PHNOM PENH – Open a web search window, type in: www.khmertimes.com. Amazingly, you will be taken instantly to the website of The Cambodia Daily.

This website was bought in December 2014. With this, The Cambodia Daily broke media ethics rules by cybersquatting, deliberately diverting online searches for Khmer Times to its own website.

The Daily’s attacks on Khmer Times started over one year ago – weeks before our first paper and ink edition was launched on May 2, 2014.

On March 10, 2014, the Daily’s lead political reporter, Alex Willemyns ran a story under the headline: “CPP-Friendly Publisher to Launch English Paper.”

The story began: “T Mohan, the Malaysian national who edited The Cambodia Times and The Vision newspapers in the 1990s before being arrested for attempting to extort a casino executive on behalf of an alleged insurgent group, is planning to launch a new English-language newspaper.”

Two months later, on May 13, the Daily welcomed its new competitor in Cambodia’s newspaper market with an article by the same writer with updated headline: “CPP-Friendly Businessman Launches Newspaper.” 

The story began with a similar lead: “T Mohan, a Malaysian publisher and businessman arrested in the 1990s for attempting to extort a casino executive, is back in Cambodia’s newspaper market.”

In neither story, did the reporter bother to illuminate readers with the fact that no charges ever were filed in the casino case.

The Daily story continued: “Khmer Times, the latest English-language news offering from Mr. Mohan, hit newsstands earlier this month, with a government spokesman even resigning his position to report for the newspaper.”

Fact: the government spokesman never resigned. Further down, the story said: “According to sub-decrees issued in the Royal Gazette in February 2011, Mr. Mohan currently chairs a company with a 7,187 hectare economic land concession in Kampot province’s Phnom Bokor National Park.” Public disclosure, courtesy of the Daily.

Fact: First, the ELC is only partly inside the park and was delineated by Sub Decree as an ELC.  Second, the size stated is wrong. It is actually 6,718 hectares.

In July, Mr. Willemyns walked uninvited into  Khmer Times newsroom, demanding to know sources for Khmer Times story based on transcripts of a Cabinet meeting.

Last Friday, after watching its circulation slowly erode for nine months, the Daily returned to attack mode. It ran a front page lead story with this headline: “In Coverage of Land Dispute, A Publisher’s Interests Served.”

Among the laundry list of accusations was that the newspaper’s owner publisher (me) did not disclose his involvement with Virtus Green Plantations Cambodia Pte Ltd. The news story also charged that the village and commune chief did not know that I owned  Khmer Times when I interviewed them for quotes in my own news story.

A few Twitter users had a field day with the Daily story.

Here are excerpts of Friday’s Daily story:

“While local media have mostly ignored Decho Aphivat, Khmer Times, an English-language newspaper that started up last year, has become fixated with the area, publishing more than a dozen articles amounting to over 10,000 words about the conflict here.

The newspaper has labeled the villagers “opportunists” and “squatters” led by “land gangs” and “instigators“ that pose a “growing threat to plantation agriculture in Cambodia.”

It also published an article under the byline “M.H. Tee” stating that the concession holder, Virtus Green Plantations, had upgraded a 200-meter stretch of road in the remote commune to “alleviate the sufferings of villagers.”

What Khmer Times has failed to reveal, however, is that its publisher, T. Mohan, is also the founder and CEO of Virtus Group, the parent company of Virtus Green Plantations.”

Here is my response:

Alex Willemyns already made public that I chair a company with an economic land concession in and adjacent to  Kampot Province’s Phnom Bokor National Park. Such information also was published in the Government Gazette.  It is public information. However, I am not the Chairman.

The opening sentences of Mr. Willemyns’ two 2014 stories borders on slander when he wrote “a Malaysian publisher and businessman arrested in the 1990s for attempting to extort a casino executive.” He neglected to clarify that the nearly two decade old accusations never resulted in charges being filed.

Friday’s follow up stories by Matt Blomberg and Aun Pheap deride  Khmer Times stories on the Decho Pongrok Village land grab.

But the authors neglected to mention that they did not identify themselves as reporters from The Cambodia Daily. One of their interview subjects, the village chief, Ek Koy, says she was not informed of their true identities. Instead, she says they visited her village last week Monday under the guise of LICADHO, a human rights NGO. Their ‘cover’ apparently was that their NGO  wanted to drill water wells in the village.

Licadho’s Set Vannak, who brought the two Daily journalists to Decho Pongrok Village, initially denied that he even  went there, let alone  with the two Daily journalists. But, under questioning by Khmer Times reporter Ros Chanveasna, Mr. Vannak later conceded that he, indeed, had gone to the village with the two Daily journalists.

On Saturday, Ms. Ek Koy, the village chief told me in a taped conversation:

“I know Khmer Times. I know you, as you  said so yourself on the day you took my photo, midway between Dechno Pongrok Village and the plantation.

