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The Federation of Khmer Chinese in Cambodia on Wednesday disputed international media characterizations of the country as a haven for criminal syndicates as attention grows on human trafficking at scam compounds. The group, headed by Canadia Bank tycoon Pung Kheav Se, posted online that overseas outlets were “creating alarmist portrayals of Cambodia as a ‘crime haven’ for criminal syndicates” in their “exaggerated” reports of online fraud operations. Cambodia has been wracked by accounts of human trafficking and forced labor as foreign nationals have told of being lured to work in the country only to be trapped in scam compounds. However, the Khmer Chinese federation emphasized that such criminal activities “by no means represents Cambodia’s economy as a whole.” The group advised caution around job recruitments to Cambodia, called on the media to be objective and correct, and rejected “baseless” interpretations of fraud crimes’ significance to the country’s economy. The group’s members also include tycoon Kok An — linked to a Sihanoukville scam compound — and Land Minister Chea Sophara. [Full statement below.] Meanwhile, international reports on human trafficking have mounted over the past week. read more https://vodenglish.news/association-disputes-crime-haven-tag-as-trafficking-reports-mount/

A Phnom Penh resident describes an ominous-looking complex with no sign and high fences near her home. Cambodians are unhappy with the influx of Chinese developers to their country and resent the widespread use of mainland-style simplified Chinese on the streets of the capital Phnom Penh and elsewhere, a Hong Konger who has lived in the country for several years told RFA. "It's a pain for local people, and they don't like it," the woman, who chose to be identified under the pseudonym Ka Tung, told RFA’s Cantonese Service. "People here mostly don't like the Chinese.” "But they have no say in which nationalities come to Cambodia and they mostly care about whether or not they get any business," she said. Authorities in China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Vietnam have launched crackdowns on human traffickers and fraud gangs who lure people to Cambodia with promises of well-paid expat jobs for Chinese speakers, but then trap them in servitude and take their passports. Many victims have been rescued from Chinese-invested casinos in Sihanoukville, a key project in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s Belt and Road global infrastructur e and supply chain strategy that was intended as a classy seaside resort, but which is now being described variously as a "hell on earth," and as a "fraudster's paradise." Ka said she had only recently heard of the human traffickers operating out of Sihanoukville, but has suspected for some time that similar operations may also be happening in the capital. Ka frequently passes a gated complex a few kilometers from where she lives, which she thinks could be a Chinese-owned complex. "I'm not sure how big it is," she said. "There is barbed wire all around the perimeter, but it's not regular barbed wire. The fence is much higher, and more heavily guarded than most." "This campus has big iron gates, and you need permission to go in or out," Ka said. "We watched a while and noticed a lot of people, mostly men, arriving on tuk-tuks, or tricycles, with suitcases." RFA was unable to confirm the identity of the facility independently. An acquaintance of Ka's supplies the campus with meatballs, she said. "There is no factory sign or company name. The whole thing looks like a bird cage from the outside," she said. "The courtyard is surrounded by steel fencing, and people inside aren't allowed out." "The building is about eight or nine stories high, and people inside can get whatever they need without leaving the campus." Ka added: "Once, when we were passing, the gate was opened with cars entering and leaving, and [we could see] foreign exchange kiosks, supermarkets and eateries." "Basically, they wouldn't need to leave; everything they needed from day to day was inside," she said. "It's very common for them to call in deliveries, and they all use Alipay, WeChat Pay or Payme to make payments," she said, citing her meatball delivering friend. Alipay and WeChat Pay are ubiquitous payment methods used by mainland Chinese. Newly built buildings stand in Chinatown, Sihanoukville, Cambodia, February 27, 2020. Photo: Reuters The arrival of Chinese capital in Cambodia is directly linked to CCP leader Xi Jinping's Belt and Road infrastructure and supply chain strategy, which saw hundreds of thousands of Chinese nationals pour into Sihanoukville between 2013 and 2019. By July 2019, 90 percent of enterprises in the city were owned by Chinese nationals, with the highway connecting the resort to Phnom Penh also built with Chinese funding. Ka has been living in the country since 2017, and remembers being on planes packed with smartly dressed, big-talking Chinese people dripping with expensive jewellery flying in and out of Phnom Penh. "Sihanoukville is basically like a really huge Chinatown ... there are a lot of casinos there," she said. "There is simplified Chinese on all the shopping malls, toilets, on the signs." Despite the ill-feeling sparked by the influx of people and capital from China, Ka said Cambodians were generally very welcoming of tourists regardless of ethnicity or origin. "Why are they particularly disgusted by the Chinese? There is the language barrier, because most Chinese people don't understand Khmer," she said. "They feel they are very rude, because it's rude to speak loudly here." Nonetheless, job ads still place a premium on Chinese, offering up to U.S.$1,200 a month for Chinese-speaking workers, compared with just U.S.$400-500 for those who only speak Khmer. Ka hasn't noticed much sign that fraudulent employment ads are on the wane, however, despite the current furor over trafficked workers. She said the scandal appears to have made little impact on the locals in Phnom Penh, but Sihanoukville is regarded as quite dangerous, and not a good place to travel to alone. "I heard that there have been many shootings and cases of Chinese getting revenge on other Chinese," she said. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/hker_cambodia-08232022154325.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 argued with unnamed critics during a university graduation speech on Tuesday about the transfer of power to his son and the creation of a Vietnamese language program at the Royal University of Phnom Penh. Speaking at a graduation ceremony for students from Asia Euro University, Prime Minister Hun Sen mocked those who predicted that he would lose his grip on power. Hun Sen said he accepted that he would eventually die. But even then, power would remain with his party, he said. “I would like to clarify that it will not fall into the hands of others rather than the Cambodian People’s Party. I would like to clarify beforehand,” he said. “I already announced, prepared already. Why don’t you listen? Hun Sen said an opposition party would plunge Cambodia into war if they took over. “If the CPP does not control the power, war will erupt,” he said. Another party would confiscate wealth from the rich to hand to the poor, he added, and would also wage war with Thailand and Vietnam for territory. read more https://vodenglish.news/hun-sen-says-cpp-wont-lose-power-even-if-he-dies/

