Fortune-telling the Kingdom's future

Photo by: Heng Chivoan
Veteran soothsayer San Vannak, 53, plies his trade outside the Royal Palace. According to the city’s “spirit guardians”, he says increased political stability is likely to be on the cards for 2011.

via CAAI

Wednesday, 22 December 2010 18:59 Vong Sokheng and Adam Miller

When a new calendar year approaches, many Cambodians look to fortune-tellers for a glimpse of what lies in wait for the year ahead. While not all cosmic news is good news, Phnom Penh’s leading soothsayers say that after a grim 2010, more prosperity is in the stars for next year.

After a year of predicted pestilence, famines and other misfortunes, 2011 – a traditional year of tevada (angels) – will apparently herald a growth spurt for the national economy, an increase in effective law enforcement and a decrease in violent conflicts.

Im Borin, director of the National Committee of Khmer Customs and Horoscopes at the Ministry of Cults and Religion, has published about 5,000 copies of a horoscope handbook in the run up to the New Year. Im Borin, a long-time mystic, said that his predictions are based on “geocentric planetary phenomena”, which he claims are reliable, a decent proportion of the time.

“I have read and analysed the characters of tevada as a traditional fortune-teller for about ten years and about 80 percent of my predictions have been accurate,” he said.

While his most recent prophecies for 2011 augur an increase in this year’s spate of natural disasters – including flash floods and serious fires – he says that people across the country should generally remain in greater spiritual harmony than they did in 2010.

Im Borin’s cosmic predictions for 2010 were ominous at best, claiming that many people would be tragically killed in a year filled with famine, conflict and pestilence. He even goes as far as to say that his predictions foreshadowed last month’s tragic stampede at the Diamond Island bridge, which killed 353 people.

“The prediction became accurate if you compare it with the Koh Pich bridge stampede, which caused the deaths of hundreds of poor people, many of whom were working in factories,” he said.

Luckily, however, Im Borin’s darker premonitions for the past year – including a prediction of falling crop yields and a rash of human casualties as a result of declining “social morality” – have failed to come to fruition in 2010.

“The farmers must take care of the crops they have already harvested because crops this year will not be good,” he said in January, adding that “about half of the vegetable and fruit crops will be destroyed” by insects.

Window into the future

San Vannak, a 53-year-old “spirit guardian” fortune-teller who also plies his trade in front of the Royal Palace, said soothsayers are usually asked to divine the future on matters such as romance, finances, job opportunities, marriage plans, divorce and the outcome of illnesses.

He said that for generations, Cambodians have consulted fortune tellers to gain self-understanding and knowledge which could lead to personal power or success in some aspect of life.

“Individual people need to learn about their life when there are problems and they come and consult with a fortune-teller to help them make decisions,” he said.

San Vannak said his clients include government officials and business people who look to the stars to tell them “whether their rank or business will increase or decline”.

His national predictions for the upcoming year are again fairly benign – he sees the country’s political situation calming down, due to improvements in leadership – but warned there will be an increase in diseases caused by flooding, such as cholera.

Although it sounds somewhat bleak, San Vannak’s 2011 predictions pale in comparison to the unequivocally dire outlook he gave for 2010.

“Everything this year will be worse than last year,” San Vannak told The Post in January. “Many people and also cattle will die from epidemic diseases and disasters such as floods, storms and droughts, all of which will be caused by climate change.”

He predicted that five provinces – Battambang, Kampot, Prey Veng, Pursat and Siem Reap – would be affected by inclement weather.

But So Baramey, 64, who also works outside the Royal Palace, declined to give such grandiose predictions, saying true fortune-tellers should only attempt to provide helpful spiritual guidance for individuals.

He said the soothsaying profession has been corrupted and that only spiritual shysters attempt such grandiose predictions about the state of the nation.

“My fortune-telling focuses on personal life; I leave politics for the leaders,” he said.

His fellow fortune-tellers regularly solicit payments from clients and kick-back money to the local authorities to secure plum positions outside the palace, he said, tarnishing the reputation of the time-honoured tradition.

“Individual fortune tellers sitting here in an area in front of the Royal Palace have to pay money to the local authorities,” So Baramey said. “We are doing business here now.”

“A true traditional fortune-teller would never force their client to pay,” he added, pocketing the standard, but voluntary, 5,000-riel donation for his services.

Drug bust nets two government officials

via CAAI

Wednesday, 22 December 2010 20:39 Buth Reaksmey Kongkea

Two government officials are among a group of 13 people facing charges this week following large-scale drug busts by the Ministry of Interior.

Moek Dara, secretary general of the National Authority for Combating Drugs, said the suspects were nabbed in a pair of busts by the NACD in Phnom Penh.

In one case, Hay Chanphearith, 34, a military official working at the Ministry of Defence, was arrested last week at a FedEx office in Chamkarmon district where he had allegedly gone to pick up 1.5 kilogrammes worth of unidentified drug precursors. Police interrogated him following the arrest and, based on his testimony, apprehended two additional suspects, pressing charges against the trio on Tuesday, Moek Dara said.

In the second case, Sieng Sokhorn, 32, who Moek Dara said was an adviser to an unidentified “high-ranking government official”, was charged yesterday after being arrested on Monday in Russey Keo district’s Sre Ronoung restaurant. Police then searched Sieng Sokhorn’s home in Sen Sok district and confiscated more than three kilogrammes of heroin, arresting nine others on Monday based on his testimony.

“They were all charged with drug trafficking and have been sent to prison to await trial,” Moek Dara said.

Moek Dara, National Police spokesman Kirt Chantharith and Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said they did not know Hay Chanphearith’s formal title, nor which official Sieng Sokhorn served as an adviser. Ministry of Interior spokesman Khieu Sopheak could not be reached for comment.

Kirt Chantharith said Hay Chanphearith had been arrested as a result of a tip from FedEx, while police investigated Sieng Sokhorn and his accomplices for one week before making the bust.

“We think this shows our success in cracking down on drug trafficking,” Kirt Chantharith said. “We spent a long time sending our spies to follow up on these cases and investigate them.”

State enacts ban on private recruitment to Korea

via CAAI

Wednesday, 22 December 2010 20:00 Buth Reaksmey Kongkea

Private companies will be prohibited from recruiting Cambodian labour for work in South Korea from January 1, in a bid to prevent any potential human trafficking and exploitation that might discourage others from seeking work there.

