Fee for flu test called too high

Photo by: Heng Chivoan

The son of Cambodia’s first swine flu victim, Chuon Vanthon, cries at his father’s funeral. At right, a receipt shows payments made by the family for swine flu tests.

Friday, 23 October 2009 15:03 Chhay Channyda and May Titthara

THE family of a man who died from swine flu has accused hospital staff of charging a fee to test his relatives for the A(H1N1) virus – a procedure that officials say should be available for free.

Chuon Vanthon, 41, from Kandal province, died this month after contracting swine flu. Fearing they might have become infected themselves, his relatives asked to be tested at Calmette Hospital in Phnom Penh, but were told it would cost them up to $200 each.

Hong Had said: “I wanted to get blood tests after my brother died because I’m worried about the health of my family, but the doctor said it would cost $200 each if they found the virus and $150 each if the results were clear. How can I afford this with a family of 10? I don’t know why we need to pay so much money.”

Dr Nima Asgari, a public health specialist at the World Health Organisation, said the test should be free.

He cautioned that people seeking the test could face in-patient fees, but only if the test results were positive and the patient required hospitalisation.

Sok Touch, director of the Communicable Disease Control Department, said the test should be free irrespective of the result.

He said only people showing severe symptoms – such as high fever – should get tested, “otherwise thousands of people will take the test, and the system will be blocked.”

Chheang Ra, director of Calmette Hospital, refused to comment Thursday.

Assembly debates adoptions

Photo by: Tracey Shelton

Two brothers in an orphanage in Phnom Penh. A new draft law, part of which was passed today, will mean tougher regulations for adoptive parents.

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Friday, 23 October 2009 15:02 Meas Sokchea

New law will fill legal void on foreign adoptions and help fight child trafficking.

THE National Assembly has begun approving a draft law tightening restrictions on the adoption of Cambodian children by foreign parents, responding to fears the previous lack of a regulatory framework allowed for the exploitation and trafficking of children.

“This law is an important part of the Royal Government’s enforcement policy on intercountry adoption and a means of serving children’s interests by finding them good families,” states a declaration appended to the draft law, presented in an Assembly session on Thursday.

Around half of the law’s 58 articles were approved by the parliament with little debate.

Cambodia is a signatory of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, an international agreement that sets forth principles for the adoption process, and the declaration states the new law will officially bring the Kingdom into line with the convention.

“This draft law will strengthen cooperation with countries that are parties of the Hague Convention … and prompt cooperation related to intercountry adoption in order to prevent the trafficking of children,” the declaration reads.

Up until now, Cambodia has lacked a proper framework for the adoption of orphans by foreign parents. The United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France and Australia have all banned adoptions from Cambodia since 2001, amid allegations of fraud and baby-selling.

If passed, however, the draft Adoption Law will ensure prospective parents undergo a rigorous screening before any adoption gets the green light. The law states the specific conditions for adoption, including measures to prevent fraud and coercion, delineate which children are eligible for adoption, and ensure adherence to the law through enforcement by Cambodian authorities.

Article 21 of the law states that adopting parents, whether they are foreigners or Cambodians, will be eligible provided they have “never been convicted of a crime and have good character and behaviour, are kind-hearted towards children and can feed” them.

According to Article 45, adopters also have to provide a report to the government every six months for three years after the adoption, and every year thereafter until the child is 18 years of age.

Minister of Social Affairs Ith Sam Heng said during the National Assembly session on Thursday that parents from 28 countries have so far adopted more than 3,500 Cambodian children, and that the draft law would also ensure local officials are up to the task of vetting prospective parents.

“The officials must have the skills to talk with parents clearly before deciding to grant children to the adopters because sometimes they take their children for business,” he said.

Shooting: Diplomatic death note

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Friday, 23 October 2009 15:02 Thet Sambath and Cheang Sokha

Shooting

THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a diplomatic note to the Thai embassy on Thursday, requesting an investigation into the death of a Cambodian allegedly shot by Thai troops at the border on Monday. “We are not complaining about the Thai government but about the soldiers who opened fire on the Cambodian. We are asking the Thai authorities to arrest the perpetrator and punish them,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said Thursday. According to Cambodian officials, black-uniformed Thai forces opened fire at about 7:20pm on a group of Cambodian villagers while they were allegedly felling trees illegally in Oddar Meanchey province. Sim Bun Chhim, 25, from Chamcar Chek village in Samrong town’s O’Smach commune, was severely injured and died en route to hospital. Three others escaped uninjured. The note refers to the “inhuman act” and calls on Thailand to prevent further atrocities, conduct a thorough investigation and “bring to justice those who committed [this] act of cruelty”.

Local man sentenced for abusing three boys

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Friday, 23 October 2009 15:02 Chrann Chamroeun

A CAMBODIAN man has been sentenced to three years in prison after he confessed to sexually abusing three underage boys. Human rights advocates believe it is the first time this year Phnom Penh courts have punished a Cambodian man accused of sex crimes against children.

Phong Thanakorn, 47, was sentenced to a maximum three years in prison, fined 3 million riels (US$718) and ordered to pay two of his victims 3 million riels each, Phnom Penh Municipal Court Judge Din Sivuthy said.

Phong Thanakorn had been charged with committing indecent acts against the boys, ages 14 and 15. He was arrested in April after complaints from the victims’ parents.

A lawyer acting for the victims said she welcomed the verdict but questioned why only two of the boys received compensation. A third boy has since died of unknown causes, said lawyer Peng Maneth.

Still, she said, the rare conviction sends a message to local child abusers. “We want to show the public that our organisation not only works on paedophile cases involving foreigners, but on cases against Cambodian men as well,” said Peng Maneth, of the child welfare NGO Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE).

Phong Thanakorn is the only Cambodian who has been convicted of child sex crimes in the past two years, according to statistics compiled by APLE.

Watchdogs bash plans for ASEAN rights body

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Friday, 23 October 2009 15:02 Sebastian Strangio

AREGIONAL human rights body set to be launched today has come under fire from local and international rights groups, who say it lacks independence and could be “held hostage” to politics.