“During the visit of by one Westerner and two Khmers, they asked questions as to whether T. Mohan was paying me $100 per month and so forth. I absolutely deny that they identified themselves as from Cambodia Daily or from Licadho. And I received them as usual as I do with anyone who visits my house.”

After the “LICADHO” visit, Ms. Ek Koy sent a written report to her Commune Chief, Chim Seeoun, who was hospitalized at that time.

Here are excerpts from the “LICADHO” (Daily) questioning of  the Village Chief:

Question: Are you currently working for V.G.P. Company?

Answer: I work for the citizens. I only engage in the workforce as a local authority.

Question: Is it true that you get $100 a month from Mr. Mo Han?

Answer: That is not true!

Question: Is it true that V.G.P. Company illegal seizes land from the villagers?

Answer: That is not true. V.G.P. clearly sets the boundaries for the land in order to avoid conflicts with the villagers in the future, because all the villagers already possess their own piece of land.

Question: Did you call the villagers who are currently living here “chaotic people”?

Answer: As an authority, ever since the day Decho Pongrok Village has been created, we have never paid attention to the villagers’ chaos or systematic methods. We only pay attention to how they are living under the Constitution. Moreover, there is no division of groups/class because we are all Khmer.

Question: How do you feel when you see the staff drinking and having fun?

Answer: The provincial staff come to fulfill their obligations for the villagers of Decho Pongrok Village; they are not here to drink or have fun. We are unable to afford food or drinks for them. They come here with their own meals. However, as the local authority, it’s normal for us to provide them with a place to stay and to rest.

Question: There are sources saying that Mr. Mo Han went to drink at you house. How do you feel about that?

Answer:  Mr. Mo Han has never come to my house to drink or dine. Not even once.

Question: If you’re working for Mr. Mo Han, then why don’t you ask him for monthly salary?

Answer: I am not a V.G.P. Company employee. I am an authority, being paid by the government to serve the citizens.

Chim Seoun, the Commune Chief, spoke to Khmer Times journalist Chanveasna from his hospital bed on Thursday by telephone. Previoulsy, he had talked to another Khmer Times journalist, Ven Rathavong on several occasions. Each time he was informed by the journalists that they were calling from Khmer Times. I, too, told him directly that I own Khmer Times.

When talking about publisher’s ethics and use of a pseudonym, such as M.H. Tee, what is so strange about it?  Those are indeed my initials and it is an accepted norm in the newspaper realm.

To respond point by point to the Daily’s attacks is a waste of newspaper space. Suffice to say, this is a case of “the pot calling the kettle black.”

Facts have been misrepresented. The thrust of the story is a personal attack rather than news. The goal is to try stifle the rise of a new kid on the block,  the “Khmer Times,” which is attracting readers from the Daily.

As the owner, publisher of Khmer Times, I pose these questions:

Why the fetish with the Khmer Times?

Why the infatuation  with the exposes on Decho Pongrok Village by the Khmer Times to the extent that the number of words and  articles were counted?

Are there any reports of clashes between Virtus Green Plantations and villagers?

Why the personal attacks on me which are defamatory in nature, when the application for a publishing permit requires a certificate of no criminal record?

Buried in Friday’s Daily story is the Daily’s acknowledgement that Ms.Koy and the original settlers at Decho Pongrok Village  complain that they are being overwhelmed by new intruders.

These new intruders are working in the village with phony land claims. When a plantation invests up to $2.5 million a year to develop its concession, meets the requirements as stipulated in the concession agreement, builds and rehabilitates up to 12 kilometer of roads and bridges (and  allow villagers to use them), provides jobs to up to 250 Cambodians, creates a local economy, it has the right to make known its grievances.

The  Khmer Times has the right to publicize land grabs -- just as the other papers which  champion the plight of alleged victims of land grabs.

Silence and acquiescence by ELC owners combined with the greed of land claims fuel land grabs. If you have full information on a land grab, what is the harm in publishing it?

But, maybe if you practice cybersquatting, you also then approve of land squatting.

Is The Daily’s “hatchet” job  -- three whacks in one year –  really about the publisher occasionally using  a pseudonym? Or, is the rel threat to the Daily  last week’s announcement that Khmer Times will go five times a week  on July 1?

There are many high profile media executives who do not proclaim their investments to the four corners of the earth.

Khmer Times did not start this fire. We kept silent for more than one year even though the very personal attacks started well before we went to print.  But we are not going to waste journalistic resources preparing “exposes” on rival newspaper publishers. We are not going to devote time and manpower to investigate the Daily’s odd, tax-free “NGO” status in Cambodia.

PHNOM PENH (The Cambodia Herald) -- Prince Norodom Ranariddh and his wife Ouk Phalla were injured in a road accident on Saturday in Kampong Cham's Prey Chhor district, Kampong Cham province, police said.

The accident happening at around noon injured six people including the prince and his wife when a truck loaded with soil hit his BMW and others cars traveling alongside.