phnom penh — Cambodia on Friday said it is attempting to aid foreigners who have been victimized by human traffickers, after Taiwan said it is seeking to free more than 300 of its citizens who were lured to the Southeast Asian nation by organized crime groups. The mostly well-educated young people were promised high wages for tech jobs, but then were forced to work in call centers, scamming mainly mainland Chinese into making payments for non-existent government fees or investment opportunities. Interior Minister Sar Kheng said his ministry is launching a nationwide check of all foreigners living in Cambodia, aside from embassy personnel. He said it will search especially for foreigners who have been victimized by human traffickers. He said police in two provinces, Kandal and Preah Sihanoukville, on Thursday checked the status of foreigners residing or working at hotels, rented properties and casinos. Sar Kheng said several people were arrested on suspicion of organizing human trafficking and some apparent victims were taken into protection. Police were still trying to determine whether those who said they were victims were telling the truth, he said. Sar Kheng did not specify how many people were rounded up or what their nationalities were, but confirmed that some foreigners told police that they had been attracted by what was portrayed as lawful jobs offering high salaries. Upon arriving in Cambodia, however, they were forced to work illegally in jobs that were “not what they had agreed to," Sar Kheng said. Separately, Deputy National Police chief Gen. Chhay Sinarith said in recent years Cambodian authorities have uncovered numerous illegal online schemes that lured illegal workers, and have arrested hundreds of people from China and Taiwan for involvement. Scammers, mainly from China, have used Cambodia as a base for extorting money, Chhay Sinarith said. Taiwan’s government on Friday said 333 of its citizens were stuck in Cambodia after being lured by crime groups promising high wages for tech jobs, based on reports from families asking for help. The situation is complicated further because Cambodia is a close ally of China and refuses to recognize Taiwan or have any official contacts with the government in Taipei. Taiwanese media have been reporting extensively on the plight of those trapped by the networks. Police at Taiwan's main Taoyuan International Airport have been patrolling with signs warning of the dangers of bogus offers of high salaries in Southeast Asia. Taiwanese authorities have also been reaching out to travel agencies to uncover the scams, and more than a dozen people have been arrested over recruitment schemes that aimed to dupe young people into jobs advertised as high-paying positions in computer engineering and similar fields. It has also become a political issue, with the minority Nationalist Party accusing the governing Democratic Progressive Party of inaction on the matter. Premier Su Tseng-chang has called for diplomatic outreach and a crackdown on local criminal groups organizing the scams. Nationalist Deputy Secretary General Lee Yen-hsiu said more public outreach is necessary to deal with the phony job offers. read more https://www.voacambodia.com/a/cambodia-says-it-s-helping-foreigners-scammed-by-traffickers/6711458.html

A Chinese manager of a casino was detained for investigation and two Vietnamese were arrested by the An Giang Provincial Police in connection with the case of 40 Vietnamese fleeing forced labour in Golden Phoenix Entertainment Casino in Chrey Thom commune, Koh Thom district, Kandal province. General Keo Vannthan, Immigration Department spokesman, said yesterday that a Chinese manager of a casino was detained and investigation is progressing. For the 11 Vietnamese nationals, the specialised police are preparing a request to the Ministry of Interior to deport them from Cambodia. “We have completed the interrogation of the 11 Vietnamese nationals and are preparing a request to the Ministry of Interior to expel them from Cambodia soon. For the Chinese manager of a casino, who is in custody, further investigation is needed,” he said. An Giang Provincial Police Investigation Security Agency arrested two Vietnamese suspects in connection with “organising illegal exits”. Colonel Đinh Van Noi, Director of the provincial police was quoted by VNA News, said the Vietnamese suspects were Nguyen Thị Le (born in 1980), and Le Van Danh (born in 1988), both living Long Bình Township, An Phu district of the Mekong Delta border province. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501137432/chinese-manager-of-kandal-casino-under-arrest/

