CAMBODIAN NEWS

Angkor333 car made by Cambodia

vutha — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 12:40:58 +0000

Mr. Nheam Phaloek who is Cambodian mechanic designed a home-made Angkor 333 car at his house in Phnom Penh.

First time, I saw this car driving in Phnom Penh and I never thought that this car was made by Cambodian. It is proud when our Cambodian has initiative to produce the brand of this car. (photo from AFP)

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First draft acid law completed

vutha — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:06:12 +0000

In order to put serious punishment for acid attacker and strictly regulate acid distributor, the government committee, which consists of 11 member ministry of interior task force, completed the first new draft acid law.

The draft legislation also calls for strict controls over all aspects of importing, transporting, production, buying and selling acid. In addition, all businesses that deal with acid would be required to be licensed by the ministry of industry with those that flout the rules vulnerable to unspecified fines or prison terms.

“It is an absolutely new law that has been specially designed for the serious prosecution of perpetrators as well as more strict measures on the distribution of acid,” Ouk Kimlek, undersecretary of state at the ministry and the committee’s deputy director was quoted by The Cambodia Daily as saying.

Ouk Kimlek, who wrote the 20-point draft law, said he believes people convicted in severe cases should face life in prison, though the exact punishments have yet to be determined, reported the Phnom Penh Post.

The proposed law will be approved by the Minister of Interior Sar Kheng and be sent to the Council of Ministers for debates before being sent to National Assembly.

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Using PayPal unavailable in Cambodia

vutha — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:07:46 +0000

I always received comments and emails from blog readers and friends who asked me about the process of using Paypal in Cambodia. Why did they ask me? Because they find that I am using Paypay to get paid from advertisers. In fact that I use my sister’s Paypal account in USA because she can withdraw money from Paypal.

Can we create Paypal account? It is true that we can create our own Paypal account. As you know, Paypal is the safer, easier way to pay and get paid online. By the way, the service allows anyone to pay in any way they prefer through credit cards, bank accounts, buyer credit or account balances, without sharing financial information.

After creating Paypal account whether we can withdraw money from it or not in Cambodia, as I know, the system of transferring money between Paypal company and private banks in Cambodia is not available. When you signed up Paypal account, you can get paid from other senders and advertisers and you can use your money in Paypal to buy products and to pay something online. In order to use your money to buy something online, you are required to get verified with the Paypal Plus Credit Card. If not verify, you will not be able to use your money.

That is the experience of friend of mine who created Paypal account to get paid from advertiser on his blog. In order to use money in his account, firstly he verified his visa card created in Cambodia. And then he can use his money to pay his domain names accepted by Godady. And I asked him whether there are other ways to withdraw money in Cambodia, he said that no way to withdraw it in Cambodia’s banks.

That is the information that I know about the usage of Paypal in Cambodia. It is because I cannot withdraw money with Banks in Cambodia, I use my sister’s Papal in USA. In case, someone has experiences in using Paypal in Cambodia, please sharing this with all of us in Cambodia.

Need life safety or justice?

vutha — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:17:37 +0000

Last month, I wrote blog post that traffic police fined me and friend of mine while we drove car without wearing belt at midnight. At that time, we gave 10,000 riel to them when they asked us for pure water. And I got comment from Jeffrey Serey Hola from USA, sharing his experience as saying that:

Hello, I was stopped by a group of City Polices a MP outskirt of Phnom Penh 4am in the morning. One MP told us to pull over and pointed to Cheark. He said it expired 2 years ago. Of course coming from United State I did not understand what cheark is and realized that it’s the first time I was kind of scare too but I composed myself very well. I then proceed to call my brother of mine who own the car. He started to laugh and said he totally forgot to pay because the car has been parked for long while. He told me to pay and ask them for receipt and he said if they cannot produce any receipt that’s mean they’re illegal.

Anyway to make it short I did pay 2,5000.00 ($5.00) reil and got receipt for 2009 Cheark. They told if there any stopped just show them the receipt. Along the way there are a few illegal check point I assumed because they did not stop me. Nowadays those illegal pulling for money is very rare to a citizen because they are very selective for Taxies or wrong move.

