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In a move to crack down on crime in Sihanoukville, Provincial governor Kuoch Chamroeun announced that in the event of shootings, abductions, drug use and other crimes at casinos and other businesses, strict measures will be enforced including shutting down the establishment. He warned that provincial authorities would not only shut down the business but also ask the government to revoke the business licence in Sihanoukville, with the perpetrators punished according to the law. The launch of the Sihanoukville Provincial Administration Command’s tough action was announced at a meeting on Tuesday, which stemmed from the shooting death of two Chinese nationals and the wounding of another in a Chinese casino in Sihanoukville on July 30. According to the police report, immediately after the incident, police intervened at the scene and searched for the perpetrators resulting in the arrest of suspects for questioning while the search continues for other perpetrators. According to police, the initial investigation revealed that the shooting was related to a debt dispute. Kheang Phearum, spokesman for Preah Sihanouk Provincial Hall, said yesterday that the provincial administration’s crack down on casino and business owners would start immediately after the meeting, yet he did not specify what the operating procedure was. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501125027/sihanoukville-businesses-warned-of-closures-if-serious-crime-takes-place-in-their-premises/

EFL is investigating Wang Yaohui's stake in Birmingham City that was revealed by RFA Evidence linking Cambodian diplomat Wang Yaohui to Birmingham City Football Club is now in the possession of the English Football League, RFA has learned. The EFL last month successfully applied to Singapore’s Supreme Court to access records in a case brought against one of Wang’s companies, according to sources familiar with the court’s ruling who asked not to be identified as they were not authorized to speak about it publicly. The application was made as part of an ongoing investigation by the league into allegations that Wang secretly controls a substantial portion of Birmingham City’s shares, in contravention of EFL regulations. One of the defendants in the Singapore court case is a company registered in the city state, Gold Star Aviation Pte Ltd. Corporate records show that Gold Star Aviation’s sole shareholder is a British Virgin Islands company called Dragon Villa Ltd, which also controls 12.81 percent of Birmingham City’s shares. Among the court files obtained by the EFL is a sworn affidavit given by one of Wang’s most trusted lieutenants, Jenny Shao, who is also a defendant in the case and has enjoyed power of attorney over Wang’s affairs for more than a decade. In the affidavit, which RFA has seen, Shao states that, “Gold Star’s sole shareholder is Dragon Villa Ltd (“DVL”) and DVL is beneficially owned by Mr Wang.” As an EFL member playing in the league’s highest division, Birmingham City is obligated to disclose the identity of any individual controlling more than 10 percent of its shares. While Dragon Villa features in the club’s ownership statement, Wang does not. The disclosure describes Dragon Villa instead as being “controlled” by an individual named Lei Sutong, who is a director or shareholder at multiple Wang-linked companies. The discrepancy between Shao and Birmingham City’s descriptions of Dragon Villa’s ownership could have serious repercussions for the club, including potential misconduct charges or point deductions. A club spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment, but RFA understands that Birmingham City’s management is standing by its existing ownership disclosure. Birmingham City’s assurances do not seem to have satisfied the league, which confirmed in a statement to RFA that its investigation is ongoing. “As a result of our ongoing investigations into the ultimate beneficial ownership of Birmingham City Football Club, we are not in a position to comment,” an EFL spokesperson told RFA via email, commenting anonymously in line with the league’s policies. Wang Yaohui’s first Cambodian diplomatic passport bearing his Khmer name Wan Sokha. The passport was granted to him in 2015 in recognition of his role as an advisor to Prime Minister Hun Sen. The league launched its probe into Wang’s ties to the club in early June, following an RFA investigation, which found the Chinese-born Cambodian diplomat and advisor to Prime Minister Hun Sen controlled a large but undeclared stake in the club through a series of proxies and shell companies. Birmingham City is one of England’s most storied soccer teams and currently competes in the nation’s second-highest tier, just below the elite Premier League. That the EFL now holds the Singapore court files may explain why a putative takeover of the club has stalled in recent weeks. Long beset by financial troubles and with its stadium in need of serious repairs, many Birmingham City fans are hankering for new ownership. They may have thought their prayers had been answered when a bid was submitted last month by former club director Paul Richardson and retired professional soccer player Maxi Lopez. Before any transfer of ownership can take place at a soccer club playing in one of the EFL’s three divisions, the league must approve the sale. In order to do so, it requires information from both the buyer and the seller about what the club’s ownership structure will be after the sale. Writing in The Athletic last week, soccer journalist Matt Slater reported the EFL’s chief executive Trevor Birch as saying the league hadn’t received enough information “to even consider” Richardson and Lopez’s bid. While the EFL has not elaborated on exactly what information it is yet to receive, Slater suggested the data deficit lies with the club’s current owners. “The Athletic understands that Richardson and Lopez have submitted as much information as they can at this stage,” he wrote. “But the club and their current owners have not yet provided full answers to the league’s standard set of takeover questions.” An RFA analysis last month calculated that Wang and a close relative named Vong Pech control more than half of Birmingham City’s shares between them. While Vong’s name does appear in the club’s official ownership disclosures, as well as stock exchange filings by its Hong Kong-listed parent company, Wang’s does not. Birmingham City’s owners are now in a bind. It appears that the EFL will not allow them to sell until they offer some more transparency about who exactly the owners are. But if they do, they risk sanctions from both the league and the authorities in Hong Kong. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/cambodia-wang-yaohui-efl-08032022144335.html Copyright © 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036.