The motorcade was heading for Phnom Penh from Kampong Cham when the crash took place.

The police said Prince Ranariddh was slightly wounded while his wife was seriously injured and were rushed to a hospital in Phnom  Penh.

KOH PRALONG, Kampong Cham province – New anti-smoking legislation may knock out tobacco as a cash crop in Cambodia.

Only a few years ago, tobacco was the king of the cash crops for farmers in central and eastern Cambodia. But cheaper imports and rising input costs steadily pushed down production. Now, many farmers here are switching to other crops, mainly corn, hoping for better margins and promised government subsidies.

“Next year, maybe everyone will stop,” said Then Koung, 67, the village chief here. He, too, used to grow tobacco. He plans to switch to corn next year, and he says most of his neighbors will follow suit.

The Farmers Balk

On a hot morning on Koh Paen island in the middle of the Mekong River, Kha Sat Eam, 64, harvests the crop he planted in November. His hands are stained black with tar, the same stuff that accumulates inside people’s lungs, contributing to 11,000 tobacco-related deaths in Cambodia, according to the World Health Organization.

“People smoked it, so we grew it,” he said. “In the past, no other crop could earn as much as tobacco. But the younger generation isn’t smoking anymore.”

He said that if the anti-smoking law passes, he will switch to corn. The new law would ban smoking in bars and restaurants.

A neighbor, Hay Phal, 56, echoed these concerns. He said his once tidy profit steadily eroded over the last four years, plunging especially hard from 2013 to 2014.

One kilogram of tobacco used to net him $3.  Now, it gets him only $1.5. This season, he expects to forego thousands of dollars on expected earnings from a harvest of 6 to 7 tons.

“People will stop growing tobacco based on the market, regardless of the law,” said Mr. Phal. “Next year, I will stop.
According to Mr. Phal and Mr. Koung, 150 families used to grow tobacco in the villages on their island. Now, that number has fallen to 10.

Cambodia’s Industry

According to the Ministry of Commerce’s Trade Promotion department, the country produces about 13,116 tons of tobacco per year, from 8,744 hectares. Much of the tobacco is sold to other countries, mainly Vietnam, according to Thourn Sinan, chairman of B2B Cambodia Group Co Ltd, which distributes goods.

Less than 5,000 tons is sold inside the country, said Mr. Sinan. Cambodians spend over $100 million on tobacco products. 

Mr. Sinan said that almost all of Cambodia’s tobacco comes from Kampong Cham, Thbong Khmum and Kratie provinces, along the Mekong. This climate is also favorable for corn, another major regional crop. 

The trade promotion department says that a network of 800 families produce tobacco for the Cambodian branch of the British American Tobacco company, a major exporter and distributor.

Mr. Phal, who sells to BAT, said he heard that some British shareholders associated with the company recently decided to pull out of Cambodia’s market. BAT’s press department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Unfriendly Markets

Mr. Koung said tobacco’s margins started falling over four years ago, and then accelerated recently. He and Mr. Phal attribute the decline in tobacco prices to the international push to cut smoking, spearheaded by the WHO and national health ministries.

At the same time, Cambodia’s growing GDP leads to higher labor prices, requiring higher input costs. Tobacco is a labor-intensive crop, requiring quick harvesting, drying and curing. Any delay in the process may result in an inferior product.

“Tobacco is a lot of work,” said Mr. Koung, the village chief here. “Hiring a laborer for a few hours costs 20,000 riel. With corn, all I need is my family.”

B2B Cambodia’s Mr. Sinan said that the spread of electronic cigarettes in the U.S. and Asia is further cutting demand. Finally, he said, greater taxes on tobacco and restrictions on its sales turn people off from buying cigarettes.

Similar restrictions are expected to become law next month in Cambodia. According to WHO polling, 90 percent of Cambodians support the new draft legislation which would restrict cigarette sales to minors, ban smoking in restaurants, raise taxes on cigarettes and require large graphic warning labels on cigarette packs.

Though corn historically has brought in less than tobacco, farmers in Kampong Cham hope demand for corn will remain steady, ensuring a stable income. They are also excited about Prime Minister Hun Sen’s promise to provide subsidies to farmers who switch to other crops.

“A subsidy would be the best move for the people,” said Mr. Phal, one of the farmers here who says he is growing his last tobacco crop.

PHNOM PENH, Apr 22 (Khmer Times) – The Ministry of Mine and Energy announced the start of bidding on plots of land for sand dredging.

Both national and international companies will be allowed to bid on spots to dredge after the ministry banned sand dredging along the Mekong last month.

According to the announcement issued yesterday, the ministry is opening four plots of land to bidders in Kampong Cham and Kandal provinces.

The ministry has warned sand dredgers along the rivers that they face imprisonment and fines if they dredge sand illegally without licenses from the ministry. The ministry detained 16 sand dredging operation owners earlier this month.