For your situation it might not be illegal and of course you should have ask for receipt but if they cannot produce one then hand the money to them anyway for your safety. But if I were you I would have offer the water first and then ask for receipt politely. Humanitarian aid to such is not bad and help make other side at ease, also. I has been in Cambodia many times and had travel with my wife and had out food, money, and medicine to places that people in Phnom Penh advised me not to go alone.

He also commented that I should give pure water to them and then asked them to issue receipt. If it was in the day time, I would ask them how many faults I made and then I would pay them the number of my faults, but not gave them water. It was their excuse, in fact they wanted to ask for money but they did not ask like this directly.

I did not want to confront with police at night like that because I needed my own life safety first, not need find justice and fairness. It is hard to believe them at night. How do you think? if you met the situation like me, do you really ask them to issue receipt?

My parent’s life as farmer

vutha — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 09:40:21 +0000

Black pepper planted in Memot district

When we say about the black pepper, we will think over Kampot pepper but never say about the pepper planted in Kampong Cham province, especially in Memot district. In the fact that, I was born from farmer family, my parents farmed since they returned from the Pol Pot regime until now. My parents always have grown cash-crops in order to meet the market from coffee, cashew and pepper.

They cut down all coffee trees in the last nearly 10 years because its price was so cheap. Presently, he planted pepper and cashew instead. I now just would like to let you know that most of people in Memot district like to grow agro-agriculture.

My parents’ life as farmer is so hard because they almost have enough time to rest. They need to go to farm almost every day. Most of people who planted vine pepper have not experience. What they did is to get lesson learnt from each other.

My parents have planted pepper more than five years. In order to yield products, they need to hire workers to guard farm, spend on pesticide, gasoline, not including their own labor. And in the harvest season, they need to hire local residents to pick its pepper. And all fresh peppers are needed to dry.

Border police takes money from cassava vendors

vutha — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 07:59:35 +0000

While the prime minister ordered to clean up all illegal checkpoints set up along the national roads in order to take money from Cambodian farmers who transport their vegetable and products to the market. By the way, the premier also ordered all border policemen to stop taking money from people who export their agricultural products crossing border to Vietnam. Farmers were also pleased with his order but it has happened again and again.

During three-day Chinese New Year, I visited my parents in Memot district in Kampong Cham province. And then I heard my relatives to tell me that now they have to pay to border police at least 90,000 riel ($22) per time when they transport dry cassavas crossing Cambodian-Vietnam border in Memot district.

My cousin told me that he was so pleased by what the premier ordered all police not to take money from cassava vendors transporting to Vietnam market. At the time, he added that border police dared not take any money, even a package of cigarette. But now everything happens like before.

In addition, my cousin said that when he transported dry cassava crossing border in Snoul distircit in Kratie province, he just pays 10,000 riel ($2.5) to border police per transport. And then he doubts why paying to border police is different and then he added that it is because the Kampong Cham’s governor is the premier’s brother, so he does not care of what the premier ordered.

It is noticed that when the premier ordered to destroy all illegal checkpoints and not to take money from farmers, all local authorities followed his order but when the prime minister stopped shouting out, they restart to take money from farmers as what they did before. How to crack down on corrupt border police?

Tourist resort in Kampi

vutha — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:53:11 +0000

Kampi is the Natural resort in Kratie province

During the Chinese New Year this year, I and my family visited natural resort, Kampi, in Kratie province. There are a crowd of domestic tourists flooding into the resort. Many local travelers from different provinces visited here during public holiday, especially Khmer New Year and other events.

Kampi is the kind of natural resort situated in Sambo commune, Kratie district in Kratie province. And it is about 16 km from Kratie town. People can visit this place in dry reason from January to May. During the rainy season, this area is flooded by Mekong river.

Most of people visiting this resort is to swim, bath, especially they meet their families, relative and friends in order to have lunch together and drinking beer and wine.

I visited this place three times. By the way, local people who are the food vendor is lucrative during big festivals. And the price of food is expensive a little bit. Some people took their own food and beer because they do not want to spend on expensive food and soft drinks over there.

