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The US remains the top country for the Kingdom’s total exports, thanks to the trade preference schemes – Generalised System of Preference (GSP) and the Most-Favoured Nation status, which allows for discounts on imports. Bilateral trade topped $875.5 million, a year-on-year increase of 42.4 percent Cambodia’s exports to the United States surged 45.9 percent to $847.6 million in January this year, compared to the same month in the previous year, according to figures from the US Census Bureau. The bilateral trade topped $875.5 million, a year-on-year increase of 42.4 percent. However, the Kingdom’s imports from the US dropped by 17.6 percent to $27.9 million. The US remains the top country for the Kingdom’s total exports, thanks to the trade preference schemes – Generalised System of Preference (GSP) and the Most-Favoured Nation status, which allows for discounts on imports. Lim Heng, Vice-President of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, said that the increased exports to the US reflect manufacturing and production chains in Cambodia that have resumed activity despite the year-long threat of Covid-19. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501038832/kingdom-exports-to-us-surge-around-46-in-january/

President Joe Biden had invited leaders of the 10-member Southeast Asian bloc for a summit on March 28-29. A summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) slated for the end of this month has been postponed, Cambodia's foreign minister said on Wednesday. Biden had invited leaders of the 10-member Southeast Asian bloc to Washington, D.C., for a summit on March 28-29. The U.S. sees the region as critical to its efforts to push back against China's rising power in the South China Sea and across the Indo-Pacific region. The summit "will be delayed because some ASEAN leaders can’t join the meeting as scheduled,” Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn told the pro-government outlet Fresh News on Wednesday. Cambodia is the current chair of ASEAN. On Monday Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said at least three ASEAN leaders wanted to reschedule the meeting "Some ASEAN leaders wanted the meeting to be held between March 26-27 but the U.S said it couldn’t accommodate 26-27, while three ASEAN leaders couldn’t join the 26-27,” Hun Sen said. He did not identify the countries. There were no immediate comments on the summit from the White House or from Indonesia, which is the coordinator of the summit, and other members of ASEAN. Washington, under the Biden administration, has been ratcheting up its engagement with Southeast Asia, where it has traditional treaty allies as well as other partners. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Indonesia and Malaysia in December, a trip that followed visits to the region by Vice President Kamala Harris, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and State Department Counselor Derek Chollett. Blinken had earlier laid out a “new, comprehensive Indo-Pacific Strategy,” that emphasized the U.S. view of ASEAN and Southeast Asia’s importance to the Indo-Pacific region. Speaking last week, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said: “It is a top priority for the Biden-Harris Administration to serve as a strong, reliable partner and to strengthen an empowered and unified ASEAN to address the challenges of our time.” ASEAN has been grappling with a 13-month-old crisis in bloc member Myanmar, where a military junta is bombing and burning swathes of the country to quell resistance to the overthrow of the elected government in February 2021. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has also posed a challenge to ASEAN unity, with the bloc as whole calling for a ceasefire without naming Russia or using the word “invasion” while members supported much a tougher U.N. General Assembly resolution against Moscow. Reported by RFA's Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun, Written in English by Paul Eckert. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/usa-asean-03092022171929.html Copyright © 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036

Police yesterday arrested a Chinese suspect for allegedly killing his Chinese girlfriend. The woman was found beaten and strangled to death. The murder took place on February 28 at a rented house in Buon commune in Preah Sihanouk province. Penal Department Police Officer Lieutenant Colonel Keo Veansa said yesterday that the suspect was identified as Li Xiao Liang, 31, a Chinese tourist. Lt Col Veasna identified the victim as Lou Zhin Jin, 42, a Chinese national working with a Chinese-owned casino in Sihanoukville’s Buon commune. He said at about 2 pm on February 28, the body of the victim was found lying on a bed with her hands and legs tied with nylon ropes and bruises were found on the face and body. He said the owner of the house alerted provincial authorities and police were sent to the crime scene. Lt Col Veasna added that based on information provided by the house owner and footage from CCTV cameras, police were able to identify the suspect. He added that the suspect was later arrested at about 11 am yesterday at a hotel in Por Senchey district’s Kakab II commune. “He was arrested after police raided the hotel where he was hiding,” Lt Col Veasna said. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501038243/chinese-man-arrested-over-murder-of-a-woman/

