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At least four people were dead and two suffered serious injuries in two blazes yesterday in Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh, police said. The fires also gutted a club and a restaurant. The authorities in Preah Sihanouk province said yesterday a fire which broke out at a disco known as Julie & Anna Tokyo located in Bei village, Bei commune of Sihanoukville claimed two lives and injured one. Preah Sihanouk Provincial Police chief Major General Chuon Narin said yesterday that the club was destroyed by the blaze. The cause of the fire was a welder working in the club, however, the authorities immediately intervened to stop the fire from spreading to nearby buildings, Maj Gen Narin added. “The cause of the fire was a welder working at the entrance carelessly and inadvertently set alight a sofa causing the blaze,” according to manager Ear Pros. The two dead were identified as Phorn Makara, 36, the welder and Horn Srey Vet, 18, who worked as a waitress at the club. The victims were rushed to a nearby hospital but they succumbed to critical injuries. Meanwhile, another fire occurred yesterday at a restaurant on street 138, Village II, Phsar Depot II commune of Tuol Kork district. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501230438/two-separate-fires-in-sihanoukville-pp-claim-four-lives-injure-two/

Cambodia ranks 150 of 180 countries in the annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2022, an improvement over 2021, when the country ranked 157th. According to Transparency International Cambodia (TIC), Cambodia received a CPI score of 24 for 2022, which was an improvement of one point compared to 2021. At present, the country occupies the second lowest spot in ASEAN, only one better than Myanmar. The Kingdom remains at the third lowest in the Asia-Pacific Region. At the “2022 Corruption Perceptions Index” press conference on January 30, Pech Pisey, TIC Executive Director, said that Cambodia continues to be perceived as highly corrupt. “Any country receiving a score under 25 are considered highly corrupt. Although Cambodia’s ranking inched up, the score of 24 represents only a slight improvement,” said Pisey. He added that among ASEAN countries, Singapore ranked first, Malaysia second, Vietnam third, Thailand fourth, Indonesia fifth, Philippines sixth, Laos seventh, Cambodia eighth and Myanmar ninth. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501230310/cambodia-inches-up-corruption-perceptions-index/

As the tour and travel industry in Cambodia and across the world is looking forward to a strong revival this year, Siem Reap has figured among the top five trending tourism destinations for 2023 in a recent survey. Siem Reap, the home to the 12th century Angkor Thom royal, figures at the fourth spot in the list. Interestingly, among the 10 top trending destinations, three are in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), which shows the interest of global travellers in the region, according to Tripadvisor which operates online travel agencies, comparison shopping websites, and mobile apps with user-generated content. Considered a jewel of Southeast Asia, Siem Reap is home to the world-famous Angkor Wat and boasts ancient as well as modern attractions. According to a report of the Tourism Ministry released last week, during the Lunar New Year celebrations, Siem Reap received over 105,400 visitors with more than 15,400 being foreigners. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501229011/siem-reap-among-top-five-most-popular-travel-destinations-in-the-world/

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) concluded its extraordinary congress on Sunday, voicing its full support for the candidacy of incumbent Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen to run for a new five-year term in the July general election. The extraordinary congress "fully supports Samdech Techo Hun Sen as the Prime Minister candidate for the seventh legislature of the National Assembly and supports His Excellency Hun Manet as the future Prime Minister candidate," said a party's resolution. Hun Sen, 70, has been in power for 38 years, while his eldest son, Hun Manet, 45, who is currently a member of the CPP's Permanent Committee, is a deputy commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) and the commander of the Royal Cambodian Army. The resolution came at the end of a two-day CPP extraordinary congress held at the party's headquarters in Phnom Penh under the presidency of Hun Sen, who is also the CPP's president. Speaking at a press briefing after the meeting, CPP spokesman Sok Eysan said the congress approved tasks and directions for 2023 and a political platform for 2023-2028. "The CPP is very confident to win the forthcoming general election thanks to the party's strong support from the people from all walks of life," he said. The Southeast Asian nation is scheduled to hold the seventh National Assembly election on July 23, 2023. In the 2018 election, the CPP won all the 125 seats in the National Assembly https://english.news.cn/20230129/6b7ac242378e43e29b0fa18ef145b132/c.html