Girls as young as 12 say they are working in garment factories in Kampong Speu, some with the knowledge of their employers and others with false identification documents issued by their local officials. Labor Ministry spokesman Heng Sour, however, denied that anyone under 18 was working in Cambodia’s factories, and said they would be prosecuted if they were. The Labor Law allows workers from the age of 15 with guardians’ consent, while children from aged 12 to 15 can still be legally hired for light work if it does not affect school attendance. Minors cannot work at night, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., unless they are at least 16 and it is in response to an accident, the law says. One 17-year-old working in a factory along National Road 4 told VOD she began work at age 15 after her family paid the local commune chief $150 to raise her age in their official family-book records to 18. She dropped out of school at Grade 8 and began work to help with her family’s debt, the girl said, adding that many girls in her village had done the same. read more https://vodenglish.news/false-official-documents-help-minors-land-factory-jobs/

The Official Spokesperson of the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which starts today in Phnom Penh, says that FMs may discuss the escalating tensions in Taiwan – which have been exacerbated by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. Dr. Kong Phok, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia and the Official Spokesperson of the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting stated “I have informed the agenda as well as the main points of discussion of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers today, there is a topic related to regional and global issues, I think the foreign ministers will take this opportunity to discuss and find common ground so that ASEAN can contribute to the coordination as well as express their views on how to stabilize the situation in Taiwan. “It does not lead to conflict and the emergence of political heat of all parties involved .” The third regional meeting, of which Cambodia holds the ASEAN chairmanship, is being held as tensions mount between China and the United States over Ms Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501124718/escalating-taiwan-tensions-may-be-discussed-today-in-55th-asean-foreign-ministers-meeting/

PHNOM PENH: Cambodia's poverty rate fell by more than 22 per cent over the last decade as the nation experienced rapid economic growth. Authorities in the Southeast Asian country said the figure stood at 17.8 per cent in 2020 compared to nearly 40 per cent in 2009. The director-general of Planning at the Ministry of Planning Theng Pagnathun said the poverty rate declined by 1.6 per cent annually during the last decade, driven mainly by rising wages and earnings. According to The Phnom Penh Post, Pagnathun said the decrease was in line with the government's commitment to reduce poverty at a rate of at least one per cent each year. Cambodia's Covid-19 cash transfer programme, launched in June 2020, has also played a significant role as it benefited around 2.8 million people. Explaining that the poverty line procedure would be revised every 15 years, he said it was necessary due to the improved economic growth in Cambodia. He said research showed that there were only 500,000 households below the poverty line pre-Covid but now there was an increase of another 200,000 families. Citing a United Nations Development Programme report on Cambodia that was released last week, Theng said the programme has helped bring down Cambodia's poverty rate over the last two years. According to the World Bank, the national poverty line in Cambodia is 10,951 riel, or US$2.7 a day. read more https://www.nst.com.my/world/region/2022/08/818659/cambodias-poverty-rate-drops-over-22-cent-last-ten-years

Excavators have begun tearing strips through the protected Phnom Tamao forest — recently privatized for development by select tycoons — raising fears among locals and a wildlife sanctuary that shares the land. The beloved forest, about an hour’s drive from Phnom Penh, is nearby popular weekend destination Tonle Bati lake, which is also slated to be filled up and developed, and not far from the capital’s new international airport under construction. Conservationists say the Phnom Tamao forest is home to endangered sambar deer as well as wild pigs, monkeys and rare birds, but various plans for development have emerged in recent months. One official document showed that 500 hectares controlled by the Forestry Administration would be transferred to private ownership, without detailing the exact site or new owner. Another document mapped around 700 hectares as being requested by tycoon Khun Sea’s TP Moral Group. The Agriculture Minister told VOD on Saturday that tracts had been sold to developer and music-video producer Leng Navatra. On Monday, drone footage captured at least five excavators felling strips through the forest’s northeast corner. The European Space Agency’s Sentinel satellite showed no clearing as of Friday, indicating the work likely began or ramped up over the weekend. read more https://vodenglish.news/razing-of-phnom-tamao-forest-begins/

