Building of Yamaha factory put back again

Tuesday, 22 September 2009 15:01 Nguon Sovan

THE construction of a Yamaha assembly plant in Cambodia will be further delayed, at least until early next year, the minority shareholder in the joint venture said Monday.

Assembly of motorcycles from premanufactured parts was originally slated to begin in October this year with the aim of producing about 30,000 motorcycles in the first year at a site in the Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone (PPSEZ).

Construction was halted in March. In June, Kong Nuon, the joint venture’s chairman, said building would start by year’s end, but he told the Post Monday that it was unlikely there would be any activity this year.

“We may begin the construction sometimes early next year because in December this year we will fly to Japan to discuss the commencement of construction with our shareholders,” he said. “We still hope that we will be able to assemble Yamaha motorcycles in Cambodia by the end of next year because it will take only six to nine months to build the assembly factory.”

The US$11.5 million venture, to be located on a 4,890-square-metre site in the PPSEZ, will be 70 percent owned by Yamaha Motor Co, with Toyota Tsusho Corp taking a 20 percent stake and Kong Nuon Import the remaining 10 percent.

Kong Nuon said motorcycle sales in Cambodia had slumped since the real estate market collapsed last year, resulting in the delay. “We have not seen any recovery in motorcycle sales in the last few months,” he said.

Prior to last year’s slump, the company forecast demand for new motorcycles at about 140,000 per year. It now estimates the market to be around 100,000 a year.

Fibre-optic link to open by 2010

Photo by: BLOOMBERG

A technician holds part of a fibre-optic cable. Cambodia’s Telcotech is part of a consortium building a fibre-optic undersea cable linking the US to Southeast Asia that is expected to go live by year’s end.

Tuesday, 22 September 2009 15:01 Nathan Green

Despite setbacks on Asia-US undersea cable, Cambodia will be involved through Telcotech

CAMBODIA’S connection to a high-bandwidth fibre-optic cable linking Southeast Asia to the United States is expected to go live before the end of this year, an engineer with the Cambodian member of the consortium building the network said last week.

The engineer, who asked not to be named, said Telcotech was aiming to “synchronise its launch” with the switching on of the US$550 million, 20,000-kilometre-long Asia-America Gateway (AAG) network, predicting a lag time of less than a month for testing and integration.

Mohamad Izani Karim, a spokesman for Telekom Malaysia, one of 17 members of the consortium building the network, said by email that the AAG was due to be launched in the final quarter of this year.

“AAG is physically complete, [but] we are putting it through a series of tests (both by the suppliers and the purchasers) to ensure that the system is ready to carry commercial traffic,” he said.

The AAG, which will directly connect Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Guam, Hawaii and the US West Coast, was originally expected to carry commercial Internet and voice traffic by the end of last year.

Cambodia missed its chance to have direct connection to the cable when its original representative, Pacific Communications Ltd, decided against it during the design phase.

Telcotech, which became a consortium member in October 2007 after Pacific Communications’ removal in February of that year, was left to negotiate connectivity through other member countries, the engineer said.

However, as a consortium member, it had the right to access connectivity from any landing point through a “backhaul agreement” with other consortium members at “reasonable cost”.

It will initially access the network through landing stations in Vietnam and Thailand but is considering options to link to the network via other member countries.

The engineer said the cost of bandwidth via backhaul agreements would be more expensive than had Pacific Communications agreed a landing point in Cambodia, but that the terms of membership guaranteed a fair price.

That cost would also potentially be offset by providing bandwidth to the operator carrying the traffic from the landing station to Cambodia, he added.

Because Telcotech will own the capacity, it will also be of a higher quality than current connectivity in Cambodia, which is sourced from operators in Thailand and Vietnam that tend to provide the country only with overflow capacity.

“Cambodia will have dedicated access for the first time,” the engineer said.

Telcotech has completed a fibre-optic backbone to provide its bandwidth to major towns and cities across the country. It runs from Poipet on the Thai border through Phnom Penh to Xa Mat, a Vietnamese town on the border with Cambodia. It is also building a second cross-country network, which will run along a different route from Poipet to another location on the Vietnam border, most likely near Bavet, the engineer said.

A second connection from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville has also been finished, which can be extended underwater to connect to landing points of the AAG in countries other than Vietnam and Thailand.

Telcotech is owned by its chairman, Huot Vanthan, who also has a stake in Maruhan Bank and Sotelco, the operator of mobile phone provider Beeline, predominantly owned by Vimpelcom Group.

Karim refused to reveal the reason for the removal of Pacific Communications from the AAG consortium, saying it was “privileged information which I cannot release”.

Pacific Communications could not be reached for comment last week, but according to local media reports, the company’s business licence was revoked in 2008 over an alleged corruption scandal involving company director Song Nimol, the wife of then-Telecom Cambodia director general Nhek Kosol Vithyea, which saw him removed from his post in April of that year.

In a filing to the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange dated August 28, 2008, the company’s major Vietnamese investor, Cables and Telecommunications Material Corporation, said it withdrew its 49 percent stake in the company – which it held with other Vietnamese investors – following the scandal.

Border war, point-blank

Photo by: Eric De Vries

This untitled image of a soldier at Preah Vihear, taken by Siem Reap photographer Eric de Vries, illustrates his personal and evocative shooting style. The image is one of a series of 20 on display from tonight at the Chinese House in Phnom Penh.

Tuesday, 22 September 2009 15:00 Louis White

Photographer Eric de Vries gets up close and personal photographing the daily lives of Preah Vihear-based soldiers in a country he has grown to love.

As tourists begin to trickle back to visit the Preah Vihear temple, Siem Reap-based photographer Eric De Vries is presenting a series of images depicting a day in the life of a Khmer soldier.

The images, shot in the final weeks before the joint agreement to withdraw troops from the site, form his new series Khmer Standoff (at Preah Vihear).

Preferring to get up close and personal with his subjects, rather than shoot from a distance, the Dutch photographer has created a collection that provides an insight into the situation at a very timely moment.

“I wanted to do a series about the Khmer soldiers who have been there for more than one year now, and how they kill time all day during this standoff,” de Vries says.

“I heard that the tension between the Thais and the Khmer was almost history and, prior to both sides’ pulling back troops, I felt I had to go up there before it was too late.”