Kong Korm writes letter admitting his mistakes and thanks prime minister for his forgiveness. Cambodian opposition party advisor Kong Korm has agreed to voluntarily turn over his estimated U.S.$10 million house to the government, bringing to an end a property dispute that dates back to the 1980s. Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia since 1985, ordered that the senior advisor to the main opposition Candlelight Party, who was once Cambodia’s deputy foreign minister, vacate his home within the month, saying that it was the property of the ministry. Kong Korm, who is the father of senior Candlelight party official Kong Monika, has been living in the home located in the heart of the capital Phnom Penh since 1982. He had maintained that the property was legally his based on land titles he received in 1990 and 2015. The change in heart came after he and his wife met for three hours with Om Yentieng, head of Cambodia’s Anti-Corruption Unit, whom Hun Sen ordered on Wednesday to investigate the case. "My wife and I have agreed to return the land ....in Cham Kar Mon district, Phnom Penh, back to the government,” Kong Korm wrote in a letter addressed to Om Yentieng Wednesday. He said he made mistakes by not fully understanding the process of obtaining ownership, and he apologized for wasting the Anti-Corruption Unit’s time by causing the investigation. “We thank the Anti-Corruption Unit and the government, specifically Prime Minister Hun Sen, who have forgiven my mistakes,” he wrote. Hun Sen said on his Facebook account that he would take no further legal action against Kong Korm over the matter. “I have decided not to sue him and I agree to end the case when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs repossess the house next week,” Hun Sen said. RFA was unable to reach Kong Korm for comment as of Thursday. Political commentator Kim Sok told RFA’s Khmer Service that in giving in to Hun Sen, Kong Korm was choosing freedom over wealth. “The decision was made to lose wealth in order to avoid prison or threats to personal security,” said Kim Sok. Kim Sok said that he believes Kong Korm legally owns the property, but that he may have presented a threat to Hun Sen because he knows the ruling Cambodian People’s Party inside and out as a former member, dating back to the days he was a senior government official in the 1980s and 1990s. Legal trouble might jeopardize Kong Korm’s right to assist the Candlelight Party during the upcoming general election in July, or his son Kong Monika’s right to run for office, Kim Sok said. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Eugene Whong. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/kong-korn-01122023165315.html Copyright © 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036.

The E-Type Visa, aimed at short term travellers to Cambodia, is now available for online application for citizens from all countries across the globe. The E-Type Visa – which has a 3-month validity and 30-day allowable stay – used to be applicable online only for countries with a Cambodian embassy or consulate within their territories. However, this condition was changed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on January 6. The Cambodia’s E Visa website (https://www.evisa.gov.kh/) now states that “Cambodia e-Visa is pleased to announce an exciting new electric visa certificated service “Visa Type E” from our customers from all countries to apply for a Cambodia visa online,” The e-Visa was introduced by the Cambodian government in April 2006 to boost travel in Cambodia. It can be applied for at https://www.evisa.gov.kh/. To apply, visitors must fill in an application form and pay for the visa (cost $42) using their Visa Card, MasterCard, UnionPay, AliPay or WeChat. Visitors will require: – Health Insurance, – All supporting documents such as letter of invitation, letter of employment, letter of sponsorship, letter of Labor contract, investment project, patent certificate. – Passport validity of more than six months balance at the time of entry, a recent passport-size photo in digital format (JPEG or PNG format), a valid credit card (Visa/MasterCard).

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- A Cambodian court on Wednesday convicted an American man and his Nigerian accomplice of drug trafficking and sentenced each of them to 25 years in prison, according to a verdict. American Matthew David Sample, 40, and Nigerian David Vincent, 48, were arrested in Phnom Penh in February 2021 for allegedly trafficking 1.31 kg of crystal meth and nimetazepam. The two men were charged with "drug possession, transport and trafficking" under Article 40 of the Cambodian Law on Drugs Control, said the verdict read by Phnom Penh Municipal Court's Presiding Judge Kim Sokunthea. "Based on the seized evidence, the court has found them guilty of illicit drug possession, transport and trafficking," the verdict said. "Therefore, the court decides to sentence each of them to 25 years in prison." The court also ordered both of them to pay a fine of 10,000 U.S. dollars, it added. According to the verdict, the court also sentenced another Cambodian accomplice Theam Tola, 34, to three years in jail and fined him 1,000 dollars over the same case. During a hearing in December last year, they confessed to the crime, saying that they possessed the drugs and tried to sell them for money, as they had no jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Southeast Asian nation has no death sentence for illicit drug traffickers. Under its law, those found guilty of trafficking more than 80 grams of illicit drugs could be imprisoned for life. According to the country's Anti-Drug Police Department, the authorities arrested 14,784 drug-related suspects in 2022, seizing a total of 14.5 tons of all kinds of illicit drugs. https://english.news.cn/20230112/5cd540af82fe4b36a0693c588cbc0c37/c.html

