Mong Reththy Group aims for one million pigs per year by 2015

Photo by: HENG CHIVOAN

A newly-arrived pig from England at Pochentong airport in December.

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Chun Sophal and Hor Hab
Thursday, 08 January 2009

The company says offspring from the new pigs imported from England could reduce Cambodia’s ‘pig deficit’ and eventually make Cambodia into a net pork exporter

The Mong Reththy Group on Monday announced an ambitious plan to breed up to one million pigs per year by 2015 to boost local production and cut dependence on foreign sources.

The latest imports are part of a US$5-million plan announced last year to import 600 Yorkshire breeding pigs from a farm in northern England.

The first shipment of 150 pigs arrived in Phnom Penh in mid-December, the company said at the time, and the pigs were expected to provide the foundation of a new program to expand local pig farming.

Company CEO and President Mong Reththy said he is preparing to distribute the first generation of breeder piglets in the coming weeks.

"I think the Cambodian people will not face a pork shortage for much longer as we continue to breed more piglets," Mong Reththy said, adding that the company expected the remaining 450 Yorkshire breeders to arrive by early February.

Mong Reththy said the company has also expanded facilities to house the breeders on 20 hectares of land near a company-owned palm oil plantation on the border of Koh Kong and Sihanouk provinces.

Man Bunneang, a pig farmer in Kampong Speu province, said Monday the new Yorkshire piglets could improve the sector for farmers who have struggled to cope with rising demand and volatile prices.

"I think this is an important step because we can reduce pig imports from abroad," he said.

"Local producers can only supply about 40 percent of market demand at the moment, so we must raise more pigs to cut down on imports and to stabilise the price of pork," he said.

Exports to come

The plan to grow more pigs at home could turn Cambodia from a pig importer to a pig exporter, said the company.

" I think this is an important step because we can reduce pig imports. "

Cambodia consumes 7,000 pigs per day - 1,600 in Phnom Penh alone, according to figures from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

To meet the country's pork shortfall - estimated to be about 600 daily - the government allows farmers to import up to 800 pigs, principally from Thailand. But many more are smuggled in from abroad.

Kao Phal, director of the Animal Health and Production Department at the Ministry of Agriculture, said the introduction of the breeders, which reach maturity more rapidly than local types, would also boost incomes of animal feed growers.

Cross-sector boost

He said that corn, cassava and soybean farmers could benefit most from local pig production."The development of breeding farms and animal food plants will help create employment and generate new opportunities for production," he said.

"It will provide more job opportunities for rural residents and help boost family incomes," he added.

The company earlier announced a $4-million state-of-the-art slaughterhouse and processing facility that meets international sanitary standards.

The facilities will be equipped with imported German machinery and are slated to open this year.

Petrol prices drop after PM demands results

Photo by: TRACEY SHELTON
A roadside petroleum vendor fills up the latest batch of Pepsi bottles in Phnom Penh.

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by SAM RITH AND GEORGE MCLEOD
Thursday, 08 January 2009

Sokimex leads the way with a 50-riel cut since Tuesday, but analysts say drops in international crude prices don’t immediately translate to lower pump costs

SOKIMEX led a drop in gasoline prices on Wednesday after repeated demands by Prime Minister Hun Sen that petroleum companies cut the cost of fuel at the pump.

The reductions were aimed at bringing pump costs in line with falling crude prices and to mark the January 7 Victory Day celebration.

Crude prices have fallen from about US$145 in June 2008 to below $50 currently.

Prices rose slightly over the week following the Israeli bombing of Gaza that has killed more than 630 Palestinians and threatens regional stability.

By Wednesday, Sokimex's petrol price was 2,850 riels (US$0.69) per litre for regular and 2,950 riels for premium.

That represents a 50-riel drop compared with Tuesday's price of 2,900 riels and 3,000 riels, respectively.

The cuts came a day after Hun Sen called on petroleum companies in Cambodia, particularly Sokimex, to again lower prices.

"[Petroleum companies] should all consider dropping their prices," he said during an inauguration speech for the new Stung Meanchey bridge on Tuesday.

" There is not a one-to-one relationship between oil prices and the price of petrol. "

He added that petrol prices in Cambodia were still above global price levels. "In previous years, when the global oil price was the same as today, petrol in Cambodia was only 2,400 to 2,500 riels."

Not so fast

But one UK-based oil and gas expert said that lower crude prices take time to trickle down to consumers.

"There is not a one-to-one relationship between oil prices and the price of petrol. ... You also have to take into account the cost of transportation, margins and refining," said Iain Armstrong, an oil analyst at the commodities firm Brewin Dolphin in London.

He estimated that 95 percent of crude price increases are reflected at the pump within four weeks, while about 80 percent of crude price drops translate into lower petrol within six weeks.Armstrong added that stubborn petrol prices are in part caused by refineries slowing or stopping production.

"Refiners have been quick to turn off the taps on recession fears," he said.

A December report on Asian petrol production expected higher prices in the beginning of 2009.

"Asia's benzene producers could keep operating rates below capacity in the first quarter of 2009 in anticipation of weak downstream demand," said the petrochemical chemical newswire Icis.

Further price cuts needed

But a local labour leader said his union members, who are often paid very little, are tired of expensive petrol.

Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodian Independent Teachers Association, said he would like the prime minister to demand additional price cuts.

"I would like Prime Minister Hun Sen to call for ... more price cuts," Rong Chhun said.

"I have not seen much change after the prime minister called on petroleum companies to drop gasoline prices on December 22, 2008," he added, saying that petrol costs remained high even in the face of steep falls in international crude prices.

Since Hun Sen's call for lower prices in December, Caltex and Total have kept pump prices steady, with regular at 2,950 riels per litre and premium at 3,050 riels, he said.

Sokimex and Tela dropped their prices from 2,950 riels to 2,900 riels by Tuesday.On Wednesday, only Sokimex dropped its price to 2,850 riels per litre.

Kang Chandararot, director of the Cambodia Institute of Development Study, said that over time, he expected further price cuts in line with international crude.

"I do not know how much the price should be because I do not know the margins that petroleum companies earn in Cambodia," Kang Chandararot said.

He added that the government should publicise petroleum companies' profit margins.

Job shortage looms as workforce expands

Photo by: TRACEY SHELTON
In the countryside, handicrafts are among the few employment options for young women.

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Khoun Leakhana
Thursday, 08 January 2009

Young women will be the most affected by a lack of employment options, according to a new government survey of Cambodia’s growing labour force

Cambodia needs to create between 250,000 and 275,000 jobs over the next four years to absorb Cambodia's growing labour force and take aggressive measures to integrate young women into the workforce, according to a report by the Ministry of Women's Affairs published last Friday.

The report said the number of people in the workforce in Cambodia, which includes those in jobs and those available to work, increased from four million in 1994 to 7.5 million in 2004. Between 2001 and 2004 alone, the workforce grew by 19 percent. In the capital city, it grew by 53 percent over the period.

Women make up around 49 percent of the labour force and 71 percent of women older than 14 contribute to the economy, the report showed, more than in Thailand, Laos and Indonesia, and just slightly less than in Vietnam and China.

However, employment opportunities for the masses of young women expected to enter the job market over the next few years look slim, it warned.

The labour market continues to be heavily segregated by gender, with women working mainly in the trade and handicraft sectors and men in the construction and communication sectors and as unskilled labourers.

In the countryside, farming, handicrafts and the selling of produce are almost the only career options for women.

Jobs for girls

The ministry is planning to work with the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy to boost the number of job opportunities for women.

It has announced a strategic plan to develop skills and self-confidence among women entrepreneurs in the informal sector and encourage them to register their businesses. It also plans to stimulate business through micro-credit injections and improve access to news and information about boosting productivity and accessing services.

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) representative Alice Levisay said Cambodia's strong commitment to gender equality and support from international partners and NGOs means the country is in a good position to improve living conditions among girls and women.

Cambodia's young demographic skew was also highlighted. Around 44 percent of the work force is under 25.