PHNOM PENH (Khmer Times)--After mounting criticism over several photographs on social media showing the head of the Cambodia National Rescue Party Sam Rainsy and Prime Minister Hun Sen spending time together over the Khmer New Year holiday, the opposition party Vice President Kem Sokha felt the need to clarify the party’s stance to supporters in a CNRP rally on Monday. 

PHNOM PENH (Khmer Times) – The recently reformed nine-member National Election Committee (NEC) may well hold vital keys to Cambodia’s political stability in the years to come.

Political analyst and academician Chheang Vannarith, PhD believes the new NEC membership, approved by the National Assembly, is the start of a positive trend of political development for Cambodia. But he is cautious.

“Trust and personal relationship between Prime Minister Hun Sen and the opposition leader, Sam Rainsy, have improved rather remarkably. But how long such political reconciliation and trust will last remains a big question,” Mr. Vannarith said. “The political dialogues between the two political parties need to be conducted at all levels, especially among the youth.”

“In terms of membership and institutional building, the new NEC is much better than the old one,” the analyst continued. “It is expected to be more independent, neutral and transparent. However, it should also be treated with caution as the real test will come with the polls.”

Mr. Vannarith said having a credible and independent NEC is a win-win situation for both the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) and the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), as Cambodia moves toward the consolidation of a bi-party political system.

This puts into question past partnerships such as: CPP-Funcinpec, Sam Rainsy Party (SRP)-Funcinpec, and now the SRP- Human Rights Party (HRP) partnership, which is already showing signs of internal fissure and power struggle.

Everyone Needs a Plan

“One other critical factor of the new NEC is to ensure free, fair and inclusive elections and democratic control of the armed forces, as these would be painfully vital to a peaceful and smooth power transition in the Kingdom,” Mr. Vannarith pointed out. “Both the ruling  CPP and CNRP should have appropriate exit strategy once they lose in the upcoming elections, especially in the unlikely scenario of the CPP losing the elections and the possibility of CNRP having control of the military if it does win on the off chance or erode CPP’s majority even further.”

He added that the opposition should act rationally and have a long-term strategic plan and went on to emphasized the benefits of  working together: “Street protests and political pressures are counterproductive to the ongoing culture of dialogue between the two parties, especially at the highest level involving either the Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister and CNRP President Sam Rainsy. They need to work together to deliver results from the reform, realizing national development agenda.”

According to the analyst, the ruling CPP gains more from such political development as it helps concretize the government’s development strategy and build investors’ confidence - key elements in securing Cambodia’s forecasted GDP growth.

The Next Big Job

Speaking for the CNRP, Yem Ponhearith told Khmer Times the most important work now that the NEC is approved is to push Cambodians to process their identity cards and register as bona fide voters, getting their names on the electorate list.

“We have to tackle the remaining issues concerning both parties, such as the internal regulation of National Assembly. Both parties will study and discuss more in the coming days and weeks to attain better working relationships and processes which would ensure accountability and transparency,” the CNRP spokesman said.

He added that he could not possibly predict whether politicking and bickering will be stopped post-election. “Let the NEC do its duty first. We should not evaluate its efficacy before its work is done or even started.”

Mr. Ponhearith also could not confirm or deny whether the new NEC will trigger an end to post-election street politics. He claimed that it is the right of expression by the people to gather and express their opinions, irrespective of a new NEC.

He also could confirm that the new NEC is neutral, but he said that new NEC will be better than the old one since its  members come from different sectors such as nongovernmental organizations, both  parties, and the legal profession.

The New and the Old NEC

The new NEC has CPP lawmaker Sik Bunhok as chairman, former NEC members Mean Satik and Em Sopath, and former Interior Ministry official Duch Sorn.

The CNRP did one better with former opposition lawmaker Kuoy Bunroeun, Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association president Rong Chhun, retired government official Te Manirong, and Supreme Court prosecutor and former Phnom Penh municipal court judge Hing Thirith as their representatives in the nine member committee. The executive director of the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia, Hang Puthea , is the ninth “independent” candidate.

When asked by Khmer Times whether CNRP will soften its anti-government stance in the spirit of the new political landscape, Mr. Ponhearith declined to confirm or deny, but he said that lower GDP forecasts for Cambodia need not necessarily lead to the CNRP bashing the government’s economic performance. He added that the opposition only criticizes the government to help it develop the economy in order to enable Cambodians to have a higher income.

Keeping Politics Out of the Courts

On the issue of political interference in the judiciary, Mr. Ponhearith gave a rather contradictory comment.

He pointed out that the recent release of some prisoners and detainees was not against the principles of noninvolvement in the judiciary because the courts have the right to make such decisions following their legal procedures. The final decision is up the courts.