A man has died after self administering a folk remedy that consisted of eating poisonous ‘blister beetles’. The victim died after eating the insects on the afternoon of August 1, 2022 in O Khyang village, Sakram commune, Prasat Balang district, Kampong Thom province. According to the victim’s family, before the incident, the victim bought a kilo of the insects from the genus Meloidae for 120,000 riel per kilo. He then proceeded to roast and eat the insects – not knowing that as little as four to six grams of blister beetles can be deadly to an 1100 lb. horse. His mother also ate the beetles, but complained they were too bitter. Both people became seriously ill and were rushed to hospital, where the man died and his mother is being currently treated. The beetles consumed were believed to be a member of the genus Meloidae , which contain Cantharidin – the principal irritant in “Spanish fly”, a folk medicine prepared from dried beetles. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501124103/man-dies-after-eating-blister-beetles-as-medicine/

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. "What we are hoping for the future is to create a sustainable population of the animals... that we released here within the amazing Angkor forest," Marx said. read more https://www.rfi.fr/en/science-environment/20220802-baby-boom-the-endangered-wildlife-revival-at-cambodia-s-angkor-wat

Licadho says the online money lenders harass and blackmail women until they repay their debt. Exploitative online money lending networks are increasingly preying on poor Cambodian women on social media to trap them into debt and blackmail them by posting nude photos and videos of them online, a Cambodian human rights organization said Monday. The Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (Licadho) said in a report on its website that it helped three women in the past year who were harassed by informal online lenders after they had borrowed small amounts to pay for health care or other expenses. “Licadho interviewed three female victims last year, but there are many more women who have reported to us,” Am Sam Ath, Licadho’s director general, told RFA Monday. “But, for their honor and dignity, they want to hide their identities. Their cases are similar.” Exploitative online lenders thrive in countries like Cambodia where people struggle to pay informal fees and costs for health care and education. Private debt levels there skyrocketed to 174% of the country’s GDP as of March, and repayment of the debt has resulted in coerced land sales, unsafe migration and human rights abuses, Licadho said. The women who went to Licadho for help borrowed sums as small as U.S. $50, but were given high interest rates and vague terms that increased the amounts they had to repay. Other lenders contacted the women via the instant messaging appTelegram with new loan offers. The predatory lenders then harassed friends and relatives of the women to pressure them to pay off their debt. At that point, a new group called Loanly stepped in and offered the women large loans so they could repay the smaller debt, but only if the women sent nude photographs or videos of themselves via Telegram, along with their location and identity documents. Seeing no other way out, the women downloaded Loanly’s application, which granted the group access to their phone contacts. But they received hundreds of dollars less than promised via the mobile banking app eMoney, with Loanly claiming the rest was deducted as fees. One of the women borrowed U.S. $1,000 from Loanly, received less than U.S. $600 after undefined fees, and then paid the group almost U.S. $1,400, though the harassment continued, Licadho said. Loanly then harassed the women and their associates by phone, posted photos of their families on Facebook, and added them to Telegram groups where other women’s nude photos were being shared, Licadho said. Loanly distributed naked photos of one of the women in a Telegram group. “The lenders threaten to publicize naked photos or videos to extort money from the victims, who would feel humiliated and disgraced among friends or family if the images were to go public,” said Am Sam Ath. Though the women filed official complaints with extensive evidence, the Ministry of Interior’s Anti-Cyber Crime Department has not taken any action against the predatory online lenders or held them accountable for their crimes, Licadho said. While Loanly’s application no longer appears to be available, the online loan groups continue to target and harass Cambodians on Facebook and Telegram. “This creates impunity and has intensified fear among the victims,” Am Sam Ath said. “Licadho’s report is meant to warn social media users to be aware of this problem and not to be deceived.” To stop predatory lending, the rights group has called on the Cambodian government to properly regulate formal and informal lending and provide accessible basic social services. Licadho repeated a previous call for the Anti Cyber Crime Department to conduct rapid and thorough investigations to ensure justice in accordance with Cambodian law. It also called on Facebook and Telegram to prevent their platforms from being used for gender-based violence and criminal activity. Translated by Sok Ry Sum for RFA Khmer. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/online-loan-sharks-08012022182909.html Copyright © 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036.