In Brief: CCHR concerned about opposition

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Vong Sokheng
Thursday, 08 January 2009

The Cambodian Centre for Human Rights says it is concerned over the Cambodian People's Party's efforts to stifle freedom of expression for opposition parliamentarians. "The behaviour of the majority lawmakers from the CPP is abusing the opposition parties' freedom of expression," said a statement issued Monday. The statement came a week after Human Rights Party President Kem Sokha and Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Yim Sovann were denied access to the Preah Vihear temple by military leaders stationed there.

In Brief: Do not sell off kindergartens: PM

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Sam Rith
Thursday, 08 January 2009

Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered that no kindergarten buildings in Phnom Penh would be sold to private developers. "[Phnom Penh Governor] Kep Chuktema has to tell all local authorities to look after all kindergartens, and do not sell or exchange the land with this or that company because you want money," Hun Sen said at the inauguration of the Stung Meanchey bridge. According to Kep Chuktema, Phnom Penh has more than 20 kindergartens.

In Brief: One arrested in bomb plot

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by NETH PHEAKTRA
Thursday, 08 January 2009

One of two suspects wanted in connection with Friday's foiled bomb plot has been arrested, officials said Wednesday. Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said that the police had detained the suspect following a detailed probe, but he declined to give the identity of the suspect or any further details, citing the confidential nature of the ongoing investigation. "We are collecting new information to arrest other suspects" Khieu Kanharith said.

Intrusive, but needed

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Dave Perkes
Thursday, 08 January 2009

Was there a conspiracy against photographers in 2008? Many complained about scaffolding and tarpaulins on the temples spoiling their shots. It is easy to become paranoid about the apparent insensitivity of the work, but the intrusion of scaffolding and wooden shoring is necessary, if unfortunate. The top level of Angkor Wat has been closed to the public since October 2007. Restoration has inevitably meant that classic views of the five towers have been temporarily spoiled. The atmospheric West Gate has now been adorned with road signs and timber to support and narrow it for large traffic. The ancient laterite road has been covered in timber decking to preserve it. The small temple of Preah Pallilay has had its extraordinary trees removed. The famous view of the tree roots covering the East Gopura of Ta Prohm is now impossible to photograph without a new wooden platform for tourists to pose! The jungle temple of Beng Mealea has new wooden walkways and steps to ease the passage of the thousands of tourists. Further afield, Koh Ker has protective fencing and shoring up of dangerous structures, and Prasat Thom Pyramid has been closed. But these visually intrusive measures are in place for conservation and safety purposes. In spite of this, Angkor has thousands of splendid viewpoints and remains one of the world's most photogenic places.

Digital Angkor offers clues to daily life at the ancient site

Photo by: Tom Chandler

A virtual visualisation of Angkor.

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Erica Goldberg
Thursday, 08 January 2009

COMPUTER animation geeks are taking on Angkor, and last month Tom Chandler, a PhD student at Monash University in Australia, unveiled newly developed animation that imagines ancient Angkor as a living, breathing virtual world.

"In comparison to the research you'd find for virtual Greece, or Rome, or Egypt, what's out there for Angkor is still pretty thin," Chandler told archaeologists at Ecole Francaise d'Extreme-Orient.

So Chandler has taken research and maps from top archaeologists and further developed Angkor into a three-dimensional landscape with people, temples and vegetation looking like they may have in ancient times. Chandler studied fine arts and archaeology, which have helped him with this project. "I work at the intersection of sculpture and cinema," he said. Because Chandler can continually improve the virtual world by changing the information given to the computer, including the colours of the temples, input from archaeologists is essential to representing as accurate a virtual world as possible.

"There's scant archaeological evidence of coloured paints around the temples. Everyone agrees the temples were coloured, but, like the dinosaurs, we don't know what colours. I'm not trying to create something definitive, but the colours can be morphed and tested until we reach a consensus on what colours the temples may have been."

Chandler's virtual Angkor can be used as an education tool, or it can be studied by archaeologists to consider the possibilities of this ancient world and pose new questions.

One of the most difficult aspects of creating a virtual Angkor is inputting rice fields into the vast landscape. "We can't get the rice fields to work because it involves millions and millions of blades of grass," said Chandler. "It just keeps crashing the computer."

Siem Reap gets waste plant loan

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Peter Olszewski
Thursday, 08 January 2009

SIEM Reap's water woes are rapidly being corrected, with the latest move being the earmarking of part of a Korean loan to build a wastewater filtration station on the Siem Reap River.

Funds for this will come from a US$120 million loan agreement provided by the Republic of Korea Economic Development Cooperation fund, which was signed on December 30.

Meanwhile, Siem Reap's traffic continues to snarl as more roads are dug up during the course of the wastewater management project, which is being overseen by the Japanese company NJS Consultants Co Ltd. The Ministry of Tourism has ordered the work as part of an initiative under the Mekong Tourism Development Project.

The $11 million project, officially started in June 2007 and funded by the Asian Development Bank, is scheduled for completion mid-year.

The project, covering western Siem Reap, will dramatically upgrade wastewater management and commences at National Road 6, the dividing line between west and east.

How many are too many defendants at the KRT?

Photo by: TRACEY SHELTON

The Cambodian co-prosecutor at the Extraordinary Chambers, Chea Leang, who has moved to block any expansion of the trial docket.

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by David Scheffer
Thursday, 08 January 2009

Opinion

By David Scheffer

Try a reasonable number limited by long-term resource availability

HERE was a steady drumbeat from the beginning of the negotiations in 1997 that the ECCC would focus on "senior Khmer Rouge leaders" and those "most responsible" for the atrocity crimes of the Pol Pot regime. The Cambodian, UN and American negotiators never limited the pool of suspects to be charged and brought to trial to five or six individuals, although it was no secret that some Cambodian officials desired a small number, which would exclude current government and military officials. Yet there was no serious negotiation expressly to embrace that Cambodian view as that would have been an intolerable position for the non-Cambodian negotiators to accept and it would have fatally undermined the integrity of the court. In my own many long negotiations with Cambodian and UN authorities, negotiators typically spoke of up to 15 or so individuals ultimately being prosecuted. We were very aware of much higher numbers being proposed by researchers and domestic and international nongovernmental organisations. UN negotiators at times spoke of 20 to 30 potential defendants, but within the negotiations we knew and expressed a more likely maximum figure of 15 or so candidates for prosecution. We knew that resource constraints and political realities, as well as aging individuals, would keep the number on the relatively low end, but not so low as to be de minimis.

No literal definition

As negotiators and drafters, we never tried to establish a literal definition of "senior leaders and those most responsible" as that would have been a foolhardy exercise. In fact, it was UN and US negotiators who pressed for a high bar of "those most responsible" rather than a Cambodian preference for the broader category of "those responsible" at one critical late stage in the negotiations. One effort to raise the bar even higher to "those with the greatest responsibility", which had just been negotiated for the Statute of the Special Court for Sierra Leone in mid-2000, was rejected in favor of the long-standing and somewhat broader concept of "those most responsible".

What is transpiring now between the co-prosecutors and their filing with the Pre-Trial Chamber was anticipated in the negotiations and strikes me as demonstrating that the ECCC is working its will as it was designed to do. I actually am encouraged that the process is being tested, although the publicly-expressed discretionary statements of the Cambodian co-prosecutor would give any judge pause to consider the purpose behind the objection. The two primary reasons negotiators thought the co-prosecutors might disagree would be either 1) based on the merits of any particular individual being charged, or 2) because one of the co-prosecutors appears politically influenced and the other seeks the ruling of the Pre-Trial Chamber to ensure the integrity of the ECCC. Obviously, during the negotiations concerns about political influence were dealt with delicately, but everyone knew we were building a dispute settlement mechanism to overcome either a merits or political disagreement if either ever occurred. The real test is not the actual filing by the co-prosecutors, which the court is designed to accommodate, but whether the judges in the Pre-Trial Chamber step up to the plate and do their duty with the highest degree of judicial integrity. We can all assess that when their decision is rendered.

