Cambodia seeks to drop pending charges against unionists in about-face on labor
Cambodia’s Ministry of Labor on Thursday asked all union leaders and labor activists who have court cases pending against them to report to the ministry so it can work with justice officials to have the charges dropped, in a move by Prime Minister Hun Sen’s authoritarian regime to alleviate pressure from the international community over his human rights record.
— Radio Free Asia
World Bank expects Cambodian economy to grow higher this year
The World Bank on Wednesday released its latest edition of Cambodia’s economic outlook, expecting that the Kingdom’s economy will grow higher this year compared to last year.
— The Phnom Penh Post
Cambodia and Vietnam agree to boost trade
Cambodia and Vietnam has agreed on a speedy implementation of mechanisms to facilitate trade, achieve faster transport connectivity, and apply one-stop services at border gates to help achieve a US$5 billion (165 billion baht) bilateral trade target.
— Bangkok Post
Cambodia’s Hun Sen ‘sorry’ he hadn’t killed protest leaders
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen voiced regret on Thursday that he hadn’t had leaders of protests against his ruling Cambodian People’s Party in 2013 and 2014 killed, saying only that he hadn’t wanted to do this “at the time.”
— Radio Free Asia
Dengue outbreak sees 1,691 kids hospitalised in a month
A total of 1,691 children were hospitalised at Kantha Bopha Children’s Hospital between October 21 and November 21 after an outbreak of haemorrhagic dengue fever.
— The Phnom Penh Post
Factory solar experiment disappointing
While the Royal Government of Cambodia encourages the use of renewable energy in factories, the results of a solar powered experiment have proved disappointing, according to the secretary general of the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia.
— Cambodia News English
Will Cambodia’s Bun Rany be the next ‘first lady’ to fall from grace?
The recent ignoble falls from grace of two of Asia’s former “first ladies” – the Philippines’ Imelda Marcos and Malaysia’s Rosmah Mansor – raise some relevant questions for Cambodia and the international community: Could Cambodia’s Bun Rany, the wife of Prime Minister Hun Sen, be next on the list?
— Asia Times
Kingdom requests UAE to invest in key sectors
Cambodia has requested the UAE to invest in the Kingdom’s agriculture, tourism, industry and infrastructure sectors to accelerate economic growth and reduce poverty, a post on the official Ministry of Commerce Facebook page said on Wednesday.
— The Phnom Penh Post
Cambodian PM visits Nepal to boost ties
Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen arrived here on Thursday for a four-day official visit to Nepal. This is the first official visit of the Cambodian prime minister to the Himalayan country.
— Xinhua
Cambodian women fight for grassroots political participation
Men Sophy, a grassroots politician from the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, has set her sights on the top job in the Battambang commune of Klaing Meas. Like many women with political aspirations in Cambodia, Sophy, 38, is concerned that too few women are promoted into leadership roles in the male-dominated sector.
— Voice of America
Alleged Chinese base claim ‘just psychological warfare’
Cambodia government officials and academics have said a report alleging the possible existence of a Chinese naval base in Koh Kong province was “just psychological warfare”. They said a site inspection would not be not required.
— The Phnom Penh Post
Judges split as to whether KR navy chief should stand trial
The National and International Co-investigating Judges of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) was divided on Wednesday as to whether Meas Muth, a former Khmer Rouge naval commander, should have the charges against him of genocide of the Vietnamese, war crimes and premeditated homicide dropped.
— The Phnom Penh Post
Meas Muth says he was a low-ranking official
A former Democratic Kampuchea navy commander Meas Muth said that he was a low-ranking Khmer Rouge official and was not the person most responsible for crimes committed by the Khmer Rouge.
— Khmer Times
GHL acquires a 51% stake in Cambodia e-payment company for US$2.4m
Payment service provider GHL Systems Bhd is buying Speed Pay Plc for USD2.04 million (about RM8.55 million) in cash to expand its footprint in Cambodia.