De Vries’ exhibition reveals a surprising side to soldiering.

To keep boredom at bay between scheduled postings, Khmer soldiers grew vegetables next to sandbag bunkers and even turned their hand to amateur hairdressing to make sure they looked the part, de Vries reveals.

Prasat Preah Vihear is located atop a cliff in the Dangrek mountain range in the far north of Cambodia; an adventurous journey from Siem Reap, particularly by motorbike during the rainy season.

De Vries and his two assistants stayed in Kor Muy, at the foot of the mountains, before making their way to the top the next morning.

“I was really hoping that we, my assistant and brother-in-law included, could stay on top of the mountain overnight with the soldiers,” he said.

“However, the military police didn’t give us permission to do so, which is completely understandable, really.”

When asked about the experience, de Vries claims the soldiers were far from camera shy; all trying their best to be in the series and even going so far as to have a wardrobe change between shots.

Though not permitted to photograph the huge guns facing Thailand, the intrepid trio were taken on a jungle tour by four soldiers, which followed a path through a minefield to the caves underneath the temple.

The only other visitors they encountered were Khmer delegations on official visits and one Japanese tourist, but by the end of the day, de Vries said, he had captured everything he wanted and more.

Much of de Vries’s work is in black and white, which, he says, is simply a personal choice. But for the Khmer Standoff series, he has added a sepia tint, much like he did for his previous series Behind the Tree, Into the Light.

De Vries says he has been captivated by Cambodia since he first travelled to Southeast Asia in 2000. He visited four countries in almost three months, but it was the two weeks he spent in Cambodia that had the biggest impact.

“The people, the countryside and the temples; I was surprised by its beauty and all the smiling Khmer,” he says.

“From then on, I visited Cambodia almost every year to explore and take photographs, before I eventually settled down in Phnom Penh in late 2007,” de Vries says.

Apart from the “photographic heaven” that is Cambodia, de Vries says his family is also an important tie to the country now. His wife is Khmer and recently gave birth to their daughter, C’moon.

As well as working as a photographer, de Vries is co-owner of 4FACES cafe and gallery in Siem Reap, where he exhibits and sells his own work and that of other photographers.

De Vries’s Khmer Standoff series was presented at the International Festival of Photojournalism in Perpignan, France, just two weeks after the photo shoot for Asia Motion, de Vries’s Phnom Penh-based photo agency.

The collection will also be showing at the Chinese House lounge bar and gallery in Phnom Penh today through September 30, with the exhibition opening tonight at 7pm.

Getting out on the road for a day at the racetrack

Photo by: Sovan Philong

A Khmer racer steers a krobei through the crowds at Vihear Suor. The rope through the buffalo’s nose also doubles as a whip to get these beasts up and running.

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The buffalo pound their way underneath a temple archway and along a narrow, muddied track to the finishing line
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Tuesday, 22 September 2009 15:00 Mark Roy

Bareback buffalo racing is a spectacle not to be missed – so why do so few tourists witness this annual event in this small Cambodian village?

It’s hard to understand why this is not one of Cambodia’s premier tourist events.

Whereas Spain has its running of the bulls, the small village of Vihear Suor, just 50 kilometres northeast of Phnom Penh, has its buffalo racing.

That’s right. Buffalo races, the likes of which are held nowhere else in Cambodia.

Horns and heads bedecked and bejewelled, these krobei are quite a sight – and when a loose herd of them get moving amongst the crowd at speed, it is scarcely less chaotic and spectacular than Pamplona.

And, at times, just as terrifying. When these guys race, there is no holding them back. With nothing but a thin rope through their mounts’ nostrils, a pair of bareback racers whip their wilful beasts along at an astounding pace.

Appearing seemingly out of nowhere, a trio of buffaloes pound their way underneath a temple archway and along a narrow, muddied track to the finishing line. That’s around a tonne of unpredictable animal hurtling past a seething throng of wildly cheering spectators.

Then they turn around, line up, and race back. And did I mention the wrestling? And the bareback horse racing? And the sideshows?

Oh. And did I mention the mud?

Though it is utterly amazing to stand back and watch these Khmer buffalo-wranglers pelt through the crowds lining the clay quagmire that serves as a racetrack, it is another thing altogether negotiating a similarly torturous “road” for 20 kilometres or so from the ferry on Highway 6.

The wet clay is so slippery you can barely stand upright on it, let alone ride a bike.

Particularly when you chose a fast and flashy Honda street bike with slick tyres, as opposed to a far more practical dirt bike, for the trip.

Clay is soft, at least – a quality I found most appealing when the bike slipped out from underneath me. And I wasn’t the only one who came unstuck along this treacherous road.

Perhaps it is this perilous journey that explains why the Vihear Suor buffalo races are not so high on the average tourist’s “must-see” list.

To add insult to injury, the races are held at the height of the rainy season. And the 7am start time – meaning a 5:30am departure from the capital – also deters most Westerners.

I counted just six barang amongst the thousands of visiting Khmer villagers.

But why some budding local entrepreneur doesn’t organise a bus tour to this event I have no idea. Because believe it or not, it was worth all the mud and bruises.

There is no betting or prize money for these races. It is just part of the tradition of the Pchum Ben festival in this village, part of the spirituality of the gathering.

The horns of the beasts are wrapped in the same cloth as the monks’ robes. And the decorative pieces on the pointy end aren’t just there for decoration – they also provide protection for the riders.

Apart from the unique spectacle of buffalo racing, I was equally entranced by the wildly entertaining bareback horse racing. Children climbed trees and the temple archway for a better view, while orange-robed monks and beautifully adorned women lined the track to be spattered with mud along with the rest of us.

The buffalo disappeared from the races early, however, and by around nine o’clock the racing was all but over.

People continued to observe Pchum Ben at the pagoda; vendors continued selling their food; people threw darts at a wall of balloons at the sideshow. Hundreds more headed to the ring to watch the Khmer wrestling.

Meanwhile, I tracked down a buffalo for a quick ride. Having negotiated the roads to Vihear Suor on a motorbike, and taken a ferry across the Mekong, the opportunity to add buffalo to the day’s modes of transport was too great to resist.

Not that I rode very far. Or fast. But was it worth the trek?

