Sea Town With a Reputation Seeks More Visitors

Tourists tanning along the shore, in Sihanoukville. (Photo: AP)

Pich Samnang, VOA Khmer
Preah Sihanoukville province Monday, 17 May 2010

“Some are afraid to return, as they’ve lost their wallets to child thieves on the beach."

On her head, Bun Net carried a tray full of colorful bracelets, necklaces and other souvenirs. She walked along Ochheuteal beach in the coastal province of Preah Sihanouk on a recent day, selling her wares to European sunbathers under the noon sun.

“I’m not selling well there days, because there are fewer foreign tourists now, the 15-year-old vendor said, as other vendors her age gathered around. “Some vendors have sold nothing at all from morning until now,” she said.

The number of foreign visitors to this town are in decline. In the first four months of 2010, visits were down about 2 percent compared to the same period last year. The provincial tourism department estimates about 59,815 visits so far this year. In all of 2009, more than 120,000 people visited this province of eight sand beaches, an international airport and a national park, Ream.

Provincial tourism department director Som Chenda said the declining number of international tourists was due to the global economic crisis, but restaurant and guesthouse owners, along with organizations that work here, say the setback may also be due to a high number of thefts, bag snatchings and other crimes.

Such encounters have given Preah Sihanouk, or Sihanoukville, a reputation. Authorities are now battling that reputation, as they seek to increase the number of tourists coming here, rather than visiting the temples of Angkor Wat and leaving the country.

Thom Sor, a manager at the 55 Restaurant on Ochheuteal, said some foreigners visit just one time.

“Some are afraid to return, as they’ve lost their wallets to child thieves on the beach,” he told VOA Khmer last week. While they were swimming, “some lost their phones, clothes and even their flip-flops,” he said.

Foreign tourists stay in guesthouses like the GST, not far down the beach from 555 Restaurant. Guesthouse manager Meas Sam Ath said last year 100 people per day would check in; this year, the number is about half.

“Some guests complain about drive-by bag snatchings when they drive a motorcycle around, so they don’t want to come back,” he said.

Tourists like Jodie Hall, of Australian, say they are cautious when traveling around.

“I wouldn’t be around at night by myself,” she said. “I don’t take anything out that I don’t want to lose.”

City authorities are trying to address the problems and the reputation. Lonely Planet describes Sihanoukville as a town that is “not as dicey, security-wise, as its reputation of recent years may imply.” Problems like snatchings can occur in Phnom Penh, as well, according to the company’s travel website. There it also cautions against assaults and other violent incidents at the beaches, including one rape.

The city also has a reputation as a destination for sex tourists. A project officer for Action Pour Les Enfants said six child sex abuse cases were reported in the province from January to April. Last year, a total of eight were reported.

“We see child sex abuse in the streets and in the gardens at night, where there is little light,” the program officer, who gave his name as Den, said. “Recently, abuses have occurred in the quiet bushes, a new location chosen by perpetrators.”

Som Chenda, director of the provincial tourism department, said authorities have worked to lower crime by collecting young thieves from the beaches for reeducation and deploying policemen in the shadowy places where crimes often take place.

“In recent years, the problems have been better addressed,” he said in an interview last week. “We have paid more attention to strengthening our campaigns in educating tourism service operators, business managers and owners, and especially with local people—to join hands in dealing with these issues.”

The city wants to improve its existing beaches and some of the surrounding islands, he said. This too might help bring more visitors, he said.

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Labels: Beach front resort | Declining tourism industry | Sihanoukville

Tradeoffs Considered for Large Mekong Dams

Dams in Laos (Photo: BBC)

Soeung Sophat, VOA Khmer
Washington, DC Monday, 17 May 2010

“For a relatively small amount of electricity, these two governments would destroy a fishery that tens of millions of people depend on for their food and livelihoods, with no alternative sources of food or income.”

Recent economic growth has led governments in the region to consider harnessing hydropower on the Mekong River. But as criticism mounts against many of the existing dams in the upper part of the river, two planned dams in the lower sections in particular have been singled out for concern. Experts say these two dams, including one proposed in Cambodia, could be devastating to the region’s fisheries.

A recent record-low water level in the Mekong has led to increased criticisms of mainstream Chinese dams by people dependent on the river, environmentalists and governments in the downstream countries. But this has not prevented Cambodia, Thailand and Laos from going ahead with their own plans to build 11 mainstream dams.

Richard Cronin, who is lead author of a recent report on Mekong dams by the Henry L. Stimson Center in Washington, said that a proposed dam in Kratie province is potentially one of the most dangerous to the fish stocks many Cambodians rely on. And it may not produce that much electricity.

“The lower you go the more damage you do, and actually the less productivity you get of electricity,” he told VOA Khmer. “Mainstream dams from Vientiane on south would all do far more damage than the value of electricity.”

Cronin said that many valuable fish swim upriver to spawn in Mekong tributaries as far as Laos during the dry season before coming down with the rainy season floods to feed and grow in the lower Mekong, the Tonle Sap lake and the Mekong Delta. His report warns that the the dam on Kratie’s Sambor river and a second in Laos would block or “threaten critical paths for 70 percent of the most commercially valuable species of wild fish.”

Inland fisheries are an important sector in the Mekong region, one of the richest inland fishing grounds in the word, and of particular importance to the Cambodian economy. An estimated 6 million Cambodians, 45 percent of population, are engaged in fishing or related fishing activities, with about 10 percent of them fishing full-time. The total annual freshwater catch in Cambodia is approximately 400,000 tons per year, worth an estimated $500 million.

Sam Nuov, deputy director of the Ministry of Agriculture’s fisheries department, declined to comment on the Sambor dam or the Stimson report specifically. But he said that in general, there is clearly a trade-off between drawing power from the river and pulling fish from its waters, even for Cambodia’s rural population, where many of its farmers are also fishermen.

The Sambor dam is expected to produce 2,000 megawatts of electricity, he said. The Lao dam could generate a further 360 megawatts.

Critics do not believe this to be a good tradeoff.

“For a relatively small amount of electricity, these two governments would destroy a fishery that tens of millions of people depend on for their food and livelihoods, with no alternative sources of food or income,” Cronin said.

Ith Praing, secretary of state for the Ministry of Mines and Energy, said 2,000 megawatts is no small amount of power. It’s about four times the current national demand, he said, adding that he didn’t expect that demand to rise much in the near future.

And the Sambor dam project is moving forward. It is now undergoing a feasibility study by the China Southern Power Grid Co., for the behalf of the Cambodian government. But it remains unclear among government officials the scale of the project, the size of the dam and whether it will include a fish passage to allow migration.

Ith Praing, who is directly involved in discussions with the Chinese company, said a preliminary study was given to them more than a year ago, but nothing has happened since. Among the options in the study is a model for building a dam that also allows fish to pass through it, he said. No final decision has been made, he said, attributing the slow speed of the project to the detail-oriented nature of the government’s analysis.

Sin Niny, vice chairman of Cambodia’s National Mekong Committee, said such inevitable trade-offs must be made if Cambodia is to meet its energy needs in the future.

Sam Nuov agrees, noting that migration measures have been an important part of the decision-making process so far.

“[At our department] we want to preserve the fish in the rivers, and if mainstream [dam projects] go ahead, we should have measures to allow fish passage,” he said.

Approaches include an expensive fish lock or ladder, construction of channels for fish migration or fish spawning grounds and increased promotion of fish farming, he said. He did not say whether fish farming could replace the loss of fisheries by the dams.

Jeremy Bird, CEO of the Mekong River Commission Secretariat in Vientiane, echoed the government’s position: that it is too early to discuss tradeoffs since policymakers are still waiting for an environmental assessment for all mainstream dams. This is expected in mid May.

But he also said the commission’s mandate is to make sure policymakers from the Lower Mekong countries are fully informed of the impacts each makes on the other, as well as alternative energy and energy-sharing options. This helps governments decide whether they want to go ahead with projects.

One dilemma for Cambodia is that other renewable energy options have not proven themselves to to have the same energy potential as hydropower. But in a 2004 World Bank assessment of development scenarios, mainstream dam projects were dismissed as too destructive of fisheries to be considered as “balanced development.”

