Hotels go green by recycling garbage

Sofitel’s Phnom Penh Phokeethra has planted 1,300 trees in its grounds as part

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Wednesday, 23 March 2011 15:00 Post Staff

With the dry season approaching its zenith, at least in Southeast Asia, much of Indochina turns to a yellow dustbowl. Yet in three environmentally progressive hotels in the region, the predominant hue is undoubtedly green.

As the price of crude oil surges toward US$100 per barrel and beyond, some hotels are doing what many of the major United States car makers did not: retooling and building anew with conservation uppermost on the agenda.

In Cambodia, the new Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, due for its official opening on March 29, has wasted no time in establishing its eco-friendly credentials.

The hotel, which became the first five-star property to open in Phnom Penh in more than a decade with a soft opening in December last year, has adopted a range of policies designed to reduce its carbon footprint.

The property recycles 80 percent of its garbage every month to produce the biogas methanol, which is then used to provide energy for the staff canteen, the hotel kitchen and one of the property’s boilers.

Other initiatives undertaken by the hotel include the recycling of its wastewater and a carbon offset programme where 1,300 trees have been planted on the hotel’s grounds.

“You can’t open a hotel in 2011 without significant investment in green technologies. The world just doesn’t work that way any more,” says Didier Lamoot, Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra’s general manager. “No one can afford to have soot all over their footprints.”

Meanwhile, over the border in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, older properties like the iconic Caravelle Hotel are belying their venerable status by promoting cutting-edge green policies. In December, the Caravelle completed installation of a wastewater treatment facility that recycles 40 percent of its water.

The innovation was a central plank of the hotel’s efforts to achieve ISO certification, which it did in February.

Other green policies adopted by the Caravelle in recent times include reducing electricity consumption by switching to energy-saving light bulbs and installing a high-efficiency chiller to power its air-conditioning system.

Over the next year, the hotel aims to reduce harmful carbon dioxide emissions by 4 percent by replacing its current diesel boiler with a high-efficiency heat pump.

Another ambition is the attainment of Green Globe certification, widely regarded as the premier standard for environmental sustainability development worldwide.

“We view environmental best practice as an imperative, not an option,” says John Gardner, Caravelle general manager. “Nothing could be more important than the future of our planet, which is why our commitment to environmental best practices is non-negotiable.”

Gardner’s view is shared by Scott Hodgetts, general manager of the Sheraton Nha Trang. The hotel, which opened in Vietnam’s premier beach resort last year, has adopted stringent environmental policies. It uses solar power to run its hot water system and has been proactive in encouraging guests to save on water and energy usage.

More Clean Water, But Challenges for Poor Remain

Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Tuesday, 22 March 2011

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A Cambodian Municipality of Phnom Penh Deputy Governor Mann Chhoeun drinks water at the celebration of an annual World Water Day at Chroy Chang Va primary school in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Tuesday.

“Many people in urban slums are forced to rely on unsafe water sources.”

While Cambodians are increasingly enjoying clean water, many who live in the poorer areas of the country remain at risk to diseases caused from dirty water, officials said Tuesday as they marked World Water Day.

Around 85 percent of Cambodians have access to safe drinking water, with the majority in urban areas, Douglas Broderick, the UN resident coordinator, said in an address at a Phnom Penh primary school.

But in urban slums, access to state water is limited, forcing many to pay three to five times the cost, he said. As a result, “many people in urban slums are forced to rely on unsafe water sources.”

Phnom Penh, which has earned high marks for creating access to water, has around 5,000 families in slum areas with free access to safe water under a World Bank program, said Man Chhoeun, deputy commissioner for development at the Council of Ministers.

“The water connection to each house in general costs $100,” he said. “The government policy subsidizes a connection to safe water service to the poor people to lower the price by 50 percent.”

Sok Sovannarith, secretary of state for the Ministry of Industry, said the government is aiming to have 80 percent of the population across the country, including 50 percent of the rural areas, with access to state supplied water. Currently, only about 60 percent of the population has access to such a water supply, he said.

Cambodia to host 10th ASEAN taekwondo championships next month

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March 22, 2011

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua) - Cambodia will host the 10th taekwondo championships of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on April 7-9, Vath Chamroeun, secretary general of National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC), said Tuesday.

"It will be the first time Cambodia hosts the international taekwondo tournament event," he said. "We hope that it will go smoothly and we will plan to host other international sports events in the future."

There will be around 300 athletes and coaches from seven countries in ASEAN taking part in the event including Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, except Indonesia, Brunei and Myanmar.

The tournament will be held at Olympic Stadium with the support from ASEAN Taekwondo Federation.

The tournaments are classified into two categories-underage athletes and adult athletes.

Local Cambodian Freedom Fighter gets jail for tax evasion

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Posted: 03/22/2011

Cambodian Freedom Fighter Sentenced to Additional 37 Months for Tax Evasion

A self-appointed commander of the Cambodian Freedom Fighters, a Long Beach-based group formed to seize political control in the southeast Asian country, was sentenced Monday to a concurrent term of 37 months in prison for tax evasion.

Yasith Chhun, a 54-year-old United States citizen, was previously sentenced last June to a life term for conspiring to kill in a foreign country and other federal counts stemming from his 2008 conviction.

The same year, Chhun pleaded guilty to conspiring to file false tax returns and aiding and abetting the filing of false tax returns. Chhun admitted operating an accounting service that filed false tax returns for numerous taxpayers, resulting in a loss of more than $400,000, according to court papers.

Before he was sentenced to the life term last summer, U.S. District Judge Dean D. Pregerson expressed some sympathy for the defendant, who told the judge he formed the 200-strong Cambodian Freedom Fighters partly to avenge the murder of his father at the hands of the Khmer Rouge.

"I don't think Mr. Chhun is an evil human being," the judge said. "I think he's had a tragic life -- and had the misfortune of being born in a place where terrible things were happening."

Chhun, a former Long Beach accountant who came to the U.S. as a refugee in 1982, was found guilty in 2010 after a two-week trial of the four charges against him -- conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, conspiracy to damage or destroy property in a foreign country, conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction outside the United States and engaging in a military expedition against a nation with which the United States is at peace.

Jurors were told Chhun planned "Operation Volcano" to overthrow the government of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. The failed attempt resulted in the deaths of at least six people, including a 15-year-old boy killed in a grenade attack and a young man who was shot by a stray bullet, Pregerson said.

During the trial, prosecutors portrayed Chhun as a callous, cowardly, incompetent leader of the CFF, who held group meetings at his Long Beach business, CCC Professional Accounting Services, located in the 2700 block of East 10th Street.

Chhun also met with former members of the Khmer Rouge military at the Cambodia-Thailand border in October 1998 to plan Sen's overthrow, prosecutors said.