" ...accept the same compromise that the negotiators did, namely, not too few defendants and not too many. "

Better for donors

Ultimately, expanding the number charged from five to 10 or 15 individuals probably would make the case for long-term financial support of the ECCC easier to advocate because it would demonstrate the integrity and credibility of the court. That is the key that unlocks the international money, not some argument that the number of defendants must be limited to satisfy a domestic political agenda. Once political intrigue or corruption swamps the court's work, the international money will dry up very fast and completing the trials of the original five defendants will become much more difficult to finance and properly staff.

The solution to this latest episode in the ECCC's history is for each side of the debate to accept the same compromise that the negotiators did, namely, not too few defendants and not too many, but a reasonable number limited by long-term resource availability and a reasoned application of the requirement that defendants be "senior leaders of Democratic Kampuchea and those who were most responsible" for the atrocity crimes of the Pol Pot regime. I am hopeful that the judges will see it that way too.

Royal visage can't be muddied by politics, says Prince Thomico

Photo by: HENG CHIVOAN

Prince Norodom Ranariddh, who has retired from politics.

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Neth Pheaktra and Brendan Brady
Thursday, 08 January 2009

Insisting his cousin’s image be restricted to use in the Royal Palace, Prince Thomico demands NRP assume a different logo

PRINCE Sisowath Thomico has urged the Norodom Ranariddh Party to change its name and logo to help its namesake dissociate himself from politics as he attempts to cut a regal profile.

Along with other members of the royal family, cousins Prince Thomico and Prince Ranariddh were recently given prominent posts in the King's palace council, in a move that observers saw as a tacit quid pro quo pushed by the government for the removal of royals from politics.

Some scepticism remains, however, about whether the mercurial Ranariddh can stay away from the limelight.

"The prince has resigned as president of the party and announced he has left politics, but his name and picture are still used as the party logo," Sisowath Thomico said. "It leaves the Cambodian people and [me] wondering whether he really has left politics completely."

The party has clung to the image of its namesake because what little support and prestige it has left stems from its association with the prince, Thomico contended. And he worried the party could continue to drag his cousin's already dented reputation through the political mud.

Restoring the shine

Ranariddh has sought to restore his credibility after a downward spiral that saw him devolve from co-prime minister in the 1990s to an exile in Malaysia for two years after fleeing the country to avoid a jail sentence for embezzlement.

"If they continue to use his name and picture, it will affect his honour and the reputation of other members of the royal family, especially the monarchy, who have decided to stay out of politics," Thomico said.

Ranariddh's spokesman, Chea Chanboribo, said the party's title and image were "technical issues" beyond the prince's control, and changing them could create complications for the party's two elected lawmakers in the National Assembly.

"I can say the prince has definitely left politics since resigning from the party, and I've been told the party is looking into changing its name and logo."

But party spokesman Suth Dina said that when Ranariddh resigned, he gave the party full rights to continue using his name and image, and it would require time and resources to organise a motion for the party congress to remake them.

Tep Nytha, secretary general of the National Election Committee, said no current legislation stipulates on the question of party names.

Prison workshop shuttered in R'kiri

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Thet Sambath
Thursday, 08 January 2009

WOOD processing in a prison in Ratanakkiri has been halted by the province's governor following allegations that the workshops used illegal timber and overworked inmates.

Governor Moeung Poy said he ordered the closure because the prison had "many problems".

However, the head of the facility, Ngin Nel, was adamant that the prison operated the workshops "absolutely legally".

He said that the prison had since switched to having prisoners plant vegetables and sew fishing nets to earn income for themselves and the prison. Prisoners are allowed to keep one-fifth of the profit from selling the merchandise.

Pact aims to stamp out H5N1

Photo by: TRACEY SHELTON

A new MoU to regulate the transport of live animals and birds – like the ducks pictured above – has been signed.

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by May Kunmakara
Thursday, 08 January 2009

Govt signs agreement with Vietnam to monitor animal cargo at border in effort to curb the spread of the virus and boost livestock trade, officials say

CAMBODIAN and Vietnamese government officials signed a Memorandum of Understanding last week to inspect all animal cargo crossing their shared border, said a local government official three weeks after the eighth reported human case of bird flu struck the Kingdom.

A 19-year-old man in Kandal province was infected with the H5N1 virus last December. It was the only confirmed infection in the country last year, and was nonfatal - unlike the seven prior cases diagnosed in Cambodia.

The agreement, signed by the agriculture ministries of Cambodia and Vietnam on December 29, stipulates the construction of 11 inspection facilities along the border to separate the flow of animal cargo and humans, who primarily contract bird flu through contact with nasal secretions, saliva or faeces from an infected bird.

Kao Phal, director of the Animal Health and Production Department, said the ministry also requested training in veterinary expertise and the laboratory research required to detect the deadly virus. H5N1 has claimed nearly 250 lives around the globe since 2003, according to the World Health Organisation.

"The agreement will help curb the disease from spreading from animal to animal and from animals to people," Kao Phal said.

Regulations to boost trade

Sok Sina, an independent economist, said the agreement would improve livelihoods on both sides of the border by cutting down on the virus's threat to humans and the animals they rely on for food and business.

Such enhanced regulations will "boost Cambodian entrepreneurialism in produce", he added.

Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said more than US$900 million worth of goods were traded between the countries in the first 11 months of last year, adding that he hoped annual totals would climb to $2 billion by 2010.

A number of programs to educate rural Cambodians about the deadly virus have been launched in recent years, including the "market forums" started last year by the UN's Food and Agricultural Organisation and the Agriculture Ministry to educate poultry vendors on good sanitation practises.

Report warns drug-related HIV/Aids infection spreading rurally

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Khoun Leakhana
Thursday, 08 January 2009

Cambodia’s National Authority for Combating Drugs sees a worrying trend in the drop in treatment of drug users and rise in HIV infection

A NEW report on emerging drug patterns in the Kingdom has raised concern about the level of awareness of drug-related HIV/Aids infection among rural communities.

The report, released by the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD) on Monday, shows the number of drug users receiving treatment and rehabilitation services in 10 state centres in 2008 has decreased, falling from 1,719 in 2007 to 1,005 people in 2008.

Emerging rural problem

It also remarked that the spread of HIV/Aids among drug users, once a predominantly Phnom Penh-based problem, had now extended to rural provinces and towns.

Lour Ramin, general secretary of the NACD, said in a meeting Monday that despite overall drug usage decreasing in the last year, an increase in needle-based use was evident.

"Before, most drug addicts used yaba [methamphetamine] pills by smoking or swallowing them, but now "ice" methamphetamine is also used via injection into the blood," he said.

He said the UN Office on Drugs and Crimes's H83 project, which has examined drug centres in 12 provincial towns, also showed a sharp increase in the number of intravenous methamphetamine users who received help over the last year.

"We worry because we know that in Phnom Penh alone, 35.1 percent of people who used drugs intravenously contracted HIV/Aids in 2007," Lour Ramin said.

Aids education vital

Unesco's representative in Cambodia, Teruo Jinnai, said that the report underlines an urgent need to address HIV/Aids education among those most vulnerable to drug abuse.

"Those who use drugs intravenously take very high risk of being infected by HIV/Aids because their level of understanding and consideration are still low," he said.

Thai FM to visit, discuss frontier

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Neth Pheaktra and Georgia Wilkins
Thursday, 08 January 2009

THAILAND'S new foreign minister, Kasit Piromya, will visit Cambodia this month, setting the stage for renewed negotiations over the two countries' disputed border, officials said Wednesday.

Undersecretary of State and spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Koy Kuong confirmed that Kasit would visit Cambodia from January 25-26.

He will meet with Prime Minister Hun Sen and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, Koy Kuong added. Despite being an informal visit, he said the issue of the border dispute was likely to be pushed to the table by the Cambodian side.

"Although it is just a courtesy call, the Cambodian side will urge the Thai side to speak up and push for the continuation of [border] talks," he said, adding that resolving the ongoing dispute remained a No 1 priority for the government.

Var Kimhong, Cambodia's president of the Joint Border Commission, also confirmed the meeting but would not detail the agenda of the talks.