At a corner on the riverfront, close to the gate of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, there are more than 20 fortune tellers sitting in a row each sitting at a tiny table cluttered with various religious objects, and most notably, their fortune telling cards. The seers sit there from dusk to dawn, waiting for people who seek their guidance to sit down and have their fortunes told. Those who read the cards are certain that ancestors or a deity are providing them with direction for the person seeking the fortune teller’s advice. An incense stick is placed in a box and prayers are made to ancestors to disclose specific advice to the seer to predict accurately their client’s future path, with reading fortunes starting by providing the words that come to them through the cards. Each fortune teller is an expert oracle with more than ten years of expertise. However, fortune telling has altered their perception such that they now regard themselves more as therapists for those seeking words to heal their minds and hearts, particularly in the case of the heart. Penh Nary, a 30-year-old thin woman with circular eyes and straight hair with 10 years’ experience, said that she has become a therapist for all those who have relationship problems. The majority of her clients seek her advice regarding love-related disputes. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501123688/when-fortune-tellers-become-therapists/

Cambodian authorities have deported 94 Thais who worked or conspired with call centre gangs in Phnom Penh back to Thailand to face justice, say police. Following a joint operation by the Police Cyber Taskforce (PCT) and Cambodian authorities to track down call centre gangs, 94 Thais were rounded up and deported from the Cambodian capital to Aranyaprathet district in Sa Kaeo yesterday. The group had all worked at the call centre in Phnom Penh with 74 of them facing arrest warrants issued by the PCT. All had been charged under various Cambodian laws before being deported to face further charges at home. Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas, deputy national police chief and director of the PCT, had assigned PCT officers, immigration police and provincial police region 2 to receive the 94 deportees at the border district. According to the police, the group was associated with four call centre gangs and some of the deportees are top members working for Taiwanese kingpins. The PCT said the police will look into the case and file legal action where appropriate. The statement added that the Thai accomplices will be sent to the local police stations that issued the arrest warrants in Tha Mai and Muang Chanthaburi in Chanthaburi province, as well as Phahon Yothin and Bang Khen stations in Bangkok. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501123955/cooperation-with-cambodian-cops-sees-raids-across-country-which-nets-94-thai-suspects/

A section of a 1,000-year-old stone wall carving depicting the statue of Lokesvara lost in 1998, was paraded from the National Museum of Phnom Penh to its original spot in Banteay Chhmar temple, Thmar Puok district, Banteay Meanchey province, after a religious ceremony at the National Museum. Eight statues of Lokesvara are depicted on the stone wall, and after the officials removed two from the National Museum and returned them to their original location on the wall of Banteay Chhmar temple in the southwest, two remain missing. Yang Taing Koy, director of the Banteay Meanchey provincial Department of Culture and Fine Arts, said two sections of the carvings of Lokesvara had been restored at the Banteay Chhmar temple with the approval of the Minister of Culture and Fine Arts. He said that the two carvings of Lokesvara, one with six arms and the other, with 10 arms, were about 1,000 years old from the late 12th century to the early 13th century. He added that a section of the Lokesvara carvings was stolen by criminals in 1998 and sold in Thailand. However, the Thai Government found it and returned the statue to Cambodia in 2000 to be kept at the National Museum. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501123643/1000-year-old-wall-carvings-return-home/

Preah Sihanouk police have arrested two Chinese men and a Chinese woman for shooting two of their countrymen dead and injuring another man at a Chinese-owned-casino in Sihanoukville on Saturday night. All six worked for the casino and the shooting took place at about 10.45pm in a room on the upper floors of “Tong Fang Palirin”. Sihanoukville Police chief Colonel Tey Visal identified the suspected shooters as Zheng Ying Fei, 37, and Du Chong, 34, and the female Chinese suspect as Xiong Zheng, 31. Col Visal said that the three Chinese suspects and the three victims were having an argument in a room of the casino when the male suspects pulled out their guns and opened fire. “The shooters fired many rounds, and two were killed on the spot and a third was seriously injured. “The three suspects fled after the shooting,” Col Visal said. He said police knew their identities from CCTV recordings and in an operation mounted by police and Military Police, the three suspects were apprehended five hours later, at about 4am the next day. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501123112/three-suspects-held-for-killing-compatriots/

