More complaints in monk case

Photo by: Heng Chivoan
An officer carries evidence, including a computer and a pot of burnt incense sticks, from Srah Chak pagoda, where a monk is said to have secretly recorded videos of hundreds of women showering.

via Khmer NZ

Monday, 09 August 2010 15:02 Kim Yuthana

TWO women and a girl came forward last week to file complaints against a defrocked monk who allegedly recorded pornographic videos in the public shower of a Phnom Penh pagoda.

Neth Kai, 35, was arrested on June 26 after being accused of using mobile phones to secretly record hundreds of videos of naked women showering in a bathroom at Srah Chak pagoda in Daun Penh district.

He was defrocked soon after the scandal broke, and Phnom Penh Municipal Court has charged him with producing pornography. If found guilty, he faces a sentence of a month to a year in prison and a fine of between US$48 and $480.

Court president Chiv Keng said that a total of four women had filed complaints against Neth Kai, and that the new cases could go to trial before the end of the month. “These victims face ... serious embarrassment when they see their friends and neighbours, and some are afraid to go to school because the pornography recorded by Neth Kai has emerged into the public sphere,” he said.

The court had appointed a female judge and clerk to the case, he said, in order to help victims feel more “courageous” and less “ashamed” during the questioning process.

Investigators estimate that about 18 of the 631 women recorded by the monk were minors, Chiv Keng said.

The scandal has prompted officials to issue warnings that people caught watching the video clips could face up to a month in jail and a fine of between $24 and $48.

Soeun Sophak, 24, of Tuol Kork district, became the first to be held accountable under these rules last month, when he was sentenced to a month in prison for distributing videos made by the monk.

Labour firm director faces court queries

via Khmer NZ

Monday, 09 August 2010 15:02 Mom Kunthear

THE director of a training centre owned by recruitment firm VC Manpower is scheduled to appear for questioning at Phnom Penh Municipal Court today following accusations that a trainee under his care was mistreated, a police official said yesterday.

Long Sakan filed a complaint on August 2, claiming that the director of a VC Manpower centre in the capital’s Sen Sok district had prevented her daughter from leaving the centre during a three-month training period.

Pol Khemra, deputy director of the Department of Police at the Interior Ministry, said yesterday that the director of the centre had been summoned to appear for questioning today, but that it was unclear whether he would face charges.

“He can be arrested if his answers have something suspect,” he said.

The accused could not be reached for comment yesterday, but Sen Ly, the director of a seperate VC Manpower training centre, confirmed yesterday that “a company representative” would appear in court today for questioning.

“We are not afraid to appear at the court, and we are happy to appear at the court in order for us to respond to accusations against our company,” he said.

On Tuesday, the company sent Long Sakan’s daughter to Malaysia.

Long Sakan said yesterday that she had not yet received a summons but was prepared to appear in court.

“I am not afraid to stand face to face with the company at the court, and I will try my best for my daughter to be returned back home,” she said.

VC Manpower was last month investigated following separate accusations concerning the treatment of clients, and was temporarily barred from recruiting clients after officials announced that they had found 24 underage girls being trained by the company.

Police round up ‘gangsters’ in Siem Reap

Photo by: Rann Reuy
Youths are lined up before police in Siem Reap province after being swept up in a crackdown on traffic law violations and “gangster” activity.

via Khmer NZ

Monday, 09 August 2010 15:02 Rann Reuy

Siem Reap province

POLICE in Siem Reap province have arrested 53 youths as part of a crackdown on “gangster” activity, seven of whom are being held on suspicion of using drugs, officials said yesterday.

Sok San, deputy director of the provincial military police research and justice department, said 45 men and eight women between the ages of 16 and 22 were arrested before daybreak yesterday while riding motorbikes, and that they had been accused of violations including speeding, failing to wear a helmet and using drugs.

He said police and military police had set up 10 checkpoints around Siem Reap town “to check for drug-addicted youths and to arrest gangsters so they can be re-educated”.

Of those arrested, 46 were released yesterday.

Thorng Sakun, chief of the Siem Reap traffic police, said the parents and guardians of those arrested for not wearing helmets had been asked to purchase helmets before their charges were released.

Some of those arrested denied any involvement in “gangster” activity.

Vy Vireak, 21, said he had just finished a shift of work at a restaurant in Siem Reap when he was stopped by police early Sunday morning and arrested because he was not wearing a helmet. He said he supported the crackdown, but that he hopes officials will focus their efforts in the future on “real gangsters”.

He said that his brief run-in with the law had left him “scared” and “ashamed”.

Sok Ly, 33, said his 18-year-old nephew had also been unjustly arrested.

“My nephew never goes out after midnight, so last night was an accident,” he said.

Shrimp sales a success

Photo by: Chun Sophal
Lines of workers deal with shrimp at a Nautisco plant. The company has struck a deal to export 50 tonnes per month to South Korea and Japan.

via Khmer NZ

Monday, 09 August 2010 15:01 Chun Sophal

NAUTISCO Seafood Manufacturing has sold a large batch of shrimp to two Japanese and South Korean firms, in a deal set to draw more than a million dollars to the Kingdom this year.

Nautisco’s Sihanoukville plant has agreed to provide 50 tonnes of shrimp worth US$300,000 every month from August. According to the firm, 30 tonnes will be sent to Japan’s Hanwa Co Ltd and the other 20 tonnes to Korea’s Wooil PS Corporation. The first lot has already been sold.

“We hope that the exports will help increase revenue and employment for Cambodian people,” said Nautisco Manager Sam Pov yesterday.