Xinhua – Cambodia received over 740,000 international visitors in the first seven months of this year, a 560 percent growth compared with 2021. The country aims to attract at least 1 million international tourists in the whole year, driven by the resumption of socioeconomic activities at major tourist resorts Cambodia has attracted more than 740,000 international visitors in the first seven months of 2022, an increase of 560 percent compared to the same period last year, the Ministry of Tourism said in a news release on Saturday. Tourism Minister Thong Khon said the re-opening of all socioeconomic activities has boosted growth at some major tourist destinations in capital city Phnom Penh, the cultural province of Siem Reap and the coastal province of Preah Sihanouk. “In the first seven months of 2022, we have received more than 740,000 international tourists, up 560 percent compared to the same period in 2021 during the COVID-19 crisis,” he said. During the January-July period this year, neighboring Vietnam topped the chart of international tourist arrivals to the kingdom, followed by Thailand and China. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501136637/cambodia-attracts-over-740000-international-tourists-in-first-7-months/

Cambodia’s Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) says it has renewed 47 casino licenses and another seven games of chance licenses as it looks to help the gaming sector rebuild from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The update, provided by the Ministry’s General Secretariat of Commercial Gambling Management Commission of Cambodia (CGMC) on Friday, brings the total number of casino licenses renewed this year to 63 with 16 licenses having previously been renewed in early June. According to a report by The Khmer Times, the licenses are primarily for casinos located in Sihanoukville and in border towns such as Poipet and Bavet. Many had been required to undertake renovation work on their properties to bring them up to standard due to a lack of basic maintenance work in recent years. MEF Secretary of State Mey Vann said the opening of more casinos was important for Cambodia’s tourism recovery. read more https://www.asgam.com/index.php/2022/08/23/cambodia-renews-47-casino-licenses-in-bid-to-boost-sector/

The workers are seen running out of a building and into a nearby river, pursued by men swinging batons. A video reportedly showing dozens of Vietnamese workers making a dramatic escape from a Chinese-managed casino in Cambodia has prompted new questions about worker abuse as a U.N. human rights official tours the country. More than 42 Vietnamese workers escaped from the Koh Thom casino complex in Kandal province in Cambodia as seen in the video posted by media outlet VnExpress on Aug. 18. The video shows the workers jumping into a river, chased by guards swinging metal rods. Cambodian authorities have detained the Chinese manager as it investigates allegations of forced labor and worker abuse. One person had been recaptured and another was missing in the river, VOD reported on Monday. A 16-year-old worker from Vietnam’s Gia Lai province was found dead in the Binh Di River, which the workers had jumped into as they fled the casino, the Vietnamese news outlet VnExpress reported on Aug. 20. Authorities also have arrested two Vietnamese in neighboring An Giang province, across the border from Kandal, for their alleged role in helping Vietnamese illegally enter Cambodia to work. Kandal provincial prosecutor Ek Sun Reaksmey told VOD that authorities were preparing to send back to Vietnam the one person who was recaptured by the Pacific Real Estate Company, registered under the name Tai Ping Yang Fang Di Chan Wu Ye Guan Li. The workers ran from the company's building. The incident comes as more attention is focused on Chinese-run casinos in Southeast Asia and allegations of business scams, prostitution and worker abuse, including holding employees against their will. Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng ordered immigration officials and police officers to develop a plan to fight human trafficking, which plagues the region. Sar Kheng addressed the casino workers escape with the press on Aug. 18 after an inter-ministerial agency meeting at the Interior Ministry on fighting human trafficking. “We went down there to see the situation. It was not entirely true, but partly true,” he said. “Our mission is to rescue the victims and bring the ringleader to justice.” Sar Kheng said that authorities had arrested a “ringleader or manager” and have some of the workers involved in a case in Kandal’s Chrey Thom village. “Preliminary information regarding the swimmers to Vietnam [is that] they may have come to work illegally,” he said “When it came to arguing over salary or other issue, they ran away and swam across the canal to Vietnam.” Kandal Gov. Kong Sophoan wrote on Facebook that he led a delegation to review the dispute between the foreign workers and the company at the Pacific Real Estate Company in Chry Thom village in Koh Thom district. “I had a meeting with the company and encouraged them to abide by Cambodian laws and the Constitution, respect their business licenses, and absolutely not engage in human and drug trafficking,” he wrote. “Regarding the Vietnamese people who escaped the workplace and swam to Vietnam, the authorities must continue to investigate according to the law,” he wrote. Tricked into working there Two workers told VnExpress that they were tricked into working at the casino and then exploited. One woman said employees had to create fake social media profiles and find people to buy into a phony dating platform or risk beatings. Kouch Chamroeun, governor of Preah Sihanouk province also known for its Chinese-run casinos and related crime, told Vitit Muntarbhorn, the U.N. special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, on Aug. 19 that there is no human trafficking in Sihanoukville, a popular coastal destination for tourists. Muntarbhorn, who was appointed to his position in March 2021, is touring the country from Aug. 15 to Aug. 26, his first official visit. The U.N. envoy is meeting with government representatives, human rights defenders and other stakeholders to assess Phnom Penh's efforts to safeguard human rights. During the meeting, Kouch Chamroeun claimed that authorities have investigated allegations workers were being illegally detained by businesses in Sihanoukville but found instead employees working normally, with some relaxing and playing on their cell phones, according to a Facebook post by the Preah Sihanouk provincial administration. The workers said the workers who had complained to the authorities that they were being detained against their will really just wanted to change workplaces, the governor added. Chhay Kim Khoeun, spokesman for Cambodia’s General Commissariat of National Police, did not respond to a request via the Telegram instant messaging service for an update on the investigation into the case. Chum Sounry, Cambodia’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, could not be reached for comment regarding a request by Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Phnom Penh's help in investigation into the case. On Monday, two people in An Giang province were arrested for their roles in the incident and charged with making arrangements for others to leave Vietnam illegally, according to state media. Nguyen Thi Le, 42, and Le Van Danh, 34, who both live in Long Binh town organized for six of the workers to be employed in the casino with “light workloads and high wages.” Le told authorities that in May an unidentified person in Cambodia had asked her to join him in bringing Vietnamese workers to Cambodia. She contacted Danh to help by picking up the workers and taking them to the riverbank where she would accompany them to Cambodia. Le said she received payment of 300,000 dong (U.S. $13) from the Cambodian man, of which she paid Danh 100,000 dong (U.S. $4.30). Translated by Sok Ry Sum for RFA Khmer and Anna Vu for RFA Vietnamese. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/casino-workers-08222022191219.html Copyright © 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036.