Richard Cronin said he hopes the upcoming MRC report will be conclusively enough for Cambodia and Laos to scrap the mega-dam projects and explore other energy options—including the potential for offshore oil. Meanwhile, if even a scaled-down version of the Sambor dam was confirmed, that would be a sign of progress and awareness.

Energy is important, he said, but other countries have already wrestled with the problems of major hydropower projects, including the US.

“The big dams are a 1920s, 1930s concept of development,” he said. “There’s never been big dam projects in an area so densely populated and so dependent on a river as in the Mekong Basin.”

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Labels: Mekong River dams | Negative impact of Mekong dams

Cambodians Watching Spike in Thai Violence [-Cambodians do not support the Red Shirts who are supported by Hun Xen?]

A Thai woman prays as Thai policemen get ready soon after 3 p.m. deadline at Victory Monument in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 17, 2010. The Thai government on Monday warned protesters barricaded within their 'occupation zone' in the heart of the capital to leave by 3 p.m., saying anyone who remains there will be violating the law and will face two years in prison. (AP Photo/ Manish Swarup)

Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Monday, 17 May 2010

“The use of guns to kill the red shirts by the government is not a right or democratic act.”

Cambodians in Phnom Penh on Monday said they were watching the unrest and increasing violence in Bangkok, but sympathy between the authorities and anti-government protesters was split.

Violence escalated in Bangkok over the weekend, where at least 36 people have died since Thursday in the worst violence to hit the capital in decades. “Red shirt” protesters have seized a key part of the capital, and Thai security forces have begun to move in on their blockade, with the government calling for protesters to leave their entrenchment.

But who was to blame for the violence was debated in Cambodia, with many supporting the government in what they see as an illegal demonstration.

“I support the crackdown by the government on the red shirts, to avoid the negative effects on the economy, security, order and harmony of Thai society,” Ly Sokheng, a 24-year-old student at the Royal Phnom Penh University, said Monday. “The crackdown was right. The Bangkok government informed the red shirts about the crackdown if they didn’t disperse. On the other hand, the red shirts were armed against the authorities [which is] an illegal act.”

Cambodia is no stranger to street violence. Phnom Penh saw fighting in 1997, when the Cambodian People’s Party seized power from Funcinpec in a violent coup. Lessons from years of war were more apparent in older Cambodians Monday.

“The use of guns to kill the red shirts by the government is not a right or democratic act,” said Chim Rotha, a 43-year-old street sweeper, who was working near the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Monday. However, he said the red shirts bore some responsibility for using weapons against the authorities.

“The authorities and the red shirts must not use weapons to solve the problem,” he said. “They should use peaceful negotiations. The red shirts’ use of weapons is illegal, but the government’s shooting of red shirts violates human rights.”

Others called for calm amid the violence.

“The red shirts should accept the road map composed by the prime minister…to hold a new election in November in exchange for the dispersal of the anti-government rally,” Ngoeum Phally, a 21-year-old student at Phnom Penh University, said. Both sides should sit and talk to resolve their differences, she said. “But right now the government’s use of force to kill the red shirts is shameful.”

Chhet Takk, 25, a student at the Kampuchea Mekong University, blamed both sides for the violence. “The government and the red shirts must now be responsible for the dead,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued its own statement Monday, saying the “severe violence” was “gravely” affecting the image of Thailand and 10 Asean members. The statement called on all parties to resume peaceful talks and “restore peace and normalcy to the Thai people, thus stability to the region.”

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Labels: Besieged democracy in Asia | Red Shirts demo | Thailand political unrest

Human Rights on the Hill

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The CPP still resorts to the KR tactics of sending spies (Korng Chhlop) to find out your political allegiance?

KI-Media Note: Our sincere thanks to Dara for sharing this document!


Click on the report in Khmer to zoom in

Translated from Khmer

CPP Phnom Penh Committee
CPP Committee for Dangkao district

Phnom Penh City, 14 September 2009

Decision on
Sending district party officials to help strengthen
the village and community levels
Along all the 15 communes in Dangkao district, Phnom Penh city

Based on:

* Directive No. 002 dated 24 August 2009 regarding the strengthening of the village levels
* Spirit of the meeting of the party Dangkao district permanent committee held on 01 September 2009 regarding the role change, the working group for the CPP committee in Dangkao district that will help strengthen the village and community levels in all 15 communes of Dangkao district, in order to strengthen the strength advantage, the winning advantage of the CPP from now until the general election for the 5th [parliament] mandate.
* Review of the qualifications of 110 CPP officials in Dangkao commune.
* Request for necessary mission at the grass root level

Decision of the party's district permanent committee

Item 1: Division of the review group, the group that will go help the commune/village grass root, and the group for final tally that includes those who are named below.

Item 2: The working groups that will go help the commune levels have the following duties:

* A- Help the commune party and the party branches, village sub-branches to build and arrange the role of the members of each party group so that they are clearly identified in order to guarantee the quantity and the quality.
* B- Pay attention to the education and training of the party sub-branches and groups so that they understand about their roles and duties, in particular, (for the president to know their members and for the members to know their president).
* C- Understand and grasp the requests made by the people, in particular, by the CPP party members who are facing hardships in order to resolve them in timely manner. Find all means and manners to help actually build various constructions in each locality.
* D- Pay attention to the research, evaluation and clear surveying of various items such as counting the number of families that belong to the CPP, (families that belong to various [other] political parties), identity of activists from various parties, and the number of people in each village, the number of those who are white/gray/black in order to establish a basis for people movement and feed this movement so that it has a higher efficiency by doing what it takes to make the black turned to gray, and the gray turned to white [Translation note: the villagers’ opinions are likely classified as black/gray/white depending on their degree of allegiance to the CPP, therefore those who do not have strong allegiance to the CPP – the black – must be turned to gray, those who have doubts on the CPP – the gray – must be turned to white, i.e. the CPP party faithful].
* E- The president, the vice-president of each working group must hold meeting to strengthen their respective groups, plan and divide their work clearly to facilitate the review of all plans put into action by the villages.
* F- The working group that go to help the commune must meet to tally and evaluate their results once a month and the president, vice-president must come to the meeting at the party’s district office once a month (under invitation) and the report must be provided in writing and sent to the party district committee on the 23rd of each month so that the party district committee has a basis to tally them for the party’s Phnom Penh city committee.

Item 3: Directive letter No. 78/007 dated 14 June 2007 is superseded.

Item 4: This decision is in effect from the day of its signing

For the party district committee
President

(Signed) Kroch Phan

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Labels: Communist spy | CPP

Reds defy deadline, rally continues

The government cancelled its ultimatum for red-shirt protesters to clear central Bangkok by 3pm, after at least 5,000 people defied the order - but said there will be no talks until the rally ends. (Photo by Somchai Poomlard)

17/05/2010
Bangkok Post

Several thousand of protesters, including women and children, remained at the Ratchaprasong rally site on Monday evening, defying the Centre for the Resolution of Emergency Situation's order that they leave by 3pm or face two-years imprisonment.

There were still about 5,000 protesters at the Ratchaprasong rally site when the 3pm deadline passed, police spokesman Maj-Gen Prawut Thawornsiri said.

Shortly after 2pm, military helicopters dropped leaflets on the encampment, urging the protesters to leave immediately. This angered the protesters, who shot homemade rockets at them.

“Some protesters received distorted information,” government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said on the Thai PBS television network. “We need to communicate with them clearly. It will take time.” There was no word on when the ultimatum extension would end.

According to television reports, a telephone call from Korbsak Sabhavasu, the prime minister's secretary-general, to red-shirt leader Natthawut Saikua prompted the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) leaders to hold an urgent meeting, which began shortly after the 3pm deadline.

On receiving the call from Mr Korbsak, UDD leaders went inside a shipping container office for a meeting.

Acting government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said the Centre for the Resolution of Emergency Situation would hold a meeting at 5pm to discuss steps to be taken to retake the occupied area after the 3pm deadline.

He declined to go into detail, saying only that priority would be given to evacuating children and the elderly from the rally site.