The Khmer Rouge and its leader, Pol Pot, ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. The Communist organization was blamed for the deaths of more than 1 million people through execution, forced labor and starvation in what became known as the country's "killing fields."

After raising money in the United States -- including staging a May 2000 fundraiser at the Queen Mary -- the CFF launched "popcorns," or small-scale guerrilla attacks in Cambodia against gas stations, coffee shops and other targets, according to the U.S. government.

The judge also noted that the CFF "was probably infiltrated, so had no realistic chance of succeeding."

Amnesty Possible Without Premier Request: Analysts

Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington, DC Tuesday, 22 March 2011

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Sam Rainsy party supporters greet onlookers at a busy market during an election rally in the capital Phnom Penh, in 2008.

“It’s because the prime minister has the power.”

While some ruling government officials maintain that opposition leader Sam Rainsy can only receive a royal pardon with a request from the prime minister, legal observers say that practice is only a matter of courtesy.

Opposition lawmakers and other legal professionals say a royal pardon is up to the king himself, Norodom Sihamoni.

The king was sent a letter this week by opposition party lawmakers seeking a reprieve for their leader, Sam Rainy, who was removed from parliament this month.

The letter, signed by 24 Sam Rainsy Party lawmakers, comes as the party faces the prospect of the 2012 and 2013 elections without its leader, who is in exile and facing criminal convictions in Cambodia. Some political analysts have warned that elections will have less legitimacy in the eyes of the international community if they are held without the leader of the opposition.

Ou Virak, director of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, told VOA Khmer that a royal pardon, by law, need not be requested by the prime minister. Such a request has only become a practice, he said.

“It’s because the prime minister has the power,” he said. “That’s why generally there is a request from the premier—and because [Sam Rainsy’s] case is political, whether or not there is amnesty might depend on the approval of the premier of Cambodia.”

The request from the Sam Rainsy Party to the king was not outside the law, he said, but it could put some political pressure on Norodom Sihamoni, who has remained relatively outside the political arena since taking the thrown in 2004.

“I would say that the king would have some consequences, because in Cambodia the political situation, the issue of politics, needs approval from the prime minister,” he said. “So it may be that the king has to wait for a sign from the prime minister.”

In recent weeks, ruling party officials have said a request from the prime minister can provide amnesty for criminals who have served at least two-thirds of their sentence, a reference to a law distinct from the constitutional provision for general royal amnesty.

Kao Supha, a Cambodian lawyer, said the king does have a right to pardon criminals, although he “always” waits for a request from the prime minister as a matter of course.

“If [a request for pardon] is directly submitted to the king, the king will send a letter to the prime minister, to allow the prime minister to submit a request back to His Majesty,” he said.

Last week, the Supreme Court upheld decisions by lower courts that found Sam Rainsy guilty of racial incitement and destruction of property, for destroying markers near the Vietnamese border. With no further legal recourse, the National Assembly removed him from his seat as a representative of Kampong Cham province. That means the only way he can regain his parliamentary seat is to be pardoned.

The constitution, in Article 27, stipulates: “The king shall have the right to grant partial or complete amnesty.”

Son Chhay, a National Assembly lawmaker for the Sam Rainsy Party, said this means the king has individual authority, even if in practice a request typically comes from Prime Minister Hun Sen.

“As a habit, so far, His Majesty gives special favor to the prime minister, in order to offer the premier the honor of making a request for amnesty,” he said.

Cambodia faces safe water, sanitation challenges

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March 22, 2011

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua) – While Cambodia is working hard to improve the access to safe water, the issue remains its challenge, a statement from UN office in the country said Tuesday.

"Some 85 percent of the population having access to safe water, among which 76 percent in urban areas," the statement said.

However, it said the situation is not as good for those living in urban slums where they have difficult access to state supplied water.

Furthermore, some 90 percent of population in the country have access to sanitation and 81 percent have toilets, according to the UN office in Cambodia.

However, only 30 percent of families in poor settlements have access to indoor toilets and human waste is mostly discharged in open spaces, posting health hazard and contributing to the degradation of local environment.

The statement is released on the day as the world observes World Water Day, which is held on annual basis since 1993 to bring global attention to the importance of water and sanitation.

Thai army chief vows to stay out of election

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2011-03-22

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BANGKOK: Thailand's powerful army chief on Tuesday vowed not to meddle in the kingdom's elections and stressed his neutrality following coup rumours and increased street protests this year.

General Prayut Chan-O-Cha, who is considered a key ally of the ruling Democrat party, said the army would help "steer our country back to democracy" and would abide by the results of a poll due in June or July.

"It is up to the people to decide which party will form a government. Whichever it is I am still the army chief," he told reporters.

Prayut insisted that the vote would be the best way to end years of political turbulence in the country, echoing comments by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Monday.

Coup rumours were stoked by the opposition earlier this year following fresh protests by the nationalist and royalist "Yellow Shirt" movement and violent border clashes between Thailand and neighbouring Cambodia.

The military has often become involved in politics in Thailand, which has seen 18 actual or attempted coups since 1932, but both the army and government have denied an impending intervention.

"We will be neutral in the election because we cannot control anyone. The army must comply with election law and all troops can cast votes in their respective constituencies without pressure from the military," Prayut said.

He said the army could be involved in election security, in a sign that the politically divided nation, still recovering from deadly street protests last year in which over 90 people died, could see friction during the poll.

"I have instructed all army unit leaders to be prepared for the election and supply manpower to ensure security at polling stations," he said.

The Thai government on Tuesday cited "threats by some ill-intentioned people" after it agreed to extend special powers across seven districts of Bangkok until April 24 under the Internal Security Act.

'No' to GBC meeting in Indonesia

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Published: 22/03/2011

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The Thai top brass has decided not to attend the 8th Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) meeting which has been scheduled in Indonesia, insisting that any talks must be purely bilateral.

Army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Tuesday that he and other armed forces commanders had resolved not to attend the GBC meeting in Bogor proposed by Indonesia and agreed to by Cambodia.

Indonesia initially proposed that the meeting be held on Mar ch 24 and 25 but later postponed it to April 7 and 8.

"We won't go. We don't want the meeting to be held in a third country.

"Soldiers of the two countries are very close to each other. Talks should be between soldiers of the two countries only, and a third party should not be involved," Gen Prayuth said.

Army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha

The GBC is co-chaired by the defence ministers of the two countries.

Gen Prayuth also turned down Cambodia's proposal for the setting up of 15 checkpoints manned jointly by Thai and Cambodian soldiers in the 4.6 square kilometre disputed area, to accommodate observers from Indonedia.