The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), which will be the first body of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region, is to be officially launched today at the organisation’s 15th annual summit in Hua Hin, Thailand.

Homayoun Alizadeh, the regional representative for the UN Human Rights Council, said in a statement Thursday that the planned ASEAN body represents an “important commitment by states in the region to move beyond mere words” in relation to human rights issues.

Critics, however, say that despite a vague mandate to “promote” rights, the body will lack the teeth to punish offenders.

“The problem with this commission is that it has not been given a mandate to investigate any complaints,” said Debbie Stothard, media coordinator for the ASEAN People’s Forum.

“The point of a [human rights] commission is to lift the bar. It shouldn’t be sitting at the lowest common denominator,” she added. “It’s like throwing a naked policeman into the street and expecting him to do his job.”

The draft terms of reference for the new body, approved at a ministerial meeting in July, lists no sanctions for countries that fail to provide the required reports on their rights situations.

The AICHR will feature representatives from each of the group’s 10 member states, who will serve three-year terms, but Stothard said the body’s commissioner will only work on a part-time, voluntary basis.

“How can the position be effective when the human rights violators are working full-time?” she added.

Kek Pung, president of local rights group Licadho, said Cambodian rights activists were hoping for an independent watchdog, but that the new body would be unlikely to alter the local situation.

“If this mechanism is weak – like the one we have now – it will not be much help,” she said. She said the AICHR’s lack of teeth was “no surprise” given ASEAN’s members, which include known rights abusers.

Though the ASEAN Charter, adopted in November 2007, encourages member states to “promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms”, the goal appears to clash with other core principles, including “non-interference” in the internal affairs of other ASEAN countries.

Stothard said the original meaning of non-interference – to prevent member states from funding armed groups seeking to topple ASEAN governments – had been “perverted” and could now be applied to stifle action on human rights issues.

David Mathieson, a Human Rights Watch consultant based in Chiang Mai, said the AICHR’s aims had to be seen in the context of ASEAN’s structure and previous achievements.

“The expectations here have to be contrasted with the performance and effectiveness of ASEAN as a whole,” he said.

Mathieson said that though the AICHR would be “partly window-dressing”, there were elements within ASEAN favouring a more progressive stance on human rights.

“I don’t think merely having this mechanism will change things for the better … but it’s far more productive to have the body and to be able to put pressure on countries,” he said. “That’s going to be a long, hard process.”

Om Yentieng, chairman of the government’s Human Rights Committee, could not be reached on Thursday.

Acid attack appeal scheduled

Photo by: TRacey Shelton

An emotional Ya Sokhim speaks at a press conference after the acquittal of Chea Ratha last month.

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Friday, 23 October 2009 15:02 Mom Kunthear

AN appeal lodged in the case of a former Military Police official accused of involvement in a brutal acid attack against the aunt of her lesbian lover will be heard at the end of this month, a court official said Thursday.

Chuon Sunleng, deputy president of the Court of Appeal, said the hearing had been scheduled for the end of October, though he could not recall the precise date.

Chea Ratha, former deputy chief of staff of the Military Police, was charged with masterminding the May 2008 acid attack on Ya Soknim, the aunt of beauty queen In Soklyda, with whom she had been romantically involved. The relationship had turned sour earlier that year, and Chea Ratha blamed Ya Soknim for helping In Soklyda go into hiding, according to accounts of the case provided by rights groups.

The attack was allegedly carried out by two men on a motorcycle, who accosted Ya Soknim and poured acid over her face and upper body. She suffered severe burns as a result, losing her right eye and breast.

The Municipal Court acquitted Chea Ratha and five other suspects last month in a ruling that was condemned by rights groups.

Hong Sopheak, the lawyer for Ya Soknim and In Soklyda, said he did not know whether his clients would attend the hearing because they were out of the country.

He declined to comment on the case beyond saying that he believed the Municipal Court’s verdict was unjust and should be overturned.

Keo Ya, the lawyer for Chea Ratha, said Thursday that his client was also out of the country and had not asked him to represent her for the appeal.

Taking the temperature

Photo by: AFP

A flooded village in Kandal province on Monday.

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Friday, 23 October 2009 15:01 Andrew Mace

Cambodia can make an important contribution to global discussions on how to combat climate change.

WITH only 45 days to go before world leaders meet in Copenhagen, negotiations for a new global framework to tackle climate change are stepping up pace. The broad elements required are well-known, but much more political will is needed if an agreement at the right level of ambition is to be reached.

The urgency of reaching that outcome was vividly illustrated in a map published Thursday by the UK’s Hadley Centre for climate change research. It shows how an average increase in global temperature of 4C would be unevenly spread. Complex climate systems would create more extreme warming in some regions, with severe consequences.

In Southeast Asia, the Hadley Centre warns, 33 million people in coastal regions would be exposed to flooding by 2075 as a result of rising sea levels. Rice yield in the major Asian producers would fall by 30 percent, and the melting of the Himalayan glaciers, which may vanish within 25 years, would put intense stress on water resources.

The economic impact of climate change is also unevenly spread around the globe. A study published by the Asian Development Bank in April calculated that unchecked climate change would, by the end of the century, cost Southeast Asian economies 6.7 percent of GDP every year – an impact more than twice the global average.

These stark figures are a reminder of why far-reaching action to deal with climate change is so important for Cambodia’s continued development.

This week’s National Forum on Climate Change was a timely opportunity to explore how Cambodia can minimise its own impact on emissions, adapt to the rising temperatures that are already unavoidable and establish what it should be demanding from others at Copenhagen if it is to have the ability to make these changes.

As Prime Minister Hun Sen rightly said at Monday’s opening ceremony, Cambodia cannot be blamed by anyone for causing climate change. Its carbon emissions are comparatively tiny. He was right to point to the moral responsibility of developed nations to cut their emissions and assist vulnerable countries.

