Politics not a factor in Thai trade drop: govt

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Friday, 29 January 2010 15:02 May Kunmakara

POLITICAL conflict was not behind a 22.15 percent annualised drop in bilateral trade last year between Cambodia and Thailand, the government’s director general for international trade said Thursday.

According to Thai customs statistics from the Thai Embassy’s Foreign Trade Promotion Office (FTPO), bilateral trade between the two countries plummeted from US$2.13 billion in 2008 to just $1.658 billion in 2009.

Cambodia’s exports to Thailand went down by 13.84 percent to $77.73 million, in 2009, from $90.22 million in 2008. The Kingdom’s imports from Thailand fell by 22.52 percent – to $1.580 billion from $2.040 billion.

Sok Sopheak, director general of international trade for the Ministry of Commerce, said the decline in trade was because of the global economic crisis, which has stymied world demand for goods.

“This downturn did [not] only apply to trade with Thailand but it also affected our trade with other countries,” he said.

The director added that he does not believe the diplomatic conflict between Phnom Penh and Bangkok over the presence in Cambodia of former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra – who was appointed Prime Minister Hun Sen’s economic advisor – was the key factor in the drop.

“I don’t think political conflict is the primary factor behind the decline,” he added. “People at the Thai-Cambodian border still traded with each other despite the dispute.”

Trade between the two countries had previously increased steadily from $1.7 billion in 2006, to $1.4 billion in 2007, to $2.13 billion in 2008.

Cambodia primarily exports agricultural products, secondhand garments, recyclable metal and fish to Thailand. It imports petroleum, consumer products, building materials and cosmetics.

The Kingdom’s total exports, according to a report from the National Bank of Cambodia, fell an annualised 18.2 percent in 2009 to $3.619 billion. Imports fell 17 percent to $5.208 billion.

Sok Sopheak said he hopes that the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, which came into force on January 1, will accelerate trade among ASEAN’s nations as trade tariffs are lowered throughout Southeast Asia.

Jiranan Wongmongkol, director of the FTPO, was not available for comment Thursday.

Dealers oppose Toyota monopoly

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Friday, 29 January 2010 15:01 May Titthara

TEN Phnom Penh firms plan to write to Prime Minister Hun Sen asking for the right to import Toyotas into Cambodia, challenging the monopoly given to TTHK Co Ltd.

In March, TTHK was granted exclusive rights by the Ministry of Commerce to import new Toyotas into the Kingdom. TTHK can then sell vehicles on to smaller dealers.

Other dealers say they want to have a say in what vehicles they sell and are asking Hun Sen to grant them the right to import Toyotas from abroad.

Keo Vong Nary of Monivong 278 Car Sales, who represents the traders, said Thursday: “We plan to file a complaint to ask for intervention from Prime Minister Hun Sen to help us get the right to import the Toyota brand from the US, Germany, China, Taiwan and other countries.

“We do not want to import from Japan.”

He added that the traders hadn’t received any “new and modern” cars considered suitable by them for sale this year.

Kong Nuon, country director of TTHK Co Ltd, said the exclusivity agreement with Toyota was drawn up to ensure quality control of the vehicles.

“The reason we do not allow them to import the vehicles is because of government laws, set by the Ministry of Commerce,” he said. “Also, Toyota wants to ensure quality by controlling its products from its headquarters in Tokyo.

“Before they exported their products to Cambodia, they carried out surveys on our roads and petrol quality to understand what cars were suitable for the market.”

Secretary of State for the Ministry of Commerce Var Cheang confirmed the agreement was in place because it was Toyota’s right to do so.

“The reason our ministry gave exclusive rights to TTHK is because Toyota in Japan had provided the exclusive rights to TTHK,” he said.

Police Blotter: 29 Jan 2010

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Friday, 29 January 2010 15:03 Sen David

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF ARSONIST

A man set fire to his house in Kampong Speu’s Samroang Tong district on Wednesday because he was angry that his wife wasn’t attractive, police said. The wife said her husband blamed her for not being as cute as his new girlfriend before setting his house ablaze. Neighbours rushed in to put out the flames and managed to save the house. The man fled the scene but was apprehended soon after and sent to a local human rights NGO.

KOH SANTEPHEAP

MAN KILLED BABY OVER RICE, POLICE REPORT

A 20-year-old man stands accused of killing his year-old nephew in Battambang on Tuesday because he was angry that the victim’s mother would not cook rice for him. The mother said she left her son in a crib while she sold cakes in front of her house and returned to find him in the bathroom. He was not breathing. She complained to police about her brother, claiming he was angry at her for not cooking for him. Police arrested the man and sent him to court.

DEUM AMPIL

POLICE OFFICER HANGS HIMSELF

A police officer hanged himself in his home in Srah Chork commune in Phnom Penh’s Daun Penh district on Wednesday. Police said the man was taken to hospital immediately after the house servant found him hanging in an upstairs room. He was pronounced dead on arrival. Police said the reason for the suicide was unknown, but his father noted that his son had been “out of control”.

KAMPUCHEA THMEY

CARELESS COOKERY DESTROYS HOUSE

A fire gutted one home and threatened others in Siem Reap province’s Soth Nikum district on Wednesday after a woman left her rice cooking while she visited the market. The woman said she returned from the market to find her house destroyed. Neighbours stopped the blaze before it spread to other homes. The woman said the fire was started because of her carelessness. Police said no one was injured and urged residents to take extra precautions before leaving their homes.

DEUM AMPIL

MAN ACCUSED OF REPEATED RAPE

Police have arrested a man accused of raping a 15-year-old girl while she was home alone in Pursat province’s Bakan district on Wednesday. The victim’s mother claims to have returned from a field to find her daughter being raped by a 20-year-old man. The two women fought and overtook the man before turning him over to local police. Police said the man had assaulted the girl before.

KAMPUCHEA THMEY

Hyundai factory put on hold

A salesman waits for customers Thursday at a Hyundai dealership in Seoul. The South Korean carmaker will finish its first Cambodia factory in May which won’t go online until year’s end. BLOOMBERG

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Friday, 29 January 2010 15:01 Soeun Say

Under-construction Koh Kong plant will not begin assembling vehicles until end of 2010, company says, citing building delays caused by bad weather

HYUNDAI’S planned car assembly plant in Koh Kong will not start operations until the end of the year, it was confirmed Thursday.

The news comes despite denials in October by representatives from Camko Motor Co – which is building the factory in a joint venture between South Korea’s Hyundai distributor KH Motors and Cambodia’s Ly Young Phat Group – of a late 2010 opening.

On Thursday, Lim Visal, the finance director of Camko Motor Co Ltd said the plant will not produce cars until the end of this year.

“We delayed our plans because of the weather in July, August and September, which affected our construction. Work was very slow because of the heavy rain,” said Lim Visal.