Hou Vudthy, deputy general director at the Ministry of Labour, said South Korea paid some of the highest migrant labour wages in the region, and that – after a spate of recent trafficking and abuse cases involving migrant workers in Malaysia and Thailand – the government wants to ensure the country remains a safe option for Cambodian workers.

“The reason why we are just focusing on only the South Korean working opportunities is because we think South Korea’s working conditions and jobs market are very good for our Cambodian workers,” he said. Hou Vudthy added that salaries for workers in South Korea were also “very high” compared with other overseas destinations favoured by Cambodians.

“We would like to encourage more people to go,” he said.

Going forward, the ministry itself will work with selected private companies to place Cambodian migrants in jobs in South Korea, he said, but the ministry will be the only agency authorised to recruit workers.

“We will do our own workers’ recruitments and after that we will be working with our local or private company partners,” he said.

The move came following a spate of cases involving the exploitation, abuse or trafficking of Cambodian migrant workers in other countries in the region, Hou Vudthy said.

“So far, we have observed that there were many problems ... relating to the recruitment of our Cambodian people for work overseas,” he said.

“To prevent these things from happening again in the future, the Government of Cambodia will not authorise the private companies to select our Cambodian workers for work in South Korea anymore.”

He said the ministry hoped the new regulation would make it easier for officials to monitor and protect migrant workers once they are abroad. “We expect that if we can do it like this, we will then be able to better control our workers’ safety and security, as well as their incomes,” he said.

Since 2006, about 7,000 Cambodian workers have been sent to South Korea, mostly to work in the garment or agriculture industries, where they can earn a basic monthly salary of between US$800 and $1,000 per month. By comparison, similar jobs in Thailand or Malaysia pay around $150 to $200 per month, Hou Vudthy said.

The ministry plans to send about 1,000 new workers to South Korea next year, he said, adding that the country represented a good opportunity for Cambodian workers to “make money to support their families”.

An Bunhak, chairman of the Association of Cambodian Recruitment Agencies, said strict ministry regulation of recruitment processes could “help protect the worker”.

He noted, however, that South Korea had long imposed strict regulations worldwide, and said that none of the companies in the ACRA were currently involved in recruiting workers for the country.

Huh Jungae, a counsellor at the South Korean Embassy in Phnom Penh, could not be reached for comment.

Government cracks down clinics

Photo by: Sovan Philong

A shopkeeper sorts through a box of counterfeit pharmaceuticals on the outskirts of Phnom Penh last year

via CAAI

Wednesday, 22 December 2010 20:09 Mom Kunthear and Vanessa Ko

The number of illegal pharmacies nationwide had plummeted by 92 percent in the last year following a concerted government crackdown, while there were 71 percent fewer unlicensed clinics, the Ministry of Health said yesterday.

Speaking at an annual Inter-Ministerial Committee meeting in Phnom Penh yesterday, Heng Taykry, secretary of state at the ministry, said the number of illegal pharmacies throughout the Kingdom has decreased from 1,420 last year, to 111 currently. The number of illegal health clinics dropped from 1,055 to 305 over the same period, he said.

“Although we are still faced with the problems of counterfeit drugs, illegal pharmacies and illegal clinics, we are happy to see the decline,” he said.

“These statistics are the result of health officers’ diligent efforts to combat counterfeit drugs, illegal pharmacies and illegal clinics.”

Heng Taykry said the crackdown had been a success, but warned that these types of illegal establishments were still prevalent throughout most developing countries, and that Cambodia was no exception.

He said the use of fake or low-quality medication, and the presence of unlicensed health clinics, resulted in numerous deaths each year.

Heng Bun Keat, director of the Ministry of Health’s Department of Drugs and Food, said the closure of illegal pharmacies and clinics would help to eliminate counterfeit drugs.

“Counterfeit medication trafficking is rampant in pharmacies and clinics that do not have licenses from the Health Ministry,” he said.

Pieter van Maaren, country representative for the World Health Organisation, said drug sales need to be limited to licensed pharmacies. This way, “you can be sure that those who sell the drugs are actually licensed and have the knowledge to inform the public,” he said.

Heng Taykry listed several other factors that are keeping counterfeit drugs on the market, including a lack of information among rural and poor communities where awareness campaigns are slow to reach.

A lack of cooperation between the relevant institutions, authorities and NGOs contributes to the problem, he said, as does leniency toward offenders from law enforcement officials.

“In order to more effectively crackdown on counterfeit drugs, illegal pharmacies and clinics, the Ministry of Health will spread public service announcements to directly and indirectly educate the people about the consequences of using fake medicines,” Heng Taykry said.

He said the campaign would be in the form of television commercials and posters, which will be hung in all pharmacies and other public places.

According to an October study conducted by the Ministry of Health, nearly 3 percent of pharmaceuticals from licensed outlets were counterfeit, with a higher portion failing quality tests.

But Van Maaren expressed optimism regarding yesterday’s announcement.

“We are very keen on the Ministry of Health to continue these efforts,” he said. “I think it is important that the general public has access to quality drugs.”

Information security lacking with domestic firms

Photo by: Wesley Monts

Bernard Alphonso, director of Alphonso Security Consulting, says he encounters skepticism and resistance in encouraging the Kingdom's firms to take information security seriously.

via CAAI

Wednesday, 22 December 2010 19:16 Jeremy Mullins

Information security is not a priority for many domestic firms and organisations, so it is a tough task convincing them to take it seriously, says Bernard Alphonso. As the director of what he claims is the Kingdom’s only firm specialising in the field, he would know.

Alphonso – a self-professed “security evangelist” – says that many of the calls he receives come after a problem has already arisen and the damage is done. He advocates a proactive approach to information security, claiming it should be the domain of the decision makers rather than IT managers.

“It’s high time Cambodia became serious about information security,” he says. “Based on my own experience, but this is me, typically very few things are being done.”

Alphonso started Alphonso Security Consulting in France in 2003, before moving it to Cambodia in 2005.

“As far as I know I don’t have any direct competitors in Cambodia,” he says. “What characterises my firm is that it is 100 percent specialised in information security management.”