In the UK, we recognise that countries with the most historic responsibility for climate change must lead the way in the global changes needed in the use of energy and the behaviours of businesses and consumers. Europe is ready to set the pace of change required.

The UK, for example, has not only fixed ambitious targets for reducing our domestic carbon emissions, but made these legally binding on government. We are making substantial investment in new technologies, such as carbon capture and storage for coal-fired electricity generation.

The National Forum set out clearly some of the problems posed by climate change, but the solutions are complex. It will require national authorities and Cambodia’s development partners to do better in integrating climate change considerations into policies and programmes.

It is equally clear that Cambodia, like other vulnerable countries, can make an important contribution to the international negotiations. It has every reason to be part of the coalition pressing for an ambitious outcome at Copenhagen. The broad negotiating position that Cambodia set out this week ahead of the Copenhagen summit should be the foundation for building alliances with other vulnerable countries to increase the pressure for action.

Cambodia should also join forces with developed countries, like those in the European Union, who have committed themselves to achieving a fair deal in which all share the responsibility and have a role to play. Developing countries will also need to accept a role in reducing emissions, even if the poorest are not bound by quantified targets in the same way as developed countries.

Cambodia’s approach to Copenhagen should be shaped not just by what it has to lose from a failure to control climate change. It can also create a positive agenda around the opportunities an agreement will bring. Any deal needs to restrain global growth in emissions without holding back development in the poorest countries.

By adopting low-carbon technology across a range of fields, Cambodia can grow in an energy-efficient manner that reduces dependence on costly imported oil. By adopting the right changes in agricultural practice, it can adapt to unavoidable climate change while still increasing productivity.

Such benefits will only be fully realised with the right deal at Copenhagen. Speaking at the Major Economies Forum earlier this week, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown highlighted why we must do a deal now. “We cannot compromise with the Earth. We cannot compromise with the catastrophe of unchecked climate change; so we must compromise with one another,” he said. Cambodia’s National Forum provided a good launchpad for it to join that active search for a compromise.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Andrew Mace is the UK ambassador to Cambodia.

International aviation to review Cambodia

Photo by: Tracey Shelton

An agent at Phnom Penh’s AOT Travel talks on the phone Wednesday. The civil aviation authority expects an audit to be conducted by an international aviation body next week will find Cambodian aircraft fit to fly.

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Friday, 23 October 2009 15:01 Nathan Green

Domestic aviation official says he expects ICAO to overturn audit that led to the grounding of local carrier Siem Reap Airways.

INTERNATIONAL aviation auditors are scheduled to visit Cambodia from Monday to Thursday to reassess the capacity of civil aviation to oversee flights in the country, an official said Thursday.

Sinn Chanserey Vutha, director of policy planning, legislation and cooperation at the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA), said he expected to receive a “not excellent but satisfactory” pass mark from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) .

The audit will be undertaken by an ICAO auditor from Montreal, where the United Nations-mandated organisation is based, and the regional head from Bangkok, he said.

The validation mission will examine progress made by the SSCA to address concerns raised by the ICAO in its last audit, which ultimately led to the grounding of domestic carrier Siem Reap Airways.

The previous audit has not been publicly released, but an SSCA source said earlier this year that it found Cambodian aviation in breach of 107 international standards.

As the only domestic carrier flying, the audit led to the blacklisting of Siem Reap Airways by the European Commission (EC) late last year, meaning European tour operators were barred from booking customers on the airline.

Siem Reap Airways ceased operations in November as a result, and the SSCA removed its air operator certificate (AOC) in February the following year.

SSCA Secretary of State Mao Havannal said the European Commission was due to meet November 12 and 13 with regard to its list of air carriers subject to an operating ban.

Expected to pass

He said he expected the Siem Reap Airways to be removed from the blacklist following the meeting.

Siem Reap Airways General Manager Terry Alton said he was also optimistic. “That’s the way I would expect it to work, and I agree with the SSCA view of the outcomes,” he said.

The EC transport spokesman in Brussels did not return a request for comment Thursday.

Meanwhile, Alton said the SCCA had not yet approached the airline to ask it to request government permission to fly under the certificate of its Thailand-based parent, Bangkok Airways.

Mao Havannal said his office would ask the government to issue a permit for the airline to fly under its parent company’s certificate if approached by Siem Reap Airways. The airline is struggling to resume operations, as it having difficulties finding an aircraft whose owner is willing to register it in Cambodia, as required by law for domestic operators.

Alton said he would contact the secretary of state Thursday to clarify the position and determine a way forward.

Government-owned Cambodia Angkor Airways is currently flying under the certificate of joint-venture partner, Vietnam Airlines, as it has not yet been certified to fly by the SSCA. Flights are managed by Vietnam Airlines under the oversight of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam.

Bangkok Airways Deputy Manager of International Media Relations Ekkaphon Nanta O’Sot said Siem Reap Airways had not yet approached the company on the matter.

“If Siem Reap Airways would like to operate under our AOC, they will have to approach us,” he said Thursday.

He said that the airline was preparing to stop flying domestic routes from Sunday, when its permit expires.

“We will fly the domestic routes until [Saturday,] and after that we are hoping that Siem Reap Airways will begin flying again,” he said.

Companies announce $1b project in Kandal

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Friday, 23 October 2009 15:01 Nguon Sovan

FRENCH and South Korean companies announced a deal late Wednesday on what would be Kandal province’s largest development project, a proposed US$1 billion satellite city.

At a signing ceremony in Phnom Penh, South Korea’s Global Digital Media Group (GMG) and France-based Green Gold Holdings Ltd (GGH) approved a memorandum of understanding to develop the 2,890-hectare site in Takhmao district, a project that will take until 2023 to finish, according to company documents.

“The land for the investment plan is already owned by GMG,” said Yoo Ri-na, CEO of GMG, at the launch.

The project includes residential areas, a business district and education and research centres, according to documents.

Michael Cheong, CEO of France-based Green Gold Holdings Ltd, told reporters after the signing ceremony that his company will invest the necessary $1 billion in an arrangement that will see its counterpart manage the development.