He also denied that the recent release of land and political activists was a form of political compromise. The opposition party spokesman steadfastly claimed it was the decision of the courts. Yet it was widely reported at the time of release that it was possible only because of political compromise in the spirit of the newly found political detente and trust-building between the ruling CPP and the opposition CNRP.

A senior CPP official surprisingly opposed the release.

Declining to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter, the official said: “We are setting a precedent. While the Government has insisted on more than one occasion publicly that there will be no interference in the judiciary or the courts, time and again this has happened. This could lead to more allegations of impunity by the opposition.”

He continued, “However, I suspect that the CNRP will not allege impunity nor question the independence of the court nor lambast the Government for purported intervention of the Prime Minister in the recent high profile cases as it benefitted the CNRP. Thus, when it benefits the opposition, they will claim the courts did their job, only when it benefits them. 

“This culture has to stop in the name of judicial reforms,” the official stressed.

CPP Spokesman on Elections

Meanwhile, Chhim Phal Virun, the spokesman for the CPP commented to Khmer Times: “We have reformed NEC considerably. Our purpose of reforming the NEC is to have positive achievements in the electoral process and it also means that hopefully, it does not create problems again in the future.”

“If any political parties object or don’t respect the election result of the NEC, it can be assumed as having abandoned their seats in the National Assembly,” he continued. “In the future, I believe that no political party will decide to abandon their seats or boycott the parliament sitting when called by His Majesty the King, as the polls would have been decided by Cambodian citizens who exercised their right to vote for the parties.”

When talking about the upcoming commune and general elections in 2017 and 2018 respectively, Mr. Virun stressed that the NEC’s neutrality will have a huge bearing on all political parties in Cambodia, and they [political parties], including nongovernmental organizations and the general masses, must respect and follow the laws.

If this can be attained, then the entire process will run smoothly, he concluded.

Mr. Virun also pointed out that if any political party made use of the election and its campaign period to instigate or incite land grabs and then used it as a political tool to bash Cambodia’s government and gain popularity, then this will be deemed as contrary to the sprit and law of the NEC, and these actions would be “wicked,” inciting people to break the laws and create unrest and resentment in the society in an attempt to create political and social instability.

When asked to comment on the independence of the judiciary, Mr. Virum said that the release of the Boeung Kak lake activists was not done under political pressure.

He said that people who see it as a political deal are confused. The courts decided and they probably took into consideration positive changes in society, as well as with the detainees, and released them according to the law and not against the law.

“On the contrary, Mr. Meach Sovannara’s case is different,” the ruling party spokesman said. He went on to clarify the court’s actions: “He [Mr. Sovannara] was not a prisoner. He is a defendant. He has not been convicted yet. He was staying in the Prey Sar prison under provisional detention.”

Shine Light on NEC

Kem Ley, founder of the Khmer for Khmer Party, told Khmer Times that if the ruling CPP and the CNRP want to ensure real transparency and neutrality in the NEC, they should open it up for scrutiny by other stake holders, such as nongovernmental organizations and representatives from the public, to monitor the NEC’s enforcement of the election law.

He added that they should check every system involved in the electoral process, such as the voter registry system and the vote counting system.

“All these systems must be reorganized. Even though this new election authority is bad, all the systems mentioned above must undergo reforms and must be revamped for it [the NEC] to be acceptable as a truly neutral authority,” Mr. Ley said.

He continued, “Currently the new NEC members are from two parties represented in the National Assembly. As such, the electoral body at the provinces must comprise more representatives from nongovernmental organization and civil society.”

Mr. Ley added that when he sees the law and willingness of politicians in the current context, future elections will probably bring a bigger crisis than the 2013 election.

This is because, he said, the NEC has now become even more non-transparent. Everything seems to have been carried out in secret with little of public debate and civil society involvement.

There would be no neutrality for the election in 2017 and 2018, Mr. Ley claimed. “All of them [NEC members] are from parties. They work for parties more than the NEC. They listen to the president of their respective party and their leader, even though they officially resigned from the party. It is just a performance for the people.”

He warned that the CNRP risks losing its popularity and may face the people’s wrath, similar to what happened with the Funcinpec Party if it continues its close relationship with the ruling party. Mr. Ley predicted more severe consequences than those experienced by the Funcinpec Party.

“They will lose many seats. CNRP is named as an opposition party, not a ruling party. Their role is to fight the bad points of the ruling party and cozy up to them in the name of political expediency.”

He added that the strength of the CNRP is now questionable as previously, they had opposed the ruling party on many fronts and principles.

“However, now, they seem to part and parcel of the ruling party, thus no more opposing vehemently but rather being their echo in the National Assembly,” Mr. Ley said.

He also said that the culture of “street politics,” as deployed by the opposition CNRP will continue because people still suffer form of social or legal injustice. It is their right to take to the streets and protest against the perceived violation of their rights.

Mr. Ley went on to criticize the government for continuing to interfere in the courts. “It is appearing more and more that there is no independence of the courts and this is happening because of the political ambitions of one party to gain popularity at the expense of the independence of the courts. This will lead to impunity and social disorder.”