The recent WikiLeaks situation showed that often the main threat to security was not purely online hackers, but was often as simple as individuals stealing information. In the case of WikiLeaks, security had allegedly been breached from Bradley Manning, a 22-year-old US Army soldier.

Alphonso says stealing digitised information is generally easier than taking physical items.

“People often don’t have a perception [that] they are committing a crime,” he says. “CEOs, for example, are gold mines of information.

“Let’s not wait for the big data breach to happen.”

Although Cambodia’s economy is benefiting from the advent of its communications networks, this also opens up companies and organisations to more possible breaches.

Alphonso says it would be far easier for clients to act proactively, but generally he’s called into action after the system is already down or the data is already gone.

Too much money is often spent on security, when many problems could be prevented by applying simple common sense, he says.

For example, he has seen money wasted on sprinklers in server rooms and hiring guards that spend their time on duty asleep, along with other dubious expenditures.

While technology plays a large role in information security, software alone is no good if not updated, he says.

“Security training is far and between although human beings have always been the proven weakest link in a security chain.”

When working with clients, he first advocates an assessment to look at possible vulnerabilities.

He is the only employee at the firm, but says he works in tandem with other consultants, including for clients based in Malaysia and Singapore.

Still, Alphonso says he has had a tough time selling his mission in Cambodia.

“All too often I have encountered skepticism and resistance,” he says. “Security is like insurance and you know that when insurance policies are not legally mandatory people tend to be negligent and risk prone.”

Koh Pich footage crackdown

Photo by: Sovan Philong

The cover of a VCD depicting scenes from last month’s deadly stampede on Diamond Island. Officials have pledged to crack down on the sale of footage of the tragic incident.

via CAAI

Wednesday, 22 December 2010 19:41 Tep Nimol

Authorities have begun confiscating the sale of VCDs containing footage filmed during last month’s stampede on Diamond Island bridge, which left 353 dead and 393 injured.

Thai Noraksathya, secretary of state at the Ministry of Culture, said yesterday that a working group of ministry and police officials had last week confiscated 100 VCDs from vendors in Kandal Market, as well as 77 discs from vendors in Koh Kong province.

The film features about an hour of footage cobbled together from local and international broadcasts of the tragic incident and its aftermath, including scenes of the rescue efforts, relatives searching for loved ones and a mourning ceremony attended by Prime Minister Hun Sen.

“It is illegal selling and it affects the viewers’ feelings when they watch it,” Thai Naraksatya said, though he added that vendors would not have to be “punished or fined” for selling the VCDs.

He said the films were also being sold in DVD and CD format across Cambodia, as well as in the United States.

Mok Chito, director of the Ministry of Interior’s criminal police, said officials planned to crackdown on the sale of illegal Koh Pich films nationwide.

Puthi Ngob, the deputy police chief in Oddar Meanchey province, said police had confiscated 254 such VCDs from local vendors since receiving an order from national police officials on Thursday last week.

“We will burn them all if we get an order to burn them from the high-level officers,” he said. He added that the offending vendors had agreed to stop selling the films, and that those breaking their promise “will get punished”.

Sam Rainsy Warns of Delegitimized Elections

Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington, DC Wednesday, 22 December 2010

via CAAI

Photo: AP

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

“If they prevent me…from running in the elections, then the election will be a sham.”

Exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy now says a political solution must be found for his return ahead of 2012 elections if the polls are to be internationally recognized as free and fair.

Sam Rainsy is facing 12 years in prison sentences on charges stemming from the destruction of markers on the Vietnamese border last year and the publishing of a map alleging Vietnamese encroachment.

Cambodia is preparing for local commune elections in 2012 and national parliamentary elections in 2013. But Prime Minister Hun Sen has so far ruled out any political solution to Sam Rainsy’s charges.

Sam Rainsy, whose eponymous party holds 26 of 123 parliamentary seats, has maintained that the charges against him are political in nature and that his trials were conducted by a court that is widely considered politically biased and corrupt.

“If they prevent me…from running in the elections, then the election will be a sham,” Sam Rainsy told VOA Khmer from France. “A government that comes from such a result…will not be recognized by anyone and will cause Cambodia to face severe crises in the future.”

Cheam Yiep, a parliamentarian for the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, said Cambodia would conduct its elections separately from Sam Rainsy’s legal situation.

“I’m not frightened of whether the international community recognizes [the election] or not,” he said.

As for Sam Rainsy, he said, “the court will make the decision.”

Koul Panha, executive director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, said an opposition was necessary to compete in healthy elections.

“In this issue, there needs to be a political resolution to allow [Sam Rainsy] to come and compete, in order for observers to know that the democratic and pluralistic process is moving on the right track,” he said. “This is very important.”

US-Cambodians Establish Fund for Bridge Victims

Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer
Washington, DC Wednesday, 22 December 2010

via CAAI

Photo: AP

A Cambodian doctor checks blood pressure of survivors of November 22's stampede at Preah Kossamak Hospital in Phnom Penh.

“We will continuously raise funds for the victims.”

Cambodian Americans in the Washington area met on Saturday to raise funds for victims of the Nov. 22 Diamond Bridge stampede.

“We want to help victims and surviving family members through a scholarship program for children of the dead who need support for their study or survivors who need support for medical bills,” said Keo Tom, vice president of the Angkor Association, which organized the fundraiser. “We will review their applications and try our best to help.”

The bridge stampede left 353 people dead and nearly 400 injured. Some remain in the hospital. Donations have poured in since the disaster, which was one of the worst in Cambodia in decades.

Around 200 people gathered for the fundraiser at a Washington hotel, where organizers sold calendars and food to raise additional funds.

Keo Tom said the fundraising will be ongoing.

“This is not the only time,” he said. “We will continuously raise funds for the victims.”

Cambodia Risks Losing Funding, Gains Against HIV: Doctors

Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Wednesday, 22 December 2010

via CAAI

Photo: AP

HIV affected Cambodians sit outside their houses at Tuol Sambo village in Phnom Penh.

“The government of Cambodia and its development partners need to work together to carefully develop a financing plan..."

Cambodian and US health officials are asking the government to budget more money for HIV and AIDS, fearing that donor fatigue will erode gains the country has made in fighting the disease.