Mr Panitan said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was still in high spirits and determined to overcome all problems.

Earlier the day, UDD leader Jatuporn Prompan said red leaders were ready to call protesters back to the Ratchaprasong rally site and begin dialogue with the government if troops stop firing at protesters.

Protest leaders are willing to negotiate with the government without pre-conditions if Mr Abhisit orders the removal of troops stationed around the rally site in Bangkok. The offer was aimed at reducing the loss of lives, he said.

The government would not respond to the UDD's call for talks until the UDD ends the protest rally, government spokesman Panithan Wattanayakorn said.

Mr Panitan said UDD leaders should first show sincerity by ending their rally, ceasing attacks on government security forces and stopping all riotous acts.

If the UDD did this, the government would reactivate its reconciliation plan, he said.

In the morning, two red-shirt guards were arrested in Ratchathewi area with a large quantity of weapons, Metropolitan Police chief Pol Lt-Gen Santhan Chayanont said at a press conference.

Pol Lt-Gen Santhan identified the two as Prasong Manee-in, 55, of Bangkok's Lat Phrao district, and Kowit Yaemprasert, 55, from Pathum Thani province.

They were arrested when Mr Prason was driving a pick-up truck past a military checkpoint in Soi Phaya Nak near the Asia Hotel.

Soldiers found in the truck about 60 items including knives, axes, iron bars, bottle bombs, ping pong bombs, large firecrackers, communications radios, and ID cards of UDD guards.

Mr Prasong said he was formerly a soldier of the 3rd Cavalry Battalion and then a construction worker before joining the UDD rally, where he met Mr Kowit.

He said he was not aware the seized items were loaded onto his truck.

The number of casualties from the clashes between government forces and UDD protesters between May 14 and 17 was now 35 killed and 252 injured, the Emegency Medical Centre or Erawan Centre said in the morning.

The death toll went up because one of the injured, Maj-Gen Khattiya Sawasdipol, better known as Seh Daeng, died from his head wound on Monday morning.

Of the 242 injured, there are six foreigners - one each from Canada, Poland, Burma, Liberia, Italy and New Zealand.

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Labels: Red Shirts demo | Thailand political unrest

Monday, May 17, 2010
KRT verdict will bring justice: PM [-Will the victims agree with Hun Xen?]

Monday, 17 May 2010
Cheang Sokha
The Phnom Penh Post

PRIME Minister Hun Sen offered praise for the Khmer Rouge tribunal on Saturday, softening his tone towards the court by saying that a verdict in its first case would bring justice for victims of the Democratic Kampuchea regime.

Speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony for the Cho Ray-Phnom Penh Hospital, the premier said the court’s ruling would mark the end of a long and tortuous struggle.

“Justice is given to us 30 years after we were liberated,” Hun Sen said. “Sometimes we cannot find justice after one year, two years or three years – we have to wait 30 years before they can provide us justice.”

Closing arguments in the tribunal’s first case – that of Tuol Sleng prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch – concluded in November. UN court spokesman Lars Olsen said Sunday that judges at the tribunal have yet to reveal a possible date for the verdict.

Hun Sen noted that UN support for the hybrid court came despite the fact that the body once supported the Khmer Rouge against the
Vietnamese-backed government that replaced them. Despite their ouster in 1979, the Khmer Rouge represented Cambodia at the UN General Assembly in the 1980s.

“When we fought with Pol Pot, they blamed us, they punished us, but 30 years later, the chief of Tuol Sleng prison has been tried,” Hun Sen said, adding that Cambodia and Vietnam had cooperated to secure the overthrow of the Khmer Rouge.

Court spokesman Reach Sambath said the tribunal had been buoyed by support from a variety of institutions in conducting its work thus far.

“The support helped court officials to move forward and provide a fair trial,” Reach Sambath said.

Hun Sen’s comments on Saturday contrasted with his previous, more confrontational statements concerning the court. In December, he warned that the prosecutions of further suspects could lead to unrest, echoing similar comments he made in September.

“If you want a tribunal, but you don’t want to consider peace and reconciliation and war breaks out again, killing 200,000 or 300,000 people, who will be responsible?” Hun Sen told a gathering in Phnom Penh on September 7.

On that same day, court prosecutors requested the investigation of five additional suspects beyond those in detention.

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Labels: Hun Xen | Justice for victims of the KR | KR trials | KR Tribunal

Cambodia Urges Thailand To Resume Peaceful Talks To Restore Peace

PHNOM PENH, May 17 (Bernama) -- The Cambodian government Monday urged all parties concerned in Thailand to resume peaceful talks in order to achieve a political settlement to the current stand- off.

In a statement released on Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said that Cambodia, as a neighbouring country and a member state of ASEAN "is very concerned by the increasingly severe violence in Thailand."

It said the current awful situation in Thailand has gravely affected not only Thailand's image, but also that of ASEAN as well, according to China's Xinhua news agency on Monday

Moreover, the statement urges all parties concerned in Thailand "to resume peaceful talks in order to achieve a political settlement to the current stand-off and restore peace and normalcy to the Thai people, thus stability in the region."

"The Cambodian people's only wish is to see the friendly Thai people enjoy a normal and peaceful life," the statement said.

Violence in Thailand has escalated in recent days, and more than 30 people have died and several hundreds people suffered injuries since the protests began.

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Labels: Red Shirts demo | Thailand political unrest

Cambodian rebirth

17 May 2010
PortStrategy

A soft loan from China could dramatically improve Phnom Penh's future

The historic capital city port of Phnom Penh is being reborn after years of neglect, reports Michael King

The port of Phnom Penh is not the usual subject of a major port focus by Port Strategy. It’s not that big, it’s not breaking any new technological ground and it’s not even near the ocean. But it does perfectly illustrate how port development can both facilitate and drive economic growth.

The inland port, located some 348 km up the Mekong River from the South China Sea, is poised to help transform Cambodia from a backwater of globalisation into a country with the potential to ‘do a Vietnam’. In other words, leverage its cheap labour resources, raw materials and willingness to embrace international trade to attract inward investment and boost economic development.

A key logjam to achieving this aim, the chief executive of a leading integrator recently told PS, is that after years of political turmoil and low levels of infrastructure investment, the national transport system is “a mess” and “too expensive”.

“It hasn’t had the logistics backbone to attract the type of inward investments that Vietnam has won.”

The integrator in question is now helping to rebuild Cambodia’s customs service and has started a series of road services linking manufacturers relocating to Cambodia to major markets in Asia and beyond by road and air.

In much the same way, Phnom Penh Autonomous Port (PPAP), both port authority and the sole terminal operator, is now trying to smooth the processes and reduce the cost of trading to and from international markets by sea.

Cargo clearance was recently improved by the opening of a new administration building providing a one-stop-shop for shippers and forwarders attempting to access international markets, said PPAP deputy director general, Ieng Veng Sun. New warehousing suitable for bonded and consolidation operations is also planned

However, the big problem for Cambodia’s shippers is that while the country’s largest port, Sihanoukville, has much to offer, it does not have a wide range of international mainline container calls. For most traders in the vicinity of Phnom Penh this has meant trucking or barging cargo to Sihanoukville or ports in Thailand or Vietnam and then feedering cargo to mainline hubs at either Singapore or Hong Kong - not a very good solution for international companies with sophisticated supply chains.

The development in Vietnam of Cai Mep, Asia’s most promising mainline container hub port, is now offering new options.

Located south of Ho Chi Minh City near the mouth of the Mekong in Vietnam, the top names in port development - SSA Marine, Hutchison Port Holdings, APM Terminals and PSA International - are already involved in either running, bidding to manage or constructing terminals at the port.

It was no coincidence that the opening last summer of Cai Mep’s first berths able to host mainline containerships coincided with a steep acceleration of export volumes at Phnom Penh, says Mr Sun.

“With Cai Mep in reach by barge and able to offer hub services, it reduces the time and the cost for shippers,” he says. “To the US, for example, this saves around $100-$200 and 2-3 days for each container.”

PPAP handled 43,312 teu last year. Although the figure was down on the 47,504 teu handled in 2008, volumes are forecast to reach 65,200 teu this year.