Municipal authorities after punch new plan Sothearos unidirectional roads in the past few days has caused serious traffic jams from dawn until dusk on Norodom.
Vehicles and sex Norodom traffic on the road and avoid traffic direction Monivong its way and 271 small and accompanies Norodom. But because of the man’s escape route Norodom cause Monivong Boulevard and 271 small and heavily congested Vehicles and after sex started traveling longer obey traffic laws.

When morning came and thrust into the workplace during lunch break from work and dinner workers into roosts. The three time, and is the subject of the traffic jam on the road Norodom within 3-4 days after the municipal authorities ordered traffic police iron “withdrawal” large, Sothearos opposite side of the road next to the Boston fisheries.

Although there are traffic jams, however, steel with a minus sign, and police are not out of the middle of the road Sothearos to citizens travel temporarily to reduce congestion on Norodom Boulevard.

Passengers have expressed frustration over strict action of the Municipal Authority official Sothearos unidirectional. Passengers have asked authorities to cancel the action and turn new measures to expand Sothearos bigger. Traffic congestion, including some elements as well as some vehicles parked on the road as well, so that the traffic police should carry the free car park and order it off the road and work fine with the law .

One passenger was argued that if the authorities so forth, not only to open a new route from point AEON Mall Norodom Blvd Sothearos unidirectional roads.

Traffic congestion on the road Norodom because people flocked to the Aeon Mall shopping so this should be thinking about their traffic.

Please note that after studying the traffic road Sothearos unidirectional traffic from the Russian Embassy fisheries that increasingly congested almost every road Municipal ground traffic police asked the Municipal authorities put Sothearos fishery unidirectional route from Boston to the Russian Embassy.

PHNOM PENH (The Cambodia Herald) -- Siem Reap province, home of world's heritage site Angkor Wat, welcomed over 100,000 visitors including 70,000 national arrivals during the three-day celebration of New Year, according to a tourism official.

During the three-day celebration of New Year from 28-31 December, 2014, some 100,4000 people visited Siem Reap, up 15.20 percent over the same period in 2013, said Ngov Sengkak, head of Siem Reap's Tourism Department.

Main streets in Siem Reap on 31 December were crowded and the traffic was very congested, especially the Pub Street was very busy. But authorities had deployed security forces to reduce congestion.

Siem Reap governor Khoem Bunsong said that the increase in number of visitors was a result of public order, security and public decorations.

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua) -- The 4th International Conference on the Cambodia-China diplomatic relations during the lifetime of late Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk was held here on Wednesday, aiming to remember the achievements he had made in building Cambodia-China ties, officials said.

The two-day forum, organized by the Confucius Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, was attended by some 120 people, who are researchers, historians, professors and students, said Khlot Thyda, president of the Royal Academy of Cambodia.

Ten speakers, including 3 Cambodian experts, 5 former Chinese ambassadors to Cambodia, and 2 Chinese academics, would share their knowledge about the establishment and development of the Cambodia-China diplomatic relations during the forum, she said.

"The conference is aimed to further deepen friendly relations between the two countries and to promote the excellent ties among younger generations," she said.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the conference, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Cabinet Minister Sok An said the Sino- Cambodian diplomatic ties were established on July 19, 1958 between then-Prince Norodom Sihanouk and former Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai and President Mao Zedong.

"The forum will provide opportunities to researchers, professors, and students to share views and experience, and to explore deeper understanding about the establishment, evolution, and importance of the Cambodia-China diplomatic ties," he said.

He said that following the guidance of Norodom Sihanouk, the current Cambodian government, led by Prime Minister Hun Sen, has continued to strengthen and expand diplomatic relations and cooperation between Cambodia and China, and the ties reached the level of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Cooperation in 2010.

"Cambodia is China's good brother, neighbor, friend and partner, " Sok An said. "The Cambodian government continues to provide staunch support for the one-China policy."

Meanwhile, he encouraged researchers to study, compile, and promote the histories, cultures, languages and diplomatic relations of the two countries among the peoples from all walks of life.

King Norodom Sihanouk died of illness at the age of 90 in Beijing on Oct. 15, 2012.

Chinese ambassador to Cambodia Bu Jianguo said the conference was essential to promote the history of Sino-Cambodian relations among the younger generations.

"Norodom Sihanouk was a revered king for the Cambodian people as well as the Chinese people," she said. "He had laid the foundation for Cambodia and China to build and expand friendly relations and cooperation in all fields, especially in politics, economics, and culture."

The ambassador said the ties and cooperation between China and Cambodia have become stronger and stronger after having gone through numerous vicissitudes in modern times.

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua) -- The number of villagers tested positive for HIV/AIDS in a remote village in the Battambang province of northwestern Cambodia has risen to 106, a local health official said Wednesday.

