask all sides including the Thailand Patriot Network not to make the situation worse.

"It is not yet necessary for us to send a negotiator since Cambodia insists they have to stand trial," he said.

He said Cambodia had given an assurance they would be safe.

"The seven Thais had no intention to intrude into Cambodian territory and they had no intention to spy. It was their duty to investigate a complaint by local villagers," the foreign minister's assistant said.

Thailand urges Cambodia to consider bilateral relations

via CAAI

Jan 4, 2011

THAILAND - THAILAND on Monday urged Cambodia to consider the two neighbours' bilateral relations when dealing with seven Thais, including a Democrat MP, who were arrested and charged with illegal entry into Cambodia last week.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said the Thai government would fully respect Cambodia's laws and decisions on the cases.

'What we should do now is to ask Cambodia to think of the relations between both countries being restored after the unpleasant events of the past,' he said.

Mr Suthep said he was more than ready to go to Cambodia to help the situation if necessary.

'What we could do now is to pray for the Cambodian leader to take into consideration our attempts to restore mutual ties, which have improved after two separate meetings between our prime ministers,' Mr Suthep said.

He said he would wait until after the New Year festival to see if there was any development and reaction from the Phnom Penh side. -- THE NATION/ANN

Ly Phalla (Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries) & Experts' Insights on Rubber Market Outlook at RubberPlant Summit, Cambodia

via CAAI

Tue, 04 Jan 2011

Author : PRWeb

Siem Reap, Cambodia (Vocus/PRWEB) January 04, 2011

Convening 21 to 22 February 2011 in world heritage city Siem Reap, the RubberPlant Summit addresses opportunities for rubber plant investments & best practices in plantation management. It features world-class panel of experts and in-depth analysis of industry outlook in key rubber producing countries including Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia & China.

Rubber prices peaked at a near 30-year high earlier this month, driven by tight supplies in Thailand and growing global demand. Natural rubber producing countries are encouraging investments and new plantations as demand continues to climb.

As the rubber sector heads towards new heights, CMT puts together the timely RubberPlant Summit to address the world rubber industry concerns, from policy developments, to cultivation techniques for increased yield, to agro-economic challenges and more.

The 1.5 day summit will be opened by His Excellency Ly Phalla, Director General of the General Directorate of Rubber, Cambodia. In his keynote address he will give an overview on Cambodia’s outlook and prospects for natural rubber, where the country stands out for her vast land availability and concession incentives for foreign investors.

Program highlights include first-hand insights from the President of Thai Rubber Association, Dr Luckchai Kittipol (CEO of Thai Hua Rubber Public Co. Ltd.) on latest rubber developments in Thailand. With production output forecast to be lower in the coming year, Dr Kittipol will address the challenges and supply constraints in the future as well as developing new areas for rubber cultivation.

Sime Darby Plantation Sdn Bhd’s presentation on Economics of Rubber Cultivation vis-à-vis Oil Palm Cultivation offers valuable tips on diversifying agri-investments.

Those keen on yield improvement should not miss leading researcher CIRAD’s session on breakthroughs in cultivation techniques. Dr. Antoine Leconte, Representative in Thailand, shares on Developments in Innovative Tapping System. Alongside will be IRD’s case study on assessing soil variability in rubber plantations.

Besides, LMC International Ltd will address end-user demands through analysis on latest trends in global tire production and the implications for natural rubber demand.

Other top organizations slated to speak at the summit include:

•Tradewinds Plantation Berhad, sharing on experiences in developing rubber on an ex-sugercane and logged jungle land;

•Vietnam Rubber Association, on Vietnam’s rubber market outlook, challenges and prospects;

•BioFlora Agriculture, on improving rubber tree production in Central America;

•Greenyield Berhad, on potentials for higher natural rubber production in West Africa.

One may access the official event page for full program agenda. For registrations or more information on the summit, contact Hafizah Adam at (65) 6346 9218.

Thai Cabinet Seeks Way To Assist Thai Detainees In Cambodia

via CAAI

BANGKOK, Jan 4 (Bernama) -- The Thai Cabinet has continued seeking ways to assist seven Thai detainees in Cambodia including a member of Parliament from the ruling Democrat Party and a leading activist, Thai News Agency reported Tuesday.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told reporters before the Cabinet's first weekly meeting in 2011 at Government House in Bangkok Tuesday morning that the detention of the seven Thai nationals by Cambodian authorities was among top agenda for the Cabinet's discussions to seek ways for their release.

The seven Thai people, led by the Democrat MP, Panich Vikitsreth, and the leading activist of the yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy(PAD), Veera Somkwamkid, were arrested by Cambodian soldiers in a contentious area along the Thai-Cambodian border claimed by Cambodia last week and have been detained by Phnom Penh on charges of illegal entry into the Cambodian territory.