“Now, we will start to assemble cars at the end of this year, once we have completed the factory building in May.”

He added that assembly equipment must be installed in the factory before production begins.

“Construction is going smoothly. So far, we have completed the infrastructure work, such as concreting the ground,” he said.

When it is finished the plant will be able to assemble 3,000 cars a year. It is being built by Camko in Neang Kok Koh Kong Special Economic Zone, Mundul Seyma district, Koh Kong province, which is about 370 kilometres southwest of Phnom Penh. The company hopes to invest more than US$60 million in the project.

According to a Bloomberg report Thursday, Hyundai, which is South Korea’s largest automaker, almost quadrupled its annualised profit in the fourth quarter of last year.

Net income rose to 945.5 billion won ($822 million) from 243.5 billion won. Sales gained 9.3 percent in the fourth quarter. Hyundai’s exports made up half of revenue last year.

Chief financial officer for Hyundai, Lee Won Hee, told reporters in Seoul Thursday that sales in China and other emerging markets may grow by at least 10 percent this year, but added: “We expect competition to get tougher this year.”

Heng Vibol, sales manager of Camko, explained that the company opened a Cambodian sales office for Hyundai vehicles – which are currently being imported from Korea – four months ago.

Once production starts in Cambodia, retailers will fight for space on the domestic market before considering exporting vehicles in two years time.

Bun Leurt, governor of Koh Kong province, could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Dirty work pays off

Photo by: BYRON PERRY

The City2Sunrise team (from left: Geoff Pollard, Mat Shepherd, Tom Bender and Paul Fallon) sit on their dirt-bikes with kids from Sunrise Children’s Village.

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Friday, 29 January 2010 15:01 Post Staff

Four dirt-bikers blew into Sunrise Children’s Village in Siem Reap on Monday, to the delight of over 50 orphans and disadvantaged kids from the village.

The four Aussie friends – Mat Shepherd, Geoff Pollard, Paul Fallon and Tom Bender – were stopping in Siem Reap as part of a 14,000km ride, called City2Sunrise, across Southeast Asia to raise awareness about abandoned children in the region and to raise funds for the Australia Cambodia Foundation, which funds the village.

They began in Singapore before coming up through Malaysia and Thailand, and will now wind in a circuitous route through Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos.

Kids at the village – ranging from infants to 18 year olds – were thrilled by the roar of the motorbikes and clapped and cheered as the team entered. They then performed a ceremony for the Aussies, raising the Cambodian flag, singing a welcome song and reading a few notes of gratitude.

The City2Sunrise crew came bearing gifts of white T-shirts with their slogan on the back: “4 bikes, 4 blokes, for charity!”

So far they’ve raised nearly A$100,000 from donors through their website (20 percent of which will go back to them for costs of the project), and they’re only three weeks into their three month journey.

“It’s good because money goes directly to the Australia Cambodia Foundation accounts and it’s tax deductible,” said Shepherd.

The four bikers have a documentary film crew filming their journey. When they finish the film, they plan to pitch it to channels such as National Geogrpahic and Discovery.

Donations can be made at Citytosunrise.com.

Late to the Bakan party

Photo by: BYRON PERRY

Visitors descend the steep staircase of the Bakan.

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Friday, 29 January 2010 15:01 Byron Perry

I was hoping to be one of the first barang to visit the sacred third level of Angkor Wat in three years as I bounded up the steep, wheeze-inducing steps to the Bakan, as it’s called, on January 18.

The Bakan had been closed since 2007 for renovation by Khmer, German and Italian archaeological teams.

My hopes were dashed when the guard at the top informed me in broken English that 10,000 people had already visited in the three days it’d been open.

I wandered not-alone down the 60-metre-long, dark stone hallways, inside of which are four central courtyards that are great for taking photos of the ornate carvings of the five central towers.

Norwegian, French, American and eastern European tourists strolled along with me around the square perimeter of the Bakan, snapping photos of the views and towers, seemingly unaware of how lucky they were to be in the place where once only the king and high priests could set foot.

Trond Vegar Olsen, 27, of Norway had no idea that the third tier had been closed for three years. “It’s amazing though,” he said. “It’s quite enormous.”

Cambodians, who looked elated to be able to visit the most holy part of Angkor Wat, mixed equally with the many tourists. They made offerings at the Buddha image in the central sanctuary, their devotion contrasting with the gawking, talking tourists.

Not so charming were the Apsara guards who shadowed me everywhere I went, whispering into their walkie-talkies. If I stayed more than a few minutes at a viewpoint they’d shuffle me along, citing the 30-minute time limit for visitors.

But I suppose that comes with the territory when you’re touring a place that was once considered heaven on Earth by the Hindu Angkor civilisation and is still extremely sacred to Buddhist Khmers.

For all of Apsara’s blowing about needing to register, wear proper clothing and wait in line to go up to the Bakan, I waltzed up without a hitch.

The Bakan doesn’t have much in the way of magnificent bas-relief carvings like the lower level – the most impressive aspects are the views. They are truly extraordinary and should win over even the most jaded world traveller.

From the higher vantage point you can truly appreciate the symmetry and repetition of Khmer architecture and see how the different levels of concentric squares relate to each other in perfect proportion.

The trip down from the Bakan is the least enjoyable part and is downright hair-raising. The super-steep staircase just seems arduous going up, but going down it’s positively dangerous. Tripping forward would mean a fall of over 100 feet and possible death or dismemberment.

Perhaps Apsara can install belay lines and provide clips?

Man About Town

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Friday, 29 January 2010 15:01 Peter Olszewski

Dance celebration

Royalty has been beating a path to Siem Reap this month, with the King visiting on January 10 to inaugurate the new library at the Khmer Centre for Studies.

This week saw a visit by Her Royal Highness Bopha Devi, together with her daughter Keo Chinsita Forsinetti. The pair flew into Siem Reap early on Tuesday morning and were then whisked out of town to Banteay Srey.

There they witnessed a special dance ceremony hosted by Lady Ravynn Karet-Coxen, the founder of the NKFC Conservatoire Preah Ream Bopha Devi dance school, a component of the Siem Reap-based NGO the Nginn Karet Foundation for Cambodia (NKFC), of which Coxen is chairman.

The Princess, a former Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, is the Conservatoire’s patron and takes a special interest in dance, following her own brilliant career.

At age 15 she became the premiere dancer of the Cambodian Royal Ballet and at age 18 was granted the title of prima ballerina. She then toured the world as principal dancer.

She danced for General de Gaulle on the terrace in front of Angkor Wat when she was 23.

She also performed for Jacqueline Kennedy, Princess Margaret, General Tito, China’s Chou en-Lai and President Sukarno, who apparently wanted to marry her.

Hospital celebration

The Angkor Hospital for Children in Siem Reap is gearing up for more celebrations on January 30, marking its 11th anniversary.