Cambodia has reaffirmed its unwavering support to Timor-Leste’s application for the ASEAN Membership. The commitment was made by Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, in a recent congratulatory message to his East Timorese counterpart Taur Matan Ruak on the momentous occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. “I will continue working closely with Your Excellency to further strengthen and deepen our bilateral ties and cooperation for the mutual benefit of our nations, thus contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in the region and beyond,” the Cambodian Premier added. Mr Hun Sen further noted the consistent growth of bilateral and multilateral cooperation between the two countries since the establishment of diplomatic relations on July 29, 2002. “Cambodia and Timor-Leste have also worked closely to support each other on matters of common interests at the regional and international frameworks,” he underlined. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501123293/cambodia-reiterates-support-for-timor-lestes-application-for-asean-membership/

A foreign national died in the sea off Sihanoukville after he was involved in a head-on jet-ski crash. The incident occurred at 6 pm on July 26, 2020 at Independence Beach, Village 1, Ward 2, Sihanouk Province. Local police officials said the victim was named <deleted> GUI, a 22-year-old Chinese male. According to the the victim’s friends, before the incident, the victim and his friends had been out for dinner. After eating, they rented 2 jet skis. Unfortunately, whilst using the vehicles, the jet-skis smashed into each other at high speed and one of the men was thrown into the water with severe injuries Although his friends brought him to the shore, the man was pronounced dead after being rushed to hospital. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501122790/foreigner-dies-in-sihanoukville-jet-ski-smash/

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Cambodian Police in cooperation with the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh on Sunday (July 31, 2022) released seven more Indonesians held captive by an online scammer in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. The figure brought the number of Indonesians freed from captivity in the country to 62, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry said in a written statement received in Jakarta on Sunday. On Saturday (July 30, 2021) the Cambodian Police and the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh also released 55 Indonesians held captive in Cambodia. The embassy is expected to remove the 62 Indonesians from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh on Sunday night . While in Phnom Penh, the 62 Indonesians will receive psychological counseling from the Foreign Ministry. As per the standard operating procedure, all the Indonesians who fell victim to human trafficking will undergo questioning in accordance with the screening form for the identification of human trafficking victims before being deported to Indonesia. read more https://en.antaranews.com/news/242153/seven-more-indonesians-held-captive-in-cambodia-released

PHNOM PENH, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has seen the successful sale of carbon credits in the global voluntary carbon market, earning 11.6 million U.S. dollars from 2016 to 2020, a senior official said on Saturday. Ministry of Environment's secretary of state and spokesman Neth Pheaktra said the kingdom has sold three carbon credit projects at the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary in Mondulkiri province, the REDD+ Project at the Southern Cardamom National Park in Koh Kong province, and the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary in Stung Treng province. He added that large companies that have purchased carbon credits in the global voluntary carbon market include Disney and Gucci, among others. "Full peace, political stability and people's better livelihoods have given us enough time and resources to protect and preserve our existing natural resources," he told Xinhua. According to the spokesman, Cambodia and Indonesia are the only two member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that have sold carbon credits. Pheaktra said the proceeds from the sale of carbon credits have been used to support efforts in natural resources protection and local community development through creating new jobs in the ecotourism industry. He said companies buying carbon credits from Cambodia based their decisions on the assessment by an independent agency, which confirmed that the country was capable of adequately protecting natural resources. The spokesman said Cambodia has added at least five more sanctuaries to its list of carbon credit sales and that the ministry of environment and its partner organizations are currently seeking voluntary buyers. "We're optimistic that more large companies will buy our carbon credits in coming years," he said. Pheaktra said Cambodia currently has more than 70 protected areas and biodiversity corridors with a total area of 7.3 million hectares, equivalent to 41 percent of the land area of Cambodia. https://english.news.cn/20220730/cfa6828ad0c745be90c94b4e42ce3573/c.html

