The legendary Angkor Wat temple. Photo / AP

New Zealand Herald, New Zealand

Monday Oct 27, 2008
Tim Roxborogh

We're sitting at the dining room table and no one is saying a word. We all have food balanced on our spoons, mouths open, but the stories from our host are so gripping and monumental that the two haven't quite met. Then all of a sudden: "Who wants to hear a landmine joke?"

Without missing a beat, our Cambodian tour guide and host of tonight's dinner party, Mr Lee, had switched from recounting his survival in the killing fields of the 1970s to a question our tour group was all certain we'd misheard.

We'd been sitting in respectful, awed silence as he told his brave, inspiring life, when suddenly we were immersed in some of that classic foreigner awkwardness as Mr Lee chortled on about Englishmen, Irishmen and Cambodians.

Still, it's fair to say he and his countrymen have probably earned a laugh or two, while we sat around him quietly enjoying food that puts even the delicious Thai and Vietnamese cuisines to shame.

We were in Cambodia's tourist capital, Siem Reap - a place we'd been told would be the highlight of any trip to South East Asia.

Fifteen years ago Siem Reap received 2000 foreign tourists a year, now that figure is two million.

Many step off the plane thinking they're coming to a town called Angkor Wat and just as many think Angkor is the only temple here. In fact, it has become the most famous due to its status as it is the world's single biggest religious building.

The other name never far from anyone's lips here is Angelina Jolie. The actress is revered here, thanks, not so much to her adoption of a Cambodian orphan or her charitable donations, but rather to the fact that 10 years ago her fun but rather silly movie Tomb Raider opened the eyes of the world's tourists to Cambodia.

But why the fuss? And how could a place with that kind of a ridiculous influx of tourists possibly still have any of its original charms?

Thanks to our freshly laminated Angkor temple passes we had three days to find out.

At the end of those three days our tour party is knackered. There have been countless steps up to stunning temples, glorious spires and beautiful carvings; not to mention the realisation that 1000 years ago man was advanced enough to build monuments such as these, yet just 30 years ago he was backward enough to commit the single worst genocide in any country's history.

As recently as the 1990s Cambodia was still reeling from years of war and genocide with a life-expectancy of under 50. While the country is still racked by corruption, high infant mortality and a depressing mistreatment of women, it has pulled itself out of a deep mire remarkably quickly.

People like Mr Lee attribute its new popularity with tourists to the fact that Cambodia is a beautiful, green, tropical country with one of the world's greatest historical and religious sites at Angkor.

The temples are about 1000 years old, but most Westerners didn't even know of their existence until Jolie swashbuckled her way through them.

Add to that the many other temples with their crumbling blocks, dark chambers with tree roots spilling over the walls and this place is worth the hype, and that's without taking into account the most overlooked asset of Siem Reap: the town itself.

It is a tree-laden river town with beautiful French colonial architecture, sensational food, lively backpacker nightlife and tasteful hotels. This could be a city transformed by tourist dollars into a Vegas-like nightmare, yet somehow all the development (while often lavish) seems in keeping with the laidback, tropical paradise vibe Siem Reap has always had. Even the tuk-tuks that line the main drag have a peaceful grandeur.

Tim Roxborogh travelled to SE Asia courtesy of Flight Centre.

SIEM REAP TOP 5

1: TA Prohm Temple Not as famous as Angkor Wat, this jungle temple was our favourite and is so surreal you'd swear its 1000-year-old walls were built by Steven Spielberg in the 1980s.

2: Angkor Wat The largest religious structure in the world is a colossus that should be visited as soon as possible: roped-off, no-access areas are increasing due to tourist numbers.

3: Hot-air balloon ride A cheap and brilliant way to get your bearings.

4: Pub Street Where some of the most fun, chilled-out nightlife in Cambodia can be found.

5: The countless markets The largest and cleanest markets in the region are so first-world you forget you're supposedly in one of the poorest countries in Asia.

Thailand: Cambodia talks productive

PRESS TV
Sun, 26 Oct 2008

A Senior Thai official describes informal talks with Cambodia aimed at resolving border disputes which recently turned violent as 'productive'.

Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Sompong Amornvivat said in a national television program Sunday morning that both sides had favored a peaceful solution.

Prime Minister and Defense Minister Somchai Wongsawat met with Cambodian Premier Hun Sen on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Beijing.

Sompong said during a program aired by state-run NBT channel that he planned to ask the parliament to consider the framework of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Border Committee (JBC) this Tuesday.

Last week, Somchai called for bilateral talks at the 7th ASEM, saying it was 'critically important'.

On October 15, border disputes over the 11th century Preah Vihear temple escalated into deadly clashes, in which two Cambodian soldiers were killed and seven Thai troops injured.

Earlier this month, at least one Cambodian soldier and two Thai troops were injured during sporadic exchange of gunfire.

Cambodia confirms ASEAN meeting moved from Bangkok

Monsters and Critics.com

Asia-Pacific News
Oct 26, 2008

Phnom Penh - Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong Sunday confirmed reports that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting set for Bangkok in December has been moved to the northern city of Chiang Mai amid political unrest.

Hor Namhong was the first non-Thai ASEAN official to officially confirm the move, returning from talks with Thai officials on the sidelines of the two-day Asia-Europe Meeting in Beijing with a delegation headed by Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Continued political disturbances in Bangkok have seen the nation's government house overrun.

Chiang Mai is a major city with an international airport about 700 kilometres north of Bangkok.

Hor Namhong was speaking at a press conference at Phnom Penh International Airport.

The 10-member ASEAN bloc comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam and has forged strong diplomatic and trade links with India, South Korea, Japan and China.

The summit is scheduled for December 15-18, and Thailand has invited UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and the heads of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, despite its internal woes.

Last month, Cambodia expressed doubt that the meeting could be held in Bangkok by Thailand, which currently chairs ASEAN in an annually rotated post. Hun Sen said Thailand's current political turmoil reflected badly on ASEAN, drawing fury from some Thai groups.

Thailand and Cambodia are currently engaged in a protracted border dispute which has several times threatened to turn into all-out military conflict since July, when an ancient Cambodian temple was named a World Heritage site by UNESCO over Thai objections.

The European Union and the United Nations Spend Euro18.7 Million on Four Projects in Cambodia - Saturday, 25.10.2008

Posted on 26 October 2008

The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 583

“Phnom Penh: On 24 October 2008, there was a press conference at the headquarters of the United Nations Development Program – UNDP – to announce achieved partnership programs between the European Union and the UNDP in Cambodia to improve the quality of life .

“The European Union provided Euro 18.7 million for the UNDP in Cambodia in the sectors of health, governance, justice, and of rural development.

“During this conference, Mr. Raphael Dochao Moreno, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Delegation of the European Commission to Cambodia, said that the report on that day focused on different achievements of a wide cooperation between the Commission of the European Community and the secretariats, funding agencies, and different programs of the United Nations, particularly in Cambodia, and it focused on the promotion of human rights in development. The cooperation of the European Union and the UNDP with Cambodia intends to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals.

“Mr. Dochao Moreno added that during recent years, the Commission of the European Union had contributed more than Euro 18 million to finance the implementation of different development projects in Cambodia. This development projects relate to the health sector, the improvement of the quality of life, rural development, capacity building for commune councilors, as well as the expenses for the Khmer Rouge Tribunal.

“As for the expenses in the health sector, Euro 5.7 million go to the Ministry of Health and the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund – UNICEF. As for the strengthening of democracy and the capacity building for village and commune councilors, the UNDP is responsible for its administration by spending Euro 10 million. The UNDP is responsible also for the administration of Euro 1 million for the Khmer Rouge Tribunal and of Euro 2 million for rural development.

“At the same time, responding to questions by journalists, who had asked what Cambodia should do to reach its development goals, the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative for Cambodia, Mr. Douglas Broderick, said that Cambodia must have good governance, build up human resources, eliminate corruption, organize the tourist sector well, and especially develop investments in the agricultural sector – particularly increasing paddy rice yield for exportation.