"Border talks will, maybe, be on the agenda for his visit," he said, playing down the trip as routine for new government officials.

Kasit will be the first official from the new Thai government to visit Cambodia after protesters ousted the former leaders in December.

Changing sexual trends spur HIV

AFP

Prostitutes stand in a doorway on a Phnom Penh brothel last month.

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by May Titthara and Khoun Leakhana
Thursday, 08 January 2009

Raids on brothels have forced many men to seek extramarital sexual partners in beer gardens, but such 'sweetheart' relationships are leading to a fall-off in condom use, officials say

POLICE raids on organised dens of prostitution have spawned a new trend away from brothel-based sex work to more relationship-based prostitution, which is having a damaging effect on the rate of HIV/Aids infection in the Kingdom, officials say.

Amid sporadic but often violent crackdowns on brothels throughout the country, men have been turning instead to karaoke bars and beer gardens, where they meet with regular partners, they said.

"The number of men who go to brothels has significantly decreased. Now, about 50 percent of men who would normally go to a brothel house go to beer gardens or karaoke bars instead," Teng Kunthy, secretary general of the National Authority on HIV/Aids said.

"Before, when they go to a brothel, they know what they are doing clearly, so they use condoms to protect them from HIV/Aids," he said.

"But when they go to karaoke bars and become close with a girl as a partner, or have a relationship as a sweetheart, 50 percent of them don't use condoms, so it is much more dangerous," he added.

Dan Borapich, director of communication and marketing at the reproductive health NGO PSI, said the trend was a direct response to recent brothel closures.

"When the authorities closed brothel houses, all sex workers moved to work in karaoke bars, beer gardens and massage shops," she said.

"Now, less than 50 percent of [casual] sexual partners have sex using a condom because they want to believe in their partner," she added.

She said that by developing a relationship with a particular girl, or "sweetheart", many men felt it was no longer necessary to use condoms.

"Before, when men went to brothel houses they used condoms because they were afraid that some girls are infected with HIV/Aids because they didn't know them," she said.

"When they have a beloved sweetheart, they don't use condoms because they know them, and they are afraid their partner will lose confidence in them and accuse them of having another girl," she added.

Tia Phalla, deputy director of the National AIDS Authority said government statistics confirmed that the closing down of brothels had a dramatic impact on condom use, as it had led to a growth in non-brothel-based entertainment workers.

"Our findings also show that 53.7 percent of entertainment workers have never suggested condom use with their sweetheart, or ‘Tata' [an old man who is rich or powerful and buys sex], although around 70 percent of them do not know their sweethearts' HIV/Aids status," he said.

From factory to beer garden

As one-fifth of entertainment workers previously worked as garment factory workers, Tia Phalla feared that the numbers would increase with the closing of garment factories as the economic climate worsens.

He also warned that the number of men who visited entertainment workers for sex and did not use condoms with their spouses could spread the Aids epidemic further.

Meas Maliss, a 29-year-old woman from Phnom Penh's Tuol Kork district, told the Post that she has had to persuade her unfaithful husband to use condoms when he sleeps with her.

"I started using condoms with my husband after we argued with each other. After the conflict, he always went out, so when he returned home, I told him he must use condoms. If he did not agree with me, I would not sleep with him," she said.

"At first, he refused. But after I tried to explain to him a few times, and because he knows himself that he is not honest, he agreed to use condoms as I requested," she added.

She said, however, that her and her partner's condom use fluctuated depending on the level of trust in the relationship.

"I no longer use condoms as much now because after receiving a lot of advice and suggestion from his friends, my husband has stopped going out. He has become good to me and takes care of me and our children," she said.

"On average, we use condoms four times a month because he still goes to work in the provinces often, and I never forbid him from having other girls. But what is important is that he protects himself. That is fine for me," she said.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY NGUON SOVAN

First Khmer Rouge trial will kick off in March: court official

Photo by: TRACEY SHELTON
Co-prosecutor Robert Petit confirmed Wednesday the first trial would begin March.

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Georgia Wilkins
Thursday, 08 January 2009

The official date for the trial of the former head of Tuol Sleng prison, Kaing Guek Eav, will be determined in the coming weeks

AS thousands of Cambodians congregated Wednesday in the capital to mark the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Khmer Rouge, officials at the country's war crimes tribunal made public for the first time an expected date for the commencement of the court's first trial.

The international co-prosecutor at the court, Robert Petit, told the Post Wednesday that he expects the first trial, that of former cadre and S-21 chief Kaing Guek Eav, to begin "some time in March", with an official date becoming clearer after a trial management meeting on January 15 and 16.

Kaing Guek Eav, who is known by his communist name Duch, has been held in pre-trial detention since his arrest in 1998. He is the only one of five suspects currently held at the court's detention facilities to be formally indicted into the court, which has been in operation now for three years.

" After 30 years, no one had been tried, convicted or sentenced. "

According to Petit, the management meeting would be confidential and would focus on "practical issues on how the hearing can and cannot be conducted".

Initial hearing

February Court spokeswoman Helen Jarvis added that it would consider how many witnesses would be called and would prepare for an initial hearing expected in February.

The hybrid court, which has been heavily criticised for delaying the trials of the five suspects through financial mismanagement and internal disputes, is also suffering from a standstill between international and national prosecutors over whether to investigate more suspects.

Delays have been of particular distress to victims, who see the age and ailing health of the suspects (all, except Duch, in their 70s) the greatest risk to justice not being achieved.

International NGO group Human Rights Watch criticised the government for politically interfering in the court's legal procedures on the eve of Wednesday's celebrations.

"After 30 years, no one had been tried, convicted or sentenced for the crimes of one of the bloodiest regimes of the 20th century," the group said in a statement.

But Jarvis said Wednesday that she did not see any reason for further delays.

CPP celebrates victory over KR

Photo by: SOVANN PHILONG
A spectator shields his face with a Hun Sen leaflet at Olympic Stadium on Wednesday.

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Vong Sokheng
Thursday, 08 January 2009

Some 50,000 government supporters packed Phnom Penh's Olympic Stadium to mark the 30th anniversary of the Vietnamese and CPP’s victory over the Khmer Rouge regime

PHNOM Penh's Olympic Stadium was packed Wednesday with some 50,000 white-shirted, flag-waving supporters of the ruling Cambodian People's Party, including students, teachers, civil servants and lawmakers, who gathered to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime.

Supporters present at the event were treated to impressively regimented, large-scale performances to commemorate the January 7 Victory Day - marking the day on which Vietnamese troops, spearheaded by most of the current upper echelon of the ruling CPP, toppled the Khmer Rouge in Phnom Penh.

Chea Sim, chairman of the CPP and president of the Senate, gave a speech thanking the Vietnamese government and the volunteer Vietnamese-backed forces, and paying homage to those who died for the "revival" of Cambodia 30 years ago.

"We wish that all the millions of people who died during the Pol Pot regime will be reborn in paradise," Chea Sim said in his speech.

"We are gathered here today in order to remember the people who sacrificed their lives to save the nation from the genocide.

"He said the January 7 celebration was significant, as it marked the day that the Cambodian people came back to life and began the ongoing process of national reconstruction.

No mention of the KRT

Five former Khmer Rouge leaders are being held in detention at the UN-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal and have been charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity.

But despite record crowds commemorating the fall of the brutal regime, no mention was made of the country's war crimes tribunal.

Nhem Ean, a former photographer at the S-21 prison and today the Anlong Veng deputy governor, told the Post Wednesday that in his district - a former Khmer Rouge stronghold - celebrations were modest but happy. He said that about 99 percent of citizens in his district supported the CPP.

"We will remain grateful to the January 7 victors, especially the three Samdechs - Hun Sen, Chea Sim and Heng Samrin - until the end of our lives," he said.

He said his district was made up mostly of people who were former Khmer Rouge fighters and that they had celebrated the January 7 victory every year since they integrated with the Cambodian government in 1998-99.

"We have no objection at all over the January 7 victory celebration," he said. "It liberated us from the genocide regime."