Two new flyovers will be unveiled in Phnom Penh on August 31, 2022 According to the Phnom Penh Capital Administration, on the afternoon of August 30, 2022, HE Khuong Sreng, Governor of the Board of Governors of Phnom Penh will attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the two flyovers. On the morning of August 31, Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, will preside over the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the two new flyovers. The two new flyovers are located firstly at the intersection of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen Blvd., Monivong Blvd. and Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Blvd (Street 271). The 2nd flyover is at the Sanctuary Plaza traffic light at the intersection of Russian Federation Blvd. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501137223/2-new-phnom-penh-flyovers-will-ease-traffic-congestion-in-the-capital/

Pupils who use smart phones to watch porn and play TikTok during school hours will be expelled from school, a top official at Ministry of Education said yesterday. The Ministry has also instructed all the public schools to restrict the usage of smart devices inside the campus. Ros Soveacha, spokesman of the Ministry of Education, said yesterday, “Students misuse of smartphones must be monitored and restricted by disciplinary council officials at each school.” “The Ministry does not approve students using their phones to watch porn at the school compounds, or playing TikTok and games in their classrooms,” he added. Soveacha said that such inappropriate behaviours will incur punishments based on nature of the offence. “The officials will also determine how to penalise them, including whether to record their offences in the school records, issue warnings, temporarily suspend their studies, or expel them from the school,” he added. He noted that smartphones kept classes running smoothly during the Covid-19 school closure, and it is a great tool in the education sector. However, some pupils are misusing them. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501136635/ban-on-students-watching-porn-playing-tiktok-in-schools/

More than 30 former CNRP leaders and activists face another trial for plotting charges related to the failed return attempt of party vice president Mu Sochua in 2020. According to summonses dated August 19, a total of 34 people were summoned to trial for plotting on September 15 at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court. The list of names include eight overseas CNRP leaders Sam Rainsy, Ho Vann, Mu Sochua, Eng Chhai Eang, Ou Chanrith, Long Ry, Men Sothavarin and Nuth Romduol. Defense lawyer Sam Sokong said the summonses related to Sochua’s attempt to return to the country in 2020. Sochua wanted to return to the country to face trial on a number of previous charges, but the government did not issue her a visa. The government has canceled her and other senior opposition leaders’ Cambodian passports. Sokong said the 34 former CNRP leaders and activists were due to be tried on September 15. The lawyer said already-jailed opposition members, such as Kong Mas and Khan Bunpheng, were linked to this trial, whereas other former CNRP officials like Ir Chana, Voeun Veasna and Voeung Samnang were involved but would be tried separately. read more https://vodenglish.news/another-mass-trial-34-cnrp-activists-summoned-for-plotting/