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4725, 25.10.2008
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Saturday, 25 October 2008

UN world heritage temple damaged in Thai clashes: Cambodia

Sun Oct 26,2008

PHNOM PENH (AFP) – Cambodia has lodged a complaint with the United Nations accusing Thai troops of damaging the ancient Preah Vihear temple during a border shoot-out earlier this month, an official said Sunday.

Phay Siphan, spokesman for Cambodia's Council of Ministers, told AFP that a staircase and a sculpture of the mythical Naga creature were damaged by rocket fire at the 11th-century Khmer ruins.

A complaint was filed with the UN cultural body UNESCO a few days after the firefight erupted on October 15 near Preah Vihear, a World Heritage Site at the centre of a long-running territorial dispute between the neighbours.

"Preah Vihear temple was intentionally damaged by Thai troops, because we found the remnants of grenades... near the temple and there were no Cambodian soldiers stationed nearby," Phay Siphan said.

"The Preah Vihear authority has sent reports and pictures of the damage to UNESCO."

Three Cambodian soldiers and one Thai troop were killed in the clashes this month, which came as a months-long military standoff between the neighbours erupted into a shoot-out on disputed land.

Tensions between Cambodia and Thailand flared in July when Preah Vihear was awarded UN World Heritage status, rekindling long-simmering tensions over ownership of land surrounding the temple.

Preah Vihear, with its elegant carvings and crumbling stone staircases, is the most important example of ancient Khmer architecture outside Cambodia's famed Angkor Wat temple complex.

Although the World Court ruled in 1962 that it belonged to Cambodia, the most accessible entrance is in Thailand's northeastern Si Sa Ket province.

Cambodia says trade will be unaffected by border spat with Thailand

The Earth Times

Sun, 26 Oct 2008
Author : DPA

Phnom Penh - Cambodia's trade with Thailand will remain largely unharmed by an increasingly tense border dispute because Cambodia is too attractive a market for Thailand to abandon to China and Vietnam, a minister said Sunday. Commerce Minister Cham Prasidh - addressing reporters at Phnom Penh International Airport on his return from the two-day Asia-Europe Meeting in Beijin - said he did not believe the Thais would "become stupid".

The meeting also saw bilateral talks between Thai and Cambodian officials dealing with fallout from the border dispute which has simmered since July, when the 11th century Preah Vihear temple was awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO over Thai objections.

"If Thailand is not here, Cambodia still has Vietnam and China, but for me, I do not believe Thailand will become stupid and give up a big market," he said, alluding to calls by some political groups to boycott bilateral trade amid nationalistic fervour on both sides.

Prasidh said conflict-related drops in cross-border trade were temporary, noting that in 2007, Thailand had imported more than 1.4 billion dollars of goods to Cambodia, while Cambodia had exported just 40 million dollars worth to Thailand - mostly raw materials.

Cambodia remained an attractive market to investors due to its continued healthy growth but relative under-development, he said, and did not feel threatened by threats of loss of trade from any one market.

"Even though we do not call China to come here, China still wants to come," he said, referring to one of Cambodia's most important trading partners and donors.

Cambodia reports temple damage to UN

Bangkok Post
Monday October 27, 2008

Cambodia has lodged a complaint with the United Nations accusing Thai troops of damaging the ancient Preah Vihear temple during a border shootout earlier this month, an official said yesterday. Phay Siphan, spokesman for Cambodia's Council of Ministers, said a staircase and a sculpture at the ruins were damaged by rocket fire.

A complaint was filed with the UN cultural body Unesco a few days after the firefight erupted on Oct 15 near Preah Vihear, a World Heritage Site at the centre of the long-running territorial dispute.

''Preah Vihear temple was intentionally damaged by Thai troops, because we found the remnants of grenades ... near the temple and there were no Cambodian soldiers stationed nearby,'' Phay Siphan said.

''The Preah Vihear authority has sent pictures of the damage to Unesco.''

The Foreign Ministry on Wednesday denied Thai soldiers had damaged the 11th-century Khmer temple.

The Second Army, in charge of the northeastern region, insisted that no heavy weapons or rockets were used that day.

Phnom Penh's complaint to the UN agency comes as the two countries attempt to resolve the border row, which is centred on the disputed area between Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket province and Cambodia's Preah Vihear province.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat met Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen on Friday in Beijing while attending the Asia-Europe Summit.

Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat said the talks were amicable and quoted Hun Sen as saying the fighting on the border should not have occurred.

The Cambodian leader also supported attempts to prevent future clashes through bilateral talks and the need to urgently untangle the overlapping borders by the Joint Boundary Commission and maintain trade and investment ties.

The government will seek parliamentary approval tomorrow for border negotiations with Cambodia, he added.

Tensions between Cambodia and Thailand flared in July when Preah Vihear was awarded UN World Heritage status, rekindling long-simmering tensions over ownership of 4.6 sq km of land surrounding the temple.

Three Cambodian soldiers and one Thai soldier were killed in the clashes on Oct 15.

Preah Vihear, with its elegant carvings and crumbling stone staircases, is the most important example of ancient Khmer architecture outside Cambodia's famed Angkor Wat temple complex.

Although the World Court ruled in 1962 that it belonged to Cambodia, the most accessible entrance is in Kantharalak district.

Border Tensions Cost Jobs

PAD protesters ponder besieging Thai parliament Tuesday

BANGKOK, Oct 25 (TNA) -- Core leaders of the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protesters will decide whether to surround the Thai parliament Tuesday when lawmakers are scheduled to discuss two crucial issues, core leader Pipop Thongchai said on Saturday.

Mr. Pipop said he expected the gathered protest leaders to decide Monday whether or not to invest parliament when both houses confer on a plan to amend the 2007 Constitution and also consider Friday's preliminary agreement reached by senior Thai and Cambodian army officers on ways to ease border tensions related to the 11th century Preah Vihear temple.

If the march does occur, it would be exactly three weeks after the PAD supporters clashed with police at the confrontation at Parliament in which two persons died and nearly 500 others were injured.

However, Mr. Pipop said he believed the government plan to amend the constitution, drafted under the interim military-installed government following the 2006 coup, will be difficult and more domestic political conflicts would be seen if it is rewritten.

According to some observers, the planned amendment is not meant for political reform but rather for issuing an amnesty for politicians, especially tailored for ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra who is now living in Britain.

Former deputy police chief Pol. Gen. Salang Bunnag has postponed his planned foray of pro-government activists to lay siege to the PAD-occupied Government House. Mr. Pipop said the Peoples Alliance for Democracy believed that the police were behind the plan. He emphasised that such a move would automatically make Gen. Salang's group a tool of the government, which would futher discredit their reputation, which he said had already suffered due to the deadly police action against the protesters on October 7.

He said the PAD would try to prevent violence from occurring again. (TNA)

Somchai, Hun Sen agree to talks, restraint

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, left, smiles as he shakes hands with Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Sompong Amornvivat, during the seventh Asia-Europe Summit (Asem) in Beijing yesterday. The border dispute was brought up for discussion.

Bangkok Post
Saturday October 25, 2008

ACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT and AFP

BEIJING : The Thai and Cambodian leaders yesterday agreed to avert any future armed conflicts along the border by using bilateral talks to solve problems.

The Joint Boundary Committee (JBC) will hold a meeting within two weeks after the Thai parliament endorses a temporary framework for the negotiations next Tuesday.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen told Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem) in Beijing that the border clash last week was unplanned and from now on the two sides would advise their troops to show restraint and not confront each other, Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat said yesterday.

He said Hun Sen added that the two countries would try to prevent any further armed clashes and would use existing mechanisms in order to deal with their boundary disputes.

The Cambodian leader also said the two sides would promote and improve cooperation on the regional, international and bilateral fronts.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said Hun Sen told Mr Somchai that Thailand was not only a neighbour, but also a friend.

In separate talks between the Thai and Cambodian military commanders in Siem Reap yesterday, which are aimed at defusing tensions near the ancient Preah Vihear temple that erupted into a firefight on Oct 15, leaving one Thai and three Cambodian soldiers dead, both sides agreed to be more patient and avoid another clash.

"For the issue of the Preah Vihear area, both sides vowed to exercise maximum patience in order to avoid confrontation or more military clashes," the leader of the Cambodian delegation, General Chea Mon, told reporters after the meeting.