WASHINGTON — Over the past decade the United States has been torn between "righteous indignation" and "democratic backsliding and pragmatic engagement," in its dealings with Cambodia, according to a recent report that criticizes Washington for issuing sanctions on Cambodia as a way to reverse its deteriorating record on human rights and return the country to a democratic path. Experts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington-based think tank, argue in their report, Pariah or Partner? Clarifying the U.S. Approach to Cambodia, that sanctions have the opposite effect on Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia since 1985, as he turns toward China for aid. The United States began sanctioning senior Cambodian officials in connection with systemic corruption, undermining democracy in Cambodia, and continued violations of human rights and union rights after the dissolution of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) in November 2017. The U.S. Treasury Department has targeted military generals and businesspeople close to Hun Sen, including General Hing Bun Heang, Hun Sen's chief bodyguard; General Kun Kim and his family, and tycoon Try Pheap for sanctioning under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act (GMA). This was before the Biden administration began focusing attention on Southeast Asia to counter China's growing influence in the region. In mid-May, the White House hosted leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at special summit in Washington. A U.S. embassy spokesperson in Phnom Penh, Stephanie Arzate, told VOA Khmer via e-mail that "The United States remains committed to the Cambodian people and their aspirations for a more prosperous, democratic, and independent country where all voices are heard and respected and the Kingdom's sovereignty is protected." The Cambodian government says its foreign policy is to make friends with all countries, not to choose between China and the United States. Cambodian government spokesperson Phay Siphan said that misunderstandings between Cambodia and the U.S. are long-standing. "What I have noticed is that from the 1950s until now we have not been clear and do not understand each other," Phay Siphan told VOA Khmer by phone. "The United States does not fully understand what to do with Cambodia. … The foreign policy is a failure." FILE - In this photo provided by Cambodia's Fresh News, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian talks to a reporter as Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh, second from right, listens during the groundbreaking ceremony for a shipyard repairing and rest The CSIS report urges U.S. policymakers to develop innovative and constructive policies for Cambodia as soon as possible rather than wait for a new generation of leadership because there is no certainty they would turn away from China. U.S. lawmakers are calling for increased scrutiny of political developments in Cambodia with the introduction of a series of bills that would, if passed by Congress, impose economic sanctions on senior Cambodian officials and those involved in violating human rights. The U.S. Senate's Foreign Relations Committee passed the Cambodia Democracy and Human Rights Act of 2021 on July 19. It promotes free and fair elections, and a restoration of democracy, political freedom and human rights in Cambodia. The bill also calls for sanctions on individuals who violate human rights by freezing assets in the U.S. and revoking any entry visa issued. "Prime Minister Hun Sen and his cronies have overseen a nationwide crackdown against political opposition, free speech, and journalism, while embracing endemic corruption at the expense of the Cambodian people," said Democratic Senator Ed Markey, who introduced the legislation. "The promise of the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements, a representative democracy that reflects the will of the Cambodian people, cannot be abandoned." The bill also calls on the U.S. administration to monitor Chinese military activities in Cambodia, including new construction at the Ream Naval Base near Sihanoukville and at the Dara Sakor Seashore Resort in Koh Kong Province. Lawmakers fear the Chinese presence could affect the interests of U.S. allies and partners in the region. A companion bill, the Cambodia Democracy Act of 2021, was passed by the House in September last year and is currently at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Charles Dunst, an adjunct fellow at the CSIS Center and one of the authors of the report, said that the Senate committee took action to fill the gaps left by a lack of focused policy on Cambodia. "If this bill does become law, it will require the White House to at least consider imposing more limited sanctions and more closely monitor Cambodia's democratic decline – neither of which would seriously worsen already poor U.S.-Cambodia relations," Dunst said in an e-mail to VOA Khmer. The CSIS report, released last month, says the sanctions imposed by the U.S. are ineffective. The report adds that bills introduced in the House and the Senate, such as the Cambodian Trade Act, which would restrict a trade preference scheme known as the Generalized System of Preferences, are harmful to average Cambodians and would do little to achieve democratic reforms. "Targeted elites will run further into the embrace of their Chinese benefactors," said the report, adding this would likely bring about wider use of Beijing's authoritarian tactics in Cambodia, further harming average Cambodians. Hun Sen's government responded to U.S. sanctions by adopting internet restrictions, cracking down on environmental activists and unionists, and prosecuting opposition politicians, according to CSIS. "If GMA sanctions targeted at elites were going to achieve progress on human rights or corruption in Cambodia, success would have been apparent by now," said the report. https://www.voanews.com/a/us-urged-to-clarify-approach-to-cambodia-s-drift-toward-china-/6678634.html