Three foreigners, who were reportedly detained to work in a Chinese company in Sihanoukville, have been taken into custody by authorities. The news was confirmed on Saturday by General Khieu Sopheak, Secretary of State and spokesman for the Ministry of Interior. The three foreigners had contacted the hotline of Minister Sar Kheng’s team to seek assistance from authorities, reporting that they were being detained by a computer company in Sihanoukville. The 3 have been named as: Sath Chap, Male, 35 years old, Cambodian-American (over 2 year overstay on visa), Daniel Wayne Scott , 43-year-old male, American (lost passport for 2 years) Plasidia Retta Riama, female, 31 years old, Indonesian (lost passport for 2 years). According to General Khieu Sopheak, after searching, the three people were found on on August 18, 2022, staying in their room in Sihanoukville with no outside locks or guards in front of the room. However, the three of them asked for mediation to return to Phnom Penh. According to the testimony of Sath Chap to the authorities, he said that during August 2021, he entered Cambodia through the Phnom Penh International Airport to visit for tourism. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501135622/3-foreigners-including-2-us-citizens-reportedly-detained-at-company-in-sihanoukville/

A sub-decree on the calendar of public holidays for 2023 has been issued 21 days of Public Holidays in the work calendar of civil servants and workers for 2023 have been announced: 01 January: International New Year Day – One day 07 January: Victory Day over Genocide – One day 08 March: International Women’s Day – One day 14, 15, 16 April: Khmer New Year Days – Three days 01 May: International Labor Day – One day 04 May: Visak Bochea Day – One day 08 May: Royal Plowing Ceremony – One day 14 May: King Norodom Sihamoni’s Birthday – One day 18 June: Queen Monineath’s Birthday – One day 24 September: Constitutional Day – One day 13, 14, 15 October: Pchum Ben Festival – Three days 15 October: Respect the spirit of the late King Father – One day 29 October: Coronation Day of King Sihamoni 09 November: National Independence Day – One day 26, 27, 28 November: Water Festival – Three days

The body of a 16-year-old boy, part of a group of 42 people escaping from a Cambodian casino Thursday, was found in a river section of An Giang's An Phu District. Dinh Van Noi, director of the police department of southern Vietnam's An Giang Province, said on Saturday authorities were performing an autopsy and would hand over the body to the victim's family in Gia Lai Province in the Central Highlands for funeral purposes. Police said an investigation was ongoing to bust potential human trafficking rings involved in the case. Escapees from the casino said there were over 2,000 Vietnamese brought to Cambodia as illegal workers in several casinos. An Giang police cooperated with counterparts of Cambodia's Kandal Province on Friday to search for all illegal workers being held at local casinos so they could return to Vietnam. Cambodian police said they found 11 people being held at casinos in Chrey Thum Commune. Nguyen Thanh Binh, chairman of An Giang People's Committee, said authorities have tested the escapees for Covid-19 and narcotics, and all tests returned negative. Once the investigation is complete, the escapees would return to their families, he added. On Thursday, 42 Vietnamese working in a casino in Cambodia's Kandal Province escaped and swam across a river to return to Vietnam due to their imprisonment and torture. read more https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/16-year-old-escapee-from-cambodian-casino-found-dead-4501908.html

We all enjoy loading our plates at the restaurant buffet – but a Phnom Penh woman took the idea to a new level after staff discovered she had loaded 10kg of food into her bag. The incident took place – and was caught on video – at Zon Buffet BBQ & Soup in Sangkat Boeung Salang, Khan Toul Kork, Phnom Penh. Restaurant staff caught Um Srey red-handed after she abused buffet privileges by loading over 10kg of food into a bag And apparently this is a habit for the gastronomic thief, with the restaurant owner saying: “This is not the first time that Um Srey has done this. And ran away without paying me anymore, my staff ran after her and caught her’ read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501135603/extra-helping-woman-caught-stealing-10kg-of-food-from-phnom-penh-buffet/

Dozens of Cambodian women and girls are taken to China each year, where they are forced to marry local men. Only the lucky ones manage to escape As the January sun sets over verdant rice fields somewhere in Cambodia’s western Pursat province, Kunthea’s two-year-old clamours onto her lap. Sitting on a daybed, clad in a black and orange tie-dye T-shirt, she is quietly savouring a moment with one of her two children. They are the reasons, after divorcing her first husband in 2020, she picked up a job at a toy factory in central Cambodia, even though that meant leaving her children in her cousin’s care halfway across the country. But as the economic slowdown spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Kunthea’s already meagre salary was slashed in half. This left the single mother was earning just US$120 per month working 12-hour shifts daily, barely enough to sustain her family. So when in October 2020 a fellow factory worker told her she could be making US$1,100 a month doing similar work in China, Kunthea didn’t hesitate. “I have two children to raise so it’s very hard for me,” she says. “When I heard that I would earn a high salary I just wanted to go without thinking.” read more https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3189508/i-was-screaming-help-sold-brides-china-few