The day starts at 8am with an introduction about Angkor Hospital for Children’s projects followed by speeches. Later that morning there will be dance performances from local children and the awarding of service recognition certificates.

The day will wind up at 5pm with an anniversary party at the Angkor Mondial Restaurant.

The genial Japanese photographer Kenro Izu, who founded the hospital in 1999, will participate in proceedings along with a host of heavyweights from the Japanese and American boards of Friends Without a Border, the hospital’s fundraising arm.

Hotel celebration

Three Siem Reap hotels were the only Cambodian sleep factories to make it on to leading travel website TripAdvisor’s Top 10 Hotels for Asia List 2010.

Coming in as number six in the Top 10 Hotels for Families is the Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa. Ranked number four in the Top 10 B&Bs and Inns is Journeys Within.

The Pavillon d’Orient boutique hotel gets two gongs, coming in at number five for Best Service and number six on the Top 10 Bargain Hotels line up.

Black magic man

Photo by: JERRY REDFERN

A Kru Khmer extinguishes prayer candles in his mouth after performing a ceremony in his home near the Angkor temple complex in 2009.

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We, as foreigners, know this spirit world exists in Cambodia, but we often miss the common gestures

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Friday, 29 January 2010 15:01 BYRON PERRY

Siem Reap will be engulfed by Cambodian black magic on Saturday when 4Faces bar and gallery unveils its latest exhibition, “Be Unscared” by photographer Jerry Redfern.

Redfern calls his project a “glimpse into the Cambodian spirit world” and says that a glimpse is all us barang can expect. “We, as foreigners, know this spirit world exists in Cambodia, but we often miss the common gestures – a twist of the head, a bit of graffiti, a monk’s breath, the flames of a candle,” says Redfern.

He travelled all over the Kingdom – Siem Reap, Battambang, Phnom Penh – shooting images of the Khmer spirit world on 35mm colour negative film. The old film caused random colour shifts, and sometimes an image he thought was dynamite turned out not so great. Sometimes, though, this worked conversely, and Redfern was surprised by a much better shot than expected.

The name “Be Unscared” comes from a sign at the Temple of the Floating Tree near Phnom Penh. “While the sign echoes one of the teachings of the Buddha, it also sums up what Cambodians have been hoping for centuries,” says Redfern. “It’s a call for calm in the face of a dangerous world, whether the danger comes from the beasts of the jungle or those in Phnom Penh.”

One of Redfern’s best memories of working on the project is photographing the practice of cupping in Siem Reap, where hot cups are placed on the skin to create suction. “All the happy workers wanted their photos taken while getting cupped,” he says.

Redfern’s project has been in the works since March, when he came to Siem Reap and met 4Faces co-owner Eric de Vries. “He’s one of the first I contacted and now he’s finally getting a show,” says De Vries.

Where'd the love go at the Peace Café?

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Friday, 29 January 2010 15:01 Post Staff

Siem Reap’s small but vibrant alternative scene, normally a haven of love, peace and mediation, has been ripped apart with fightin’, fussin’ and feudin’. The angst is mainly over an unseemly business name dispute revolving around the iconic Singing Tree Café, that long-time haven of local hippiness.

The short version of the saga is that last November, the founders of the Singing Tree Café, Michael Batura and his wife Fin Sovvany, sold the business to Raja Yoga owner Maureen Chen and husband Tom.

The café was to be run by Maureen and Tom and a new business – a vegetarian sandwich and juice bar in the Alley West called Singing Tree Corner – was to be a partnership between the Chens and Batura and his wife.

But the partnership has now been dissolved due to a bitter dispute over the ownership of the Singing Tree name.

Now, and try to keep up, the original Singing Tree Café has re-emerged from the ashes of the mini-war as the Peace Café, under the ownership of the Chens.

Meanwhile, with the Chens no longer partners in the juice bar, this business has been renamed the Singing Tree Café.

Last year on November 27, Michael Batura told 7Days that the business partnership with the Chens was a good deal. He said, “That we found like-minded people to keep it going and take it further is actually really exciting.”

But last week, Batura posted a note at the Singing Tree about the disintegration of the relationship with the Chens. The notice said, in part, “Singing Tree Café owners and staff would like you to know that we are not connected to them in any way, and take no responsibility for their claims, their actions, or their food.

“We regret if you have been confused…”

Let's Nirvana next time

Photo by: BYRON PERRY

Beloved yoga instructor Heidi DeWald is leaving Siem Reap after four years.

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Friday, 29 January 2010 15:01 Post Staff

Siem Reap’s queen of yoga, Heidi DeWald, is leaving town after four years of teaching devoted followers how to torque themselves into Nirvana.

Heidi moved to Siem Reap from Sydney, where she was climbing up the ranks of the corporate marketing and PR world. “I was offered a huge job before I left,” she said. “But I didn’t want it.”

Seeking instead to apply her business skills in an NGO capacity, she moved to Siem Reap four years ago to work at the Angkor Hospital for Children under Jon Morgan. After six months at the hospital she moved on and began doing consulting work for NGOs around Siem Reap.

Yoga has always been her true passion though. “Even my holidays back in Sydney were meditation or yoga retreats with no cell phones or computers,” she said.

Along with her consulting work, Heidi has been teaching Ashtanga yoga at the Singing Tree/Peace Café since her arrival in town. One of the things she’ll miss most about Siem Reap is her yogi disciples.

“I’ll really miss the students who were with me from the beginning,” said Heidi. “I’ll also miss the community of people here. I think Siem Reap attracts a wonderful group of people who don’t fit into the box.”

She’s moving to back to Australia – to Burleigh Heads, near Byron Bay – to study Ayurvedic medicine. “I’m looking forward to being by the ocean again, and there’s a big yoga community there,” she said with a smile.

Cambodian show jumping coming on leaps and bounds

Photo by: PHA LINA

Grand prix category winner John You rides Achador during the first day of competition at the CCC January 17.

Photo by: PHA LINA

A child from the Cheval Avenir Programme rides Cheyenne during the event at the Cambodian Country Club January 17.

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Friday, 29 January 2010 15:00 John Cvetko

The Norodom Sihanouk Du Cambodge Show Jumping Championships at the Cambodian Country Club has helped promote horse riding in the Kingdom

CAMBODIA has had a long association with horses, as evidenced by riders depicted on bas-reliefs at Ankgor Wat. It is clear that in the past the Khmers were a nation of proud horsemen and now the Kingdom has welcomed the return of equestrians.

On January 17, the first round of the 2010 Norodom Sihanouk Du Cambodge Show Jumping Championships confirmed the growth of the sport here with a greater number of locals than ever learning to ride and compete.

Sim Narith, last year’s overall winner of the Grand Prix division, finished third from the opening day and will be trying hard in the next two events to finish in the top three to gain a shot at the title again.