I’d venture an unequivocal “yes”. And if two-wheeled clay skating is not your thing, there is always the shared taxi, albeit costly over the holiday period.

If you do manage to get there, intact, the colourful chaos that is Vihear Suor buffalo racing is a day at the races you are never likely to forget.

Pich Sambath punches way to decision victory over Kao Lek

Photo by: Robert Starkweather
Kien Svay native Pich Sambath (left) boxed his way to a decision victory over Battambang’s Kao Lek (right) Sunday at the TV5 boxing arena.

Tuesday, 22 September 2009 15:00 Rebert Strakweather

With a big right hand, RCAF strongman Pich Sambath powered past Brigade 70 kickboxer Kao Lek to win on points at the TV5 boxing arena in Takhmao Sunday.

FIGHTING for a thin but raucous holiday crowd, highly rated light middleweight prospect Pich Sambath punched his way to a decision win over Kao Lek Sunday at the TV5 boxing arena in Takhmao.

A solid favourite heading into the bout, Pich Sambath buckled Kao Lek twice in the second round with punches, and unloaded a flurry of combinations in the third to seal the victory.

Kao Lek, 23, knew going into the fight that Pich Sambath would cause trouble with his hands, and the strategy was to force the fight inside and make Pich Sambath, 24, fight from the clinch.

“The plan is to [work the clinch and] knock him out with knees,” Kao Lek said before the bout.

A native of Battambang, Kao Lek began fighting on the local village circuit at the age of 18. In 2006, he moved to Phnom Penh, where he landed with trainer The Sarin at the Brigade 70 boxing club.

Kao Lek’s fight strategy held up through the early rounds, as he landed hard kicks to the body and scored with knees in the clinch. But as the match unfolded, Pich Sambath found more and more openings for his punches and proved just as adept grappling on the inside as he did from punching at a distance.

Pich Sambath buckled Kao Lek once in the first round with a surprise right hand, then buckled him twice again in the second round, each time with punches.

With Kao Lek stepping backward into the neutral corner, Pich Sambath jabbed twice then slipped to the left and swung a wild, sidearm hook that caught Kao Lek square in the chin. Kao Lek’s knees gave way and he sunk into the ropes.

Standing at centre ring 30 seconds later, Pich Sambath jolted Kao Lek again with another sneaky right hand.

In the third round, Pich Sambath cut loose, punching to the body and head with hand skills rarely seen in kickboxing matches. A brutal body shot echoed through the half-empty arena and drew oohs and aahs from the crowd. Seconds later, a speedy six-punch combination – four to the body and two to the head – all but slammed the door shut on Kao Lek’s afternoon.

Pich Sambath remains impenetrable

Undeterred, Kao Lek hunted for the clinch and racked up points with knees in a bid to keep the fight close. But even inside, Pich Sambath proved, if not better, at least equal.

Unable to beat Pich Sambath in the clinch, Kao Lek tried to adapt. In the third round, he chose to stay outside and test his boxing game.

The tactic found minimal success, and by the fourth round The Sarin implored his fighter to return to the original strategy.

“Fight inside,” he shouted from ringside. “The hands are not working.”

But by round four, Kao Lek was breathing heavy and fading fast. As his work rate slowed and his strength waned, Pich Sambath began throwing him around the ring with ease.

Afterward, Kao Lek pointed to the distraction of the holidays for a lack of focus. “I didn’t have a chance to fully train,” he said. “I am completely exhausted.”

The Sarin offered a more succinct analysis. “He beat us with punches,” he said.

Police Blotter: 22 Sep 2009

Tuesday, 22 September 2009 15:01 Mom Kunthear

PURSAT MOTODOP MEETS WATERY END

A man’s body was pulled from a river after he left home to work as a mototaxi driver last week in Pursat province’s Bakan district. Police said that Doum Yuth, 29, was probably killed by robbers, judging by the bruises on his neck. Police added that they were searcing for the attackers and hoped to arrest them soon.

KAMPUCHEA THMEY

GET-RICH-QUICK SCHEME BACKFIRES

Three people were arrested and sent to the police station because they used counterfeit dollars in the market in Tramkok district of Takeo province. Police said that the group had paid the fake dollars in Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Kratie, Prey Veng and Takeo provinces, and that they were arrested while they were changing dollars into Cambodian riels. They were sent to the police station in order to prepare documents to send them to court.

KAMPUCHEA THMEY

WIFE KILLS ANGRY, DRUNKEN HUSBAND

A woman in Kampong Cham province’s Kampong Siem district killed her husband because she could not endure that he drank and cursed her almost every day.

The dead man’s wife, Heng Sreynuch, 31, told the police that she wanted to kill her husband a long time ago, but that her relatives told her not to do it. Police said that on September 11, she could not control herself and had the chance to kill him, so she killed him with poison and beat him on the head with a stick.

KOH SANTEPHEAP

PICKPOCKETS PAY FOR BRIGHT IDEA

Two pickpockets were arrested while they were picking a woman’s handbag in Chamkarmon district on September 8. Both offenders told the police that they were driving a motorbike along the road, and then they saw a woman carrying a black handbag. They thought that it would have a lot of money in it, and that’s why they had the idea to pick it, the suspects said.

RASMEY KAMPUCHEA

WAREHOUSE GUARD ROBBED AND KILLED

A man died in a warehouse last week in Chamkarmon district after being hit with a blunt weapon on his head, police said. The man was discovered in his room when other workers arrived at the warehouse. Police added that the man was killed by robbers who took his motorbike and some money, but that they have not yet arrested any suspects.

RASMEY KAMPUCHEA

PPPost Fantasy League

Tuesday, 22 September 2009 15:00 Dan Riley

Game week 6 was a stomping round of fixtures that had fantasy managers on the edges of their seats. The weekly prize goes to Joel Conkle for his team Jo Bangu, which grabbed a total of 82 points to move up to seventh overall in the fantasy league. Star performers for Joel included Chelsea’s Ashley Cole and Didier Drogba (both on 12 points with Drogba as captain), and Man United’s Darren Fletcher (12 points). Joel claims the Cellcard US$20 phone voucher and T-shirt. Heads up for next weekend’s ties, with transfer deadline at 5:30pm Saturday.