Cambodia currently spends around $50 million per year for its HIV and AIDS programs, with about 90 percent funded by donors.

However, donors tend to reduce spending on such programs over the long haul, and Cambodia needs to actually increase its spending, to about $68 million a year through 2031, to continue its progress against the disease.

Health officials said at the conference that donors tend to reduce assistance for HIV and AIDS programs over time. For example, the UK’s Agency for International Development will close its representative office in Cambodia in 2011 and stip funding health programs here in 2013.

Richard Snolnick, a doctor and professor at George Washington University, said the global economic crisis could also reduce funding for health programs. “The government of Cambodia and its development partners need to work together to carefully develop a financing plan, so that if the development partners begin to withdraw, the government can begin to substitute its own money.”

Cambodia has earned praise for the drop in its HIV and AIDS rates, but that could change if funding dries up, he said.

Cambodia has around 60,000 HIV and AIDS cases, representing a significant drop from the 1990s.

Long-term funding should now focus on intervention and prevention of target groups, “like young people, [men who have sex with men], drug users and migrants,” said Ho Naun, a member of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party and head of a government health commission.

Groundbreaking report looks at LGBT Cambodians

The Cambodian Center for Human Rights released a groundbreaking report on the 9 December titled "Coming Out in the Kingdom: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People in Cambodia."

Rex Wockner

news.PinkPaper.com

Wednesday, 22 December 2010

via CAAi

The Cambodian Center for Human Rights released a groundbreaking report on the 9 December titled "Coming Out in the Kingdom: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People in Cambodia."

It says that LGBT Cambodians face unique challenges, including ostracism from their families and communities that often leads to economic hardship as well as discrimination by employers and authorities.

The report argues that the concept of homosexuality as understood in "the West" may not directly transfer to Cambodia.

"The Cambodian understanding of sexuality is derived from concepts of gender, character and personality," it says. "The focus on these character traits and outwardly visible characteristics instead of sexual orientation means that many Cambodians who are homosexual do not identify themselves as such."

Buddhism, the report says, generally tolerates homosexuality.

"Homosexuality, whilst seen as an oddity, does not attract the kind of aggressive reaction as can be seen in Christian or Muslim cultures," it states. "Buddhism itself places no value on marriage or procreation. Marriage and procreation are considered positive if they bring about love and respect, but may be deemed negative if pain or strife is caused. However, in Cambodia, cultural, social and economic pressures override Buddhist teachings on marriage -- family values are incredibly important and pressure is strong for sons and daughters to marry and have children."

"Sexual behavior amongst male youths may be seen as harmless experimentation, since women are expected to remain 'pure' until marriage," the report continues. "Youthful indiscretions may be forgotten or may continue unnoticed. However, eventually men are expected to marry and father children. Given traditional gender roles, women have less ability to pursue same-sex relationships than homosexual males, either privately or publicly."

"The risk of ostracism from a close family network and economic difficulties posed by living outside the family network may mean that LGBT persons do not live the lives they wish to or have to conduct homosexual relationships in secret," the researchers conclude.

Nonetheless, an LGBT community is emerging in the nation. A pride celebration, which includes workshops, movies, art exhibits and social gatherings, launched in 2003. Four hundred people attended the culmination of the events in 2009.

Pride organisers have formed an organisation called RoCK to support LGBT people and raise awareness among non-gay Cambodians.

A gay "scene" has developed in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.

And "the Internet has allowed gay Cambodian people to connect to other gay people, thus raising awareness of a wider, global LGBT community and the possibilities of participating in this," the report said.

Cambodia no cruise for Tara

 via CAAI

KATE SAUNDERS - Taranaki Daily News

Last updated 05:00 23/12/2010

ANDY JACKSON/Taranaki Daily News

VOLUNTEERING ABROAD: Occupational therapist Tara Morrison is heading to Cambodia to do voluntary rehabilitation work with those with disabilities.

Tara Morrison is packing insect repellent and sunscreen this summer – but not for a trip to the beach.

Instead, Ms Morrison is travelling to Cambodia to volunteer her services as an occupational therapist.

The 22-year-old has just finished her honours thesis while working at Taranaki Base Hospital, and is ready for a new challenge.

The trip to Cambodia became a reality when she got in touch with Projects Abroad, a volunteering organisation.

She will work with Veterans International, a non-government organisation which assists in the rehabilitation of Cambodian war victims living with disabilities.

"The focus will be on getting individuals mobile again, completing daily activities and using compensatory strategies," Ms Morrison said.

The work will include sorting wheelchair settings, working with amputees and prosthetics. "Disability has a huge stigma over there, so it's about educating the families, and making sure individuals can engage back into society."

Occupational therapy is a vocation she feels passionately about. Her father suffered brain injury after a bitumen explosion at Port Taranaki eight years ago and is a paraplegic. "I've seen how [occupational therapy] has transformed his life and ours as a family."

She also hoped the experience would provide her with more skills and shape her occupational therapy career. "I haven't had lots of experience working with amputees and they don't have the resources that we do in New Zealand, so it should extend my knowledge."

She will spend four weeks working, before travelling through Vietnam and returning to a job at the hospital. "I've been really fortunate that the hospital has rehired me and given me two months off to do this."

She was also grateful for the support she had received from friends and family, as well as donations from New Plymouth businesses.

She returned to Taranaki this year after completing a bachelor of health at Otago Polytechnic.

Former Teacher in Cambodia Sentenced for Sexually Abusing Minors

Published on: 2010-12-22

via CAAI

LOS ANGELES—A United States citizen who abused children while working as a teacher in Phnom Penh was sentenced today to 104 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a 14-year-old girl in Cambodia. Michael James Dodd, 61, was sentenced by United States District Judge John F Walter. Taking into account the approximately 16 months that Dodd spent in jail in Cambodia, the effective sentence in this case is 10 years. In addition to the prison term, Judge Walter ordered Dodd to pay $9,500 in restitution that will be used to pay for counseling and education for the victim, who is now 16 years old.

