Thaksin Risks His Reputation (online.wsj.com)

Since Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra was forced out of power in a military coup three years ago, he has made a show of traveling the world to keep in the public eye back home. But his latest gambit -- taking up a role as economic adviser to Thailand's neighbor and rival, Cambodia -- threatens to backfire and jeopardize his standing in the country he still hopes one day to lead, analysts say.

On Thursday, Mr. Thaksin, a telecommunications magnate, began his new job by delivering a lecture on economic planning to Cambodian government officials in Phnom Penh, the capital.

PetroVietnam to look for oil in Cambodia (Thanhniennews.com)

PetroVietnam Exploration Production Corp., a member of state-owned Vietnam Oil & Gas Group, plans to explore for oil and gas in Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake area.

Under the terms of a contract signed with the Cambodian National Petroleum Authority in Phnom Penh Thursday, PetroVietnam Exploration will do seismic and exploration work in the northeastern part of the Tonle Sap Lake in central Cambodia, according to an e-mailed statement from PetroVietnam.

Hanoi-based PetroVietnam Exploration, which will have 100 percent ownership over Block XV, covering about 6,900 square kilometers (2,664 square miles), can explore for oil for 30 years and gas for 35 years.

PetroVietnam Exploration is also involved in projects in Laos and Myanmar.

PM Abhisit calls an urgent meeting (Bangkok Post)

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has called for an urgent meeting with his deputy Suthep Thaugsuban and three other ministers after Cambodia rejected the Thai government’s request for extradition of fugitive ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra.

Other ministers at the meeting were Justice Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, Energy Minister Wannarat Channukul and PM’s Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey.

Reporters were given no indication what they would discuss as the men went in to the meeting.

Indonesia concerns Thailand, Cambodia tensions (CCTV)

Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia are raising concerns from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Indonesia, says the dispute has to end, and the bloc must return to the usual path of friendship within ASEAN.

Marty Natalegawa, Indonesian Foreign Minister, said, "Tension between Cambodia and Thailand is something we're following extremely closely with a great deal of concern, to be honest, because it affects two fellow members of ASEAN, and we see the deterioration of relations to be in total disconnect with what ought to mark how ASEAN member countries ought to engage with one another."

Situation 'normal' on Thailand's border with Cambodia: Thai army chief (TNA)

Thai army chief Gen Anupong Paochinda affirmed on Wednesday that there has been no military movement along the Thai-Cambodian border by either side, but that in military terms the situation is not worrisome.

Gen Anupong said the military is closely monitoring the situation and avoiding cross-border confrontations after the arrival Tuesday in Phnom Penh of ousted Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra to lecture Cambodian economists on his first assignment as economic adviser to the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen.

He declined to comment on the visit to the Cambodian capital by Mr Thaksin, saying only that as a former Thai prime minister he should know what is appropriate and what is not.

As for Mr Thaksin’s interview with the Times daily in London, considered deeply offensive to the Thai monarch, Gen Anupong said the army will instruct all military personnel to not to redistribute or discuss the article as doing so has legal implications and might cause further problems.

Cambodia refuses Thaksin extradition (AFP)

CAMBODIAN officials handed over a formal letter to Thai diplomats today refusing to extradite fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Three Thai diplomats gave extradition papers to officials at Cambodia's foreign affairs ministry but were then handed back a note from Phnom Penh denying their request.

"Our diplomatic note answering them is nothing beyond rejecting the extradition request," Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told AFP shortly before officials from the two countries exchanged the formal letters.

Thai Foreign Minister attends 21st APEC Ministerial Meeting (Mfa.go.th)

On the first day, he will join other ministers for a working breakfast for a free flowing discussion on key challenges facing the region and how to address them together.

During the day, Foreign Minister Kasit is also expected to have bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Australia and the United States of America.

Termination of the Memorandum of Understanding between Thailand and Cambodia regarding the Area of their Overlapping Maritime Claims to the Continental Shelf dated 18 June 2001 (Mfa.go.th)

On 10 November 2009, the Cabinet approved, in principle, the termination of the Memorandum of Understanding between Thailand and Cambodia regarding the Area of their Overlapping Maritime Claims to the Continental Shelf dated 18 June 2001. The Cabinet further resolved to submit the draft negotiation framework for the termination of the MOU to the Parliament for approval. Upon receiving the Parliament’s approval, a notification of the termination will be sent to the Cambodian side through diplomatic channels.

Chavalit: Call a general election now (Khmerization)

The government should call a general election as soon as possible now that it believes its popularity rating is high, Puea Thai Party chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh (pictured) said in an interview with foreign media on Tuesday.

"In fact, I want the government to dissolve the House of Representatives today or tomorrow, since its popularity rating is how so high. This should be done now before major problems occur and become more difficult to solve," he said.

Red carpet welcome to Thaksin's new role (Khmerization)

Fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra received a warm welcome on his arrival in Phnom Penh yesterday to serve as an economic adviser to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

After his private jet landed at Phnom Penh International Airport in the morning, he was whisked away in a motorcade to Hun Sen's official residence.