Prime minister renews threat against the Candlelight Party and others questioning Cambodia’s election results. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen renewed his threat to seize properties belonging to opposition Candlelight Party members and others who accuse him and the ruling party of stealing last year’s local elections. Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia since 1985, made the threats on Monday while speaking at the opening ceremony for National Road No. 7 in Kampong Cham province, targeting Candlelight Party advisor Kong Koam. The Candlelight Party secured around 19% of votes in last June’s nationwide local elections while Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian People’s Party secured around 80% of the contested seats. "What do you think? I want to ask you. There are two choices, one is using the law, the other is using a stick [violence]. Which one do you take?” Hun Sen said during the speech. “I would like to warn you, we will not let you accuse us of being thieves for life. I want to tell you that we must end the culture of protest after the election,” he said. “The CPP cannot accept the word 'vote fraud’. Whoever dares to say this, we must sue.” Kong Koam's son, Kong Monika, a senior official of the Candlelight Party, said that Hun Sen’s remarks threatening his father are meant to instill fear among the opposition. “The threats, blackmails and the seizure of other properties’ to stop them from criticizing the government and ruling party are dirty means,” Kong Monika said. “For me, as a politician of the new generation, I want to see older politicians in Cambodia act as role models for the new generation of politicians, and the next generation of politicians can compete on an equal footing and have a free and fair electoral system,” he said. Activists and citizens told RFA that the legal threats will only serve to worsen the political climate ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for July 23. “[Hun Sen] became a dictator, who uses the law as a tool to persecute the opposition. Because he is afraid of losing the election through free and fair elections,” former opposition lawmaker Oum Sam told RFA. “He is afraid that he will not successfully transfer power from him to his son, Hun Manet,” he added. Hun Sen has repeatedly dodged questions about whether he is setting up his son to succeed him as prime minister, but many in Cambodia fear that Hun Manet will take office after his father is no longer in office. Courts used by Hun Sen Cambodia’s court system has long been dominated by Hun Sen loyalists, and the prime minister has repeatedly used the judicial system to target his political opponents. In one of the more prominent examples, Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who has challenged Hun Sen’s leadership in previous elections, has been barred from returning to Cambodia. The government has also targeted opposition members it accuses of supporting Sam Rainsy’s return. The Candlelight Party was formed by various opposition groups seeking to compete in Cambodia’s communal elections. Previously, the Cambodian National Rescue Party was the main opposition, but it was dissolved by Cambodia’s Supreme Court in November 2017. Dr. Meas Ny, a Cambodian social development researcher, told RFA that Hun Sen’s strategy could eventually backfire. “The ruling party should review its conduct, whether the results of such threats can gain popularity from the masses or not. Sometimes it does not mean that suppressing such threats is profitable,” Mean Ny said. “Sometimes the more frequent the threats, the greater the loss of popularity, and the concerns of the ruling party will only get worse in the future." He added that the CPP’s suppression will likely continue in the runup to the 2023 elections. Courts in Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh ruled in favor of the CPP’s defamation claim against Candlelight Party Vice President Son Chhay after he told “The Cambodia Daily” that the 2022 election was rigged. The courts ordered Son Chhay to pay damages of more than U.S.$1 million to the CPP and the National Election Commission. Son Chhay refused to pay, saying he stood by his right to make those comments. The courts then ordered the seizure of his two houses, one in Phnom Penh and another in Siem Reap. Son Chhay has since filed an appeal to Cambodia’s Supreme Court. Translated by Sok Ry Sum. Written in English by Nawar Nemeh. Edited by Malcolm Foster. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/hunsenpropertiesopposition-01092023172845.html Copyright © 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036.

Washington — Nate Thayer, the larger-than-life American freelance journalist who scored a massive scoop with his 1997 interview with Pol Pot, the genocidal leader of Cambodia's Khmer Rouge, has died at 62, his family said Wednesday. Thayer was discovered dead by his brother Rob Thayer at his Falmouth, Massachusetts home Tuesday. "He had a lot of ailments, he was seriously ill for many months," the brother told AFP. Nate Thayer spent years reporting on Cambodia politics and society, including the Khmer Rouge, the brutal communist regime that left more than one million people dead between 1975 and 1979. Beginning in 1989, he worked for The Associated Press, and then publications like the Phnom Penh Post and the Far Eastern Economic Review, building contacts in the dangerous jungle border region of Thailand and Cambodia. With his shaven head, chewing tobacco and handiness with guns, he gained a reputation as a gonzo journalist, setting out on crazy adventures, like traveling with a well-armed reporting team from Soldier of Fortune magazine into eastern Cambodia in search of a likely extinct forest ox called a kouprey. In the wild west frontier of Thailand and Cambodia, he braved firefights and was severely injured by a landmine in 1989 while riding with Cambodian guerillas. His work paid off in 1997 when he sent a cryptic message to Far Eastern Economic Review editor Nayan Chanda that he would interview "uncle," or Pol Pot, whom no journalist had met for two decades. From Thailand Thayer slipped into Pol Pot's Anlong Veng jungle redoubt, beating out a New York Times team that had arrived near the border thinking they would see the shadowy Cambodian. Days later, he broke the story in the Far Eastern Economic Review. Pol Pot, blamed for murdering over a million people, told him: "Am I a savage person? My conscience is clear." Chanda attributed his journalistic success to a distinct "doggedness." "He was very intense, very focused on the story he was working on, almost like a force of nature," Chanda said. "He actually knew quite a few of the Khmer Rouge. ... Nobody else spent as much time pursuing those guys, going to dangerous places, being with them in a firefight," he added. A year later Thayer scooped others with Pol Pot's death and an interview with the one-legged Khmer Rouge army commander and Pol Pot rival Ta Mok. But by then he was embroiled in a fight with ABC News' Nightline program over its use of his video footage and reporting on the Khmer Rouge, which Thayer said violated their agreement. Thayer rejected a prestigious Peabody Award which cited him as a correspondent for Nightline, and the two sides later settled his suit. The son of a former U.S. ambassador to Singapore, Thayer spent most of his career focused on Asia, reporting from combat situations like the Myanmar border and investigating North Korea. He also traveled to Iraq to report on the 2003 U.S. invasion. He won a number of journalism awards, including the ICIJ Award for Outstanding International Investigative Reporting, and was proud of being a freelancer, calling for more respect and better pay for reporters not employed full-time. Slowed by the long-term ailments, some dating to his injuries from the mine explosion, in the past decade Thayer reported online on right-wing extremism from Washington and Massachusetts. With his health failing, he spent his final months posting poetic odes to his "best pal," his dog Lamont. https://www.voanews.com/a/nate-thayer-journalist-who-interviewed-pol-pot-dead-at-62/6905208.html