"This is one of the most disgusting cases that has ever come before this court," Judge Walter said today, noting that Dodd is a "cunning, clever and manipulative predator." Dodd pleaded guilty on September 10 to one count of traveling to Cambodia and engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. When he pled guilty, Dodd specifically admitted that in 2008 he engaged in sexual conduct with a girl who was under 16 years old. According to a criminal complaint filed in this case, Dodd admitted to the FBI that he traveled to Cambodia because he could not teach in other nations due to prior sex-related convictions. Dodd was arrested by the Cambodian National Police in October 2008, following an investigation into his illegal sexual relationship with the 14-year-old girl.

After being held by Cambodia officials, Dodd was expelled from Cambodia in February of this year, and was arrested by federal authorities when he arrived in the United States. "The prison sentence should end Michael Dodd's deviant career as a sex tourist," said United States Attorney André Birotte Jr "Mr Dodd's 10-year sentence should also serve as a warning to any American considering traveling abroad with the intent of abusing children." Dodd was prosecuted under the PROTECT Act of 2003, which, among other provisions, outlawed child sex tourism for United States citizens, even if their crimes were committed in other nations. The case against Dodd was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which received substantial assistance from the Cambodian National Police. The case against Dodd was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patricia A Donahue (213-894-0640), Assistant United States Attorney Yvonne L Garcia (213-894-0719), and DOJ Trial Attorney Andrew McCormack of the Justice Department's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.

World Vision, the international Christian humanitarian organization, assisted the FBI and the United States Attorney's Office in its investigation of Dodd. The agency's staff in Phnom Penh provided medical care, trauma counseling and vocational training to one of the girls Mr Dodd sexually abused. "The trafficking and abuse of children are among the greatest crimes of injustice—whether in the United States or half a world away in Asia," said Shirley Lew-Lee, legal counsel for World Vision International. "However, as demonstrated in Mr Dodd's case, collaboration between law enforcement agencies and humanitarian organizations is an essential and highly effective strategy in bringing perpetrators of these crimes to justice."

Reported by: FBI

Elusive Wild Elephants Captured on Film in Cambodia

A still from the unique video, which shows the shy beast placidly munching on greenery. Credit: Allan Michaud.

http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/

via CAAI

Wild Asian elephants have been captured on film in Cambodia, a country where the shy giants are rarely seen, an international conservation organization announced yesterday (Dec. 21).

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has just released what may be the first high-quality professional footage of wild Asian elephants ever taken in the south Asian country. Decades of civil war and instability in the latter part of the 20th century made Asia’s largest land mammal shy and difficult to observe directly.

Wildlife photographer Allan Michaud shot footage of the shy beasts on July 24 in the newly established Seima Protection Forest, a 1,100-square-mile (2,850-square kilometer) protected area along Cambodia’s eastern border with Vietnam.

"It does seem surprising that such a large animal is actually quite elusive, but they usually avoid humans,” said Edward Pollard of WCS’s Cambodia Program. "This new footage is a great visual confirmation that Seima is vitally important for biodiversity, as well as the protection of forest carbon."

The footage captures images of a male Asian elephant casually feeding on grass on the margin of a road that runs through Seima Protection Forest, which contains a significant percentage of Cambodia’s elephant population.

In 2006, surveys that collected DNA from elephant dung revealed a population of approximately 116 animals within the protected area — but not a single elephant was seen during the study.

Most of the images of wild elephants from the region come from camera traps. The film represents only the third elephant sighting along the Seima road in the past five years.

Researchers have noted that along with the recent elephant sighting, other species observed along the road include gaur (an Asian species of wild cattle), a monkey species known as a black-shanked douc, four other species of primate, and green peafowl, indicating that wildlife are adapting to the road.

Shamika2Gold Executes Definitive Agreement to Acquire Gold and Ruby Licenses in Cambodia

“This is a very important acquisition for Shamika and confirms the company’s strategy to acquire and develop international gold assets ready or close to production”

via CAAI

MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aultra Gold, Inc. (OTC BB: AGDI), operating internationally as Shamika2Gold (“Shamika”), has executed a definitive securities exchange agreement to acquire a concession of a gold and ruby exploration license in Cambodia. The area covered in the license is comprised of approximately 158 square miles in the Samlaut district adjacent to the famous Pailin ruby gem area. A Phase 1 & 2 Survey Report on the project was prepared by Terra Insight Services, Inc., a subsidiary of Terra Energy & Resource Technologies, Inc. (TEGR.OB), suggesting potential resources of 1.5 million ounces of gold and 9,000 kilograms of rubies.

Upon consummation of the exchange, Shamika will acquire approximately 85% of the capital stock from the Mauritius holding company which, upon formation and contribution, will hold these mining rights in exchange for 57,000,000 shares of Shamika common stock and shares of Series B Performing Preferred Stock, entitling the holder to 45% of the net operating profit from the mining project. The closing is conditioned upon the formation of the holding company and subsequent contribution of the mining rights.

“This is a very important acquisition for Shamika and confirms the company’s strategy to acquire and develop international gold assets ready or close to production,” stated Robert Vivian, President and Chief Executive Officer.

About Aultra Gold, Inc.

Aultra Gold Inc., which operates as Shamika2Gold, is an international junior gold company with strategic holdings in the Kilo Moto Greenbelt in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where major mining companies have begun exploration and development. Over $300 million of exploration, development and production capital has been allocated to the Kilo Moto Greenbelt in the last three years. The company’s strategy is to become a global exploration and production company.

Aultra Gold, Inc. is 51% owned by Shamika Resources, Inc., a private company domiciled in Canada. Shamika Resources, which has extensive holdings of mineral resources, including gold in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is engaged in the acquisition of mineral reserves in Africa. The corporate strategy is to develop a portfolio of mineral companies, unlocking value for shareholders, and opening up multinational access to the capital markets.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's current expectation regarding future events. Actual events could differ materially and substantially from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors. Certain statements in this release, and other written or oral statements made by Aultra Gold, Inc. are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which are, in some cases, beyond the Company's control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the company's expectations include, but are not limited to, those factors that are disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in documents filed by the company from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory authorities.

Coastal To Historical Tour In Cambodia

http://www.prlog.org/

via CAAI

This is a good opportunity to experience the vastness and diversity of the real Cambodia, drifting from the city life of Phnom Penh to the coastal region of Sihanouk Ville and to the magical realm of the world’s wonder, Angkor Wat. This special..