PHNOM PENH, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The poverty rate for Cambodia has dropped to 17.8 percent in 2020, from nearly 40 percent in 2009, a senior official said here on Friday. "During the last decade, the poverty rate declined by 1.6 percentage points per year, driven substantially by rising labor, especially wage, and earnings," Theng Pagnathun, director general of planning at the Ministry of Planning, said at a press conference. He said the gradual fall was in line with the government's commitment to reducing at least 1 percent of the poverty rate per annum. The official said Cambodia's COVID-19 cash transfer program, launched in June 2020, had significantly benefited some 2.8 million people from 707,000 poor and vulnerable households so far. Citing a United Nations Development Program-Cambodia's new report released on Wednesday, he said the program helped reduce Cambodia's poverty rates in the last two years. Cambodia has a population of over 16 million people. According to the World Bank, the national poverty line in the Southeast Asian nation is 10,951 riel, or 2.7 U.S. dollars a day. "Under the new poverty line, about 18 percent of the population is identified as poor," the World Bank said. Poverty rates vary considerably by area, the bank said, adding that the poverty rate is the lowest in the capital Phnom Penh at 4.2 percent, in other urban areas at 12.6 percent, and the highest in rural areas at 22.8 percent. ■ https://english.news.cn/20220729/6ef1e14049f64304b83529f590181fb5/c.html

Tiger reintroduction in Cambodia remains a long-term conservation goal for the Royal Government, the Ministry of Environment (MoE), WWF-Cambodia and partners. It is important for Cambodia to reintroduce tigers in the forests they once inhabited in, which is the eastern plain landscape, said WWF-Cambodia in statement released today on the occasion of International Tiger Day (July 29). The effort will involve recovering tiger’s prey base and creating favorable conditions for a reintroduction of the ‘big cat’ in the future, it added. In Cambodia, the last Tiger was photographed by camera trap in 2007 in Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary of Mondulkiri province, the same source pointed out, continuing that in 2016, wildlife scientists declared the big cat is functionally extinct in the Kingdom. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501122339/tiger-reintroduction-remains-cambodias-long-term-conservation-goal/

WASHINGTON, July 29 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Cambodia for a U.S.-ASEAN minister's meeting next week during which he will address the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, Myanmar and the war in Ukraine, the State Department said on Friday. After three meetingsrelating to the regional bloc in Phnom Penh on Aug. 3-5, Blinken will travel to Manila and meet with President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos and Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo to discuss efforts to strengthen the U.S.-Philippine alliance, officials said. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink, briefing reporters on the trip, said Blinken would urge other nations at the regional forum to "step up pressure" on Myanmar's ruling junta after it executed four activists this week. "This is just the latest example of the regime's brutality," he said of the executions. There were no plans for Blinken to sit down with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, said Kritenbrink, who did not rule out an informal "pull aside" on the sidelines of the regional forum. read more https://www.reuters.com/world/blinken-travel-southeast-asia-africa-next-week-state-dept-2022-07-29/

Cambodia’s National Assembly on Thursday approved a controversial amendment to the country’s Constitution that all but paves the way for Prime Minister Hun Sen to choose his son as his successor. The amendment would change eight articles, two of which circumvent the National Assembly’s right to deliberate on prime ministerial selections or make it harder to remove a sitting prime minister. Hun Sen, 69, has ruled the country since 1985, and has been grooming his son Hun Manet, 44, as his replacement. The amendment must next be approved by the ruling party-controlled Senate, and then sent to the king and signed into law, but the steps are thought of as formalities at this point. Cambodia’s Minister of Justice Koeut Rith defended the draft amendment during the assembly’s deliberations. He dismissed calls by NGOs and opposition political parties that the change should be set aside until after the next election. “These petitions were filed by only four of the almost 50 parties registered with the Ministry of Interior. The four parties that claim that they don’t support the constitutional amendment is not a surprise,” he said. “[Dissent] is normal for parties that don’t have policies aligned with the government, but we should take note that this amendment will ensure that the government can continue to function normally without any deadlock under any circumstances. This is what the people want,” said Koeut Rith. He accused opposition parties of years’ past of using their elected seats to hold Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) hostage in the National Assembly in a bid to increase their political power. “They used political deadlock in forming the government to bargain for power,” he said. Currently, the CPP holds every seat in the National Assembly thanks to a Supreme Court decision to dissolve in 2017 the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), which had emerged as Hun Sen’s main opposition. This kicked off a five-year crackdown on government critics that forced many members into hiding or exile, or risk arrest and incarceration. The decision also paved the way for the CPP to run the table in the 2018 general elections, downgrading the legislature to a de facto rubber stamp for the ruling party. The amendment serves the prime minister more than the people of Cambodia, CNRP Vice President Eng Chhai Eang told RFA’s Khmer Service. “This is not about the public interest and the continuation of the country. This is just to avoid any crisis when [Hun Sen] transfers power to his son,” he said. He said the political climate is disadvantageous for the Candlelight Party, which emerged from the remnants of the CNRP as the primary opposition to the CPP over the past year, and took one-fifth of the seats up for grabs in this year’s local comune elections. The new party will vie for a presence in the National Assembly with a strong performance in next year’s general election. Even if it is unable to take a significant number of assembly seats, resistance to Hun Sen’s succession plans could conceivably still come from within the ruling party itself. The amendment also provides a safeguard against this possibility simply by reducing the power of the assembly. “This amendment shows that they don’t trust each other,” Eng Chhai Eang said. The CNRP has petitioned the king not to sign the draft amendment into law. In a statement released on Wednesday, the outlawed party also urged the people to prevent Hun Sen’s attempt to transfer power to his son by conducting a constitutional coup. Ros Sotha, president of the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition of 22 local NGOs, told RFA he was disappointed by the proposed constitutional change. “Laws can be amended, but this constitutional amendment was done by one party. It does not reflect the whole nation,” he said. “If the government wants more support, they have to resolve the current political crisis first and allow participation from other parties.” Should the amendment become law it would be a “death sentence for democracy” in Cambodia, a statement by ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) said. “The [Cambodian] government claims that the intention of the changes is to ensure a functioning government, but many of them are designed to cement the power of Hun Sen and his cronies by giving more power to the executive branch of government in detriment of the legislative,” former Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said in the statement. “If confirmed, this move would be just the latest example of Hun Sen trampling over democratic processes and the rights of millions of Cambodians just so he can further enrich his family and others who have benefitted from the corruption that has become rampant under his rule,” Kasit Piromya, who is now an APHR board member, said. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Eugene Whong. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/amendment-07282022184218.html Copyright © 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036.