News of meeting comes as NGOs call for better treatment of female workers on International Women’s Day. Cambodia Minister of Interior Sar Kheng will lead a meeting of governmental officials on Wednesday in an effort to resolve the long-standing NagaWorld Casino labor dispute, a move that worker rights groups applauded as a positive step. The Phnom Penh Post reported Tuesday that the ministers of the health, labor and justice departments and the heads of the Phnom Penh city government, municipal court and the national police will attend the meeting, according to a March 4 invitation letter. Thousands of NagaWorld workers walked off their jobs in mid-December, demanding higher wages and the reinstatement of 11 jailed union leaders and workers and 365 others they say were unjustly fired from the hotel and casino, which is owned by a Hong Kong-based company believed to have connections to family members of Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen. Cambodian authorities have called the strike “illegal” and alleged that it is supported by foreign donors as a plot to topple the government. But a series of mass arrests in recent weeks have been attributed to alleged violations of pandemic health regulations in Cambodia’s capital. Activists said the charges were trumped up to break up the strike. The news of the meeting provides hope that the 11 leaders and workers will be released soon, Khun Tharo, program manager for Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights, told RFA’s Khmer Service. “I think this is the time to resolve the labor dispute. If the authorities can act neutrally, this can be a mutual concession. I think we can end it here,” he said. A group of women also protested Tuesday in front of the Prey Sar prison, where the 11 detained unionists are being held. They released balloons and shouted that the arrested union leaders, most of whom are female, should be released immediately. Ou Tep Pallin, the vice president of the Cambodian Food and Service Workers' Federation, called on authorities to release the 11, eight of whom are union officials before they start talking about resolving the labor dispute. “I would like the casino’s management to talk with the union leaders after their release. They must be released first before we can resume talking,” she told RFA. Elsewhere in the city, more than 400 people from 17 NGOs gathered to mark the International Women’s Day. Cambodian women who operate informal businesses face many challenges, Vorn Pov, president of the Independent Democracy of Informal Economy Association NGO, who attended the event, told RFA. He said that authorities have not given any social support to about 75 percent of roughly 2 million women in informal business. “The government hasn’t helped women who are working as street venders. I urge the government to support them,” he said. He also mentioned that he believes the government is harassing the striking NagaWorld workers. The Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association issued a statement Tuesday saying a report compiled by the NGO shows that women in Cambodia continue to suffer abuses, like rape, domestic violence and human trafficking. The NGO said it received 243 complaints of those abuses over the past two years. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Eugene Whong. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/meeting-03082022180740.html Copyright © 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036.

Nearly 62,000 traps were removed from protected areas last year, up more than 18,000 from the year prior, the Environment Ministry said, as a conservationist estimated the total number of traps being set in the forests could be five times as high. Ministry spokesperson Neth Pheaktra, speaking at the start of a government campaign aiming for “zero traps” in protected areas, said the traps threatened many species of wildlife both small and large. The traps came in a variety of forms, from metal clasps to electric shocks, he said. Some 43,270 traps were removed in 2020, rising to 61,614 traps removed in 2021, Pheaktra said. Some 758 hunting rifles were also confiscated last year, he said. WWF country director Seng Teak said that previously most traps were traditional ones largely made from vines, but recently there were more modern traps with metal springs. “They are very effective,” Teak said, adding that they cost only about $5 each. “They have upgraded.” Teak estimated that the traps found by rangers and community patrols made up about 20 percent of the total, with the remainder still left in the forests. read more https://vodenglish.news/more-than-60000-traps-removed-from-protected-areas/

PHNOM PENH (THE PHNOM PENH POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has requested that the summit between the United States and Asean be postponed as the dates have not been fully agreed upon between member states. According to the Premier, the US had announced that the summit was scheduled for March 28 to 29, but Indonesia, who was acting as mediator, had not coordinated the scheduling with the other Asean members yet. Speaking at the inauguration of the Cambodia-China Friendship Hospital in Tbong Khmum province on Monday (March 7), Mr Hun Sen noted that some Asean leaders wanted the summit to be held on March 26 to 27, but the US said the dates would not work for its officials, while the leaders of at least three Asean countries also said they could not attend the meeting if it was held on those dates. "I would like to ask for a postponement if there is no agreement on the summit schedule. The Asean-US summit should be delayed," he said without proposing a new date. Mr Hun Sen hoped Asean and the US would find a suitable date to meet, saying that as the chair of Asean, he would be available for the summit on any date in March . read more https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/cambodian-pm-hun-sen-asks-for-us-asean-summit-to-be-postponed