PRLog (Press Release) – Dec 22, 2010 – This is a good opportunity to experience the vastness and diversity of the real Cambodia, drifting from the city life of Phnom Penh to the coastal region of Sihanouk Ville and to the magical realm of the world’s wonder, Angkor Wat. This special package offers you a stay in the three most attractive cities of Cambodia.

Day 1: PHNOM PENH – ARRIVAL (L - D)

Upon arrival at the Phnom Penh International Airport, we will get transferred to the hotel. Then we have a city tour: visiting the only one hill in town with sacred sites called Wat Phnom, and to the Independent Monument. After the lunch break at a restaurant, in the afternoon, we visit Royal Palace, one of the most beautiful samples of Khmer palace, which allows us to visit the precious Throne Hall, Prasat Khemarin, Prasat Samren Phirum, Hor Preah Khan, Chan Chhaya, and Silver Pagoda where the king regularly does the warship. Then we move to the nearby National Museum where is collective of post-Angkorian antiques. Then we go through the River Front Park whose scenery is much worth shooting before experiencing the exciting boat cruise along the Mekong River bank to see the lovely Phnom Penh city at night with breathtaking view along the river. At the end of the day, we will have dinner at the local restaurant.

DAY 2: PHNOM PENH - SIHANOUK VILLE (B - L - D)

As soon as after the breakfast at the hotel, we depart to Sihanouk-Ville, the Cambodia’s leading beach resort. Once we get there, we will have chance to witness a spectacular view of the white-sand beach where we can swim or sunbath as we want. Our lunch will be at the beach, then we can relax or enjoy various activities ranging from playing volleyball to swimming until the evening when is the perfect time to see the sunset. After the dinner at the local restaurant, we have a city tour around the city since Sihanouk-Ville is believed to be so enjoyable at night time.

Day 3: WATER FALL – PHNOM PENH (B - L - D)

In the morning, we get on the 1-hour flight from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, the city of Angkor. Then we are accompanied by guide to hotel. The same morning , The same morning, we are on tour to Rolous Group temples including the 9th-century-erected Preah Ko temple, Bakheng, the largest and most complex temple of the Rolous group temples, and the four-brick-tower temple of Lo Lei. After the lunch break, we will head to Small Circuit to witness the Prasat Kravan (Cardamon sanctuary), where we will experience the stunning image of the eight-armed Vishnu in the largest central tower. Then we get going to Banteay Kdei, a massive Buddist temple with four concentric walls, Srah Srang (Royal Bath), Ta Prohm, which is best known for its originally ancient look. Next, we move to just east of Angkor Thom where stand the Thommanon and Chau Say Tevoda that seem to be known as the twin temples, and to Takeo, the only temple never completed, that is yet one among the finest. Finally, we enjoy the dinner at the local restaurant. Night in Siem Reap

Day 5: SOUTH GAT OF ANGKOR THOM AND ANGKOR WAT (B - L - D)

Today in the early morning, we will view sunrise at Angkor Wat.There you will see the wonderful spectrum of sun rise on the top of the five peaks of Angkor Temple, then breakfast at hotel. In the morning, we continue to visit the exquisitely decorated pink sandstone temple of Banteay Srey, whose intricate carving has the example of Khmer classical art remaining and stands as the finest monument ever seen on the planet. and then we will visit Kbal Spean (The river of a Thousand lingas). Then lunch at the local restaurant, after that we continue to visit Grand Circuit including Pre Rup (Turning the body) where there are some amazingly detailed lintel carvings here, East Mebon, Ta Som, Neak Pean, Preah Khan and Baksei Chamkrong. Dinner at the local restaurant. Night in Siem Reap.

Day 6: GRAND CIRCUIT - DEPARTURE (B - L)

In the morning, we are on a boat trip to Great Lake Tonle Sap that is renowned for its basin of fresh water fish (10 tons/ 1Square Km in the 60’s). Visitors may also view the fresh water exhibition, where we can see various kinds of fish in Tonlesap Lake. We then continue to Les Artisans d’Angkor -Chantiers Ecole,where visitors can observe artisans making high quality wood and stone carvings from scratch to end-product. Then we will enjoy the leisure time until the flight departure. End of Services

DAP News. Breaking News by Soy Sopheap

via CAAI

UN human Right to Cambodia to Celebrate 62nd Human Rights Declaration

Wednesday, 22 December 2010 13:55 DAP NEWS / VIBOL

CAMBODIA, PHNOM PENH, Dec 22, 2010-The UN human right office to Cambodia will celebrate 62nd human rights declaration on December 27.

It also will organize a show about the “sun without light “at Chenla theatre, the statement from office said.

The show will illustrate about the poverty, result of civil war, and human rights, it added.

The show will be free of charge, it said.

Itar Tass and AKP Inked Bilateral Cooperation

Wednesday, 22 December 2010 13:50 DAP NEWS / VIBOL

CAMBODIA, PHNOM PENH, Dec 22, 2010-Cambodian News Agency (Agency for Kampichea Press, AKP) and Itar Tass News agency of Russia on Tuesday inked agreement for strengthening the bilateral cooperation for media system.

“The agreement will share the information between two countries and contribute the promotion of culture, and tradition, and understanding each other for the two people,” information minister Khieu Kanharith said, adding that both sides are the friendship.

“Russians always want to know about Cambodia and it needs news for event in Cambodia,” Russian ambassador said.

The agreement is witnessed by the Russian ambassador here and Khieu.

Illegal drugstores, clinics decline sharply in Cambodia

via CAAI

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 22, 2010 (Xinhua News Agency) -- Unlicensed drugstores and clinics in Cambodia have declined sharply in 2010, showed the statistics from the Ministry of Health on Wednesday.

Unlicensed pharmacies have declined to 111 in December this year from 1,420 at the end of 2009, according to the statistics released at the annual conference on the elimination of fake medicines and unlicensed pharmacies and health services.

And unlicensed clinics have dropped to 305 in December this year from 1,055 at the end of last year.

The statistics showed that currently, Cambodia has 1,555 licensed pharmacies, up from only 1,389 at the end of last year, and 4,317 licensed clinics, up from 2,700 at the end of last year.

Those clinics are general health care, dental care, maternal healthcare and medical laboratories.