“We decided to invest … because there is political stability in Cambodia,” he said after the signing event, adding the two firms would soon submit a proposal to the Council for the Development of Cambodia.

Despite the scale of the project, the numerous government officials present at the signing ceremony declined to comment on the proposed investment, saying it had not yet been approved by CDC.

“This is the biggest project in the province. At this stage, I cannot give any comment to avoid a rise in land prices in the area. It is the companies’ confidential business,” said Kandal province Governor Chhun Sirun.

Trade slides with neighbours

Photo by: BLOOMBERG
A woman fuels up on imported petrol from Vietnam on the outskirts of Phnom Penh.

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Friday, 23 October 2009 15:01 May Kunmakara

Official figures show Cambodia’s bilateral trade with Thailand and Vietnam continues to fall on a year-on-year basis, but the pace of decline is slowing.

TRADE figures released Thursday by the embassies of Vietnam and Thailand showed that Cambodia’s bilateral trade with its two neighbours continued to suffer in August, although with Thailand the pace of the downturn eased slightly.

In the first eight months of the year, trade with Thailand fell 30.66 percent, from US$1.518 billion in the same period last year to $1.052 billion, a slight improvement after bilateral trade dropped just over 31 percent in the first seven months. The Thai embassy did not disclose monthly figures.

Trade with Vietnam was down more than 29 percent year on year in the first eight months, according to embassy figures, meaning August saw a steep decline in bilateral trade after the first seven months registered a decline of just 21.9 percent.

“It was really very severe because it is a time of crisis,” said Le Bien Cuong, commercial counsellor at the embassy, adding that he expected an overall drop of just 20 percent in trade for this year compared to 2008. “We are seeing that global trade is getting better, so our two-way trade will also be good from now until next year.”

Figures showed trade with Vietnam fell from $1.197 billion in the first eight months of 2008 to $848 million during the same period this year.

Thai exports to Cambodia fell 31.4 percent over the first seven months compared with the same period last year after dropping 30.29 percent over the first eight months.

Thailand exported goods worth $1.013 billion in the first eight months, while Cambodia in return shipped just $39 million, mostly garments, unprocessed agricultural products, fish and recyclable metal.

Jiranan Wongmongkol, the director of the Thai embassy’s Foreign Trade Promotion Office, last month blamed the decline on the economic crisis rather than disagreements between Bangkok and Phnom Penh. She was unavailable for comment Thursday.

Cambodia’s exports to Vietnam dropped 21.5 percent over the first seven months compared with the same period last year. They fell nearly 27 percent when the first eight months are taken into account. The Kingdom exported mostly unprocessed agricultural products, including rubber, tobacco, cashew nuts, smoked fish and rice.

Vietnam’s exports to the Kingdom were down 22 percent in the first seven months. A sharp fall in August propelled that to a 29.5 percent decline over the first eight months.

Chan Nora, secretary of state at the Ministry of Commerce, blamed bad weather for exacerbating the effects of the global downturn by reducing crop yields. This had especially affected exports, given Cambodia’s reliance on agriculture, he said.

Cambodian Economic Association President Chan Sophal blamed the decline on the cyclical nature of global trade, which had declined this year due to lower demand, he said. “We see that recently the global economy, as well as that in the region, is recovering, so I hope that it will improve in 2010,” he said.

Minister of Economy and Finance Keat Chhon said Tuesday that he expected Cambodia’s economy to grow 2.1 percent this year, with agriculture growing 5 percent.

New routes a mixed bag: forwarder

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Friday, 23 October 2009 15:00 Chun Sophal

SO Nguon Group, Cambodia’s biggest freight forwarder by volume, said late Wednesday that traffic volumes on one of two routes launched last month were growing steadily.

The company launched the routes after volumes on its key route between Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh dropped 40 percent over the first nine months of the year. So Nguon ran just 10,800 trucks between the two locations over the year to the end of September, compared to 18,000 over the same period a year earlier.

The new routes link the country’s industrial hub of Phnom Penh with Poipet on the Thai border and Bavet, which borders Vietnam on the route to Ho Chi Minh City.

So Nguon Group President So Nguon said the company’s trucks were running 125 times a week on the route to Vietnam. They were making just two trips per week between Phnom Penh and Poipet.

“We hope our transportation services on these two new routes will increase in the future,” he said.

It costs US$600 to send a container to Poipet, and $250 to the much closer Bavet, he added.

Tough times

The bulk of the company’s income comes from transporting garments, footwear and textiles to Sihanoukville Autonomous Port (PAS) and bringing construction materials to the capital city from the port. It also has lucrative transport contracts with beverage producers and importers.

The garment sector and the construction sector have both been hit hard by the impact of the global financial crisis.

Ministry of Commerce figures show total garment exports fell 22.56 percent on an annualised basis to $1.59 billion over the first eight months of the year.

Figures on imports of construction materials are more difficult to come by, but the International Monetary Fund said in September that imports were down about 35 percent year on year. Steel imports were around 25 percent lower through to September, it said.

PAS figures show steel imports via sea freight were down 77.88 percent over the first nine months of the year to 7,412 tonnes and cement imports down 33.22 percent to 37,772 tonnes.

Police Blotter: 23 Oct 2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Friday, 23 October 2009 15:01 Chrann Chamroeun

WOMAN WHO TRIED TO SELL CHILD FREED

A 31-year-old Vietnamese woman who claims to have been physically abused by her husband decided to get back at him by selling their infant child at a market in Meanchey district, police said. The woman was arrested after authorities in Chhbar Ampov market informed the police that she was taking her baby from stall to stall and offering it up for an undisclosed sum. When questioned, she said she was a victim of domestic violence, at which point police advised her to seek help from an NGO and then released her.

KOH SANTEPHEAP

POLICE DETAIN MAN FOR PEDDLING BABY

A 20-year-old man is in pretrial detention after he tried to sell his 11-month-old baby, saying he could not afford to care for the child because his wife had left him. Chung Sophak, who is suspected of offering the child to a 52-year-old woman for US$600, has been charged with attempted selling under the Kingdom’s anti-trafficking law.