“In the first six months of last year volumes were a long way down compared to 2008. From June it really picked up,” he says.

“This year we were up 75% year-on-year in January to 4,547 teu, and up 50% to 3,271 teu in February.”

With existing facilities at PPAP already stretched, plans are now in place to build a new container terminal.

PPAP, a state-owned but autonomous company supervised by both the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and the Ministry of Finance and Economics, currently possesses a single container terminal of 20x300 metres dimensions and a 92,000 m2 inland container depot. The port’s maximum draught is a tiny 4.2 metres in the dry season. Only barges carrying less than 100 teu can be received.

PPAP is hoping to secure a soft loan of $28m from the Chinese government to be used to build a new container terminal 30km downstream of existing facilities by 2012. If China provides the loan, subject to clearance from Ministers PPAP will either seek additional assistance or look for private participation.

In phase one, the facility will add an extra of 120,000 teu capacity on 12 hectares of yard working 22x300m of berth. Subsequent expansions would more than double the size of the terminal and take annual capacity to over 300,000 teu.

A dredging programme due to be completed in the next five years will increase the size of the maximum vessel PPAP can receive to over 320 teu, further improving the economics of using PPAP facilities.

By reducing ocean transport costs, in the future Cambodia hopes to attract more manufacturers of more sophisticated products to the country such as major electronics and retailers. But for now, just improving the lot of textile and agricultural exporters and imports to the country’s burgeoning consumer markets would be a start.

“Cambodia’s economy is taking off and we think we can be a big part of that,” adds Mr Sun.

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Labels: Chinese loan | New Phnom Penh port

Church microfinance scheme is ‘Good News’ to poor

Workers keeping track of savings at the Church-run credit union

May 17, 2010
UCAN

A Church-run microfinance program introduced more than three years ago is helping to improve the livelihoods of many poor people in a parish in Cambodia’s capital.

“Last year, when my motorbike broke down, I thought I would have to take my children out of school, but luckily I was able to borrow 500,000 riel (US$118) from the credit union to repair my motorbike enabling my children to continue their studies,” said Meas Putry, a motorcycle taxi driver.

Putry is a signed-up member of the credit union of St. Joseph Church in Phnom Penh.

The program provides loans to poor people at the cheapest rate, said Saing Yuth, a former teacher and credit union administrator. She said loans are fixed at 1 per cent interest per month and without the need to provide collateral. Other credit institutions usually demand interest repayments of 4-5 per cent a month, she noted.

As well as the loan service, the Church credit union also has a savings account program, which gives savers an interest rate of 3 per cent per annum.

Parish priest Father Paul Roeung Chatchai introduced the credit and savings program in early 2007. “The Church’s main mission is to proclaim the Good News to the people. Our credit union is one way of doing this by providing a lifeline to poor people when they face difficult situations,” said the priest from the Thai Missionary Society.

Another objective, Father Roeung added, is to encourage and teach the local community to support each other and be less financially dependent on their families.

Initially starting with 30 members with savings totaling 170,000 riel, the program now has 170 members and 16 million riel’s worth of savings. A large amount of this is deposited in a commercial bank to earn interest.

“Our members can deposit as little as 1,000 riel per week into their savings account,” said Father Chatchai, adding that the Church has a 12-member committee that manages the program.

Putry says he now has 2 million riel in his account. “I thank God that this program has been introduced in our community,” he said.

In Cambodia there are 27 commercial banks, six specialist banks and 21 licensed micro credit institutions, according to a National Bank of Cambodia report.

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Labels: Catholic church | Helping poor people in Cambodia | Micro credit | Micro-finance

Mobile phones on rise in Cambodia

May 17, 2010
Xinhua

The use of mobile phones in Cambodia is remarkably popular and increased year by year, a government data showed on Monday.

The data of the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication showed that the number of mobile phones used by the end of 2009 was 6.3 million, an increase from 3.8 million a year ago.

And by the first quarter of 2010, it estimated the mobile phone users at about 7.1 million, or about half of the country's total populations of 14.7 million.

Currently, there are nine mobile phone companies running in the country with Mobitel, owned by local tycoon Kith Meng of Royal Group, known as leading in the sector and followed by the new investment from Vietnam, known as Metfone or Vietell

The other seven are Hello, Mfone, Star Cell, Beeline, Smart Phone, QB, and Excell.

The number of mobile phone users in the country had risen over past years, and competition is also growing as users have choices to select which one is his/her favorite.

Many suggest that the boom of mobile phone users in the country is partly contributed by the economic growth and business demands in Cambodia's markets.

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Labels: Mobile phone service

Another Viet bank allowed to operate freely in the colony

Investment bank opens branch in Cambodia

May 17, 2010
VNA

The Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) has opened its first branch in Cambodia.

The Vietnamese-invested Bank for Investment and Development of Cambodia (BIDC) with a charter capital of US$70 million is the second largest bank of its kind in Cambodia.

In addition to BIDC, BIDV opens representative offices and invests in other projects in Cambodia, such as the Cambodia Investment and Development Joint Stock Company and the Vietnam-Cambodia Insurance Joint Stock Company.

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Labels: Special favor for Vietnamese banks | Vietnamese influence

Buddhist temple heightens security after vandalism, harassment

5/17/2010
By Matt Russell
The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN

The Cambodian Buddhist temple in southeast Rochester has taken a series of security measures following a string of vandalism and harassment.

The temple installed motion-detecting exterior lights and a steel-barred security door in the monks' residence in March after attempted break-ins by a man wearing a ski mask, said Chhan Aun, 60, the temple's head monk. The measures have not stopped the break-in attempts, five in total, Aun said.

Following a suggestion from the post office, the temple also removed its mailbox from 29th Street Southeast last week and and placed it next to its main building at the end of a long driveway.

The box has been repeatedly vandalized. Incoming and outgoing mail has been stolen in recent years, including bank statements, bills, and immigration documents whose theft has complicated the arriva of new monks from Cambodia, according to temple members.

"Our mailbox has been destroyed so many times, we're sick of it," said temple member Tracy Sam.

Vandalism at the temple a year ago included smashed lights, yanked flowers and a cross along with "Jesus saves" spray-painted on the driveway in orange.

Aun hasn't gotten a clear view of the mailbox vandals because the street is far from the building where he lives with two other monks. He's seen a car drive away after hearing what appears to be a hammer banging the box, he said.

The would-be intruder in the first attempted break-in earlier this year was a man in his late 30s or early 40s who didn't appear Caucasian, Aun said. The man tried to open several doors but ran when he looked in the window and saw Aun holding up a telephone threatening to call police.

Aun said he isn't sure if the same man has been involved in subsequent break-in attempts because the suspect has been wearing a ski mask.

Mailbox vandalism and mail thefts have happened at the temple sporadically since 2005, according to temple members. They haven't reported this year's vandalism and attempted break-ins out of fear of retribution but finally did so on Friday after their mailbox was damaged four times in a month, Sam said. The temple has had to buy four replacement mailboxes since 2007, she said.

Mailbox vandalism is common, especially this time of year, but it is very unusual for one mailbox to be targeted as often as the Buddhist temple's has been, said Olmsted County sheriff's deputy Jim Schueller.

"If it's happening this often, we want to start tracking it and see if we can do something about it," Schueller told Aun and other temple members Friday.

Schueller said he would request extra patrols of the temple area.

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Labels: Cambodian Buddhist temple | Minnesota | Rochester | Vandalism and harassment

Japan's imperial couple host Cambodia's king

King Sihamoni is on his first state visit to Japan

Monday, May 17, 2010
AFP

TOKYO — Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko hosted a welcoming ceremony and banquet for Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni at their Imperial Palace Monday, officials said.

King Sihamoni, the 57-year-old eldest son of former king Norodom Sihanouk, arrived in Tokyo on Sunday on his first state visit to Japan, for meetings with Japanese royals and political leaders, the Imperial Household Agency said.

He is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on Tuesday.

One of Asia's longest-serving monarchs, Sihanouk abruptly quit the throne in October 2004 in favour of his son, citing old age and health problems.