The son of U.S.-blacklisted general Kun Kim has been promoted to Preah Vihear governor — at least the ninth child or in-law of ruling party leaders currently serving as provincial governor across the country. Kim Rithy, Kim’s son, was appointed governor after five months as the Interior Ministry’s deputy director of administration, according to a decree signed by the king on Tuesday. Previously, he was deputy governor in Kandal since 2014. At least eight others are in a similar position to Rithy: Kampot governor Mao Thonin, nephew-in-law of Prime Minister Hun Sen. Kep governor Som Piseth, son of lawmaker Som Chen. Koh Kong governor Mithona Phouthorng, daughter of ex-governor Yuth Phouthorng and granddaughter of late CPP permanent committee member Say Phouthorng. Mondulkiri governor Thong Savun, son of late Defense Minister and Senator Bou Thang. Oddar Meanchey governor Pen Kosal, son-in-law of National Assembly president Heng Samrin. Prey Veng governor Chea Somethy, son of late CPP president Chea Sim. Siem Reap governor Tea Seiha, son of Defense Minister Tea Banh. Tbong Khmum governor Cheam Chansophorn, son of lawmaker Cheam Yeab. CPP spokesman Sok Eysan said preparing the next generation was one the party’s duties. read more https://vodenglish.news/generals-son-at-least-ninth-ruling-party-scion-made-provincial-governor/

In the first three months of 2022, the Wildlife Rescue Team of the Cambodian Wildlife Alliance rescued more than 560 animals. Conservationists have carried out hundreds of operations to curb the illegal wildlife trade, including rescuing and confiscating wildlife. 150 seized animals have been released back into the wild, while it is unclear if the rest are being rehabilitated. The source added that the largest number of animals rescued were turtles, of which 98 were rescued and 20 were released. Conservationists have called for more participation in the fight to save Cambodia’s wildlife and forests. The Government has implemented measures to increase the security in the country’s numerous protected areas. The Ministry of Environment has said that the protection of wildlife is possible through the participation of the park rangers. The Ministry also implemented the Zero-Trap Campaign in various provinces that saw the destruction and banning of wildlife traps. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501121429/more-than-560-animals-rescued-by-the-conservationists-in-q1/

Cambodia today recorded it’s highest new COVID case total since April 23rd.. Today’s official daily new COVID case total (diagnosed by PCR test) was 29, bringing the COVID case total to 136,680 cases. Cambodia announced 0 new deaths, bringing the total to 3,056 direct deaths from COVID-19 in Cambodia. The Kingdom recorded 26 new community and 3 new imported cases of the new variant. There are now 170 active COVID cases (diagnosed by PCR test) in The Kingdom. Meanwhile, looking at the overall COVID picture via statistics, it appears that COVID cases, after their 52 day absence are back – albeit at much lower levels than before (please note results may be up to 2 days behind). It is important to note that the Ministry of Health have said that the daily COVID figures are not representative of the number of current COVID cases in Cambodia. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501121403/cambodia-records-highest-new-covid-case-day-since-april-as-active-cases-rise/