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The Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction has announced that it will take strict action against illegal constructions in the protected area of Angkor. This announcement was made during the opening ceremony of a large-scale campaign to determine the identities of land occupants and illegal constructions in the Angkor resort area and other areas under the control of APSARA Authority, held yesterday afternoon. The ceremony was presided over by Deputy Prime Minister Chea Sophara, Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction. A press release from the Ministry of Land Management was issued after the opening ceremony of the campaign, highlighting the launch of the campaign and the drastic action to liberate land in the protected areas of Angkor and other areas under the management of Apsara Authority. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501134559/ministry-of-land-management-orders-demolition-of-illegal-constructions-in-angkor-area/

At least 2.27 million tourists are expected to visit the Siem Reap province, home to the famous UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park, by the end of this year, said Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism. A total of 534,005 people visited the province in 2021. The tourism sector is expected to benefit from the country’s decision to allow vaccinated visitors in the country. Besides the government has effectively controlled the Covid-19 pandemic, boosting the confidence of overseas tourists. The Ministry of Tourism has been working with government departments and the private sector for launching special tour packages to attract tourists to the province. According to official figures, 548 of the total 1,187 tourism-related businesses and services have resumed their operations in Siem Reap province. The minister said the province attracted a total of 1,242,854 visitors in the first seven months of this year. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501134104/over-2-million-tourists-likely-to-visit-siem-reap-this-year/

Construction in the city of Sihanoukville had been big business but many Chinese investors fled after the pandemic. A mass departure of Chinese investors from Cambodia’s Sihanoukville during the coronavirus pandemic left behind more than 1,000 unfinished buildings and an economic headache for the once booming coastal city. Sihanoukville was a popular international and domestic tourist destination in the midst of a building boom as investors in new casinos hoped to cash in on the gambling industry. But once it became clear that tourism was going to be crippled by pandemic restrictions, many investors decided to cut their losses, and the so-called “ghost buildings” remain unfinished, diminishing the beauty of the seaside resort town. Authorities say the problem could lead to more economic decline and even fewer tourists. Mean Samnang, who keeps a shop near one of the city’s Chinese-owned casinos, told RFA’s Khmer Service that the ghost buildings are driving tourists away. “If the authorities would have taken measures to finish up those large-scale construction projects sooner, it would have been better for the people who have to make money for a living,” he said. He said that two years ago business in the shop was much better, and many of his customers were Cambodians who were employed by the casino. Mean Samnang said that he hopes authorities will start restoration on the buildings by opening up a flow of foreign investment, as had been the case in 2019. In the meantime the ghost buildings have been used as hideouts by criminals and gangsters, he said. Long Dimanche, the deputy governor of Sihanoukville province, predicted that Chinese investors may return soon, but he did not deny that the empty buildings could negatively affect the city’s economy long term. "We have not discussed everything yet,” Long Dimanche said. “The other day, we encouraged the Provincial Chamber of Commerce to organize a forum for consultation over the private sector to discuss the issue between landowners as well as foreign investors, who came to invest in construction. In the discussion, there was participation of experts who specialize in solving the stalemate in the real estate sector.” Long Dimanche added that there were more than 1,600 construction projects with an investment of more than U.S. $ 8.4 billion in Sihanoukville between 2017 and November 2021. Of these, there are more than 600 high-rise construction projects, defined as buildings between five and 53 floors, most of which are Chinese invested. One of the many unfinished buildings in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. Credit: RFA The construction slowdown is a direct result of the Cambodian government’s efforts to ban illegal online gambling, as well as the pandemic, Sreng Vanly, the Sihanoukville coordinator for the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights, told RFA. The two events forced Chinese investors to return to China, abandoning their buildings and hurting the economy and livelihoods of local residents, especially the owners of the land underneath the buildings. Many of the owners borrowed money from the bank to buy the land, thinking that the rent revenue from Chinese builders was a safe bet. But now they aren’t collecting anything. Only a few small buildings have resumed construction, Cheap Sotheary of the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association, told RFA. "Right now we aren’t seeing a lot of building demolition or building restructuring yet because the economic downturn has affected everyone regardless of whether they are rich or poor,” she said. “Who does not owe the bank? The banks seize many of [the properties,] but more important is the affordability of renewing construction. The market economy in Sihanoukville is down now,” said Cheap Sotheary. Rents for houses are down from thousands of dollars per month to $200 to $300 per month as the economy remains depressed, she said. Translated by Sok Ry Sum. Written in English by Eugene Whong. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/ghost_building-08162022165805.html Copyright © 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036.