Illegal gamblers felt the full force of the law yesterday after a police crackdown on illegal gambling and ‘fishing’ games The raid by Khan Chamkar Mon Unity Command to crack down on gambling and fishing games netted seven people in Village 4, Street 97, corner of Street 508, Sangkat Phsar Doeum Thkov, Khan Chamkar Morn. Chamkarmon district officials said that before the crackdown on the fishing game, there were reports from people living near the gambling place and that men and women, young people and delinquents came out to play. During the operation, the police detained 7 people,2 fishing game cabinets and 6 computer cabinets and stored them at Chamkarmon District Hall for processing. It should be noted that gambling crimes are the root cause of theft, robbery and many other crimes that occur every day, causing innocent people to lose valuable property and some to be physically injured and to be. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501037929/police-crack-down-on-illegal-phnom-penh-gambling-dens/

Frustrated workers say they are fighting casino managers and city officials. Authorities in Phnom Penh arrested another 180 striking employees of the NagaWorld Casino Monday as the fight against the Hong-Kong based company enters a third month. Thousands of workers walked off their jobs in mid-December, demanding higher wages and the reinstatement of several jailed union leaders and 365 workers they say were unjustly fired from the hotel and casino, which is owned by a Hong Kong-based company believed to have connections to family members of Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen. Cambodian authorities have called the strike “illegal” and alleged that it is supported by foreign donors as a plot to topple the government. But a series of arrests in recent weeks have been attributed to alleged violations of pandemic health regulations in Cambodia’s capital. Activists said the charges were trumped up to break up the strike. On Monday, dozens of security officers forced the 180 strikers onto buses and transported them to a quarantine center in the city’s suburbs for processing. The workers maintain that they have been following quarantine rules. “The authorities accuse us relentlessly. I ask where is the will to find a solution for the people who have been exploited by foreign companies? Where is the justice for the Cambodian people?” Miech Srey Oun, a worker who has now been arrested twice, told RFA’s Khmer Service. “The company tried to turn our dispute with the company over to the authorities, even though we, the workers, had a dispute with the employers only, not with the authorities,” she said. Miech Srey Oun said that a bus released the workers into the hot sun. The strikers were not given food and water, she said. Chinn Usaphea, another striking casino employee, told RFA that the strike is a last resort. She and her coworkers exhausted all other options in hope of resolving their dispute with NagaWorld. She is now calling on Hun Sen to step in and solve the dispute. “As citizen, I would like to ask the Samdech father Hun Sen to look at his children in NagaWorld, because we need to be stable in the workplace and to have unions in the workplace,” she said. “He should tell the relevant ministries to stand neutral to encourage the NagaWorld employers to come out and deal with their grieving staff to end this long-standing dispute,” she said. RFA could not reach Phnom Penh City Hall spokesman Met Meas Pheakdey and Ministry of Labor spokesman Heng Sour for comment. The authorities should release the detained union representatives and let them solve the issue with NagaWorld, Ny Sokha, president of the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association, told RFA. Once the union leaders are free, they can negotiate and the strikers would have no reason to demonstrate, he said. He noted that the government, which has called for talks to end the war in Ukraine, could handle this much smaller dispute. “This is such a small thing compared to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. So, I think the government is not so incompetent that it cannot solve the NagaWorld issue,” he said. “But this depends on the will of the government to solve the problem. That requires will of the government to uphold justice for the workers, who need help from the government.” On March 4, two NagaWorld strikers were placed under judicial surveillance in connection with allegations that they had prevented other NagaWorld workers from taking COVID-19 tests, which the two workers denied. As one of the largest casinos in Phnom Penh, NagaWorld had a total of over 8,000 workers before the strike. The number has been reduced to slightly over 6,000 after the cutbacks that caused the strike. Translated by Sok Ry Sum. Written in English by Eugene Whong. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/nagaworld-03072022174637.html Copyright © 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036.