Opposition lawmaker Yim Sovann told the Post Wednesday he opposed the celebration.

"I see that many poor people are still the victims of the ruling CPP. Therefore, I think that January 7 is just a game to gain political interest among the poor."

Artists' relocation prioritised

Photo by: Tracey Shelton

A young resident at Dey Krahorm appears unperturbed by the community’s pending eviction on Wednesday.

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Chhay Channyda
Thursday, 08 January 2009

Residents in Dey Krahorm will soon be relocated, city authorities say, but City Hall has announced plans to help artists and musicians stay downtown

AS municipal authorities move to evict the final residents from Dey Krahorm, they are sweetening the blow by prioritising the re-housing of the most celebrated residents of the central Phnom Penh community: its artists.

Most remaining residents wll have to settle for a compensation package worth around US$10,000 or alternative housing far from downtown.

But the families of singers and actors will be given first dibs on more expensive city-center housing so that they can continue to work as usual, according to a new plan released this month by Chamkarmon district authorities.

"We have a plan for disabled people like Chapei singers [Kong Nay and Neth Pe] to buy them new houses in exchange for theirs in Dey Krahorm," said Phnom Penh Deputy Governor Mann Chhoeun.

According to Mann Chhoeun, the municipality is aware that several players of the Chapei - a traditional Cambodian long-necked lute - and a number of famous actors and comedians are among those who will be forced to leave Dey Krahorm.

He said the authorities were keen to ensure that the disabled artists could stay in the city.

Priority housing

Two musicians, Kong Nay and Neth Pe, confirmed that they had been contacted by representatives of City Hall and the 7NG company - which is managing the relocation - to discuss the details of their move.

"They said we have first priority to get a house in the city, but we could not find a house within the budget they have offered us," blind Chapei singer Kong Nay, 63, told the Post Tuesday.

The celebrated musician was the first of nearly a dozen actors at Dey Krahorm to be offered the chance to move to a house not located in Dangkor district's Damnak Trayoeng village, a relocation site on the outskirts of Phnom Penh.

He said that the house he had found cost $52,000, but that 7NG were only prepared to offer $48,000.

Neth Pe, another Chapei player who is also blind, said he met 7NG Chairman Srey Sothea on Thursday to discuss the company's offer, but also failed to agree on the sum the company would provide.

" ....They said we have first priority to get a house in the city. "

"We do not need an apartment, but a house with land around it like our house right now because I hold Chapei classes for 14-plus students," Neth Pe said, adding that he fears that the company and authorities will not be able to find a house he wants.

Dey Krahorm was designated a social land concession in 2003.

But in 2006 the land was leased to 7NG, which said it had plans to develop the property.

A protracted and sometimes violent land dispute erupted, with residents at first refusing to leave. But most of those living in the shantytown have since taken company buyouts, leaving only a few hundred holdouts.

7NG representatives could not be reached for a comment on Tuesday.

50,000 mark victory over Khmer Rouge regime

Photo by: Tracey Shelton

Revellers watch Wednesday's massive Victory Day celebration at Phnom Penh's Olympic Stadium.

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Vong Sokheng
Thursday, 08 January 2009

Thirty years after Vietnamese-backed forces ousted the brutal movement, the day has come to also celebrate the CPP’s firm grip on power.

Khmer Rouge Leader Gets Trial Date At Last

By Tim Johnston
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, January 7, 2009

BANGKOK, Jan. 7 -- Three decades to the day after the fall of Cambodia's Khmer Rouge regime, the country finally received word of a possible starting date for the trial of one of its key leaders.
International co-prosecutor Robert Petit said that Kaing Khek Iev, who was better known as Duch when he headed the Tuol Sleng torture center in Phnom Penh, will probably go on trial in March. But he said four other defendants, all in their 80s, are unlikely to take the stand until 2010.

The trial process, which has so far cost $50 million, has been marred by delays, controversial defense motions, accusations of corruption and, most recently, a public dispute between Petit and his Cambodian co-prosecutor, Chea Leang, over future prosecutions.

Petit wants to file charges against an additional five or six former Khmer Rouge members, but Chea Leang has objected, saying that the court should concentrate its limited resources on the cases on hand. She has also cited a need to focus on national reconciliation.

The court's pre-trial chamber is due to rule on the disagreement.

As many as 1.7 million Cambodians -- roughly one-fifth of the population -- were killed or succumbed to disease, malnutrition or overwork during the four years the Khmer Rouge were in power before they were removed by Vietnamese forces in 1979.

Human Rights Watch has long been critical of the court's inability to bring the perpetrators of the Khmer Rouge's brutal rule to justice.

"After 30 years, no one has been tried, convicted or sentenced for the crimes of one of the bloodiest regimes of the 20th century," said Brad Adams, who is Asia director for Human Rights Watch. "This is no accident. For more than a decade, China and the United States blocked efforts at accountability, and for the past decade, [Cambodian Prime Minister] Hun Sen has done his best to thwart justice."

For many Cambodians, Jan. 7 is a bittersweet date: It marks their deliverance from the Khmer Rouge but also the beginning of a 10-year occupation by Vietnam.

Hun Sen, who came to power 23 years ago under the aegis of the Vietnamese, has no time for such ambivalence.

"Whoever is against the day of victory is either Pol Pot or an animal," he told a crowd Tuesday.

Providential Holdings Subsidiary PHI Mining Group Signs Agreement With Angkor Metal Corporation to Engage in Copper Mining in Cambodia

CNN
January 07, 2009

Providential Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB: PRVH) (FRANKFURT: PR7) (WKN 935160), a company engaged in mergers and acquisitions, real estate development, mining, and investing in special situations, today announced that PHI Mining Group, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: PHIG), a company focused on mining opportunities in Southeast Asia, through its wholly owned subsidiary Indochina Mining Corporation (IMC), has signed a principal contract with Angkor Metal Corporation, a Cambodia-based company, to survey, explore, exploit and process copper ores in Preah Vihear Province, Cambodia. According to the agreement, IMC will own 51% of Angkor Metal Corp. stock at the closing of the transaction.

Angkor Metal Corporation has already been granted an exploration license for a total area of 192 km2 (47,440 acres) in Kolean District, Preah Vihear Province, Cambodia, potentially one of the largest copper ore reserves in Southeast Asia, of which 2.5 km2 (618 acres) is fully surveyed with promising commercial exploitation ability. This mineralized material opportunity is estimated to be in excess of 500,000 metric tons and may amount to several million metric tons.

Providential Holdings, Inc. currently owns approximately 18 million shares (80%) of PHI Mining Group, Inc. stock.

About Providential Holdings

Providential Holdings and its subsidiaries engage in a number of diverse business activities, the most important of which are M&A and consulting services, real estate development, mining and investing in special situations. As part of its activities in Vietnam, Providential has been hosting seminars in conjunction with the Nasdaq Stock Market to help Vietnamese companies go public and raise capital through the U.S. financial markets. The Company currently develops "Pointe 91," an upscale residential community and luxury resort in Chu Lai, central Vietnam. Web site: www.phiglobal.com.

About PHI Mining Group

PHI Mining Group is a U.S.-based mining and exploration enterprise focused on acquiring and developing industrial mineral properties. The company is in the process of negotiating to acquire interests in diatomite, lead, copper and granite properties in South East Asia and South America. PHI Mining Group is committed to high standards in the areas of environmental management and health and safety for its employees and neighboring communities.
Web site: www.phimining.com.

Safe Harbor: This news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected on the basis of such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are made based upon management's beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management pursuant to the "safe-harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Phnom Penh Asides: The king of Phnom Penh roads

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Kevin Britten
Wednesday, 07 January 2009

IN the rest of the world, the most popular car (by sales) is the Toyota Corolla. In Cambodia, however, the Camry is the model that everyone wants.

Neither sexy nor glamorous, the Camry is a pure, practical workhorse that has come to define a whole class of Cambodian society, the Camry Class.

While Tico drivers and Corolla drivers are saying out loud that they are non-aspirational men, Camry drivers are saying, ‘Ok. I'm here. Deal with me because I'm a serious person'."