Education ads on Valentine’s Day

vutha — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:21:51 +0000

Before the Valentine’s Day celebration on February 14, Cambodian teenagers seem to express their pleasures and they are also prepared already gifts for their loves. But what is important is that they do not understand well the meaning of Valentine’s Day. Therefore, the ministry of women’s affairs produces the five-minute education spots in order to show them that Valentine’s Day is for their family, teachers and then friends.

The Phnom Penh Post quoted Sivann Botum, Ministry Secretary of State said that “we decided to created the advertisement to reach out to young people because we want to make them understand that most teenagers do the wrong thing on Valentine’s Day, which can impact the respect people have for Cambodian women.”

She added that women often offer their virginity to their partners without thinking about their future and the honour of their family and culture.

Tong Soprach conducted research for his master degree in public health on “Young People Talking About Valentine’s Day in Phnom Penh, 2008.” Conducting in-depth interview with Cambodian youths aged from 15 to 24.

At the mean time, his study showed that 76.6 percent of respondents in a relationship planned to give their partner gifts and 50 percent of which would be flowers.

Tong Soprach attributes the growing popularity of Valentine’s Day in Cambodia to the changing sociopolitical dynamic within the country.

Cambodian Democracy under pressure

vutha — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 08:12:28 +0000

Recently, Comfrel, local NGOs, which is monitoring democracy and election process in Cambodia, released its report by saying that Cambodian democracy is undermined by ruling party such as freedom of expression, ability of debate in the Assembly, without reform of the election system and also pressure on critical civil society groups and members of the media.

At the mean time, the report called on the government to reverse course to ensure the rights of all Cambodians are respected and that systemic factors of democracy are in place.

The report read that “the government has become increasingly intolerant of the exercise of freedom of expression in criticizing corruption, impunity, land grabbing and forced evictions… although parliamentarians have special impunity from prosecution, they too have found their freedom of expression restricted.”

“We understand that the oppression of free expression, of whatever sort, makes a negative picture for Cambodia,” VOA Khmer quoted Mr. Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights

“Recently the government has used the court to oppress and threaten its critiques. The court is an issue because it is not independent; it cannot protect people fairly before the law. I think the government is taking advantage of a biased judicial system to oppress its critiques,” he added.

“Cambodia’s democratic system currently still suffers from a lot of deficits, especially, the functioning of the National Assembly is worse than in previous government mandates,” Koul Panha, Comfrel director, was quoted by the Cambodia daily as saying.

The Southeast Asian Press Alliance and other concerned groups sent an open letter signed by 12 advocacy groups to Prime Minister Hun Sen July 17, denouncing a “rapidly and palpably deteriorating environment for free expression in Cambodia.”

The open letter also marked concerns that political speech and press freedom have been severely restricted after harsh attacks against parliamentarians, advocates, lawyers and journalists over the past year.

Premier called Thai leader: stupid and crazy

vutha — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:42:04 +0000

Celebration of Preah Vihear Temple

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen who has taken power more than 30 years, is visiting disputed borders between Cambodia and Thailand on Saturday last week. The tension of both countries’ armed forces occurred when Cambodia’s Preah Vihear temple was registered as The World Heritage Site in Canada under support from UNESCO. Thai armies have invaded Cambodia’s territory and sovereignty since July 15, 2008.

During the four-day visit to provinces bordering Thailand, the premier also gave speech on the invasion of Thailand over Cambodia’s land. The premier criticized strongly Thai prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva by calling him “STUPID” and “CRAZY,” according to VOA Khmer.

“We have never invaded any place which is not ours. We have the evidence to confirm that the area, including Wat Kaew [Sikha Khiri Sawara] or other areas in the 4.6 sq km [of disputed territory] are under Thai sovereignty,” The Bangkonk post quoted Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, assistant to the foreign minister as saying.

At the mean time, during the remark at the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Base 42 in Oddar Meanchey’s Banteay Ampil district, the prime minister Hun Sen again accused Thailand and Thai ruling premier Abhisit Vejjajiva of invading Cambodian territory. In addition, he also pointed to the Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak pagoda where has been occupied by Thai troops last year.

During his visit, dressed in military uniform, he told all Cambodian soldiers stationed over there to defense the border against the potential invasion.