About 40 staff at the Golden Phoenix Entertainment Casino in Kandal province fought off security guards to escape – one was swept away by the current According to state media, about 250 other Vietnamese workers were rescued from unscrupulous employers in Cambodia in the first half of this year Dozens of Vietnamese casino workers allegedly forced to toil without pay in Cambodia have fled back to their homeland by swimming across a river, authorities in Phnom Penh said Friday. About 40 staff with the Golden Phoenix Entertainment Casino in Kandal province – which neighbours Vietnam – fought off security guards to escape, leaving one missing after being swept away by the current, Vietnamese state media reported. “These people might have been here working illegally,” Cambodian Interior Minister Sar Kheng told reporters. “They were promised salaries, but they did not get what they were promised … They crossed back to Vietnam because they could not reach a deal. They fled the place.” He said Cambodian police had detained a casino manager and were investigating the incident. One 20-year-old victim said casino security guards attacked the group with batons and iron sticks as they tried to flee. “Our four months being cheated while working at a casino in Cambodia were like hell,” she told the VnExpress news site, adding that she was forced to work 14-hour days. read more https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3189571/dozens-casino-workers-flee-cambodia-swimming-vietnam

An activist says the son has ties to the company behind the planned development of a treasured forest. The eldest son of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has denied involvement in a plan to develop a forest near Phnom Tamao Zoo, after an environmentalist accused him of being associated with the real estate company behind the project. The development is not going forward in the wake of a rare order from Hun Sen earlier this month Hun Sen ending the clearance of the forest adjacent to the country’s largest zoo, following multiple appeals by environmental groups and members of the public. But questions about Hun Manet’s involvement remain after Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson, an outspoken environmental activist and founder of Mother Nature Cambodia, told RFA on Tuesday that Leng Navatra, a real estate company named after its founder, had acted on Hun Manet’s behalf. Hun Manet, commander of the Royal Cambodia Army who has been tapped to be Hun Sen’s political successor, called the accusation that he was involved with the real estate developer a “fabricated allegation to gain political benefits.” Phnom Tamao Forest, located roughly 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of Phnom Penh, is home to many rare and endangered species, and is the only forested eco-destination anywhere near the capital. The forest encompasses an area of more than 6,000 acres (2,450 hectares) and is home to the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center, established in 1995. In April, media reported that the government had agreed to sell more than 1,200 acres (500 hectares) of the protected forest to Leng Navatra and two other companies said to be close to Hun Sen’s family. Later reports suggested the entire area had been earmarked by the government for development, excluding the 1,000 acres (400 hectares) that contain the wildlife center. Despite widespread protests by environmental groups and members of the indigenous communities that rely on Phnom Tamao Forest products, Leng Navatra on Aug. 1 began clearing the land and, within a week, had torn up nearly 400 hectares of trees. Hun Manet responded to the accusation that he was involved with the project during a speech at a military event that he later posted on his Facebook page on Friday. He said that Leng Navatra was a Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) youth network teammate but that he does not have business dealings with him. “Constructive criticism must be based on evidence for improvement, but fabricating an allegation to attack without any evidence is to gain political benefits,” Hun Manet said. “Please stop the allegation against me with Leng Navatra who is my [CPP] youth teammate.” Deforestation is a huge environmental problem in Cambodia, driven by economic land concessions granted by the government to agro-industrial groups in the Southeast Asian nation and abroad and rampant illegal logging of wood for export. 'His father's footsteps' Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson was deported by Cambodian authorities in 2015 for his environmental activism. The government has denied him reentry and put him on trial in absentia, handing down a 20-month prison sentence in may 2021 for the charge of “conspiracy to incitement.” On Friday, Gonzalez-Davidson said he stood by his previous comments, saying the information came from government sources. “I received reliable information, but I can’t name the source. It would endanger them,” he said. “But after reactions from Hun Manet and Leng Navatra, it is now 150% true,” he said, adding that Hun Manet was angry and had threatened him. “I don’t regard Hun Manet as my enemy,” Gonzalez-Davidson said. “Maybe he can protect the forest, but in the past few years he has followed in his father’s footsteps.” Analyst Kim Sok said that Hun Manet should call for an investigation into the matter. “To clear up his name, he must undergo an investigation, and he can’t blame people who expressed concern over forest destruction,” he said. “It would not be difficult to conduct the investigation.” On Thursday, Leng Navatra posted a video message on Facebook, denying that his company had anything to do with the government or with Hun Manet. Leng Navatra said his original plan was to build affordable homes for poor people, and buyers would pay an installment of U.S. $30-60 a month with 61% percent discount. He also said he would build tourist attractions and infrastructure. “[T]he government and relevant institutions allowed the development based on national interest,” he said. “They accused me of illegal logging. If I had done that, I would walk into jail myself. Accusations that I laundered money are criminal accusations.” Leng Navatra then threatened to sue anyone who accused him of the crimes. The same day, Hun Sen told a public gathering that anyone who wants to file lawsuits over the Phnom Tamao Zoo should sue him instead. “[People] want to prosecute those who destroy Phnom Tamao and those who signed for the deal, please do so, please prosecute me,” Hun Sen said. On Sunday, Hun Sen posted a message to Facebook announcing that he had decided to end destruction of the forest in response to the “many requests to the government.” “As I am the highest responsible person of the Royal Government, I ordered the forest to be preserved near Phnom Tamao Zoo, an end to the clearing of forest land, and for the forest to be replanted where it was cleared,” he wrote. Translated by Samean Yun for RFA Khmer. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/phnom-tamao-forest-08192022174023.html Copyright © 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036.