Despite moves by authorities to clamp down on the dog meat trade – and 90% of Cambodians saying it should be stopped – the trade still flourishes, as shown by a bust yesterday. A truck carrying 700 kilograms of dog meat from Banteay Meanchey through Siem Reap to Kampong Thom was intercepted by the Provincial Department of Agriculture at National Road 6. In Prasat Bakong district, at 01:30 on August 16, 2022. According to officials, the truck was driven by Nan Chat, a 25-year-old man from Prayut village, Tumnup commune, Batheay district, Kampong Cham province. Prior to the incident, the truck was transporting dog meat from Banteay Meanchey province to be distributed in Kampong Thom province, but the specialized force of the Provincial Department of Agriculture cracked down and confiscated 700 kilograms of dog meat and took it to the Provincial Department of Agriculture for burning. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501133678/dog-meat-trade-still-flourishing-in-cambodia-as-authorities-confiscate-700kgs-of-meat/

The activists were trying to view a cleared area of protected forest that the prime minister has vowed to replant. Police in Cambodia’s Takeo province on Tuesday released a group of young environmental activists and journalists after they were allegedly violently detained earlier in the day by bodyguards of Prime Minister Hun Sen as they tried to inspect an area of a protected forest where trees had been cleared. The 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. It 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, a real estate company, and two other businesses 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. In a rare move this month, Hun Sen ordered an end to the clearance of the Tamao forest adjacent to the country’s largest zoo, following multiple appeals by environmental groups and members of the public. The group of activists who were released on Tuesday said Hun Sen’s bodyguards assaulted them after they tried to inspect the area and ask local residents to sign petitions seeking clarification from local authorities regarding a fenced off 600 hectare (1482 acre) plot of cleared land that the prime minister had ordered to be replanted. The bodyguards claimed that the activists and journalists were trespassing. They said they steered clear of off-limits areas and were on the way to a pagoda from which they could view the clearing. Hun Vannak, one of the activists, told RFA’s Khmer Service that the bodyguards kicked him and hit him in the face. He said that a group of about 10 bodyguards forced the group into cars and took them to a nearby military camp. He said they were not told why they were being detained. "We didn't dare to say anything because they took us to their camp,” Vannak said. “No one could help us. I felt we were with wild people, they didn't consider the law, they used only violence. They detained and assaulted us arbitrarily." Also among the group was Hy Chhay, a journalist for the local independent news outlet VOD who, according to Vannak, was slapped in the face by the bodyguards. The group was transferred to a police facility in Takeo’s Bati district after which they were released. RFA was unable to reach Bati district Police Chief Chhay Keomoni for comment on Tuesday. The bodyguards violated the constitutional rights of the activists and journalists, Nop Vy, director of the Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association, told RFA. "I have observed that [authorities] respect only their orders, [not the law],” Nop Vy said. “It is wrong. Restrictions on the youths and journalists are contrary to Hun Sen's decision to replant the trees.” The violence against the group must be investigated, according to Soeung Sengkaruna, spokesman for the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association, a local rights group. “This is a serious human rights violation,” he said. The activists told RFA they plan to file a complaint against the bodyguards. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Eugene Whong. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/environmental_activists-08162022173417.html Copyright © 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036.

A Cambodian boxing coach is among a group of Cambodians and Chinese facing charges from the covert raid of Sihanoukville’s Jin Gang casino in April, from which more than 200 Vietnamese nationals were released. Chin Pea Rieng, a former kun khmer boxer also known as Chin Ra, was named among five people who were arrested and soon to be tried in connection to an operation involving arrests and rescues at Jin Gang casino in Sihanoukville’s Buon commune in April. Videos from Vietnamese users on TikTok suggest that the April raid was a rescue operation at an online scam compound, where foreigners are detained and subjected to extensive hours of work and sometimes physical punishment and torture. Provincial court spokesperson Ly Chandara told VOD on Monday that the five were charged with possession of illegal weapons and illegal detention and confinement, and they would be tried soon, though he didn’t specify a date. read more https://vodenglish.news/former-kun-khmer-boxer-faces-charges-in-sihanoukville-compound-raid/