The diplomatic ties between Cambodia and Bang Kok’s government was cut off after Cambodia appointed former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Sinawatra as economic advisor to Cambodia’s government and prime minister Hun Sen.

It is not expected that the diplomatic relationship between Cambodia and Ahisit’s government will not be restored and the border dispute also will not be solved soon.

Cambodia criticized Google Earth Map

vutha — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:27:34 +0000

Dispute between Cambodian and Thai armed forces is because of border, but recently, Cambodia blasts the world’s leading Search Engine over the Google Earth by calling it as “radically misleading” map of the disputed Thai-Cambodia border, and accusing google company of being “professional irresponsible,” according to Reuters.

At the mean time, Cambodia also mentioned that the Google Earth map was “devoid of truth and reality”, calling for its immediate removal because it is not internationally recognized.

Google Earth Map

Free e-books on money making

vutha — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:10:39 +0000

I just found out the important e-books that give tips on how to make money from blogging. Presently, I just make a little money from my blog but at least it is enough to pay hosting and domain name. Joel Comm is good at making money from google adsense, he also earned unto $20,000 per month. Believe it or not?

Right now, he reveals his experiences on free money making e-books. These books were written well and are free download. You just sign up and then download these free e-books.

1-Adsense Secrete v4.0: it is the last edition that has 232 pages of adsense and Internet money making tips.

2-Kontera ContentLink Secretes: it is the program that can be used together with google adsense. This book will teach you how to make money by using Kontera.

3-Chitika Secrete v4.0: Chitika is the other program that helps generate money on internet by using ad network.

4-How to build Profitable Websites Fast: this book will provide you many sources of revenues.

All these books I downloaded already but I just started reading the first one “Adsense Secretes.” If you are interested in learning more tips on how to make money from blogging, you should download them and read them whenever you have enough free time.

Cigarette advertising should be banned in public

vutha — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 14:43:30 +0000

Recently, Prime Minster announced that he plans to stop smoking cigarette after he is addicted to cigarette several years. That is a positive sign that helps his own health but he should examine carefully the import of many brands of cigarette into Cambodia’s market. And he should order all relevant ministries to review all ads affecting people’s health.

I noticed that cigarette advertising have been placed in the public places and on newspapers, magazines and in television. Companies try to find many ways in order to increase their sales, and its profit. They do not care about the effect of people’s health. Therefore they spend so much money on advertising. By the way, adverting messages is motivating people to think that smoking cigarette makes their feelings fresh or good.

At the mean time, there are education spots which are promoting awareness to people about the bad effect of cigarette smoking causing a lung cancer. I doubt why the government does not control all ad spots which have different meaning and harm health. Smoking not only affect cigarette smokers but also non-smokers as well.

If the government really takes care of Cambodian health, it should recheck all adverting which are destroying human beings’ health such as advertisements of cigarette, beer, and wine. Developed countries banned cigarette on media and public and smoking cigarette in public and government institutions as well.

Do you think that all advertising of cigarette, beer and wine should be banned?

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Are you afraid of threat warning?

vutha — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 03:37:27 +0000

That is the question that a journalism student asked me when she chatted with me nearly two hours about Cambodia’s traffic law, especially relating to the road accidents, bribery, corruption and extortion which are committed by traffic police. During the last year, I have liked to write my blog posts related to traffic policemen who is taking money from passengers and transport trucks on the public roads and also committed indecent acts on drivers.

It is because that I talked more about corruption, bribery and extortion. Therefore, she asked me if I am afraid of writing articles about these issues. To this question, I am really afraid of writing it or getting warning from unidentified person but what I wrote about is the true things happening in the current society. I cannot shut up my mouth. I just want to share the real issues to all of you and other readers over the world.

And then she told me that one of Cambodian blogger – Cheak Sopheap – was warned by unknown person through texting message. Oh yes, I really heard of this issue. As you know, Sopheap likes writing about corruption issues, human rights, land grabbing and so.

The truth is the truth. We cannot hide it forever. In general, those who criticize the government are always getting life threat from unidentified people, especially human rights workers and politicians. How do you think about? Are you afraid of writing about bribery, corruption and land grabbing? Blog created is a good tool for sharing my own thoughts and opinions with all of you.