Sim Narith’s story is of triumph through adversity and, through support from the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation, he has found passion and diligence to win Cambodia’s major title.

The Cambodia Equestrian Federation is based at the Cambodia Country Club (CCC) in Phnom Penh and its President, Philippe Garcia, is excited about the continued growth of the sport amongst both Cambodians and expatriates.

“It is a sport that teaches pride and respect for both animals and people, while improving coordination, balance and strength,” he expressed. “Over the past six years, we have seen the improvement of many riders, and more recently the grooms at the Club have become very good and will one day be a part of a growing pool of riders representing this country in equestrian events”.

The club’s ponies are from Cambodian blood lines, sourced throughout the country, while two thoroughbreds and two Australian quarter horses have their bloodlines from Australia, with the thoroughbreds having had racing careers in Thailand before joining the CCC.

The championships are held over three event days, with prizes awarded after each while the grand champion of each division calculated by total points. Sixty five competitors are competing in six categories, with the next competition held this Sunday and the finale on February 7.

While the judges will be scoring the jumping and successful completion of the course, riders will also be judged on grooming, presentation and horsemanship. With increased interest in the sport across the region, the Cambodia Equestrian Federation believes that before too long, the horse and rider will again be an important part of the Cambodian landscape.

The Cambodian Country Club has designated the next two days of the show jumping as open days, inviting the public to enjoy watching the event while also being free to make use of the entire club’s facilities. Entrance is free and competition runs from 9:00am to noon and 2.30pm to 5:00pm, with the premier divisions jumping in the later session. The final day offers double points for all competitors, making it an interesting and exciting event all the way to the end.

Boxers to receive pardon

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Friday, 29 January 2010 15:00 Ung Chamroeun

Cambodian kickboxers Outh Phouthang, Pich Sophan, and Pich Seyha from the National Defence Ministry club, and Chey Kosal from Preah Khan Reach club look set to be allowed to enter the ring once more after seeing their domestic ban lifted. Former Cambodia Amateur Boxing Federation (CBAF) President Oum Yourann had forbidden the boxers to compete in the Kingdom after they returned from fights in Melbourne in July last year, which he claimed was arranged without the federation’s permission.

“We’ve decided to forgive them,” said Chhoeung Yav Yen, new deputy president of CABF. “But first, we need to give them an official letter, and second, inform the related institutions such as the National Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports about this vindication.”

The four fighters could not be reached for comment Thursday but, according to local newspapers, were all suffering from financial difficulties and had struggled to find alternative employment. However, they had continued to train at their clubs, and helped share their fighting experience and knowledge with other boxers.

Chey Kosal expressed disbelief at the decision, whilst maintaining that he had never received a valid reason for the ban. “President Oum Yourann stopped us from fighting just saying that we went to Australia without approval,” he told Rasmey Kampuchea in December. Since the ban, Chey Kosal had found work as a motodop driver.

Chhoeung Yav Yen said he has not cast judgement on the decision by the former CBAF president, with executive committee members from the previous mandate claiming it was a unilateral decision. However, other members have commented that they were unaware of the issue at the time.

“We need a good understanding between boxers, their clubs and the federation,” the deputy chief remarked. “However, we have to recognize that many of fighters do not know the rules well. When someone contacted [the fighters] directly, they agreed without informing the federation, because they needed money.”

Chhoeung Yav Yen affirmed that the federation is trying to strengthen their rules. “Even though we know that the knowledge of boxers is limited, we still need them to respect the rules. Individuals or groups who want to invite our boxers to fight abroad are welcome, but we need to know their itinerary first to avoid human trafficking.

“For example, they promise to give the boxer US$250 for one match, but they only give $150,” he explained, adding that every trip must be agreed by all relevant parties.

“The new executive committee is trying their utmost to make the best possible future for boxing in the Kingdom,” stated Chhoeung Yav Yen.

Oum Yurann could also not be reached for comment Thursday.

The Phnom Penh Post News in Brief

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Gameweek 23 winner

Friday, 29 January 2010 15:00 Dan Riley

CAPTAIN choice dictated our Post Fantasy League winners once again, with two managers sharing the glory in gameweek 23. Chenla FC, guided by Saray Ros, and Chelsea, led by the imaginatively titled Chelsea Junior, both scored a total of 77 points, in no small thanks to captain Frank Lampard, whose brace bagging antics netted 32 for the teams. With Chelsea winning 3-0 midweek, both rosters also benefited from including Michael Ballack for 6 points. A Cellcard phone voucher worth US$20 and T-shirt await both parties. Next gameweek deadline is the normal 5:30pm Saturday.

China signs Iraq oil deal

Friday, 29 January 2010 15:00 AFP

BEIJING – A consortium led by oil giant PetroChina has formally signed a 20-year deal with Iraq to develop the Halfaya oil field, as China boosts its presence in the crude-rich region. PetroChina, France’s Total, Malaysia’s Petronas and Iraq’s South Oil will develop the field in southern Iraq, which has proven reserves of about 4.1 billion barrels, the Chinese company said in a statement late Wednesday.

Shanghai Disney housing

Friday, 29 January 2010 15:00 AFP

SHANGHAI – Shanghai’s mayor has said he wants to build affordable housing on some of the land around the city’s planned Disney theme park, media reported Thursday. The Shanghai Daily said the budget homes could sell for up to 50 percent less than market price. Land surrounding Disney’s five resorts around the world is normally highly sought after by hotels and restaurants.

Siem Reap shows wares

Friday, 29 January 2010 15:00 Chun Sophal

AN estimated 70 NGOs and local enterprises launched an exhibition of Khmer goods in Siem Reap on Wednesday. The show, organised by the Cambodian Craftsman Association (CCA), was an attempt to promote the Kingdom’s goods and boost tourism to the city. Around 200 products made from silk, silver, paper, bamboo, cloth, reed and palm leaf were exhibited. Items included hats, tea bags and sculptures. According to the CCA, sales of its products decline 35 percent last year from US$2 million in 2008, to $1.3 million in 2009, as the economic crisis hit tourism and retail sales.

Italians receive medals

Friday, 29 January 2010 15:00 May Kunmakara

MEDALS were awarded Thursday to two Italians who have been working with the Commercial Chamber of Cambodia since 2004. Guiseppe Sballhitro, president of the SMEs Association in the Vicenza province of Italy, and his General Director Dietro Francesco Delotto, were given the Grand official medal and Commander Medal respectively. Kong Sam Ol, minister of the Royal Palace and representative of King Sihamoni, awarded the medals at a special ceremony. The Italians had just finished running a training course on commercial arbitration, which 62 Cambodians attended.