At the welcoming ceremony, Emperor Akihito expressed hope that the king's visit would help enhance the friendly relations and understanding between the two countries, the agency said.

The ceremony in a garden at the palace was attended by the emperor and empress, Crown Prince Naruhito and his brother Prince Akishino and his wife, as well as Prime Minister Hatoyama and his wife, Miyuki, the agency said.

In a speech at the royal banquet, King Sihamoni said Japan-Cambodia cooperation would "help expand stability for the region and the world to develop further," the agency said.

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Labels: King Sihamoni | Visit to Japan

"Oy Yuon Truot Keu Chea A-Yorng" a Poem in Klmer by Sam Vichea

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Sacrava's Political Cartoon: International Trouble Maker

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

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Labels: Ban of sand export | Global Witness | Hor 5 Bora barking at Global Witness | NEgative impact of sand dredging | Political Cartoon | Sacrava

Thailand At Risk Of Long-Term Guerrilla-Style Civil War, Just Look At The New Protest Fortress That Spontaneously Emerged

May. 17, 2010
Vincent Fernando, CFA
Business Insider

The Thai protest-backing general, 'Seh Daeng', died today, from a sniper shot to the head he suffered while being interview by the New York Times. Street battles continue to rage, with a firefight last night at the Dusit Thani hotel remarkably described in quite detail via twitter by the war reporter Michael Yon.

Monday and Tuesday have been declared holidays and the Thai government has warned protesters that any remaining within their main 'Ratchprasong' central bangkok base after 3pm today will be subject to 2 years in prison. NGOs and other organizations are also trying get women protesters and their children out of the protest area. Problem is, many don't want to leave and have instead set up a refuge in a temple within the protesters' zone.

Unfortunately, he'll probably have a lot more to report

It's been a horrific situation so far, but unfortunately I expect the crackdown to intensify within the next two days. In response, the retaliation from the red shirt protesters could easily intensify as well as increasing numbers of protesters are pushed into radical violent behavior after seeing their fellows shot and killed.

There are only a few ways for the country to avoid a complete bloodbath. One involves the current government accepting the latest offer from the protesters for a ceasefire and UN involvement, which the government has unfortunately rejected. This probably seems like the simplest and most logical solution to most outside observers. In a perfect world it would be possible. The unfortunate thing is that the current established military and political forces in Thailand probably see themselves losing power under any internationally-observed political arrangement. Thus they'd rather keep this a 'domestic issue' and have incited sovereignty fears in order to deflect the Thai public from what would most likely be the most peaceful solution.

Another solution of course is for the protest leaders to simply give up immediately and tell their supporters to stand-down. Problem is, the chance of them doing this is slim since they would likely be immediately imprisoned for what could be a very long time due to extremely serious charges already laid against them. Their lives would also be in grave danger, for they'd be exposed to assassination attempts once separated from their crowds of supporters. Backers of the redshirts, which include hidden sympathetic military leaders and the most visibly the ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra might also want to continue the struggle since they'll also all face punishment at the hands of a victorious government. Nobody trusts the legal system to be transparent anymore. New hard-line red shirts may also simply emerge and take over from those who quit.

Thirdly, is for some sort of back-room deal to be struck between the established powers and opposition leaders including the self-exiled ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra (who was ousted in a 2006 coup, and who still has substantial influence over the protesters), whereby both sides accommodate some of the others demands and promise not to come after each others throats in future years. I believe this is the most likely potential peaceful exit from the crisis, but still think it is highly unlikely.

The most likely path is for little dialogue, the barring of foreign oversight, and an extremely hard crackdown on the protesters which most middle and upper class Bangkok residents will welcome as necessary.

Why shooting protesters won't 'work' this time for Thailand

Without getting into what or what isn't necessary or who's 'right', my fear is that this hard crackdown won't 'work' like it has in the past for Thailand (1992, 1976). The current protest movement is huge, passionate, and sophisticated. This has been shown by their logistics capability whereby the central protest zone has built its own infrastructure including television and radio broadcast facilities plus power generation, defense, and food supplies. Also, technology these days is such that you can't blind people and hide things as you could in the past. Any crackdown will be very visible no matter what censorship is involved. Already there has been coordinated insurrection in the provinces, blocking army convoys, reportedley block the entrance to Thailand's main port, plus sympathy rallies in many places outside Bangkok. It's widely know that there is substantial 'red shirt' support in Thailand's large North and Northeast regions. Red shirts in these regions have pledged retaliation for any major crackdown.

Yet, to me, the most striking development in the last two days has been the erection of a second protest base, near the 'Klong Toey' slums right after the government sealed the main 'Ratchprasong' rally point from direct outside access.

This second staging point has been reported by some as having at least 2,000 people, plus substantial water, food, and power generation supplies set up. All within about two days.

This to me speaks to the widespread strength of the 'red shirts' and casts serious doubts as to whether a crackdown will succeed in destroying their will. If anything, the worry is that it will cause them to revolt even harder, with even harder methods than they've already used. It's in nobody's interests to have random bombs detonating in Bangkok over the next five years. Thus negotiation will be the only long-term successful solution, for both sides, not a crackdown.

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Labels: Civil war | Red Shirts | Thailand political unrest

Siamese place Angkor Wat picture in front of the bathroom next to the foot mat

The offending picture

17 May 2010
DAP news
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Siem Reap province - On 16 May 2010, a group of Siamese staying at the Sofitel Phokeetra Golf and Spa Resort placed a picture of Cambodia’s Angkor Wat in front of the bathroom next to the foot mat.

Chhuon Rithy, the union president for the Sofitel resort, told DAP at 10AM that on Sunday, a group of Cambodian workers at the hotel opposed the placement of this picture because they believe that this is tantamount to looking down on Angkor Wat temple which represents Cambodia. He added that the Siamese refused to take the picture out, claiming that what they did was for greeting guests, not to look down [on Angkor Wat]. However, because of the displeasure and the opposition of the Cambodian workers, the Siamese finally removed the picture out art 3:30PM.

Chhuon Rithy indicated that the hotel owner, who is also a Siamese, rather than scolding his Siamese people, turned around and scolded the Cambodian employees who work there, saying that they did not administer properly. At the time of the scolding, the Siamese visitors were still staying at this hotel in Siem Reap.

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Labels: Alleged insult on Angkor Wat | Phokheetra Country Club

Reds told to leave rally site by 3pm

17/05/2010
Bangkok Post

The Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) has advised protesters to leave the rally site by 3pm Monday or face the prospect of two years imprisonment.

The announcement was made on national television about 11am on Monday and was repeated at noon.

The CRES statement said that authorities will facilitate the return home for those wishing to leave the rally site by the deadline.

Staying in the area would be dangerous because there were terrorists hiding among them and attempting to stir up unrest that would lead to injuries and loss of lives, the statement said.

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Labels: Red Shirts demo | Thailand political unrest

Upcountry reds demand [Thai] govt back off rally centre

17/05/2010
Bangkok Post

Red shirt supporters in the provinces are vowing to retaliate if authorities disperse the main protest in Bangkok.

In Chiang Mai, about 500 members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) converged yesterday on the Chiang Mai railway station before marching to the British, US and Chinese consular offices to submit a petition.

They urged the consulates to pressure the government to refrain from using force against UDD protesters at Ratchaprasong intersection in Bangkok.

The Chiang Mai UDD supporters accused soldiers of firing at protesters in the capital and demanded an immediate end to the violence.

A source said Chiang Mai governor Amornpan Nimanant had asked the 3rd Army to shut down two pro-red shirt community radio stations for encouraging people to join the rally in Bangkok.

The commander denied the request citing security concerns, the source said.

A shuttle bus used to transport students in the army's veterinary service was torched in the province, but it was unclear by whom.

In Phayao, a red shirt network yesterday mobilised supporters from all districts at the provincial hall to demand an end to military violence in Bangkok.

Siriwat Jupamattha, coordinator of the UDD network in Phayao, said soldiers must stop killing red shirt protesters. He said his group would continue to pressure the government until it ordered troops to stop shooting at the protesters.

Phayao governor Cherdsak Chusri said he would forward the network's petition to the government so long as their rally remained peaceful.