Police have arrested five Chinese nationals in Preah Sihanouk province with nearly one ton of drugs in a raid that took place at three locations. Preah Sihanouk police chief Chhuon Narin said on Thursday that five individuals were arrested the night of August 16 with more than 900 kilograms of drugs. He said police had confiscated 44 bags of white powder totaling around 924 kilograms, but did not mention what kind of substances were seized. Narin added that police were questioning the five individuals and would face legal action. “We are making the paperwork to send them … to a legal establishment and the prosecutor,” he said, referring to the provincial court. A National Police report on the arrests said the substance was found to be ketamine. It also revealed that the raid occurred at three different locations: two in Sihanoukville Muoy and Bei communes and one in Prey Nob district’s Bit Traing commune. Apart from the drugs, police also confiscated two boats, two motorcycles and one car. Police have seized large hauls of drugs and precursors this year, following 4.7 tons of drugs and 84 tons of precursors seized in all of last year. Police in March announced the seizure of some 700 kg of ketamine and other drugs, as an anti-drug official said most recent hauls were believed to be headed abroad to Australia, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, New Zealand and other countries. read more https://vodenglish.news/police-seize-900-kilos-of-drugs-in-preah-sihanouk-raids/

“Among the dead, 759, or 80.5 per cent, were motorcyclists, and 558 of them were unhelmeted,’’ she said during the biannual meeting of the National Road Safety Committee. The number of road fatalities in Cambodia declined to 942 people in the first half of 2022, a nine per cent decrease from 1,033 over the same period last year. The Ministry of Public Works and Transport secretary of state Min Manavy said on Thursday. “Among the dead, 759, or 80.5 per cent, were motorcyclists, and 558 of them were unhelmeted,’’ she said during the biannual meeting of the National Road Safety Committee. Besides the death toll, the crashes injured 2,235 others during the January-June period this year, down 31 per cent from 3,227 over the same period last year, she added. read more https://gazettengr.com/cambodia-942-people-killed-in-road-crashes-in-six-months/

Cambodia’s urban population will rise to 7.92 million by 2030, accounting for 44 percent of the total population from 6.13 million or 39.5 percent in 2019, said Pen Sophal, secretary of state at the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning, and Construction, recently. Participating in the inauguration ceremony of the Department of Sustainable Urban Planning and Development at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, established by its Faculty of Development Studies with the support of Seoul National University, Pen Sophal, said that Cambodia is being rapidly urbanized and this has resulted in increasing pressure on the infrastructure. The number of people living in the cities and towns in 2014 was 4.5 million or 27.1 percent of the total population, he pointed out, adding that the average annual demand for housing in Cambodia is estimated to be 50,000 units for 15 years (2015-2030). Sophal hoped the new department at the university will contribute to the development of human capital having the capacity for advanced urban planning, sustainable development and the creation of smart cities. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501133955/cambodias-urban-population-to-reach-7-92m-by-2030/

SIEM REAP, Cambodia — The melodic songs from families of endangered monkeys ring out over the jungle near Cambodia’s Angkor Wat temple complex — a sign of ecological rejuvenation decades after hunting decimated wildlife at the site. The first pair of rare pileated gibbons were released in 2013 as part of a joint programme between conservation group Wildlife Alliance, the forestry administration and the Apsara Authority — a government agency that manages the 12th-century ruins. The gibbon duo, named Baray and Saranick, were born from parents rescued from the wildlife trade and produced offspring a year later. “We have now released four different pairs of gibbons within the Angkor forest and they have gone on to breed and now seven babies have been born,” Wildlife Alliance Rescue and Care Programme Director Nick Marx told AFP. “We are restoring Cambodia’s natural heritage back into their most beautiful cultural heritage.” Globally, gibbons are one of the most threatened families of primates, while the pileated gibbon is listed as endangered. Marx says his team rescues some 2,000 animals a year and many more will soon call the Angkor jungle home. There are hopes that once the baby gibbons reach sexual maturity in about five to eight years, they will also pair up and mate. read more http://jordantimes.com/news/features/baby-boom-endangered-wildlife-revival-cambodias-angkor-wat