New fund launches

Friday, 29 January 2010 15:00 Nguon Sovan

THE Cambodia-Laos Development Fund (CLDF) officially launched Thursday, expecting to invest in 10 projects across the Kingdom during the next five years. Representatives for the US$10 million fund are already in discussion with eight companies in Laos and Cambodia, and have spoken to a total of 45 companies about potential investments, according to the fund manager. Joshua Morris, managing director of Emerging Markets Investments (EMI), who launched the fund, said that talks are under way with companies in business services, agri-processing, IT services, communication and education. He declined to name the businesses involved, citing confidentiality.

Rights watchdog calls trial of Cambodian opposition leader 'farce'+

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PHNOM PENH, Jan. 29 (AP) - (Kyodo)—U.S.-based group Human Rights Watch on Friday called a Cambodian court's closed-door conviction and sentencing of the country's opposition leader Sam Rainsy a "farce" that merely demonstrates the government control over the judiciary.

On Wednesday, the Svay Rieng provincial court convicted Sam Rainsy and two villagers on charges related to their removal and destruction of demarcation posts on Cambodia's border with Vietnam that they claimed had been shifted illegally to Vietnam's advantage.

Sam Rainsy, who is in France, was sentenced in absentia to two years imprisonment and the two villagers were each sentenced to one year in prison.

"The Cambodian government's relentless crackdown on critics continues apace in 2010," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "(Prime Minister) Hun Sen seems intent on reversing the political pluralism that has been created over the past two decades."

Speaking from Paris in a video conference with journalists Thursday, Sam Rainsy said he would not return to Cambodia until the jailed villagers are first freed and their usurped land is returned.

"It is not a personal issue. This is the issue of territory of Cambodia," he said.

Human Rights Watch said the one-day trial, which was closed to journalists, human rights organizations and the general public, giving the Human Rights Watch, "did not meet international standards for a fair trial."

It said that since 1995 when Sam Rainsy created his political party, he has been subject to assassination attempts, threats, intimidation, criminal cases and civil court cases.

On March 30, 1997, for example, he barely escaped with his life when a political rally he was addressing came under grenade attack, killing at least 16 people and wounding 150.

During 2009, at least 10 government critics were prosecuted for criminal defamation and disinformation based on complaints by government and military officials, while criminal defamation, disinformation, and incitement lawsuits were also filed against two parliamentarians from the Sam Rainsy Party and a youth activistm Human Rights Watch said.

"Any hopes of slowing Hun Sen's assault on the political opposition now depends on the donor community, which props up the government financially," Adams said. "This political trial should make donors recognize the gravity of the situation."

Cambodian hotel is a poster child for responsible tourism

http://www.windsorstar.com/

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By Michael Wuitchuk, For the Calgary Herald

Think of Egypt, and the great pyramids come to mind. With France it is wine and the odd surly waiter, while London and Big Ben go together like a pint and fish and chips.

OK, now think of Thailand and Cambodia; do you think of beaches and the Angkor temples? Perhaps, especially if you stay within the tourist bubble. Look a little closer and it's not difficult to get the impression that Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam have an apparently endless supply (and demand) for massage parlours and poorly disguised brothels.

The Calgary-based NGO, Future Group, has reported that the most conservative number of prostitutes and sex slaves in Cambodia alone is between 40,000 and 50,000, and higher estimates range between 80,000 and 100,000.

Many of the children are from communities so poor that girls and boys as young as six are actually sold to brothels by their own families.

The dark underbelly of southeast Asia is all the more reason to take responsible tourism seriously. If you go, consider taking a proactive approach.

On a recent trip to Cambodia, my son Daniel and I discovered that you can be an active witness to the magnificence of the region and still leave a positive footprint. Amazingly, we accomplished this not by joining an aid organization, but by staying at a hotel.

The Shinta Mani Hotel and Hospitality Institute is a lovely 18-room boutique hotel in Siem Reap. Facilities include spacious and well-appointed rooms, an atmospheric outdoor restaurant and air-conditioned indoor dining room, and a spa with the elegance and serenity one would expect of a five-star property.

Although the Shinta Mani is loaded with class and charm, there is a heart and soul to this place that was apparent from the moment we were greeted by the smiling young staff.

As responsible tourism goes, this hotel is a poster child.

Owner Sokhoun Chanpreda founded the Hospitality Training Institute in 2004 -- the first class of 21 young people selected from the poorest of families graduated in 2005.

Students, all of whom were considered "at risk" due to extreme poverty, can choose between cooking, serving, housekeeping, reception and spa services -- each are taught in nine-month modules.

The school is funded entirely with hotel funds and donations from guests and others from overseas.

We were so impressed with the Hospitality Training Institute that we extended our stay to accompany Theany, the hotel's "community liason officer," on one of her forays into the many poor villages around Siem Reap.

We drove in the hotel pickup truck loaded with treadle sewing machines, backpacks filled with school supplies, bags of rice, vegetable seeds and a bicycle -- and watched Theany and her staff do aid work, Shinta Mani style.

The model is simple -- use the labours of salaried hotel staff (who are dedicated to giving their time -- the communities are, after all, their own communities), donate $5 from every guest night to the community program, and provide an opportunity for guests to both see the program in action and donate to specific projects. Among the range of options, guests can contribute a mechanical water well ($100), a pair of pigs ($80) or even a small concrete house ($1,250).

We visited villages that had been working with the Shinta Mani staff for some time, and some that were new to the community program.

The villages that had received water wells had well maintained vegetable plots and a few small concrete houses -- in these communities the women and children turned out in numbers, their hands extended in prayerful thanks.

In a village new to the Shinta Mani program, we met a family that had been recently chosen to receive a well -- their entire worldly possessions were the clothes on their backs and a tired set of cooking pans.

These people and their neighbours seemed both desperate and skeptical -- they were clearly not used to receiving aid or good news of any kind.

Later, while sitting in the hotel's lovely outdoor restaurant, general manager and Sri Lankan ex-pat Chitra Vincent told us that Shinta Mani means "the gem that provides for all" in Sanskrit -- the place could not be better named.

Chevron extends Cambodian energy exploration deal

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/

via CAAI News Media

Jan 29, 2010

Phnom Penh - US energy giant Chevron Corp has extended its offshore energy exploration deal with the Cambodian government, local media reported Friday, but the company provided no other details citing 'commercial reasons.'

'Chevron welcomes the ongoing opportunity to evaluate the Block A resource,' spokesman Gareth Johnstone told the Phnom Penh Post newspaper.

Block A, an area off Cambodia's coast in the Gulf of Thailand, is thought to be one of the nation's most promising areas for oil and gas exploration in the coming years.

Announcement of the deal after almost a year of negotiations with the Cambodian government puts an end to speculation that Chevron might quit the country.

The newspaper noted that Chevron has spent 125 million dollars and drilled 15 exploratory wells in Block A since 2002. The latest date for production, which has been pushed back several times, is 2013.