Thaksin's first day in the Cambodian capital began with a series of courtesy calls to senior people in the ruling Cambodian People's Party and ended in dinner with Hun Sen and his family.

It is said he was treated to a nine-course meal of various traditional delicacies. According to Thai belief, nine is considered a lucky number.

Upon landing in Phnom Penh, Thaksin posted a Twitter message saying he had landed, but was "really homesick".

"Tonight I will dine with P M Hun Sen and his family. I want to reiterate that nation, religion and the monarchy are always on my mind," he wrote.

Cambodia reacts to request to annul 1907 Franco-Thai Treaty (Khmerization)

Var Kimhong, Cambodia's chief border negotiator, reacted to the Thai People's Alliance for Democracy's (PAD) demand for the annulment of the 1907 Franco-Siamese Treaty by saying that the act will contravene international laws, reports Radio Free Asia.

Earlier this week, a group of Thai hardline politicians from the PAD had asked the Thai government to cancel the 1907 Treaty and annul the 1:200,000 scale 1907 treaty map produced by France and accepted by the then Thai government. Mr. Kimhong said the Thai government cannot annul the treaty and the map because the International Court of justice in 1962 had accepted and used the treaty and the map to reach its verdict which gave ownership of Preah Vihear and the surrounding areas to Cambodia.

Government seeking international community help in capturing Thaksin (The Nation)

Thailand is turning the heat on fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra by asking fellow Asean members and others in the intentional community to assist the government's determination to capture the former premier.

Government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said Tuesday besides Asean countries, the Interpol (International Police) and others in the international community have been asked to keep a look out for Thaksin's whereabout and to arrest him immediately and turn him over to the Thai authorities.

Panitan said all the documents along with evidence have been gathered and are ready to be submitted to the Cambodian authorities so they can arrest Thaksin.

Thailand to submit Thaksin's extradition request Wednesday (The Nation)

Thai Embassy to Phnom Penh will submit extradition request for Cambodia to extradite Thaksin Shinawatra on Wednesday, an official said Tuesday.

The Thai Attorney General Office signed the official request and foward the document through the foreign ministry late Tuesday, a few hours after Thaksin landed in Phnom Penh to perform his job as an adivsor to Cambodian government.

Thailand's Thaksin arrives in Cambodia: AFP photographer

AFP

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, Nov 10, 2009 (AFP) - Fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra landed in the Cambodian capital Tuesday to carry out his new role as economics adviser to the government, an AFP photographer said.

Thaksin exited a small private airplane at Phnom Penh International Airport and was then escorted into the Cambodian capital by a convoy of cars under tight security, said an AFP photographer at the scene.
The visit is set to further escalate tensions with neighbouring Thailand, which have increased since last week when Cambodia appointed Thaksin -- ousted as Thai prime minister in a 2006 coup -- as economics adviser.

China agrees $853 million in loans for Cambodia

Reuters

China will provide $853 million in loans to Cambodia for infrastructure, irrigation and dam projects to boost its economy and reduce poverty, Cambodia's foreign minister said on Saturday.

The agreement was clinched on Friday when Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen on the sidelines of an economy and trade fair in Sichuan, Hor Namhong told reporters.

"China continues to help Cambodia's infrastructure development, even though China is itself faced with problems from the global economic crisis," he said.

China will provide $593 million for 11 projects proposed by Cambodia's government in 2009, in addition to $260 million for five projects requested last year, Namhong added.

The money will be invested in new roads near the borders of Thailand and Vietnam and the expansion of existing links to the capital of Phnom Penh.

Cambodian PM returns home from China trade fair trip

Xinhua

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen returned home on Saturday after attending a trade fair and paying a work visit to China's Sichuan province.

Hun Sen led a high-level government delegation to participate in the meeting which included Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, Cham Prasidh, Senior Minister and Minister of Commerce as well as other members of the Royal Government of Cambodia.

ASEAN chief: Thai-Cambodian issue unlikely to be aired at ASEAN Summit

TNA

ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan (pictured) on Wednesday said he did not believe that Cambodia will raise the border conflict with its neighbour Thailand at the upcoming summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at the end of this month.

The ASEAN chief commented after French news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) earlier quoted Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong as saying Prime Minister Hun Sen will raise the Thai border spat at an upcoming regional summit despite opposition from Thailand, which is hosting the meeting.

Mr Hor Namhong however said "Because there is no answer from Thailand to my official proposal, Cambodia still considers that Prime Minister Hun Sen can raise the dispute in the ASEAN summit."

He said that Cambodia is willing to raise the issue in other international bodies, including the United Nations Security Council, and accused Thailand of delaying the resolution of the dispute.

S Korea's Hyundai Group to build vehicle assembling factory in Cambodia: ambassador

Xinhua

Hyundai Company of South Korea will build a vehicle assembling factory in Cambodia, South Korean ambassador to Cambodia said on Wednesday.