Hundreds of residents in five villages of Roka commune have flocked to have their blood tested for HIV/AIDS at a health center since Dec. 8 after report of the mass infections broke out, Hei Sik, head of a local HIV/AIDS test program in the commune, said.

"As of Wednesday afternoon, 775 villagers had been tested for the virus and 106 of them were confirmed positive for HIV/AIDS," he told Xinhua, adding that the HIV/AIDS-positive people are aged from 3 years old to 82.

The testing is still going on as more villagers have come for blood test, he said.

He said villagers suspected that the mass infections were caused by a physician, who might have used the same hypodermic needles to inject different patients.

Mean Chhi Vun, director of Cambodia's National Center for HIV/ AIDS, Dermatology and STDs, said Tuesday that in the preliminary conclusion, those people have been infected by contaminated medical tools such as needles.

He said the suspected physician has escaped after news of mass transmission.

PHNOM PENH (The Cambodia Herald) – The King His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni appointed Keo Puth Rasmey as his person senior advisor, according to a royal decree on Wednesday.

Keo Puth Rasmey, husband of Norodom Sihanouk the late King Father's youngest daughter Princess Norodom Arun Rasmey, is currently also chairman of the advisors’ board of the royalist Funcipec Party.

PHNOM PENH (The Cambodia Herald) -- The Transparency International Cambodia (TI Cambodia) and the Coalition for Integrity and Social Accountability (CISA) appeal to the Cambodian people to fight against and break the corruption chain.

"On the occasion of International Anti-Corruption Day ( December 9, TI Cambodia and CISA would like to encourage all Cambodians to take concrete actions to fight corruption and thus ensure that everyone can enjoy their basic rights and live in dignity," said a statement on Tuesday.

The statement said the corruption, the abuse of entrusted power for private gain, acts as a dirty tax on society’s most vulnerable people and therefore exacerbates inequality, slows economic development and feeds social instability.

“While efforts need to be conducted at the institutional and policy level, it is important to remember that every single individual has the power and obligation to fight corruption and, when acting jointly with others, they can make society less corrupt”, said Preap Kol, Executive Director at TI Cambodia.

The statement said individuals can help break the chain of corruption by committing to not paying or seeking bribes, speaking out against corruption and reporting abuse through TI Cambodia's hotline by dialing 1292 or 777, only supporting candidates for public office who say no to corruption and demonstrate transparency, integrity and accountability, and Working with others to campaign against corruption.

The penultimate Human Rights Day march into the capital did not go smoothly yesterday for some monks and villagers who, after walking for hours, were turned away from their planned rest stops.

Am Sam Ath, technical supervisor at local rights group Licadho, said that as of 6pm most of the groups marching from provinces across the country to mark Human Rights Day today had settled for the night at their planned pagodas.

But, he said, two groups of marchers were forced to add another leg to the already tiresome journey.

Marchers on National Road 4, who had planned to stay at Stung Meanchey pagoda, had to travel onwards to Samaki Rainsy pagoda, a common stopover for activists.

Thai Bunthoeun, Stung Meanchey’s chief abbot, said he did not allow the marchers to stay overnight because he was following an “order from the top monks”.

“We are afraid that they could cause problems in our pagoda,” he explained. “We are afraid that they will come to stay for a long time, not only a night.”

Read more at: http://phnompenhpost.com/national/march-capital-gets-longer

In a rare admission, the National Police yesterday said it had failed to achieve a significant portion of its “strategic plan” for the past five years, which a senior police official blamed on poor communication and ineffectual high-level bureaucrats.

National Police spokesman Kirt Chantharith yesterday told reporters that only about three-fifths of the force’s stated aims had been reached, although he refrained from divulging specific details of the police’s shortcomings.

“The first reason for this is that there is a limited understanding among the lower units, which are not clear on our policy, and this reflects in their performance,” he said.

“The second reason is that the elite units are not involved in the work. All they do is sit and sign pieces of paper, but they have no idea what they are signing,” he added. “Plans are just that, plans. And actions are actions. This [current situation] is no good.”

The five-year plan, that had failed to achieve 40 per cent of its goals, came to a close last year, and a new five-year plan will run until 2019.

“The result of the five-year plan for all units, from 2008 to 2013, was not as successful as planned,” he said.

Read more at: http://phnompenhpost.com/national/police-admit-trouble-top

According to officials, the water system was cut earlier this year because of construction works outside the facility. But while the majority of inmates are suffering from the shortage, guards and well-connected prisoners have allegedly cashed in.

Speaking from the prison, an inmate who asked to remain anonymous said that the cost of water has hit an all-time high, at “20 times” the pre-shortage price.

The inmate said that he is now forced to pay “an extra $15 a month for water”.

“I see Khmers and foreign nationals bathing in dirty brown water and others fighting for enough to drink,” he said.

The inmate added that the clean water, carted into the facility multiple times every day, has proved lucrative for some.