He said the processing factory bought up to 2.5 tonnes of shrimps from local fishermen per day for export.

His company generally sold about 90 percent of the cooked and fresh shrimps it produced to overseas markets, and used the rest for supply local supermarkets and hotels, he said.

“We want the world to know that Cambodia also has processed seafood like other countries,” Sam Pov said.

In 2008, Nautisco invested more than $3 million to build a shrimp-processing factory able to deal with 15 tonnes of shrimps per day in Preah Sihanouk province’s Steung Hav district.

In May, investment fund Leopard Capital acquired a 31.48 percent stake in the Nautisco plant for $1.6 million in a move that the firm said would accelerate its expansion and success.

General Department of Fisheries Administration general director Nao Thuk could not be reached yesterday.

Cambodia caught 75,000 tonnes of seafood in 2009, according to the government.

Chi Kraeng arrests total 46

via Khmer NZ

Monday, 09 August 2010 15:01 May Titthara

A TOTAL of 46 villagers have been arrested in less than two years in connection with a land row in Siem Reap province pitting farmers against two businessmen and military police, the rights group Adhoc said in a statement yesterday.

The statement was issued as more than 200 villagers from Chi Kraeng commune gathered in pagodas in Siem Reap town in advance of a court hearing against nine villagers that is scheduled for today.

All nine are accused of trying to kill military police in a March 2009 altercation that allegedly saw the police open fire on a group of villagers, injuring four. No charges have been filed against any of the officers involved, but the nine villagers were charged with attempted intentional manslaughter under Article 4 of the Law on Aggravating Circumstances for Felonies after police accused them of threatening officers with machetes.

The trial began with a four-hour hearing late last month and was scheduled to resume on August 2. It was pushed back to today, however, after Judge Chhay Song became ill last week, court officials said.

Rights groups and relatives of the arrested men have described the charges against them as baseless, and have complained that calls for the punishment of the relevant military police officers have gone unheeded.

But Ouch Leng, land programme officer for Adhoc, said yesterday that the total number of arrests dating back to November 2008, when military police first moved to kick farmers off their land, was equally troubling. According to the Adhoc statement, all but 13 of the arrested villagers were questioned and released without having to spend a night in jail. There are currently 12 villagers behind bars in connection with the dispute.

“Using arrests and imprisoning people is not a good way to resolve this,” Ouch Leng said. “We would like to insist that the government intervene to free the 12 prisoners, and that officials also stop making accusations against the people and stop arresting them.”

Chea Sam Ol, 33, was among the villagers who travelled from Chi Kraeng over the weekend to Siem Reap town so he could be at the court when the trial resumed today.

His father, Klin Ieng, 58, is one of the nine men charged with attempted intentional manslaughter.

“Tonight we will stay at the pagoda, and tomorrow we will go to the provincial court in order to ask authorities to free the 12 prisoners,” Chea Sam Ol said yesterday. “We hope the court will find justice for us victims.”

Bunn Tharavith, the deputy governor of Siem Reap province, declined to comment on the Adhoc statement yesterday, saying he hadn’t seen it.

He said any decision to release the 12 detained men would be made by the court. Provincial court officials could not be reached.

Police Blotter: 9 Aug 2010

via Khmer NZ

Monday, 09 August 2010 15:00 Veng Rachana

SEARCH FOR COW LEADS TO SEXUAL ASSAULT IN FOREST

Police have arrested a man accused of raping an 11-year-old girl in Kampong Thom province’s Prasat Sambor district. The victim said that on August 1, when she was looking for her lost cow, the suspect told her that he had seen the cow, and that she should follow him. When they reached a secluded place in the forest, the suspect raped her and escaped. After arriving home, the victim reported the incident to her sister, who filed a complaint to police immediately. A day later, police found the suspect trying to flee and arrested him.

KOH SANTEPHEAP

MAN THREATENS MOTHER OVER MOTOBIKE MONEY

Russey Keo district police have arrested a man accused of trying to kill his mother last week. Police said that at 4:30pm on Thursday, the suspect had an argument with his mother because she refused to call her daughter working in China to ask for US$2,000 for a new motorbike. Enraged, the suspect destroyed property in the house, grabbed a knife and threatened to burn down the house. After receiving a complaint from the mother, police arrested the son immediately, and he has since been sent to Phnom Penh Municipal Court.

KOH SANTEPHEAP

ELECTOFISHING LEADS TO A DEADLY FALLOUT

A man was found dead in Kampong Cham province’s Tbaung Kmum district on Friday. The victim’s wife said her husband had gone to electrofish alone in his rice field behind the house the previous day. Suddenly, she heard the sound of gunfire, and the whole family ran to look for him. It wasn’t until the next morning that his corpse was found in another rice field around 1,400 metres from his house. The victim had suffered a broken neck and injuries to the right side of his skull. Police said the case might have been a revenge attack.

KOH SANTEPHEAP

DRINK SESSION MARRED BY RANDOM KNIFE ASSAULT

Police arrested a man after he stabbed his friend with a knife in Takeo province’s Tram Kok district on August 2. Police said the friends were drinking wine with one other person. After drinking for a while, the suspect went home, came back with a knife and slashed the victim for no apparent reason. The suspect admitted to stabbing his friend, saying that he did so because he was too drunk.

KOH SANTEPHEAP

Terra verifies ruby, gold discovery

via Khmer NZ

Monday, 09 August 2010 15:01 Jeremy Mullins

TERRA Energy & Resource Technologies has reported that its satellite identification of a “substantial gold and ruby discovery” had been verified on the ground.