2000 or 2020 or 2022 ?

phnom penh — Cambodian premier Hun Sen on Monday ordered the creation of conservation zones on the Mekong river to protect critically endangered dolphins, after three were killed by fishing nets and lines last month. The Irrawaddy dolphins, known for their bulging foreheads and short beaks, once swam through much of the mighty Mekong but in recent decades have been limited to a 190-km (118-mile) stretch from northeast Kratie province to the border with Laos. Their population has been in steady decline since the first census was taken in 1997, dropping from 200 that year to around 90 currently due to habitat loss and destructive fishing practices. Speaking at a ceremony in Kratie, Hun Sen ordered authorities to set up floating markers around designated protection zones, in which there will be an "absolute ban" on all fishing. "The Mekong river, which is home to near-extinct dolphins and fish species, must be well managed so that dolphins will not die from entanglement in gillnets," he said. Gillnets are nets strung across parts of the river to snare fish. "The dolphin areas must be protected completely," he said, adding that the animals' presence contributed to local tourism. Three healthy breeding-age dolphins died within a week of each other last month. The deaths alarmed conservationists, who called for both day- and night-patrols in order to protect the remaining dolphins from being killed by illegal fishing. Eleven dolphins died in 2022, bringing the total number of dead dolphins to 29 in the last three years, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). In a statement, WWF called on all relevant authorities "to enact and roll-out appropriate measures to urgently address the mortality" caused by the threats of gillnets and electro-fishing that take place in the dolphin conservation areas. Cambodia is home to the largest population of Irrawaddy dolphins, which are also found in rivers and lakes in Myanmar, Indonesia, India and Thailand. https://www.voacambodia.com/a/cambodian-leader-orders-mekong-safe-zones-to-save-rare-dolphins-/6900527.html

POIPET, Cambodia: An electrical fault caused a devastating casino fire that killed 26 people, Cambodian authorities said on Saturday (Dec 31), with many of the bodies found in stairways or trapped in rooms after rescuers failed to reach them in time. The blaze at the Grand Diamond City hotel-casino in Poipet town, near the Thai border, broke out around 11.30pm on Wednesday night (Thursday, 12.30am, Singapore time). It rampaged through the multi-storey casino-hotel complex, with dramatic images and rescuers telling of people forced to jump from ledges and windowsills to escape the flames. "The accident was caused by an electrical short circuit," said Kun Kim, deputy chairman of the National Committee for Disaster Management. He confirmed that 26 people - 17 Thais, one Malaysian, and one Nepalese among them - died in the blaze. "Some people were burnt to death, some died because of a lack of oxygen, and some were burnt and died along exit ways," he said. He said authorities took too long to put out the flames, blaming the hotel-casino's complex layout, as well as a lack of rescue equipment. Cambodian emergency teams called off their efforts on Friday evening as night fell, with Kun Kim confirming teams had searched all of the complex. read more https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/cambodia-fire-grand-diamond-city-hotel-casino-3176426