“Prison guards are falling over themselves to deliver water,” he said. Some have “hired pickup trucks with water tanks on board to profit from the situation”.

“Inmates are fighting to be the middlemen who further inflate prices and collect money,” he added.

Read more at: http://phnompenhpost.com/national/water-luxury-prey-sar

Cambodia has taken a “crucial step towards justice” by launching a reparations program for thousands of villagers who were forcibly evicted to make way for industrial sugar plantations, according to campaigners.

Resettlement experts hired by the European Commission will draft a scheme to assess the claims of thousands of villagers who were evicted with little or no compensation to make way for sugar plantations in Kampong Speu, Koh Kong and Oddar Meanchey provinces.

“The EU will fund technical expertise to develop a mechanism to audit claims in relation to sugarcane plantations in Cambodia, and ensure the implementation of any remedial measures that are found necessary,” the EU said in a statement yesterday.

The move towards reparations, which followed a February meeting where senior government officials, sugar companies and the EU agreed to work towards a resolution, was welcomed by villagers and campaigners.

Chan Sokhoeun, a representative of the Thpong community in Kampong Speu province’s Omlaing commune, said the villagers’ living standards had dropped significantly since their land was taken by ruling Cambodian People’s Party Senator Ly Yong Phat’s Phnom Penh Sugar company.

“We now work on [what was] our own farmland as slave workers for the sugar company,” he said.

Read more at: http://phnompenhpost.com/national/eu-probe-sugar-disputes

PHNOM PENH (The Cambodia Herald) -- Kem Sokha, vice president of the National Assembly, reaffirmed his stance that he would continue criticizing the government even though Hun Sen warned to take action to remove him from his post as the first vice president of the National Assembly.

"I would like to make it clear that I and the lawmakers of Cambodia National Rescue Party will continue visiting the people and criticizing those who commit wrong," he said. "Lawmakers can not keep quiet in the air conditioning rooms."

PHNOM PENH (The Cambodia Herald) -- Phnom Penh police are hunting for another four suspects for being behind the assassination of tycoon Ung Meng Cheu who was gunned down on November 22 in Chamkar Morn district.

The four are identified as Duong Thavry, first wife of fugitive tycoon Thong Sarath, and accomplices, Tang Sok, Sok Kheng and Sok Lay. They have been suspected of planning Ung Meng Cheu's killing.

Phnom Penh Municipal Court finished questioning eight people suspected in the killing of Ung Meng Cheu on Sunday.

Thong Sarath's father, Thong Chamroeun and mother, Keo Sary, were charged with disturbing police's investigation and possessing illegal weapon.

While four bodyguards, Seang Veasna, gunman, Ly Sao, gateway motorcycle driver, and Meas Sambath and Koy Chanthol, accomplices of Thong Sarath, were charged with intentional killing and conspiracy.

According to article 200 and29 of Criminal Codes, the accused can face life imprisonment if they are found guilty.

PHNOM PENH (The Cambodia Herald) -- A Vietnamese fisherman caught a 127-kg giant barb (Catlocarpio siamensis) in the Mekong Delta over the weekend, Dan Tri reported.

The online news service said Nguyen Van Minh caught the critically endangered fish, known as trey kolreang in Khmer, in Vinh Long province on Saturday.

The fish was sold for 163 million dong ($8,150), amounting to 1.28 million dong ($64) a kilo, the report said.

Under a royal decree signed by King Norodom Sihamoni in 2005, the giant barb is designated as Cambodia's national fish.

To stock it in natural water bodies and use it in aquaculture, the Fisheries Administration has been urging hatcheries and breeding stations to conduct research on breeding and incubating the species.

To study their migration and growth, the government agency has also been working with the Mekong River Commission to tag and release giant barbs caught in bagnet fisheries in the Tonle Sap River.

"The reasons for encouraging hatcheries and breeding stations to carry out breeding and incubation experiments are to disseminate the findings to fish farmers because the fish feeds on natural foods, grows fast, and the brood stock can be maintained," the decree says.

"At the same time, its important habitat is deep pools that has been established as protected areas along the Cambodian Mekong River to conserve this endangered species."

The giant barb, found only in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, is carved on the walls of the Angkor temples. In Cambodia, its scales have traditionally been used for making a type of shuttlecock.

Read more at: http://thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/fisherman-catches-127-kg-giant-barb-in-mekong-delta-7815

PHNOM PENH (The Cambodia Herald) -- His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni left Cambodia Monday for a two-day visit to Japan, said  Oum Daravuth, advisor of the secretariat of Queen Mother Norodom Monineath. 

He said the King's visit was made by an invitation of Supreme Patriarch of Japan. 

Daravuth said the delegation accompanying the King includes Kong Sam Ol, Minister of the Royal Palace, and Princess Bopha Tevi who also brings Robam Preah Reach Trop group there.