In response to two video clips distributed on YouTube Monday (Jan 3) in which Panich was heard talking on a mobile phone and telling his secretary to inform Premier Abhisit's personal secretary he was on the Cambodian soil, Abhisit insisted he had only been reported by the Democrat MP that he would travel to a border area.

The Thai leader said, however, that an official press conference would be held after the Thai Cabinet meeting.

Meanwhile, Commanding General of Thailand's First Army Area Command Lieutenant General Udomdej Sitabutr denied making any comment on reports that a group of Thai activists calling themselves "patriotic Thais" planned to stage a rally along the Thai-Cambodian border in the eastern Thai Sa Kaeo Province Tuesday to call for Phnom Penh's release of the seven Thai nationals.

The First Army Area commander said that he would give an interview on the issue Wednesday.

Cambodian leader's son gets military promotion

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/

via CAAI

Jan 4, 2011

Phnom Penh - The eldest son of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen was made a major general in the country's armed forces, local media reported Tuesday, fuelling beliefs that the strongman is grooming a potential successor.

Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for more than a quarter-century, joined the Khmer Rouge movement as a teenager and received limited secondary education. His 33-year-old son, Hun Manet, by contrast, is a 1999 graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point who later earned a doctorate in economics at Britain's University of Bristol.

He received his promotion at a ceremony Monday in Phnom Penh presided over by Defence Minister Tea Banh, who reportedly touted Hun Manet's West Point education in conferring the honour.

'This school is recognized internationally for its distinction in political science, law and military affairs, and in his new position, Manet must use the skills he has learned,' Tea Banh was quoted as saying by the Phnom Penh Post.

Hun Sen, 58, said last year that he plans to serve as premier for perhaps 15 more years and has claimed that he does not want his son to get involved in politics.

Observers said, however, that Hun Manet's rapid rise through Cambodia's military ranks is evidence of the premier's ambitions for his son.

'This is, again, part of the prime minister's attempt to consolidate power in politics,' said Hang Chhaya, executive director of the Khmer Institute for Democracy, a non-governmental organization that promotes democracy. 'This is the way leadership and consolidating power in Cambodia works.'

Videos raise doubts on Thais who entered Cambodia illegally

http://news.asiaone.com/

via CAAI

Tue, Jan 04, 2011

The Nation/Asia News Network

Thailand yesterday urged Cambodia to consider the two neighbours' bilateral relations when dealing with seven Thais, including a Democrat MP, who were arrested and charged with illegal entry into Cambodia last week.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said the Thai government would fully respect Cambodia's laws and decisions on the cases.

"[But] what we should do now is to ask Cambodia to think of the relations between both countries being restored after the unpleasant events of the past," he said.

Suthep said he was more than ready to go to Cambodia to help the situation if necessary.

"What we could do now is to pray for the Cambodian leader to take into consideration our attempts to restore mutual ties, which have improved after two separate meetings between our prime ministers," Suthep said.

He said he would wait until after the New Year festival to see if there was any development and reaction from the Phnom Penh side.

Panich Vikitsech, a Bangkok Democrat MP, and Veera Somkwamkid, a People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leader, are among the group arrested last Wednesday while visiting Thai villagers near the Sa Kaew border, which is opposite Cambodia's Banteay Meanchay.

They were taken to Phnom Penh and detained in a central prison in Phnom Penh pending trial.

The group was charged last week with illegal entry into Cambodia and entering a Cambodian military base without permission. The Cambodian court has not yet set a date for their trial.

Meanwhile two video clips recorded during Panich's trip to the site were distributed on YouTube on Sunday. Panich was heard talking on a telephone and telling someone to tell an aide of the prime minister he was on Cambodian territory.

The clips are believed to make more difficult any defence of the seven Thais because from what Panich said, he was well aware he was on Cambodian soil. Thailand initially planned a defence that the group unintentionally strayed into Cambodia.

Suthep said the issue was now a matter of Cambodian sovereignty and legal process, which Thailand had to respect.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he would discuss the matter in today's Cabinet meeting.

"We are now trying to contact the Cambodian side, but it is not easy. We will however keep trying. All the matters concerning the case depend on Cambodian's reaction."

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongphakdi confirmed the seven Thais were inside Cambodia when arrested.

Thani said the Royal Survey Department and Foreign Ministry officials had inspected the disputed area and confirmed the group had been on Cambodian soil.

Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, secretary to the Thai foreign minister, said families of the seven Thais had visited them in Prey Sor prison in Phnom Penh.

The visitors, including Panich's wife, spent about one hour there. All were in good spirits and fine, Chavanond said.

He said he was not sure whether the seven Thais would go before the court today. If the trial starts, their lawyer will submit a bail request for them.