RASMEY KAMPUCHEA

SEWAGE CRASH LEADS TO BEATING

A car with by two “deeply drunken” men crashed into a river of open sewage along the side of the road in Stung Meanchey commune, Meanchey district, on Tuesday evening. After the car went off the road, “very helpful” villagers gathered around to assist the men. Upon seeing the crowd, however, the car’s driver pulled out a gun, a move that angered the villagers, who proceeded to beat the two men “nearly senseless”. The villagers then called an ambulance and dispersed.

KAMPUCHEA THMEY

'SPUMED' FINCÉE TURNS TO RAT POISON

An 18-year-old woman is in critical condition after intentionally swallowing copious amounts of rat poison because she “was disappointed with” her fiancé, who was having an affair with another woman. Doctors declined to speculate on whether the woman would survive the ordeal, noting that she was brought to the hospital only when her sister found her unconscious several hours after she consumed the poison.

KOH SANTEPHEAP

MOTO THIEF HAS IGNITION TROUBLES

A 13-year-old boy driving his motorbike on Sunday pulled over in Dangkor district to cut grass for his cow. Upon returning to the side of the road where he parked his bike, he found that it had been stolen. The thief, however, had been unable to figure out how to start the motorbike, and the 13-year-old quickly caught up with him and reported him to police.

KAMPUCHEA THMEY

The Phnom Penh Post News in Brief

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

In Brief: Phnom Penh Tower receives approval

Friday, 23 October 2009 15:00 Soeun Say

Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction officials said they were satisfied with progress on the 22-storey Phnom Penh Tower development following a site visit Thursday. Kim Sang Soo, deputy general manager at Hyundai Amco Construction, the division of South Korea’s Hyundai Motor group behind the US$34 million tower, said work was 16 percent complete and would be finished by mid- 2011. Construction began at the site in December 2008.

In Brief: METFONE unveils new data prices

Friday, 23 October 2009 15:00 Nathan Green

Viettel announced new pricing for its Internet protocol (IP) leased-line service Thursday. The cheapest lease line offers 64 kilobits per second at $300 per month, whereas a 10-megabit connection costs $6,400. The offering is targeted at businesses with high bandwidth needs. The pricing plan includes discounts for long-term contracts, high bandwidth usage and advance payments. The wholly owned subsidiary of the Vietnamese military offers Internet, fixed-line telephone and mobile-phone services under its Metfone brand. A leased line provides a permanent, dedicated connection between two locations.

NOCC change direction for Asian Indoor Games events

Photo by: Heng Chivoan

SEA Games silver medalist Ouk Sreymom concentrates on her throw during petanque practice at Olympic Stadium.

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Friday, 23 October 2009 15:00 Ken Gadaffi

The National Olympic Committee of Cambodia have announced a completely new list of sports they will send athletes to compete in at the 3rd Asian Indoor Games

VIETNAM is busy preparing to host the third Asian Indoor Games (AIG). Featuring sports with TV broadcasting potential that are not included in the Asian Games and Winter Asian Games programs, and also some non-Olympic sports, the AIG will be held from October 30 to November 9.

Demonstration sports from the 2007 Games – 3-on-3 basketball, kurash and kickboxing – will be included in this year’s competition, as well as vovinam and pencak silat, two martial arts known to Vietnam, who are expected to have a lion share of the medals. The chosen demonstration sport this year is jujitsu, a martial art originating in Japan.

According to Touch Sopheak, National Olympic Committe of Cambodia (NOCC) staff member and games coordinator for the Cambodian AIG contingent, the Kingdom will now send 40 athletes and sports officials, 10 more than originally planned thanks to the support of Vietnam, who are providing logistic support for accommodation, transportation and food. “We will be competing in five events, namely Chinese chess, vovinam, aerobics, petanque and shuttle cock,” said Touch Sopheak.

The games coordinator said that these five sports were the only ones whose federations had completed registration forms sent to them by the NOCC.

The committee had previously planned to send delegates for table tennis, badminton, wrestling, judo, Futsal and indoor volleyball, but were forced to pull out. “Some of the events we intended to enter are not included in the games,” explained Vath Chamroeun, secretary general of the NOCC. “Besides, the [AIG] is not our top priority, so we are only sending high-performing athletes that are medal hopefuls.”

Photo by: Tracey Shelton

Masters of Cambodian chess will try their hand at Chinese chess when they compete in the 3rd Asian Indoor Games.

Cambodia’s best chance of medals comes in petanque and shuttle cock, a game similar to badminton but played with the feet. Sok Chamean won a gold medal in pentaque in men’s singles at the 2007 SEA Games held in Thailand. He then combined with Ok Chimi to grab gold in men’s doubles, while Ouk Sreymom and Ke Leng took silver in women’s doubles. Chea Sreymeas is a bronze medalist in shuttle cock.

The Cambodian shuttle cock team has already gone to Vietnam for training ahead of the games, while other delegates will depart via the Moc Bai border on October 28. They will split into two at the border, with one group travelling to Hanoi while the others head to Ho Chi Minh City for their respective events.

Touch Sopheak is optimistic of a good show from athletes at the tournament. “We hope to do well in this competition,” he said. “Our athletes have been training hard, so we are hoping to win in some of the events."

Rugby teams arrive for Angkor 10s

Photo by: Joe Garrison

Les Piliers d’ Angkor defenders Vong Vannak (right), Lach Sopheara (left) and Lim Pun Pov (center back) surround Billabong Shark halfback Luke Wilkie (centre, with ball) in the closing minutes of last year’s Angkor 10s Cup Final at Phnom Penh’s Old Stadium.