"Both sides will continue discussions on resolving the problem peacefully to ease the tension gradually," he said.

The Thai commanders, led by Lt-Gen Wiboonsak Neeparn, the Second Army commander, said there was a "friendly atmosphere" with the Cambodians, but insisted that Thailand's soldiers would stand firm.

"The Thai side strongly reiterates that the position of our troop deployments is clearly inside Thai territory," said a statement from Thai commanders released as the meetings started.

Betrayal at the border

Bangkok Post
Saturday October 25, 2008

When Thailand and Cambodia signed and later ratified the 1997 Ottawa Convention outlawing anti-personnel landmines, both countries joined 154 others in promising to destroy any stockpiles and do everything in their power to rid themselves of the deadly devices within a set deadline. Implicit in this was an understanding that none of the signatories would acquire or lay landmines ever again.

Both countries were believed to be honouring their commitments until, on Oct 6, something went horribly wrong. Two Thai paramilitary rangers from the Suranaree task force stepped on mines and their legs were blown off, while on a routine patrol deep inside Thai territory to the north of Phu Ma Khua in an area adjacent to the Preah Vihear temple in Si Sa Ket province. The explosion was so powerful that parts of the wounded soldiers were blown up to 5-6 metres into the air.

The Thai Mines Action Centre and other non-governmental organisations identified the culprits as Russian-made PMN2-type landmines which were retrieved and appeared to be new as no rust was found on them. They were also in an area marked as landmine-free and used regularly by villagers to get to their farms as well as by soldiers on patrol. These landmine-free areas were separated from those yet to be cleared by a barbed wire fence and both of the wounded soldiers were outside that fence.

Quite rightly, anger has flared on the diplomatic front. The Foreign Ministry noted that the new mines appeared to have been laid after a brief clash in the area on Oct 3 and called on Cambodian authorities to investigate whether any individual had violated legislation banning the use of anti-personnel landmines. It recalled that the Phnom Penh government had submitted a report to the United Nations secretary-general in 2002 noting that 240 PMN2-type landmines from a total of 3,405 were transferred from its Interior Ministry to the Cambodian Mine Action Centre for development and training. It asked the Cambodian government to verify where the remaining mines were and expressed disappointment and alarm as the mine blasts indicated a violation of the 1997 Ottawa Convention as well as a threat to international peace.

Not so, said Cambodian officials in Phnom Penh. The Hun Sen government denied it had recently planted landmines along the border and said any there "are the remnants of almost three decades of war."

Now a question mark and suspicion cloud the air. If, as Cambodia claims, the two mines in question were not new, why were they not detected in previous sweeps and clearing operations? And if the mine ban treaty is being flouted, what a dreadful omen this would be for mine-clearing operations in the future and joint demarcation of the border. We already have enough trouble with mines strewn along the Burma-Thai border and elephants, their mahouts and villagers being blown up with disturbing regularity. But Burma isn't a signatory of the Ottawa Convention; Cambodia is.

Any weakening of the Mine Ban Treaty increases the threat to the half a million Thais living in 27 provinces along the Cambodian, Lao and Burmese borders who are exposed on a daily basis to death, dismemberment or disability from uncleared mines. Aid agencies say from 30 to 100 people are maimed or killed in these mine-contaminated areas every year.

It would be a terrible betrayal of trust for anyone to lay more of these barbaric devices on our soil after pledging not to. Anti-personnel mines have no place in the civilised world.

Oregon Coast Winery Owner Expands Humanitarian Efforts in Cambodia

The orphanage in Cambodia: one of the first buildings built (photo Shackelford).

BeachConnection.net

(Nehalem, Oregon) - Ray Shackelford, owner of Nehalem Bay Winery and Depoe Bay Winery, is expanding his humanitarian efforts in a downtrodden region of Cambodia.

In recent years, his money and actual manpower helped build two schools and a sewing industry that helps create an economy for two towns. Now, in the Cambodian village of Trung Treung - about 90 miles southwest of Phenom Pen, the orphanage that began last year has expanded from one building to three, allowing for more babies to be rescued.

Through Shackelford’s Anyway Foundation, he has raised about $3000 to help these impoverished people and others in the region not just survive but to help themselves. But the vast majority of the money spent - in the tens of thousands - has come from his own pocket.

Shackelford personally helps out in Cambodia

Originally, Shackelford started helping out the tiny village of Chheneng, in the Mondulkiri province of Cambodia, an impoverished place populated by the Pnong, an ethnic minority that suffered much under regimes of the last century in both Cambodia and Vietnam. The village had no running water or electricity, and they have little to eat on a regular basis, mostly foraging in the jungle for food.

Shackelford has been helping out with donations and strategies that have given them a means to help themselves – much more than just a handout. Shackelford, along with a pair of other local men and villagers, have built two schools, another well for the people, and a sewing shop that is helping them on their way to self-sufficiency.

People in the village of Chheneng, Cambodia.

Then, in late 2007, he began an orphanage a few hundred miles away from Chheneng. The first building at the orphanage was remodeled at that time, and a second and third building have now been added. There are currently 13 children at the orphanage, but the capacity has now been expanded to 20 – which Shackelford believes will be reached sometime this year.

The first building went from a dirt floor to a solid floor last year, and a western-style bathroom was added for increased hygiene. There are better living quarters for the nannies, a groundskeeper, and the facility has a clean water system – the only one in this area.

“That’s one reason the babies are so healthy,” said Shackelford.

The babies range in age from three months to just under one year. One three-month-old came to the facility so undernourished she looked like only a few weeks old. Now, she too is quite healthy.

Other successes of the orphanage include five of the original 11 babies have been adopted in the last year. There is now one nanny for two babies as well – a total of 13 babies altogether at the moment. Heartbreaking stories still loom, but they soon turn to successes.

Such as the sickly infant found abandoned under a rubber tree in recent months, apparently without food for maybe days. Or the other little one who had lived on only water after the grandmother became too sick to move and take care of her.

“She probably would’ve been dead soon,” Shackelford said. “For eight days, she’d had nothing but a rag to suck on and water. The father had died of AIDS, and the mother left the child with the grandmother, who could not care for her.”

Nehalem Bay Winery, on the north coast.

The grandmother died shortly after. But both babies were nursed back to health and later adopted out, making a happy ending.

The water system comes from a tower, which pumps water from a nearby pond. The water is then run through several filters to clean it up, and then boiled before use in the formula. There is now even some electricity in the facility via generator, which among other important aspects, allows the nannies to watch TV on their off hours.

Although they will be able to host up to 20 kids for the first year, more space may become available later on.

Shackelford said that when one of these children gets adopted to a western country it’s like hitting the lottery for them. “Just the new life, being a kid from Cambodia and then going to be being raised in a western country like Spain or France or whatever,” he said. “That’s phenomenal.”

Shackelford is hoping to coax more donations from the outside world through his Anyway Foundation. Each child costs approximately $158 per month. The new additions of the two buildings cost $7000 – which are staggeringly cheap by western standards, but the bills do stack up.

Nehalem Bay Winery is located on the north Oregon coast, between Wheeler and Nehalem. Contact Shackelford at 503-368-9463.

A krama with good karma

Photo by: CHRISTOPHER SHAY

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Christopher Shay
Friday, 24 October 2008

A woman in Atsu, a small village next to the Sambor Prei Kuk community in Kampong Thom province, prepares the yarn to weave kramas. Visitors can visit the tiny workshop and purchase kramas directly from the weavers. The community hopes to see their business grow as more tourists head to the temples at Sambor Prei Kuk as part of a private-sector-sponsored, community-based tourism project.

Full Story

SRP picks new acting secretary general

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Meas Sokchea
Friday, 24 October 2008

SAM Rainsy Party (SRP) officials have appointed Ke Sovannaroth as acting secretary general of the opposition party, almost two months after Eng Chhay Eang resigned from the position.

Ke Sovannaroth, a parliamentarian in Siem Reap province, will fill the position ahead of likely party elections next year.

SRP spokesman and lawmaker Son Chhay said the acting secretary general position was not elected but appointed at the request of party President Sam Rainsy, and then approved at a meeting with the central committee of the party.