Chevron is one of many extractive companies that have been criticized in recent years for their refusal to say what they are paying for the rights to tap Cambodia's natural resources. Corruption is endemic in the impoverished South-East Asian nation, and there are concerns that any windfall from oil and gas revenues will be squandered.

Cambodia: Opposition Leader Sam Rainsy's Trial a Farce

via CAAI News Media

29 Jan 2010

Source: Human Rights Watch

Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.

(New York) - A Cambodian court's closed-door conviction and sentencing of the opposition leader Sam Rainsy and two others takes Prime Minister Hun Sen's campaign of persecution of critics to a new extreme and highlights government control over the judiciary, Human Rights Watch said today.

On January 27, 2010, the Svay Rieng provincial court convicted Rainsy and two villagers, Meas Srey and Prom Chea, on charges of racial incitement and destroying demarcation posts on Cambodia's border with Vietnam.

Rainsy, who was in Paris, was tried in absentia and sentenced to two years in prison and fined 8 million riels (approximately US$2,000). Meas Srey and Prom Chea were each sentenced to one year in prison for destroying public property. The court also ordered the three to pay 55 million riels (approximately US$13,000) in compensation for the removal of border markers with Vietnam.

"The Cambodian government's relentless crackdown on critics continues apace in 2010," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Hun Sen seems intent on reversing the political pluralism that has been created over the past two decades."

The cases were brought after Rainsy and local villagers pulled six temporary border markers from the ground in Chantrea district of Svay Rieng. Local villagers alleged that the border markers represented an attempt by Vietnam to encroach on Cambodian land, a longstanding claim of Rainsy and his party.

The trial did not meet international standards for a fair trial, Human Rights Watch said. The lawyer for Meas Srey and Prom Chea said the court refused to consider defense evidence. By trying Rainsy in absentia, the court denied him his rights to defend himself and to examine the evidence against him. The trial was closed to journalists, human rights organizations, and the general public.

The court was surrounded by a heavy police presence, which observers say was intended to intimidate defense counsel and influence the court's ruling - a common feature of political trials in Cambodia. Svay Rieng provincial court has a long history of politically motivated rulings.

On January 6, Hun Sen, who has long exercised an iron grip over the courts, made the outcome of the trial clear. He announced that he would not request a pardon for Rainsy if he was found guilty. "This time I would like to declare ... there is no [pardon]; after the court convicts, let it be," Hun Sen said during an inauguration ceremony for a stretch of National Road 1 in Kandal province.

"Any hopes of slowing Hun Sen's assault on the political opposition now depends on the donor community, which props up the government financially," Adams said. "This political trial should make donors recognize the gravity of the situation."

Senior government officials have repeatedly brought politically motivated cases against Rainsy in recent years. His immunity as a member of parliament was lifted in February 2009 after Hun Sen filed a criminal defamation complaint against him for accusing Hun Sen of corruption.

Rainsy's immunity was restored after his party paid a US$2,500 fine. On November 19, his immunity was lifted again for the border markers case.

Rainsy still faces a defamation complaint filed in 2009 by the Phnom Penh municipal governor, Kep Chuktema, after Rainsy allegedly said in a speech in May that Kep Chuktema was involved in vote-buying.

The most recent attempt to jail Sam Rainsy came in December 2005, when he was sentenced to 18 months in prison on transparently political charges. Rainsy was out of the country at the time. Under international pressure, Hun Sen agreed to a royal pardon in February 2006.

From the time he created his political party in 1995, Rainsy has been subject to assassination attempts, threats, intimidation, criminal cases, and civil court cases. On March 30, 1997, a grenade attack on a political rally he was addressing killed at least 16 people and wounded 150.

Rainsy's life was saved when the full force of the blast hit one of his bodyguards. Hun Sen's bodyguard unit has been implicated in the attack.

At least 10 government critics were prosecuted for criminal defamation and disinformation based on complaints by government and military officials during 2009. Criminal defamation, disinformation, and incitement lawsuits were also filed against two members of Parliament from the opposition Rainsy Party, Mu Sochua and Ho Vann, and a youth activist, Soung Sophorn.

China: Account for Uighur Refugees Forcibly Repatriated to China

Human Rights Watch

http://www.hrw.org/

via CAAI News Media

January 28, 2010

(New York) - The Chinese government should disclose the status and whereabouts of ethnic Uighurs repatriated against their will from Cambodia and allow the United Nations, lawyers, and family members to meet with them, Human Rights Watch said today.

On December 19, 2009, the Cambodian government, under Chinese pressure, forcibly repatriated a group of 20 Uighurs, including two young children, in breach of the UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, and the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment, to which Cambodia is a party.

"Uighur asylum seekers sent back to China by Cambodia have disappeared into a black hole," said Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. "There is no information about their whereabouts, no notification of any legal charges against them, and there are no guarantees they are safe from torture and ill-treatment."

China's record of torture, disappearance, and arbitrary detention of Uighurs, as well as the politicized nature of judicial proceedings in past cases of forced repatriation, raise serious concerns that these individuals are currently at risk of torture and ill-treatment.

In mid-January, Human Rights Watch received an unconfirmed report that some of the Uighurs forcibly deported from Cambodia the previous month have already been sentenced by a court in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of China, with some defendants sentenced to death. Although such quick sentencing would appear to be unusual, the Chinese government's failure to provide any information about the fate of the group makes it impossible to know whether the report is accurate.

"The Chinese government should immediately make a public statement about the whereabouts and status of the Uighurs repatriated from Cambodia, and allow the UN and family members to meet with them," said Richardson. "Family members have the right to know what has happened to their loved ones."

Chinese authorities have a history of executing or harshly sentencing Uighurs forcibly repatriated from neighboring countries:

•In February 2007, Ismail Semed, a Uighur who had been forcibly repatriated from Pakistan, was executed under separatism and terrorism charges.

•In October 2003, Shaheer Ali, also known as Shirali, was executed, also under terrorism charges, after the Nepali authorities had deported him in January 2002. He had left a detailed testimony of the torture he had endured while in detention in 2001.

•There were also credible allegations of torture in the case of Hussein Celil, a Uighur refugee who had acquired Canadian citizenship and had been deported at China's request by Uzbek authorities in June 2006. The Chinese government refused to recognize Celil's Canadian citizenship or to allow Canadian diplomats to visit him or attend his trial. He was sentenced in April 2007 to life imprisonment on terrorism charges after having been coerced into signing a confession, according to his family.

In December 2009, Chinese authorities labeled the group of Uighur asylum-seekers in Cambodia "criminals" and indicated that many were wanted for their participation in ethnic unrest in Urumqi in July 2009 and other incidents. No evidence to support these allegations was provided.

While applying for refugee status in Cambodia, some of the individuals provided detailed accounts of past torture and persecution by Chinese security forces, as well as threats and acts of retaliation against their families if they did not turn themselves in.