— The Edge Markets
Worldbridge Homes set to bring affordable housing
The first phase of an affordable-home project by Cambodia-based Worldbridge Homes Co Ltd will be completed in late March next year, with the entire project finished in the first quarter of 2020.
— The Phnom Penh Post
Cambodia’s solar regulation
The solar generation regulation has elevated the regulatory framework in Cambodia with a foreseeable positive impact to its future solar PV development.
— The Phnom Penh Post
Cambodia’s tour guides face tech disruption
A van arrives at Angkor Wat Temple and deposits its load of foreigners who make their way to the World Heritage Site. Noticeably absent among them is a local guide. The tourists brought their own guide, a handheld device that can speak up to 14 languages.
— The Asean Post
PM ‘purposely let CNRP leaders flee’
Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Wednesday that he purposely let the leaders behind mass protests following the 2013 national elections flee Cambodia, after calling the demonstrations an attempt to “overthrow” his government.
— The Phnom Penh Post
‘Dismissing unions is not good choice’
Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday requested prosecuted union leaders to submit relevant documents to the Labour and Justice ministries in order for the two institutions to work alongside the court in resolving their cases.
— The Phnom Penh Post
Soldiers charged with land grabbing
At least 12 people including four soldiers from two “armed gangs” have been sent to Preah Sihanouk provincial court for their involvement in illegal land grabbing in protected areas in Prey Nop district’s Bit Traing commune.
— The Phnom Penh Post
‘They negotiate the price of them in the womb’
Chou Bun Eng, Cambodian Deputy Interior Minister on surrogacy. (radio interview)
— BBC World Service
NSSF offers free cancer treatment
The National Social Security Fund is offering free medical check-ups and cancer treatment for all garment workers and government officials.
— Khmer Times
NACD creating local-level committees to update addict database
The National Authority for Combating Drugs is creating district-level committees comprised of district and city anti-drug police and local authorities to update a database on the number of drug addicts in the Kingdom to improve their treatment and rehabilitation.
— Khmer Times
New book focuses on Cambodia’s down-to-earth tact and diplomacy – review
Adolf Hitler once said that “when diplomacy ends, war begins” and it has been a major task for diplomats from Cambodia, a small Southeast Asian country with just 16.33 million people surrounded by much bigger neighbors, to ensure that diplomacy never ends and war never returns to their country.
— Eurasia Review
i4i Ideathon: Women stepping up
To create an environment where every woman can exercise her rights and make use of her full potentials without getting intimidated, harassed or belittled because of her gender, UN Women Cambodia brought together more than 70 young women from Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos PDR and Vietnam for the “Innovation for Impact (i4i) Ideathon” last week at the Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Center.
— Khmer Times
Forum to protect Eld’s deer
Around 50 officers and wildlife conservationists from China, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia gathered in Phnom Penh for a workshop intended as a forum to share information to help provide better protection for the Eld’s deer.
— The Phnom Penh Post
Better, wider reading habit through digital library
“Let’s Read” is a regional project initiated and ran by the Asia foundation, an international organisation that works in over 10 countries including Cambodia.
— Khmer Times
A dying art, a dying culture?
Leather carving and shadow puppetry have been part of Cambodian culture for thousands of years … But has the art remained as fervent as it was decades ago?
— Khmer Times
Use National Library, director urges public
The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts has called on the public, students, monks, scholars, writers, foreigners and specialists to read more books at the National Library.
— Cambodia News English
PM: UYFC is open to all youths who wish to join
Prime Minister Hun Sen on Tuesday said the appointment of children of high-ranking officials as members of the Central Committee at the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia (UYFC) was made in accordance with internal procedures and statutes of the UYFC.
— The Phnom Penh Post
History journey begins
The Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia has begun its 40-kilometre journey to mark the establishment of the Solidarity Front for the Development of the Cambodian Motherland.
— Khmer Times
Feature photo Cambodian League for the Promotion and defense of human rights (Licardo)
This week’s Cambodia morning news feature photo acknowledges International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, December 2.
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.
Cambodia morning news for November 30 added by Mark Roy on
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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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