Phnom Penh (VNA) – Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on March 7 announced that the nation will hold the traditional Khmer New Year festival Chol Chhnam Thmay in 2022 as usual. According to the PM, COVID-19 vaccination is an important factor for the economy to operate and for the nation to welcome foreign tourists. According to the local health body, as of March 7, the country has vaccinated 91.83 percent of its 16 million population against COVID-19. The Chol Chhnam Thmay will take place in three days, from April 14 to 16./.

Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday called on Cambodians not to volunteer themselves to help Ukraine as the government will not allow anyone to go to the country. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Cambodia-China Tboung Khmum Friendship Hospital with the Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian, Mr Hun Sen urged Cambodians not be overly concerned about wanting to volunteer their help in the Ukraine as the government will not give them the opportunity to go there. “There is nothing to go there, do not pour gasoline on the fire, do not ignite in the way that some Cambodians ask to be volunteer soldiers to fight in Ukraine,” he added. “I will not allow our people to die in Ukraine. Our Constitution does not allow that. The only ones who can go abroad for mission are our Blue Helmet troops, but it’s under the auspices of humanitarianism of the United Nations,” he added. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501037500/govt-will-not-allow-cambodians-to-leave-country-to-help-ukraine/

A study by a local non-governmental organisation, Four Paws, revealed that at least two to three million dogs are slaughtered every year for its meat with the main consumers being in Siem Reap province. The study also revealed that the main distributor of dog meat for the whole country was from Siem Reap province. Four Paws representative Thorn Ratany said that at least 30 million dogs and cats have been slaughtered for meat, including three million dogs, with the Siem Reap as the main supplier of the meat to all provinces. She said with the provincial authorities, especially from the Department of Agriculture, taking stern measures to stop the slaughter of cats and dogs, the business is not as lucrative as before. Yesterday, the department had informed all members of the public to stop the slaughter and sale of dog meat and those caught doing so will be charged in court. They can be punished by the provisions of Articles 112, 113 and 115 of the Law on Animal Health and Production and under Article 112, anyone caught buying, selling or slaughtering dogs without permission shall be subject to a fine of up to seven million riel ($1,700). read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501037492/people-warned-of-legal-action-if-caught-slaughtering-and-trading-dog-meat/

Police from the Anti-drug Department conducted crackdowns at two locations and arrested four suspects, including three Thai nationals, as well as confiscated nearly 65 kilograms of drugs. On March 3, the Anti-Drug task force, led by senior officials of the department, cooperated with the Phnom Penh Municipal Police Force to investigate and crackdown on two different targets. The operation was done with coordination of the Deputy Prosecutor of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, Say Nora. The first location investigated was at a petrol station in Champou Vorn Village, Sangkat Choam Chao 3, Khan Por Senchey, Phnom Penh. During the crackdown an individual was arrested and police seized around 60 kilograms of drugs. The second location was investigated at the afternoon of the same day at Borey Piphop Thmey, Street 15B, Sangkat Kamboul, Khan Kamboul, Phnom Penh. At the location police arrested three suspects and two firearms. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501037348/drug-busts-leads-to-arrest-of-thai-nationals-firearms-and-drugs-seized/

About 20 foreigners, men and women, were arrested by the Phnom Penh Military Police at a ‘massage parlour’ early yesterday morning on charges of selling and using sex services. The bust took place at at around 12.15am on March 6, 2022, along Street 172, Sangkat Phsar Thmei 3, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh. Military Police raided the premises – known as ‘Fragrant Bay’ after a tipoff. Before searching the premises, police cordoned off the immediate area by sealing access by using their vehicles as a makeshift roadblock. After searching the premises, police detained around 20 foreign men and women – believed to all be Chinese – on suspicion of immorality and selling and using sex services. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501036643/20-foreign-nationals-arrested-in-phnom-penh-brothel-bust/