Thai authorities have repatriated 10 out of 27 of their nationals who lost their lives at the deadly Poipet fire, located near the border city of Aranyaprathet. They said that 26 out of the 27 were killed in the fire while one lost his life after being transported to Thailand. Thai authorities were also reportedly struggling to cope with the congestion at another checkpoint to keep trade between the two countries flowing. An assistant to the governor of Sa Keo province, Chanathip Lhokmanee was quoted by Thai media as saying that the 27 Thai nationals were identified to have been killed in the fire which engulfed the Grand Diamond City Hotel and Casino as of 3pm on Friday. He said that 26 of them died in Poipet and one after being transported back to Aranyaprathet. Hospitals in Aranyaprathet have treated at least 12 people with injuries including burns, broken bones and respiratory issues. Thawattachai Boonsaeng, an Aranyaprathet district official at the coordination centre set up to help Thais affected by the tragedy said 10 bodies have been transported to Aranyaprathet. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501211554/10-bodies-out-of-27-thais-killed-in-cambodian-fire-repatriated-to-thailand/

The massive blaze broke out late Wednesday night at the complex in Poipet near the Thai border. A massive fire in a Cambodia casino complex has killed at least 19 people and injured more than 30. The blaze at the Grand Diamond City Casino in Poipet, on the border with Thailand, broke out shortly before midnight on Wednesday. Reuters reported that there were around 400 staff and patrons in the building when the fire ignited. Photographs showed people shining lights from windows and clambering onto ledges to escape the flames as firefighters tried to control the blaze. Media in Thailand reported that many of the injured were Thai staffers and customers of the casino. Thai authorities said one Thai national was confirmed dead but did not disclose the name ahead of an autopsy. Thailand sent fire crews and helicopters to fight the blaze and evacuate the injured to hospitals across the border. Thailand’s Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul said Thursday that 108 people were transferred to Sa Kaeo province but only 34 were admitted to hospitals for injuries there there. “The conditions ranged from slight to severe. Mostly, they suffered burns, smoke inhalation and breathing difficulties. Some were on ventilators. Some fractured bones by jumping,” Anutin said.88 “We give treatment to all injured regardless of nationality on a humanitarian basis,” he said, adding that he had asked the regional health department to send a forensic team and autopsy equipment to identify the dead. Sek Sokhom, the director of the Information Department for the local Banteay Meanchey provincial government, confirmed to RFA that number of casualties could increase as authorities continued search operations this morning. “Until now, our search has been suspended … We had to turn off the electricity, so it was too dark to proceed,” he said. “Victims who ran to the roof of the building were rescued by helicopter, while high-rise construction cranes rescued more than 50 people,” he added. Sek Sokhom said that authorities have not yet been able to determine the exact number of victims, adding that one person died out of the 30 who were seriously injured and sent to Aranyaprathet district for treatment. “Among the dead who jumped from the towers … were many nationalities, including Khmer, Thai, Malaysian, Vietnamese and so on. We haven’t been able to identify them yet.” Firefighters extinguished the blaze at 2 p.m. on Thursday, the AP news agency reported, citing a spokesman for Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey province. Civil society officials told RFA that the deaths were due to the negligence of casino owners and relevant authorities who had skirted building codes. Poipet commune chief Vachim Nareth told RFA that the fire was caused by an explosion in the casino, and said the flames quickly spread from one building to another. "It burned fast because the developers didn’t use enough concrete. They used wood, along with steel and aluminum, so it burned very fast,” he said. Relatives of those working at the casino are also looking for answers. Heang Bunnoeun, brother-in-law of one of the victims, said that his sister worked as a janitor and had been missing since the night of the incident. "It's very sad, you can see [from the videos] on Facebook that it was extremely hot, forcing some people to jump. Five people died from jumping and many who were injured were transferred to the Aranyaprathet District Hospital. It was full,” he said, speaking of the hospital in Thailand. “But it is unclear whether my sister is in Aranyaprathet or not. She may have died.” Sum Chankea, the coordinating officer of Cambodia’s Adhoc Human Rights Defenders Association, directly blamed what he described as the negligence of local authorities and the casino’s owners for the incident. "When an emergency occurred, the power went out and not even the alarm was activated. There wasn’t even emergency equipment to help. The victims were left to crawl out on the window ledges and wave for help,” Sum Chankea told RFA. “There must be a committee formed to investigate whether the casino was up to standard and whether there was a security system in place for the staff. If you do not obey the rules, you will be held accountable before the law.” This story has been updated to raise the death toll to at least 19 from seven. Reuters, AP and AFP contributed to this report. BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated news service. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/cambodia-casino-fire-12292022020906.html Copyright © 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036.