Corolla drivers are actually the ones to watch out for on the road.

Tico drivers know that they're going to be ignored and that they're in constant danger of being mistaken for a microwave oven with wheels, but Corolla drivers feel that they're in a real car and ought to be taken seriously - but they're not, because, well, they're just in a Corolla.

This drives them nuts, and that's why they accelerate wildly or crawl along the road at walking speed, and then make a turn inches from the front of a speeding truck.

But Camry drivers know that they've arrived, that they're in the majority group, because they have the right car.

All Camry drivers ever dream about is a newer model Camry. Models change about every three years, so there is always the opportunity to upgrade, but the concept remains the same.

Camry drivers also have the advantage of anonymity. As a driver of the most common car on the road, your movements can't be traced unless people go to the trouble of learning your licence plate number. If you're being stalked by someone who's gone to that much trouble, give up. They're going to find you, whatever you do.

" the camry is a ... workhorse that has come to define a ... class of cambodian society. "

tronger and more spacious than a Corolla, the Camry is better at tackling and surviving the Cambodian road conditions. Size counts on the roads throughout Asia. There's no doubt that a bigger car is also a safer car in an accident.

Mechanics love them, spare parts are easy to find and when you want to upgrade, the Camry is easy to sell. In fact, when a driver takes the beast in for a service, the mechanic invariably asks if he can buy it.

So, you're tempted to start looking for the Camry of your dreams?

To get an idea of which years fit your budget, go to Street 108 anywhere between the river and the new Canadia Bank Tower, find a Camry that looks like your kind of car and just stand there until the salesman comes up to you with a price.

All the cars there are for sale, but they're just being sold on commission by salesmen who do little more than keep them clean.

The area is notorious as a place to unload lemons, but you can get an idea of the market by pricing anything that looks interesting to you.

When you've actually decided you want to buy, start to look in the newspaper ads, on websites and in the other areas of the city where cars are sold. Basically, anywhere you see a group of cars parked off the street, you're looking at a used-car showroom.

Ask your friendly tuk-tuk or moto driver. He spends all day on the streets, has lots of connections and will get a small commission from the seller. Better still, offer him a commission yourself so he will help you bargain.

Car dealers don't have huge margins, so never expect a car with a serious asking price of, say, US$3,500 to come below US$3,000. However, like mechanics, used car salesmen the world over are always prone to trying one on.

If you're going to buy a car, a basic knowledge of what a well-maintained engine sounds like is useful.

Also look for signs of bodywork repairs such as mismatched or different-aged lights and spray paint on places it shouldn't be - on wires, for example. Look inside the boot and under the bonnet for these signs of crash repairs.

A shiny, recently cleaned engine can also be suspicious. It means that signs of oil leaks have been cleaned off.

Don't expect the odometer to give you much clue as to the use the car's had. They're systematically wound back to zero when cars are exported. A much better clue as to how much wear and tear a car has had is the condition of the carpets, particularly in the back seats. People put covers on the seats, which keep them young and fresh-looking ,but plastic carpet covers never really stop the kind of deterioration that comes from abuse and neglect.

On the other hand, let's face it, if you're buying a 20-year-old car that's had at least two or maybe more lives, you have to be an optimist. So, hedge your bets by buying a Camry.

The pleasure really starts once you are the proud owner of a Camry like the rest of us, and you can get out there and experience the many joys of driving in Phnom Penh.

____
Have an interesting PPenh story to share?
Let us know about it at: lifestyle@phnompenhpost.com

Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report

Kaisernetwork.org

Jan 07, 2009

Cambodia has shifted the focus of its HIV/AIDS prevention efforts from young adults to children in response to 2008 statistics that show an increase in rates of antiretroviral use among children and mother-to-child transmission of the virus, the Phnom Penh Post reports. Mean Chhi Vun -- director of the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Dermatology and STDs -- said that the government has begun a program to provide "HIV testing for 6,745 pregnant women [this year] in 68 health centers across five of our operational districts." Thirty-five of the women tested positive for HIV and received follow-up care and medicine from the center, according to Vun. Teng Kunthy, general secretary of the National AIDS Authority of Cambodia, said that the government also is focusing on a national registration program to coordinate treatment for children living with HIV. The program "has been running smoothly so far and has encouraged more children to seek treatment," he said.

Vun said that between January and September of 2008, about 2,913 children received antiretroviral drugs, an increase from about 1,800 in 2007. He added that nationwide pediatric HIV/AIDS figures are determined by the number of children receiving antiretroviral treatment through the nation's clinics, adding that the figures do not include the estimated 600 children living with HIV who are not yet receiving treatment or who have not been tested for the virus. Chan Ry, deputy director of the National Pediatric Hospital, said that 300 children were treated at the facility in 2007 and now it is providing treatment to 1,155 children.

The increase in the number of cases involving MTCT "testif[ies] to the fact that women are not able to access good" prenatal care to prevent transmission, the Post reports. A 2006 UNAIDS report shows that while prevalence among young people ages 15 to 49 has decreased to 1.9% in 2003 -- compared with 3% in 1997 -- one-third of new HIV cases are because of MTCT. According to the Post, there are about 461,000 live births annually in Cambodia -- mostly outside of health centers and hospitals -- and an estimated 9,700 pregnant women are living with HIV. UNAIDS data indicates that without any intervention, about 3,000 infants may be born with HIV through vertical transmission. According to Tan Vouch Chheng, an undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Health, antiretroviral drugs are dispensed at 26 locations and HIV testing is offered at another 212 facilities. However, she added, "We have to expand our programs for prevention and the spread of HIV/AIDS from mothers to children."

The Post reports that the exact number of children living with HIV/AIDS is unknown but "experts support the proposition" that it is "rising fast." Seng Chhunleng, coordinator for the Orphans and Vulnerable Children program at World Vision, said the number of children living with HIV/AIDS will continue to increase if something is not done to stop vertical transmission. "This is a problem that we still have to commit to solving," he said, adding that Cambodia "should provide better education and more medicine to stop transmission between mothers and children" (Leakhana/Kunthear, Phnom Penh Post, 1/6).

Embassy ceremony marks Cambodia’s Liberation Day

07-01-2009

HA NOI — The 30th anniversary of Cambodia’s Liberation Day (January 7) was celebrated in Ha Noi yesterday by the Cambodian Embassy and the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO).

Prominent among participants were Vu Oanh, former Politburo member and head of the Liaison Committee for former Vietnamese Experts in Cambodia; Vu Mao, Chairman of the Viet Nam-Cambodia Friendship Association; Cambodian Ambassador to Viet Nam Vann Phal; and Khamphan Anlavan, Counselor of the Lao Embassy.

January 7 holds significance as a turning point in Cambodian history as it is the day that the Cambodian people came back to life and began national reconstruction, said Vu Mao.

Liberation Day is also a symbol of the traditional friendly relations between the two fraternal countries, Viet Nam and Cambodia, he said.

Ambassador Vann Phal said the Cambodian people have great appreciation to Viet Nam for the events of January 7, 1979.

Viet Nam’s help and sacrifices had saved Cambodian lives, and helped fight the Khmer Rouge, he said.

He stressed Viet Nam’s timely assistance, saying that he appreciated that many Vietnamese soldiers died for the January 7 victory of Cambodia.

He thanked the Vietnamese Party, State and people, and especially the families of those who died for the revival of Cambodia.

Phal said he wished for Viet Nam and Cambodia to maintain the fine friendly and neighbourly relations and comprehensive co-operation.

The celebrations took place with song and dance performances by Cambodian students studying in Viet Nam.

The HCM City chapters of the VUFO and the Viet Nam-Cambodia Friendship Association also held a function marking the Cambodian Liberation Day. — VNS

Bank Official Denies Money Laundry Claim

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
07 January 2009

A senior official of the national bank denied on Wednesday that Cambodia’s banking laws have made the country an easy target for money laundering.