"This is just temporary appointment until the position goes up for re-election in the future," he said, adding that party member Hong Sok Huo was also elected as chief of finance at the party.

A welcome change

Ke Sovannaroth told the Post Thursday that she was pleased to have the position of secretary general, a position she said she would take to naturally.

"I think it is normal for me to be a leader, but it will still be challenging to decide on big issues," she said.

SRP Deputy Secretary General Mu Sochua welcomed Wednesday's appointment.

"I believe that after reforming, the SRP will be a much better party," she told the Post Thursday, adding that she believed Ke Sovannaroth was highly qualified to be a leader.

"It is good for SRP that its officials volunteer to resign from these positions. Some leaders hold on to their positions for a long time, and it is not good for a country's development."

S'ville market vendors angry

Photo by: TRACEY SHELTON

File photo shows workers beginning to rebuild Sihanoukville’s Phsar Leu market after it was gutted by fire in January.

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Chhay Channyda
Friday, 24 October 2008

Vendors who had stalls in the old market that was gutted by fire are up in arms, saying the new market is filthy and the new stalls are too small

VENDORS at Phsar Leu market in Sihanoukville, which resumed operations on October 13 after being gutted by fire earlier this year, say they have not been able to reopen their stalls because they are still under construction.

Chom Srey Sros, a perfume vendor, said ongoing building has made it impossible for her to return to her stall, which she said is fouled up by construction debris.

"Dirt is blowing everywhere in the market," she said. "We cannot go back yet," she added.

Many vendors have also been complaining about the size and location of their new stalls.

"We could not choose our old stall location. Now my stall is smaller, and it will be difficult to get my clients back because they won't know where my new stall is," Chom Srey Sros said.

Hau Leang, a rice seller, said that some vendors have refused to return to the market due to the smaller size of the stalls.

"We complained to the authorities about the stall size many times but without result because the authorities already had a model for stalls for everyone," she said, adding that her new stall is only two metres by two metres while her old stall was double that size.

Phsar Leu market burned in January, with thousands of vendors losing entire stocks of goods in the inferno.

Chom Srey Sros said she lost around US$7,000 worth of products, and every vendor had to pay between US$700 and US$1,000 for the construction of a new stall.

Kong Samoeun, governor of Mittapheap district in Sihanoukville, told the Post by telephone Thursday that the stalls have been designed following an agreement with the vendors.

"We have followed the order of vendors," he said.

"Since the reopening on October 13, I have seen a small number of vendors opening their stalls again," he said.

"We know there is still a lot to be done. The market has not been finished yet so the vendors have to wait."

According to Kong Samoeun, Prime Minister Hun Sen contributed US$500,000 to rebuild the market's roof, and the municipality paid approximately the same amount to renovate the market's infrastructure.

Unesco to dermarcate Preah Vihear

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by POST STAFF
Friday, 24 October 2008

THE UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) heritage committee expects to determine the boundary of Preah Vihear temple in late November or early December, officially marking the disputed area as a Unesco World Heritage site, according to a senior Cambodian official.

Phay Siphan, secretary of state at the Council of Ministers, said that despite the ongoing border dispute that has left two statues in the Preah Vihear temple complex damaged by gunfire, the area would be demarcated and signposted as a UN monument as planned.

Phay Siphan claimed that Thai soldiers violated international law by intentionally damaging the site during fighting that erupted last week over disputed border territory.

"The Preah Vihear complex and the surrounding areas were invaded by Thais, and the Thai soldiers intended to destroy the temple," he said, referring to evidence that Thai rounds had pockmarked statues and a staircase at the temple.

Phay Siphan said that the Preah Vihear Authority has already complained to Unesco about the damage done to two naga statues, which were allegedly struck by rounds or shell fragments during the October 15 clash between Cambodian and Thai troops.

Min Sovann, a heritage police officer with the Preah Vihear Authority, told the Post Thursday, "We had to complain, because the temple is the world's property".

The 11th-century temple complex was listed as a UN World Heritage site on July 7 in a decision that angered Thai nationalists and escalated tensions over contested border areas.

Min Sovann confirmed that two naga statues and a stairway at the temple complex were slightly damaged by rounds fired from Thai M79 grenade launchers.

The naga statues sustained damage to their heads, necks and bodies, but the pockmarks will not cause the naga statues to collapse, he said.

Water Festival security tightened

Photo by: VANDY RATTANA

Workers prepare floats for this year's Water Festival, or Om Tuk, celebrations.

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Chhay Channyda
Friday, 24 October 2008

Extra personnel will be brought in to monitor busy areas during the three-day celebration

THE government will boost security in the capital in the lead-up to next month's Water Festival, Phnom Penh Governor Kep Chuktema said.

Authorities will also prevent vendors from doing business in the parks lining the river, where tens of thousands of people are expected to gather for the biggest party on Phnom Penh's social calendar.

"Local authorities must manage any disorder along the riverside from now on," Kep Chuktema told municipal officials earlier this week, adding that food and drinks sellers must be cleared to keep riverside areas "beautiful for the eyes of the people".

In a directive dated September 30, Kong Sam Ol, director of the National Committee for Organising National and International Festivals, called on all relevant authorities to join hands.

"The Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defence and Municipality of Phnom Penh must cooperate with each other to keep public order before and after the festival in order to provide people with safety and enjoyment," he said.

Security preparations will include military forces, City Hall said.

Police at the ready

Phnom Penh Municipal Police Chief Touch Naruth said by phone Tuesday that his police forces are ready to be deployed for the festival's security.

"Thousands of municipal policemen, military policemen and policemen from the Ministry of Interior are ready to act as security for the people who come to Phnom Penh for the Water Festival," he said.

As many as two million visitors are expected in Phnom Penh during the festival.

Tourism, with a community twist

Photo by: CHRISTOPHER SHAY

Prasat Chhrey, a 7th-century temple in Sambor Prei Kuk. A new private-sector-sponsored tourism project aims to bring tourists into communities across this little-explored part of Cambodia.

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Christopher Shay
Friday, 24 October 2008

German organisation GTZ hopes creative partnerships will benefit locals and tourists Kompong Thom

WE made our way through Sambor Prei Kuk in Kampong Thom on bicycles rented from local schoolchildren and wearing kramas we had watched being made in a neighbouring village, while our guide explained the history of the site. Later, we ate lunch prepared by residents and took an oxcart to a craft store selling handwoven baskets.

Residents of Sambor Prei Kuk are newcomers to the tourism industry, but with the help of the German Development Organisation (GTZ), they have become quick learners. The organisation has spent the last three years training community members in handicraft production, English-language skills, bookkeeping, marketing and business management.

Today, Sambor Prei Kuk - a village conveniently located halfway between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap along Route 6 - is poised to become one of Cambodia's newest tourism hot spots, and one that will directly benefit the local community.

Sambor Prei Kuk is located on top of the ancient city of Isanapura, the 7th-century capital of Chenla. Despite years of looting and the ravages of war, important archaeological sites still dot the area.

In the early 600s, Chenla conquered large parts of what is now Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, making it the dominant force in the region and an important predecessor to the Khmer Empire.

GTZ chose Sambor Prei Kuk to develop community-based services because of its historical resources and location, said Ngin Hong, a local economic development coordinator at GTZ.

The region's history makes it an ideal stop for tourists to learn about the pre-Angkorian era before heading north to Angkor Wat.

"It doesn't just have gorgeous-looking temples in a beautiful forested setting, but it also has carvings galore, is steeped in history and sets the scene for clients on their way to visit Angkor," said Andy Brouwer, product manager at Hanuman Tourism.

GTZ will spend the next two years trying to forge ties between Sambor Prei Kuk and the private sector. It brought in Exotissimo Travel, a tour operator, early on to develop a viable tour product and to make connections with other private-sector partners.

Such partnerships are vital because GTZ will pull out in 2010, after which the community will need to run the industry by itself.

Community-based tourism projects have failed in the past when they lacked monitoring, maintenance and local understanding of market demand, said Daniel de Gruiter, a consultant from Exotissmo.

But de Gruiter is optimistic about Sambor Prei Kuk's future because of early private-sector involvement.