Death toll expected to rise as footage emerges showing people huddled on ledges on the burning building in Poipet. At least 10 people have died and dozens have been injured in a fire that engulfed a casino hotel in Cambodia late on Wednesday, officials have said. Multiple videos shared online showed flames erupting from the Grand Diamond City hotel and casino in Poipet, a popular commuter town on the border with Thailand, as hundreds of rescue workers struggled to contain the blaze. Footage showed the massive complex ablaze, with some clips appearing to show people trapped inside the burning building while others jumped from windows as rescuers tried to reach them. A provisional police report seen by Agence France-Presse said “about 10 people died and 30 people injured”, adding that about 400 individuals were believed to be working at the casino. Local media reported that foreign nationals were inside the casino at the time of the fire. Nhem Phoeng, Poipet administrative chief, told the Phnom Penh Post that more than 400 people, most of them Thais, became stuck inside the casino. He said most of the deceased were Cambodian and Thai employees.

Delays in Kem Sokha’s treason trial could make it impossible for him to be ready for the 2023 election. A court in Cambodia on Thursday sentenced 36 senior officials of the banned Cambodia National Rescue Party, most of whom have already fled the country, to between five and seven years in prison. The opposition officials were convicted of supporting party Vice President Mu Sochua in her plan to return to Cambodia from the U.S. as part of what the court said was a conspiracy to overthrow the government. The CNRP had been the country’s main opposition to Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian People’s Party until late 2017. The Supreme Court dissolved the party after it made substantial gains in local communal elections. The ban paved the way for the CPP to win every seat in the country’s National Assembly in the 2018 general election and kicked off a five-year crackdown on the political opposition that saw many of those affiliated with the CNRP arrested and detained on charges like conspiracy, incitement, and treason. On Thursday, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court issued seven-year sentences to 11 CNRP officials, including President Sam Rainsy, who is currently living in self-exile in France, and Mu Sochua, who is based in the U.S. The court sentenced the 25 other officials to five years in jail. Only three of the defendants are expected to serve any time as they are the only ones currently in Cambodia. “This is not fair!” Teang Chenda, the wife of defendant Voeung Samnang, told RFA following the verdict. “There is no evidence against him, but the court is giving him five years. We cannot accept this.” Teang Chenda said that she has been facing financial difficulties since her husband's arrest and detention. Lor Chhunthy, a lawyer for the defendants, told RFA that he plans to file an appeal on their behalf. None of the party officials are guilty of any crime, Ny Sokha, director of the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association NGO, told RFA. “We can’t prosecute people because they are using freedom of expression or expressing opposition views against the government. This [kind of sentence] doesn’t suggest that the country adheres to democratic principles,” he said. Cambodian opposition activists are transported in a security vehicle near Phnom Penh Municipality Court, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022. Credit: Citizen Journalist Delay could prevent run Meanwhile, civil society officials said Thursday that they fear the court's long delay in announcing a verdict in CNRP cofounder Kem Sokha's case could prevent him from running in Cambodia’s 2023 general election. Kem Sokha, accused of treason, has been on trial for about two years. The court heard closing arguments in the case Wednesday, but will not announce its decision until March 3, leaving little time to prepare for next year’s polls. Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association spokesperson Soeung Senkaruna told RFA that he believes the delay was intentional, and said it could undermine Kem Sokha’s political rights. "If we talk about the schedule of the verdict announcement, it is only four months before the election, so it will be difficult to organize any political activities. [Kem Sokha] won’t have enough of a foundation to compete in the election or to be part of a fair competition,” he said. Kem Sokha needs at least seven months to prepare, Kang Savang of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia told RFA. "If [the verdict is announced] at the beginning of next month, he will be able to enter politics on time,” said Kang Savang. RFA was unable to reach Cambodia’s National Election Committee for comment on Kem Sokha’s case. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Eugene Whong. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/cnrp-12222022183137.html Copyright © 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036.

Prime Minister Hun Sen has arrived Monday in Brussels to co-chair the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-European Union (EU) Commemorative Summit, said officials. Among other meetings, he will also meet representatives of VINCI Airports in Paris. VINCI Airports has developed, built and operated the three principal international airports in Cambodia. Prime Minister is leading a high-level delegation including Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MFAIC), Pan Sorasak, Minister of Commerce (MoC), Hang Chuon Naron, Minister of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) and other senior government officials to attend the summit. The summit will commemorate the 45th Anniversary of ASEAN-EU Dialogue Relations with Charles Michel, President of the European Council, while the plenary session of the summit will review the existing ASEAN-EU cooperation and chart the course for the future direction of the ASEAN-EU relations, said the MFAIC release. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501201167/pm-arrives-in-brussels-to-attend-asean-eu-summit/