The Phnom Penh Post News in Brief

In Brief: Vimpelcom raised to buy

Tuesday, 22 September 2009 15:00 BLOOMBERG

MOSCOW – OAO Vimpelcom, Russia’s second-largest mobile-phone company, was upgraded to “buy” from “neutral” at Bank of America Corp, which increased its price estimate to US$22 from $12. Vimplecom is the majority stakeholder in Sotelco, a Cambodia-based mobile phone company operating under the brand name Beeline and newest of nine operators in the Kingdom following its launch in May. The Moscow-based company's shares closed at $17.95 Friday on the NASDAQ stock exchange in New York after gaining 1.7 percent or $0.30.

In Brief: Red corn demand high

Tuesday, 22 September 2009 15:00 May Kunmakara

A LOCAL agricultural firm owned by the head of the Cambodian Rice Millers Association (CRMA) said Monday that it had exported more than 13,000 tonnes of dried red corn to Vietnam since early August. CRMA President Phou Puy said Vietnamese buyers could not get enough of the crop, which is a popular animal feed. The company has sourced the red variety of corn from Pailin, Battambang and Banteay Meanchey provinces in western Cambodia, he said. It paid farmers about US$0.12 per kilogram and sold dry corn for $183.52 per tonne, or around $0.18 per kilogram.

Noppadon faces temple charge

Noppadon: Backed heritage listing

Writer: KING-OUA LAOHONG and WASSANA NANUAM

Published: 22/09/2009

The national anti-graft agency has accused former foreign minister Noppadon Pattama of negligence of duty over his signing of a joint communique with Cambodia concerning the Preah Vihear temple, a source at the agency says.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission ruling will be announced today based on a 130-page report.

The investigation of the signing covered 35 other people including four cabinet members in the present government and government officials, including some from the Foreign Ministry.

The ministers involved are Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti, Information and Communications Minister Ranongruk Suwunchwee and Deputy Finance Minister Pradit Phataraprasit. The four served in the Samak administration.

Only Mr Noppadon is to be indicted, the source said.

The investigators did not find enough grounds to take action against the others as they were not aware of what the then foreign minister was doing, the source said. Their cases could be rejected if the NACC submitted them to the court.

The anti-graft agency found Mr Noppadon was negligent in his duties under Article 157 of the Criminal Code, the source said.

Mr Noppadon signed the joint communique with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An on June 18 last year to support Cambodia's application to declare the temple a World Heritage site. Mr Noppadon's mandate was endorsed by the government a day earlier.

But Thailand backed off from its position after the Constitution Court ruled it unconstitutional as it had bypassed parliamentary approval as required under the constitution. Mr Noppadon later resigned.

NACC member Somluck Jadkrabuanpol, chairman of the investigating panel, denied the NACC had been pressured to rule against the Samak government.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban has asked police to take action against those who instigated the unrest that led to Saturday's fierce clash between the People's Alliance for Democracy and Si Sa Ket residents near the border with Cambodia.

The PAD supporters staged a protest on Saturday near the border in Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket to call for the authorities to force Cambodians from the disputed area near Preah Vihear. They confronted a group of local residents who blocked the protest. The clash between PAD protesters and the villagers left scores of people on both sides injured.

Mr Suthep said those who violated the law must face legal action.

Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon expressed regret over Saturday's clash between the two groups of Thai citizens.

Gen Prawit said he had instructed 2nd Army chief Wiboonsak Neepal to closely coordinate with local police and the provincial governor to prevent a recurrence.

He insisted Cambodia understood the situation as Thai and Cambodian commanders remained in contact.

Both PAD and Si Sa Ket residents yesterday filed complaints against each other with local police over Saturday's clash.

Pol Maj Gen Sompong Thongveeraprasert, chief of the Si Sa Ket police, said more than 30 complaints were filed by the two groups.

Interior Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul dismissed reports a group of men dressed in blue shirts had stirred up local residents to confront the PAD demonstrators. The blue shirts are supporters of Newin Chidchob, the power broker behind Mr Chavarat's Bhumjaithai Party.

Cambodia marks International Day of Peace

Monks pray for peace during an activity marking the International Day of Peace in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, Sept. 21, 2009.(Xinhua/Lei Baisong)

A monk (front) holds a banner while attending an activity marking the International Day of Peace in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, Sept. 21, 2009.(Xinhua/Lei Baisong)

Nuns sitting on rickshaws attend a parade marking the International Day of Peace in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, Sept. 21, 2009. (Xinhua/Lei Baisong)

Monks sitting on rickshaws attend a parade marking the International Day of Peace in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, Sept. 21, 2009. Hundreds of Cambodians joined the parade Monday. The International Day of Peace was first established by the U.N. General Assembly in 1981 as an opportunity for people around the world to promote the resolution of conflict and to observe a cessation of hostilities. (Xinhua/Lei Baisong)

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 300 people from schools, universities, pogodas and NGOs as well as other international and social groups gathered in downtown of the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh Monday to mark the International Day of Peace.

The "peace biking" celebration to mark Peace Day started from National Assembly to Wat Phnom and finally stopped in front of the Royal Palace. And before the end of the event, all marchers prayed at the famous spiritual sanctuary of Dorng Keu in front of the Royal Palace to beg for peace for all people around the world and at the same time, the Khmer Buddhist monks chanted Dharma for peace and non-violence for this day.

"We also appealed to our leader and world leaders to support and respect the peace principles in solving the conflict matters even in internal affairs or with neighboring countries," said a joint statement from the event organizer.

Prok Vanny, representative of the event organizer for the peace working group in Cambodia said that "today we all celebrated the world peace day. And we want to raise awareness for peace for all people and spread peace message for all Cambodians."

"We also want to contribute in building and keeping peace in Khmer society as whole, and also building peace for lovely world and peace for all," she added.

"We have to cooperate each other to work for peace, and our message for this year is that we have to strengthen peace ideas, and reduce the tension, solve the conflict with peace deal, terminate all violence and disputes in the whole world. And today is the day of no violence, and stop all armed clashes in the world."

The International Day of Peace was established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly. The first Peace Day was celebrated in September 1982.

In 2002. the General Assembly officially declared September 21 as the permanent date for the International Day of Peace.