A group of 500 villagers from Sa Kaew's Khok Sung district gathered in front of the district office yesterday to protest against a planned rally by PAD supporters, demanding that it be cancelled, as it would bring trouble to the site.

The Thailand Patriot Network, a splinter group of the PAD, plans to hold the protest near the site where the seven Thais were arrested.

Its leader, Chaiwat Sinsuwoung, declined to disclose the specific protest site, but pledged that it would be held as planned to demand the release of the seven, as they were arrested in Thailand.

Meanwhile PAD spokesman Panthep Puapongpan said Panich had contacted Thepmontri Limpayom, a PAD member, on December 26 and persuaded him to accompany him to the site in question.

Panthep quoted Panich as telling Thepmontri the visit was organised at the order of Abhisit.

However, Thepmontri refused, and Panich invited Veera, a core leader of the Thailand Patriot Network, to go with him.

Vietnam, Cambodia parliamentarians boost cooperation

via CAAI

A delegation of the Viet Nam- Cambodia friendship parliamentarians group, led by Head of the NA comittee for deputies’ affairs Pham Minh Tuyen has paid a working visit to Cambodia from Dec. 22-27.

During the visit, the delegation met with representatives of the Cambodia- Viet Nam friendship parliamentarians group, headed by permanent Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An.

At the meeting, the two sides informed each other of the political situation and economic achievements of their countries and review their bilateral cooperative activities.

They agreed to further cooperate in information and delegation exchange so as to strengthen friendship between the two nations.

In the framework of the working visit, the delegation was also received by acting President of the Cambodian National Assembly Nguol Nhel and visited some localities in the country.

VN, Laos, Cambodia combat transnational crimes

via CAAI

More than 100 chief judges and judges from the Supreme People’s Courts of Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia and their border provinces are attending a two-day conference that opened in the central coastal city of Nha Trang on Dec. 22.

The conference, the first of its kind, is being held under the initiative of the Viet Nam Supreme People’s Court (VSPC) in order to share experiences and put forward solutions to enhance cooperation in combating cross-border crimes.

At the first session, themed “Increasing the effectiveness of cooperation in crime prevention and control” and chaired by Chief Judge of the Lao Supreme People’s Court Khammy Saynhavong, participants were briefed on the complicated situation of drug and social order crimes and human trafficking.

According to deputy judge of the VSPC criminal court Hoang Thi Kim Oanh, among more than 1,580 cases of women and children trafficking detected in Viet Nam in the 2004-2009 period, women and children trafficked to Cambodia made up 11 percent of the cases and to Laos , 29 percent of cases.

VSPC Deputy Chief Judge Dang Quang Phuong said that the signing of bilateral and multilateral cooperation treaties among the three countries in combating crimes remained slow, which he said failed to reflect the goodwill and wishes of concerned parties in the negotiation to sign the judiciary assistance agreement.

The conference agreed to enhance cooperation among the three countries’ courts in combating and trials of transnational crimes.

They emphasised the need for local border courts to share experiences and organise fact-finding tours and seminars on professional skills for judges and courts’ cadres.

Premier’s son earns military promotion

via CAAI

Tuesday, 04 January 2011 15:02 Vong Sokheng

HUN Manet, the son of Prime Minister Hun Sen, was promoted to the rank of two-star general yesterday in a ceremony at the Ministry of Defence, a move that has stoked further speculation about the 33-year-old’s political future.

Hun Manet currently serves as director of the anti-terrorism department at the Ministry of Defence and was promoted in September to deputy commander of his father’s personal bodyguard unit.

Observers have long speculated that he is being groomed as a potential successor to Hun Sen, having been educated at the United States Military Academy at West Point and later at Bristol University in the United Kingdom.

In a speech yesterday at the ceremony, Minister of Defence Tea Banh said Hun Manet’s West Point education had prepared him to lead a new generation of military officers within the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.

“This school is recognised internationally for its distinction in political science, law and military affairs, and in his new position, Manet must use the skills he has learned,” Tea Banh said.

“We have to let the younger generation take over our work and ensure that our achievements are protected and that forces of evil who want to destroy our achievements are stopped.”

Hun Manet graduated in 1999 from West Point, where his education was financed by the US government, according to The Associated Press. He was reportedly granted one of the ten spots in each class at the military academy that are reserved for foreign students, later going on to earn a PhD in economics at Bristol.

Hang Chhaya, executive director of the Khmer Institute for Democracy, said yesterday that Hun Manet’s promotion provided further evidence of Hun Sen’s ambitions for his oldest son.

“This is, again, part of the prime minister’s attempt to consolidate power in politics,” Hang Chhaya said.

“This is the way leadership and consolidating power in Cambodia works.”

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JAMES O’TOOLE