The New-York based company – which began its Cambodian analysis in early 2010 – had found deposits in hard rock in an undisclosed area of the Kingdom, a press release stated.

Millennium International Group, which contracted Terra, dispatched geologists to sample the identified deposits. Now, according to the release, commercial extraction of gems is projected “for at least five years”.

“Expeditious commercialization of the deposit should result in near-term royalty cashflow for Terra,” said Terra President Alexandre Agaian.

Terra has a 3 percent overriding royalties and 10 percent co-investment right as part of its contract, he said, and he predicted that the firm would decide whether to exercise its right in the “near future”.

Terra said its satellite technology was able to explore beneath the earth’s surface by reading radiation.

Cambodian Association of Mining and Exploration Companies president Richard Stranger said yesterday that satellite exploration was becoming standard procedure in mineral resource exploration.

Millennium Group and Terra could not be reached for comment yesterday. Terra closed at US$0.05 Friday on over-the-counter trading, near its 52-week low.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING SUN NARIN

Trading partners: Hong Kong boost from lower tariffs

via Khmer NZ

Monday, 09 August 2010 15:01 May Kunmakara

GOVERNMENT officials believe the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement had helped boost bilateral trade between Cambodia and Hong Kong.

Trade between the Kingdom and the city rose 15 percent in the first half of 2010, compared to the same period of last year, official data released by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council have shown.

“This increase is showing signs that the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement is going on in the region,” said secretary of state for Cambodia’s Ministry of Commerce, Ok Boung.

The China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement came into effect in January this year. It required members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to reduce the majority of trade tariffs with China to zero percent. The newest members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations - Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar - will gradually eliminate tariffs by 2015.

The data showed that the value of trade increased to US$287 million. Of this, Hong Kong’s exports to Cambodia increased around 16 percent to $279 million. Hong Kong’s imports from the Kingdom rose 6 percent.

But the Director General of Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, Nguon Meng Tech, was concerned that local authorities could create barriers for investment.

Pigs' manure to fuel Mong Reththy farm

Photo by: Heng Chivoan
A pig peers through the bars of an enclosure at a Battambang farm.

via Khmer NZ

Monday, 09 August 2010 15:01 Sun Narin and Jeremy Mullins

THE Mong Reththy Group has signed a memorandum of understanding to build a biogas-generation plant fuelled by pig manure at its farm in Preah Sihanouk province.

The electricity-generation plant will be built at the group’s farm which is to contain 5,000 pigs for breeding in the Oknha Mong Development Zone.

Manure would be converted into biogas for on-site electricity consumption in a green initiative financed by German bank KfW Bankengruppe for an undisclosed sum, its owner Mong Reththy said yesterday.

“KfW will finance the electricity generation, and I am responsible for the pig farm,” he said.

The pig waste had the potential to continuously generate a small but constant 270 kilovolt amperes (kVA) of electricity, he said.

The German group has touted the procedure as one that could be replicated on other farms in Cambodia, helping to promote public awareness of renewable energy and the hazards of climate change, according to a statement.

“Uncontrolled livestock waste management contributes to significant air and other pollution in the vicinity of the farms,” KfW said in a press release that highlighted the production of methane from farm animals as a environmental hazard.

It said the new electricity generation scheme would generate income while reducing pollution caused by livestock.

Construction of the US$5 million farm, Mong Reththy’s second, is slated for completion next month.

The waste-powered generator scheme will also produce revenue through carbon credits, KfW said.

The state-owned bank operates a carbon fund used to purchase carbon credits, in keeping with the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.

Pork sales crash on import ban

via Khmer NZ

Monday, 09 August 2010 15:01 Mom Kunthear

PLUMMETING demand following a ban on Thai and Vietnamese pig imports has driven half the pork vendors in Kampong Thom’s market to suspend sales.

Heng Sophal, 40, a pork seller at Kampong Thom market, said she had suspended selling the meat after sales dropped significantly following Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ban of pig imports, to contain the spread of “blue ear” disease.

“Before I sold 200 kilograms per day, but during the past week I could not sell even 10 kilograms,” she said, as buyers are opting for other meats over pork to avoid getting sick, despite government officials’ saying the disease was not transferable to humans.

She said the cost of diseased pork had dropped to 2,000 riels per kilogram, but that ordinary pork maintained its average cost of 15,000 riels per kilogram.

Srun Pov, head of the Cambodian Pig Raisers Association, said yesterday that the outbreak of “blue ear” or porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome was under control after border authorities blocked imports from Vietnam and Thailand.

“Besides the ban ... we also explained to all pig feeders how to protect their pigs from contracting the disease like cleaning the pens and putting antibiotics in their food,” and many pig-sellers had themselves postponed buying pigs until the disease was eradicated, he said.

He suggested that the ban might be lifted next month, with the aim of resuming imports from Thailand – where the outbreak had been more serious than in Vietnam.

Hun Sen announced the suspension of pig imports on August 1, after blue ear first spread to Cambodia in May, threatening the industry.

Locals seek to sew up trade deals in Korea

via Khmer NZ

Monday, 09 August 2010 15:00 Roth Meas

THREE Cambodian handicraft producers have been chosen to exhibit their wares in South Korea from September 9 to 12, with an eye to boosting future exports of the Kingdom’s handicrafts, Ministry of Commerce officials said yesterday.

The Kingdom has chosen to debut handicrafts from two private companies, Sentosa Silk and Neang Milss, as well as wares from Watthan Artisans, a nongovernmental organisation.

The items the organisation’s produce, which include furniture, scarves, clothes and handbags, will be showcased at the Seoul Gift Show and would test Korean markets, the ministry’s Trade Promotion deputy chief Ouch Savin said.

