Cambodia morning news for December 20

Cambodia morning news for December 20
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Cambodia morning newsFrance promises to help Cambodia on the EBA tax exemption with EU
Vice President of the French National Assembly, including a delegation of the French Parliament are in Cambodia for a six-day official visit from 15th to 20th December.
– SBS News (video)

Protected forest in Cambodian commune illegally logged through official collusion: Mother Nature
Around 1,200 hectares (2,965 acres) of protected forest from a commune in Cambodia’s Ratanakkiri province has been illegally logged for timber and sold to businessmen from neighboring Vietnam through collusion with Cambodian authorities, an environmental watchdog group said Wednesday.
— Radio Free Asia

Garment workers accuse company of hiring thugs to disrupt protest
Garment workers from City Spark Cambodian Co Ltd in Por Senchey district yesterday filed a complaint with police alleging that the company hired gangsters to break up a protest for better working conditions on Tuesday.
— The Khmer Times

Road deaths continue to plague Kingdom
There were more than 3,000 traffic accidents resulting in nearly 2,000 fatalities and more than 5,000 injuries from November last year until November this year, according to a report obtained yesterday.
— The Khmer Times

Russia petitioned for ‘release of filmmaker’
The wife of detained alleged filmmaker Rath Rott Mony and a number of Boeung Kak land activists filed a petition on Tuesday at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Phnom Penh calling for his release.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Supreme Court upholds Rainsy’s defamation conviction
The Supreme Court today upheld two lower court verdicts to convict former opposition leader Sam Rainsy of defamation and order him to pay about $1 million to Prime Minister Hun Sen for alleging that the premier bribed pro-government activist Thy Sovantha to attack the opposition.
— Khmer Times

Does Nuon Chea still have no regrets?
Nuon Chea was convicted of genocide in a tribunal in Phnom Penh last month for his role as Pol Pot’s deputy in Cambodia. Known as Brother Number Two, at age 92, he is the oldest surviving senior member of the Khmer Rouge and now one of those held responsible for the deaths of 1.7 million people in Cambodia.
— The Diplomat

Why Cambodia’s opposition failed?
Cambodian Prime Minister, Hun Sen’s authoritarian crackdown has rendered his critics defenceless. His last major blow to the opposition was the dissolution of the main opposition party, the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP).
— The Asean Post

PM: Electricity rates to drop ‘in 14 days’
Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday pledged that electricity rates will drop across the Kingdom next year, saying his “sharing policy”, promised before the July 29 national elections, “will come true in the next 14 days”.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Dueling decisions at the Khmer Rouge trials could mean a suspect avoids justice
Hot-on-the-heels of a landmark trial judgment in Case 2/2, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) (also known as the Khmer Rouge Trials) in recent days issued a significant decision in another case, Case 3.
— Just Security

CPP focuses on internal reform
Internal reform and international relations were discussed on the second day of the Cambodian People’s Party congress yesterday.
— The Khmer Times

China vows to strengthen ties with Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi is now in Laos for the Fourth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. Wang held talks with Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai and Myanmar officials before Monday’s meeting, aiming to boost cooperation.
— CGTN

Former CNRP lawmaker predicts Sam Rainsy role may ‘split’ the party
Former Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) lawmaker Ou Chanrath predicted on Tuesday that Sam Rainsy’s contentious new position as acting president may cause an inevitable “split” in the party.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Preah Sihanouk governor orders firm to end activities in national park
Preah Sihanouk provincial governor Yun Min has ordered a local company to cease all development in the Prek Koh Khyong area within the Ream National Park, which the firm plans to turn into a tourist attraction.
— The Phnom Penh Post

‘Colluding’ police officer sent to Tbong Khmum court
A police officer accused of colluding with illegal loggers and violently attacking a fellow officer was sent to Tbong Khmum provincial court for further action, a judicial police official said on Tuesday.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Two killed in rice factory blaze
A rice factory fire yesterday killed two workers and injured four others in Kampong Speu province’s Odong district.
— The Khmer Times

Sanctuary rangers impound timber
Environmental rangers on Monday seized a pile of timber hidden in the forest behind a house in Pou Chrei commune’s Me Pai village in Mondulkiri province’s Pech Chreada district following reports from villagers.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Cambodia earns over US$250 million from rubber
Cambodia has exported over 187,700 tons of rubber within the first 11 months of 2018, amounted to $250 million of revenue, according to the official report of the General Department of Rubber, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on Tuesday.
— Fresh News

Fashion workers urge H&M to deliver a living wage
While the Swedish retailer pays better than other factories its employees in Cambodia say salaries are barely enough to live on.
— Business Day

Digital technology essential for economic growth, says World Bank
Cambodia’s economic growth in recent years has been rapid, with the Kingdom benefitting from preferential trade treatment and an abundance of low-skilled labour. But the country will need to look to new technologies and greater digital adoption across different sectors to continue enjoying that prosperity, according to a World Bank report.
— Southeast Asia Globe

Cambodian economy to remain robust in medium term
Cambodia’s economy is predicted to stay robust in the short and medium terms despite the uncertainty of preferential tariff system granted to the country by several trading partners, according to Cambodian Minister for Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth.
— Vietnam Plus