He said this matter should be discussed at a meeting between soldiers of the two countries.

The situation along the border near the Preah Vihear temple was still normal and the two sides had been in contact, awaiting talks between military leaders, Gen Prayuth said.

A Defence Ministry source said Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon also decided not to go to the proposed GBC meeting in Indonesia.

Gen Prawit and Cambodian counterpart Gen Tea Banh as well as military leaders of the two countries enjoyed close ties, the source said.

The Thai defence minister planned to contact Gen Tea Banh to set a date for a bilateral meeting. However, he was not sure if Gen Tea Banh would agree, since Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had said he would not back a bilateral meeting, the source said.

According to the source, the meeting, if held, would be for the two sides to discuss the posting of Indonesian observers and deployment of troops in the disputed area.

Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra Celebrates Grand Opening March 29

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Monday, March 21, 2011

Traditional Khmer music, Buddhist monks, Cambodia's deputy prime minister and apsaras will help announce the grand opening of one of Southeast Asia's most anticipated new hotels March 29 as the Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra makes its debut.

The hotel takes the stage in Phnom Penh as the first new five-star hotel to open in the capital in more than a decade. Its eight restaurants and bars, expansive meetings facilities, spa, sports club and executive lounge herald an emergence of sorts for a city that's seen more stasis than dynamism in recent years.

That, says the hotel's General Manager Didier Lamoot, is about to change.

"We're on the cusp of something here," said Lamoot. "Not only with respect to Phnom Penh as a destination, but how people travel, why they travel and when. The lines are blurring between leisure and business travel, and this hotel was built to accommodate new demands by today's guests."

Located on the banks of a canal, with panoramic views of both the Mekong River and the Bassac, the Sofitel defies easy identification as one kind of hotel or another. Its 45-meter swimming pool, ample pool decks and ambitious So Spa, a wellness concept that debuted in London last year, tempt the resort-minded.

Meanwhile, the hotel’s executive quarters, Club Millésime, and its 1,800 square-meter ballroom are lures to corporate business. Indeed, the hotel was put to the test during the recent ASEAN Travel Forum during a sit-down dinner for 1,200.

"I'm not sure where else in Southeast Asia you can accommodate as many people," said Lamoot. "Though we only started receiving guests in the middle of December, we now know what it's like to be fully booked. And it feels good."

The USD 50 million hotel development is third in a group that includes the Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra, where Lamoot served as general manager for five years, and the Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra. The Siem Reap (Angkor) property in particular has won international acclaim as one of the finest resorts in Southeast Asia.

The hotel's cityside front nestles against Phnom Penh's charming old French quarter, itself in the midst of a district-wide residential makeover. Within walking distance is the Royal Palace, the National Museum and Sisowath Quay, one of Southeast Asia's most accessible and attractive waterfront café scenes.

Accommodation ranges across seven classes, from 121 Superior rooms to 45 Luxury, 23 Junior Suites, 11 Prestige Suites and one Opera Suite. Wooden floors, glass-walled baths and classic appointments distinguish every option. More than 150 of the hotel's rooms overlook the Mekong.

In the hotel's majestic lobby, Le Bar whets the appetite for the myriad food and beverage opportunities beyond. The possibilities span a range of culinary traditions and styles. La Coupole features Indochinese and French cuisines. Do Forni is Italian. Fu Lu Zu is the Chinese restaurant. Hachi offers up Old World Japan. And Chocolat is a Belgian patisserie.

Show kitchens anchor several of the hotel's restaurants. Of course, the most dramatic shows at the Sofitel will take place in the hotel's ballroom, where a USD 2 million investment in audio-visual technology has equipped the facility for extravaganzas.

"Cabarets, orchestras, revues – we expect all manner of entertainment in this hotel," said Lamoot, the day after a command performance by a song-and-dance troupe from Pattaya, Thailand. "Next month, we'll host a wedding where the bride and groom drive right into the ballroom. We're set up to be that kind of a dramatic place."

In addition to celebrations, the hotel's recreational opportunities are munificent. The Phnom Penh property will serve as the first location in Southeast Asia to deliver Sofitel's So Spa, featuring French cosmetology, a restaurant-like menu of treatment options and a blending of private and public space. Five of the spa's 10 private treatment rooms are designed for involved Khmer and Thai treatments; the other five rooms, each an ample 30-square meters, are to be used for various beauty treatments.

In addition to two squash courts, the grounds feature four, floodlit tennis courts and two locales for workouts. So Fit is a haven for fitness and well-being exclusively for in-house guests. The Phokeethra Sports Club is a sophisticated gym for guests and local members alike. Likewise, the hotel's two pools - one in the hotel building itself and the other in the adjacent sports complex - cater exclusively to guests and to both guests and members, respectively.

On the 12th floor, Club Millésime caters to the hotel's executive guests in the first purpose-built facility of its kind in the region. The lounge's stunning views of the city and the river, and a combination of outdoor space and sophisticated décor, elevate this meeting space to great new heights.

AKP - The Agence Kampuchea Press

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PM Orders Authorities to Crackdown Illegal Labor Brokers

Phnom Penh, March 22, 2011 AKP – Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen yesterday asked all relevant local authorities to crackdown on illegal labor brokers.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the national road Nº57B in Battambang province, Samdech Techo Hun Sen said illegal labor ring-leaders must be arrested and sentenced in accordance with the law.

The premier also appealed to all Cambodians to stop seeking illegal works abroad, especially in Thailand while Cambodia can provide similar jobs for them with cheaper expense than abroad, safe and without facing any arresting risks from Thai authorities. –AKP

By KHAN Sophirom

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Cambodian Tourism Delegation Returns Home

Phnom Penh, March 22, 2011 AKP – A Cambodian tourism delegation led by its Minister H.E. Thong Khon returned home on Mar. 21 after paying a visit to Russia and Switzerland.

In the first country, Russia, the Cambodian delegation has signed a joint action work plan on tourism cooperation with the Russian counterpart, H.E. Thong Khon told a press conference at Phnom Penh International Airport.

The action work plan focuses on tourism propaganda, human resource training, especially on Russian language, tourism skills, travel and transport facilitation, visit and document exchanges, etc., he explained.

Both sides have also agreed to push up the direct flight between the two countries due to the increasing number of Russian tourists to Cambodia, said H.E. Thong Khon, indicating that in 2010, some 40,000 Russian visitors came to Cambodia, an increase of 70 percent if compared with 2009. In January 2011 alone, he added, almost 10,000 Russian tourists were recorded, or an increase of 102 percent.

In Switzerland, he continued, the Cambodian delegation has signed an agreement on the establishment of Switzerland-supported cooking training institute in Cambodia. Switzerland has been very famous internationally for its cooking skill and other services related to hotel and tourism.