Civil society groups say corruption is propping up the drug trade in the country. Cambodian authorities in the resort town of Sihanoukville seized nearly 1 ton of ketamine over the weekend in the latest high-profile drug bust in this country, prompting calls from civil society groups for more transparency and stricter enforcement of measures used to target drug crimes. The Sunday afternoon raid by a joint force of gendarmes and police on a rented warehouse yielded 34 large containers of the powerful anesthetic known recreationally as “Special K,” National Authority for Combating Drugs Secretary General Meas Vyrith told RFA Khmer. The seized ketamine, which can put users into a mildly hallucinatory state, is currently being held in a secure location in Sihanoukville, he said, adding that authorities believe it had been illegally smuggled into Cambodia for sale. “Efforts are underway to locate those who are responsible for the drugs,” he said. “The criminals took advantage of a loophole when the relevant authorities took shifts in carrying out their duties and also employed different tactics to carry out their illegal activities.” The bust follows several other large seizures this year in Cambodia, which is becoming a transit and production point for illicit drugs in the region. Authorities shut down a processing site and seized 40.5 kilograms (89 pounds) of ketamine in May, and in July, they seized 1.8 tons of ketamine and nearly 300 tons of chemicals after raiding a processing site and six storage facilities. In August, authorities seized an additional 871 kilograms of ketamine throughout the country. According to the NACD, authorities in Cambodia arrested more than 30,000 suspects in 10,461 drug-related cases in 2020 and 6,308 cases in 2021. Meas Vyrith told RFA that the amount of drugs seized by authorities in Cambodia so far in 2022 had increased by more than half of the total seized in all of 2021. The latest bust also follows an announcement by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in August which said that ketamine seizures had increased sharply in Cambodia from 112.5 kilograms in 2020 to 2.8 tons in 2021 – accounting for more than 50% of all ketamine seized in Southeast Asia (5.4 tons) that year. UNODC said that the increase was associated with growing evidence of illicit manufacture of the drug in Cambodia, based on the detection of several clandestine ketamine laboratories in the country. Authorities dismantle a large-scale clandestine ketamine laboratory in Cambodia, Dec. 2021 Credit: NACD of Cambodia Call for stronger oversight Speaking to RFA on Monday, civil society groups urged the government to take stronger action against traffickers of ketamine and other illicit drugs to prevent Cambodia from becoming a haven for the drug trade in Southeast Asia. Cheap Sotheary, the coordinator for human rights group ADHOC in Sihanouk province, said that the authorities need to be more transparent and forthcoming about information related to drug seizures. She said that drug trafficking remains a problem in Cambodia due to corruption. “We are requesting that the information and photos of criminals be made public because we worry that local authorities may be complicit and allow them to get away,” she said. “We also have no information about the places where [authorities] keep the seized illicit drugs. We’re talking about hundreds of tons of these drugs. What would happen if the people who look after the confiscated drugs steal them and sell them themselves? It’s very dangerous without proper oversight.” Other groups have said that the rise of drug trafficking in Cambodia shows that criminals are not afraid to set up manufacturing operations in the country. Ketamine is widely used in human and veterinary medicine and, while the drug is not under international control, its non-medical use has been related to a number of severe adverse health effects. According to UNODC, high doses of ketamine used recreationally can cause cardiovascular and respiratory toxicity effects, as well as other adverse effects like bladder problems, anxiety, panic attacks, palpitations, tachycardia, chest pains, depression, aggravated symptoms of existing mental health issues, slurred speech and inability to speak. Translated by Sok Ry Sum. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/bust-12122022164507.html Copyright © 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036.

Three human rights organizations have filed a complaint against a Netherlands-based microfinance investor on the grounds that it violated international responsible business standards and for years ignored its own evidence of harms linked to predatory lending practices. Cambodian NGOs Licadho and Equitable Cambodia and international rights group FIAN Germany lodged a 28-page complaint to a Dutch body that oversees and promotes the OECD guidelines — which are standards for multinational businesses — accusing Oikocredit of expanding its practices within Cambodia even as it internally acknowledged the myriad abuses linked to the industry. For months, Oikocredit has also refused to meet with the groups filing the complaint, they wrote. The complaint, filed to the Dutch National Contact Point for Responsible Business Conduct, calls on the investor to provide compensation to borrowers, make public and explain details of their due diligence and monitoring of Cambodian partners such as Prasac, LOLC and Amret, and suspend investments until land titles taken as collateral are returned to their owners, among other requests. read more https://vodenglish.news/three-ngos-allege-investor-ignored-own-evidence-of-microfinance-abuse/

Washington – After Cambodian officials reportedly suspended all shipments of monkeys for experimentation, today PETA is calling for a full accounting of monkeys in every laboratory that since 2018 has received long-tailed macaques from two major U.S. primate importers—Inotiv and Worldwide Primates—because those monkeys may have been illegally trafficked. PETA is also calling on those laboratories to transfer illegally trafficked monkeys to a reputable sanctuary immediately and pay for their lifetime care. The laboratories in question are AbbVie, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Altasciences, AmplifyBio, Batelle Memorial Institute, Biomere, Bioqual, BTS Research, Charles River Laboratories, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Labcorp, Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute, MRI Global, National Institutes of Health, Northern Biomedical Research, PreLabs, Southern Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, USAMRIID, Washington University at St. Louis. Copies of the letters to those labs are available upon request. read more https://www.peta.org/media/news-releases/cambodia-suspends-monkey-exports-peta-demands-labs-reveal-source-of-monkeys/