“We have taken strong actions to strengthen the Cambodian banking law to fight against money laundering and terrorism funding,” Tal Nay Im, director general of the National Bank of Cambodia said. “Each bank in Cambodia must respect the law, and if any bank is involved in money laundering or terrorism funding, it will face defamation and lose cooperation from international banks.”

The International Bar Association, a 60-year-old organization of more than 30,000 lawyers and 195 bar associations, has said Cambodia needs to improve its laws to prevent money laundering.

Government Cuts Recruitment Amid Downturn

By Ros Sothea, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
07 January 2009

The government will reduce the number of new recruits for administration positions by 10 percent in 2009, citing budget concerns.

“If we have enough money to fulfill the demand, we don’t need to reform,” said Ngo Hongly, secretary-general for the Council of Minister’s administrative reform department. “We’ve thoroughly thought about the financial risk, and whether we have enough money for salaries and retirement.”

About 8,000 recruits will join the government, 1,000 less than the recent average, officials said.
Officials said the global economic downturn was driving some reforms.

“It’s true that we have to save up money, following slow economic growth, so that we can help ourselves when we face a crisis,” said Kim Phala, deputy director of the Ministry of Finance’s policy department.

Tens of thousands of students apply for government jobs each year, vying for monthly salaries between 100,000 riel, about $25, and 250,000 riel, or $50.

In a $1.5 billion budget, the current administration spent about $85 million a year on salaries for more than 200,000 employees in 2008, according to government figures. The total budget for 2009 will top $1.8 billion, but operations budgets will be restricted, officials said.

This lowered recruitment could mean rising unemployment rates, with jobs in the private sector also limited, according to Sok Sina, an independent economist.

“I believe that the employment condition in our country won’t be good in 2009,” Sok Sina said.

The International Labor Organization estimates around 275,000 Cambodians between the ages of 15 and 24 are seeking employment, with that number expected to grow, as 10,000 graduates each year leave higher education.

Cambodia has around 2,500 companies formally listed with the Ministry of Commerce, with a large number of them opening between 2007 and 2008, providing a source of jobs for young graduates.

Some of these private companies have begun to reduce the number of employees.

“Our company will not recruit more workers, but will reduce by 30 percent, as we face an economic crisis,” said Ly Seng Keang, general manager of business and construction at Benshermen Cambodia, which has 1,200 workers and has heavily recruited new employees over the past few years.

In Channy, chief executive officer of Acleda Bank, which has 6,000 employees, said the bank recruited 2,400 new staff members in both 2007 and 2008, but this year will only employ an additional 1,000.

“We cannot always employ more staff,” he said. “If we choose more than that, we won’t have any work to offer, as our new branches have declined from 22 last year to only 18 this year.”

Other companies say they don’t plan to hire any more staff for 2009 at all.

Tens of Thousands Mark ‘Liberation’ Day

By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
07 January 2009

Around 40,000 Cambodians, many wearing white shirts emblazoned with the logo “7 January,” filled Phnom Penh’s Olympic Stadium to capacity Wednesday morning, celebrating the 30thanniversary of the overthrow of the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot.

Authorities from the provinces and the capital drove around the inside of the stadium’s football pitch, in a parade of floats encircling a formation of the armed forces, as supporters marched alongside and observers waved the flags of Cambodia and the ruling Cambodian People’s Party.

“The day of victory, Jan. 7, saved our country and our citizens on time,” Chea Sim, president of the CPP and the Senate, flanked by Prime Minister Hun Sen and National Assembly President Heng Samrin, announced to the crowd.

“We are thankful to the volunteer Vietnamese troops who died for the liberation of the Cambodian people from genocide,” Chea Sim said.

Cambodian forces, created from a resistance movement in Kratie province and supported by Vietnamese soldiers, took full control of Phnom Penh on Jan. 7, 1979, following a month of fighting the Khmer Rouge, ousting the regime of three years and eight months.

Wednesday’s celebration comes as a tribunal prepares to try five members of the Khmer Rouge, including Kaing Kek Iev, the chief of Tuol Sleng prison, whose trial is expected to begin early this year.

Chea Sim did not mention the tribunal or the jailed Khmer Rouge leaders in his remarks, in the only CPP speech of the day.

The “liberation” of Phnom Penh led to a decade of Vietnamese occupation and more years of civil war, as the Khmer Rouge retreated to jungle sanctuaries on the Thai border and fought Cambodian and Vietnamese soldiers.

The anniversary has become a contentious marker of Cambodian history. Hun Sen said in a speech Tuesday Jan. 7 represented the “truth of history” and lambasted critics of the anniversary.

Yim Sovann, a lawmaker for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, said Jan. 7 marked an anniversary for an invasion by foreign troops. The true day of liberation came on Oct. 23, 1991, he said, the day the Paris Peace Accords were signed.

Getting a taste for Cambodian food

Source: CCTV.com
01-07-2009

Cambodian cuisine may not enjoy the widespread fame of Thai or Vietnamese food, but it's certainly not from a lack of flavor or sophistication. Now a local restaurant hopes to win tourists over to one of Asia's least well-known foods by offering them a cooking class.

Cambodian cuisine may not enjoy the widespread fame of Thai or Vietnamese food, but it's certainly not from a lack of flavor or sophistication.

Just like in neighboring Thailand and Vietnam, most tourists to Cambodia venture out onto the streets to discover its local food. After all, this is where most visitors first stumble upon the country's many delicacies, all prepared and sold outdoors from the numerous stalls and restaurants.

But many tourists walk away saying Cambodian street food is bland, since it contains few of the herbs and spices that Thai or Vietnamese street food bursts with.

Cambodian cuisine may not enjoy the widespread fame of Thai orVietnamese food, but it's

certainly not from a lack of flavor or sophistication.

Now a food critic and restaurateur is telling tourists not to make up their mind till they visit a real Cambodian restaurant.

Frits Mulder, Frizz Restaurant owner, said, "In Thailand tourists eat the food on the streets where it's quite good, but in Cambodia, street food is basic and not really very tasty. That's why Cambodian food has a bad reputation. But when they visit a proper Cambodian restaurant, many discover they prefer Cambodian food to Thai food. It's less spicy so the flavors come through better."

According to Frizz, the best way for visitors to learn about Cambodian cuisine is in a cooking class like this one run by his restaurant.

Each class kicks off at a local food market where participants pick out the raw ingredients they will need to prepare a three-course meal.

Hun Liheng, Cambodia Cooking Class instructor, said, "Everything in this market is really fresh so it's good for your health. Because Cambodian people don't have a fridge at home, they buy fresh ingredients everyday and eat them right away."

According to Frizz, the best way for visitors to learn about Cambodian cuisine is in a cooking
class like this one run by his restaurant.

Back at the roof-top cooking school, students prepare a Cambodian meal from scratch. First up, spring rolls - a popular appetizer across Asia and the world.

Work then begins on the main course.

Fish amok is a Cambodian curry combining fresh water fish, peanuts and coconut milk.

Served on banana leaves softened over an open flame, the dish is finally topped off with a garnish of fresh herbs.

At Frizz's cooking class, there's also plenty of time to relax and talk with fellow participants as they dig into their own culinary creations.

With the intimate and laid-back atmosphere of the roof top, students ask each other questions and get to know the different cultures their classmates hail from.

And when it's finally time to say goodbye, each participant rests in the knowledge that they're bringing at least some secrets of this tropical country back to their homelands.

Siblings return after international missions

Lisa Goss was a missionary in Cambodia while her brother, Michael Goss was a missionary in Canada. They returned home to Overland Park in time to celebrate Christmas.

KansasCity.com

By JOE HENDERSON
Special to The Star

Christmas has always been special in the Jay and Marianne Goss home in Overland Park, but this season it was extra special.

Lisa and Michael Goss returned home from volunteering as missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints so they could spend the holidays with their parents and sisters Sarah, 15, and Rebecca, 14. It was the family’s first Christmas together in three years.

Lisa Goss, 22, served 18 months on a mission in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Michael Goss, 21, was in Alberta, Canada, for two years. Having a son and daughter serving as church missionaries at the same time is unusual but also “a blessing,” said Marianne Goss.