"[GTZ] started to collect data and feedback from the private sector in the early stages, which helps them to develop in the right direction," de Gruiter said.

Many tour operators in Cambodia have started pushing clients towards community-based activities as the quality and quantity of options improve.

"If [tourists] feel they are giving something back direct to the local community, they find that appealing," Brouwer said.

Residents of Sambor Prei Kuk have already begun to reap the financial benefits of their new training. Sin Pich, a local coordinator of tourism services, said, "The community here is poor. Now, we can market goods and help people find jobs. People can make handicrafts and sell them to support their families."

Residents can also learn more about their culture and pass down that knowledge to future generations, Sin Pich said.

Our local guide, Noun Vothear, said his job brings a great sense of satisfaction. "I want more and more tourists here because I enjoy telling people about Sambor Prei Kuk," he said.

Despite early signs of success, two obstacles remain: poor transportation infrastructure and the need for understanding between tourists and community members.

The area's muddy, uneven roads can be major deterrents for many travellers.

"The government has many plans if the infrastructure gets better, but the first measure the government wants to do is improve the roads," said Bin Kimleath, deputy director of the Tourism Department in Kampong Thom province.

A potential new partnership holds out some hope for the future. Provincial officials in Kampong Thom are in discussion with the World Bank and the Chinese government to help fund road infrastructure that would better connect tourist sites, Ngin Hong said.

Mutual understanding between tourists and community members can also pose problems to the area's fledgling industry. Local villagers need to know what appeals to Western tourists, while visitors must respect their local hosts.

Brouwer said communication difficulties are "understandable in many respects, as the providers of the community services are coming from the other end of the spectrum from the high-end clients".
On the other side, tourism operators need to educate their clients. Tour companies cannot handpick which tourists go to community-based sites like Sambor Prei Kuk, but they can make sure they know some basic rules.

"We should provide them with guidelines of what we see as responsible tourism and encourage them to act responsibly. We can't make them, but we can encourage and inform," Brouwer said.

Partners in community revitalisation

As product manager for Hanuman Tourism, Andy Brouwer sees collaboration between the private sector and local communities as a key component towards building a sustainable and mutually beneficial tourism industry that serves the needs of local hosts and travellers alike. Community-based tourism services are poised to become a major component of the industry’s future growth. “We as private-sector companies should encourage our clients to use these services where possible, as that will have a positive effect on the local communities.... However, we have a duty to make sure these services are of a good enough quality,” Brouwer said. Apart from generating additional revenue, such programs can reinforce community traditions. Sin Pich, a tourism operator in Kampong Cham, says traditional handicraft skills are being revived. “Once they have the knowledge, they can continue it and pass it down to posterity. The tourists show them that [traditional] knowledge is important,” Sin Pich said.

The Government Prepares to Issue Four or Five Laws to Facilitate Business - Friday

Posted on 25 October 2008

The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 583

“According to an announcement of the working group on Law, Taxation & Good Governance (Group 4 [also called Group D]) of the Royal Government-Private Sector Forum (G-PSF), the government is working on four or five draft laws to facilitate private business and investment.

“Early this week, Deputy Prime Ministry Keat Chhon, the Minister of Economy and Finance and chairperson of the Working Group 4 representing the Royal Government, and Mr. Bretton Sciaroni, the co-chairperson of the Group 4, representing the private sector, met to discuss four drafts that are being produced to facilitate the work of private business and of investors. According to the announcement, those draft laws include an ‘Eminent Domain’ law [related to the expropriation of land for public purposes], regulations for Customs Brokers, draft laws for Public Purchasing procedures, the management and development of real estate, and judicial standards that will allows foreigners to own rooms in multiple story buildings.

“The director of the State Property Department of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Mr. Net Mony, said during the session that the Eminent Domain draft law aims to facilitate the construction, restoration, and expansion of public physical infrastructure to serve public interest, as well as to provide appropriate compensation and justice, if the property of any owner is expropriated. He added that these draft laws will be put through a session of the Council of Ministers at the end of November, before they are sent to the National Assembly to be adopted in 2008.

“Dr. Pen Siman, the Royal Government’s delegate in charge of the Customs and Excise Department, reported to the session about the regulations for Customs Brokers, where at present, the Ministry recognizes 76 companies as temporary Customs Brokers (represented by 144 natural persons). In the meantime, the conditions for natural persons to be recognized as temporary Customs Brokers are that they must have a bachelor degree, and place US$5,000 as a bond. In future, bachelor’s degrees will not be demanded, but they must pass a tests, and the money that is now required as a bond, can in future be replaced with a guarantee letter issued by a bank.

“Mr. Ou Bun Long, a Secretary of State at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, reported during the session about the preparation of a Public Purchasing Law, that it aims to guarantee that public purchasing proceeds with transparency and with justice, and with full open competition, and is in line with other public finance legislation.

“Also, Mr. Ngy Tayi, an Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, reported to the session about the management, the monitoring, and the provision of licenses to individuals developing real estate, that on 30 July 2008, the Ministry of Economy and Finance issued an announcement about such management and monitoring, by establishing policies where Cambodia wants that qualified investors develop real estate where Long Term Agreements are protected.

“Regarding the creation of judicial standards that allows foreigners to own rooms in multi-story buildings, an Under- Secretary of State of the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning & Construction, said during the session, that the Ministry has created this a working group to draft these regulations. This special working group has conduced careful studies to guarantee that the permission for foreigners to own rooms in multi-story buildings is not against the constitution or against any laws. The private sector is welcoming this effort and even asks the working group of the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning & Construction to study the detailed procedures for the splitting up of major land holdings – that is real estate – when it is mortgaged, for the registration of Long Term Lease Agreements, as well as for the Security of Long-Term Lease Agreements.”

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, 4724.10.2008
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:

Friday, 24 October 2008

Party leader welcomes Cambodia’s CPP delegation

25/10/2008

VietNamNet Bridge – Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh received a delegation from the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) in Hanoi on Oct. 24, led by its Central Committee’s permanent head Sai Chhum.

The delegation is making an official visit to Vietnam from Oct. 23-27 as guests of the Communist Party of Vietnam’s (CPV) Central Committee.

Sai Chhum conveyed best regards from the leaders of the CPP, the National Assembly and the Royal Government of Cambodia to General Secretary Manh and other Vietnamese Party and State leaders.

He heaped praise on the outstanding achievements of the Vietnamese people in their renewal process.

He said that the CPP and the Cambodian people will forever bear in their minds the valuable assistance of the Vietnamese Party, State and people to the Cambodian people in their struggle for national liberation and escape from genocide in the past, as well as their current commitment to the causes of peace, national reconciliation and national development.

The CPP and Cambodian people pledged to do their utmost to continually develop the fine traditions of neighbourliness, friendship and sustainable comprehensive cooperation between the two parties and the people of Cambodia and Vietnam, he said.

General Secretary Manh welcomed the CPP officials, saying that he considers their visit a manifestation of the traditional friendship, unity and cooperation between the parties and people of both nations.

He appreciated the outcomes of discussions between the two parties and their cooperation agreements for 2009-2010, and congratulated the CPP and the Cambodian people on their important achievements in a variety of areas over the recent past, particularly the CPP’s success in the National Assembly elections. He considered these achievements as an important factor in maintaining peace, stability and development not only in Cambodia, but regionally and globally.

The Party General Secretary asked the delegation to convey his best wishes to the CPP and Cambodian State leaders. He expressed his pleasure at the positive development of the two countries’ neighbourly relationship.

He thanked the CPP and the Cambodian people for their assistance to Vietnam and reiterated Vietnam ’s ongoing policy attaching great importance to preserving and promoting the traditional unity, friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Cambodia.

Earlier that day, a CPV delegation, led by Truong Tan Sang, politburo member and permanent member of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee, held talks with the CPP delegation.

The two sides exchanged views on orientation and the adoption of measures to further promote cooperation between the two parties and countries, as well as a number of international and regional matters of common concern.

They were unanimous in the signing of an agreement regarding the two parties’ cooperation during 2009-2010.