Editor: Li Xianzhi

Pchum Ben – Days of Gathering to Make Offerings for Those Remembered and for Those Forgotten – Sunday, 20.9.2009

Posted on 22 September 2009

The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 630

http://cambodiamirror.wordpress.com/

Though the present national holidays extend only over the final period of the fifteen days of commemoration of the living for the dead, it is one of the major events of observing traditional religious observances in Cambodia. What is interesting, is that these holy days of the Cambodian Buddhist community are not observed similarly in other Buddhist countries like Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, or Thailand. It is said that there are some pre-Angkorian and pre-Buddhist Cambodian origins of the Pchum Ben observances, which formed the basis for a later Buddhist interpretation. But it seems that not many people in Cambodia are aware that other predominantly Buddhist countries do not celebrate a similar cause.

Increasing international relations – not only relations for business and politics – lead, over the years , also to new ways of self-reflection, when some unquestioned assumptions about one’s own traditions and beliefs are meeting with people in other countries oriented to the same roots – but with quite different results.

Since a number of persons who claim to be Muslim have committed acts of violence and killings in many countries, there is a trend in the public opinion in many countries that Islam is a violent religion – which is not true. In Iran, at present a famous singer of traditional meditative religious songs is giving inspiration to the opposition movement with his songs of peace and non-violence. There are many different form of Islam. And there are many different forms of Buddhism. And of Christianity.

There are Buddhist traditions pointing to the Buddha denying that there is something like a soul, something existing even beyond a human being’s death, understanding our life as an unending processes of relations and changes, where there is no permanence. And there are other traditions also claiming to be Buddhist, like in the Cambodian Pchum Ben, concerned with the fate of those who died and whose souls may be trapped in a spiritual world if nobody in this world cares for them, to get them out from the misery of a bad spiritual world.

It is interesting to see how such belief is strong even in persons where one would not easily expect it.

When Vann Nath, the painter-survivor of the Tuol Sleng prison, said as a witness at the Khmer Rouge trial in June 2009 that life was “hell” in the prison, he is obviously using figurative language. But when the former Khmer Rouge leader Ieng Thirith, the Minister of Social Affairs and Education of the Khmer Rouge government – now in detention at the Khmer Rouge trial – “cursed those who accused her of killing people, to fall into the seventh level of hell” [in The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 602, Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #128, 1-2.3.2009] one may ask whether this is still figurative speech only, or more.

Also the Prime Minister used, recently, similar words – whether used figuratively or beyond – which are strong because of the alliterations to their meaning in religious language, when he is quoted with the following statements:

- On 8 September 2009 he was quoted to have warned his critics that they would be struck by lightning, if they dared to suggest his leadership was plunging the country into poverty. – There have been already about 100 persons killed by lightning in Cambodia in 2009 so far, while there had been only 45 deaths reported in 2008.

- And on 15 September 2009 he was quoted – maybe in response to reports about the statement of the member of the National Assembly, Mu Sochua, and what she was reported to have said in the USA, that people who go overseas to tell “lies” about Cambodia could end up in the lowest level of hell, adding that people in foreign countries now have access to television about Cambodia and they would not be tricked by “liars” [though electronic media present a wide spectrum of the Cambodian realities].

The Pchum Ben traditions want to provide an end of suffering for those is hell, not only for those who have descendants and relatives praying for them and making offerings to the religious community of monks for their liberation from hell. There are even general – anonymous – donations for the forgotten trapped souls for whom nobody cares. Maybe this spirit of calling those who failed back, can also help to heal the many painful tensions among the living.

Discussing this with Cambodian friends, it was said that this is a Cambodian tradition – probably it relates only to Cambodians – not even to all Cambodian: probably not to Cham people, because they are not Khmer. There is a lot of quiet reflection and talking in mutual trust to happen, before we seriously can try to share our different understandings of the deeper meaning of life and death, including Khmers and Cham, and even foreigners from far away. Globalization includes more than the economy and the ecology.

Note:

Because of the Pchum Ben holidays in Cambodia, the next publication planned is the normal edition for Tuesday, 22.9.2009.

Government Denies Claims of Border Protest

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer

Original report from Phnom Penh

21 September 2009

The government on Sunday denied claims made by Thai protesters that Cambodians had encroached on Thai soil near the temple of Preah Vihear, where soldiers on both sides have amassed since July 2008.

About 30 Thai protesters of the People’s Alliance for Democracy were allowed access to the temple on Sunday morning, as 5,000 demonstrators gathered on the Thai side of the border. The government dismissed claims by the protest leaders as “crazy.”

Thailand and Cambodia both have troops amassed around a disputed 4.6 square kilometers of land near Preah Vihear temple, in a standoff that has simmered over into battles on several occasions, killing a total seven soldiers.

Agence France-Presse quoted protest leader Veera Somkwamkid as saying Cambodia had allowed soldiers and citizens to stay in the disputed area and urging Thailand to reclaim the area around the temple.

Chhum Socheath, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, told VOA Khmer Sunday from Preah Vihear temple, Sunday’s demands were “unacceptable.”

“The statement announced by the Thai yellow-shirt protesters is a very crazy stance,” he said. “We have a clear treaty, convention and borderline. So we rule out this problem.”

Koy Kong, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the statements were baseless and unfair, and added that the protests came from only one political movement and would not therefore affect relations between the two governments.

The protesters had hoped to cross into Cambodia, which officials worried could further destabilize efforts to resolve the border crisis. However, Thai soldiers and police, as well as local villagers, prevented this.

“This shows the will of the Thai government, which has the intention of solving the border issue with Cambodia peacefully and within existing mechanisms,” he said.

Prayer and Pedaling on Day of Peace

By Chiep Mony, VOA Khmer

Original report from Phnom Penh
21 September 2009

A dozen local organizations called on Monday for peaceful resolution to the prolonged border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand, marking the International Day of Peace Monday.

A hundred participants, ranging from monks to rights workers prayed for peace before the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, while others rode bicycles through the capital in matching peace T-shirts.

Nearly 300 people participated, coming from universities, schools and NGOs, in a ride that started from the National Assembly building, continued to Wat Phnom and finally stopped at the famous spiritual sanctuary of Dorng Keu in front of the Royal Palace.

Before the end of event, about 100 participants sat down with Buddhist monks and nuns and prayed for world peace.