“If Korean people like our products, they will sign contracts with us, bringing more of our products to Korea,” he said.

Korean production costs were very high, he said, and the country was looking to increase its imports from lower-cost countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, including Cambodia.

Experts gave a presentation about Korean consumer preferences to representatives of 21 companies in Phnom Penh on Friday, he said, as Cambodian exports must be ready to face stiff competition in the market.

Phon Phanna beats Van Chanvey in epic battle

Photo by: Robert Starkweather
Phon Phanna (left, blue) and Van Chanvey electrified a packed house at the TV3 boxing arena Saturday with a high-wattage, toe-to-toe brawl.

via Khmer NZ

Monday, 09 August 2010 15:00 Robert Starkweather

IN what will likely go down as the 2010 fight of the year, undefeated Koh Kong newcomer Phon Phanna outpointed top-ranked veteran Van Chanvey to clinch a spot in the light-welterweight tournament finals.

Fighting Saturday at the TV3 boxing arena, Phon Phanna cut Van Chanvey with an elbow early in the third round and withstood a ferocious 4th-round onslaught to hang on and score the upset.

“My head is sore,” said Phon Phanna, still dazed and rubbing his head several minutes after the fight. “Elbows,” he explained. “I’m dizzy.”

Both fighters copped a fierce beating.

Van Chanvey spent several post-fight minutes sitting on the apron before limping over to an empty judges table.

“The knees wore me out,” he said, as corner man Chan Ratana poked a towel between his teeth and the ringside doctor began stitching closed the gash across his forehead.

Twenty minutes later, Van Chanvey was on his hands and knees in the TV3 parking lot vomiting.

Blood and brutality

After two studious opening rounds, Van Chanvey and Phon Phanna climbed into each other in the third.

Phon Phanna opened a long diagonal cut across Van Chanvey’s forehead with an elbow in the first minute of the round and, except for two referee stoppages to mop up the blood, the pair traded power shots non-stop for three solid minutes.

When the bell rang, Phon Phanna glared across the ring and rolled a victory fist in the air. The gloating, however, was just a bit premature.

Van Chanvey came roaring back in the forth. “I wanted to knock him out,” he said

Smeared in blood, the pair traded dozens of elbows. Van Chanvey called it a “fight to the death.” Both fighters look dazed at times, and both appeared in danger of going down on several occasions.

“I was finished in the fourth,” Phon Phanna said.

But the knockout Van Chanvey so badly wanted never came, and by the fifth round he could barely hold his gloves up.

Phon Phanna, in only slightly better condition, came forward with strong push kicks, sending Van Chanvey into the ropes like a ragdoll. But also exhausted, he lacked the energy to put the Battambang left-hander away.

Photo by: Robert Starkweather
Van Chanvey receives medical attention for a cut across his forehead during his bout against Phon Phanna.

A new contender emerges

Six months ago, few in boxing circles had ever heard the name Phon Phanna.

Before returning to the Phnom Penh boxing scene in December, the 21-year-old Koh Kong native had spent the previous few years fighting across the border in Thailand.

Since coming home, he has rocketed from unheard of to unbeatable, and the victory over 22-year-old Van Chanvey makes him the top challenger in the light-welterweight division.

Beyond the TV3 tournament, a shortlist of top-ranked talent awaits him. Those names include Phal Sophat (the Bayon TV light-welterweight champion), Long Sophy (the TV5 lightweight champion) and Lao Sinath (the lightweight and light-welterweight champion at CTN).

Kao Roomchang, too, makes for an extremely compelling match up, even though he holds no title.

But first, Phon Phanna must get through the field at TV3. And that likely means another encounter with Van Chanvey.

Do or die for final berth

With a single fight card left in the round robin stage, Phon Phanna leads the pack with a 2-0 record.

Van Chanvey and Cheam Adam are tied in second at 1-1. The two will meet in a do-or-die bout August 21 to determine who faces Phon Phanna in the tournament final.

Bayon Wanderers end long search for glory

Photo by: Sreng Meng Srun

Players from Dan’s Demons (yellow) and Paddy Rice (red) compete in their group match of the PPPost Charity Cup Saturday.

Monday, 09 August 2010 15:00 Dan Riley

AN ecstatic Bayon Wanderers line-up finally ended their 15-year wait for a tournament victory by winning the Phnom Penh Post Charity Cup at Kidzcool Astroturf pitch Saturday. Club founder Billy Barnaart was delighted at the triumph, sealed with a win over Jimmy’s Old Stars in the grand final Saturday, to claim their first title in nearly 45 attempts in events across the region.

“Everything clicked,” said Barnaart when describing his team’s winning formula. “I’m very pleased.”

Photo by: Nestle Poell
Bayon Wanderers captain Billy Barnaart holds up the PPPost Charity Cup as his teammates celebrate victory Saturday at Kidzcool.

The Bayon Wanderers, a Phnom Penh-based team of football enthusiasts from all over the world who have played on average three tournaments each year since 1995, remarkably have never claimed the winner’s trophy in any of their previous competitions, despite some strong performances. “At the last Sports For All tournament played at Olympic Stadium, we were kicked out in the quarterfinals,” said Barnaart. “In the Far Eastern tournament in Bangkok [played every year in April], we were also kicked out in the quarterfinals.

“In the Phnom Penh Post Mini Soccer Championship, we won all of our regular league matches, but stumbled in the semifinals. The same happened in the Bayon Challenge. We won all our games and then stumbled in the semifinals.”