Activists said a crackdown on former NagaWorld Casino workers was paused to try to show support for labor rights. Cambodian labor activists said a visiting United Nations human rights official was given the false impression that the country supports worker rights by authorities who paused a violent crackdown on a months-long protest by a group of former casino employees while the official toured the site. Vitit Muntarbhorn, the U.N. special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Cambodia, is on an 11-day official visit to the country, his first since assuming office in March 2021. His tour included a meeting with the group of former NagaWorld Casino workers who have been protesting since they were among 1,300 laid off by the casino in December 2021. The workers say they were unfairly fired and offered inadequate compensation. “I was pleased to be able to visit striking workers and see them exercise their freedom of expression and right to peaceful assembly today,” Vitit Muntarbhorn wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday. During the visit, the former workers were uncharacteristically allowed to protest directly in front of the casino on Wednesday and Thursday. United Nations Human Rights in Cambodia also monitored the protest on Wednesday, releasing video footage on Facebook with a statement acknowledging that the protest was peaceful. “The UN Human Rights Cambodia office welcomes today's developments and looks forward to authorities continuing to protect strikers’ rights, including the right to #peaceful #assembly and #FreedomofExpression,” the statement said. But the scene has not alway been so peaceful. The striking workers have more typically been met by police officers, who often used violence to force the protestors onto buses, which would then shuttle them to quarantine centers on the outskirts of town on the premise that their protests violated COVID-19 prevention measures. Some strikers have been injured in the crackdown, now in its ninth month. One woman said she suffered a miscarriage as a result of her injuries inflicted by police. Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodian Confederation of Unions, told RFA’s Khmer Service that the new hands-off approach to the worker over the past few days is a ruse intended to convince Vitit Muntarbhorn and the U.N. that Cambodia respects human rights, but things will return to normal once he leaves. “The government wants to save face and trick the rapporteur,” Rong Chhun said. “Please, Mr. Rapporteur, don’t believe this trick. … [Later] there will be more freedom restrictions.” The rapporteur’s presence alone was enough to get authorities to ease restrictions, Chhim Sithar, leader of the NagaWorld union that represents the strikers, told RFA. “Before the arrival of the rapporteur, there were serious violent attacks [on the strikers] which injured at least two women recently. It is completely different now,” she said. “We have observed that [Prime Minister] Hun Sen requested that [the rapporteur] report positive things about Cambodia, so violence has been reduced. This is just a show to make sure that the rapporteur can’t see factual events,” she said. Government supporters say that the special rapporteur is being shown the true Cambodia. “Those who accuse the government of faking respect for human rights are trying to create a toxic environment to destroy the government’s reputation,” Kata Orn, spokesman for the government-backed Cambodian Human Rights Committee, told RFA. He said that there is an understanding between the workers and the authorities that allows the workers to strike without any crackdown. Political analyst Kem Sok told RFA that the rapporteur should gather information from all the stakeholders before making any statement. “Hun Sen has no desire to respect human rights and democracy otherwise it is a threat to his power,” he said. U.S. delegation A group of U.S. lawmakers led by Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) also visited Cambodia this week as part of their tour of Asia. During a meeting with more than a dozen government officials, Markey urged Cambodia to protect human rights, political freedoms and free speech. “Cambodians overcame decades of war and chaos that cost the country millions of lives, and deserve to enjoy the democratic freedoms they were promised. The government must release political prisoners, end the crackdown against opposition parties, and allow for freedom of expression and a free press,” Markey said in a statement. Markey also called for the release of Cambodian American activist Theary Seng, who is serving a six-year prison sentence for her outspoken opposition to Hun Sen. The delegation also met with opposition leader Kem Sohka, who is on trial for what critics say are politically motivated charges of treason. “I thank Mr. Kem Sokha for his bravery and willingness to continue to stand up for the rights of all Cambodians despite ongoing harassment by the government,” said Markey. “All charges against him should be dropped immediately, and he and the Cambodia National Rescue Party should be free to participate in elections.” Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Eugene Whong. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/protests_allowed-08182022173354.html Copyright © 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036.

Taipei, Aug. 18 (CNA) At least 373 Taiwanese have recently been duped into working for Cambodia-based fraud rings through fake job advertisements, with 333 of them trapped in human trafficking criminal operations in the Southeast Asian country, Cabinet Spokesperson Lo Ping-cheng (羅秉成) said Thursday. Amid a surge in online fraudsters luring young adults to Cambodia through false job promises, police and officials recently visited 4,679 households in Taiwan with members aged 20-45 who recently traveled to the country and have not yet returned, to determine who might have fallen for the job scams, Lo said. The check concluded that 144 people could be held against their will in Cambodia, Lo said, adding that over 200 people reported that their family members or friends had been recruited for such scams from March to July. The total number of Taiwanese lured to Cambodia by job scams added up to 373, of which 40 have returned home, according to Lo. read more https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202208180019

Phnom Penh Municipal Court has sentenced a young man to 10 months in prison in connection with an attempt to steal a villager’s dog to sell for dog meat. The man has been named as Rin Dina, an 18-year-old male construction worker living in Boeung Salang village, Russey Keo commune, Russey Keo district. The accused was charged with theft (stealing a dog) under Article 356 of the Penal Code. The accused was arrested on August 12, 2022 in front of Ekareach Hospital, Veng Sreng Street, Trapeang Thleung 1 Village, Sangkat Choam Chao 1, Khan Por Senchey, Phnom Penh. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501134550/dog-meat-thief-sentenced/