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Friday, 23 October 2009 15:00 Ray Leos

The Angkor 10s Rugby Tournament kicks off its ninth edition this weekend with an Old Boys tourney on Friday and the main event Saturday featuring both locals and teams from abroad

SIXTEEN teams featuring hundreds of rugby players from across the globe converge in Phnom Penh this weekend for the ANZ Royal Bank Angkor 10’s Rugby Tournament, playing this year at the Olympic Stadium.

Now in its ninth year, the tournament serves as the unofficial kickoff for the Cambodian rugby season and is also a major fundraising event for the Cambodian Federation of Rugby (CFR) and its youth development programs.

Action at Olympic Stadium gets underway today at 1:30pm with the Angkor Old Boys, a special competition for rugby players aged 35 years and over. Teams from Australia, Thailand, and Cambodia are scheduled to take part.

The main event kicks off Saturday from 8:00am with a preliminary round match between Les Piliers d’Angkor, the all-Cambodian side which are defending tournament champions, and Rhinos RFC, a touring side comprised of players from top rugby clubs from across Asia.

A 10-a-side format will be employed in the Saturday competition, as opposed to the usual 15-a-side format of rugby union, which according to Tournament co-Chair Peter Maley, should make for a more exciting day for fans. “It’s a more wide-open game with a lot more running, which should make it fun to watch from a spectator’s perspective,” he said.

“I can’t wait to get started,” remarked Les Piliers forward Chey Sophal, who toils for PSE Garudas during the Cambodian Rugby Premiership season, and has also represented the Cambodian national team, the Koupreys, 14 times. “[The Angkor 10s] is a good way for us to get ready for the upcoming season, and playing against big foreign guys will be a challenge for us as always,” Chey Sophal added. “It will be hard, but I’m confident we can win again this year and keep the Cup in Cambodia.”

Along with the Rhinos, foreign teams set to contend include 2006 Cup and 2008 Plate champions, the French Asia Barbarians from France; last year’s Bowl champions, the Dubai Exiles; and 2003 Cup champs, the Manila Nomads. The Bangkok Bangers and Bangkok Southerners from Thailand, along with the Bedok Kings of Singapore and the Saigon Geckos of Vietnam, could also cause an upset.

Besides Les Piliers d’Angkor, other local clubs competing include Cambodian Rugby Premiership rivals Stade Khmer and the Sisowath Knights.

With its roster featuring an intriguing mix of lightning-fast Cambodian backs and sturdy veteran French forwards, Stade Khmer could emerge as the dark horse to win the tournament.

Photo by: Joe Garrison

The French Asia Barbarians celebrate winning last year’s Phnom Penh Post Plate trophy at Old Stadium, Phnom Penh.

Stade Khmer club president Guilain Lavoisier says his club has been training regularly for several weeks. “We have been getting over 30 players turning up for our [training] sessions,” he said. “We are looking forward to Saturday.”

Stade Khmer’s first match is set for 8:20 am against the Manila Nomads.

Sisowath Knight coach Brian Thomas is guardedly optimistic about his team’s chances, but worries that recent injuries to some key players will have an impact on his side’s performance.

“Because of injuries and other things, our training numbers haven’t been very good,” admitted the veteran Sisowath boss. “But we still have some good players left, and if everybody steps up, we’ll be OK.”

The Knights will open against the Saigon Geckos at 8:40 am.

Preliminary round games Saturday will continue throughout the morning, with semifinals set to go off at noon, and final round matches from 2:30pm. Results of preliminaries and semifinals determine which teams play in which playoff finals, with corresponding trophies for each playoff (see right).

The tournament’s last match of the day, the ANZ Cup Final, will kickoff at 5:00 pm. Admission to all events at Olympic Stadium is free.

Cambodian crackdown on public protest stirs human rights fears

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(Posted by CAAI News Media)

By Tim Johnston in Bangkok

Published: October 22 2009

Free-speech advocates say that a law passed yes-ter-day by Cambodia's legislature limiting the size of demonstrations is the latest example of rising intolerance in the region.

The Cambodian parliament, which is dominated by the Cambodian People's party of Hun Sen, the prime inister, passed the law limiting public demonstrations to a maximum of 200 people with the aim of ensuring "public order and national security".

Public demonstrations are a popular form of protest in Cambodia. The opposition, comprehensively outnumbered in parliament, uses them to make political points but they are also a last resort for groups of impoverished farmers and slum-dwellers who say they are the victims in land -disputes with developers and powerful allies of the government. Mu Sochua, an opposition mem-ber of parliament, said: "It is limiting freedom of assembly and that will severely limit freedom of expression." Mu Sochua recently lost a libel case against Hun Sen in a highly controversial court decision.

Human rights advocates have long accused Hun Sen and his administration of using the country's courts to stifle opposition , an accusation the government denies, saying it is merely using universally available legal remedies to protect its -reputation.

Last week, the parliament altered the penal code to make it easier to bring libel actions.

United Nations human rights observers were not allowed to attend the debate, because of procedural problems in the admission of visitors, according to the ruling party, and a live television feed broke down because of technical problems.

Brad Adams, the Asia director for Human Rights Watch, says the Cambodian laws are only the latest in a worrying regional trend, something he says is paradoxical given that the 10-member Association of South-East Asian Nations is to launch its intergovernmental commission on human rights this week.

"There is no country among Asean nations that has a positive human rights trend at the moment," he said. "There is lip service to free speech but the reality on the ground is very different."

Reporters Without Borders recently downgraded Thailand in its survey on freedom of the press to 130th in the world, from 124th, as the result of renewed use of the country's laws against insulting the royal family, which can carry a 15-year sentence.

Vietnam came under fire this month after nine democracy activists were given sentences of between two and six years for challenging the -government.

Airports Expect More Passengers Next Year

By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer

Original report from Phnom Penh

22 October 2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Passengers arriving to Cambodia by air are expected to increase by around 5 percent in 2010, the country's airport management company said Wednesday.

"In the past month or two, we can really feel that there is an improvement in the economic climate of the country," Nicolas Deviller, CEO of Societe Concessionaire de l'Aeroport, which operates Cambodia's airports, told reporters.