The strategic partnership aims to accelerate digital transformation in Cambodia and unleash local enterprise innovations by leveraging eCloudvalley's extensive cloud experience and The Royal Group's strong local connections. eCloudvalley Digital Technology, a leading provider of digital transformation in Asia, has announced the establishment of a joint venture in Cambodia with The Royal Group. The strategic partnership aims to accelerate digital transformation in Cambodia and unleash local enterprise innovations by leveraging eCloudvalley's extensive cloud experience and The Royal Group's strong local connections. eCloudvalley Chief Executive Officer MP Tsai said:" The collaboration with The Royal Group reaffirms eCloudvalley's commitment to accelerating global digital transformation and our customers can rely on a local team that provides global support. The Royal Group is the most prestigious conglomerate in Cambodia. read more https://ciosea.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/cloud-computing/ecloudvalley-partners-with-the-royal-group-to-accelerate-digital-transformation-in-cambodia/93580916

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The literacy rate among Cambodian adults, aged 15 and over, has increased to 87.8 percent in 2020, remarkably up from 77.6 percent in 2008, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports spokesman Ros Soveacha said here on Tuesday. "This figure clearly reflects the government's efforts to reduce illiteracy rate among adults in Cambodia," he said during a press conference organized by the Royal Government Spokesperson Unit. He added that the ministry has developed a number of educational initiatives to contribute to the eradication of illiteracy, including programs for school re-enrolment, professional literacy, post-literacy, diploma equivalency, income generation and life improvement. Cambodia uses the standard Education for All (EFA) definition of literacy, which is the ability to read and write with understanding a simple statement related to one's daily life. According to Soveacha, the Southeast Asian nation currently has a total of 18,430 public and private schools, ranging from kindergartens to high schools, with 3.58 million students. Across the country, there are also 130 higher education institutions, with 48 of them being state-run while the other 82 are private, he said, adding that a total of 198,363 students are studying at those higher education institutions http://www.china.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2022-08/16/content_78374306.htm

August 16, 2022. Phnom Penh — The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced a new initiative to support Cambodia’s criminal justice responders investigate and prosecute human trafficking crimes today. The new initiative – to be overseen by the International Justice Mission (IJM) – is a part of USAID’s Cambodia Countering Trafficking in Persons (CTIP) activity, implemented by Winrock International. CTIP works in partnership with the Cambodian government, the private sector, and civil society to protect Cambodians from human trafficking. “Our countering trafficking in persons work, in partnership with IJM, will ease the suffering of human trafficking victims and help bring perpetrators to justice,” said Benjamin Wohlauer, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh. “We are proud to assist the Cambodian government’s efforts in the fight against human trafficking.”  IJM will build on USAID’s CTIP activity, in collaboration with the Royal Government of Cambodia, to improve services to and protection of identified trafficking victims. read more https://kh.usembassy.gov/usaid-announces-new-support-to-combat-human-trafficking-in-cambodia/

Taipei police have alleged that the high numbers of missing and trafficking victims allegedly into Cambodia follows an investigation based on flight records by the National Police Agency (NPA), which found about 1,000 Taiwanese traveled to Cambodia each month, over recent months, but only 100 on average returned home. Taipei estimates between 2,000 and 5,000 remain human trafficking victims are in Cambodia against their will but added that number could be higher or lower because of blind spots in the data. Cabinet spokesperson Lo Ping-cheng told journalists that an inter-ministerial task force had been set up by the Executive Yuan to deal with the problem while Wallace Chow, head of the Foreign Ministry’s Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said his ministry had received reports of similar cases since June last year. Chow said the number of Taiwanese travelers to Cambodia from January this year has exceeded 6,400, describing this as abnormally high. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501132814/taipei-estimates-between-2000-and-5000-remain-human-trafficking-victims-are-in-cambodia/

Unions representing garment workers in Cambodia are seeking a monthly wage hike of between $20 and $50 for their members in talks with the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) that started yesterday. The meeting at the Ministry of Labour was attended by members of the National Minimum Wage Council comprising GMAC, Cambodian Labour Confederation (CLC Cambodia), Free Trade Union (FTU), as well as factory associations, civil society organisations and NGOs. The National Minimum Wage Council comes under the purview of the Ministry of Labour. Ath Thorn, president of CLC Cambodia, said the meeting yesterday was a preliminary meeting to gather information from stakeholders on the current state of affairs of the respective stakeholders. “We reported to the Ministry of Labor and the National Minimum Wage Council on the daily expenses of the factory workers, the expenses for the workers’ daily food purchases, and the savings to be sent home read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501132343/the-national-minimum-wage-council-has-started-talks-to-consider-raising-the-194-monthly-salary-of-garment-workers/