During the visit, the Cambodian delegation has met with the Swiss Chamber of Commerce and France’s CIVIPOL, which has agreed to send experts to Cambodia in June this year to train Cambodian lifeguards. –AKP

Article in Khmer by SAM Saman

Article in English by SOKMOM Nimul

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Information Minister Opens Bridge Construction Site in Koh Sotin District, Kampong Cham Province

Phnom Penh, March 22, 2011 AKP – Information Minister H.E. Khieu Kanharith opened a bridge construction site in a ceremony held in Koh Sotin district, Kampong Cham province on Mar. 20.

Speaking at the ceremony, the minister, who was accompanied by his wife, senate and parliament members of Kampong Cham constituency and Information officials, conveyed the best wishes from the Senate, National Assembly and government leaders to the local residents.

He raised the recent development situation of the country dealing with social security, public order, economy and politics.

The minister also told the participants in the ceremony of Cambodia-Thailand border situation, saying that Cambodia adhered to the stand on the resolution of the border conflict by peaceful means with the participation from the third party.

The concrete bridge, with 13.20 meters long, 4 meters wide and 3.5 meters high, is constructed at an estimated cost of US$45,000.

When completed, the bridge helps to facilitate the travel and the transportation of agricultural produce, thus contributing to the improvement of the local people’s lives.

The information minister also gave a donation to three local orphans. The donation includes three bicycles, 50 kg of milled rice and US$250 in cash.

In the meantime, he visited the premises for installing the relay radio station located in Ponhea Krek district of the province. –AKP

Article in Khmer by HUN Yuth Kun

Article in English by THOU Peou

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Cambodia Welcomes Japanese Investors

Phnom Penh, March 22, 2011 AKP – The Royal Government of Cambodia warmly welcomed a delegation of Japanese investors in a ceremony held here on Monday at Naga World Hotel under the presidency of Senior Minister and Commerce Minister H.E. Cham Prasidh.

At the welcoming ceremony, Mrs. Hun Mana, Director General of Bayon Television and Radio, briefed the Japanese investors on the country’s rapid development of macro-economy, political stability and economic growth despite the global financial and economic crisis in the past years.

For his part, H.E. Cham Prasidh said Cambodia has set up many laws and policies to encourage and protect foreign investments. –AKP

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OCIC To Establish Satellite City in Phnom Penh Capital

Phnom Penh, March 22, 2011 AKP – The Overseas Cambodian Investment Corporation (OCIC) has planned to establish a satellite city on Phnom Penh’s Chroy Changvar peninsula.

The plan has been revealed here by OCIC in a recent meeting with Phnom Penh Municipal Governor H.E. Kep Chutema.

According to Mr. Pung Kheav Se, President of OCIC, the satellite city will include a botanic garden, sports facility along with commercial and residential areas. –AKP

By LIM Nary

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Cambodia’s Railways Ready for Regional Integration

Phnom Penh, March 22, 2011 AKP – Restoration, construction and development of railways to link the Capital of Phnom Penh to a number of provinces, and to join with the railroads of the neighboring countries as part of Asian railroad networks are one of the priory goals of the Royal Government of Cambodia.

To speed up the railroad development, the Royal Government of Cambodia has decided with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to restore the existing railroads and to grant railroad business operation to private sector through the international tender.

According the 2010 report of the Ministry of Public Works and Transports, the railroad reform and reconstruction has now been progressing with plans so as to improve railroad transportation capacity and to integrate into the regional system.

A US$73-million railway construction project financed by ADB, OFIC, … and Malaysia with the contributive fund of Cambodia is currently implemented on a 48-kilometer section from Serey Sophorn to Poipet as a link to the railway of Thailand. It is scheduled to be completed in 2012.

The construction of 266-kilometer section from Phnom Penh to Preah Sihanouk province is now underway, the first-phase of which was finished on 120 kilometers, or 47 percent of the total project, linking Phnom Penh to Touk Meas Station. It was put into operation in October 2010. The remaining section from Touk Meas Station to Preah Sihanouk province through to the provincial seaport is planned to finish in May 2011.

Another 338-kilometer section from Phnom Penh to the City of Serey Sophorn is also expected to complete in 2012.

At the same time, the pulled funding of US$68.6 million has also been arranged with commitment of US$42 million loan from ADB, US$21.5 million grant from AusAID and US$5.1 million contributive fund of Cambodia for another project to build warehouses, a new station at Samrong, 5 kilometer from Phnom Penh, and for railroad improvement, including a 6-kilometer exit section Kilometer No.6 in Phnom Penh. This project is planned to complete in 2013.

Apart from the aforementioned railroad projects, a 255-kilometer section project from Bat Doeung to Trapaing Sre, a link to Vietnam, which is part of Asia’s railroad networks (SKRL), ASEAN regional and Great Mekong Sub-regional system is now in planning with the feasibility study funded by China’s grant. The Royal Government of Cambodia is now seeking the funding sources for this project.

The Government’s Rectangular Strategy gives high priority to the rehabilitation and reconstruction of multimodal transport network connecting all parts of the country, and with neighbouring countries. This will enable provision of convenient, stable, safe, economically effi¬cient, lower cost transportation and logistics services network, aiming at trade facilitation, tourism promotion, and rural development, regional and global economic integration.

Plan for restoration, construction and development of railways and upgrading the speed to 50 kilometers per hour on the two lines are scheduled to be completed in 2013. –AKP

Article in Khmer by CHIM Nary

Article in English by Ravuth M.

Public gym set for Phnom Penh

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Tuesday, 22 March 2011 15:02Tep Nimol

Phnom Penh Municipal Hall announced plans on Sunday to build the city’s first indoor public gym on the riverside in Daun Penh district’s Chey Chumneah commune.

Seng Leng, chief of Chey Chumneah commune, said he received an announcement letter from City Hall last week but was not aware of when construction would start.

“It will be built in an area approximately 30 metres by 50 metres in order to make it easier for people to exercise. The area has a good atmosphere because it is near the riverside and is safe,” he said yesterday.

The municipal website said the gym would open in April or May with about 13 different types of exercise equipment imported from overseas.

Since residents of Phnom Penh are interested in improving their health through outdoor exercise, city hall decided to build a public gym for the people, the website said.

“City hall hopes and strongly believes that all people will use the equipment responsibly and consider it their property in order to be good citizens.”

The website added that city hall has plans for more recreation centres in the near future.

Toxic crabs prove fatal

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Tuesday, 22 March 2011 15:02Mom Kunthear

A 21-year-old man died and two others became severely ill after eating horseshoe crabs in Kampot province’s Kampong Bay commune last week.