Minister of Justice Koeut Rith led a meeting of an ad-hoc sub-commission to implement an action plan devised by the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering. It is hoped that the plan will solve the remaining issues the Kingdom faces and result in a positive evaluation in the ninth round of progress reports by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). A positive result should see Cambodia moved off FATF’s money laundering “grey list”. The meeting was held on March 3 with the minister leading a review and discussing the progress of working groups which were focussed on implementing “Immediate Outcomes” 6, or IO.6, on Financial Intelligence, IO.11 on proliferation of financial sanctions, and IO.7 and 8, which involve investigation, prosecution and confiscation in money-laundering crimes. read more https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/kingdom-wants-grey-list

2 teenage gangs – known as the ’79 gang’ and the ’98 small gang’ were arrested by Phnom Penh Police on Saturday after they ran amok in Koh Pich. The incident took place at 9:10 pm on March 5, 2022 in the area of Koh Pich, Sangkat Tonle Bassac, Khan Chamkarmon, Phnom Penh. The 2 gangs had gathered to cause chaos but their gangland escapades were swiftly brought to a stop by the Minor Criminal police of the Phnom Penh Municipal Police who arrested a total of 18 people, including a woman – as well as confiscating eight motorcycles. Onlookers described their anti-social behaviour, which included intimidating onlookers with displays of bravado as well as chasing each other around bamboo trees. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501036653/the-gangs-of-phnom-penh-delinquents-attempts-to-cause-chaos-ends-in-mass-arrests/

As tourists trickle back, nation needs new image to compete in region, experts say SIEM REAP -- The Cambodian city of Siem Reap, gateway to Angkor Wat, has undergone a $150 million infrastructure makeover that officials hope will help the tourism hub recover after two years without foreign visitors. Completed in January, the 38 new roads, flanked by level footpaths and skirted by freshly painted bicycle lanes, stand out when compared to many of the country's urban spaces, which largely lack separated spaces for pedestrians and cyclists. The revamp is part of the 2021-2035 Siem Reap Master Plan, which aims to boost international visitors to the city to 7.5 million by 2035, create 940,000 jobs and generate an additional $6 billion in revenue. The plan, which has yet to be publicly released in full, includes the construction of a new city center around a new airport, among other projects. Analysts see the recent upgrades as an important first step to reviving the tourism sector, which before the pandemic accounted for about 20% of the country's real gross domestic product. But refurbishing roads alone, they say, will not be enough to guarantee the future of an industry that was already showing signs of decline before COVID-19 brought it to its knees. read more https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Travel-Leisure/Cambodia-s-Siem-Reap-gets-150m-makeover-now-it-needs-visitors

Khmer Times has been actively reporting various cases of recue of various nationals from human trafficking rings which traded people who were lured into the online gambling scene throughout the country, be it in Sihanoukville, Koh Kong, Phnom Penh and Thai border provinces. Now Kandal became the latest to be dragged into this quagmire when 44 Indonesian nationals were rescued from online gambling syndicates in the province’s Chrey Thum district on February 26 after days of negotiations and careful planning and coordination with Cambodian law enforcement agencies and the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom penh. While the rescue of the 44 is not really shocking as such incidents have received widespread coverage in Khmer Times and other vernacular media, the exposure that more than 30 of the 44 rescued, had gone through a harrowing time when they were traded like cattle by another online gambling syndicate from Sihanoukville to Chry Thum and relocated there. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501036544/more-than-30-indonesian-nationals-rescued-from-online-gambling-syndicate-on-kandal-sold-from-sihanoukville/

A foreign national is reported to have committed suicide by jumping from the 11th floor of a Cambodian casino. The man – reported to be Mesa Soyseng, a 19-year-old Thai man – was working as a marketing assistant for Crown Casino in Kbal Spean 1 Village, Sangkat Poipet, Poipet City. At around 4:30 am on March 3, 2022, Poipet City Police Inspectorate discovered his body after being alerted by Mr. Soth Kosal, Assistant Director General of Crown Casino, that an unidentified person had jumped from the CSX building. Police conducted a careful search including viewing the company’s security cameras. Police sources say that the deceased shared a room with Phi Rayot Wutty Khun (Pao), male, 24 years old, Thai and Vong Savann Phai Kong, male, 20 years old, both Thai nationals from Ratchaburi Province, Thailand. According to them, the deceased had been acting in a strange manner, complaining of feeling flying animals on his face. His 2 compatriots maintained a watch on him, but at 3am on March 2nd, they fell asleep and did not wake up until 9.25am. read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501035898/foreign-national-jumps-from-11th-story-of-casino-in-apparent-suicide/