"The vehicle assembling factory will be opened in coastal Koh Kong Province," Lee Kyung Soo, South Korean ambassador here told reporters in a news conference on the state visit of South Korea president Lee Myung Bak to Cambodian on Oct. 22-23.

The press conference is organized by the club of Cambodian Journalists.

But Lee Kyung Soo did not give the details about the amount invested by Hyundai in Cambodia. Deputy Director General of Hyundai Group already paid a visit to Cambodia a few days ago, LeeKyung Soo said.

The press release from South Korean Embassy in Phnom Penh said that Camko Motor Company is building a Hyundai car assembly factory in Koh Koh province, about 370 km southwest of capital Phnom Penh. It covered land area of 165,000 square meters with two facilities for maintenance and dormitory. It can assemble 3,000 cars per year and the type of car including SUV, Van and other cars.

A Chinese company to build a new highway detouring Phnom Penh

Source: everyday.com.kh
Reported in English by Khmerization

A Shanghai-based Chinese company, in co-operation with the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation, has began a feasibility study to build a 40-kilometre highway running along the east of Phnom Penh.

Mr. Lim Sidenin, Secretary of State of Ministry of Public Works and Transportation, said the new highway will join Highway No. 1 east of Phnom Penh about 20 kilometre from Monivong Bridge and will run through Prek Talorng village in Chak Angrei district through a 700-800 metres long bridge that will be built across the Bassac River to connect the highway.

The Chinese government-funded highway is expected to cost $US42 million. If approved, the highway is expected to commence constructions in 2010 and in expected to be completed in 2011.

Cambodia to raise border issues with Thailand at ASEAN Summit: Cambodian FM

Xinhua

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen will raise border issues with Thailand at area near the 11th century Khmer Preah Vihear temple at the forthcoming ASEAN summit, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said on Wednesday.

"We requested the Thai side (Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya) in my official letter to put the border issues between Cambodia and Thailand in the agenda of ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) summit but the Thai side so far has not replied to me officially," Hor told reporters at a news conference on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Hor stressed that "border issues between Cambodia and Thailand are easy to settle and easy to plant the border markers if the Thai side respects international regulations" as the verdict of international court and border treaty in 1904 and 1907 and existing mechanism.

"It is the last choice that we will take the border issues with Thailand to international institutions," he said, adding that actually, "we want to deal with the issue through bilateral and peaceful deal."

Lee to visit Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand

Korea Herald

President Lee Myung-bak will visit Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand next week for bilateral and regional summits, Cheong Wa Dae announced yesterday.

He will attend the annual regional summit between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its Asia-Pacific dialogue partners to be held in Hua Hin, Thailand Oct. 24-25.

On his way to Thailand, he will visit Hanoi Tuesday and Phnom Penh Thursday.

Lee will seek to enhance bilateral economic ties and regional cooperation with emerging economies in Southeast Asia, Cheong Wa Dae said.

In a summit on Jeju Island in June, Lee and 10 ASEAN leaders adopted a comprehensive partnership agreement on security, trade and socio-cultural ties. They also finalized a free trade agreement by signing its investment segment.

ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

In the upcoming meeting, they will review the implementation of the agreement and seek to broaden their cooperation, the presidential office said.

Lee will also attend the ASEAN Plus Three Summit which includes China and Japan and an annual East Asia Summit that involves the ASEAN Plus Three and India, Australia and New Zealand.

Economic ties between Korea and ASEAN have grown rapidly since the launch of an official dialogue partnership 20 years ago.

Cambodia to raise Thai border dispute at ASEAN: FM

AFP

Cambodia's foreign minister said Wednesday that premier Hun Sen will raise the Thai border spat at an upcoming regional summit despite opposition from Thailand, which is hosting the meeting.

"The prime minister will raise the issue in the (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) ASEAN summit," Hor Namhong told reporters.

He said the dispute -- which has sparked several deadly troop skirmishes -- remained up for discussion at ASEAN since Thailand had not officially responded to his proposal to include it in the October 23-25 summit.

"Because there is no answer from Thailand to my official proposal, Cambodia still considers that Prime Minister Hun Sen can raise the dispute in the ASEAN summit," Hor Namhong said at a press conference.

Cambodia approves law of non-proliferation of nuclear, chemical weapon

Xinhua

Cambodian National Assembly on Wednesday approved the law of non-proliferation of nuclear weapon, bio-chemical weapon, radioactive weapons and chemical weapon.

"This law bans on producing, recycling, transferring, transporting the kinds of these weapons in the country, and we will create authority for controlling and investigating the chemical substances as well as a laboratory for observing these substances in the country," said Tea Banh, deputy prime minister and minister of national defense. "We do not want to see these substances destroying our people's heath and lives," he added.

Border defence goes on show

VOV

An exhibition on the country’s defence of its borders and territories has opened at the Museum of Vietnam Revolution in Hanoi.