Barnaart hopes his team can continue their newly found success into future events, with an entry into the seven-a-side Masters tournament for over 35-year-olds in Phuket planned, as well as another appearance in the Sports For All competition. “It’s always fun to play at Olympic Stadium,” said Barnaart. “Hopefully we can win the Cup.”

Invitations to events in the Philippines and China, however, are liked to be declined due to financial restrictions.

The 10 teams competing in the PPPost Charity Cup Saturday helped raise over US$2,000 towards the costs to send a Cambodian team to the 2010 Homeless World Cup in Rio de Janeiro next month. Team organisers Happy Football Cambodia Australia are still looking for sponsorship for the trip, with a documentary screening and salsa dancing night scheduled for this Friday at Meta House.

The Phnom Penh Post News in Brief

via Khmer NZ

KDC land dispute: Families petition PM over suits


Monday, 09 August 2010 15:01 Khouth Sophakchakrya

KDC land dispute

A REPRESENTATIVE of more than 100 families involved in a dispute with KDC International, a company headed by the wife of a government minister, said yesterday that he had submitted a petition to Prime Minister Hun Sen, requesting intervention after the company brought a series of lawsuits against villagers.

Pheng Tom accused the company of using the court system to discourage 108 families from protesting its efforts to remove them from their land in Kampong Chhnang province, and said four protesters had been arrested in connection with the case.

Court officials and a company representative could not be reached for comment.

Gold-diggers: Monks block Pailin hunt for treasure

Monday, 09 August 2010 15:01 Meas Sokchea

Gold-diggers

A GROUP of monks has accused the governor of Pailin province of ordering local security forces to attempt to dig for buried treasure over the weekend at a pagoda in Pailin town.

With the support of about 2,000 local residents, the monks were able to stop 100 police, military police and members of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces from carrying out digs on Saturday and Sunday, despite threats of arrest if they resisted, monks said. Noan Sophen, deputy chief of Ratanak Sophoan pagoda, said yesterday that the treasure hunt had been ordered by Pailin provincial governor Y Chhien.

Y Chhien could not be reached yesterday. Van Nalong, Pailin provincial military police chief, denied allegations that threats of arrest had been issued.

Post Fantasy League kick-off just days away

Monday, 09 August 2010 15:00 Dan Riley

The start of the new English Premier League season is just five days away, and aspiring managers are busy constructing their squads for the accompanying Post Fantasy League. Following the success of last season, Cellcard have confirmed they will be sponsoring prizes for weekly and overall winners. To submit your team, go to fantasy.premierleague.com and enter the code 42804-14678 to join our league. There are new rules (published on the forum page) and managers must register their team by email to dan.riley@phnompenhpost.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to be eligible for prize collection.

Oil pushes petrol rise

Monday, 09 August 2010 15:00 Chun Sophal

DOMESTIC petrol prices rose this week after a monthlong standstill, according a report by Cambodia’s leading oil company Sokimex. Petrol yesterday sold for 4,550 riels (US$1.08) per litre, a 4.59 percent increase on last month. On Tuesday, New York’s light sweet crude for delivery in September breached $82 per barrel.

Kingdom-Harta deal

Monday, 09 August 2010 15:00 Jeremy Mullins

PHNOM Penh’s Kingdom Breweries will source its cartons from domestic start-up Harta Packages in its "first large-scale commercial partnership,” operations manager Keith Teh said. The brewery plans to open this month.

Smart Mobile to allow top-ups with ABA Bank

Monday, 09 August 2010 15:00 Jeremy Mullins

SMART Mobile has concluded an agreement with ABA Bank to allow mobile top-ups through its ATMs and internet-banking system. Smart has similar existing agreements with ANZ Royal and ACLEDA Bank, as well as mobile transfer service WING.

ASEAN rights body has potential

via Khmer NZ

Monday, 09 August 2010 15:00 Youk Chhang and John D Ciorciari

Analysis

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Youk Chhang and John D Ciorciari

Last October, Southeast Asian leaders launched the new Association of Southeast Asian Nations Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights. The commission has received mixed reactions in the human rights community. Some have lauded it as a step in the right direction, but many have dismissed it as toothless or damned it with faint praise. AICHR has both a duty and a viable opportunity to prove its critics wrong.

The commission is part of a broader effort to boost ASEAN’s relevance and credibility. ASEAN has traditionally emphasised noninterference and lagged behind other regional organisations in prioritising human rights. Its reluctance to focus on human rights has drawn Western ire and frustrated ASEAN’s attempt to plug further into the global economy. Friction inside the region has also increased due to changing norms, continuing ideological differences, and resentment of the collective price that ASEAN members must pay for individual members’ malfeasance.

In 2006, the Eminent Persons Group of senior Southeast Asian statesmen recommended setting up an ASEAN human rights mechanism to manage these challenges. A year later, leaders signed the ASEAN Charter, which directed officials to create a new body for the “promotion and protection of human rights” in the region. However, most Southeast Asian governments eyed that clause with suspicion. Many have spotty human rights records, and almost all remain acutely sensitive to perceived interference in their internal affairs. Few welcomed the notion of a regional body that would shine light on their own human rights practices.

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Most Southeast Asians know too little about the basic rights to which they are entitled.

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Consequently, the commission they created has very limited powers. In its current form, it looks more like an effort to deflect external criticism than take it to heart. It includes representatives from the 10 ASEAN countries, and they must reach decisions by consensus. That gives any recalcitrant member an effective veto on AICHR actions. The commission lacks the powers needed to protect human rights, since it cannot solicit or respond to complaints of specific abuses. It can issue reports, but only when all of its government-appointed representatives agree on the content. It has little independent budget or bureaucratic support. Critiques of the AICHR’s structure are therefore well-founded.