A security source said a group of teenagers burned more than 10 tyres on Chiang Kham-Chun Road in Phayao's Chun district on Saturday night. Authorities believed it was a copycat act following the red shirts' burning of tyres on major roads in the capital.

In Ubon Ratchathani, protesters also set tyres alight outside the provincial hall on the Hua Saphan Bridge in front of the state-run NBT station and near Wing 21 air base.

Soldiers fired warning shots when protesters tried to enter the base. The protesters retreated and regrouped outside the provincial hall where they dispersed late yesterday afternoon.

Surapol Phetvara, the Thai consular-general in Kota Bharu of Malaysia's Kelantan state, yesterday said Thai residents of the country and tourists were concerned about the violence.

In Ayutthaya, the Royal Elephant Kraal started a campaign urging the government, the UDD and the armed group mixing among the protesters to stop using violence. Placards reading "stop killing, be kind and be peaceful" were seen hanging from elephants carrying tourists around the area.

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Labels: Red Shirts demo | Thailand political unrest

Women, elderly refuse to budge

Red shirt protesters, who are mostly women and children, gather close to the rally stage at the Ratchaprasong intersection yesterday. Many women and children were later moved to a nearby temple. KOSOL NAKACHOL

17/05/2010
Surasak Glahan and Lamphai Intathep
Bangkok Post

Women and the elderly taking part in the red shirt protest have defied the government's recommendation to leave the rally and return home, saying they are fearless and already have a temple as a safe haven for themselves and their children.

They were responding to calls from the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation yesterday urging women, children and the elderly to leave the site by 3pm today.

Thai Red Cross officers and NGO staff said they would go to the rally site and persuade the group to leave.

"This temple should be a safe enough place for our children," said a woman in her sixties, who did not give her name, referring to Wat Pathumwanaram which is next to the rally site.

She was among a number of the elderly, women and children who used the temple's ground yesterday as a temporary refuge.

"If there is violence near the rally's main stage, we will bring children here," she said.

Even though there has been reports of clashes between protesters and government forces which resulted in fatalities and injuries, she would not go.

"No matter what happens, I'll never leave the rally," she said. "Our friends have died for us, so we'll never leave others for the sake of personal safety."

At the temple, Sangwaan Kaew-sanga, 49, said she had no worries about her own safety because she believed she "is fighting for the right thing".

"Little children will stay here in this temple. But for women who want to fight, we will still gather in front of the stage," she said. "Everybody is united. Nobody wants to back off.

"I don't fear death."

Other women in the temple joined her in condemning the government over its lethal treatment of the protesters, saying this was another key reason for them to stay put. They said they would not leave even though there were officials from the Thai Red Cross advising them to go.

Red shirt leader Natthawut Saikua yesterday told protesters who have children to stay inside the temple "to avoid losses of lives".

Wanlop Tangkhananurak, a senator and the secretary-general of the Children Creation Foundation, said acting police chief Pateep Tanprasert called him to help coordinate with child rights organisations to urge people to abandon the site and move to safer areas.

Wat Pathumwanaram and the Police General Hospital have been set aside as safe havens.

The UN International Children's Fund in Thailand also called on all concerned to ensure the safety and protection of children and women in and around the protest site.

"We urge all parties involved to use all the means at their disposal to ensure that children and women are neither targeted in the ongoing violence nor allowed to become victims of it," a Unicef spokesman said.

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Labels: Red Shirts demo | Thailand political unrest

For quality healthcare, Hun Xen's Cambodia has to depend on Vietnam: Bravo!?!?

(L-R, front) Vietnamese former Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, and Vietnamese Deputy PM Truong Vinh Trong at the ground-breaking ceremony for the Cho Ray-Phnom Penh Hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on May 15

Work starts on Vietnam-Cambodia joint hospital

Sunday, May 16,2010
Saigon Giai Phong (Vietcong communist party)

Vietnam’s Saigon Medical Investment Joint Stock Company and Cambodia’s Sokimex Company started May 15 to construct an affiliate of Vietnam’s Cho Ray hospital in Phnom Penh City at a cost of US$42 million.

Tran Viet Hung, chairman of the Vietnamese company’s management board, said the Cho Ray-Phnom Penh multiclinic hospital covers an area of 60,000 square meters in Meanchev district, around ten kilometers from downtown Phnom Penh.

The hospital will have two five-story blocks with 500 beds and wards including internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics, cardiology, trauma and orthopedics, diagnostic tests, and emergency aid.

It is set to be completed in the next two years and create employment for more than 300 people.

At present, Vietnam receives about 250 patients from Cambodia every day, over half of them get treatment at Ho Chi Minh City’s Cho Ray hospital.

Therefore, the joint hospital will not only help Cambodian people save money and time that they would have had to spend on treatment abroad, but also contribute to improving Cambodia’s healthcare quality.

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Labels: Hun Xen begs for Viet help | Vietnamese influence in Cambodia

Eight Cambodian men back home after two years of fishing 'slavery'

The eight Cambodian men who were repatriated back from Malaysia (Photo: Licadho)

Mon, 17 May 2010
DPA

A recent conference in Phnom Penh was told that poverty and a lack of job opportunities in rural areas were driving Cambodian men into uncertain work opportunities in neighbouring countries.

Phnom Penh - Eight Cambodian men have been repatriated from Malaysia after spending up to two years working in slave-like conditions on Thai fishing vessels, local media reported Monday.

The men told human rights workers they were promised well-paid jobs in Thailand, but once there were forced onto fishing boats.

They said they were required to work for no pay, and eventually managed to jump ship when their boats docked in Malaysia for repairs.

Cham Mab, who left Cambodia in 2007, said he had witnessed men who were ill being thrown overboard.

"We tried to work even when we were sick, because we were afraid that if we did not work then they would throw us into the sea," he told the Phnom Penh Post newspaper.

Manfred Hornung, a legal adviser at human rights group Licadho, which was involved in the repatriation, said four of the men had escaped from the same boat.

He said the returnees had given Licadho the names of other Cambodian men they met who had been detained by authorities in neighbouring countries.

"They want organisations and government authorities to help these other Cambodians since they have had such a gruesome experience," he said. "They want to make sure their fellow nationals are able to come home."

A recent conference in Phnom Penh was told that poverty and a lack of job opportunities in rural areas were driving Cambodian men into uncertain work opportunities in neighbouring countries.

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Labels: Cambodian fishermen slaves | Cambodian migrant workers | Joblessness in Cambodia | Poverty in Cambodia | Thailand

Storm destroyed more than 100 houses in Battambang province

17 May 2010
By Suon Sophalmony
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer

A storm knocked down and destroyed more than 100 homes and caused 3 injuries in the evening of Saturday 15 May 2010 in Santepheap and Ta Sda communes, Sampov Loon district, Battambang province.

Chum Seub, the Sampov Loon district governor, said on Sunday 16 May that the disaster caused by the storm started on Saturday at 5:20PM.

Chum Seub said: “Now, we see that the damage affects 103 houses in Santepheap and Ta Sda commune. Three houses completely collapsed, 25 houses lost their roof completely, and 75 other are only affected: some lost 20-30 sheets of the tin roof. Three people were injured, but a man was seriously injured, he was cut by the flying wood and tin roof, the two others were slightly hit only!”

Chum Seub indicated that this is a preliminary number of houses damaged obtained by the authority following the damage. The authority is currently accounting for the number of families and the additional number houses that are affected and reported them to the Battambang Red Cross office to obtain help.

On 23 April 2010, a similar storm destroyed 105 houses by knocking them down to the ground in Samlot and Ratanak Mondul districts, Battambang province. The incident left several families without shelter.

The provincial authority indicated that, starting from 01 April to 23 April 2010, storms destroyed 197 homes in Battambang province. 188 families lost their shelters. The storm also damaged the roof of 3 schools and two monk housings. This number does not even take into account the recent damage.

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Labels: Battambang | Freak storm

A small star steals the limelight from the giant moon ... like candle light stealing the limelight from spotlights imported from VN?