The exhibition is divided into three sections featuring Vietnamese borders before 1945; work on borders and territories from 1945 until today; and establishment of Vietnamese borders of peace, friendship, integration and development.

More than 300 items, documents and pictures displayed at the museum reflect the Party and the State’s attention to, and the people’s participation in defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nation.

The two-month exhibition also showcases the efforts of border working missions and the results of border demarcation and the planting of landmarks between Vietnam and the neighbouring countries of Laos, Cambodia and China.

PM: Cambodia not allow any one to use Cambodia as shelter against other countries

Xinhua

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Tuesday said that his country does not allow foreigners and international organizations to use Cambodia as a stronghold to create illegal political and international organizations to oppose neighboring countries.

Hun Sen made the remarks at the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the founding of the Brigade 70 on the outskirts of Phnom Penh.

"The government has followed a policy that does not allow any illegal political and military organizations which has the purposes of making turmoil in the country to use Cambodia as a stronghold to do activities to oppose the neighboring countries," Hun Sen said.

Hun Sen celebrates 15th Anniversary of his private army

Khmerization

Brigade 70 and the Bodyguard Unit – a Private Army for the Prime Minister

Brigade 70 is a special unit of 2,000 soldiers headquartered in Cham Chao on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Its commander is Major General Mao Sophan. It acts as a reserve force for Hun Sen’s 4,000 strong Bodyguard Unit and Mao Sophan takes his orders from Bodyguard Unit chief Lieutenant General Hing Bun Heang. Hing Bun Heang’s commanding officer is General Kun Kim,294 one of four deputy commanders-in-chief of the RCAF and Hun Sen’s chief of cabinet.258 In January 2007 Hun Sen promoted Kun Kim to four star General, the most senior rank in the Cambodian armed forces.

In the words of a former member of United Nations Office of the High Commission for Human Rights (UNOHCHR) staff, “The term bodyguard is a misnomer ... the Prime Minister’s bodyguard unit is a substantial military elite unit equipped with modern weaponry and many of its members have received special training abroad.” The Bodyguard Unit and Brigade 70 are central to Hun Sen’s strategy of cultivating special units to protect his interests from potential challengers inside and outside the CPP. The latent threat of violence is integral to the prime minister’s hold over the population as a whole, moreover. Hun Sen responds even to muted criticism by declaring that attempts to remove him will cause the country to fall back into conflict and instability. Cambodians take these threats extremely seriously. The fact that the prime minister has developed what is essentially a private army is surely one of the reasons why.

National Assembly Approves Penal Code

VOA

The National Assembly on Monday passed a crucial penal code that government officials hailed as historic, but which others warn could be used to curb freedoms.

Prime Minister Hun Sen has said the passage of the penal code was a prerequisite to a much-awaiting anti-corruption law that donors have pressed for in recent years.

The penal code passed 99-3, following an eight-day debate.

Addressing the National Assembly Monday, Justice Minister Ang Vong Vathana called the day “historic” for “supporting the process of the rule of law.”

Cambodia to import more salt from China

Xinhua

Cambodia will spend a further 2.2 million U.S. dollars importing salt from China during the fourth quarter after salt production was cut back this year by excessive bad weather, local media reported on Tuesday, citing the president of the Cambodian Salt Production Association.

The Kingdom has already spent 2.2 million dollars importing 20,000 tonnes from China this year after it became clear in July that local production would not meet annual demand of about 120,000 tonnes, Ly Seng, the president of the Cambodian Salt Production Association, was quoted by the Phnom Penh Post as saying on Sunday.

"We will spend more money to import more salt if local production still cannot meet local consumption demand," he said.

Thai FM denies wanting Asean involvement

The Nation/Asia News Network

Cambodia's Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said yesterday he would seek help from Asean countries to resolve the dispute with Thailand over the Preah Vihear temple during the Asean Summit late this month in Hua Hin/Cha-am.

He said he agreed with his Thai counterpart Kasit Piromya to seek Asean approval for the establishment of a neutral mechanism to solve disputes among member countries.

However the Thai Foreign Ministry's deputy spokesman Thani Thongpakdi has denied Kasit ever proposed an Asean dispute settlement mechanism to solve the conflict over Preah Vihear.

Police Ban Teacher Demonstration Over Salaries

Phnom Penh police clashed with demonstrating teachers on Monday, as a union demonstration for higher government salaries was banned.

Teachers are demanding a raise from around $30 a month to $250, a demand the government said was not possible.

Police said the members of the Cambodian Independent Teachers Association had gathered in public without a permit. No one was injured, witnesses said.

HRP talks about political alliance with the SRP

Khmerization

An MP from the Human Rights Party (HRP) has said that the party will hold a press conference today (6th October) to inform the public about its plans to form a political alliance with the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP).

Mr. Ou Chanrith (pictured), HRP MP for Kandal constituency, has told Khmer Sthapana by phone that the party will hold a press conference today after Mr. Kem Sokha, the party president, had returned from a visit to Europe to report about his visit to the continent.