The number of flights to Cambodia is also expected to increase next year, by about 2.5 percent, he said.

Kong Sophearak, director of the Ministry of Tourism's statistics and information department, said the ministry expected a similar increase. This will be due in part to the addition of a national Cambodian carrier, Angkor Air, and new routes from foreign companies.

The ministry expects the number of visitors to reach 2.35 million in 2010, up from 2.12 million in 2008.

Border Advocates Grow Impatient With Dispute

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer

Original report from Phnom Penh

22 October 2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

The border dispute between Cambodian and Thailand has gone on for more than a year, with the Cambodian government failing to adopt a “winning” method based on international law, border experts said Thursday.

“That with which we can win is through the International Court and international law, but until now [the government] has not filed, and that’s why it is continuing,” said Sean Pengse, head of an advocacy group called the Border Committee, in France.

Cambodia has insisted on solving its long-running border dispute bilaterally, but negotiations over contested areas near Preah Vihear temple have failed to bring a result, with troops on both sides amassed on each side of the frontier.

Hean Yuth, a Cambodian-American who closely follows Cambodia’s border issues, said Wednesday he did not understand why the government has not invoked the Paris Peace Accords, which its stipulations of sovereignty, and the International Court at the Hague to file a complaint.

Chanly Kuch, a Cambodian-American who also follows border issues, said Preah Vihear should not pose a problem, as the International Court awarded it to Cambodia in 1962.

However, Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said the government was seeking to resolve the border issues peacefully. Both countries are obliged to base talks on laws, and if there are points that can’t be agreed on, Cambodia could bring the issue to the Hague.

“Not to make a new judgment, but just to review,” he said, adding that Cambodia was being patient as Thailand struggles with internal political problems.

Cambodian and Thailand have had border problems for decades, with sections of the boundary going unmarked. Tensions rose sharply in July 2008, after Preah Vihear temple was listed as a Unesco World Heritage site under Cambodia. Skirmishes between troops from both sides have left at least seven people dead.

Cambodians living in France are planning a demonstration for Oct. 25, to press Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand to follow the Paris Peace Accords on border issues. A petition will be submitted to the French president.

Passengers arriving to Cambodia by air are expected to increase by around 5 percent in 2010, the country’s airport management company said Wednesday.

“In the past month or two, we can really feel that there is an improvement in the economic climate of the country,” Nicolas Deviller, CEO of Societe Concessionaire de l’Aeroport, which operates Cambodia’s airports, told reporters.

The number of flights to Cambodia is also expected to increase next year, by about 2.5 percent, he said.

Kong Sophearak, director of the Ministry of Tourism’s statistics and information department, said the ministry expected a similar increase. This will be due in part to the addition of a national Cambodian carrier, Angkor Air, and new routes from foreign companies.

The ministry expects the number of visitors to reach 2.35 million in 2010, up from 2.12 million in 2008.

Three State-Owned Companies Prep for Exchange

By Ros Sothea, VOA Khmer

Original report from Phnom Penh

22 October 2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Telecom Cambodia, the Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority and the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port are expected to be the first three enterprises to list on Cambodia’s upcoming stock exchange, planned for December.

Officials from the three state-owned companies have prepared various plans to collect capital from a public offering in order to expand their business activities. Each enterprise has a special team responsible for stock trading and strengthening internal operations.

Ney Kosal, director of the accounting and finance department of Telecom Cambodia, said his enterprise has had a balanced financial statement for many years already. The company is awaiting evaluation by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Everything has been prepared,” he said. “But I’m not sure yet if it is acceptable. We need to wait until there is an evaluation to see whether an independent auditor is still needed.”

Ros Kim Leang, director of the accounting and finance department of the Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority, said his company had adopted international accounting standards since 1997. The authority is now considering establishing an internal auditor, as requested by the Securities Commission.

The company, which earned $6 million in 2008, will be ready for the exchange on time, he said.

“I believe that we will be able [to be listed], as we already have strong fundamentals,” he said. “We have nothing that is unbalanced, as everything has been audited.”

The Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, which has been operating since 1979, has never had an independent audit, according to a port official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Internally, it has no plans to improve its work, the official said, but the company was optimistic about its prospects for an exchange listing.

The port earns around $25 million a year, with some 700 ships docking there, the official said.

Each of the enterprises was guided in its exchange bid by Tong Yang Security, a Korean firm, which has strengthened internal operations, especially in financial systems. The Securities Commission and Ministry of Economy are both helping the companies be listed on time.

Minh Ban Kosal, director-general of the Securities Commission, said he could not yet give an evaluation of the companies, according to regulations. Whether the companies will be listed on time depended on directives that will be issued in November, he said.

Preparation for the exchange listing can take up to 18 months, and the three state-owned companies may not be ready on time, said Mei Vann, director of the Economy Ministry’s financial industry department.

When the exchange opens at the end of the year, stock trading will not be immediately available, said Han Kyong Tae, chief representative of Tong Yang Security.

Cambodia hopes to attract 400 national and international companies for its stock exchange, part of a nascent securities market that helps businesses raise capital by becoming publicly owned and traded.

Most companies, including banking institutions, have adopted a wait-and-see approach to the stock exchange.

Still, In Pyo Lee, director of the Global Business Development Project of the Korean Exchange, said an estimated 20 companies were likely to join Cambodia’s exchange over the next two or three years.

Cambodia Steps Forward in Green Debate

By Pich Samnang, VOA Khmer

Original report from Phnom Penh

22 October 2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Cambodia will raise at least three climate issues at an international conference later this year in Denmark, officials said Wednesday, as they closed a three-day forum on climate change in Phnom Penh.

Cambodia will seek technology transfers for poorer countries, financial aid without conditions and adherence to Kyoto Protocol principles.

“Cambodia needs legal assurances and support in dealing with, mitigation of and adaptation to climate change,” Environment Minister Mok Maret told reporters.

UN-sponsored talks will take place among 192 members of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen in December.

Cambodia would continue to implement existing mechanisms and follow the protocol under the framework, Mok Maret said.