“They were sent to the provincial hospital.... but one man could not be helped because he ate a lot [of crabs], but the other two were saved and are still alive,” said commune chief Nuth Nhem, adding that the men had fished the crabs out of the sea.

A police officer in Kampot town who declined to be named identified the deceased as Phatt Sith, and the two recovering in hospital as Phatt Lann, 16, and Sim Soklich, 14.

According to a study published in the Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health in 1995, horseshoe crabs can be toxic to humans during certain times of the year because of the presence of tetrodotoxin, a powerful neurotoxin, present in the crabs’ eggs.

The report noted that 71 people in Thailand’s coastal Chon Buri province were poisoned by consuming horseshoe crab eggs. Two deaths were reported.

Symptoms of poisoning include nausea, vomiting and respiratory paralysis, the report also stated.

Lakeside residents rebuffed

Photo by: Hong Menea

A Boeung Kak lake resident speaks into a bullhorn during a protest outside City Hall yesterday in Phnom Penh.

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We will wait ... [but] we will continue to protest at other institutions if a response is not given.

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Tuesday, 22 March 2011 15:02 Khouth Sophak Chakrya

More than 200 Boeung Kak residents gathered outside City Hall yesterday to await the municipality’s ruling to their alternative development plan, but were rebuffed by local authorities they claim had promised a ruling this week.

Village representatives released an alternative development plan to the controversial development project nearly one month ago, in which 15 hectares were asked to be set aside for families threatened with eviction. The proposal was submitted two weeks ago to Keut Che, deputy chief of City Hall cabinet, who forwarded the request to Phnom Penh Governor Kep Chuktema.

Seven Boeung Kak representatives were allowed to enter City Hall yesterday, hoping to get a resolution to the development conflict. They said Ly Saveth, City Hall’s administration chief, told them that Kep Chuktema had not made a decision on their request and was busy in Battambang province.

“This is just the same excuse made by City Hall authorities,” said Tep Vanny, one of the representatives for lakeside residents.

Another representative, Ly Mom, said Ly Saveth “repeatedly told us” that an official response would be given by the municipality later this week.

“We will wait … [but] we will continue to protest at other institutions if a response is not given,” said Ly Mom.

Daun Penh district Deputy Governor Sok Penhvuth called on villagers to stop gathering en masse, and further told them to not be concerned about their pending evictions.

Photo by: Hong Menea

A Boeung Kak lake resident speaks into a bullhorn during a protest outside City Hall yesterday in Phnom Penh.

“We will not force the villagers to leave their homes,” he said. “The solution cannot be done in one day … so please believe in the authority’s solution”.

Am Sam Ath, a senior investigator with rights group Licadho, said yesterday that he believed municipal officials were making excuses in lieu of finding a timely solution.

“I think the excuse that they are busy on their duties is not proper and it is not a solution,” he said.

Nearly two weeks ago, the World Bank said that a land titling programme it funded in Cambodia had failed thousands of people facing evictions, including those living in the vicinity of Boeung Kak lake. Rights groups estimate that roughly 4,000 families will be affected by the pending commercial and housing development.

Opposition paper back in print

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Publisher of Khmer Machas Srok Hang Chakra speaks to reporters in Phnom Penh in April last year.

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Tuesday, 22 March 2011 15:03Meas Sokchea

The opposition leaning Khmer Machas Srok newspaper yesterday resumed publishing after a nearly two-year hiatus stemming from the imprisonment of its publisher for defamation and disinformation in June 2009.

Although the paper will continue its support for the Sam Rainsy Party and criticism of the government, it is independent and not under the control of any political party or powerful clique, Hang Chakra, publisher of Khmer Machas Srok, said yesterday.

“We still keep the same stance of constructive criticism. Previously, they always said my newspaper is an ‘opposition newspaper’. Thank you for saying this,” Hang Chakra said.

“In fact, my newspaper is independent. There is no budget from anyone supporting me, it is my family’s budget.”

The top stories in yesterday’s paper, he said, covered comments by Sam Rainsy on his convictions, former Khmer Civilisation Foundation head Moeung Sonn calling for the Appeal Court to open Sam Rainsy’s case soon and allow him to return to Cambodia and protests against Boeung Kak lake evictions in Phnom Penh.

“I criticise the government but I have never regarded the government as my enemy. I criticise the government in order to build,” Hang Chakra said. “I am not scared of anything, I have been in jail.”

Hang Chakra was convicted in June 2009 of defamation and disinformation for articles published in Khmer Machas Srok and sentenced to one year prison and fined 9 million riel (US$2,229).

The decision was upheld by the Appeal Court that August.

Hang Chakra had published articles alleging that officials working for Deputy Prime Minister Sok An had been involved in corruption.

The Government filed a complaint alleging that the articles could affect political stability.

King Norodom Sihamoni granted Hang Chakra a royal pardon in April 2010.

Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said yesterday he welcomed the return of Khmer Machas Srok.

He said the government wanted newspapers to report responsibly, provide honest information and respect leaders. He warned however that newspapers will be prosecuted if they violate the press law.

“We welcome every criticism, but attacking, lying, duping, insulting we do not accept,” Phay Siphan said.

Senior Investigator for the local rights group Adhoc Chan Soveth said although there are plenty of newspapers in Cambodia, true freedom of expression is not practiced widely. He urged the media to write freely and without fear.

He added that Phay Siphan’s warning about the press law would encourage journalists to avoid writing that is not grounded in reality.

Surya Subedi, the United Nations special rapporteur for human rights, has urged the Cambodian Government to decriminalise defamation.

Police bust robbery ring

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Tuesday, 22 March 2011 15:03Kim Yuthana

Police in Daun Penh district have arrested two men suspected of being involved in a series of high-profile robberies in the capital over the past few months, Phnom Penh deputy police chief Pol Pithey said yesterday.

The men are suspected to have been members of a gang that robbed two Savimex Oil employees of US$60,000 near the Council for the Development of Cambodia on February 7, Pol Pithey said.

The gang is also believed to be responsible for a jewellery heist perpetrated on a soldier at a hair salon in Daun Penh district in October.

The gang may also be responsible for the robbery of well-known Cambodian comedian Neay Koy, also known as Chuong Chi, who was stripped of roughly $40,000 worth of jewellery in Phnom Penh’s Tuol Kork district on January 14.

“We have not yet concluded that the gang robbed Neay Koy, but we will continue the investigation in order to apprehend them,” Pol Pithey said, adding that authorities had seized three guns from the suspects that were believed to have been used in the robberies.

Pol Pithey declined to identify the suspects in light of the ongoing investigation, though he said police had apprehended the men in two separate locations in the capital on Friday and are preparing to send them to Phnom Penh Municipal Court.