During the course of their visit, the CPP delegation plans to visit a number of economic establishments, as well as a range of cultural and historical sites in Hanoi, the northern province of Phu Tho and Ho Chi Minh City.

(Source: VNA)

Thai-Cambodia dispute: Asean offers help

Yasmin Lee Arpon/ANN

BEIJING, Oct. 24: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is ready to step in on the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia, even as the leaders of the two warring countries said today that they have put the recent clashes behind them.

"Asean is ready to help but the concerned parties said they will exhaust all resources first," Asean secretary general Mr Surin Pitsuwan said in an exclusive briefing today in Beijing. Thai PM Mr Somchai Wongsawat and Cambodian PM Mr Hun Sen met at the sidelines of the two-day Asia-Europe meeting attended by 45 leaders from the two continents and said they were confident that both sides will resolve the dispute soon. The two leaders said the border clashes this month that killed three Cambodian soldiers and wounded a Thai soldier are behind them. "We are not just neighbours, we are very good friends indeed," Thai foreign minister Mr Sompong Amornvivat said after the meeting. "His Excellency Hun Sen said the incident that already happened is not the kind that both countries want. It happened instantly. That was uncontrollable at the time. But when things come to this point, the two sides have to advise our troops not to have confrontation any longer," Mr Sompong said.

The two sides vowed to resort to "all existing mechanisms to solve the problem on the border". At the root of the dispute is the Preah Vihear temple, which the International Court of Justice awarded to Cambodia in 1962, which Thailand has resented

RP booters beat Cambodia in Suzuki Cup

GMA News TV

10/25/2008

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines beat Cambodia, 3-2, Thursday night in the qualifiers of the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup 2008 but will have to wait if they advance to the tournament proper on December.

Chad Gould knocked in the go-ahead goal in the 53rd minute in front of a jampacked crowd at the National Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

“It was a very difficult game for us where we struggled in the second half. The last 25 minutes was extremely difficult," said RP coach Juan Cutillas in the AFF website. “I believe that we did the right tactic on the day and that we deserve to win even though Cambodia dominated for much of the game."

Sam El Nasa broke the ice in the 14th minute for Cambodia but Ali Borromeo tied it up in the 19th minute. The Filipinos took the lead on a goal by Chris Greatwich in the 36th minute only to allow a tying goal before halftime by El Nasa, his second in the game, in the 44th minute.

But Gould, a substitute for Ian Araneta, delivered the game-winning goal as the Filipinos stave off a fighting Cambodia side in the second half.

The Filipino booters finished the qualifiers with seven points after recording two wins, a draw and a loss. Despite the win, the Philippines is not yet assured of one of the two slots in the main draw slated on December.

Laos is currently in second with six points with two wins and a loss with a game to go while Brunei and Cambodia both had four points but Brunei is in third due to a superior goal difference. Timor Leste is in the rear with only a point owning a one draw, two loss slate.

The Filipinos hope that Cambodia and Brunei settle for a draw to qualify and enter the tournament proper on Saturday. A Laos win over Timor Leste and a win by both Cambodia and Brunei, however, will eliminate the Philippines from the tournament proper.

– GMANews.TV

Vietnam-Cambodia Border Landmark Planting Scheme Moves Ahead

PHNOM PENH, Oct 25(Bernama) -- The chairmen of the Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Committee for Land Border Demarcation and Landmark Planting, met in Phnom Penh between on Wednesday and Thursday, Vietnam news agency (VNA) reported.

The Vietnamese delegation to the meeting was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Ho Xuan Son, co-chairman of the Vietnam-Cambodia joint border committee; and the Cambodian delegation was headed by Senior Minister Var Kim Hong, co-chairman of the Vietnam-Cambodia border committee.

The two sides reviewed the implementation of border demarcation and landmark planting in 2008, and heaped praise on the efforts of the two countries' relevant ministries, agencies and localities in the work.

In an atmosphere of unity, friendship and mutual understanding, the two sides had a frank exchange of views and agreed upon measures to resolve any problems in order to fulfill the 2008 border demarcation and landmark planting plan.

They pledged to strictly implement the 1985 Agreement on Border Demarcation and the 2005 Supplementary Agreement, determining to complete border demarcation and landmark planting along the Vietnam-Cambodia border in 2012 as agreed between the two governments, contributing to creating a border of peace, friendship, cooperation and development for the benefit of both sides as well as for peace, stability and development in the region.

The two chairmen of the joint committee signed the common minutes on agreements the two sides reached at the meetings and approved the results of a series of meetings of the committee's technical sub-committee and experts' groups held earlier between Oct 15-22.

On Oct 23, Sok An, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers of the Royal Government of Cambodia, received Deputy FM Son and other members of the Vietnamese delegation.

-- BERNAMA

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C) speaks at the start of a breakfast with Asian country leaders at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing October 24, 2008. Dozens of Asian and European leaders, representing half the global economy, have gathered in Beijing this week at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) starting Friday. The 27 EU member states and the European Commission will trade views with Japan, China, India and 13 other Asian countries on the global downturn, climate change and international security.REUTERS/POOL/David Gray (CHINA)

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) shakes hands with Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen before their meeting in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing October 24, 2008. Dozens of Asian and European leaders, representing half the global economy, have gathered in Beijing this week at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) starting Friday. The 27 EU member states and the European Commission will trade views with Japan, China, India and 13 other Asian countries on the global downturn, climate change and international security.REUTERS/POOL/David Gray (CHINA)

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) shakes hands with Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer before their meeting in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing October 24, 2008. Dozens of Asian and European leaders, representing half the global economy, have gathered in Beijing this week at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) starting Friday. The 27 EU member states and the European Commission will trade views with Japan, China, India and 13 other Asian countries on the global downturn, climate change and international security.REUTERS/David Gray (CHINA)

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) shakes hands with Japan's Prime Minister Taro Aso before a breakfast with Asian country leaders at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing October 24, 2008. Dozens of Asian and European leaders, representing half the global economy, have gathered in Beijing this week at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) starting Friday. The 27 EU member states and the European Commission will trade views with Japan, China, India and 13 other Asian countries on the global downturn, climate change and international security.REUTERS/David Gray (CHINA)

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) shakes hands with Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo before a breakfast with Asian country leaders at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing October 24, 2008. Dozens of Asian and European leaders, representing half the global economy, have gathered in Beijing this week at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) starting Friday. The 27 EU member states and the European Commission will trade views with Japan, China, India and 13 other Asian countries on the global downturn, climate change and international security.REUTERS/David Gray (CHINA)

Thai, Cambodian armies agree to ease border tensions

M&C Asia-Pacific News
Oct 24, 2008

Bangkok - Army officers representing Thailand and Cambodia on Friday agreed to ease border tensions around the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, the site of a clash that claimed three lives earlier this month, state news reports said.

The tentative agreement between the two militaries was reached at the Thai-Cambodian Regional Border Committee (RBC) meeting held in the Cambodian northwestern province of Siem Reap, reported the Thai News Agency (TNA). Sponsored Links:

Led by Thailand's Second Army Region commander Lieutenant General Wiboonsak Neepal and his Cambodian counterpart Fourth Army commander Lieutenant General Chea Mon, the two sides agreed to ease tensions 'to create peace and stability for people of the two countries living along the border,' said the TNA.

The negotiations, however, did not cover reducing the number of troops or reducing or eliminating heavy weapons at the border.

On October 15 Thai and Cambodian troops briefly clashed in a disputed zone near the Preah Vihear temple, leaving two Cambodians dead and several Thais wounded, one of whom died of his injuries in hospital.

The shootout occurred about 3 kilometres away from Phreah Vihear, an 11th century Hindu temple that has been the cause of many border disputes between the two neighbouring countries for almost five decades. Sponsored Links:

A similar skirmish occurred at the same site on October 3 that left two Thai soldiers and one Cambodian wounded. Thailand issued an official protest to the Cambodian government over the alleged border incursion.

Thailand and Cambodia nearly came to blows over the Preah Vihear temple in July, shortly after UNESCO named the ancient Hindu temple a World Heritage Site despite Thai objections.

The temple, the object of disputed claims between Thailand and Cambodia since the 1950s, was granted to Cambodia by a ruling of the International Court of Justice in 1962.