Military uniform on sales in Phnom Penh’s market

vutha — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 02:04:37 +0000

Frequently, I always have driven pass the small market- Teuk Thla market- located along Russian Blvd in Teuk Thla commune, Sen Sok district. When I went into this small market, I saw a lot of military equipments such as military dresses, ranks, belts, boots, caps and others being hanging in stores for sales.

At the first glance, we thought that only military officers who are customers have rights to buy these equipments but if we think deeply, all people can buy it without worrying anything. What is important is that if those who buy military uniform are not innocent people but they are thieves who buy these dresses in order to disguise as soldiers and robe people. Who will be responsible for social order? Who will be victims of these issues?

In general, I observed that when people meet armed forces with or without guns anywhere in Cambodia, they feel afraid because they really do not know well who is real and fake armed forces because all military uniforms have been sold anarchically in market.

I don’t know why local authorities allow vendors to sell the kind of army uniforms like that as we know that all military and soldiers have been equipped with these stuffs by government. I think that soldier and army dresses and equipments should not be on sales on the market. Only the government has rights to offer these apparels to armed forces, including military police, traffic policemen and so on.

As I remembered, during 90s, this market also had sold illegal weapons such as handguns, bullets and other ammunitions. Asking that whether these illegal guns and ammunitions are still on sales or not in the present?

PM points finger at corrupt army chiefs

vutha — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:37:29 +0000

PRIME Minister Hun Sen on Thursday warned of harsh sanctions for soldiers and military commanders involved in illegal businesses, identifying several officials by name who he said were guilty of corruption.

Speaking at the conclusion of a conference on military reform, held at the Ministry of Defence, Hun Sen said even high-ranking officers were not immune from the government’s effort to expose unlawful activity, calling this effort essential to plans discussed at the conference for military reform over the next five years.

“It is time to stop every activity involving illegal business or the support of illegal business. [I] don’t care how many stars or moons you have – I will fire you, and nobody will keep corrupt commanders in their seats,” Hun Sen said. “In Cambodia, the prime minister directly controls the troops.”

Hun Sen identified several generals who said were guilty of corruption: Sum Samnang, director-general of logistics and finance at the Ministry of Defence; Chao Phirun, director-general of the military’s materials and technical services department; Ung Samkhan, commander of the
Cambodian Navy; and Chhoeun Chanthan, chief of Senate President Chea Sim’s bodyguards.

The premier also acknowledged that many soldiers were involved in illegal activities including logging, land grabbing, smuggling and illegal fishing. “I declare my absolute order [to stop illegal businesses] — otherwise military reform will not move forward,” Hun Sen said.

Following the passage of the Kingdom’s long-awaited Anticorruption Law, Hun Sen said, all government officials and politicians will be required to disclose their assets to a permanent committee to fight corruption, which will be housed at the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces headquarters in the capital’s Daun Penh district. A draft of the Anticorruption Law was approved by the Council of Ministers in December, and is likely to be passed by the National Assembly in April.

Yim Sovann, spokesman for the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), said he was pleased to hear the prime minister address the issue of land grabbing by the armed forces.“What I am happy about is that he acknowledged past misdeeds,” Yim Sovann said, adding that the SRP’s recommendations on these issues had been ignored for years.

Thun Saray, president of local rights group Adhoc, called for Hun Sen’s recommendations to be put swiftly into action.

“His speech is very good, but we also ask for real implementation … sometimes when we take his speech to lower levels for implementation, they do not listen,” he said.

Source: The Phnom Penh Post

CAMBODIAN NEWS

Angkor333 car made by Cambodia

Random Posts

First draft acid law completed

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Using PayPal unavailable in Cambodia

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Need life safety or justice?

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My parent’s life as farmer

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Border police takes money from cassava vendors

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Tourist resort in Kampi

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Education ads on Valentine’s Day

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Cambodian Democracy under pressure

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Premier called Thai leader: stupid and crazy

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Cambodia criticized Google Earth Map

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Free e-books on money making

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Cigarette advertising should be banned in public

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Are you afraid of threat warning?

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Military uniform on sales in Phnom Penh’s market

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PM points finger at corrupt army chiefs

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