Neay Koy, 57, said he welcomed the attention to his case, even months after he filed the original complaint.

“On TV, I have played a comedian who gives lessons about robberies, but I never thought it would happen to me,” he said with a laugh, adding that he no longer shows off his jewellery in public.

PM pushes home jobs

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Tuesday, 22 March 2011 15:03Cheang Sokha and David Boyle

Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday called for a crackdown on labour trafficking to Thailand, amid a new round of concerns over training centres for Cambodians seeking work abroad.

Speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony for construction on National Road 57B in Battambang province, Hun Sen urged Cambodians to work in the Kingdom rather than migrate to Thailand.

He said many people cross the border for jobs to harvest rice, sugar or corn, but there were equally valuable work opportunities at home.

“We’ve had a lack of labourers recently, so I would like to appeal to our people that there are many job opportunities in Cambodia,” he said.

“The wage is not different [in Thailand, and] we are not the employers, we are labourers in the agriculture sector, the same as in Cambodia.”

Hun Sen said people who chose to work in Cambodia could avoid abuse and mistreatment from Thai employers and would not risk arrest when crossing the border illegally.

Hun Sen also ordered a crackdown on labour traffickers who smuggle Cambodians to work illegally in Thailand.

Soum Chankea, a coordinator for the local rights group Adhoc based in Banteay Meanchey province, said locals travel to Thailand seeking day labour, seasonal work and long-term employment because of the opportunities next door in contrast to low levels of local employment.

“It’s a culture of the local Cambodians to work in Thailand – we cannot stop them,” Soum Chankea said. “Despite our border dispute, villagers continue to enter Thailand without concern for their safety.”

Soum Chankea said labourers on local farms could earn more than 10,000 riels per day (US$2.48) and would expect a similar price in Thailand.

Cambodians, however, could avoid being shamed by their neighbours for being labourers if they worked in Thailand, he said, adding that some villagers take their entire families across the border after the rice harvest in order to supplement their income.

Nilim Baruah, chief technical advisor at the International Labour Organisation, said wage differences between the two countries provided a “push factor” for Cambodians.

Nearly 125,000 Cambodians were legally registered to work in Thailand as of last year, in addition to untold thousands more undocumented migrants.

Dy Phen, director of the Cambodia-Thailand Border Relations Office in Banteay Meanchey province’s Poipet town, has told The Post previously that Cambodian authorities received between 150 and 200 workers daily from Thai authorities after they had been caught crossing illegally.

Dy Phen said at the time that authorities routinely informed local villagers about the dangers of crossing the border illegally, including the risk of being shot by Thai border officials.

Winai Wittayanugool, vice governor of Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province, which borders Banteay Meanchey province, said earlier this month that more than 10,000 Cambodians cross into the Thai side daily to do business and find work at the Rung Cleur market.

Hun Sen’s comments on migrant labour come amid a growing controversy surrounding a training centre in Phnom Penh accused of illegally detaining trainees headed to Malaysia to work as maids.

The International Labour Organisation on Sunday issued a statement condemning the detention of female trainees at the T&P Co Ltd training centre.

“There is a pressing need for legislation in Cambodia for better regulation of recruitment agencies,” the statement said.

One woman died at the firm this month, while another broke both her legs while trying to escape by jumping from T&P.

Maeve Galvin, a communications officer at the ILO, said the government was aware of the issue and open to assistance.

“They know themselves that they need to get a grip on this and they’re quite open and willing to hear our advice,” Galvin said.

Matthieu Pellerin, a consultant for the rights group Licadho, said, however, the government was too slow to act on the issue.

“I think words do very little. I think what matters is action and up to now what we’ve seen is the Ministry of Labour [is] very reluctant to overview the actions of these companies, they’ve very much closed their eyes to these centres,” Pellerin said.

Baruah from the ILO said proper oversight could ensure work abroad was safe and profitable.

“In general and in the short to medium term, however, because of proximity and wage differentials, Cambodians can benefit from job opportunities in Thailand provided these are safe, legal and do not increase debt (due to high recruitment costs),” he said.

Taiwanese national accused of drug trafficking sentenced to seven years

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Tuesday, 22 March 2011 15:03May Titthara

A Taiwanese man was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined 15 million riel (about US$3,725) in Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday, on charges of international drug trafficking in Cambodia, according to Presiding Judge Duch Kimsorn.

Kuo “Jeffrey” Dayu, 43, a Taiwanese national and former manager of the RCI Garment Factory in Phnom Penh, was arrested on August 29, 2010, at Phnom Penh International Airport after customs officers found three packages of heroin weighing 99.5 grams hidden inside of his luggage while he prepared to leave the country for Taiwan.

“He violated the new Article 32 on illegal drug trafficking,” Duch Kimsorn said yesterday.

Kuo Daya was detained in Prey Sar prison on September 3 last year, after being charged with international drug trafficking, yet denied all charges against him in his hearing on March 10.

“I am not involved with these drugs, I think somebody put them into my bag to drop the accusation on me,” he said.

He added that the drugs were put in his luggage after a dispute with some of his employees at the factory.

“These Chinese [garment workers] put the drugs into my bag ... in order to make police arrest me,” he told the court.

“They got in an argument with me over their work at the factory.”

Film exposes land dispute

Photo by: Heng Chivoan

A film about land grabbing, produced by ethnic Jarai people from Kong Yu village in Ratanakkiri province, plays on a laptop yesterday at a press conference in Phnom Penh. The villagers hope that the film will educate and protect other communities from this problem.

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Tuesday, 22 March 2011 15:02Chhay Channyda

Ethnic Jarai villagers from Ratanakkiri province yesterday asked the provincial court to set a hearing in an ongoing land dispute case, at the screening of a film they produced about the dispute at the Community Legal Education Centre.

The 31-minute film, produced by Kong Yu villagers and facilitated by independent foreign filmmaker Daniel Lanctot, showed the traditional lives of the villagers and their dependence on the land.

Kong Yu villagers lost 450 hectares of their land in O’Yadav district’s Pate commune in August 2004, when they say they were tricked by commune authorities into selling the land to businesswoman Keat Kolney, the sister of Finance Minister Keat Chhon.

Kong Yu residents say they signed documents approving the sale of 50 hectares of land after commune authorities told them it was needed for disabled army veterans.

Villager Roman Nann, also the filmmaker, said at the screening that the main purpose of the film was to “allow a younger generation to know about their plight of losing land and to ask for immediate intervention”.

Kong Yu villagers filed complaints to the provincial court in 2007, requesting the termination of the sale and a halt to the clearing of the land.

Sev Twel, a representative of the villagers, said that the court had taken no action and 280 hectares of land had been cleared to plant rubber trees.