Still, ASEAN is not at a dead end. The creation of the new commission is a meaningful acknowledgement by ASEAN capitals of the importance of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The best way forward for AICHR is to proceed on two parallel tracks. The first is for ASEAN and the more supportive commissioners and governments to explore ways of building a role for AICHR in protecting human rights.

One proposal is for sympathetic governments to invite AICHR to examine and report upon sensitive situations. That idea makes good sense, provided that the governments in question agree not to censor the resulting reports. Major change will not happen overnight, but incremental change is possible. Modest advances can set the stage for meaningful reform when the commission undergoes a planned review on its fifth birthday.

The commission has much greater immediate promise pursuing the other half of its mandate: promoting human rights. This means a variety of things, but ASEAN has rightly identified education as a key priority. Most Southeast Asians know too little about the rights to which they are entitled. Most also know little about ASEAN, an organisation that acts in their name but too often confines itself to intergovernmental affairs.

Human rights education – particularly by teaching youth as early as possible in their schooling – is a way to make ASEAN more relevant to ordinary Southeast Asian people and to contribute to the goals set out in the association’s charter. There will inevitably be political wrangling about what subjects to include and how to discuss the many sensitive issues in regional human rights. However, there are also good places to start.

In Cambodia, the establishment of the Khmer Rouge tribunal helped create political space for educating the public about genocide and other grave human rights violations. Most young Cambodians have only begun to learn about the human rights principles that can help prevent future atrocities. The recent verdict against that tribunal’s first defendant, Duch, provides one possible starting point for teaching those principles. AICHR can usefully assist Cambodians with that educational effort, working alongside experts and civil society organisations in the region. Surely, the goal of genocide prevention is widely shared in Southeast Asia.

Cambodia and other Southeast Asian countries have a chance to build regional leadership and international credibility by working with AICHR on human rights education. For ASEAN, effective human rights education will enhance the association’s reputation and relevance. It will also convey interest in local futures and help build a sense of regional community.

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John D Ciorciari teaches international relations at the University of Michigan. Youk Chhang is director of the Documentation Centre of Cambodia.

78 Land Victims Protest at the Council of Minister (Khmer Language)

Radio Free Asia
http://www.rfa.org/khmer

Duch Verdict Printed for the Public (Khmer Language)

Radio Free Asia
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Security officers try to drag a villager onto a bus to send her back home during a protest in the park near the residence of Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen in Phnom Penh August 8, 2010. About 50 villagers, representing 416 families from Battambang province, sought help from the premier to solve a long-running land dispute involving a senior military general. The villagers also demanded that Hun Sen release their five representatives from prison and end all future arrests over land disputes. REUTERS/Stringer

Security officers try to drag a villager onto a bus to send him back home during a protest in the park near the residence of Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen in Phnom Penh August 8, 2010. About 50 villagers, representing 416 families from Battambang province, sought help from the premier to solve a long-running land dispute involving a senior military general. The villagers, who are former Khmer Rouge soldiers who defected in the 1990s after decades of civil war, also demanded that Hun Sen release their five representatives from prison and end all future arrests over land disputes. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Yen Pove (C), 37, cries as she prays during a protest in the park near the residence of Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen in Phnom Penh August 8, 2010. About 50 villagers, representing 416 families from Battambang province, sought help from the premier to solve a long-running land dispute involving a senior military general. The villagers also demanded that Hun Sen release their five representatives from prison and end all future arrests over land disputes. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

A vendor selling gasoline waits for customers in Phnom Penh August 8, 2010. Officials from Cambodia will travel to Iran next week and the two countries will sign agreements covering cooperation in the oil sector, the foreign minister of the Southeast Asian state said. The sign reads, "Super gasoline 4500 riel (top), regular 4300 riel". REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

A vendor fills a motorcycle with gasoline in Phnom Penh August 8, 2010. Officials from Cambodia will travel to Iran next week and the two countries will sign agreements covering cooperation in the oil sector, the foreign minister of the Southeast Asian state said. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Abhisit says demarcation MOU with Cambodia may be last option

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/

via Khmer NZ

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told the People's Alliance for Democracy that the cancellation of the border demarcation memorandum of understanding with Cambodia will be done only if the border disputes cannot be solved.

Abhist was speaking when he met PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang and PAD demonstrators at the Thai-Japanese Stadium in Din Daeng at noon Saturday.

The PAD called on the government to cancel the 2000 MOU and take the disputed plot near Preah Vihear Temple.

"I confirm that the MFA has been working hard on this, to make sure our rights haven't been breached," Abhisit said.

"About the land encroachment, we will cancel the MOU if the problem can't be settled. We will use both democratic and military means," Abhisit said, referring to the plot near the temple.

The Nation

Thailand stepped up rhetoric against Cambodia by vowing to use force

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Cambodia marches away from its troubled past

via Khmer NZ

N Balakrishnan

The biggest story from Cambodia in the world’s press lately was the sentencing of a man convicted of mass murder that occurred during the Khmer Rouge rule in the 1970s and 1980s.

One can probably forgive the world’s press for neglecting the news about Cambodia delaying the opening of its own stock exchange from last month to next year.

But while the foreigners might still be interested in the “killing fields” of Cambodia, the locals, or at least those benefiting from it, are more interested in the economy and its growth.

This year the Cambodian economy is expected to grow by just 5 per cent, but for most of the past decade the economy has registered an annual growth rate of about 10 per cent – an almost China-style growth story that the world press has largely ignored.