ASEAN secretary general to visit Indonesia's quake-affected areas

Xinhua

Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Surin Pitsuwan will visit Indonesia's quake-hit province of West Sumatra on Tuesday, a release from the ASEAN Secretariat said on Monday.

The secretary-general would find out for himself how ASEAN can assist the government of Indonesia in dealing with the disaster.

In Padang, the capital of the province, Pitsuwan would also get a first-hand overview of the latest situation in the wake of the 7.9 magnitude quake from the relevant government authorities including the Governor of West Sumatra and the Mayor of Padang.

Indonesia seeks opportunity from expanding ASEAN, bilateral free trade pacts

Xinhua

Indonesia is upbeat on its growing trade with China, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand following plans to set up Free Trade Area (FTA) pacts with those countries under the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) agreement and by bilateral agreements, a senior official at the Indonesian Trade Ministry said here on Monday.

S.L. Tobing, Foreign Trade Director General at the Trade Ministry, said the government is now preparing to comply with requirements required in the would-be established free trade pacts with those countries.

Over 5,000 Families Need Immediate Help In Cambodia :Oxfam

Bernama

Cambodia is still in emergency relief mode though flood waters in some areas are beginning to stabilize, the international humanitarian agency Oxfam said Tuesday in its press release.

Affected populations are in need of food, plastic sheets, mosquito nets, water filters and water containers among other non- food item needs, China's Xinhua news agency reported.

Livelihoods have greatly been threatened especially with loss of the current rice crop. Wage labour opportunities are no longer available to those who rely on agriculture labour for income, the release said.

According to Oxfam, 5,000 families or about 20,000 people need immediate assistance in four provinces.

This figure may grow bigger as more information is received and more areas accessed. Oxfam's staff reported that flood victims in Kampong Thom, Stueng Treng, Kratie, and Preah Vihear remain among the most vulnerable.

PM : Chalerm must answer for clip to Hun Sen

The Nation

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday questioned the motive of Pheu Thai Party MP Chalerm Yoobamrung in sending to Cambodian PM Hun Sen an audio clip of Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya criticising Hun Sen.

have no idea why he would do that and Chalerm has to answer why. The audio tape was old," the premier said. Abhisit downplayed consequences of Chalerm's move, saying what he did would not adversely affect the bilateral relations between the two countries. Whenever he met Hun Sen, they enjoyed amicable relations.

"Hun Sen told me not to let Preah Vihear [the disputed temple] become an obstacle to other bilateral cooperation,'' he said.

Abhisit said the government would protect the interests of the country and solve the conflict over Preah Vihear through peaceful means.

"That does not mean that [in the interest of ] peace we will allow them [to take over the contested land]. But ....we will be careful not to cause any casualties or losses,'' he said.

Hua Hin train accident death toll rises to 10

The Nation

The death toll in the train derailment at Hua Hin early Monday rose to 10, State Railway of Thailand Governor Yutthana Thapcharoen said.

He said seven victims were women and two men. The other body had yet to be retrieved from the train wreckage.

Pakistani PM directs efforts to get dialogue partnership for ASEAN

Xinhau

Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that Pakistan needs to gear up efforts to gain support for its candidature of dialogue partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The official APP news agency reported Sunday that Gilani directed Pakistani Ambassador designate for Thailand Sohail Mahmood to focus on strengthening of political, economic and trade relations with Thailand, an ASEAN member.

Gilani said that high-level contacts between the two countries were of paramount importance for strengthening the existing cordial relations. He asked Mahmood to strive for arranging high-level visits between the two countries.

Gilani also advised the ambassador designate to ensure close contacts with the Pakistani diaspora in Thailand and undertake every possible effort for their welfare.

Joint agreement necessary on climate change in Greater Mekong: WWF

Xinhua

A report released Monday by an international NGO called for Asia's first regional climate change adaptation agreement in the Greater Mekong region, which, as one of the regions with richest biological diversity on the earth, is already strongly affected by climate change.

"Greater regional cooperation and coordination among Mekong nations is necessary to best cope with the impacts of climate change. Maintaining ecosystem health across borders and over a larger areas is likely the most cost-efficient and effective long-term adaptation strategy available" said Geoffrey Blate, Climate Change Coordinator for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in this region.

The WWF report, "The Greater Mekong And Climate Change: Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services and Development at Risk," stressed that the region, covering an area of 600,000 square kilometers comprising Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and southwestern provinces of China, is to undergo major changes caused by climate change.

Cambodia sees drop in tourists to Preah Vihear Temple

Xinhua

The number of visitors to the Preah Vihear Temple complex dropped by a-third in the third quarter of this year compared with the same period last year, according to a local media report on Monday.

The decrease was a reaction to the ongoing dispute with Thailand over ownership of the land surrounding the World Heritage site, Kong Vibol, director of Preah Vihear province's tourism department, told the Phnom Penh Post.