"It's our success to cut down the great number of unlicensed pharmacies and health services sharply this year," Heng Bunkeat, chief of the department of drugs, food, medical equipment and cosmetics at the Ministry of Health, said at the conference.

He said that the unlicensed pharmacies and clinics were the hub of the distribution of counterfeit medicines.

"The reduction of unlicensed drugstores and health services will lead to the reduction of the circulation of fake medicine," he said.

Fake and inferior medicines cost much money and claimed many lives every year in Cambodia, said Heng Taykry, secretary of state for the Ministry of Health and deputy director of the inter- ministerial committee on eliminating counterfeit medicines and unlicensed health services.

"The Ministry of Health is committed to eliminating fake, inferior medicines and unlicensed heath services, and perpetrators will be subjected to administrative measures and legal action," he said.

Up to now, 9,462 types of medicines have been registered in Cambodia, he said.

GPS survey to settle Vietnamese-Cambodian border

via CAAI

22/12/2010

Geoff Norris

An extensive GPS survey has been commissioned to define the highly-sensitive shared border between Cambodia and Vietnam.

The governments of the two South East Asian nations have announced a joint project - to be carried out by a specialist Danish team of surveyors - that will update the current maps of the border, which are more than 60 years old.

Due to the advanced, satellite-based surveying equipment available for the project, what would have once been a very time and personnel-intensive mission, will now be carried out in less than two years, with a budget of under £1 million (approximately US$1.5 million).

Nguyen Hong Thao, deputy director of the border committee of Vietnam, said the topographic map was an important step in fully realising a border treaty signed between the two nations in 2005.

"Producing a border land map of both countries will help transform the borderlines to become cooperative, peaceful and friendly," he said.

The Cambodian government has come under fire recently from one opposition party, which has claimed that Cambodia has ceded certain tracts of territory to Vietnam at a number of points along the border. Government officials have said the new maps will meet stringent international standards, and allow the two countries to moderate any potential border conflicts.

Cambodia: Thousands of poor people lose their homes to real estate development and plantation farming

In today’s Cambodia, the authorities favour large-scale urban development and sugar and rubber plantations. Companies are granted long-term leases to land taken from poor urban dwellers or farmers. Since 2009, more than 27,000 people have been evicted but public protest is being organised.

By Asia News

via CAAI

Phnom Penh – Lake Boeung Kak residents have abandoned their wooden homes because water levels in the lake have risen, covering everything in mud. What was once a delightful tourist attraction has now become a sea of unwholesome mud.

Until recently, Lake Boeung Kak was one of the few remaining open spaces near Phnom Penh. It was home to some 4,000 families, living in small wooden houses, but the government ignored them when it granted a 99-year lease to Shukaku Inc, a private developer considered close to the ruling party.

The area, some 130 hectares, will be turned into residential and office space and shopping malls. Current residents will receive compensation packages estimated between US$ 1,500 and US$ 8,500, an amount so low, that most residents have refused to accept. In the meantime, the lake waters are rising.

"Shukaku Inc is forcibly evicting lakeside residents by pumping sand and mud into their homes," said Rolando Modina, regional director of the international pressure group Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions.

“The message that is being sent to the remaining residents at the lake is that they should accept the compensation being offered to them or else their houses, too, will be buried in mud," said David Pred, executive director of Bridges Across Borders Cambodia, a non-governmental organisation.

The net result is that everyone is leaving, many not knowing where to go, especially since the money offered is so small to find a new place to live. About a thousand families are left; they are the poorest, uncertain as to what to do.

Land disputes are a major problem in Cambodia, as they often are in China. Last year alone, at least 26 cases of mass evictions displaced about 27,000 people across the country, according to a United Nations report released in September.

The communist Khmer Rouge abolished land ownership during its 1975-1979 rule; many legal documents were lost during that time and in the years of civil war that followed.

As land around the main cities becomes scarce, what is left is attractive to developers to build new residential complexes and modern shopping centres.

"Forced evictions are being driven by rapid speculative investment in the Cambodian real estate market, coupled with endemic corruption and the absence of the rule of law,” Pred said. “The urban poor are being driven from their homes in Phnom Penh, which is becoming an exclusive domain of the wealthy.”

The capital is indeed undergoing heavy development after projects stalled during the global financial crisis two years ago. Last year, the government passed a law giving itself the power to seize private property for public development projects.

At the same time, what is happening in and near the cities is happening in the countryside as well. Farmland seized by the authorities is granted to big sugar and rubber companies.

Under Cambodian law, a person who has lived in any one place unchallenged for five years or more has rights to that land.

Most Lake Kak dwellers began living on or near the lake in the 1980s. In recent months, they have staged dozens of demonstrations, which have been quickly dispersed by police.

Sok Sambath, the governor of the Phnom Penh’s Daunh Penh district, which includes the lake, described the development as "a good thing" for the area and said residents had to accept compensation.

Until recently, the eastern edge of Lake Boeung Kak was a popular tourist stretch, with many guesthouses and bars lining the shore. The lake now resembles a large sand dune and has lost its allure. Tourists are staying away and hotels are closing.

The local economy has been completely turned upside down to profit real estate development.

Source: Asia News

Boeng Kak Lake Residents Offer Food To Spirits And Protest Opposite The Company Office

koh pich koh kam

by sivuthalong

Developing trade ties with Cambodia

 12/22/2010

via CAAI

A seminar to develop import-export activities and investment between Vietnam’s south and southeast provinces and neighbouring Cambodia was held in Tay Ninh province on December 22.

Participants at the seminar said that businesses from both sides have not yet grasped the potential to promote exports so the event provided a good opportunity for them to exchange information, develop strategies and explore prospective markets.

The south and southeast region has 10 provinces, including 3 bordering with Cambodia – Tay Ninh, Long An and Binh Phuoc, as well as 4 international borders gates – Hoa Lu, Binh Hiep, Moc Bai and Xa Mat.

The south and southeast region has good infrastructure, such as airports, ports, comprehensive road, aviation and river systems and big industrial zones while Cambodia is an open market with great potential. In fact, some businesses in the south and southeast region have invested in Cambodia in rubber plantation, information, and banking.