Prok Vanny, one of the organizers, said the day was meant to disseminate awareness to people and spread a message of peace.

But Monday's day of peace came following a tumultuous weekend at the border, where tension remains high over Preah Vihear temple and disputed border territory nearby.

Ream Rathamony, vice president of the Youth Resource Development Program, said he still was worried Cambodia would not avoid conflict with Thailand again over the temple, and he appealed to the two countries to avoid armed conflict.

"We suffered civil war for nearly 30 years, and many women and children became widows and orphans after the war," he said, adding that he did not want to see war again.

Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said the Cambodian government has clung to keeping peace so that it has chance to develop the country.

During his visit to Cambodia in June, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva vowed to avoid armed clashes with Cambodia over the border issue.

Telecom Industry Booming, as Competition Rises

By Ros Sothea, VOA Khmer

Original report from Phnom Penh

21 September 2009

Advertisements for every mobile phone network in Cambodia can be seen in newspapers, on television, on the street and in supermarkets. Companies are reducing prices, giving away air time and, in some cases, giving away phones.

Nine companies in fact are fighting for customers in the most competitive environment in a decade.

Gary Foo, chief of marketing manager of Hello, which is owned by Malaysia’s Axiata Group, said his company was facing its toughest competition since it arrived in 1997.]

“It is one of the most competitive markets in the world, actually, just because of the fact that there are too many players in the market,” he said. That has led led to a slowdown in new subscribers, he said.

Thomas Hundt, CEO of Smart Mobile, which is invested in by Russia’s Timeturn holdings, said the market is competitive but still potentially alluring.

“At the present moment, the market is giving enough room to grow,” he said. “A lot of people are using more than one sim card. They are even using more than three sim cards. Especially the young people: they have plenty of choices, and they are jumping from one to another operator.”

Consumers are benefiting from the increase in competition.

For example, Smart Mobile responded to the new environment by offering two hours of free talking each day, and by putting a game room and restaurant at the company’s office center.

The government gets a piece too.

Telecom investment increased from $30 million in mid-2008 to $234 million in mid-2009, according to figures from the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications. The investment brings some $30 million dollar annually to Cambodia’s government.

Prior to 2008, only four mobile phone operators existed in Cambodia: Khmer Royal Group’s Mobitel, Thai Shin Satellite’s Mfone, Axiata’s Hello, and Applifone’s Star-Cell.

One year later, five more players entered, Cube, owned by Cambodian-Israeli Cambodia Advance Communication; Excell, owned by Cambodia’s GT-TELL; Metfone, owned by Vietnamese’s Viettle; Smart Mobile’s Latelz and Beeline, with investment from Russia’s VimpelCom.

That’s nine mobile phone operators for 14 million people, compared to China’s three state-run companies for 1.3 billion people, or four companies each in Vietnam and Thailand, which have, respectively, 80 million and 60 million people.

(More than 4 million Cambodians use mobile phones, an increase of 1 million in the past year alone.)

However, without a telecommunications law, a tough competitive market has led to disputes. Beeline, for example, was accused of violating pricing regulations by Mobitel and others.

The competition “will bring the prices down, and users will have m ore choices from that,” said Sarak Khan, undersecretary of state for the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunication.

The ministry has created a special team, which is preparing new regulations to ensure fair competition, he said.

Simon Perkins, CEO of Beeline, said mobile operators have to look at their finances in order to survive in this environment, and some companies will likely not make it.

“Some people entering the market, trying to compete and to survive, they don’t often succeed, because they face stronger opponents,” he said. “It is a natural way for some companies to go into bankruptcy.”

Sam Kong Kea, corporate affairs officer of Star-Cell, agreed. He said companies are now hardly generating revenue and only huge financial operators will be able to survive this market.

Development Research Facing Obstacles

By Ros Sothea, VOA Khmer

Original report from Phnom Penh

21 September 2009

With 30 percent of its population living under $1 per day, Cambodia needs more research for development, but experts say not enough studies have been conducted. Research has also been done mostly with donor funding, limiting the quality or scope, while the government often rejects the findings, experts say.

“Research is an important component of development,” Fred Carden, director of the evaluation unit of the International Development Research Center, based in Canada, told VOA Khmer. “Researchers are exploring important ideas in agriculture, in health, in education and many other fields. And if the ideas don’t come to policymakers, it is a big loss to the country.”

Hang Choun Naron, director-general of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, recognized the limitations of research in Cambodia derived from the lack of communication among researchers and policymakers.

“Anywhere, especially Cambodia, you know, you can’t be smarter than your boss,” he said. “If you are smarter than your boss, you will have a problem. So you have to find a way to make people accept your idea. It takes time. Communication and relationship-building are very important.”

Cambodia has some 500 researchers conducting various studies, in economy, agriculture, education, poverty and natural resources, among others Hang Choun Naron said. Among them, 100 researchers are working for five or six private and non-governmental organizations, while 400 others work for state-owned research institutions.

Researchers say they are facing challenges and constraints in conducting deep, quality research.

Kim Sedara has 16 years of experience as a researcher at the Cambodia Development and Research Institute. Researchers face financial shortages, and no package from the government, so they are highly dependent on foreign donors, he said.

“Donors generally offer [money] with advanced conditions, which limits a researcher’s thought and analysis,” he said.

Chap Sotharith, a senior economic researcher at the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace, said dependence on foreign donors reduces the independence of a researcher. Meanwhile, corruption and human rights research might cause researchers trouble.

“The outcome of some sensitive studies, such as corruption and human rights, may get a reaction from government,” he said. “So some [researchers] don’t pay much attention to such kinds of research.”

Other researchers complain of a data and library shortage, of limited foreign language knowledge and a lack of cooperative sources, including among government officials.

Cambodia also faces a lack of human resources, said Kate Frieson, a research adviser for the CBNRM Learning Institute, a natural resources research agency. Of 15 Cambodian universities, only one has a research budget package, Frieson said.

Most of the state-owned universities exclude research subjects, while private institutions have found that research is not an attractive option to students, who generally only undertake a research project for a final thesis.

Given these challenges, CDRI and CBNRM held a meeting of more than 200 researchers earlier this month, encouraging the public and private sides to conduct more research in four major areas: agriculture, natural resources, economics and social development and governance.