One man described having been detained and beaten in police custody following a peaceful demonstration in Xinjiang.

Another member of the group gave a detailed account of his torture and mistreatment in a detention facility in Urumqi in 2007, including being slapped, kicked in the head and stomach, hit on the head with wooden clubs by prison guards, who also authorized him being beaten unconscious by cell-mates.

A third man told of being arrested in 2008 for teaching people about Muslim religious practices. He was beaten by police with a shovel and hung by his handcuffed hands to window bars for hours.

A fourth man described police arresting and slapping him when he was a teenager for praying in his home and the persecution of his family, including confiscation of their farmland, after they refused to comply with a program designed to send unmarried youths to work in factories in eastern China.

A number of men in the group expressed deep fears about their security if they were returned to China because they had witnessed the violence in Urumqi on July 5, 2009.

Human Rights Watch said that the protests of July 5-7, 2009, in Xinjiang's capital of Urumqi were one of the worst episodes of ethnic violence in China in decades. The unrest appears to have been sparked by an attack on Uighurs in the southeast part of the country, which served as a rallying cry for Uighurs angry over longstanding discriminatory policies in Xinjiang. The initially peaceful Uighur demonstration quickly turned into a violent attack against Han Chinese, leaving scores dead or injured.

Instead of launching an impartial investigation into the July 2009 incidents in accordance with international and domestic standards, Chinese law enforcement agencies carried out a massive campaign of arrests in the Uighur areas of Urumqi. Official figures suggest that the number of people detained by the security forces in connection with the protests has reached well over a thousand people. Fourteen people, including Han and Uighurs, have been sentenced to death so far. The trials related to the July violence, like many trials in China, fell short of minimum standards for the administration of justice, with restrictions on legal representation, pre-determined verdicts, and the failure to publicly announce or hold open trials as mandated by law.

Human Rights Watch also expressed concern about reports that a group of 17 Uighurs was deported from the northern Shan state of Burma on January 18, 2010. The men, along with one ethnic Han Chinese, were allegedly handed over at the Ruili-Muse border crossing into Yunnan province, on the Burma-China border, by security officials of the Shan State Special Region 2, a semi-autonomous border zone controlled by the United Wa State Army that has maintained a cease-fire agreement with the central Burmese authorities since 1989.

"The Chinese government must treat all returnees humanely, ensure fair trials, and not persecute individuals for activities and speech that are protected under international law," Richardson said. "Until China complies fully with these standards, we urge other governments to stop all deportations of Uighurs to China."

Cambodia looks forward to ATF 2011

via CAAI News Media

Friday, 29 January 2010

Cambodia is gearing up to host the ASEAN Tourism Forum in 2011, officials saying this week the country was ready to welcome ATF delegates for a second time.

Speaking to reporters at ATF 2010 in Brunei this week, ASEAN Cambodia tourism director Thok Sokhom said the event would be held 15-21 January 2011.

The venue t be used will be the US$4 million Diamond Island Convention and Exhibition Center in Phnom Penh.

The hosting of the event will further boost arrivals to the country which received over 2 million international arrivals last year according to Director Thok.

Of those arrivals, 58 percent were by air and 35-42 percent of arrivals were from the Asia-Pacific.

The director said the tourism board has been working hard to attract more international inbound tourists by increasing accessibility through open-sky policies, visa on arrival, e-visas and visa exemptions for ASEAM member countries.

Indonesia confirmed earlier this week that it would host ATF 2012.

Brunei Passes ATF Plaque To Cambodia

http://www.brudirect.com/

via CAAI News Media

Written by The Borneo Bulletin

Friday, 29 January 2010 07:38

Bandar Seri Begawan - The Minister of Industry and Primary Resources Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Yahya yesterday handed over the Asean Tourism Forum (ATF) Commemorative Plaque to Cambodia, who will be hosting it next year.

On hand to receive the plaque was Mr Pak Sokhani, Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Tourism Cambodia, representing the Minister of Tourisnm Cambodia, and accompanied by Mr Nansy, the Ambassador of Cambodia to Brunei Darussalam.

Also, ATF delegates will embark on a three-day, two-night post-tour of the country starting today and are scheduled to visit Ulu-Ulu National Park, Tasek Merimbun, Oil and Gas Discovery Centre in the Belait District and others. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

DAP News ; Breaking News by Soy Sopheap

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Cambodia Destroys Tonnes of Oil Used to Make Ecstasy

Friday, 29 January 2010 03:14 DAP-NEWS

Cambodian authorities and Australian police on Thursday began destroying tonnes of a raw ingredient used to make the party drug ecstasy, an anti-narcotics official said.

They started burning 14.6 tonnes of confiscated sassafras oil, which is extracted from a rare tree found deep in Cambodia's jungles, said Moek Dara, secretary-general of Cambodia's national authority for combating drugs.

"If we don't crack down on the oil, a lot of people, not only those in Cambodia, will suffer," he told AFP, adding that it would take at least 10 days to destroy the sassafras.

Sassafras is an ingredient for cosmetics but also a precursor chemical to make ecstasy. Five litres of the oil would produce 10,000 pills of the club drug, officials said.

The oil comes from the rare M'rea Prov Phnom tree, Moek Dara said.

The stocks of sassafras, which were confiscated in anti-drug raids last year, were being destroyed in the northwestern province of Battambang along with nearly six tonnes of other chemical substances, he added.

Cambodia destroyed 35 tonnes of sassafras in 2007 when authorities made the oil illegal.

Impoverished Cambodia has become a popular trafficking point for narcotics, particularly methamphetamines and heroin, after neighbouring Thailand toughened its stance on illegal drugs in 2002. (AFP)

Hun Sen Warns Senior Military Officials

Friday, 29 January 2010 03:13 DAP-NEWS

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Thursday warned senior military officials who he said were not performing thier duties well.

Speaking at a meeting of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), PM Hun Sen said that Som Samnang, director general the of finance unit, used to cheat soldiers of their money. “I agreed to hand each soldier with CR5000 as a bonus but this man gave only CR2000 to each soldier. I want to fire this guy but (defense minister) Tea Banh begged me many times not to,” he said. He also warned Choeurn Chanthon, another top military official, who apparently wanted to be deputy commander in chief of RCAF. “I did not agree to appoint him because this man just came into military services and this man had a conspiracy with Ong Somkhan, former navy commander, to sell the navy headquarters and I did not agree to sell that headquarters,” the PM said.

Chao Pirun, director general of technical unit, was also singled out for his mismanagement of weapons and ammunition of the RCA. “He put the weapons and ammunition in messily in warehouses,” Hun Sen added. He did not fire ny of the men .