But land adjacent to the temple compound, including its main entrance on the Thai side, has been claimed by both countries. Sponsored Links:

Both sides beefed up their forces in the area, situated about 400 kilometres north-east of Bangkok, after some ultra-nationalist Thais crossed into the disputed zone in a protest against the UNESCO ruling.

The border conflict was calmed in August when both sides agreed to settle the matter through bilateral talks held by a joint border committee.

The talks were hampered by repeated claims of incursions into Cambodian territory and by Thailand's chaotic domestic political situation.

Trade, tourism return to normal on Thai-Cambodian border

SA KAEO, Oct 24 (TNA) — Cross-border businesses between this eastern Thai border province and Cambodia gradually returned to normal after the Thai and Cambodian military clash at a disputed zone near the ancient Khmer Preah Vihear temple caused fear for their personal safety among both traders and shoppers, a Thai immigration official said here Friday.

Pol.Lt-Col. Jeerachart Romsaiyood, a Thai government immigration inspector at the Aranyaprathet border check point, said the bilateral border trade and tourism business between Sa Kaeo's Aranyaprathet district and Cambodia's neighbouring Siem Riep province had returned to normal after the economic slowdown due to the firefight in the Northeastern province of Si Sa Ket.

As people of the two countries regained their confidence that the border situation would be settled soon, the atmosphere at Aranyaprathet's Rong Klua Market on Friday was quite vibrant.

Thousands of Cambodian traders resumed their businesses at Rong Klua Market while Thai tourist groups again travelled to Cambodia's UNESCO World Heritage Site, the national landmark temples of Angkor.

The trips to visit ancient Angkor Wat and its adjourning historical districts in November for Loy Krathong festival were fully booked, with more than one hundred groups currently on tourism agency books.

However, the Thai police chief inspector at Klong Leuk police station said security measures were still tight in the Klong Leuk area of Aranyaprathet district to ensure the safety as the market was fully opened and shoppers were crowding the market. (TNA)

Thailand and Cambodia vow peace

The dispute has stirred intense nationalist passions on both sides

BBC News
Friday, 24 October 2008

Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to resolve a border dispute peacefully "for the sake of our neighbourliness".

Bilateral talks on the issue were held on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe summit (Asem) in Beijing.

The demarcation of land around Preah Vihear temple on the countries' border has never been clearly settled.

Tensions have recently been rekindled, and last week erupted into open combat. Three Cambodian and one Thai soldier died in exchanges of fire.

'Uncontrollable'

Foreign ministers from the two countries spoke to reporters after the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Thai counterpart, Somchai Wongsawat, held talks earlier on Friday.

"We are not just neighbours, we are very good friends indeed," Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat said.

"His Excellency Hun Sen said the incident that already happened is not the kind that both countries want. It happened instantly. That was uncontrollable at the time."

Mr Sompong added that the two sides had been advised to avoid confrontation.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said: "What happened between us we have to solve peacefully, amicably, for the sake of our neighbourliness."

The military stand-off began in July when Cambodian troops detained three Thai protesters who had entered the site illegally.

The dispute centres on 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub near the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple.

An international court awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962, but land surrounding it remains the subject of rival territorial claims.

'No quick resolution'

Meanwhile, senior military officials echoed the pledge to reduce tensions as they met in Siem Reap in northern Cambodia.

Both are sides are "committed to exercising their utmost restraint to avoid confrontation or armed clashes", said Cambodian regional army commander Maj Gen Chea Mon, according to AP news agency.

The two sides had agreed to joint border patrols to defuse tensions, but according to AFP news agency these have not materialised.

The BBC's Guy De Launey, in Beijing for the Asem summit, cautions that Thailand's domestic political situation could prove a distraction - and he says Cambodia has indicated it is not expecting a swift resolution.

The issue stirs intense nationalist passions on both sides, and an army recruitment drive in border areas has been over-subscribed, he adds.

Rome Film Festival: Cambodian director presents new film

AKI - Adnkronos International

Rome, 24 Oct. (AKI) - An award-winning Cambodian movie director who was to present his latest film at the Rome Film Festival on Friday, says his country needs to cultivate young artists. Rithy Panh told Adnkronos International (AKI) that his country had suffered a great deal because of conflict and war and young people did not have enough opportunities.

Panh (photo) spoke to AKI before the first screening outside Cambodia of his movie, entitled 'Un Barrage contre le Pacifique' or 'The Sea Wall', which was adapted from a 1950's novel by French writer, Marguerite Duras.

"This country (Cambodia) is full of young people, sons of the post-genocidal years," he told AKI. "My generation suffered heavy losses, and today for example, there are few artists, writers, directors.

"So it is necessary to take care of the generation of young people between 25 and 30 years of age, otherwise we will be forced to face new and more serious problems," said Panh.

Panh's film is set in 1931 in French Indochina which is now Cambodia. The story is about a French widow and her two children, who make a living from rice fields near the ocean.

Every year, their fields are flooded with sea water and their crops are destroyed. Their only hope seems to be the construction of a sea wall. The mother battles nature and local bureaucrats to raise her two children, who have to struggle with issues of racism and financial woes.

Panh has been recognised for his previous work. His successful documentary "S21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine" won the Prix François Chalais prize at the Cannes film festival in 2003.

"The awards help in finding stability, security and to also obtain material more easily for shooting a film," said Panh.

Cambodia descended into poverty in 1975 when the oppressive communist Khmer Rouge seized power after the country had suffered from years of warfare.

The brutal regime immediately abolished the monetary system and put people to work in the fields. Over the next three years around 1.7 million people are estimated to have died from exhaustion, starvation, torture or execution.

A total of 150 films are being screened at the third annual Rome Film Festival which ends on 31 October.

Inside Story - Sarkozy's new financial world order - Oct 22

Part 1



Part 2



Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, who currently holds the rotating post of EU president, is spearheading efforts to formulate a new financial world order to prevent a reoccurence of the current global financial crisis.

Sarkozy has outlined the EU's response to the stock market vacillations and bank collapses, calling for the implementation of a global system of regulation and a ban on banks with state money working through tax havens.

Next week, Sarkozy is due to visit Beijing and is expected to call on both China and India to join in efforts to work towards resolving and preventing more financial market turmoil.

Sarkozy and Jose Manuel Barroso, the European Commission president, said they would use an Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) to urge the two fast-growing export countries to join in taking responsibility for stabilising the world economy in the wake of the credit crisis.

At this point, China and India are reluctant as they cannot see many incentives to induce them to do so.

In this edition of Inside Story Erik Berglof, the chief economist and special adviser to the president at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; Iain Begg, a professor at the European Institute, London School of Economics; and Mohan Guruswamy, the chairman and founder of the Centre for Policy Alternatives will join the presenter Sohail Rahman.

CAMBODIA Rural Vietnamese Catholics Persevere In Faith Amid Poverty

UCANEWS.com
Saturday, October 25, 2008

NEAK LOEUNG, Cambodia (UCAN) -- Catholics of Vietnamese descent in a rural parish in southern Cambodia are making every effort to preserve their faith even though they are poor, largely illiterate and face other challenges.

"We received our faith heritage from our ancestors, so we have to preserve it and pass it on to our children," says Pierre Ut The, a parishioner of Holy Family Church in Neak Loeung.

Speaking with UCA News on Oct. 19 in the church yard, the 66-year-old layman, who was born in Cambodia, recalled studying catechism with Vietnamese nuns as a child. Although he can read and write in Vietnamese, he said, his seven children and seven grandchildren are illiterate and have had little catechism.

The, one of about 1,000 Catholics of Vietnamese descent who live around the church in this village 60 kilometers southeast of Phnom Penh, makes his living by fishing. He said he prays for his family members every day, teaches them prayers and is trying to find Vietnamese prayer books for them.

Le Van Paul, the parish's only Vietnamese catechist, told UCA News the local Catholic families mostly originated in Vietnam's Dong Thap province, which borders Cambodia. They settled in Neak Loeung in the early 1980s, after Vietnamese troops forced Cambodia's brutal Khmer Rouge government from power.