At the workshop, Singapore was named as an interesting example, as research and study there made the small island nation-state one of the most developed countries in Asia.

Pou Sotheareak, a senior research fellow at Singapore’s Institute for Southeast Asian Study, said Cambodia has so far been unable to follow Singapore, as the government has no budget to pay attention to researchers or give value to them.

By March 2009, 4.3 Million Mobile Subscribers (penetration 29%) Were Recorded In Cambodia

New report provides detailed analysis of the Telecommunications market

Published on September 21, 2009

by Press Office

(Companiesandmarkets.com and OfficialWire)

LONDON, ENGLAND

Despite its status as a least developed country and remaining one of the poorer countries in Southeast Asia, Cambodia’s efforts to expand and upgrade its telecom infrastructure are bearing fruit. There was very little infrastructure remaining from before the tumultuous Khmer Rouge days. As a result, Cambodia bypassed rebuilding the fixed-line market and quickly launched into alternative technologies, jump-starting its telecommunications infrastructure with digital technology. Not surprisingly, mobile services have completely overwhelmed the market. By early 2009, there were nine mobile operators vigorously competing with each other in a market segment that was growing at an annual rate of more than 50%. There were 4.3 million mobile subscribers (penetration 29%) in the country by March 2009. The market was still in a very strong growth phase, as evidenced by the keenness shown by foreign operators seeking to be part of it.

Some limited fixed-line growth had earlier come about through investment under foreign assistance, but this has mainly benefited Phnom Penh and geographical coverage has not increased significantly since that effort in the 1990s. The number of fixed-line services was relatively static at around 40,000 by 2008. In the absence of any real fixed-line growth, mobile telephone services continue to completely dominate the overall telecom market in Cambodia, with mobiles representing more than 99% of the total number of telephone services in the country. This disparity has been growing more significant each year.

The expansion of Internet services has also been overshadowed by the mobile phenomenon. In fact Internet take-up remains disturbingly low, one of the lowest penetrations in the region. Of course, the limited fixed line infrastructure has been a major inhibiting factor in the roll-out of both dial-up and ADSL Internet services. One encouraging feature has been the general availability of Internet access in provincial towns.

It is worthwhile noting that wireless technology has been especially advantageous for Cambodia in achieving rapid network rollout and replacement of a fixed network badly damaged by 20 years of war. In addition to the thriving mobile networks, Wireless Local Loop has been useful for rapid provision of a limited number of fixed-line services. However, while Cambodia has exemplified the fact that WLL offers a viable option for rapidly expanding telecom access in developing countries with low levels of fixed infrastructure, the potential of this technology has yet to be fully exploited in the country.

Key highlights:

The year 2008 saw Cambodia’s mobile market continue on its positive expansion path, with annual growth of 56% for the year and continuing at 50%+ into 2009;

With 29% mobile penetration by March 2009, the mobile market had passed the 4 million subscriber milestone earlier in 2009;

With 3 new mobile operators coming to the market in 2008/09, Cambodia has a total of 9 operators in what has become a crowded and highly competitive market;

The development of fixed-line and Internet services continue to languish; the latter is particularly disconcerting as online access is crucial to national growth;

On the broader political front, National Assembly elections were held in 2008, with Hun Sen being returned to power; while the elections were generally regarded as credible, deficiencies remain.

This report provides an overview of the trends and developments in the telecommunications markets in Cambodia. Subjects covered include:

Key Statistics;

Market and Industry Overviews;

Major Operators (Mobile and Fixed)

Regulatory Environment;

Infrastructure;

Mobile Market;

Internet Market;Telecom market forecasts for selective years to 2018.

PAD temple protest was blatant provocation

By The Nation
Published on September 22, 2009

The government must stop its ally from causing any more trouble at disputed border site

The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) should have learnt a lesson after its clash with local residents over the weekend near the disputed temple of Preah Vihear on the Cambodian border. The PAD's protest at the site was wrong. It was no way to protect Thailand's national sovereignty.

Blood should not be spilled over this stupid demand to have sovereignty over the disputed territory. It remains unclear to which country the temple actually belongs. It is embarrassing to see Thai people fighting each other in this area, even though Thailand and Cambodia are at odds over the historical site.

The nationalist elements of the PAD made a silly and unnecessarily provocative move to protest at the Pha Mor Ee Daeng site on Saturday and Sunday, demanding the removal of a Cambodian community from the disputed area of 4.6 square kilometres.

The area adjacent to the Preah Vihear temple is claimed by both Thailand and Cambodia. But the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding in 2000 to leave the site free from occupation until the boundary demarcation is finished and agreed upon.

It is true that Cambodia has built up a settlement, temple and military outpost in the disputed area since 2004. But the PAD should be well aware that the Thai Foreign Ministry has lodged a series of diplomatic protests over the Cambodian construction.

The Cambodian action might be regarded as a violation of the 2000 memorandum of understanding, but it is wrong for Thai people to try to remove the settlers from the area by force. We must be civilised in solving the problem by negotiation through the proper diplomatic channels.

Instead of helping to solve the problem, the PAD action has simply made the issue more complicated. The protest degenerated into clashes with local residents in Si Sa Ket's Kanthalalak district, who have lived there for generations.

Local residents in many sub-districts in the area around Preah Vihear and the Phra Viharn National Park view the PAD protesters as troublemakers. The PAD caused the closure of the temple.

Many Thai people in the area rely on the Preah Vihear temple for a number of reasons. Some are traders who rely on tourists who visit the World Heritage site; some need to travel through the area to get to their farms; some gather food and other items from the forests; others are relatives of people in the Cambodian community in the disputed area. Sovereignty over the boundary is meaningless for local people. They are able to get on with their daily lives even with the blurred boundary line.

The clash over the weekend between the local villagers and the PAD protesters, who mostly came from elsewhere, was not the first time that such trouble has flared, but the second. The history of conflict between the two groups began last year when the PAD protested to Cambodia over the World Heritage inscription proposal. The PAD protest forced the authorities in Cambodia to shut Preah Vihear to tourism. The military on both sides have set up security outposts throughout the area, blocking local residents from travelling freely.

