Cambodia Morning News For June 28

Cambodian Minister of Agriculture Calls on Chinese Investors to Invest in Agrifood in Cambodia
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Veng Sakhon, representing agricultural ministers of ASEAN member states, called on Chinese major investors to invest in agriculture, in particular, on agricultural food products in Cambodia.
— Fresh News

Cambodia says 50,000 observers to monitor July election
Cambodia’s National Election Committee (NEC) on Wednesday said 50,000 observers, including some from China, Myanmar and Singapore, will monitor a general election next month, which is widely expected to be a landslide victory for Prime Minister Hun Sen after the main opposition party was dissolved last year.
— Reuters

Cambodian PM now ‘fully fledged military dictator’, says report
Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen has become a “fully fledged military dictator” according to Human Rights Watch in a report released on Thursday investigating the extent of his personal control over the military and the police.
— The Guardian

Chamkar Mon water treatment plant to be ready by November 2019
The water treatment plant in Chamkar Mon will come online next year, with construction work to expand the facility expected to end November 2019, according to the Ministry of Industry and Handicraft.
— Khmer Times

Government issues final deadline to register SIM card users
The government has set a new deadline for mobile network operators to have all their SIM cards properly registered.
— Khmer Times

Thailand-Cambodia coordinate to protected areas and trans-boundary
Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) hosts a workshop between Thailand and Cambodia on Protected areas and Trans-boundary Biodiversity Conservation Landscape management.
— NNT

Sihanoukville airport opens renovated terminal
Sihanoukville International Airport’s renovated passenger terminal was presented to the public during a soft launch held yesterday.
— Khmer Times

Government lauds NEC efforts, dismisses concerns about lack of EU participation
The National Election Committee (NEC) was hailed by the government on Tuesday for saying that there would be 45,000 observers for the July 29 national elections.
— The Phnom Penh Post

A New Thailand-Cambodia Military Boost?
A closer look at recent reports that both sides have agreed to step up defense cooperation.
— The Diplomat (paywall)

Cambodia to Welcome Thousands of Chinese Delegates, Commemorate the 60th Anniversary of Cambodia-China Diplomacy
The Royal Government of Cambodia, with the assistance of Ministry of Tourism, will host a huge gathering for thousands of Chinese delegates visiting Cambodia on 30 June 2018 at Sokha Angkor Resort Siem Reap to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of China-Cambodia diplomacy.
— Fresh News

Smart Axiata named best emerging market operator by Telecom Asia
Smart Axiata, Cambodia’s leading mobile telecommunications company, was named Best Emerging Market Operator by Telecom Asia yesterday.
— Khmer Times

Chinese consortium explores opportunities in Sihanoukville
A delegation of Chinese companies on Tuesday announced its readiness to invest in internet-based services for Cambodia’s tourism sector, particularly in Sihanoukville.
— Khmer Times

Local drug use down: NACD
The National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD) said the production, trafficking and consumption of illegal drugs in the region, and the world, is escalating and becoming an increasing concern, urging authorities to accelerate property confiscation from criminals.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Cambodia’s child porn problem highlighted in sacking of US Embassy staff
The US Embassy in Phnom Penh recently fired nearly three dozen employees after discovering a group Facebook message in which the dismissed workers allegedly shared child pornography. The 32 sacked employees protested their dismissals outside the embassy last week, and in so doing shone a light on the continued prevalence of child pornography in Cambodia
— Southeast Asia Globe

Two more provinces to be able to issue certificates of origin
Producers, traders and exporters in Ratanakkiri and Tbong Khmum can now apply online for certificates of origin for their exports, submitting applications through the website of their respective provincial commerce department.
— Khmer Times

US Seriously Violates Human Rights: PM Hun Sen
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen announced on Wednesday that the United States, father of democracy and human rights, seriously violated human rights following the US’s brutal campaign, under Trump Administration’s policy, to separate young children from their beloved parents who illegally crossed from Mexico into the United States.
— Fresh News (video)

Kingdom becomes top bicycle supplier to EU
Cambodia became the largest bicycle supplier to the European Union (EU) last year, overtaking Taiwan, which had held the number one spot for two decades, a recent report from the website Bike-EU.com said on Monday.
— The Phnom Penh Post

No Increase in Taxi Fee, PM Hun Sen Appeals
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen urged taxi owners not to increase taxi fee during the election, addressing to over 24,000 workers from five factories in Sameakki Mean Chey District, south of Kampong Chhnang Province, in central Cambodia.
— Fresh News (video)

‘I really think that Cambodian food deserves a place in the world’
Scouring the countryside for traditional recipes on the verge of fading from living memory, chef Rotanak Ros is striving to put Cambodian cuisine on the world map through cooking classes, quick and easy recipes, and luxury-dining nights at her riverside terrace.
— Southeast Asia Globe

Feature photo John Le Fevre

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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.