The official also blamed a general downturn in tourism arrivals, bad weather and lingering fears of influenza A/H1N1.

Only 12,214 people visited the temple complex in last quarter, down 33.93 percent from 18,487 visitors over the same period a year earlier, he was quoted by the report as saying.

The number of foreign visitors dropped 44.6 percent to 426, and the number of domestic tourists went down 34.04 percent to 11,788, Tourism Department figures showed.

130 garments factories closed down in Cambodia this year

Khmerization

The Cambodian government said 130 garment factories have closed so far this year as the global economic crisis continues to depress demand for the kingdom's key export earner, local media reported Thursday. The Labour Ministry said the closure rate of one factory every second day has cost more than 60,000 jobs so far in an industry that is one of the country's economic mainstays.

Ministry figures showed that 30,000 workers have lost their jobs this year following the permanent shuttering of 77 factories. The temporary closures of another 53 factories mean a further 30,000 workers are currently out of work.

Against that, 40 new factories opened this year creating almost 10,000 jobs.

Chinese premier leaves for NKorea: Xinhua

AFP

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao left for North Korea on Sunday, China's state-run Xinhua news agency said, on a trip that comes amid growing international pressure on Pyongyang to return to disarmament talks.

Wen was due to visit China's isolated neighbour until Tuesday, according to previous state media reports.

The trip has been portrayed as a goodwill visit by China, but it has also added to expectations of a possible resumption in stalled six-nation denuclearisation talks.

Wen was accompanied on his departure from Beijing by Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and by China's envoy to the six-party talks, Wu Dawei, Xinhua said.

Democrat fears red-shirt violence

Bangkok Post

Buranath Samutrak, spokesman of the Democrat party, said on Saturday that he felt the red-shirts try to provoke violence in the country.

Mr Buranath admitted that he was worried about the planned mass gathering of the red-shirted supporters of the United front for Democracy against Dictatorship on October 17.

Mu Sochua still maintains that Hun Xen defamed her

Kampot SRP MP Mu Sochua showed up at the Appeal Court to clarify her lawsuit case in which she accuses Hun Xen of defaming her.

At the court, she still maintains that Hun Xen defamed her in a speech he gave in Kampot on 04 April 2009.

The new claim made by Mrs. Mu Sochua was made in front of Appeal Court Judge Uk Savuth in the afternoon of 02 October 2009, when Mrs. Mu Sochua was summoned by the court in relation to her lawsuit against PM Hun Xen.

Her original lawsuit was dismissed by the Phnom Penh municipal court in May and the court claimed that her lawsuit did not have the proper legal weight.

Myanmar minister promises 'free and fair' elections

AFP

Myanmar's foreign minister promised Saturday his country would hold "free and fair" elections next year, despite the detention of democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi.

"In my country free and fair elections will be held. We have already announced it," Myanmar foreign minister Nyan Win told reporters after a meeting with counterparts in Cambodia's northwestern tourist hub.

"(Whether) the elections are free and fair or not, so far no one can judge it. After the elections will be held, you can judge whether the elections are free and fair or not."

A Myanmar court Friday rejected an appeal by Suu Kyi against her conviction over an incident in which a US man swam uninvited to her home in May, earning her an extra 18 months' detention.

The sentence sidelines her from the elections promised for 2010, leading critics to say the polls are a sham.

The minister made the remarks after meeting with the foreign ministers of Japan, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam for talks intended to foster development within the Mekong region.

Mekong, Japan's foreign ministers pledge for more cooperation

Xinhua

Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, Vietnam's Deputy Foreign Minister Dao Viet Trung, Japan's Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, Cambodia's Foreign Minister Hor Namhong , Laos' Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and Myanmar's Foreign Minister U Nyan Win pose for a photo during the second Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers' Meeting at a hotel in Siem Reap province, 230km (143 miles) nort-west of Phnom Penh, October 3 , 2009.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

The second foreign ministerial meeting among five Mekong countries and Japan ended Saturday afternoon with pledges for more cooperation in the region.

In a chair's statement released after the meeting, "the ministers reaffirmed their determination to closely cooperation on regional and global issues of common concern, and to deepen and broaden the existing Mekong-Japan cooperation and cooperation under other frameworks, such as the ASEAN-Japan Dialogue Relations, the ASEAN+3, the East Asia Summit as well as the ASEAN Regional Forum to ensure peace, stability and prosperity in the region."

"The ministers also reaffirmed the importance of improving, through closer consultation of all its stakeholders, the business environment of each country and of the region as a whole to accelerate trade and investment," it said.

Hun Sen offers greetings to Mekong, Japan FMs

Xinhua

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has offered greetings to foreign ministers from five Mekong countries and Japan on the sideline of the second Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministerial Meeting, spokesman to the prime minister said Saturday.

Srey Thamarong said Hun Sen had offered his greetings to the foreign ministers from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Japan just before the plenary session of the second Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministerial Meeting that was about to start in Siem Reap province, northern Cambodia.