Floods have affected 16 provinces across the country, inundating the homes of more than 2,700 families. According to Soth Kim Kolmony, the spokesman for the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), heavy rain had also caused more than 40,000 hectares of rice fields to be flooded with over 18,000 hectares destroyed. “Four public schools and four pagodas were also swamped with flood waters and some infrastructure was damaged,” he said. He said the 16 affected provinces were Tboung Khmum, Preah Sihanouk, Koh Kong, Kampot, Kep, Kampong Thom, Battambang, Pailin, Banteay Meanchey, Pursat, Kampong Chhnang, Siem Reap, Kratie, Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey, and Ratanakiri provinces. The worst hit was Ratanakiri where 277 families had to be evacuated from their flooded homes to safety on higher ground. “NCDM and provincial authorities with rescue equipment responded immediately upon receiving reports of people in distress and moved them to safety,” Kim Kolmony said yesterday. “Our committee provided the victims with food and medicine and took care of all of them,” he said. “The Cambodian Red Cross also provided provisions to those who were affected. Soldiers and military police also helped in whatever way they could.” read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501131832/heavy-rain-has-lashed-most-parts-of-cambodia-and-many-residents-especially-those-in-the-rural-areas-had-to-be-evacuated-and-taken-to-safety/

The family of a Kampong Thom deputy village chief, who allegedly died in custody last week, has asked for a speedy investigation into the death, with around a dozen officers being questioned last week. Kampong Thom Military Police said last week that 11 officers were being questioned after a crackdown on an alleged illegal gambling location resulted in the death of Suong Don, deputy chief of Rung village in Baray district’s Krava commune. Don died on the way to the provincial military police headquarters on Sunday evening, and his family claims he was strangled by military police officers. Din Nearatey, Don’s daughter, said that her family had not got any information about the case as of Sunday and wanted the perpetrators of her father’s death to be arrested soon. She said the family planned to file a complaint to the Kampong Thom Provincial Court. “I ask the relevant institutions to investigate and find evidence to arrest the offenders and send them to jail as soon as possible. The perpetrators have to be punished by law and also [for us to] be compensated,” she said. read more https://vodenglish.news/family-of-dead-village-official-want-quick-investigation-12-military-police-officers-questioned/

A man died on Saturday after his truck was hit by the allegedly drunk Fisheries officer of Takeo. The incident took place on the afternoon of August 13, 2022 in Doung Khpos village, Doung Khpos commune, Borey Chulsa district, Takeo province. According to the Chief of Police of the Doung Kpoch Administration, the driver – named as Heng Bunleap alias Pailin, male, 45 years old, Fisheries Officer of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry and fishing in Takeo province – ploughed into a truck from behind, killing the driver and seriously injuring the driver’s wife. The driver of the truck, So Chan, 51, died at the scene, and his wife, Nou Khorn, 50, was seriously injured. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501132206/man-dies-in-crash-caused-by-drunk-official/

The government has issued a sub-decree on increasing social security benefits for former civil servants and veterans and sponsoring maids for certain disabled people after the Ministry of Labour recently announced social security pensions for individuals in factories, establishments and companies. The sub-decree was signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen on Thursday and was published by the Office of the Council of Ministers on Saturday to increase the subsistence allowance. The sub-decree states that level one ex-civil servants and veterans, who currently receive a monthly social security allowance of 670,000 riels or lower, would receive 690,000 riels per month. Level two individuals who currently receive from 670,000 riels to 800,000 riels a month would be granted an additional 20,000 riels a month. Under the new benefits system, level three recipients who currently get 800,000 riels to 810,000 riels each month would receive an increase of 10,000 riels per month. As for former level 4 civil servants and veterans, whose current monthly benefit is 810,000 riels and up, would also receive an additional 10,000 riels per month.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Flora & Fauna International (FFI) are celebrating World Elephant Day 2022 by announcing the findings of the first comprehensive study of Asian elephants in the Prey Lang Extended Landscape. Using genetic sampling techniques, the study found larger than expected Asian elephant populations residing in relatively large areas of suitable habitat across the Prey Lang, Chhaeb, and Prey Rhoka Wildlife Sanctuaries. “The study estimates that there are around 31 Asian elephants in Prey Lang and 20 Asian elephants in Chhaeb and Prey Rhoka. These figures are higher than previous estimates,” said USAID/Cambodia Acting Mission Director Ms. Rebecca Black. “The study findings indicate that the Asian elephants in northern Cambodia have some of the highest genetic diversity in the world. With adequate protection the resident Asian elephant populations across Prey Lang, Chhaeb, and Prey Rhoka Wildlife Sanctuaries can rebound to levels necessary for their survival in the long term. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501131316/study-finds-larger-than-expected-elephant-population-in-prey-lang-cambodia/