The PM also warned against using his name and his wife’s name for cheating money, for logging or or illegal land grabs. He urged the defense minister to inform him first about troop movements. “I am not a scarecrow PM,” he said.

No corruption, illegal land clearance is allowed within Cambodian military.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen warned on Thursday that Cambodian military officials must stay away from corruption and land grabbing, but they rather improve controlling of military hardware stockpiles.

Speaking at the closing militarily seminar of reviewing the last five years of military activities, Hun Sen said that some military officials have been involved with criminal acts of either ripping off payment of soldiers or selling the lands of military bases.

“The selling land of the military bases and the unlawful protecting of businesses are to be blamed for weakening the defense field,” said Hun Sen, who himself was a military commander in 1970s during the country’s civil war.

Other officers were reported of involving with unlawful land clearances as well as sending soldiers to keep security at the commanders’ residences, he said.

“They must not use their powerful positions as military to protect businesses.”

“All the military commanders must stop their support any forms of illegal businesses,” Hun Sen warned.

Prime Minister Hun Sen also said that there has been reported about the corruption of Cambodian military, which cannot be tolerated by the government.

“Any corrupt military commanders must be removed.” He also said his Southeast Asian nation will never allow any foreign forces to use this kingdom as battlefield to fight back their own country overseas. He did not elaborate this.

He also said the last week clashed between Cambodia and Thailand armed forces was regarded as a small incident.

At least six soldiers were killed from both sides since the two Asian neighbors’ military armed clashed which have been locked in a standoff since July, 2008, near at the Cambodian Temple of Preah Vihear.

Rainsy Threatens Complaint to International Community

Friday, 29 January 2010 03:13 DAP-NEWS

Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy on Thursday said he is ready to file complaints related to his case to international courts, the internal community and other countries according to the October 23, 1991 agreement.

Rainsy’s remarks come after Svay Rieng court on Wednesday sentenced him to two years in jail and fine of nearly CR60 million of destroying public property after he and some local villagers pulled out border markers between Cambodia and Vietnam.

Speaking live from overseas to his lawmakers and other SRP members and activists, Sam Rainsy said that “I have not decided to come back yet as the Cambodian government still does not release the two convicted villagers.”

He also alleged that his case has been marred by interference from the Vietnamese Prime Minister . “To convict the two villagers and I is not important, but the most important thing is that Cambodian land was grabbed illegally by Vietnam.”

The opposition party leader also called into doubt the impartiality of the Cambodian court . He still claimed that he was not guilty as the border markers he pulled out were in Cambodian private land; local villagers’ paddy fields.

However, a government official said that the government is not worried about Rainsy’s threats .

Var Kimhong, Cambodian border committee president, told DAP News Cambodia on Thursday that “The government does not care about Sam Raisy´s complaints and the government is waiting to see who Sam Rainsy brings to talk about the border matters.”

French FM to Visit Cambodia

Friday, 29 January 2010 03:12 DAP-NEWS

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner will visit Cambodia in April to strengthen the bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

“The purpose of French foreign minister’s visit this time is to expand the bonds of friendly countries,” said Koy Kuong, spokesman and undersecretary of state for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. “It will bring more success for mutual relations.”

Sok An, deputy prime minister and minister in charge of the Council of Ministers, said at the annual meeting of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts that French Foreign Minister will join the opening ceremony of the first-step restoration of Baphoun temple, which was completed with support from the French Government. The Baphoun, located in Siem Reap province, has been restored with help from the French government and experts over decades, though the Cambodian civil war halted work for years. Repairs have taken nearly 16 years. “French experts have worked with our experts, and it is the best achievement for temple restoration,” Sok An said. “The French government has helped us a lot in culture, including temple restoration.”

France was the colonial master of Cambodia for 90 years (1863-1953) and in 2009, Cambodian leaders including King Sihamoni, PM Hun Sen, and Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong and visited France. Cambodian government also agreed in principle to allow the French oil company TOTAL to invest Cambodian oil and gas exploration off the coast of Preah Sihanouk province after PM Hun Sen visited France last year, though there are rumors the deal has since fallen through.

Taiwanese Man Sen- tenced to 26 Years in Jail

Friday, 29 January 2010 03:11 DAP-NEWS

Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Thursday convicted a Taiwanese man for drug trafficking and sentenced him to 26 years imprisonment and a fine of CR80 million , a court clerk said .

Chhin Sinhan was arrested at thr Phnom Penh International Airport on February 26, 2009, local police said.

The defendant admitted to bringing 2 packages of 1 kg of heroin from Cambodia to Taiwan. he claimed to have debts of US$ 30,000 that the other traffickers told him would be wiped. He said they threatened to kill his family. “Although, it is illegal, I must do it,” he added.

The defendant’s lawyer, Dun Vibol, appealed for leniency in light of his constrained circumstances.

Finance Minister Visits BVB’s Rice Investment

Friday, 29 January 2010 03:09 DAP-NEWS

The Finance Minister on Wednesday visited the VBV rice production facility in Kampong Thom province. General Manager of BVB Investment Doung Vibol told DAP News Cambodia that BVB was established in 2006to invest in agro-industrial projects .

The company has 1,999 ha developed with an Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan.

Doung Vibol said he bought about 3,190 tons of rice from farmers in Kampong Thom.

Finance Minister Keat Chhon was joined by other government officials

The BVB aims to produce at least 100,000 to 200,000 tons of rice a year, and about 12,500 tons of bran and about 4,400 tons od rice husks, he added.

Rice husks will be used to make at least 10 megawatts of power, he said.

Aorund 6,000 sows will also be raised, to be fed on at least 200-250 tons rice bran a day. BVB will construct a slaughterhouse able to kill about 400 pigs a day and produce to clean meat, he said.

Gov’t Official Pledges to Help Detained Cambodians

Friday, 29 January 2010 03:09 DAP-NEWS

Government officials pledged to help six Cambodians who crossed into Thailand territory and were charged and detained by a Thai Surin province court, according to a local Oddor Meanchey source on Wednesday.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Koy Koung told DAP News Cambodia on January 28 that the Cambodian Regional Consul is seeking to help the Cambodians, although they were in Thai territory and had probably committed crimes, the FM spokesman added.

“Cambodia will find defender lawyers to help them; it is not a big problem,” he said.

The Cambodians are liable to prosecution under Thai laws, Koy Koung added.

A local source, Chan Tha, told DAP News Cambodia that seven Cambodians left home to find vines near Surin province in Thailand, but six were arrested by Thai authorities, including four women.

The six Cambodians were identified as Sot Mun, 54, his wife Leav Nhim, 23, Seoung Tok, 36, Tun Sameth, 20, Tounh Kroy, 24, and San Reth, 33.

The seventh Cambodian Leang Kri, 50, escaped.

This is the third recent arrest of Cambodians by Thai authorities in Thai territory. Some Cambodians were shot by Thai soldiers.