With a little over 90 days to the commune elections, political parties began registering candidates on Friday to run in the 1,652 communes across the country. The National Election Committee kicked off a three-day registration process for political parties to nominate candidates for the June 5 commune election. The 1,652 communes will have 11,622 councilors, with tens of thousands of candidates — includings reserves — registered this weekend. The 2017 commune election saw the opposition CNRP perform better than any other opposition party before, winning 489 commune chief positions and 5,007 councilors across the country. The party was dissolved months later by the Supreme Court for allegedly orchestrating a color revolution in the country. Hang Puthea, a spokesperson for the NEC, said that 10 political parties had started submitting candidates for the election, though officials would have to assess all the nomination papers to ensure they were compliant with the regulations. Puthea added that if there were complaints with the election process, they always came from “one side.” “The voices about this and that are coming from one side only. So, the NEC will not accept those to be under its jurisdiction,” he said. https://vodenglish.news/three-day-election-nominations-begin-with-small-parties-facing-threats-plagued-by-scarce-resources/

Washington — Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, long friendly with Moscow, took pains Thursday to explain to his ruling party and government why his administration joined dozens of other countries in co-sponsoring this week's U.N. resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "We do not support the use of force and readiness to use force or the threatened use of force," he said in an audio message that also expressed the hope that Russia would "understand" his decision. He said that Cambodia could not remain silent as Russia countered the Southeast Asian nation's own policies and "the situation in Ukraine worsens," according to a transcript of the message released to the public by the office of the spokesperson of the Royal Government of Cambodia on Thursday night. Hun Sen also said his government was working to address the crisis within the framework of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Cambodia is chair this year. "We are in discussions with other ASEAN members to issue a statement calling for a cease-fire, because without a cease-fire, human life and property will continue to die and be destroyed, making negotiations impossible," he said. "We must, therefore, decide to call for a cease-fire, which is desirable for negotiations to find a solution. This is on behalf of ASEAN." Hun Sen said that Cambodia needed to act within the framework of Cambodia's own policies, as well as those of ASEAN. FILE - A general view shows the results of the voting during the 11th emergency special session of the U.N. General Assembly on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at the United Nations Headquarters in Manhattan, New York City, March 2, 2022. Nearly 100 countries co-sponsored the resolution, which was introduced in the General Assembly after Russia vetoed a similar motion at the U.N. Security Council last week. Of the 193 U.N. member states, 181 countries voted on the resolution Wednesday. Among them, 141 countries supported the resolution condemning Moscow. Five countries — Russia and its allies Belarus, Syria, North Korea and Eritrea — opposed it. Thirty-five countries abstained, including China, a close ally of Cambodia's; India; and ASEAN members Vietnam and Laos. Russian troops invaded Ukraine on February 24, bringing the capital, Kyiv, and other cities under siege. More than 1 million Ukrainians have fled to neighboring countries, and if the conflict does not end soon, millions more will be forced to flee Ukraine, according to Filippo Grandi, the U.N. high commissioner for refugees. Hun Sen, who has been prime minister since 1985, said that many countries were condemning the war in Ukraine, and Cambodia needed to take a clear position. He added that at the request of Japan, France, Germany and the United States, Cambodia decided to co-sponsor the resolution with other countries as a matter of necessity. Hun Sen added that while he understood the move would anger Russia, Cambodia, as a sovereign state, has the right to act and must "protect the truth." It also has a responsibility as a U.N. member. "Hopefully, our Russian friend will understand, because what has been done in the past is contrary to our Cambodian policy on foreign policy, in which we do not support the separation of a state. This is the first point," Hun Sen said. "Second, we do not support the use of force and readiness to use force or the threatened use of force." The U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh welcomed the statement. "The United States is pleased to see Cambodia and Singapore join us and other nations in co-sponsoring a resolution deploring Russian aggression and demanding an end to its unprovoked war against Ukraine," it said. "The resolution was supported by most ASEAN nations. The world is taking action to hold Russia accountable." Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Monday imposed rare unilateral sanctions on Russia, describing the attack on Ukraine as "an unprovoked military invasion of a sovereign state." Singapore is also an ASEAN member. The Cambodia National Rescue Party, the exiled opposition party, also condemned the Russian aggression. "I believe that whenever we see one country invading another, we cannot take a middle position," CNRP acting President Sam Rainsy told VOA Khmer late Wednesday. "We must condemn the country that invaded" and "help protect" the affected country if possible. Sam Rainsy also called on democratic countries to stand up for the protection of democracy. He praised the spirit of the Ukrainian people fighting to protect the freedom and sovereignty of the country. https://www.voanews.com/a/cambodian-leader-defends-un-vote-on-ukraine-invasion-/6469158.html