Government officials tried to shift blame, claim ignorance and accuse critics of not understanding the “technical” nature of cases when asked about foreigners being trafficked into online fraud operations in Cambodia. Though officials appeared to acknowledge there are high rates of foreigners being trafficked into Cambodia, they also hit back at reporters reporting stories about the alleged sale of foreigners into online gambling and scam operations. Chou Bun Eng, the permanent vice-chair of the national counter-trafficking committee, led a press conference on Friday in response to this year’s Trafficking in Persons report from the U.S. state department, which lowered Cambodia’s ranking to the lowest “Tier 3,” citing sex trafficking, labor trafficking and the rise of the online gambling and scam industry. She began the conference by explaining that such organized crime is difficult to track and act on as it is constantly shifting in nature. “What we have seen is that even with what we have done, there have still been loopholes so that it continues to happen,” she said. “As I have explained, the perpetrator is not standing still and they always keep waiting to see any holes that they can go into and do it so that we need to chase them.” She added that the government needs cooperation, and turned to reporters in the room to ask them to share information with officials instead of publishing it. read more https://vodenglish.news/govt-deflects-makes-excuses-at-human-trafficking-meeting/

43-year-old Andrew David Eyre of Vancouver stands accused of sex crimes against 8 victims. WARNING: This story contains disturbing details about alleged sex crimes against children. Investigators in Canada and Cambodia are looking into the activities of a Vancouver man arrested for a number of sex crimes against Cambodian children. The Child Protection Unit, an investigative group affiliated with Cambodia's Ministry of Interior and funded by non-profit organization Cambodian Children's Fund, says Andrew David Eyre, 43, was arrested and charged last week with aggravated rape of a child and indecent assault. The allegations involve eight Cambodian victims age eight to 12, said the unit's director, James McCabe. RCMP told CBC News that it is also investigating Eyre. "The RCMP's liaison officer in Thailand and the National Child Exploitation Crime Centre are looking further into Eyre's activities in Canada and abroad," wrote Sgt. Caroline Duval in an email. "Additionally, the liaison officer is assisting the investigative team in Cambodia." Eyre, according to a LinkedIn page matching his description, has employment, education and volunteering connections to Burnaby. Cpl. Alexa Hodgins with Burnaby RCMP told CBC in an email that Mounties there "had previous files with Andrew Eyre in 2018 in which he was convicted of sex-related offences." The B.C. Prosecution Service would not comment on any past convictions, and followup questions to RCMP received no immediate response. read more https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/andrew-eyre-cambodia-1.6550421