He added that the film was there to teach children and communities not to be cheated by land dealers or authorities.

Filmmaker Daniel Lanctot said that 500 copies of the film had been distributed to other communities and NGO partners.

“[The villagers] wanted to show how they were tricked into losing their land, how they were cheated and they don’t want other communities to be cheated or have problems,” said Daniel Lanctot.Yin Savath, a lawyer defending the villagers, said that the judge assigned to the case had changed several times since the complaint was filed in 2007, and warned Provincial Court Director Lou Sou Sambath that he would file a complaint against him to the Supreme Council of Magistracy.

“Later this month, we will go to Ratanakkiri to ask [Lou Sou Sambath] to hasten the court procedure or we will file a complaint against him,” said Yin Savath. “He did not fulfill his duty as the judge, so he delayed the procedure.”

Lou Sou Sambath could not be reached for comment, but has previously told CLEC lawyers that none of the judges wanted the case because it was “complicated”.

World Bank raises forecasts

Neak Samsen, poverty specialist at the World Bank, attends the 2011 East Asia & Pacific economic update yesterday in Phnom Penh. Photo by: Heng Chivoan

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Tuesday, 22 March 2011 15:01Tom Brennan

THE World Bank yesterday made a major revision to its estimate of Cambodia’s gross domestic product growth for last year to 6.7 percent from the 4.9-percent figure offered just six months ago.

The institution also boosted its GDP outlook for the year ahead, taking it to 6.5 percent from 6 percent.

“Driven by exports, the Cambodian economy achieved a stronger than expected recovery in 2010,” the World Bank said in its East Asia and Pacific Economic Update report released yesterday.

The continued strength of those exports, partly a result of preferential tariffs from the European Union, should drive growth in 2011 as well, the report said.

In addition to a good harvest that helped to send agriculture growth up 5.3 percent last year, the World Bank attributed the good performance to quicker than anticipated rebounds in Cambodian garment and footwear exports.

Garment shipments jumped 24 percent in 2010 after the global economic crisis had pushed them 20 percent lower the year before. At the same time, footwear exports skyrocketed 60 percent last year.

“As a result, some 55,300 new jobs have been created by both industries in 2010,” the World Bank said, “recovering most of the jobs lost during the 2009 economic downturn.”

The 187-nation institution also pointed to tourism as a major economic driver during the period. The number of tourists visiting the Kingdom rose to 2.5 million, a 16-percent increase over 2009, while tourism receipts climbed 14 percent to $1.8 billion.

Strong growth in Asia overall was the main catalyst for the growth in tourism, as the region accounted for 72 percent of all visitors to Cambodia.

The Kingdom also “initiated some diversification of its production and export base,” the World Bank said, with milled rice exports almost tripling in 2010 and foreign registered investment capital rising 16 percent.

As for 2011, growth for Cambodia is expected to be strong for the coming year, according to the report. But the World Bank did say that exports “may be constrained by the profile of the global recovery”.

“Consumption would pick up as the recovery takes hold, while investment would benefit from a continued rebound in [foreign direct investment] and credit to the private sector,” the report said.

Inflation, meanwhile, remains on the radar of the World Bank, though it said consumer price inflation within Cambodia was at an estimated 3.1 percent in 2010.

Core inflation, excluding food and energy costs, fell from 4.5 percent in 2009 to just 1 percent last year, the World Bank said.

The estimate for CPI inflation in 2010 derived from Ministry of Commerce’s data was slightly higher at around 4 percent.

Cambodia has managed to sidestep the sharp rise in food prices seen across the rest of the globe thanks to a large supply of rice following the strong harvest season and what the World Bank called “moderate demand” from its neighbours, Vietnam and Thailand.

The only potential near-term inflationary threat might be imported inflation, said World Bank economist Huot Chea, given the amount of consumer goods brought into the country through Thailand and Vietnam. But while that is a concern, nothing has materialised yet to indicate the threat is imminent.

Huot Chea also said that the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan would not negatively affect business in the Kingdom.

“Japan is not a [major] trading partner of Cambodia. So the disaster … would not have any impact on the Cambodian economy,” he said.

While Japan would suffer short-term economic damage from the disaster earlier this month, the bank said its impact on the broader region should be limited to a quarter or two.

“As reconstruction efforts get under way, there should be a pick-up in economic activity that would boost growth,” said Ivailo Izvorski, lead economist for the World Bank in East Asia.

Not everyone has agreed with the World Bank’s relatively sanguine outlook on Japan’s ability to recover.

Speaking at a forum in Singapore, the country's Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said Japan's nuclear crisis could hurt both consumer and business confidence.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY REUTERS

'Angkor' electric vehicle to hit road

Women look at a domestically-produced electric car at NagaWorld in Phnom Penh yesterday. Photo by: Sovan Philong

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Tuesday, 22 March 2011 15:01 Sieam Bunthy

DOMESTICALLY-produced electric cars may be brought to market early next year thanks to a new factory.

Cambodia’s Heng Development Co has signed an agreement with Hong Kong-based Chau Leong to build an eco-friendly vehicle called the “Angkor.”

The vehicle was developed by local inventor Nhean Phaloek – who once reportedly claimed that the doors to one of his prototype vehicles opened telepathically.

Nhean Phaloek said that construction on the plant started on March 14 on 20 hectares in the Kandal Stoeng district of Kandal province.

Sien Chanheng, director general for Heng Development, said plant will aim to make between 500 and 1,000 cars a year, with the first appearing soon after the beginning of next year.

She also said the US$20 million deal will be split 80 percent/20 percent between her company and Nhean Phaloek, and Chau Leong, respectively. Nhean Phaloek will import machines and spare parts from China, as well as other technology from Germany, to make the Angkor.

He said the goal is to start with two- and four-chair cars sold for $5,000 and then move on to six- and 12-chaired vehicles.

He also expects high demand from visitors to the Kingdom.

“My guess is that 20 cars can be sold in one day because foreign tourists are already booked to buy,” he said.

Nhean Phaloek plans to expand to overseas markets as well, he said.

Ith Praing, secretary of state at the Ministry of Mines, Industry and Energy, who attended the signing ceremony yesterday morning at NagaWorld Phnom Penh, praised the car for its small carbon footprint.

Japanese firms explore Cambodia after quake

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Tuesday, 22 March 2011 15:01May Kunmakara

A DELEGATION of Japanese companies are in Phnom Penh exploring opportunities in agriculture and tourism, though this month’s earthquake has impacted potential investment to the Kingdom.

Some 85 representatives from 49 Japanese Small and Medium Enterprises are touring the Kingdom, but more had been slated to come before the recent disaster struck, according to Shusaku Nakamura, Chairman of the International Investment Institute of Japan.