Given this economic background, outsiders should not regard the Cambodia Stock Exchange as some sort of vanity project. If it opens and succeeds it can serve as another avenue for attracting foreign capital to a country desperately in need of development funds.

Last December, the Cambodian government awarded a contract to a South Korean firm, World City, to build the US$6 million (Dh22m), four-storey, 71,900 square foot stock market building in Phnom Penh’s planned financial district on the outskirts of the capital.

Just last week, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Cambodia (SECC) announced it had provisionally selected 22 financial companies to operate on its market, which is being set up with the help of the Seoul stock market operator.

“We have had 22 firms applying to be underwriters, brokers and investment advisers,” Ming Bankosal, the director general of the SECC, was quoted by Reuters as saying.

“We have chosen some of the companies, which now need to fulfil requirements on capital and other things within a month in order to get licences.”

Of course, the situation on the ground in this emerging Asian economy is not a bed of roses. Despite the growth, Cambodia is still one of the poorest economies in the world, with about 40 per cent of the government budget coming from foreign aid.

Cambodia remains a largely agrarian economy and the only sector of significance is the garment industry, which relies on cheap labour to export low value-added garments.

Producing garments for export employs about 280,000 people, or about 30 per cent of the workforce, while nearly 50 per cent of the workforce remains in agriculture and peasant farming.

In 2005, Cambodia announced it had found oil in its territorial waters. Production has yet to begin, although the French oil company Total has signed production deals.

If and when production starts, it should help wean government revenue off foreign aid.

Possibilities for the mining of bauxite and even gold exist in the northern part of Cambodia, near the border with Thailand.

But Cambodia’s relations with its bigger, richer neighbour have always been troubled, and there have has even been minor shooting skirmishes near the border over disputed temples that are culturally significant to both countries

More than half of Cambodia’s population is less than 21 years old, meaning most have no direct experience of the Khmer Rouge or the “killing fields”.

But the young population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the countryside, which suffers from a severe lack of basic infrastructure.

The most important economic and political challenge facing Cambodia is how to create an economy in which the private sector can create enough jobs to fulfil the aspirations of its young people.

The opening of the stock exchange will have more than symbolic significance, signalling the “arrival” of a modern nation.

The exchange will allow at least of some of the funds to be used for investment in local companies. It will also allow foreigners to help in Cambodia’s development.

It will not be not long before some analyst in a major investment bank is tipping Cambodia as the next “hot” market. Watch this space.

Khmer calling

via Khmer NZ

By G.K. Cheryl Brenda

educate@thestar.com.my

IF there is one word that describes Cambodia – it is “captivating”. With a rich cultural heritage and breathtaking sceneries, the grand-prize winners of The Star’s NiE (Newspaper-in-Education) contest can be rest assured that their well-deserved trip to the country will be spellbinding. Cambodia is truly a tourist’s dream come true, with its lush countryside dotted by endless padi fields and swaying sugar palms.

Pristine and powdery white sands that front crystal clear turquoise-blue waters best describe some of Cambodia’s beaches. Wildlife enthusiasts will be thrilled by the country’s vast tropical rainforest as it is home to an abundance of elusive wildlife. The mountain ranges are breathtaking and are home to Cambodia’s indigenous minorities.

With air tickets sponsored by Air Asia, 15 students and three teachers from the three categories: Primary, Lower Secondary and Upper Secondary will be in for the time of their lives!

The four-day, three-night stay in Siem Reap, one of Cambodia’s fastest growing cities, is sponsored by The Star and Pizza Hut. This will be an educational cum fun-packed holiday that will be remembered for a long time to come. Here’s what’s in store for the winners!

The prominent gods that guard the South gate leading towards Angkor Thom (The Great City).

On the first day, the lucky winners will visit the Le Artisan D’Angkor workshop.

Here, they will observe how the skilled artisans at the workshop use traditional Cambodian handicraft skills to produce unique items that embody the Khmer heritage.

Then, shopping enthusiasts take heart; it is off to the local market for some shopping before heading to Wat Bo temple. “Wat” in Khmer refers to the Buddhist pagoda or stupa. Founded in the 18th century, Wat Bo is one of the oldest temples in the Siem Reap province. Art enthusiasts will love the temple for its beautiful murals and statues, and traditional architecture.

The group will then head on to the Wat Thmei Killing Field. The main feature at Wat Thmei is a glass-walled stupa containing the skulls and bones of those who lost their lives during the rule of the Khmer Rouge.

There are over 18, 000 killing fields in Cambodia and the killing fields are a sad reminder of the persecution of the Cambodian people under the Khmer Rouge.

Ready to show off your mountain-climbing skills to the world? Well, you will be doing exactly that at Phnom Bakheng. The ancient temple mountain built in the ninth century is particularly significant as it was the first temple to be constructed in the area. The scenery at sunset is breathtaking. Prepare to be mystified as you watch the five towers of Angkor Wat slowly disappear into the lush greenery surrounding it.

Explore the magnificent Angkor Wat complex, an archaelogical wonder that represents the heart of Khmer history and culture.

On day two of your trip, you will explore the famous Angkor Complex.

The temples of Angkor, which were built between 802 and 1220 AD, are archaeological wonders! Take a step into Angkor Thom and relive the time of the ancient royalty. There are numerous temples within Angkor Thom and one of them is the Bayon Temple.

Located in the heart of the ancient city, you will take in several sculptures and frescoes that depict battles and domestic life during the era. Some of these images are commonly found in Khmer art and architecture.

Other highlights of the visit include the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. These places exude an air of mystery, much like their names. Built by King Yasovarman VII, the intricate sculptures and carvings at these two terraces portray scenes of compassion, while others just capture your imagination.