One woman had her nose broken after being punched in the face by a police officer. Authorities in Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh violently clashed with some 100, mostly female former casino workers demanding to be reinstated to their jobs on Thursday, breaking the nose of one woman and leaving several others injured, according to sources. The former workers are from a group that has been holding regular protests since they were among 1,300 laid off by the NagaWorld Casino in December 2021. The workers say they were unfairly fired and offered inadequate compensation, although only around 150 continue to protest, as an increasing number have accepted payouts after months of no salary and repeated confrontations with police. At around 2 p.m. on Thursday, dozens of authorities blocked the group from holding a protest outside the casino with metal barricades, and rained blows down on those who tried to remove them, according to Bun Sina, one of the former workers. “I came to demand the right to seek justice, [as the situation] has not yet been resolved, but I was kicked in the thigh by the authorities,” she told RFA Khmer, adding that she was shocked by the brutality of the officers. “How much more of this violence and torture will we have to suffer from the authorities before this dispute is resolved?” Police and striking NagaWorld protesters struggle over a barricade in Phnom Penh in a screengrab from a video, Aug. 11, 2022. Credit: Citizen journalist Another worker named Sun Sreynich told RFA she was punched in the face by a police officer during the scuffle, causing her to bleed from the nose and pass out. “We were kneeling in front of the security forces and begging to be allowed to go to the NagaWorld building, but they assumed we were attacking them and fought us,” she said. “The officer hit me full force with his fist, breaking my nose and making me bleed. The blow knocked me unconscious,” she added, saying she is still in pain from the injury. The two sides clashed for around 15 minutes before resuming a verbal confrontation across the barricade line. The former workers eventually left the area around 5 p.m. Following the incident, the Phnom Penh government issued a statement calling the rally “illegal” for disrupting traffic and accusing protesters of intentionally attacking the reputation of the authorities by orchestrating the clash. “They created an event to put the blame on the government, inciting and provoking anger by cursing and insulting public officials before smashing 20 barricades and using violence against security forces who tried to block their path,” the statement said. “All workers should stop their unlawful demonstrations and try to resolve the dispute with the authorities,” it added. More than eight months since the layoffs, NagaWorld has said it will only discuss severance packages with former workers and Cambodia’s Ministry of Labor has deferred the matter to the courts. But the workers say they can’t afford to bring a lawsuit against the company and have urged the government to intervene in the dispute. Petition submitted Earlier on Thursday, a group of around 50 former NagaWorld workers and trade union representatives gathered to submit a petition to the Ministry of Labor, requesting that authorities drop charges against Cambodian Alliance of Trade Unions President Yang Sophorn, who the ministry has accused of organizing the protests. The petition also requested a meeting with Labor Minister Ith Samheng to find a resolution to the dispute. Fellow NagaWorld strikers attempt to revive Sun Sreynich, who says a police officer punched her in the nose and knocked her out. Credit: Citizen journalist NagaWorld Union President Chhim Sithaw met with Labor Ministry officials on Thursday and told RFA she was “disappointed” by their response, although she did not provide details of what was discussed. “We only see that the government – through City Hall, the Ministry of Labor, the judiciary, the Ministry of Health, authorities at all levels – is standing by the NagaWorld company, which is prohibited by law,” she said. “They have a role in mediation, not in protecting one side, and they must remain independent in this dispute.” Attempts by RFA to contact Labor Ministry spokesman Heng Sour for comment went unanswered Thursday. Translated by Sok Ry Sum. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/nagaworld-08112022193928.html Copyright © 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036.

Army commander Hun Manet announced restrictions on recruitment and transfers of military personnel, saying that too many members were trying to move to the same units as their family served in or transfer to more comfortable postings. In a video posted to his Facebook page on Sunday, Manet said that all relatives of veterans and active soldiers can enlist in the armed forces, but they must complete three months of training before being placed in the army. “It does not matter whether they are the children of the soldiers or not, they have to finish three months [of training]… they will be assigned by the army unit,” he said. He continued that some 60% of his border unit requested a transfer to the upper, or national level, making it crowded and putting the border at risk. Manet said recruits will have to serve their initial assignment for at least 24 months before asking for a transfer. He added that relatives who used to serve in the army have pushed for their children to be in the same unit they previously served in, but the prime minister’s son emphasized that they could not influence the army’s placement decisions. Manet is the eldest son of Prime Minister Hun Sen, who is also a five-star general. The army commander was anointed at a CPP congress in December as the heir apparent to take over from his father Hun Sen. read more https://vodenglish.news/manet-criticizes-family-interference-in-army-assignments-wants-more-dedication-to-job/

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Some 112 new factories, with a total investment of 1.19 billion U.S. dollars, had opened in Cambodia during the first seven months of 2022, an industry ministry spokesperson said here on Thursday. "These new factories have created jobs for 76,624 people," Heng Sokkung, a secretary of state and spokesperson for the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology, and Innovation, said during a press conference, adding that most of the new factories produce garment, footwear and travel goods. The cited period also saw the closure of 47 factories, leaving 16,838 workers unemployed, according to him. Lim Heng, vice president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, said the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade pact and the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) as well as the country's favorable new investment law are key to attracting new investors. "Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, many new factories have been established in Cambodia. This clearly shows that the Southeast Asian nation is a potential destination for both domestic and foreign investors, especially for the Chinese ones," he told Xinhua. "New investment has not only brought in new capital, but also advanced technologies as well as new jobs for Cambodians," he added. https://english.news.cn/20220811/af55722982cb48318b971dfc5d05d53e/c.html