Four young food delivery drivers were seriously injured after being shot early this morning by an unidentified gunman in central Phnom Penh. The shooting happened at 1 am on December 12, 2022 at the traffic light on Street 271 in Sangkat Tonle Bassac, Khan Chamkarmon, Phnom Penh. A witness says that he saw the 4 young delivery drivers waiting at a traffic light They became embroiled in an arguement with a man, who then pulled out a pistol and shot the four men at least 10 times – chasing some of them as they attempted to flee. The injured youths have been named as Mas Ravit, male, 20 years old, injured leg, Sin Po Kim, Male, 20 years old, injured left leg and left hip, Sroeun Sopheak, Male, 22 years old, Occupation: Carrier, injured left leg, Kheang Ly Keang, Male, 22 years old, injured elbow. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501201040/4-food-delivery-drivers-shot-in-phnom-penh-by-unknown-gunman/

A foreign national who attempted to leave Cambodia with heroin strapped to his body has been arrested. Police from the 10th Office of the Anti-Drug Department on December 6, 2022, sent a Taiwanese national to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in connection with the case of illegal drug trafficking and transportation. The suspect is YANG CHIN CHUNG, a 46-year-old Taiwanese man The man was detained by customs authorities at Phnom Penh International Airport (Passenger Exit) while trying to board a flight to Taipei (Taiwan) through the Phnom Penh International Airport, with eight packages of heroin, weighing almost 3kg, strapped to his body. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501199847/foreigner-arrested-at-phnom-penh-airport-for-smuggling-heroin/

Imagine a future Phnom Penh where active commuters are able to breeze through the riverside, where local businesses enjoy high foot traffic at all hours of the day, where the government can keep road maintenance costs low, where tourists can find new and exciting experiences, and where the city is more vibrant and sustainable. All of these things can be jump-started with one step — if we choose to eliminate all car traffic on Preah Sisowath Quay where it runs along the river from the Chaktomuk Conference Hall to the Night Market, and replace it with a pedestrian-only thoroughfare. As Phnom Penh’s first pedestrian street, “Preah Sisowath Quay: Riverside Heritage Walk” would be an ideal option due to its strategic urban geography, existing historical heritage, and already-vibrant natural surroundings. At present, Phnom Penh lacks pedestrian-only streets that can generate these benefits. For the future, Phnom Penh should offer more pedestrian-friendly environments to bring economic value, leisure opportunities and environmental benefits. The riverside is an excellent place to start. read more https://vodenglish.news/opinion-pedestrianizing-phnom-penhs-riverside-could-be-economic-masterstroke/

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court brought another incitement case against two government critics to trial on Friday, accusing them of spreading misinformation on social media and trying to incite chaos with Facebook posts criticizing Covid-19 lockdowns and Prime Minister Hun Sen. The two defendants, Meas Leakhena and Kay Sophy, were not present in the court Friday. Leakhena is already facing a separate court case related to other alleged Facebook comments about exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy. The court clerk said police had sent letters to the defendants to join the trial but had not received responses; Sophy lives in Germany and Leakhena lives in the Philippines. Without the defendants, Friday’s proceedings lasted under an hour and included judge Seng Socheat, a prosecutor and three officials from the anti-terrorism police. Chan Darith, director of an office of the anti-terrorism unit, told the court that police had monitored the defendants’ Facebook posts closely last year. read more https://vodenglish.news/more-incitement-cases-brought-against-two-government-critics/

PETALING JAYA: AirAsia Aviation Group Limited (AAAGL), the aviation arm of Capital A Bhd, has signed a joint venture (JV) agreement with Sivilai Asia to establish AirAsia Cambodia, a new low cost airline in Cambodia. In a statement, the budget carrier said the new airline would further cement AirAsia’s brand in Cambodia and Indochina, providing AirAsia with greater access to its domestic market and most importantly connecting it to the international markets across Asean, North Asia and beyond. This new airline will allow AAAGL to operate to the various existing markets where it already has presence and operations to build scale, network connectivity and further reduce the cost of operations, it said. AirAsia Cambodia aims to further stimulate the Cambodian aviation and tourism industries, launch exciting new destinations, create jobs and bring a true low cost operation to the country. Subject to obtaining the relevant regulatory approvals, the JV is expected to commence operations in late 2023. Capital A CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said the group continued to focus on Asean where it know best and its brand is the strongest. read more https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2022/12/09/airasia-launches-new-low-cost-airline-in-cambodia