An analyst says the comments are part of a bid by the former CNRP leader to return to politics. Cambodia’s opposition chief Kem Sokha on Thursday appeared to offer his support for Prime Minister Hun Sen’s son Hun Manet as the ruling party’s candidate for his father’s role, in what a political analyst said is likely part of a bid to reenter politics despite his ongoing trial on charges of “treason.” Speaking to reporters ahead of a hearing in his case at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, the 68-year-old former head of the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) said he “support[s] the idea of preparing successors because no one lives forever” and expressed hope that the next generation of politicians can resolve the stalemate left by their predecessors. While Kem Sokha did not mention Hun Manet by name, his comments follow Hun Sen’s recent announcement that he had selected his son to run atop the ticket for the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) in Cambodia’s upcoming local elections, scheduled for June 5. When asked about Kem Sokha’s apparent backing of Hun Manet, CPP spokesman Sok Ey San told RFA that political appointments are an internal party matter and that his message is being viewed as one of external support. He said the CPP’s new generation of leaders will continue to implement existing party policy. “If [Kem Sokha] thinks the CPP’s prime minister candidate is capable, that is his opinion,” he said. Political researcher Em Sovannara told RFA he believes that Kem Sokha’s comments were meant to show that “he is not Hun Sen’s enemy” in the hopes of convincing the government to allow him to reenter politics. But he said that Kem Sokha’s comments are unlikely to be welcomed by CNRP supporters or acted on by the CPP without additional pressure from the U.S. and other Western nations, which have called for a resolution to Cambodia’s political stalemate. “I think the CNRP’s supporters don’t support Kem Sokha’s stance on Hun Manet as the CPP’s candidate for prime minister,” he said. “But Kem Sokha is willing to ignore that if it means he will be given a chance to enter politics.” Lengthy court case Kem Sokha was arrested in September 2017 over an alleged plot backed by the United States to overthrow the government of Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for more than 35 years. Kem Sokha spent a year in jail before being released under court supervision. After his arrest, Cambodia’s Supreme Court dissolved the CNRP in a move that allowed the CPP to win all 125 seats in Parliament in a July 2018 election and drew U.S. sanctions and the suspension of trade privileges with the European Union. When his trial resumed on Jan. 19 after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kem Sokha called for the treason charges against him to be dropped. He and his supporters say the charges are politically motivated. On Wednesday, the former CNRP chief told reporters his fate in court would be decided by the political atmosphere of the nation, while continuing to defend his innocence. He urged the court to drop the charges against him so that he can return to politics and take part in local elections. “If [the political situation] is improved, the court will also make good decision,” he said. “I hope that the court will stand on the principle of justice.” During his trial, Kem Sokha asked representatives of NGOs who were monitoring the hearing whether they want to see the CPP engage in political talks with the opposition, adding that the ruling party has yet to contact him. Seong Senkaruna, spokesman for Cambodian rights group ADHOC, told RFA he responded that the country’s NGOs “want peaceful talks, as well to end the political crisis.” When asked about Kem Sokha’s call for an end to the charges against him, government spokesman Phay Siphan said his case “is being dealt with by the court” and that Hun Sen could not intervene. Hearings in Kem Sokha’s trial will resume on March 9. Reported by RFA’s Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/succession-03032022193603.html Copyright © 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036.