“With both on missions they understood what each was going through and could relate to the experiences they were having,” the mother said. “They wrote each other frequently about what was happening.”

The Goss family attends The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Overland Park.

Doing voluntary missions for the church isn’t new in the Goss family. Marianne Goss and her brother also served in the 1980s. Jay Goss served in 1979, and his father before him.

The church decides where to assign missionaries, who pay their own expenses.

“I was a little surprised when I was sent to Cambodia because I’d never heard their language spoken and I knew very little about the country,” Lisa Goss said. “But I’m so glad I was there. I absolutely want to go back when I finish college. It was a wonderful experience.

“I’m glad to be home for Christmas. But I do miss Cambodia, especially the 77-degree temperatures there.”

Lisa Goss and other women in her group were full-time teachers of the gospel. She also taught English classes, mostly for teen-agers.

“They were quick learners and excited to speak English with Americans. Learning to speak Cambodian wasn’t a big problem. Writing was more difficult,” she added. “Their alphabet has 25 consonants and more than 30 vowels.”

Lisa Goss, who lived with a Cambodian family, was introduced to unfamiliar foods. The locals seemed to eat all the edible plants that grow near their homes, she said.

“Cambodians live a hard life compared to ours,” Lisa Goss said. “They’re such wonderful people. Family is very important and they believe older people should be highly respected and honored.”

“When they learned my father was in the heating and air conditioning business they said `you must be very rich’ because only the very wealthy have air conditioning in Cambodia. I explained we weren’t rich, that most people in America have it,” she said.

Michael Goss, too, is happy to be back.

“It’s definitely good to be home for Christmas,” he said. “The mission was a rewarding experience. I liked the people we met. Besides the Canadians there were people from Europe and South America. Some moved to Alberta for a better way of life. Others fled because of civil wars and left family behind. I’d like to go back to visit friends I made.”

Much of his time in Alberta was devoted to construction work.

“We helped build and renovate homes, a lot of repair work. We also worked in agricultural areas branding cattle and chopping wood,” Michael Goss said. “It was hard work but satisfying. The area reminded me of Western Kansas.”

One special experience was working with a young family that having domestic problems. He said the couple was thinking about divorce, but later told him they had become happy together.

Michael Goss said his missionary service made him more appreciative of Jesus’ teachings.

Michael and Lisa Goss, both Shawnee Mission West graduates, plan to continue their educations now that their missionary service is completed. Lisa Goss plans to attend Brigham Young University this year. Michael Goss plans to attend Johnson County Community College this spring and then the University of Kansas.

Cambodia's railway revenues drop by 25% over trade slump

www.chinaview.cn

2009-01-07

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's railway revenues dropped by 25 percent in 2008 as freight deliveries plummeted and trade with Thailand declined, English-language daily newspaper the Phnom Penh Post said on Wednesday.

"Last year's revenues from railway transportation services was 1.5 million U.S. dollars, one quarter down from 2007," said Sokhom Pheakacanmony, director general of the Royal Railway of Cambodia.

The kingdom's limited railway, which runs from Phnom Penh municipality to port province Sihanoukville, as well as to Battambang province and Sisophon city in Bantey Meanchey province, are heavily dependent on trade with Thailand, he said.

"The drop was because the border dispute with Thailand led to a decrease in freight for goods such as cement that are brought in through the Poipet checkpoint," he was quoted by the paper as saying.

The border was closed entirely to train transportation in October, he added.

Meanwhile, the national election in July and the real estate downturn also affected the decline, he said.

"Cambodian businesses stocked up goods prior to the election and reduced their orders afterwards," he added.

According to official report, Cambodian trains transported 233,000 tons of goods in 2008, over 310,000 tons in 2007.

Editor: Fang Yang

Cambodian FDI inflows may weaken in 2009-World Bank

Thomson Financial News
01.07.09

PHNOM PENH, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Foreign direct investment in Cambodia probably fell in 2008 and, given the dire state of the world economy, may drop again in 2009, but it could pick up the following year, the World Bank said on Wednesday.

Cambodia's investment agency said projects worth nearly $6 billion were approved last year but the value of actual inflows will not be known for some time.

Many of the approved projects were island resorts and construction projects largely invested in by Chinese and South Korean firms, said Soun Siththy, Deputy Director of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC).

The World Bank has projected FDI inflows at around $800 million last year and World Bank economist Huot Chea said they could fall further, 'probably to below $600 million', in 2009.

Cambodia said foreign investment of some $2.667 billion was approved in 2007 but the World Bank said the actual inflow was only $866 million.

The widespread economic slowdown, 'not political risk', was the main factor behind the drop in foreign investment, Huot Chea said.

However, the Bank expected inflows to recover in 2010 if the global economy bounced back.

Foreign Minister Nakasone to visit Thailand, Cambodia, Laos from Sat.+

TOKYO, Jan. 7 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone will visit Thailand, Cambodia and Laos over the weekend for talks with his respective counterparts and sign exchanges of notes on demining activities and economic cooperation, Japanese Foreign Ministry officials said Wednesday.

Nakasone is scheduled to stop over in Bangkok for talks with Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya on Saturday to discuss responses to the global financial crisis on his way to Cambodia, the officials said.

He will then meet separately with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen as well as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong in Phnom Penh on Sunday morning, followed by talks with Laotian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith in Vientiane in the afternoon.

Nakasone is slated to return to Tokyo on Monday night, the officials said.

Cambodia marks Khmer Rouge fall

A young Cambodian wearing a traditional "Krama" headscarf looks on during ceremonies at Olympic Stadium Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, celebrating the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime 30 years ago. As schedule, the first trial of the Khmer Rouge leaders will take place sometime in the first quarter of this year. (AP Photo/David Longstreath)

By SOPHENG CHEANG
Associated Press
2009-01-07

Thousands of Cambodians celebrated Wednesday the fall of the murderous Khmer Rouge regime 30 years ago as a UN-backed tribunal prepared to finally try some of its key leaders for crimes against humanity.

More than 40,000 people packed Phnom Penh's Olympic Stadium for speeches and a parade to mark the day Vietnamese forces entered the capital to oust the ultra-communists from power.

Despite the deaths of 1.7 million or more Cambodians during the Khmer Rouge's 1975-79 rule, none of the surviving leaders have yet faced justice.

One of the accused _ Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, who headed the Khmer Rouge's largest torture center _ is expected to take the stand in March, said co-prosecutor Robert Petit, adding that the trial is expected to take three to four months.

But the other four, all of them aging and ailing, probably won't be tried until 2010 or later.
Tribunal spokeswoman Helen Jarvis said Tuesday that they would hold a procedural meeting next week.

Although this year's celebration _ dubbed "Victory over Genocide" _ was the largest ever, keynote speaker and Senate President Chea Sim made no mention of the tribunal.

The Cambodian government, whose top leaders served in the Khmer Rouge ranks before defecting, has been accused of foot-dragging on the trial.

"After 30 years, no one has been tried, convicted or sentenced for the crimes of one of the bloodiest regimes of the 20th century," the New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a release Monday.

"This is no accident. For more than a decade, China and the United States blocked efforts at accountability, and for the past decade (Prime Minister) Hun Sen has done his best to thwart justice," it said.

China was a key supporter of the Khmer Rouge and then the United States backed a post-1979 insurgency, which included Khmer Rouge guerrillas who fought the Vietnamese-installed government in Phnom Penh.

The Khmer Rouge finally fell apart in 1998 after the death of its leader Pol Pot.

Chea Sim said that the legacy of the Khmer Rouge era has yet to be erased in Cambodia, where peace, nonviolence and a sense of self-confidence were still needed. He also noted that 30 percent of the people were still living below the poverty line.

"I am happy to join in the ceremony today because on Jan. 7 my second life began," said a 59-year-old farmer, Im Oun. She said her father and sister both died of starvation during the Khmer Rouge period, when the country was turned into a vast slave labor camp.

"I want to see Khmer Rouge leaders prosecuted as soon as possible because they are getting old now," she said.