A leading Cambodian opposition politician who complained about alleged unfairness in June local elections has been charged with defamation PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- A leading Cambodian opposition politician who publicly complained about alleged unfairness in June local elections has been charged with defamation, his lawyer said Thursday. Son Chhay, deputy president of the opposition Candlelight Party, said in an online interview after the polls that the state National Election Committee was biased in favor of the governing Cambodian People’s Party. He also said there was vote-buying and intimidation of voters. His allegations were denied by the government. Both the National Election Committee and the Cambodian People’s Party sued Son Chhay for defamation. Lawyer Choung Chou Ngy said Son Chhay was officially charged by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Tuesday. Son Chhay, who holds joint Cambodian and Australian nationality, left Cambodia before the lawsuits were filed. The election committee had demanded a published apology from Son Chhay and the Cambodian People’s Party sought $1 million in compensation. read more https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/cambodia-court-charges-opposition-politician-defamation-88242515

Once a financial securities analyst in China, Lu Xiangri never imagined he might be a victim of trafficking and enslavement by Chinese cyber-scam operations in Cambodia. Arriving in the Southeast Asian country in September 2020, the 32-year-old dreamed of starting his own business. To learn the ropes, he offered to help manage a friend’s restaurant in the capital, Phnom Penh. His friend was from the same village in China. Lu had watched him become wealthy, buying a big house and living well. He wanted the same for himself and his family - his parents, wife and two-year-old son. But in 2021 COVID-19 hit hard, and the restaurant closed. Lu was stranded in Cambodia without a job, unable to afford the escalating airfares and quarantine expenses to get him home. That is when a regular diner offered him a job he would quickly regret accepting. “He said I just needed to analyse the securities market for clients and that the salary would be more than $1,500 a month. I thought I just needed to work for two months to go back to China,” Lu tells Al Jazeera with a somewhat bemused smile. When he arrived for his first day of work, Lu discovered it was a scam operation and, worse still, when he tried to leave, he was told he could not. The reason? He’d been sold to the company for $12,000 and was now theirs until he paid the money back in full. read more https://www.aljazeera.com/features/longform/2022/8/11/meet-cambodia-cyber-slaves

Seven former CNRP activists have been sent to 18 months to three years in prison each for inciting people to go against the authorities, overthrow the government and insulting the King on Facebook between 2018 and 2021. While pronouncing the verdict yesterday afternoon, Judge Khun Sona named the seven accused, which included five men – Long Ry, Men Thavarin, Morn Phalla, Monh Sarath, and Mich Heang – and two women, Kim Tola, and Lanh Thavry. Judge Sonna added that among them, Thavry and Heang were arrested and jailed in prison while the other five accused have been at large but they had a court’s arrest warrant. When Judge Sona completed the announcement of his sentence, Heang, shouted that “it was injustice, the court is just a government’s tool.” Heang said, “I did not agree with my conviction because I did not commit anything as accused. I will appeal against it.” While Thavry, 33, a former commune chief of Russei Krork in Banteay Meanchey province was sentenced by the court to 18 months in prison over ‘incitement to commit a felony, Heang, 34, a labourer, was sentenced to three years in prison over ‘incitement to commit a felony and insulting the King’. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501129808/7-ex-cnrp-activists-jailed-for-insulting-king-attempt-to-topple-govt/

After nearly three years of shutting down due the Covid-19 pandemic, Thai and Cambodian authorities are planning to open another border crossing in Banteay Meanchey to facilitate travel and trade. A meeting on defining measures to open economic zones and other issues between the administrations of the two border districts was held at Malai District Hall on the afternoon of August 9. The border crossing connects Nong Prey village Economic Zone, Nong Prey commune, Aranyaprathet district, Thailand and Kbal Tumpun village, Malai commune, Malai district, Banteay Meanchey. Authorities added that the bilateral meeting between the Malai district authorities and the Aranyaprathet district authorities resulted in the decision to open the border crossing and re- establish the economic activities in the area. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501129760/another-cambodia-thai-border-crossing-reopened/