A star rising on top of the moon

16 May 2010
DAP news
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Villagers from O’Raing Ov district, Kampong Cham province, reported that in the evening of Sunday 16 May, more than 300 of them living in village No. 4 East, Ompil Ta Pok commune, O’Raing Ov district, Kampong Cham, were aroused to watch a strange event when a star rose over the shining moon crescent during the 3rd night of the waxing moon of the month of Ches, Buddhist era 2554 (16 May 2010) between 7:30 and 8PM. A villager who saw this event called DAP while the villagers were watching the event above. The caller said: “In my whole life, we never see such an event.”

While the villagers at No. 4 East village were gazing at the night sky, people living in Phnom Penh and a few other regions could not see it because of the cloudy sky.

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Wounded rogue Thai general [Seh Daeng] dies as chaos continues [-Thai soldiers killed each other?]

In this May 1, 2010 file photo, Thai Maj. Gen. Khattiya Sawasdiphol, left, also known as 'Seh Daeng', a rogue commander for the anti-government 'Red Shirts' gathers with others during a dispute over a barricade near Chulalongkorn Hospital. According to Thai media sources Khattiya, who was shot by an unknown sniper five days ago, died of his wounds on Monday, May 17, 2010. (AP Photo/David Longstreath, File)

Monday, May 17, 2010
By CHRIS BLAKE
Associated Press

BANGKOK – A rogue Thai general who aided anti-government protesters and was shot by an unidentified sniper died Monday from his wounds, raising fears of new violence after five days of street battles that have killed 36 people in downtown Bangkok.

Thai news reports said that Maj. Gen. Khattiya Sawasdiphol, a renegade army officer accused of creating a paramilitary force for the Red Shirt protesters, died Monday of gunshot wounds. The death came five days after he was shot in the head by a sniper in downtown Bangkok while talking to journalists inside the perimeter of the protest zone.

Channel 9 television, Thai Rath newspaper and other media outlets reported Khattiya died in a hospital, where he was being treated since Thursday's attack.

The attack on Khattiya triggered widespread street fighting between anti-government protesters and the army in central Bangkok.

The Red Shirts have been protesting since mid-March demanding the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the dissolution of Parliament and new elections.

Anti-government unrest that has boiled over in downtown Bangkok spread Sunday to other areas of the capital. The Thai military has defended its use of force, and the government flatly rejected protesters' demands that the United Nations intercede to end the chaos.

Rapid gunfire and explosions echoed before dawn Monday outside luxury hotels bordering the barricaded protest zone, where the military has attempted to seal in thousands of demonstrators camping in the downtown streets. Guests at the upscale Dusit Thani hotel were rushed to the basement for safety.

Reporters at the scene said the gunfire came both from government forces and protesters holed up inside the encampment who appear to have stockpiled a sizeable arsenal of weapons.

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Labels: Red Shirts demo | Seh Daeng | Thailand political unrest

Vann Nath’s health not improving

Vann Nath (Photo: RFI)

15 May 2010
By Leang Delux
Radio France Internationale
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer

Vann Nath, the former survivor of the Tuol Sleng jail, does not see his health improved by much even though he was discharged from hospital already. Vann Nath’s wife said that her husband cannot sleep and he cannot eat much either.

Vann Nath’s wife indicated on Saturday 15 May that she is still concerned about her husband’s heath . Kith Eng, Vann Nath’s wife, told RFI that, each day, her husband can only eat a small amount of porridge (bor-bor), and he cannot sleep either. These conditions made it such that her husband does not have strong health at all.

She added that she must take Vann Nath in for dialysis once a week at the Chea Sim dialysis center.

Last week, Vann Nath was sent to the Calmette hospital emergency because of his chronic disease. Vann Nath has been ill for many years already. He has kidney, stomach, intestine and pancreatic problems.

The 65-year-old Vann Nath is a surviving witness among a small group of surviving witnesses who escaped death from S-21 (Tuol Sleng) center. He is now old and faces several health problems.

In order to provide for the medical expense need for Vann Nath, the Bophana Center organized an art exhibit to sell 12 drawings by Vann Nath about his personal life under the KR regime. The exhibit was aimed at raising funds to help Vann Nath’s family.

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Labels: KR crimes | S-21 survivor | Vann Nath

Open Season in Bangkok (-Due to graphic violence, viewer discretion ADVISED!)




Army snipers at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium

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Labels: Red Shirts demo | Thailand political unrest

Thailand Makes Offer Of Safety to Protesters

Sunday, May 16, 2010
By SETH MYDANS & THOMAS FULLER

BANGKOK - The government offered safe passage on Sunday for any protesters who wished to leave a downtown site where they have camped for six weeks, and a protest leader said they would be free to leave.

After three days of wild street fighting, the protest leader, Nattawut Saikua, also offered to withdraw militant fighters from the streets and to negotiate if the government also called a cease-fire and withdrew its troops. That offer suggested a closer relationship with the violent wing of the protests than Nattawut had earlier acknowledged.

But he put forward a condition that was immediately rejected by the government, insisting that any talks be mediated by the United Nations. Such a condition would have legitimized the protesters as an internationally recognized party to talks.

Protesters have warned of a wider uprising if they are attacked, and the government on Sunday extended a state of emergency to five more provinces, in addition to Bangkok and 17 provinces that were already covered.

The violence began after protest leaders rejected a government offer of an early election, which had been their initial demand. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva then withdrew the offer, halted negotiations and ordered troops to blockade the protest site, but not invade it. Troops moved in Thursday, and militants outside the site challenged them.

Many protesters at the site insisted late on Sunday that they would stay.

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Labels: Red Shirts demo | Thailand political unrest

Thailand violence: soldier killed as death toll reaches 35

A Thai demonstrator throws a molotov cocktail towards security forces during clashes in Bangkok Photo: AFP/GETTY

The number of dead from three days of street battles in Bangkok has risen to 35, including the first military death.

17 May 2010
Telegraph (UK)

"There were two more deaths last night including a soldier and a protester," said a member of the official emergency medical centre in Bangkok, where troops and anti-government "Red Shirt" protesters are locked in a tense confrontation.

The official said the number of wounded had risen to 244. Among the wounded were six foreigners, he said.

A 31-year-old air force member was shot while on patrol in the flashpoint Silom district, on the edge of the Red Shirts' fortified encampment, the official said, adding that he died in hospital.

"We cannot retreat now," Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said in a televised statement, encapsulating the government's all-or-nothing campaign to end protests seeking to topple his fragile, six-party coalition.

Analysts and diplomats have said that the military had underestimated the resolve of thousands of protesters who had taken over a district of luxury hotels and shopping malls from April 3.

"Unless the government cracks down and does so decisively - and that's a big if - we are going to be seeing rioting and guerrilla warfare, possibly spreading out to other areas," said an Asian diplomat who declined to be identified.

A state of emergency has already spread to more than a quarter of the country after emergency decrees were declared in five more provinces, as violence erupted in the north and northeast.

At least 64 people have died and more than 1,600 have been wounded since the red shirts began their protest in mid-March.

A Red Shirt leader, Nattawut Saikua, called for a ceasefire and UN-moderated talks to end the violence.

The government dismissed the offer. "If they really want to talk, they should not set conditions like asking us to withdraw troops," said Korbsak Sabhavasu, the prime minister's secretary-general.

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Labels: Red Shirts demo | Thai troops casualties | Thailand political unrest

The Effects of Deportation on Families

May 14, 2010
Letter to The New York Times

Re “Deportation’s Brief Adios and Prolonged Anguish” (news article, May 9):

Deportation affects all American families — those without documentation as much as those who are legal permanent residents. We’ve witnessed its effect on Southeast Asian Americans who came as refugees decades ago, and are deported back to the countries they once fled in fear of persecution.

Though one community member fled Cambodia as an infant and barely speaks the language, he was deported, because of a minor conviction from his youth, back to a country he didn’t even remember. After serving time, leading an upstanding life for eight years and starting a family, he was detained and deported while applying for citizenship.

He leaves behind a wife, two daughters and his aging mother. His daughters will grow up without their father.