He said Hun Sen has attached significance of cooperation and solidarity among the five Mekong countries as well as Japan.

Suu Kyi meeting with junta minister: Myanmar official

AFP

Pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi had a rare meeting with a minister from the ruling junta Saturday, a Myanmar official said.

The opposition leader, who is currently detained under house arrest, was in talks with Aung Kyi, the labour minister and official liaison between Suu Kyi and the government, the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Aung Kyi are meeting now at the state guest house. They met at about 1pm," (0630 GMT) he said.

Vietnam typhoon death toll at least 107: officials

AFP

The death toll in Vietnam from Typhoon Ketsana, one of the worst disasters to hit the country in recent years, rose to at least 107 on Saturday, officials said.

That figure came from an official at the national flood and storm control committee in Hanoi, who listed 28 missing and 252 injured. He declined to be named.

The Danang office of the flood and storm committee, closer to the heart of the area where the typhoon made landfall last Tuesday, said there were 122 dead and 12 missing.

The heaviest tolls came in the central Vietnam fishing province of Quang Ngai, south of Danang, and in Kon Tum, a mountainous province with a large population of poor ethnic minority tribes. Both areas recorded 33 deaths, the Danang official said, also declining to be named.

Initial estimates of the damage in Vietnam shot up to 587 million dollars, according to government figures released on Friday for 10 out of 14 provinces affected by the typhoon.

Ketsana toll in Laos rises to 24: Red Cross

AFP

The death toll from Tropical Storm Ketsana in Laos has risen to 24, the country's Red Cross said on Saturday.

Seven people who refused to leave their homes in southernmost Attapeu province accounted for most of the additional deaths, said Bountheung Menvilay, head of the agency's disaster preparedness division.

Their houses were swept into a river, he said.

On Friday, when details of the tragedy began to emerge from one of Asia's poorest nations, Bountheung reported 16 deaths from the storm which moved through the country on Wednesday.

Ketsana has brought devastation across Southeast Asia, first killing at least 293 people in the Philippines last weekend before striking Vietnam, where 99 died, and Cambodia where it claimed 17 lives.

Attapeu province borders Cambodia and, along with adjacent Sekong province, has been the hardest hit in Laos, aid workers said.

Up to 4,000 buried by Indonesia quake: UN, Red Cross

AFP

Up to 4,000 people are still trapped in rubble following the devastating 7.6-magnitude quake that struck Indonesia this week, the UN and Red Cross told AFP Saturday.

"We estimate about 3,000 to 4,000 people are still trapped or buried under the rubble," UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Indonesia El-Mostafa Benlamlih told AFP.

Bob McKerrow, head of the Indonesia delegation of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society, said his estimate was 4,000, based on his tour of the city of Padang and surrounding countryside.

"We're up to 4,000. People don't like those figures out -- they don't want the families to be grieving too much," he told AFP.

Cambodia expected to become a member of Unesco Heritage Committee

Source: Khmer Sthapana newspaper
Reported in English by Khmerization

Cambodia has applied to become a member of the Unesco Heritage Committee and is expected to be admitted a full member of the Committee in a vote on the 25th October, said an advisor to the Council of Ministers.

In a press conference held on 2nd October, Mr. Pen Ngoeun (pictured), advisor to the Council of Ministers, said that other Unesco members will vote to support Cambodia's application because Cambodia has plenty of ancient archaeological sites and therefore should be given a role in the Unesco committee.

Mr. Pen Ngoeun had also reiterated that Preah Vihear and the surrounding areas are located within the sovereignty of Cambodia in accordance with the maps from 1904 Khmer-Thai Convention, 1907 Khmer-Thai Treaty and the verdict of the International Court of Justice in 1962.

Khieu Kanharith: Abhisit's party elected because of Preah Vihear issue

Source: Khmer Sthapana newspaper
Reported in English by Khmerization

The fiery exchanges between the Cambodian and Thai leaders have indicated that the Preah Vihear and border issues are no closer to any resolution any time sooner.

The latest politician to enter the fray is Cambodia's Information Minister Khieu Kanharith (pictured) who accused Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of using Preah Vihear as his political tool to achieve his political goals.

King Sihamoni visits and distributes gifts to victims of Typhoon Ketsana

Source: Koh Santepheap newspaper
Reported in English by Khmerization

King Sihamoni (pictured) has on 30th September travelled by boat to visit and distribute gifts to villagers in Prek Ch'dor village in Kampong Oss commune of Cholkiri district, Kampong Chnang province who have lost 100 homes to Typhoon Ketsana.

The king was accompanied by Palace Minister Kong Sam-Ol, Kampong Chnang Governor Touch Marim, senior civil servants and many armed security forces.

Speaking to 100 families who lost their homes, the king said he had come to bring well wishes from the King-Father and Queen Mother.

'Kasit Piromya' attends Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Cambodia

TNA

Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and his diplomatic counterparts from Cambodia, Lao, Myanmar, and Vietnam, are meeting Saturday with newly-appointed Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada in the northwest Cambodian city of Siem Reap to review progress and set the direction for continued cooperation in regional development.