Paul, 62, who was also born in Cambodia, had to flee to Vietnam in 1970, when the military government led by Lon Nol expelled all ethnic Vietnamese from the country. He returned to Cambodia with his family in 1982.

The father of nine recalled that at first local Catholics gathered at homes on Sundays to pray. Later, a Maryknoll missioner started providing pastoral care for them and they erected a thatched chapel. In 1991, they built the present church. Then in 2000, Colombian Father Omer Giraldo started to serve the parish.

According to Paul, a Khmer catechist now teaches catechism to the Vietnamese children, who understand a little Khmer, and also to 20 adult catechumens after Sunday Mass. Last July, 70 people made their First Communion.

However, many local people are not baptized because they have to move from place to place looking for work, he added. They work as carpenters and bricklayers, do fishing or run small businesses, earning the equivalent of about US$3-5 a day.

With such low earnings, it is hard for the villagers to contribute monetarily to the Church. Parish council head Pierre Ba Be said he asks for donations from benefactors in Vietnam. Through their contributions, he was able to cement the church's floor, and plant bonsai and flowers in the yard.

According to Be, 70, Mass is celebrated every Sunday morning at the church, and people who have to work at that time can attend prayers at the church on Sunday afternoon instead. The father of eight also leads daily prayers for children at the church.

Despite the people's struggle to make ends meet, Be is not worried. "If we live a good faith life," he said, "God will give us good health and enough food."

Jean Baptiste Truong Van Minh, a street barber and parish council member, elaborated on some of the challenges his people face.

Because the Vietnamese are not allowed to own land, they have to rent land from local Khmer to build their houses on, he said, adding that the rent amounts to US$20-50 a year.

The Vietnamese are not given Cambodian citizenship and their children do not have birth certificates. Many children do not speak Khmer and cannot study at state-run schools, said Minh, who has four children. The parish now has a Khmer teacher who teaches the language to 50 children.

Father Giraldo, based in Phnom Penh, told UCA News he visits the parish every weekend to celebrate Mass, hear confessions, administer sacraments and meet teachers of two kindergartens and the Catholic Study Center the parish runs.

The priest, a member of the Colombia-based Yarumal foreign mission society, explained the Church in Cambodia wants Vietnamese communities to be integrated into the national culture and its policy is to celebrate Mass in Khmer. He noted that of the country's 20,000 Catholics, about 16,000 are of Vietnamese descent.

Both Sides Vow Restraint of Border Violence

Thailand's Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat, right, walks with his Cambodian counterpart, Hor Namhong, after a bilateral meeting during the Asia-Europe Meeting in Beijing.

By Reporters, VOA Khmer
Original reports from Cambodia
24 October 2008

The prime ministers of Thailand and Cambodia agreed during talks in Beijing Friday to prevent further border violence between soldiers on both sides, while military commanders in Siem Reap failed to reach an agreement on withdrawal.

Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said Friday the results from Beijing and Siem Reap were similar.

“Both sides agreed to avoid conflict and maintain peace,” he said, adding that he hoped the countries would move away from armed confrontation and toward more friendly talks.

Prime Minsiter Hun Sen met with his Thai counterpart, Somchai Wongsawat, Friday morning, on the sidelines of an Asia-Europe Meeting.

Both leaders agreed to avoid further conflicts in a months-long border dispute, following a flash of violence last week in three gun battles near Preah Vihear temple, leading to the death of at least three Cambodian soldiers and one Thai.

"The two sides have to advise our troops not to have confrontations any longer," Agence France-Presse quoted Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornviwat saying after the prime ministers spoke.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said both sides were “moving in a good track,” AFP reported.

In Siem Reap, commanders for Cambodia’s Military Region 4 and Thailand’s Military Region 2 met for the 11th round of Regional Border Committee talks.

“Both sides agreed to exercise utmost restraint in order to avoid confrontation or armed clashes, as have previously occurred,” the Thai Regional Border Committee said in a statement following Friday’s talks.

Neither meeting produced a substantial timetable for the withdrawal of heavily armed troops that have been deployed along the border since July.

Any negotiation on disputed border land had to meet the approval of Thailand’s parliament, which was scheduled to deliberate on the issues Oct. 28, the committee said. “Therefore, it was hoped that negotiation will take place soon.”

Thun Saray, president of Adhoc, welcomed the negotiations, but he appealed to the Thai side to respect the results of the meetings. Even though both sides have promised to avoid confrontation, Thailand continues to build up troops along the border, he said.

Opposition Names Acting Secretary-General

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
24 October 2008

The opposition Sam Rainsy Party has named Ke Sovannaroth, a Siem Reap parliamentarian, to replace its outgoing secretary-general, Eng Chhay Ieng.

Ke Sovannaroth said she hoped to strengthen the internal rules and leadership structure of the party "to push for internal unity and strengthen the party's work."

Eng Chhay Ieng resigned from the position after July's national election, where the Sam Rainsy Party took 26 National Assembly seats, following a spate of defections from members to the ruling Cambodian People's Party. He still holds a National Assembly seat for the opposition.

Ke Sovannaroth, who is the wife of lawmaker Yim Sovann, will be the first woman to hold the position, which manages all of the party's operations, from the top levels and grass roots.

She takes the position as the opposition prepares for provincial and municipal council elections next year.

Her priorities will be "to strengthen the party's leadership structure, promote opposition work, unite activists and supporters and democrats, and increase the confidence of the public," she said.

"She really has enough capacity and experience to lead the party to be popular and more active than before," party leader Sam Rainsy said. "She has known clearly the Sam Rainsy Party's structure and culture and has the ability to solve all the problems."

Group To Protest at The Hague Over Border

By Taing Sarada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
24 October 2008

Khmer audio aired 24 October 2008 (0.98 MB) - Download (MP3)
Khmer audio aired 24 October 2008 (0.98 MB) - Listen (MP3)

A group of Cambodians living in the Netherlands plans to stage a protest at The Hague in November, demanding that the International Court take action in an ongoing border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand.

Around 400 Cambodians from European countries and the US are expected to call for support of a 1962 decision by the International Court giving ownership of Preah Vihear temple and lands surrounding it to Cambodia, according to organizer Pothi Tey Svathey.

Thailand does not dispute Cambodia’s ownership of the temple, but it disputes nearby border land claimed by Cambodia.

Cambodia and Thailand have been at odds since July, when Thai soldiers entered a pagoda in one disputed area, following the inscription of nearby Preah Vihear temple as a Unesco World Heritage site. Thousands of soldiers have since massed on the border on each side, and fighting between soldiers last week left at least three Cambodians and one Thai soldier dead.

“We will bring a complaint to the Hague court about the Thai military or Thai government invasion of Cambodian territory and also the violation of the Hague court decision,” Pothi Tey Savathey said.

Thai officials maintain they have not invaded Cambodian territory and that Thai soldiers occupy Thai land.

The group will also complain to Unesco and the UN Security Council, she said, adding that she hoped the governments of Thailand and Cambodia would solve the border dispute peacefully and at the international level, Pothi Tey Savathey said.

“So what we are doing is just complain it through international law,” she said. “We really don’t want war to happen again.”

Both governments have side they remain committed to bilateral solutions.

Ir Channa, general secretary of the Cambodian Watchdog Council in Norway, said his group also urged a solution to the dispute through the International Court.

“The Hague court is our only hope that Cambodia will receive victory with pride and make sure that we don’t lost our land and our historical heritage,” he said.

Court Releases Six Accused in Land Dispute

By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
24 October 2008

Kampong Thom provincial court on Friday released six people in a land dispute with forestry officials, charging only three with deforestation.

Math Sareth, 44, Thach Sarin, 44, and Po Kin, 24, were released on bail, prosecutor Ty Sovanthal said.

The court charged that the three had destroyed parts of a forest in Son Touk district across 16 square kilometers, but found no evidence to charge three others.

The six were arrested earlier this week by officials of the Ministry of Agriculture’s forestry administration, after they led hundreds of families in the development of Banteay Rongeang,a village for disabled people.

Villagers admitted no wrongdoing in building their village, but say they are being removed from land after a land concession was granted to a Vietnamese company to establish a plantation.