ORAL DISTRICT, Kampong Speu — A long dirt road in Trapaing Chor commune sees trailers traveling to the foothills of the Oral mountains and coming back with firewood and other pieces of timber. In front of each house is a small collection of wood, mostly to be used for fence posts. At a wooden bridge in the area, a woman says she asks for a toll from trailers carrying wood out of the Phnom Oral Wildlife Sanctuary every day. She suggested that reporters wait and count how many vehicles come through. VOD reporters saw at least six trailers pass by in the next hour. Last month, several residents in Trapaing Chor spoke to reporters that illegal logging is rampant to support livelihoods in the village, and that getting permission to cut the protected trees was a matter of paying a small, regular bribe. Mol Rim, 43, said her family had recently bought a trailer for family members to go logging in the Oral mountains and haul timber out. Residents needed the work to pay their debts, she said. “Most of the villagers here owe money to the bank,” Rim said. The family pays local environmental officers 150,000 riel a month, about $37.5, to be allowed to cut the wood, Rim said. read more https://vodenglish.news/villagers-speak-of-bribes-to-cut-wood-in-kampong-speu-sanctuary/

Two further charges were added against a Chinese man who has been working to rescue forced laborers, as the Preah Sihanouk Provincial Court sent the man and two others to the provincial prison for pretrial detention. Accounts of torture, detention and forced labor have emerged from compounds in Sihanoukville and elsewhere linked to prominent businesspeople and politicians, as victims have spoken of being trafficked, held in debt bondage and being bought and sold between online scam operations. Some have spoken of gratitude for Chen Baorong, head of the Cambodia-China Charity Team, for helping them escape or recover. Preah Sihanouk governor K Chamroeun, however, has said that one case, in which a victim alleged his blood was harvested after refusing to work, had caused him “headaches” and could hurt friendships. On Thursday, provincial court spokesman Ly Chandara shared a document showing judges had charged four people including Li Ya Yuan Lun, 31, who had alleged the blood harvesting incident and remains in a Phnom Penh hospital. read more https://vodenglish.news/court-adds-charges-for-rescuer-sends-to-prison-for-pretrial-detention/

This footage also showcases joint efforts made by the Royal Government of Cambodia and the local community to protect and maintain the value of the site. On the occasion of the National Culture Day in Cambodia on 3 March 2022, the National Authority for Preah Vihear, Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, and UNESCO have produced a short video to shed light on the richness of the site of Koh Ker and featuring some of the most iconic landscapes, sculptures, man-made pond called Rahal, and temples such as Prasat Srut and Prasat Prang of the Prasat Thom complex. Koh Ker, Archaeological Site of Ancient Lingapura or Chok Gargyar is one of the most significant cultural heritage sites in Cambodia, which comprises 169 archeological remains and 76 temples while continuing to be a place of worship for the local community. This footage also showcases joint efforts made by the Royal Government of Cambodia and the local community to protect and maintain the value of the site. UNESCO has been working actively with the Royal Government of Cambodia and civil society to leverage cultural heritage – sites and objects as well as intangible and underwater heritage – and the creative and cultural industries for sustainable development. Home to a rich collection of diverse cultural heritage and dynamic creative sectors, Cambodia has three World Heritage Sites (Angkor, Preah Vihear, read more https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/headlines/1946276-cambodia-unesco-produce-short-video-to-promote-richness-of-site-of-koh-ker

Two Thai budget airlines have announced flights to Cambodia in a bid to spur bilateral tourism after the Covid-19 crisis, with one of them newly launching air links with the country, according to tourism ministry officials and representatives from the Kingdom’s main travel agent association. The Ministry of Tourism on February 27 announced that Thai Smile Airlines will resume twice-weekly flights between Bangkok and Siem Reap from March 3. And Thai VietJet Air is working with Phaya Thai Hospital in Bangkok to serve health tourists from Cambodia, in a move announced by Cambodia Association of Travel Agents (CATA). The ministry called on tour operators and Cambodian residents to continue promoting tourism to Siem Reap through any means available to them. Home to the world famous Angkor Wat, the province and its namesake town is one of Cambodia’s most important cultural and historical destinations. read more https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/thailand-low-cost-airlines-relaunch-open-brand-new-links-cambodia