On the third day, bring out the seafarer in you as you venture on a boat tour of the famous Floating Village at Tonle Sap Lake, the largest lake in South-East Asia.

Keep your eyes peeled as you sail by houses, clinics and schools – all afloat! Later, you will visit the Silk Farm at the Rajana Association. Cambodia has a long tradition of making silk. At the Silk Farm, observe how the local artisans transform looms of raw silk into beautiful works of art.

This year, contestants of the Mag Inc competition were required to create a three-page mini magazine based on topics such as health, environment and social values in line with the theme “A better life”. Each participating team member will receive a Pizza Hut voucher in September.

So, contestants, prepare yourselves for the adventure of a lifetime knowing that you have pooled all your creative energies and used the power of your imagination towards making your magazine a pièce de résistance.

As Antoine de Saint-Exupery, a French pilot and author quotes, “It is in the compelling zest of high adventure and of victory, and in creative action, that man finds his supreme joys”.

PM: Can't deliver response to activist temple demands within week

http://www.mcot.net/

via Khmer NZ

BANGKOK, Aug 8 - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Sunday it is impossible for him to follow and respond to all the demands lodged by activist groups to resolve the temple dispute with Cambodia within seven days.

Mr Abhisit's acknowledgment came after a debate between four senior government officials, led by himself, and an equal number of activist men. The debate was telecast live by the state-run NBT station.

The premier told members of the activist groups representing the newly-formed 'Thailand Patriot Network' and civil society groups including the yellow-clad People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) that it was impossible for his government to solve the temple crisis within seven days as they demanded saying more time is needed as the government must also listen to opinions from various other sectors.

Again, Mr Abhisit also told the activist representatives that his government had never accepted the Cambodian map showing a different border between the two neighbouring countries than that recognised by Thailand.

The prime minister urged the people to heed the King's earlier advice on solving border problems noting that it must be done through peaceful means and unity among the peoples. It is useless to wage a war to tackle such difficulties, Mr Abhisit said.

The ruling by the International Court of Justice in 1962 only stipulated that Preah Vihear temple belongs to Cambodia but the adjoining areas belong to Thailand, the prime minister said.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti said during the debate that he would not attend the upcoming meeting of the seven-member International Coordinating Committee (ICC) which would discuss management of the temple, awarded World Heritage site status by UNESCO in 2008, as he did not know details of the meeting and was uncertain whether his presence would have any binding in future.

Meanwhile, Veera Somkwamkid, leader of 'Thailand Patriot Network', who also attended the debate said afterward that he could partially accept the government's clarifications as he understood that the government has limited options for resolving the problem.

Mr Veera said the prime minister still could not promise that the government would demand the ancient temple back for Thailand from Cambodia or any measures in pushing back Cambodians now settling on disputed territory near the temple.

Thai villagers living in Si Sa Ket province bordering Cambodia near Preah Vihear temple sits on a border cliff said after watching the debate that they were confident that the prime minister could resolve the Preah Vihear temple issue and also relieve their hardships resulting from tensions in the area.

The local Thai agreed that they neither wanted to see any protest nor armed clashes between soldiers of the two countries at the disputed border.

Meanwhile, after the debate, the Thailand Patriot Network dispersed from the first Army Region headquarters in Bangkok but vowed to come back to protest again after finding the prime minister’s explanation as being satisfactory 'at a certain level' but that it did not meet their demand.

Network leader Chaiwat Sinsuwong said their decision to disperse was a truce as the number of reinforcements from the group’s supporters on the second day of their gathering was not adequate. They will regroup again when they are ready, he said.

Leader Veera Somkwankid said the civil network and the PAD will hold talks later this week to set their strategies and fight in a practical way in the same direction.

He agreed that differing opinions had an impact on negotiation. Although he was still not satisfied with the government’s stance and the government could not meet their demand, he thought the government’s performance worked at a certain level. (MCOT online news)

Cambodia alerts U.N. to Thai threat of force over border dispute+

via Khmer NZ

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 8 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen sent letters Sunday to the presidents of the U.N. General Assembly and Security Council to decry a statement Saturday that Thailand is ready to abrogate rulings on the border between the two countries.

On Saturday, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told protesters seeking Thai action to claim an ancient World Heritage-listed temple on the Thai-Cambodian border that he is ready to cancel a memorandum of understanding signed in 2000 on the border and use "diplomatic and military means" to "settle" the issue.

Thailand and Cambodia have disputed ownership of land around the ancient Preah Vihear Hindu temple for years even though the International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 the temple is inside Cambodia.

Since the temple was listed as a World heritage in 2008, Thai and Cambodian troops have faced off in the area and deadly skirmishes have erupted on several occasions.

Tension was renewed after Cambodia recently submitted a management plan for the temple that Thailand rejected because Bangkok claims the border area has not been demarcated.

In his letter to the United Nations, Hun Sen reiterated the border dispute had been ruled on in Cambodia's favor by the world court in 1962 and by other bodies on occasions since 1904.

"In violating the judgment of the ICJ, Thailand currently maintains its soldiers in the Keo Sikkhakiri Svara pagoda of Cambodia, situated only about 300 meters from the Temple of Preah Vihear, well inside Cambodian territory," Hun Sen wrote.

By threatening to use military force, Thailand "flagrantly violates" the U.N. Charter, he added.

Promising to avoid force on the Cambodian side, Hun Sen asked General Assembly President Ali Abdussalam Treki and Security Council President Vitaly Churkin to circulate the letter to all U.N. members "for information" on the border dispute.