Current laws are unjust, and tear families apart. We ask that judges be given the power to consider case-by-case circumstances before deciding on deportation or a second chance, an authority that was stripped under the 1996 immigration laws.

Doua Thor
Executive Director
Southeast Asia Resource Action Center
Washington, May 11, 2010

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Labels: US deportation policies | US Deportees | US unfair deportation policy

Cambodia Has Come a Long Way! [-To uncover Cambodia's festering societal and economic cancer, one needs to dig deeper!]

PICTURE PERFECT: An aerial view of what Phnom Penh looks like now, taken from the writer's hotel window
ILLUSTRIOUS COMPANY: (From left) The writer with Princess Norodom Arunrasmy and Datuk Kamal Yan, Special Adviser to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak

Monday, May 17th, 2010
Rusdi Mustapha
The Malay Mail

IN 1991, I flew on an army plane to Cambodia to see our soldiers serving under the auspices of the United Nations in Battambang.

This country was just one big dust bowl and rubbish bin as it had to endure too many wars and invasions, and millions of its population were decimated by that evil force under the guise of the dreaded Khmer Rouge.

Today, the Kingdom of Cambodia is bouncing back with a vengeance, economically, politically and socially.

Last week, I had another chance to be part of an official visit there.

Our delegation was headed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

It was a moment of pride to see how Malaysia was being received with much respect by the Kingdom of Cambodian and its government.

Reason? Well, when Cambodia was down and out, Malaysia was there to lend assistance. You name it and we were there to help them without any condition. And sincere assistance to a country in need has borne its fruitful return.

Today, Malaysia is one of Cambodia's biggest foreign investors, besides Japan, China and South Korea.

As said, we are investing everywhere in Cambodia with the consent of their government.

Last week’s official visit saw Malaysian investors committing about US$1 billion (RM3.3 billion, according to AFP reports).

It was reported the private sector agreements covered “education, information communication technology security, produce deemed halal, coffee growing, a poultry farm, and in the plantation sector”. During the three-day visit, Najib met Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, and he pledged to encourage more Malaysians to invest in the kingdom.

Barely two years ago when I visited Phnom Penh, a ride from the Pochentong Airport (since renamed Phnom Penh Airport) on the way to town will expose us to a dusty road filled with red laterite dust, rubbish strewn everywhere and the proverbial chaotic traffic mainly filled with small motorcycles. But on this trip, it was a surprise!

It was like coming to a new township where everything is perfect. Can this be just for the sake of an official visit of a foreign leader that the road from the airport leading to the official hotel is filled with decorations? No, it wasn’t! I took the trouble to visit other parts of Phnom Penh and true enough the whole city has been transformed!

Indeed, Phnom Penh has decided to take a giant leap and the city is now, to my reckoning, one of the best and most comfortable cities to visit. Good food, friendly people, great scenery.

If you decide to, you can sit on the balcony of the Foreign Correspondents Club, sipping the great coffee and eating its famous cheeseburger and watching the river Mekong flow ever solidly and majestically.

According to Princess Norodom Arunrasmy, the Cambodians have a very strong resolve and they want the country to forge ahead come what may.

“We are a very positive people, the hardships we had to endure in the past, we leave them behind, but not to forget them as a lesson for us.

"Malaysia has always been a real friend to Cambodia and I see that relationship to be much stronger as we move ahead as a country.

"Investment from Malaysia has always been given a priority,” she told a group of us at her residence in the capital.

The princess is the daughter of Prince Norodom Sihanouk and she is also the Cambodian Ambassador to Malaysia.

During the lunch she prepared for us, we had laksa, rending and otak-otak and many more almost familiar Cambodian foods that are so like Malaysian cuisine.

AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines both fly to Cambodia and the flight from KL is only about one and a half hours.

Malaysians do not need a visa to go there. So, what are you waiting for?

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Labels: Malaysia | Malaysian investment in Cambodia | Norodom Arunrasmy

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: Red Shirt River

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

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Labels: Political Cartoon | Red Shirts demo | Sacrava | Thailand political unrest

Farmers protest loss of dam

Villagers in Kampong Thom province gather Tuesday morning to protest the dismantling of a Khmer Rouge-era dam in Santuk district. (Photo supplied)

Wednesday, 12 May 2010
Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

MORE than 500 people from Kampong Thom province’s Santuk district on Tuesday protested the dismantling of a Khmer Rouge-era irrigation project that they say has led to the flooding of their farmland.

Villagers say the dam, when it functioned, had been used to flush water in and out of farmland belonging to residents of Santuk’s Boeung Lvea, Ti Pou, Kraya and Kampong Thma communes. Government officials dismantled it last year to build a reservoir.

“My land has been totally flooded – I can’t plant rice anymore,” said Khaul Choeun, who claimed to own 2 hectares of flooded land.

In a meeting at Santuk’s Boeung Lvea pagoda, Santuk district governor Pich Sophea told villagers that the government would not be paying compensation to families affected by the flooding because they had planted their rice on state land.

“This is the government’s project to renovate the irrigation system,” Pich Sothea said, adding that the newly built reservoir provided water for residents of five communes in Santuk.

The villagers, he added, understood that they had no right to plant rice on state land but had been incited to protest for compensation by the opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP).

“We have prohibited them from planting crops there, so when their crops are flooded over, we are not responsible,” he said. “We have prohibited them again and again – they know already.”

Men Sothavarin, an SRP lawmaker from Kampong Thom, denied that the SRP had incited the protest.

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Labels: Flooding | Illegal land confiscation | Kampong Thom | SRP MP

SRP MP Men Sothavarin listen to Santouk villagers protest against the dismantling of KR era dam


May 10, 2010: MP Men Sothavarin, SRP provincial chief for Kampong Thom, and Mr. Sun Chanthy, provincial working group with more than 500 villagers from 4 communes in Santouk district, Kampong Thom province gather to protest the dismantling of a Khmer Rouge-era dam. The villagers complain that their lands were confiscated without any compensation from the government.

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Labels: Forced eviction | Illegal land confiscation | Kampong Thom | SRP MP

A Day on the SRP Campaign Trail: Kampot Province

Mu Sochua rainsing SRP party sign in Tani commune, Kampot province (All photos: SRP)
Mu Sochua talking to villagers who have gathered for the occasion
Mu Sochua talking to villagers
Dialogue between Mu Sochua and villagers

16-May-2010
Cambodia

At the Tani commune in the Kontrong village, Mu Sochua, deputy Kosal Chin, and commune supporters engaged in putting up an SRP sign. The gathering brought many people from other parties, a product of the SRP's ability to create and restore a democratic and transparent leadership, even at the grassroots level. The new SRP sign is an important symbolic change within the community, signifying that the area is now a place which puts its trust into the Sam Rainsy Party

Kosal Chin, Mu Sochua, and others had a conversation with the commune. Here they spoke about the relationship between the government and the people, stressing that it is the role of the government to listen to the needs of the people and the role of the people is to report problems as well as commentate on progress made within the community.

After the Tani commune, we moved to the Trapaing Rou village for a women's work shop. Here, Mu Sochua talked about important issues concerning the lives of Cambodian women today. She discussed three issues which are themes among Mu Sochua's speeches. She talked about health care and gender, especially concerning reproductive rights and the dangers of pregnancy during delivery. She also brought up matters of education and women while encouraging the women to be a part of the change they wish to see, calling the newly trained women diffuse their ideas to those unable to go to the work shop.

In the Sboundet village, Mu Sochua again had a dialogue expressing the role she has as a representative, stressing that development and freedom is their right, that she is working on their behalf. Here, youth voters discussed how they wanted to vote because they want to have an education and a future. Farmers also discussed corruption in government, as well as poverty and land rights, expressing that farmers have been stuck with the same life inside the village.

Although all of the settings were different in nature, there was one thread pulling them together- a dedication and passion to establishing a just and fair democratic society through a dialogue relationship between and among the people.
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By Nicholas Walker-Craig.

About the author: I am currently a Sophomore at the University of Michigan studying Sociology in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I am interning under Mu Sochua and will be mostly working with the Youth Wing of the SRP, and will be in Cambodia until August. I'm very excited and honored to be working with the SRP and Mu Sochua!

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