Phnom Penh Port expansion set to boost Kingdom’s waterways shipping
The launch of the 2nd phase of the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port’s (PPAP) container terminal will boost the Kingdom’s waterway shipping through more trade capacity and reduced costs, according to industry insiders.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Three universities agree to found new research centre
The Royal University of Phnom Penh, the Royal University of Fine Arts, and the National Institute of Education inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Monday, agreeing to establish a joint higher education social sciences and humanities research institute.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Cambodia’s biggest hydropower dam now producing electricity
Cambodia’s largest hydropower project officially began producing electricity yesterday as the country tries to increase its energy capacity to reduce energy imports and help jump-start industrial expansion.
— Macau Daily Times

Cambodia: The extraordinary journey of a resilient banker
CIMB’s boss in Phnom Penh, Bun Yin, is the only Cambodian to run an international bank anywhere, but that’s not the only remarkable thing about him: the fact that he’s alive to do so is another.
— Asia Money

Russey Keo, a project away from a boom
The outer districts of the capital, particularly Russey Keo in the north, are becoming some of the most popular areas to live and start a business.
— The Khmer Times

Groups advocate employment for the disabled
Civil society organisations whose work mainly focuses on advocating the welfare of people with disabilities across Asia appealed to their governments to pay more attention to the private sectors offering job opportunities for disabled people.
— The Phnom Penh Post

GMAC urges unions to respect labour directive
The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia has demanded all unions respect Directive 443 issued by the Labour Ministry and for the government to urge those affected by the directive to comply.
— The Khmer Times

Cassava processing factory to open
Hong Kong-based Green Leader Holdings Group Co Ltd, which announced its first cassava processing factory earlier this year, aims to commence operations by next year, according to Green Leader (Cambodia) Co Ltd CEO Gao Hua.
— The Phnom Penh Post

4 top stock picks for 2019 as SAC remains ‘cautiously optimistic’ amid volatile market conditions
SAC has a “buy” recommendation on Hong Lai Huat Group with a target price of 51 cents, implying an upside of 137% from its current trading price. The group owns a property development business in Singapore and Cambodia, and also owns one of the largest cassava plantations in Cambodia.
— The Edge

Cambodia-based milk producer to expand
American-owned Moo Moo Farms plans to import 1,000 cows in February next year to produce high-quality fresh milk.
— The Khmer Times

Cambodia successfully hosts ASEAN-China Young Entrepreneur Forum
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in collaboration with the ASEAN Secretariat, and with the support from the Mission of the Peoples’ Republic of China to ASEAN, successfully hosted the ASEAN-China Young Entrepreneur Forum under the theme “Harnessing Technology and Innovation for Resilient SMEs Development”, on 17-18 December 2018 in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
— Fresh News

Cambodian girls aim to bridge parent-child communication gap with innovative app
Ung Pechata has always dreamed big. The 12-year-old Cambodian had wanted to become an architect or inventor, but a technology competition has given her a new goal: solving social problems through technology.
— Voice of America

Government seeks Ponzi extradition
The government has requested the Laotian authorities to extradite one of the masterminds behind a Ponzi scheme which is estimated to have defrauded tens of thousands of Cambodians out of up to $400 million, a national police top brass said.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Man tried for insulting, threatening to kill King
Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday tried a chicken vendor for insulting and threatening to kill King Norodom Sihamoni in a Facebook post in June.
— The Khmer Times

Belgian sentenced to life over Brazilian cocaine
Phnom Penh Municipal Court today re-sentenced a Belgian man who was sentenced to life in prison in absentia in June for trafficking more than one kilogram of cocaine from Brazil to Cambodia through Phnom Penh International Airport in January.
— Khmer Times

NGO’s domestic violence video exceeds 1M views on Facebook
The End Violence Together campaign was produced by This Life Cambodia (TLC) – a development organisation supporting vulnerable children, families and communities in Cambodia – and features a short film depicting four scenes of women experiencing domestic violence.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Best photojournalism arrives in Siem Reap
More than 100 striking images celebrating this year’s best in photojournalism opened in Siem Reap this week as part of a travelling exhibition showcasing images from around the world.
— The Phnom Penh Post

On a mission to save Cambodia’s musical heritage
Griffith creative arts lecturers have collaborated on a stunning new book that documents the battle to preserve Cambodia’s musical heritage.
— Griffith University

Cambodian football fans blatantly react to Human Rights Watch Brad Adams for linking football to politics
Cambodian football journalists, coaches, and fans have strongly reacted to Brad Adams, executive director of Human Rights Watch (HRW)’s Asia Division, for linking football sport to politics, which is a serious violation to FIFA’s regulations.
– Fresh News

 

Feature photo Eng Kok-Thay / DC-Cam

This week’s Cambodia morning news feature photo acknowledges International Human Solidarity Day, December 20.

 

Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

Cambodia morning news by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Cambodia news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.

 

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With a decade of experience as an editor and journalist, Roy has edited mastheads across Australia and Southeast Asia, from the remote island communities of the Torres Strait to Cambodia’s only award-winning newspaper, The Phnom Penh Post.

A a professional photographer since the days of film, he holds a Bachelor of Arts in Photomedia and a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism.

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