Under the agreement, Cambodia is not obligated to cut greenhouse gas emissions, but it nevertheless has incentives to do so, through a “Clean Development Mechanism” and with the chance to sell carbon credits to industrial nations and international markets.

Cambodia is implementing six clean development projects, including the Angkor Bio Cogen Rice Husk Power Project, in Kandal province, and TTY Cambodia Biogas, in Kampong Cham province.

Nop Polin, a national climate change officer for Oxfam America, said Cambodia is right to demand that rich countries give more financial assistance to cope with climate change, but he said the country can earn more money from donors by cutting greenhouse-gas emissions.

“I think it is an opportunity for developing countries like Cambodia to get more funding in the forms of credits when they have more and attractive [CDM] projects,” he said. “But so far there are so few projects and it’s so complicated in implementing them.”

Jo Scheuer, UNDP country director, said Cambodia, though poor, could become a model country, which could have minimal emissions if energy efficiency could be integrated into business policies and investment plans.

He suggested a “Green City,” starting with Siem Reap.

“We can develop an integrated city plan combining both climate change mitigation and adaptation measures with the promotion of energy efficiency in hotels and restaurants,” he said on Wednesday, addressing the first forum on climate change. “We can equip every hospital, school and pagoda with solar panels and solar water heaters and promote the use of improved cook stoves and water filters in the city and suburbs.”

Mok Maret said Cambodia was “on the way to a low carbon or even a carbon-free economy.”

No Disputed Border Near Temple: Group

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer

Original report from Phnom Penh

22 October 2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Cambodian lawmakers, government officials and border representatives ended a roundtable discussion Thursday, concluding that in fact no disputed border exists near Preah Vihear.

“Thailand has always interfered in Cambodia’s and Unesco’s internal affairs,” a statement from the roundtable group said. “Thailand must stop raising the Preah Vihear temple and border areas around the temple as a pretense to gain for its internal struggle for political power, putting a consequence on Cambodia. Cambodia and Thailand do not have a disputed border and overlapping areas.”

Members of the National Assembly and Senate met with border committee officials, academics and researchers to discuss a 1962 world court decision and French treaties from 1904 and 1907.

The meeting was a response to a call this week by 40 Thai parliamentarians that Preah Vihear temple be “returned” to Thailand and that Cambodia be prevented from becoming a permanent member of Unesco’s World Heritage committee.

Panitan Watanayagorn, a spokesman for Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, declined to comment on the Thai lawmakers, who are not part of the executive branch.

“We don’t have any objection of the world court deciding on the Preah Vihear temple belonging to Cambodia,” he said. “We accept the decision of the world court, but we reserve all rights to appeal the case, if there is any evidence.”

“I absolutely deny that which was raised by some Thai parliamentarians, who stupidly have intentions to swallow Cambodian territory,” Cheam Yiep, a Cambodian People’s Party National Assembly member, said during Thurday’s discussion. “Cambodia has not seen that the quiet water has no fish or crocodiles. Cambodia is not proud of all kinds of armaments and forces.”

Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said Thailand had “exhausted” its appeals to the International Court of the Hauge, which awarded Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia in a 1962 decision.

South Korea President Lee is on an official visit to Cambodia

South Korea's President Lee Muyng-bak (L) walks from the plane with his wife Kim Yoon-ok (R) upon their arrival at Phnom Penh international airport, October 22, 2009. Lee is on an official two-day visit to Cambodia. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAAI News Media)

South Korea's President Lee Muyng-bak steps down from the plane with his wife Kim Yoon-ok (R) upon their arrival at Phnom Penh international airport on October 22, 2009. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAAI News Media)

South Korea's President Lee Muyng-bak (L) walks with his wife Kim Yoon -ok (R) upon their arrival at Phnom Penh international airport, October 22, 2009. Lee is on an official two-day visit to Cambodia . REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAAI News Media)

South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak (2nd R) inspects a honour guard with his wife Kim Yoon-ok upon their arrival at Phnom Penh international airport on October 22, 2009. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAAI News Media)

A student smiles while waiting to welcome South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak before his meeting with King Sihamoni , at the royal palace in Phnom Penh October 22, 2009. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAAI News Media)

Students hold portraits of South Korea's President Lee Muyng-bak, his wife, Kim Yoon -Ok and Cambodia King Sihamoni during the arrival of President Lee at the royal palace to meet Cambodia King Sihamoni in Phnom Penh October 22, 2009. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAAI News Media)

A Cambodian student holds a portrait of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak (L) and his wife Kim Yoon-Ok (R) while waiting to welcome them in front of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh. Lee arrived in Cambodia Thursday for a two-day official visit to boost ties and develop economic relations between the two countries. (AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy) (CAAI News Media)

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen waits for South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak to arrive for meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh October 22, 2009. Lee is on an official visit to Cambodia. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAAI News Media)

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen (R) shakes hands with South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh October 22, 2009. Lee is on an official visit to Cambodia. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAAI News Media)

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen (R) shakes hands with South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh October 22, 2009. Lee is on an official visit to Cambodia. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (Posted by CAAI News Media)

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, second right, shakes hands with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak after they ended their summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009. Lee paid two days of official visit to Cambodia to promote ties and develop economic relations. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith) (CAAI News Media)

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, second right, shakes hands with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak after they ended their summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia,Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009. Lee paid two days of official visit to Cambodia to promote ties and develop economic relations. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith) (CAAI News Media)

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (R) talks with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak (L) during a signing ceremony at foreign ministry in Phnom Penh. Lee arrived in Cambodia Thursday for a two-day official visit to boost ties and develop economic relations between the two countries. (AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy) (CAAI News Media)

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen (2nd R) toasts South Korea's Foreign Affairs Minister Yu Myung-hwan (R) as South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak (2nd L) toasts Cambodia's Foreign Affairs Minister Hor Namhong at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh October 22, 2009. Lee is on an official visit to Cambodia. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAAI News Media)