Currently, two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and Cambodia increases by 30 percent annually. It reached US$1.33 billion in 2009 and is expected to hit US$1.7 billion in 2010. 62 percent of the value is the from south and southeast region. Vietnam mainly exports construction materials, electricity, electronics, cosmetics, food, wine, beer and beverages, while imports from Cambodia include agricultural products, rubber latex, and cassava starch.

Vietnamese businesses say that despite high growth, exports to Cambodia are still limited due to poor infrastructure in border areas, lack of commercial centres, storages, and showrooms, a weak payment system and lack of information about investment opportunities.

To boost exports to Cambodia, participants at the seminar agreed to resolve issues, such as increasing investment in infrastructure at border areas, advertising products on the mass media, organizing fairs and exhibitions in Cambodia, and establishing representative offices or branches in both countries.

Businesses from the two countries made a fact-finding tour of Moc Bai Border Gate in Vietnam and some economic zones in Cambodia.

Cambodia to close refugee centre, scrap UN agreement

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/

via CAAI

Dec 22, 2010

Phnom Penh - Cambodia says it plans to cancel an agreement with the United Nations on the processing of Vietnamese refugees, stoking fears about its willingness to accept asylum seekers.

The government announced plans last week to close a centre run by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees for Vietnamese Montagnards, a highland minority group.

Currently, 76 people are housed in the camp, 62 of whom have been granted refugee status, allowing them to be resettled in a third country.

Thousands of predominantly Christian Montagnards have come to Cambodia since 2001, fleeing alleged political and religious persecution by Vietnamese authorities.

An agreement between the UN, Cambodia and Vietnam has governed the processing of Montagnard refugees since 2005, stipulating that they must be held at the UN centre in Phnom Penh temporarily before being transferred to a third country or voluntarily returning to Vietnam.

The pact will be annulled after the camp is closed in February, Koy Kuong, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, said.

'When the centre is closed, the MOU (memorandum of understanding) is finished,' Koy Kuong said, adding that Cambodia would implement its own immigration procedures in future Montagnard cases.

Kitty McKinsey, a regional spokeswoman for UNHCR, said the UN was 'discussing with the Cambodian government' how to process the cases of future Montagnard asylum seekers.

The UN says it is working to resettle the 62 registered Montagnard refugees at the centre in Phnom Penh before the facility closes in February, and has called on the Cambodian government not to deport any of the others whose cases are pending.

Activists have raised concerns about the centre's closure, saying it may signal that Cambodia places its relationships with allies such as Vietnam and China over human rights considerations. Last year, the government deported 20 Uighur Chinese refugees at the behest of Beijing and over the objections of the United States and others.

'Cambodia's decision to speed the closure of the UNHCR asylum centre in Phnom Penh is rash and for those that could face deportation, puts their lives at risk,' the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation said.

'It is crucial therefore that the United States press the Cambodia authorities to live up to their obligations as a party to the UN [Refugee] Convention.'

South Korea in recent years has become a major investor in Cambodia, ranking number two after China by some measurements, AP said. However, some ambitious Korean-funded real estate developments in Phnom Penh, the capital, have stalled, it added.

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/

via CAAI

Dec 22, 2010

Hanoi - Vietnamese police on Wednesday said they estimated 4,500 tons of wild animals are smuggled through the country every year.

The information was released at a conference to fight wild animal trading in Hanoi on Tuesday, said Colonel Luong Minh Thao, vice director of the Department for Environmental Police.

The estimate was 'based on many sources, both data from Vietnamese police, customs and data distributed by other countries,' said Lieutenant Colonel Vu Duyen Hai of the Department for Environmental Police.

Hai said more than 3,000 out of 4,500 tons of wild animals transported from Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand transited Vietnam before heading to China. The rest was probably consumed domestically, he added.

Popular wild animal parts illegally traded include primates, bears, pangolins, elephant tusks, rhino's horns and snakes.

'It is very difficult to say if the number of wild animal cases trafficked is rising or falling,' Hai said. 'But clearly, wild animal smugglers are operating in a more sophisticated and secret manner.'

Consumption of wild animals in homes and restaurants is widespread in China and Vietnam, where they are considered a delicacy, despite laws granting many animals protected status. The animals are often associated with health benefits in traditional medicinal beliefs.

US$1 billion Cambodian airport project planned for Siem Reap

http://www.moodiereport.com/

via CAAI

Published: 22/12/10

Source: Associated Press

By Melody Ng, Asia Bureau Chief

PrintEmailCAMBODIA. A South Korean company contracted to build a new airport serving visitors to Cambodia’s famed Angkor temples says its US$1 billion project will also encompass a new city and industrial estate, according to the Associated Press (AP).

NSRIA Co. Ltd. said its planned New Siem Reap International Airport and linked developments represent Cambodia's “largest national project” and "Korea's first-ever export of its airport development and operation expertise".

The statement, which expands upon partial information released by the Cambodian government and in the Korean press, said its concession for the project spans 65 years – covering five years of construction and 60 years of operation – after which it can be extended.

NSRIA is a Cambodian joint venture whose main investors are two South Korean companies, Lees A&A Co. Ltd. and Camko Airport Co. Ltd.

The statement said the project will include an adjacent 'Special Economic Zone', a dry port and a 15.4sq mile (40sq km) city.

South Korea in recent years has become a major investor in Cambodia, ranking number two after China by some measurements, AP said. However, some ambitious Korean-funded real estate developments in Phnom Penh, the capital, have stalled, it added.

The new airport will be able to handle Boeing 747s, making it the country's first capable of handling direct long-haul flights from Europe and North America, said the statement. The area is currently served by a modern but small airport.

The airport will be located 25 miles (40km) east of Angkor Wat, the statement said, alleviating concerns about potential noise and vibration damage to the centuries-old temples at Angkor, Cambodia's main tourist attraction.

There is concern that the temples, already damaged by warfare, looting and the ravages of weather, could be harmed by a greater influx of tourists.

Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-2011, with operations to start in late 2015. At the end of the US$500 million first phase the airport will have the capacity to handle four million passengers a year, and will be able to handle 15 million after expansion.

Cambodia had 2.3 million visitors this year, with about half of them visiting the temples, according to Statistics Director for the Tourism Ministry Kong Sophearak.

The statement said the special economic zone will provide an alternative for South Korean companies to investing in China and Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam, where labour costs are rising from low levels.