Wednesday, 31 March 2010

The Phnom Penh Post News in Brief


via CAAI News Media

Road Rage: General in court over shooting

Wednesday, 31 March 2010 15:05 Vong Sokheng

Road Rage

Ageneral in the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) and his bodyguard, accused of shooting an ice seller after a traffic accident on Sunday, were sent Tuesday to Kampong Speu provincial court for questioning, which was due to continue today, Khut Sopheang, the court’s chief prosecutor said. The hearing was held despite the fact that the victim’s family accepted compensation in exchange for not filing a complaint. Brigadier General Soy Narith and his bodyguard were arrested Sunday for allegedly shooting Kong Kon, 32, in the neck after the victim’s ice cart cut in front of their car in Samrong Tong district’s Sambou commune. Kong Kon was rushed to Calmette hospital and is now conscious, according to relatives. The victim’s brother, who wished not to be named, said Soy Narith had offered the family US$5,000 in compensation on Monday in exchange for not filing a complaint with the court. But Roth Navy, a provincial monitor for rights group Adhoc, said that although the compensation was paid, the case remained in court. “There was evidence [of a shooting]; therefore, the general has to face criminal charges from the court,” he said.

TV viewing increases

Wednesday, 31 March 2010 15:06 Cameron Wells

CAMBODIANS are watching more television overall but less during primetime hours, according to a new study from Indochina Research.

According to the study, released this month, television penetration reached 100 percent in 2009, compared to 74 percent five years ago, but primetime viewing dropped from 80 percent to 72 percent last year.

Indochina Research General Manager Laurent Notin said the latter statistic could be attributed to the fact that there are more evening entertainment options available than there were previously.

“The fact is in the evenings there are more things to do nowadays,” he said. “People tend to go out more.”

Early-morning viewing is also on the rise, the study found.

Sex targeted in Sihanouk ville

Wednesday, 31 March 2010 15:05 Chhay Channyda and David Boyle

POLICE in Preah Sihanouk province rounded up scores of suspected sex workers from restaurants, bars and karaoke parlours last week in a series of raids that officials described as part of an attempt to curb “immorality” and halt human trafficking.

Chor Heng, the provincial deputy police chief in charge of human trafficking, said a total of 61 people had been held during raids on March 25 and March 26.

“Some of them were prostitutes and some were just women who sit out in the front and wave to potential customers of the prostitutes,” he said, adding that those in the latter group had been released after police “secured” guarantees from their employers that they were not sex workers.

He said some of the suspected sex workers had been sent to the provincial Department of Social Affairs, while others had been released.

He added that the raids would continue.

New social enterprise

Wednesday, 31 March 2010 15:00 Steve Finch

THE social enterprise Export Service Centre, a member of the US-based non-profit organisation Kearny Alliance, has expanded into Cambodia and received its first orders from Europe, a statement said Tuesday. Selling clothing accessories, jewellery and other handicrafts, the operation was first established in Indonesia and has now set up in the Kingdom, employing 34 full-time workers, mostly land-mine and polio victims.

CIMB looks to Cambodia

Wednesday, 31 March 2010 15:00 Nguon Sovan

CIMB Group Holdings Bhd said Monday that it has applied for a banking licence in Cambodia, though National Bank officials could not confirm the application. “We have applied for licences in Vietnam and Cambodia, that’s all for the moment. But CIMB does have strategies for all other Asean markets,” CIMB chief executive Datuk Seri Nazir Razak was quoted saying by the Bernama news agency. However, he did not reveal the details of the application or when the outcome is expected. Central bank Director General Tal Nay Im and her deputy, Nguon Sokha, said Tuesday they were unaware of the submission. Adrienne Kim, a spokeswoman for CIMB Investment Bank, declined to comment Tuesday.

Insurance plan stalls

Wednesday, 31 March 2010 15:00 Nguon Sovan

THE plan to establish cross-border insurance to boost trade and tourism among neighboring countries has stalled under Thai political turmoil. “Until now, cross-border insurance has not yet started up, because of the political issue with Thailand,” Chhay Rattanak, chairman of the General Insurance Association of Cambodia (GIAC), told the Post Tuesday. “We’ve lost contact with them for a while.” Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam are all awaiting a response from Thailand, he said. In August, six out of seven insurance companies in Cambodia signed an agreement to create an insurance pool for cross-border traffic. Chhay Rattanak told the Post at the time that GIAC would launch the scheme in the first quarter of 2010 at the latest.

Chuan Wei agreement

Wednesday, 31 March 2010 15:00 Post Staff

INTERNET Service provider Chuan Wei has signed a software deal with China’s Vancelinfo Technologies Inc, according to a Monday press statement. The deal will see New York-listed Vancelinfo provide billing and business support, customer relationship management and an operational support system, or “control room” setup for the operator, a Chuan Wei executive said by email Tuesday. The statement did not say how much the deal was worth. The two firms signed the deal on Saturday. Following the announcement Monday, Vancelinfo climbed 1.6 percent in New York to finish at US$22.19. The company was ranked number one among Chinese offshore software development service providers for North America and Europe, according to 2008 revenues.

No comments: