Year 2, Issue 249,
21-23 September 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Hun Sen greets Somchai, vows good relations
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Sunday, September 21, 2008
TNA
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday sent a congratulatory message to Somchai Wongsawat on his appointment as Thailand's new prime minister, saying that he hoped that the two neighbouring countries "will soon be able to peacefully and legally settle all the current border issues".
The message from the Cambodian leader said that Mr Hun Sen hoped the border problem could be solved "in the spirit of friendship and good neighbourliness".
"I look forward to working closely with Your Excellency to further promote the existing excellent bonds of amity and fruitful cooperation between Cambodia and Thailand for the mutual interests of both our peoples and for a stronger Asean family," the message said.
Mr Somchai was royally appointed as Thailand's 26th prime minister on Thursday.
According to the Thai foreign ministry, Mr Hun Sen also telephoned Mr Somchai on Thursday hours after his royal appointment as prime minister took place.
Both parties recalled their earlier meeting on May 14 this year during the opening ceremony of Route 48, a road in Cambodia, at a time when Mr Somchai was Thailand's deputy prime minister and education minister.
The two prime ministers emphasised the willingness of both governments to address outstanding issues between the neighbours by using existing bilateral mechanisms to further strengthen the friendly relations between their two countries whose histories and destinies have been linked from time immemorial.
The warm exchange was a change from Cambodian statements last week, when Mr Hun Sen and his spokesmen disparaged the Thai government, and questioned whether the country could serve as chairman of Asean.
Pchum Ben: the poor are getting richer
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Beggars waiting to ask for some money on the first day of Pchum Ben festival at Langka Pagoda, Phnom Penh. According to Rasmei Kampuchea Daily, there are more beggars now than ever in the city. Many of them come from Prey Veng and Svay Rieng Province. The authorities have plans to move them out of sight soon. Source: Rasmei Kampuchea Daily, October 3-4, 2004
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Believers are very generous during Pchum Ben
21-09-2008
By Ung Chamroeun
Cambodge Soir Hebdo in English
Click here to read the article in French
Is the festival of the death a lucrative business? This is certainly the hope of the poor who are begging in large numbers throughout the pagodas during this period.
Believers are very generous during Pchum BenWhile the ancestors, called “Brêts”, are authorised to return to Earth amongst the living, thanks to “Yama”, God of Death, the destitute people try to benefit from the believers’ generosity by visiting the pagodas in search of a few cents. Chouly, 63 years old and from Prey Veng province, settled in front of Wat Toul Tum Poung in Phnom Penh on the first day of Kan Ben, the ceremony preceding Pchum Ben.
“The faithful give me about 5000 riel per day, she explains, which allows me to feed my children.” A little further, Sina, 32 years old, says that the older ladies are the most generous ones. “They feel sorry for us, she says. And it’s true that for Buddhists, offering some money ensures a better situation in next life.” Some destitute people came with their children. They’re often the ones who look after the shoes of the believers at the entrance of the temples, which allows them to earn at least one hundred riel per pair. According to Kour Sopheap, deputy chief of the Koul Totoeung pagoda in Kandal province, beggars are considered as living “Brêts”. “During the festival of the death, says the monk, believers are more generous than usual.”
But it’s not all. In front of the pagodas, the poor sell incense, candles, cakes and also birds: all kinds of offerings used for ceremonies. “I’m poor, continues Sina. But I feel ashamed to beg, so I’m trying to do something else. This year I’m a money changer. For eight new notes of 100 riel, I can receive 1000 riel. It’s a business like any other, and it’s going well because the believers prefer to offer new notes to the pagoda. They believe that this will give them better karma.”
However, each year during Pchum Ben, the destitute come in larger numbers to the pagodas. An NGO member who wants to remain anonymous deplores that. According to him it’s a sign that Cambodia still is a poor country.
Bay Ben
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Cambodian Buddhist followers hold cooked rice in preparation for throwing those to offer to the spirits who died with no relative during Pchum Ben, or ancestors' day, celebrations on the 15th day of the 10th month in Khmer calendar on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
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Cambodian Buddhist followers carry cooked rice and candles before throwing those to offer to the spirits who died with no relative during Pchum Ben, or ancestors' day, celebrations on the 15th day of the 10th month in Khmer calendar on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Friday, September 19, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Impunity reigns for armed, drunken men
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A Phnom Penh beer garden - proprietors say that armed bodyguards pose a risk to staff and customers alike. (Eleanor Ainge Roy)
Wednesday, 17 September 2008
Written by Chrann Chamroeun and Eleanor Ainge Roy
The Phnom Penh Post
The fatal shooting of a 21-year-old woman in a Kandal beer garden throws new light on the impunity of bodyguards
THE once-bustling Floating Beer Garden and Restaurant in Kandal province's Kien Svay district is now a quiet, dejected place. The road leading to the small establishment is muddy after the recent rains, and water drips from the low, over-hanging trees making the air rank and cloying.
Two weeks ago, the Floating Beer Garden was the site of a brutal shooting that left 21-year-old Sor Samphoa dead.
The alleged killer, an intoxicated Royal Cambodian Armed Forces major moonlighting as a bodyguard, has not faced any criminal charges.
"Sor Samphoa worked at a factory near Pochentong Airport, and she had never been to my restaurant before," said Leang Davy, owner of the Floating Beer Garden and Restaurant, talking about the night of the shooting.
"It was a fun night, lots of joking. It had just began to rain and Sor Samphoa said, ‘We need some plants to dispel the rain'," she said.
"The RCAF major was drunk, and he took out his gun and said, ‘No! You just need to shoot into the sky'," Leang Davy added.
"Everyone was laughing and playing around. He put his gun down on the table and it went off - shooting Sor Samphos. I was panic-struck and very, very scared."
Sor Samphos died that night, and her body was taken to a nearby pagoda.
The major was briefly arrested, but after paying the dead woman's family US$2,700 in compensation, he was released.
Leang Davy said she will now attempt to keep bodyguards out of her restaurant because she is wary of trouble.
"There are many instances ... when bodyguards have used their guns while drinking in groups in beer gardens and karaoke bars.""All the businesses around here have suffered because of the shooting. I try to keep the bodyguards out, but sometimes they conceal their guns in their pockets. From now on I think I will just tell them that the bar is full," she said.
Continuing impunity?
Ou Virak, director of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, is not surprised at the light treatment received by the major.
"There are many instances I can recall when bodyguards have used their guns while drinking in groups at beer gardens or karaoke bars," he said.
"They are never held responsible before the law. They pay compensation, and then they are released as free men. As a result, the perpetrators are not afraid of the consequences of such a crime."
But Hin Bunheang, Prime Minister Hun Sen's chief of bodyguards, told the Post that he does "not excuse any bodyguards who use their guns in the wrong way to kill or injure people".
He added these people should be arrested and dealt with by the court system.
Ministry of Interior Under Secretary of State Srun Vong Vannak said that while he knows of bodyguards who use their guns recklessly, none of them are present in the ministry's forces, which are rigorously trained and disciplined.
None are allowed to keep their weapons after their missions.
"Our government and Hun Sen pay attention to protect the safety of the people by not allowing bodyguards to use their guns whenever they want," Srun Vong Vannak said. "If they do, they will be arrested and punished by law."
Troublesome clients
Despite such assurances, multiple Phnom Penh beer garden owners interviewed by the Post last week said that dealing with bodyguards is a delicate business because they have the potential to cause many problems for bar owners and are often aggressive or demanding.
"We have four security personnel who work here, and they check every person that comes in the door. But sometimes [the bodyguards] hide their guns, and we cannot demand to search every inch of them," said one beer garden owner who declined to be named.
"When a man like this comes in, we all know he is a risky customer, and we must treat him like a king. The staff here are like my family, and I am scared for them when someone like that is around," the owner added.
Cheng Solyda, 35, a local NGO worker who often goes to beer gardens with his co-workers and friends, said that when a bodyguard is present at a bar everyone becomes uncomfortable and scared. "The government must make more of an effort to crack down on illegal gun users and firmly punish those who do wrong. They are a serious threat to society."
Another beer garden owner said the worst violence tends to occur once customers have left the beer garden and are wandering the streets armed and drunk.
"It is a risk once my employees leave the beer garden," said the owner.
"But I can only try to protect them at work."
Am Sam Ath, a monitor at the Cambodian rights group Licadho, said cases of bodyguard impunity cannot continue to go unpunished.
"Civil compensation is good, but the persecutor must also stand before the courts, whether the murder was intentional or not," he said.
Monday, September 15, 2008
First day of Pchum Ben Festival in Cambodia
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A woman lights incense during the first day of the "Pchum Ben" festival, also known as "Festival of the Dead", at a temple in Phnom Penh, September 15, 2008. Cambodians throughout the country visit temples during the 15-day festival to offer prayers to loved ones who have passed away. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
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Women light incense during the first day of the "Pchum Ben" festival, also known as "Festival of the Dead", at a temple in Phnom Penh, September 15, 2008. Cambodians throughout the country visit temples during the 15-day festival to offer prayers to loved ones who have passed away. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
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Buddhists monks look on as people offer rice during the first day of the "Pchum Ben" festival, also known as "Festival of the Dead", at a temple in Phnom Penh, September 15, 2008. Cambodians throughout the country visit temples during the 15-day festival to offer prayers to loved ones who have passed away. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
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Women light incense during the first day of the "Pchum Ben" festival, also known as "Festival of the Dead", at a temple in Phnom Penh, September 15, 2008. Cambodians throughout the country visit temples during the 15-day festival to offer prayers to loved ones who have passed away. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
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A woman prays during the first day of the "Pchum Ben" festival, also known as "Festival of the Dead", at a temple in Phnom Penh, September 15, 2008. Cambodians throughout the country visit temples during the 15-day festival to offer prayers to loved ones who have passed away. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Thaksin's reported investment in Koh Kong has led to a land-grabbing frenzy
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Hun Sen and Thaksin Shinawatra (Photo: Reuters)
Gold Rush Follows Thaksin
Sunday September 14, 2008
Bangkok Post
Thaksin Shinawatra's reported investment in Koh Kong has led to a land-grabbing frenzy, writes Piyaporn Wongruang and Nareerat Wiriyapong
Embattled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has packed up and moved to London, but Koh Kong residents like Kamnan Tit are hoping he returns and brings economic prosperity to the Cambodian province.
For the past few months, rumours of the ex-prime minister's possible involvement in a mega-tourism project in Koh Kong have fuelled a land grab and sent prices soaring, creating a buzz of activity in the once sleepy area.
''We heard the news that Mr Thaksin would come to invest in Koh Kong, so we even rushed to buy land on nearby Koh Kapi,'' said Kamnan Tit, who recently introduced the principle of sufficiency economy to his village of Peam Krasaob.
THE MEETING
Fueling the excitement was Mr Thaksin's meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen at the Siem Reap golf course in early April this year.
The golf outing came shortly before former foreign minister Noppadon Pattama (also formerly Mr Thaksin's lawyer) showed up at the state opening ceremony for the upgraded Road No 48, which links Thailand's border town of Had Lek, in Trat province, with Koh Kong.
The road, about 150 kilometres long, was financed by the Thai government with a low-interest loan of about 500 million baht, plus another 300 million baht in aid for four connecting bridges.
The aim of the project is to improve access to inner Cambodia and connect Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam under the economic framework of the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) scheme.
The White Paper produced by Thailand's foreign ministry noted that Mr Noppadon was there to discuss the heritage listing of the disputed Preah Vihear temple.
Speculation from many sources links the two incidents, in the belief that the people involved had compromised Thailand's interests in exchange for Mr Thaksin gaining a personal advantage.
According to several Thai agents, as well as officials working in foreign affairs, Mr Thaksin discussed the possibility of investing in a tourism-related project on Koh Kong with the Cambodian government during that period.
One high-ranking foreign affairs official, who was briefed by a source close to Hun Sen, said that a discussion had taken place, in which they agreed that the investment should go to Koh Kong.
An internal information analysis by one Thai foreign affairs unit noted that the targeted area for Mr Thaksin's investment would be the 10,000-hectare Koh Kong island, the biggest of 23 islands off Koh Kong province's coast.
It further noted that the Cambodian government had already approved the lease of the whole island for the development of hotels, casinos and other businesses to stimulate the tourism industry.
A road and a series of bridges are also planned to link the project to the mainland. Road No 48 will be 10 kilometres long and cut through the plots of some senior Cambodian military officials.
THE CONNECTION
''Khun Phat is among the people taking part in this project, and possibly Mr Thaksin too,'' said another high-ranking foreign affairs source.
''Some Cambodian senior military officials here said the land prices will increase if Mr Thaksin really invests there.''
Khun Phat is the owner of Koh Kong International Resort Club, near the border. A senator for the ruling Cambodian People's Party and widely known as the ''King of Koh Kong'', Khun Phat has been accused by international human rights groups of forcing locals off their land by getting police to use force against them.
Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh was quoted as saying during the opening of the road that Khun Phat ''was discussing the prospective investment in Koh Kong with Mr Thaksin''.
The defence minister also stated that Mr Thaksin was one person Hun Sen trusted and wished to invite to be an advisor on the development of Koh Kong, which the Cambodian government wants to turn into a special economic zone.
In a telephone interview, Khun Phat confirmed he is among the investors in the planned project. But he said it will be a joint investment between himself and a few European investors.
According to Khun Phat, these investors were introduced to him by Mr Thaksin. Khun Phat insisted Mr Thaksin will not invest in the project. He said he only introduced the investors.
''[Mr Thaksin] has a lot of friends,'' he said, adding that the project has received an unofficial green light from the Cambodian government.
They only need to discuss in detail what the project will look like, as well as how the benefits will be shared between the investors and the government.
''We are serious about this, but we have to wait for the new government first,'' said Khun Phat, who is known to be a close aide of Hun Sen.
After Mr Thaksin became Thailand's prime minister in 2001, he met Hun Sen at least eight times to discuss opportunities between the two countries.
It was Mr Thaksin who proposed the Economic Cooperation Strategy in early 2003, which later turned into a new regional economic framework known as the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy, or ACMECS, at the end of that year.
Under the framework, 46 common projects plus 224 bilateral projects were lined up for implementation over 10 years following the first declaration. These included Road No 48.
The road project came about after Mr Thaksin met Hun Sen during the GMS meeting on Nov 3, 2005.
According to the foreign ministry's letter to the secretariat of the cabinet, the foreign ministry of Thailand reasoned that Road No 48 would help improve the economy of both countries.
It would also help to elevate Thai-Cambodian relations, and was in line with Thailand's regional transport link strategy under the GMS.
As well as the road upgrade, other development projects, including the development of the linkage between tourism sites in Cambodia and Thailand, were also in the pipeline.
THE DOWNSIDE
Cambodia stands to gain a lot if these investments come true, and especially if Mr Thaksin is involved. However, there may be a downside as a consequence of the land grabs and speculation.
With rumours over Mr Thaksin's involvement buzzing around from Koh Kong to Phnom Penh, many local residents have been quick to buy up land with the hope of hitting the jackpot.
Land prices are indeed increasing, according to the president of Koh Kong Chamber of Commerce, Bun Tun.
He said land changes hands easily, sometimes even within a day, due to high prices offered for further land speculation. The price of a beachfront property, for instance, was once about US$5 per square metre. It has now increased to $150 per sq m, about 30 times the previous price.
Koh Kong, which is one of Cambodia's prime seaside cities, has about 1.2 million hectares of land and contains about 24,000 households.
Ever since the end of the Cambodian war in the late 1970s, the government has been trying to resurrect its economy through various means. The Koh Kong project is the latest of these efforts.
Besides relying on foreign aid for economic development, Cambodia, which had a per capita GDP of about $460 in 2006, relies heavily on foreign investment.
In 1994, Cambodia's new investment law was promulgated. The Council for the Development of Cambodia then approved more than $4.27 billion worth of foreign direct investment, according to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific 2008 business report.
Available data, last updated in 1999, reveals more than 700 foreign projects were approved, with hotels and tourism being the most popular choices for foreign investors, making up nearly 45 per cent of all foreign investment projects.
To encourage investment, the government allowed all sectors of the economy to be opened to foreign investors. In 1999 a sub-decree placed investment restrictions on certain areas, including the media.
The allocation of land is a crucial part of investment. Although only Khmer legal entities and those of Khmer nationality have the right to own land outright, foreign investors are allowed to lease land for up to 70 years.
The primary concern among social advocates and activists in Cambodia is that the present land allocation system may not support sustainable land utilisation or prevent land conflicts arising as a result of new development projects.
The Asian Development Bank's 2004 environmental report noted that although the new Land Law is a landmark in the formal recognition of the land rights of ethnic minorities in Cambodia, enforcement, property rights definitions and titling remain a challenge.
At present, many locals are being evicted from their land, either forcefully or from the lure of attractive land prices.
A government-approved large-scale entertainment project on Koh Yor, which is also part of Koh Kong province, is already suffering a backlash.
''At present, investors are pouring in and land prices are skyrocketing, but it is the poor people or farmers who are lured to sell the land,'' said Bun Tun. ''They might get a lot of money at first, but they spend it without much thought. If this trend goes on, all the land could be sold out over the next five years, and we will end up with a lot more poor people here.''
What's more, a zoning map acquired by an agent source shows that a Cambodian military facility at the top end of the island will be moved down south to make way for planned development.
The island is now divided into zones, including one at the top end which is believed to be Khun Phat's stake.
OPPOSITION CLAIMS
Sam Rainsy, the leader of Cambodia's opposition Sam Rainsy party, claims there is an official document showing Mr Thaksin and Hun Sen's joint development plan for Koh Kong province. His party is preparing to ask the Cambodian parliament to provide a copy of the document.
Sam Rainsy claims the two met occasionally when Thailand's former prime minister made trips from Europe and Hong Kong to discuss and conclude the deal for the investment in Koh Kong.
Sam Rainsy claimed Mr Thaksin has an ulterior motive in building up his base and facilities in Koh Kong - his real intention is to continue his political activities in Thailand.
''Cambodia is the base for Mr Thaksin to get in touch with his supporters in Thailand,'' he said.
Mr Thaksin's close aides, including Pongthep Thepkanchana, his personal spokesman, as well as Mr Noppadon, could not be reached for comment.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Auditor General of Thailand has launched an investigation into Thailand's financial assistance for Road No 48. According to a high-level source at the office, the cabinet's approval of the project bypassed certain state auditing procedures.
''The project involved state funds worth millions of baht, but it was not audited by a responsible agency. We want to learn what they based their decisions on,'' said the source.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open To Return In December
September 10th, 2008
BunkerShot.com
The Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open will mark its return to the Phokeethra Country Club from December 11 to 14 with a promise of continuing the growth of golf in Cambodia.
Organisers are confident that the US$300,000 Asian Tour event will once again provide the platform for aspiring amateurs to make an impact at the highly rated Phokheetra Country Club and continue to place Cambodia firmly on the international golfing map.
Asian Tour’s Senior Vice President Gerry Norquist believes that the staging of Cambodia’s national championship bodes well for the future of golf in such developing countries and will act as a launch pad for exciting talents to emerge.
“We are truly excited about the return of the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open as this event will not only provide the inspiration for Cambodians to learn more about the game but also allow them follow in the footsteps of our Asian Tour professionals,” said Norquist.
As the second from last ranking event on the 2008 Asian Tour season, the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open will also shape the race for the prestigious Asian Tour Order of Merit title which is currently led by Mark Brown of New Zealand.
Defending champion Bryan Saltus of the United States who secured his maiden triumph at last year’s inaugural event will undoubtedly be amongst the contenders again.
The colorful American celebrated his victory by jumping into the lake next to the 18th green after his final putt last year.
The Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open is the only international golf tournament to be held in the Kingdom of Cambodia and is part of a record 2008 Asian Tour schedule where an unprecedented 30 tournaments with nearly US$40 million are on offer.
Didier Lamoot, General Manger of Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort & Phokeethra Country Club said: “We truly enjoyed being a part of history last year with the staging of the inaugural Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open and will continue to assist in laying the concerted effort to push the game to continue its growth in our country.”
Welcome to the century of the Hun dynasty's rule
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Hun Mana, shown in a file photo, has just been made assistant to the PM. (Photo: HENG CHIVOAN)
PM appoints own daughter to assist him in new govt
Thursday, 11 September 2008
Written by Cheang Sokha
The Phnom Penh Post
Hun Mana, the director general of Bayon Television and Radio, will help her father to make 'proper reports'
PRIME Minister Hun Sen has appointed his daughter, Hun Mana, as an assistant to his office in the new government, one of her colleagues at Bayon TV said Tuesday.
Rith Chetra, deputy director general at Bayon TV who was also appointed an assistant to the prime minister, said that during the fourth mandate of the government, Hun Sen "will have a lot to do and needs more assistants".
"I don't know what kind of job I will help him with until the new government is formed," he added.
The new government is expected to be formed on September 24.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said that the appointment of Hun Mana was based on her position at Bayon and that she would help the prime minister in writing "proper reports".
"The public dare not comment to government officials, so they use radio and TV [to] bring their issues to the prime minister," Khieu Kanharith said.
Cambodian People's Party ministers have in the past appointed their relatives as assistants. Both Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong and Social Affairs Minister Ith Samheng sent their sons to work at the Ministry Cabinet offices.
Hun Sen has previously come under fire for appointing multiple advisers and assistants - the distinction between titles pertains to whether the appointee helps with idea generation or workflow.
Opposition Sam Rainsy Party spokesman Son Chhay said that the ruling party wastes a lot of state budget on advisers and assistants, adding that Hun Sen has roughly 1,000 people helping in those positions.
He claimed that most of them do little for their official capacities.
Ho Sothy, Hun Sen's Cabinet chief, declined to comment.
The opposition is wondering whether it will join the NA swearing-in session [-Contradiction among HRP leaders]
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(Photo: Pring Samrang, Cambodge Soir Hebdo)
11 Sept 2008
By Leang Delux and Alain Ney
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the original article in French
During their visit to Paris in a tour to alert the International opinion about the numerous “rigging” they have observed during the latest general election, the presidents of the SRP and HRP gave an interview to our colleagues at RFI Khmer-language service.
Maybe it is a distance issue, but a divergence seems to appear among the HRP leaders. In Phnom Penh, on 09 September, while the king just issued the official invitations for the 24 September National Assembly swearing-in ceremony, Yem Ponhearith, HRP secretary-general, declared to Cambodge Soir Hebdo: “We will follow the king’s (invitation).”
On Wednesday 10 September, on the RFI broadcast, Kem Sokha, HRP President, gave a different opinion on this issue. Kem Sokha said that the HRP will not swear in at the same time as the CPP MPs. “The three HRP elected MPs will not go the National Assembly on 24 September,” Kem Sokha stressed.
Sam Rainsy, his new road companion, maintains his position: “We do not recognize the election results, we will not participate in this first session,” Sam Rainsy assured.
When both were asked that this boycott may be construed as a lack of respect for the king, Sam Rainsy skillfully dodged the issue: “No, it’s not that, the king has no power. What the CPP decides, the king is conforming to that. If the CPP does not allow something to the king, the latter would not dare bypass it. Like the case of Ranariddh’s pardon, the green light must be given by the CPP leaders first. This is not an issue of respect or not, but that of our conscience, and our conscience does not allow us to go to this Assembly of (vote) thieves, of ghost and Yuon voters (representatives).”
The two opposition leaders said that they are still waiting for a reply from the king to their request in which they indicated to him their “wish to swear separately from the CPP”. Leaving some doubt behind, Kem Sokha said: “Without a reply from the king, we have not yet decided whether to participate in the first session.”
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Samak could be voted back to office today
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The Prime Minister had broken a conflict-of-interest law by accepting payment for hosting Tasting And Complaining and All Set At 6am. -- PHOTO: IMPORTFOOD.COM
Samak found guilty
Sep 10, 2008
By Nirmal Ghosh, Thailand Correspondent
The Straits Times (Singapore)
Court orders him to quit as PM for violating conflict-of-interest law
BANGKOK: A court yesterday ordered Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to step down for whipping up recipes on his TV cooking shows.
But his supporters vowed to put him back in office through a vote in Parliament in a move that could deepen Thailand's political crisis.
The judgment, broadcast live on television and radio, was greeted with wild cheers from Mr Samak's opponents who have occupied his office compound since Aug 26 to demand his resignation. Some protesters wept.
In a ruling that had been expected, the Constitutional Court returned a unanimous 9-0 verdict that the Prime Minister had broken a conflict-of-interest law by accepting payment for hosting Tasting And Complaining and All Set At 6am.
The case had been brought against him by a group of senators and Election Commission members.
Mr Samak, a self-proclaimed foodie, was the star of Tasting And Complaining for seven years before becoming prime minister earlier this year.
Evidence showed that he continued to host the two shows after he assumed office in February and had received allowances such as petrol expenses which could be construed as income, the judges said.
The Thai Constitution prohibits private employment while in office.
Judge Chat Chonlaworn, the head of the nine-judge panel, told the court: 'His employment at the company can be considered an employment.'
He said that Mr Samak gave 'conflicting testimony' and that there was an attempt to fabricate evidence 'to hide his actions'.
Mr Samak will resign but his name will be proposed again when Parliament convenes to elect another premier, possibly as early as today - and he will be voted back into the job. All day yesterday, political parties were in intense discussions over post-judgment strategy.
But this will likely further inflame his critics, led by the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).
One option is that another man will be proposed as prime minister. Former premier and Chart Thai leader Banharn Silapa-archa, and deputy prime ministers Somchai Wongsawat and Surapong Suebwonglee are three possibilities.
But Mr Banharn yesterday seemed to rule himself out, saying he would not like to be prime minister in such a politically charged atmosphere.
Another option is to dissolve the House and call a fresh election. This would have the effect of outflanking the PAD, which continues to occupy Government House in Bangkok, demanding that Mr Samak resign.
Mr Kuthep Saikrajang, spokesman for Mr Samak's People Power Party (PPP), said its MPs were in favour of re-nominating Mr Samak for the premiership in Parliament.
But he added that the final decision would depend on Mr Samak as well as other parties in the ruling coalition.
The main opposition Democrat Party's spokesman Ongard Klampaiboon said: 'We are waiting to see what the PPP and the coalition parties do. But if Mr Samak comes back as prime minister it will make things worse. People will be more angry.'
Mr Samak has been facing strident and persistent calls to resign from the royalist, right-wing PAD. It accuses his government of corruption, acting as a proxy for former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, and harbouring politicians and advisers who as former communists are against the monarchy.
Mr Samak and his government deny the charges.
While PAD supporters camped at Government House applauded the court's verdict, they showed no sign that they would end their protests.
'Samak was ousted by the court, but there is no guarantee he will not return in the next few days,' PAD spokesman Suriyasai Katasila told journalists.
'So our protest will continue for the time being.'
Heat rising as Thailand's PM hangs on
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A court is to decide whether Samak Sundaravej violated the constitution by hosting a TV cookery show (REUTERS)
Monday, 8 September 2008
By Andrew Buncombe, Asia Correspondent
The Independent (UK)
Thailand's prime minister - a skilled and celebrated chef with a taste for spicy food - has vowed not to resign ahead of court ruling that could raise the temperature in his political kitchen and force him from power.
A special court in Bangkok is tomorrow due to rule on whether Samak Sundaravej breached the country's constitution by hosting a television cooking show several months after he was sworn in as premier. If it does, it is likely that Mr Samat will have to stand down, plunging Thailand into yet more political uncertainty.
Mr Samak clearly sees nothing wrong with mixing food with politics. He told the court that he had not acted unconstitutionally and used his weekly address to the nation to insist that he was not leaving office. "I will remain as prime minister," he said.
Having survived street demonstrations, a hostile media and disgruntled senior military officers, it would be ironic if the prime minister was forced from office over his cooking show, Tasting, Grumbling, which featured Mr Samak preparing his favourite recipes and ranting on his chosen bugbear topics.
First aired in 2000, his show became a staple for Thai viewers with an interest in food who tuned in to see the prime minister with an apron wrapped around his broad stomach creating dishes such as Thai curry, soups and salads. The show also followed him on shopping trips to Bangkok's famous markets for fresh ingredients.
The show stopped broadcasting in April this year, two months after Mr Samak became prime minister, but his association with cooking continued. As premier he took his love of food on the road and served special chicken to Thai soldiers involved in a border dispute with Cambodia and cooked a traditional dish of stewed chicken and rice to Thai athletes waiting to participate in the Beijing Olympics.
But while Mr Samak's recipes have been applauded, the premier may not be to everyone's taste. Seen as an ally of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Mr Samak's government has in recent weeks been rocked by demonstrations by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), a business-led group whose actions effectively forced Mr Thaksin from office two years ago.
Last week, confronted by thousands of demonstrators protesting outside various government buildings and by street battles between pro and anti-government crowds in which one person was killed, Mr Samak declared a state of emergency.
Experts believe a ruling against Mr Samak will not end Thailand's turmoil, even in the very short term. The 73-year-old could return as prime minister as long his six party coalition holds together and continues to choose him as its leader. One of the coalition ministers, Chaiya Sasomsap, recently survived such as removal from office - standing down as health minister after a court disqualified him on account of his wife's share portfolio and then returning just weeks later as minister for commerce.
Heat rising as Thailand's PM hangs on
A court is to decide whether Samak Sundaravej violated the constitution by hosting a TV cookery show (REUTERS)
Monday, 8 September 2008
By Andrew Buncombe, Asia Correspondent
The Independent (UK)
Thailand's prime minister - a skilled and celebrated chef with a taste for spicy food - has vowed not to resign ahead of court ruling that could raise the temperature in his political kitchen and force him from power.
A special court in Bangkok is tomorrow due to rule on whether Samak Sundaravej breached the country's constitution by hosting a television cooking show several months after he was sworn in as premier. If it does, it is likely that Mr Samat will have to stand down, plunging Thailand into yet more political uncertainty.
Mr Samak clearly sees nothing wrong with mixing food with politics. He told the court that he had not acted unconstitutionally and used his weekly address to the nation to insist that he was not leaving office. "I will remain as prime minister," he said.
Having survived street demonstrations, a hostile media and disgruntled senior military officers, it would be ironic if the prime minister was forced from office over his cooking show, Tasting, Grumbling, which featured Mr Samak preparing his favourite recipes and ranting on his chosen bugbear topics.
First aired in 2000, his show became a staple for Thai viewers with an interest in food who tuned in to see the prime minister with an apron wrapped around his broad stomach creating dishes such as Thai curry, soups and salads. The show also followed him on shopping trips to Bangkok's famous markets for fresh ingredients.
The show stopped broadcasting in April this year, two months after Mr Samak became prime minister, but his association with cooking continued. As premier he took his love of food on the road and served special chicken to Thai soldiers involved in a border dispute with Cambodia and cooked a traditional dish of stewed chicken and rice to Thai athletes waiting to participate in the Beijing Olympics.
But while Mr Samak's recipes have been applauded, the premier may not be to everyone's taste. Seen as an ally of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Mr Samak's government has in recent weeks been rocked by demonstrations by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), a business-led group whose actions effectively forced Mr Thaksin from office two years ago.
Last week, confronted by thousands of demonstrators protesting outside various government buildings and by street battles between pro and anti-government crowds in which one person was killed, Mr Samak declared a state of emergency.
Experts believe a ruling against Mr Samak will not end Thailand's turmoil, even in the very short term. The 73-year-old could return as prime minister as long his six party coalition holds together and continues to choose him as its leader. One of the coalition ministers, Chaiya Sasomsap, recently survived such as removal from office - standing down as health minister after a court disqualified him on account of his wife's share portfolio and then returning just weeks later as minister for commerce.
Prince: Cambodian royalists to create new party if neglected
Prince: Cambodian royalists to create new party if neglected
PHNOM PENH, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prince Sisowath Thomico said that he would create a new royalist party if the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) tries to stifle royalist voices in the next government, national media reported Tuesday.
"I will try to find a means to make the voices of the royalists be heard. If there is only through the establishment of a political party, I will form a political party," Prince Thomico was quoted by the Cambodia Daily as saying.
Prince Thomico said he would wait until the new government forms to see whether royalists are given responsibilities.
He added that this new party would be different from his short-lived Sangkum Jatiniyum Front (SJF) Party because they would have enough time to work before the next election.
The SJF folded following the 2007 commune election, and the prince's allegiance bounced between Funcinpec and the Norodom Ranariddh Party for a few months before he returned to work at the royal palace, the newspaper said.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
13.4 million Cambodians, and me and me and me…
The preliminary numbers concerning the census reveal that the population has grown with 2.5 million people in one decade.
On the 3rd of March at midnight, Cambodia officially was a country with a population of 13.4 million people. On Thursday 4 September, the Minister of Planning, Chhay Than, unveiled the preliminary census results, started last March, of which the final balance will be known in several months. The balance between men and women is at the advantage of the ladies. There are approximately 6.9 million Cambodian women and 6.5 million Cambodian men in the country. The growth rate of the population was 1.54% during the last decade. During the same period, the average number of members per household has decreased. Each household has in average 4.7 family members, compared to 5.7, ten years ago.
These numbers indicate that the country becomes more urbanised. 19.4% of the population lives now in the cities, while only 17.6% did so in 1998. The census reveals that the population density is only 74 people per square metre. As a comparison, Vietnam has 254 inhabitants per square metre and the Philippines, number one in the region concerning this situation, 288 people.
Kampong Cham province is the most populated province of the Kingdom, before the one of Phnom Penh and Kandal respectively.
Cambodians represent 2.3% of the population in South-East Asia, as it was in 1998 already.
The last census dating back to 1998 revealed that Cambodia had a population of 11,426,223 people, of which 5.9 million women. An expert predicted that this amount would double within 20 years. Halfway, it seems that we’re far from reaching this number. In 1962, Cambodia had 5.7 million people.
Saroj Chavanaviraj will hold negotiations with Cambodia regarding Preah Vihear
On Saturday 6 September, the new Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs, former Ambassador in Paris, was appointed as the successor of Tej Bunnag. He has the reputation of being an expert concerning the Cambodian issues and the Asean policy.
Caption: A Thai soldier at Preah Vihear. ©P.S.
On Saturday 6 September, the Prime Minister of Thailand has recommended the nomination of Saroj Chavanaviraj to the King, as Chief of Thai Diplomacy, after the surprise resignation on Wednesday 3 September of his brief predecessor, Tej Bunnag, while the country is facing an important political crisis.
Saroj Chavanaviraj, 66 years old diplomat, had already been offered this position twice before: after the election of Samak Sundaravej, then after the resignation of Noppadon Pattama with the Cambodian political crisis around Preah Vihear looming on the background.
The diplomat, retired since 2002, had declined the offer, refusing to get involved in the Thai political affairs, states the “Bangkok Post” in its Saturday edition.
Born on the 11th of May 1942, the new Chief of Thai Diplomacy is graduated in Political Science at the Los Angeles University of the United States.
Saroj Chavanaviraj is known to be an expert on Cambodian politics. In 1992, then Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, he represented Thailand during the negotiations preceding the organisation of the 1993 elections in Cambodia.
The diplomat also represented Bangkok in Paris between 2000 and 2002. Because of its role in the layout of the border between Cambodia and Thailand in 1907, France has been requested to play the role of mediator in the coming months regarding the dispute between both countries around the temple of Preah Vihear. Saroj Chavanaviraj was also the Thai representative for Asean in 1988. Bangkok, assuming the rotating presidency of the Association of the South-East Asian Nations, has to host the Summit of Ten and has to ratify the Asean charter in the near future.
Photo of Barack Obama supporter in Cambodia
.jpg)
A supporter of US Democratic Party hopeful Barack Obama wears a hat fixed with US flags in a big piece of cheese in front of the Japanese bridge during a campaign in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
(AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)
Friday, September 5, 2008
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Ranariddh willing to sell his soul (and NA seats) to the devil just for another taste of good life in Phnom Penh: Royal political prostitution?
Ranariddh Party Continues Push for Pardon
By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
04 September 2008
The Norodom Ranariddh Party is pushing Prime Minister Hun Sen to pardon its exiled leader, offering to bring its two National Assembly seats in line with the ruling party in exchange, officials said Thursday.
The Norodom Ranariddh Party won two seats in the election, and if it sides with the opposition, it will create a block of 31 National Assembly votes capable of drafting motions critical of the government.
Without the Norodom Ranariddh Party, the opposition Sam Rainsy and Human Rights parties can only muster 29 votes, one vote short under the constitution of drafting critical legislation or forwarding motions to call government officials to answer policy questions before the Assembly.
Prince Norodom Ranariddh faces an 18-month prison sentence and a fine of $150,000 if he returns to Cambodia, on breach of trust charges stemming from the sale of Funcinpec party headquarters in 2006, when he was president of the party.
The Norodom Ranariddh Party has requested a pardon from King Norodom Sihamoni, but royal officials say the king has sought agreement for a pardon from Hun Sen.
NRP spokesman Suth Dina said Thursday the party's two seats have political value for the ruling Cambodian People's Party to help it avoid problems from the opposition.
"If Prince Ranariddh joins in the opposition alliance, it will make trouble for the CPP, because we have more than 30 elements to criticize the government," he said. "We believe that the CPP, especially Prime Minister Hun Sen, will not let the prince stay with the opposition and will pardon the prince, for returning home."
Suth Dina did not say Thursday whether the Norodom Ranariddh Party was ready to join the opposition coalition. The party broke with the opposition by accepting the legitimacy of the election shortly after the polls.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said Thursday the prince cannot be pardoned.
"The court sentenced him already," he said. "But the king and the prime minister can ask the court to suspend the prince's guilty sentence, and then the prince can go back home."
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
State of emergency declared in Bangkok
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Thailand's Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej spoke during a news conference at the Supreme Command Headquarters in Bangkok on Sept. 2. (Reuters)
As the confrontation between the government and opposition escalates, the ruling party is slapped with charges of electoral fraud.
September 02, 2008
By Huma Yusuf
The Christian Science Monitor
On Tuesday, Thailand's Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej declared a state of emergency in Bangkok after clashes between government supporters and opposition party members left one person dead in the worst violence seen in the city in 16 years. The violence flared as Mr. Samak's ruling People Power Party (PPP) faced charges of electoral fraud in the courts and escalating pressure from the opposition People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which has been occupying the prime minister's office for the past week.
According to the BBC, fighting started early Tuesday.
- The street clashes began shortly after midnight, when a screaming crowd of government supporters – armed with sticks and slingshots – ploughed into a group from the PAD, who have been occupying the prime minister's office.
- Amid the ensuing fighting, some gunshots were fired – both sides are now reported to possess some firearms.
- One person died, and TV pictures showed some of the 43 people injured lying bleeding on the ground.
The street clashes are an escalation of an ongoing confrontation between the government and PAD protesters. Fighting is expected to intensify on Wednesday, the International Herald Tribune reports.
- The street fighting escalated a confrontation between the government and protesters who had occupied the grounds of the prime minister's office for a week. It was the first serious violence in what had become a stubborn class struggle between the Thai middle class and a beleaguered government backed by a business and financial elite acting in the name of Thailand's poor. The protest broadened Monday when labor unions representing 200,000 workers at 43 state enterprises said they would cut off water, electricity, and telephone service to government offices beginning Wednesday.
- Mr. Samak's critics call him a proxy for Mr. Thaksin and his party, the People Power Party, is widely considered to be a reincarnation of Mr. Thaksin's former party....
- Mr. Thaksin, a billionaire telecommunications tycoon, was ousted in a coup in September 2006 while in New York and spent more than a year in self-exile. He returned early this year once a friendly government was in place and appeared ready to contest a growing list of cases against him for corruption and abuse of power.
- Among these royalist opponents of Samak, there is anger at the return to power of old political faces. They accuse Samak of corruption at the behest of Thaksin, his political patron, and of surrendering territory to Cambodia in a border temple dispute. Some call for an overhaul of a political system that gives too much weight to the poor, Thaksin's loyal constituency.
- Leaders of the PAD are hostile to Western-style democracy, arguing that it has failed to produce suitable leaders and instead encouraged vote-buying and corruption. In its place, they propose a partially elected legislature and a backstop role for the military to keep politicians in line.
- Mr Samak declared his government could only be toppled in Parliament, not on the streets. His voice has absolutely no impact on the movements to topple his government. On the other hand, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which has taken to the streets since May, has been stronger than ever.
- What happened this week indicates that Mr Samak is no longer fit to run the country because he could not maintain order....
- What did Mr Samak do to deserve all this? The simple answer is that it has nothing to do with his policy. His sin is that he and his party had made it clear they are the heirs of Thaksin Shinawatra. Their determination to amend the constitution and pass an amnesty law does not help either. When an irresistible force meets an immovable object, something's gotta give.
The Bangkok Post also reports that Thai and foreign business leaders are concerned that the state of emergency will lead to widespread economic losses as investor confidence is shaken.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha continue to defy the CPP
.jpg)
Sam Rainsy during the election campaign (Photo: Pring Samrang, Cambodge Soir Hebdo)
30 August 2008
By Leang Delux
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the original article in French
The new Parliament session looks like it will be shaken. On Tuesday 02 September, the opposition leader announced that he and his troops will go to take their oath in front of the king on 25 September, and not a day earlier as the CPP will. The HRP will follow suits with the SRP.
In Sam Rainsy’s mind, this initiative aims at demonstrating that the upcoming National Assembly was not elected on democratic basis. The SRP and the HRP still contest the results of the 27 July ballot, even though their complaints were successively rejected by the National Election Committee (NEC) and the Constitutional Council.
The Parliament procedure requires that at least 120 of the 123 MPs to meet on 24 September at the National Assembly, before taking their oath in front of the king. SRP and HRP MPs will not participate in the event at the National Assembly on that day. However, Sam Rainsy warned: “We are not giving up our seats. But, we do not want to sit next to MPs who stole our seats.” The 26 elected SRP MPs, and the 3 elected HRP MPs want to take oath directly in front of the king on 25 September, at the same time the CPP and the Funcinpec – and most likely the NRP also – will vote for the forming of the new government.
Monday, September 1, 2008
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