It is understandable that local people blame the PAD for creating trouble. An angry mob attacked PAD protesters in July last year when the PAD rallied at the site shortly after the World Heritage Committee announced Preah Vihear's inscription as a heritage site. Many people were injured in the clashes and ugly pictures were televised as Thais used flagpoles to beat each other.

Unfortunately, the PAD has not learned a lesson from the bloodshed last year, and has simply repeated the same mistake this year. The thousands of PAD marchers clashed with the same group of villagers in almost exactly same place, Ban Phumsarol. At least five people on both sides were injured this time. The most serious case was an injury to a protester's right eye, and some villagers were reportedly shot at by unknown gunmen.

Nobody is taking responsibility for the incident, as leaders of both sides have filed lawsuits for criminal damage against each other. Such actions will consequently create more conflict between the two groups of Thais.

The PAD leader of the demonstration, Veera Somkwamkid, says he will not give up national sovereignty over the disputed territory and will stay the course in the fight. The local residents are unlikely to throw the towel in either. The rift will go on.

The government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has underestimated the level of conflict between the PAD and the villagers. It made no serious effort to prevent either the protest or the clashes. Minor injuries in Si Sa Ket might mean nothing to those in power who once agreed with this nationalist agenda - especially as a tactic against their political rivals - but people should not be scarified in this unnecessary conflict. Nobody will gain anything from such thoughtlessness.

Thailand will not benefit from this PAD protest over the boundary demarcation with Cambodia. The government must step in to stop any further provocation by its closest ally before the dispute degenerates into worse bloodshed.

Gold thieves explode grenades in heist, injure six

Turkmenistan News.Net

Monday 21st September, 2009 (IANS)

Two thieves hurled several hand grenades into a local market in eastern Cambodia before robbing a gold vendor, a media report said Monday.

Provincial police chief Sann Sothea said six gold vendors were injured Friday's attack in the market in Kampong Cham province. The robbers escaped with $250 and an unknown quantity of gold.

'It is the first time that the gold robbers used grenades to rob the market vendors like this in Kampong Cham province,' Sann Sothea told the Cambodia Daily newspaper.

Two vendors were seriously injured in the blasts and four others were slightly hurt, he said. Seven market stalls were destroyed.

Sann Sothea said the number of injuries was low because many vendors had left the market to prepare food for the annual Pchum Ben festival, when the country's majority Buddhist population visit pagodas to leave offerings for their deceased relatives.

Police had made no arrests in connection in the incident.

Many Cambodians store their wealth in gold as they do not trust banks. This year has seen a spate of attacks on gold vendors in the capital Phnom Penh and other parts of Cambodia.

Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam exchange legislative experiences

09/21/2009

The national assemblies of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia held a workshop in Vung Tau city, Ba Ria-Vung Tau province on September 21 to exchange their experiences in legislation and supervision in the context of the global economic crisis.

With technical support from the UNDP, the participants discussed the impact of the economic slowdown on the three countries and the role of national assembly deputies.

At the event, the Chairwoman of the Vietnam National Assembly, Tong Thi Phong, highlighted the traditional mutual assistance between the countries of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

She said that globalization strongly influences national policies, and whatever happens in one of the three countries has a far-reaching impact on the other countries.

Deputy PM visits Cambodia

09/21/2009

A high-level Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong began an official visit to Cambodia on September 21 to step up bilateral cooperation in preventing and combating drugs and HIV/AIDS.

From September 21-24, the deputy PM and his delegation will meet with Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Ke Kim Yan, and other senior officials.

Deputy PM Trong is expected to visit the Aukas Khnhom drug detoxification centre in Phnompenh, and present a quantity of medicine to the Cambodian National Steering Committee for Drug Prevention and Control to help drug addicts detoxify.

Currently, Cambodia wants to work closer with Vietnam and exchange information on preventing trans-national drug traffickers, building drug free communes in border areas and drug detoxification centres as well as exchanging methods of training staff who specialise in drug and HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

NA leader meets with Cambodia’s Deputy Attorney General

09/21/2009

The Vice Chairman of the National Assembly (NA), Uong Chu Luu, on September 21 received in Hanoi a delegation from the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) of the Cambodia Supreme Court at the NA office.

The delegation, led by Deputy Attorney General, Chhuon Chantha, is on a visit to Vietnam from September 20-24.

Speaking on the occasion, NA Vice chairman highlighted the results of cooperation between the two countries in various fields like mineral mining, agriculture, and rubber planting. Two-way trade turnover has risen annually and is expected to reach US$2 billion in 2010, he said.

The Vice President of the OAG thanked the Vietnamese people for supporting Cambodia in the past struggle against Pol Pot’s genocidal regime as well as in the current process of national development. He stated that the traditional relationship between the two countries will continue to develop in the future.

In its first visit to Vietnam, the Cambodian OAG delegation will work with the Hanoi People’s Procuracy and leaders of Quang Ninh and Bac Ninh provinces to strengthen the traditional ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Cambodia, Vietnam cooperate to fight against drug trafficking

September 21, 2009

Cambodia and Vietnam will strengthen bilateral cooperation to fight against drug trafficking crossing the two countries, an official said on Monday.

"Primer Minister Hun Sen held talks Monday with visiting Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong at Cambodian National Assembly," the premier's spokesman Ieng Sophalet told reporters after the meeting.

During the meeting, Ieng Sophalet said, "Hun Sen requested Vietnamese side to help building a drug rehabilitation center for Cambodian victims because Vietnamese side have more experience and abilities in dealing with the drug cases."

"The center also will play a key role for helping to provide the vocational training for those victims. Their families also have suffered from the drug cases," Ieng Sophalet said, adding that after they left the center, they will have appropriate jobs and skills in the future.

"Vietnamese thanked the bilateral cooperation and the cooperation between the police authorities from both sides to fight against and crack down the drug matters crossing border of the two countries in the past years," Ieng said.

Both sides have considered drug users as not criminals but they all are victims from drug problems, he said, adding that Vietnamese side also expressed a strong commitment to help reduce the drug cases in Cambodia.

Truong Vinh Trong, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the committee of combating Drug, Aids, and Prostitution, arrived here Monday and will meet with senior General Keo Kim Yan, chairman of the anti-drug authority of Cambodia on Tuesday for bilateral cooperation.

Source: Xinhua