“Actually, there could have been a total of 120 businesspeople here if we didn’t have the earthquake – some have delayed their trips,” he said on the sidelines of a conference yesterday. “It is their first time seeking opportunities here [in Cambodia].

“They are from different sectors – food processing, agriculture, restaurants, and the construction industry.”

Speaking at yesterday’s conference, Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh said he encouraged Japanese firms to invest in the Kingdom, highlighting the duty-free status many Cambodian exports enjoyed abroad. Larger Japanese firms often take years looking at markets before making investment decisions, while investors from countries such as China were already coming to Cambodia, he said. He said smaller Japanese firms – such as the conference attendees - may have more flexibility to make decisions.

Tourism surge: South Korea heads list of visitors

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Tuesday, 22 March 2011 15:00SIEAM BUNTHY

SIEM Reap province saw a 36 percent increase in foreign tourists over the first two months of 2011, according to figures obtained from the Siem Reap Provincial Tourism Department.

Some 312,947 visitors came to the province in January and February, from 229,654 for the same months in 2010, it showed.

The government and private sector have strongly promoted the ancient temples to potential tourists abroad, who have responded by arriving in increasing numbers to Cambodia as the global economy improves, according to Department Director Ngov Seng Kak.

“We predict the number of visitors will rise to 1.7 million during this year, and 2 million by 2015,” he said on Sunday.

Some 65,751 visitors arrived from South Korea in the first two months of 2011, making it the largest source of visitors to the province. Japan was the home country for 25,780 visitors, while China sent 24,370 visitors, the statistics show. However, Ngov Seng Kak said the number of Japanese tourists have been decreasing following the Japanese earthquake on March 11.

Siem Reap had regularly been seeing up 500 Japanese visitors arrive daily before the disaster, but the figure has dropped to between 300 and 400 following the earthquake, he said. Despite the drop industry observers agree the sector has generally seen a rebound this year.

NTT Communications licensed in Cambodia

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Tuesday, 22 March 2011 15:00Jeremy Mullins

JAPANESE company NTT Communications has received a licence to offer internet services in Cambodia.

The firm aims to offer its services particularly to Japanese companies as well as multi-national corporations, NTT Communications Country Manager Miyazaki Hajime wrote yesterday.

The Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone – which is home to a number of Japanese-owned businesses – was one area it was targeting in particular.

“More Japanese [corporations] are coming into PPSEZ to establish new factories,” he said, adding it aimed to provide internet to multinationals entering the Kingdom.

“We are seeing demand for high-quality service not only from Japanese companies but from other countries’ companies.”

The NTT Communications Cambodia office opened in the Phnom Penh Center in July 2010, and the firm announced it had obtained the required licence from the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications on Friday.

“[It] took about a half year because the process of licensing in MPTC was changing,” Miyazaki Hajime said.

Rates start at US$340 per month for its 512 kbps service, along with a $150 setup fee, according to a press release. NTT claims to provide the service on a leased line rather than shared ADSL. In Asia, it also offers its services in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand.

River event highlights dam fears

Sunset near the dolphin pools and fishing villages of Kampi on the Mekong river, upstream from Kratie. Photo by: LAURA HODGES

Fishing families’ livelihoods are threatened by the Laos dam plans. Photo by: LAURA HODGES

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Tuesday, 22 March 2011 15:00Laura Hodges

A FLOTILLA of inner tubes is preparing to journey 20 kilometres down the Mekong on Thursday from the dolphin pool in Kampi to the riverside of Kratie town.

Organised by Walker Stephens, a determined and passionate volunteer based in Kratie, the event is a “celebration of the free flowing water of the Mekong River”. The aim is to “have fun and celebrate the life which this river both produces and sustains, and raise awareness that the future of the Mekong river currently hangs in the balance”, he says.

The future of the Mekong is awaiting the impending decision concerning the construction of a 1,260-megawatt dam proposed for Xayaburi province in Laos. The Xayaburi dam poses serious threats, not only to the communities directly impacted in Laos, but particularly the populations of Vietnam and Cambodia, who will see little benefit from the sacrifices made, as 95 percent of the energy generated by the dam will be exported to Thailand.

The Mekong is the lifeblood for more than 60 million people and home to an exceptional range of biodiversity, including the critically endangered Irrawaddy river dolphin.

In Cambodia, the Xayaburi dam threatens the nation’s US$300 million a year freshwater fishery and the successful rice production, reliant upon the unimpeded Mekong floodplain and fertilising silt flows. It threatens 41 species with extinction and risks depleting current fish stocks which provide 80 percent of the protein in Cambodia’s diet, according to International Rivers.

Local and international NGOs support the recommendation to delay construction of any dam on the lower mainstream. This recommendation is based on the Mekong River Commission’s independent Strategic Environment Assessment. This concluded that construction of a Mekong mainstream dam would irreversibly undermine the economic productivity and ecology of the river, putting livelihoods and food security at risk. The SEA recommended a 10-year delay to research and fully assess environmental and social consequences.

The construction of the Xayaburi is the most advanced of the 11 proposed mainstream dams and has been widely condemned by the international community; being called “an environmental disaster” by critics in Vietnam, with fears that the 10 other dams will soon follow if Xayaburi is approved. Many petitions have been sent to regional prime ministers – one of the first in October 2009 from Save the Mekong included 23,110 signatures.

On March 25-26, delegates from Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand will decide whether to build the Xayaburi Dam. With Vietnam opposing construction activities and Thailand supporting mainstream developments, the Cambodian people are anxiously waiting to see what their country’s delegate will decide.

“The Cambodian Joint Committee member has the chance to be a strong leader who stands up for Cambodia and we trust that they act in the best interests of our country, and we look forward to a bright future,” says Sun Mao, executive director of the Cambodian Rural Development Team, a local NGO working to bridge the divide between development and conservation along the Mekong.

Uniting local NGOs, communities and tourists, this event in Kratie is entitled Mekong For Life and encourages all to participate, to celebrate the importance of the Mekong.

Khoun Tola, one of the event’s organisers, says: “The Mekong is everything to Cambodia – that’s why we call it ‘mother water’. We just want to celebrate and play in our river and keep it flowing free.”

Mekong for Life will begin at 8am on the riverside in Kratie town, where there will be a short introduction on threats to the river. Following this, participants will travel to Kampi to begin their journey down the Mekong, floating freely past local communities, in rubber inner tubes. Those wishing to take part on Thursday can pay US$10 on the day, for tube rental, transportation to Kampi, a safety boat and lunch.

Participants are recommended to wear long-sleeve shirts, hats and sun screen. The group hopes to return to Kratie by 4pm. For more information, please contact Walker Stephens at MekongforLife@asia.com .