The Second Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers’ Meeting is being chaired by Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Hor Namhong and is being attended by Mr. Okada along with the foreign ministers of Lao, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand.

On the sidelines of the Mekong meeting, Mr. Hor Namhong will also chair the Second Foreign Ministers’ Meeting regarding Emerald Triangle Cooperation between Cambodia, Laos and Thailand.

Under the Second Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Japan, which has actively assisted the Mekong region countries, is expected to offer continued commitment to regional development with its vision to create an ‘East Asian Community’.

The meeting is aimed at improving regional infrastructure and human resources, as well as reducing poverty, and will pave the way for a leaders’ summit later this year.

In the afternoon, the foreign ministers of Cambodia, Laos and Thailand will meet under the Emerald Triangle Cooperation umbrella in which they are expected to commit to expanded cooperation in tourism, infrastructure and trade.

Thai Army chief says no tension at Thai-Cambodian border near PreahVihear

The Nation

Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Anupong Paochinda said Friday that there is no tension along the Thai-Cambodian border near the disputed 4.6 square kilometre plot near the ancient Preah Vihear temple.

He said he had reported the latest situation to Defence Minister Gen Prawit Wonsuwan.

He said the dispute has yet to be discussed in a joint border demarcation committee.

Thailand to impose Internal Security Act to ensure ASEAN Summit security

Xinhua

Thailand's government announced Friday a plan to enforce the Internal Security Act (ISA) during the forthcoming 15th ASEAN Summit and related meetings.

On Friday morning, the government led by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and involved security authorities held a meeting to discuss about security steps to be applied to ensure law and order at the 15th ASEAN Summit's venues, Thai News Agency reported.

Cambodia hopes U.S. to shift 1970s debt as development aid

Xinhua

Cambodian foreign Minister Hor Namhong said on Thursday that his country expressed the hope that the U.S. to shift Cambodia's debt as development aid for the country.

"While I was in the U.S., I held the bilateral talk with Madam Hillary Clinton and I told her that Cambodia hopes U.S. to cancel debts owned by then Lon Nol administration in 1970s, if not possible, Cambodia hopes the U.S. to shift that debt as development aid for our country," Hor told reporters upon arrival from U.S. where he joined the U.N. General Assembly.

National assembly rejected SRP's proposal for the amendments to 43 articles of the Penal Code Bill

Source: Khmer Sthapan newspaper
Reported in English by Khmerization

On the first day of the resumption of the parliamentary session on 1st October, there have been exchanges of heated debates among government and the opposition MPs in relations to defamation and disinformation laws.

The opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) has put forward a number of proposals to withdraw a number of articles in relations to defamation, incitements and disinformation from the Penal Code Bill which contained more than 600 articles.

Mr. Yim Sovan (pictured), spokesman for the SRP, has tabled the proposals to the parliament on behalf of his party. Speaking in the parliamentary session, he said, in principle, the SRP supports the Penal Code Bill but the party is concerned about a number of articles it considers that will infringe on the freedom of expression.

Mr. Cheam Yeap, an MP from the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP), said 83 of the total 101 MPs rejected the SRP's proposal because the proposals were not done in accordance with the parliamentary Intrernal Regulations and 99 of 101 MPs voted to adopt the Bill in its entirety.

Several provinces in Thailand hit by Ketsana depression

Xinhua

Typhoon Ketsana, which weakened Wednesday to be a tropical depression, has affected several provinces in Thailand.

The tropical depression started attacking a northeastern province of U-bon Rat-cha-tha-ni Wednesday morning, according to the Thai Meteorological Department.

In Chai-ya-poom, another province in the Northeast, local people have been instructed to closely monitor a warning announcement from involved authorities after three dams there broke after the heavy raining, Thai News Agency reported.

In the city of Chai-ya-poom, the flood due to the tropical depression, damaged agricultural areas and state buildings, while many roads had been flooded.

EU condoles victims of natural disasters in Asia, Pacific

Topnews.in

Stockholm - Sweden, holder of the rotating presidency of the European Union, on Thursday sent its condolences to the victims of the natural disasters which have hit southeast Asia and the South Pacific.

The need for assistance following Thursday's earthquake off western Sumatra, Indonesia, was being assessed by the EU, the statement issued on behalf of the 27-nation bloc said.

The EU has previously offered some 4 million euros (6 million dollars) in emergency aid to victims of typhoon Ketsana - which ravaged the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, destroying homes, schools, roads and rice fields.

The bloc has also announced emergency assistance to South Pacific island nations hit by a massive earthquake and tsunami that has claimed over 100 lives. (dpa)

Asia readies for next storm as death toll rises

AP

Asia had little respite Thursday from an already brutal storm season, with warnings the next tempest was en route to the Philippines while three nations counted their dead from the previous typhoon, with the toll reaching 383.

Officials were preparing compulsory evacuation plans for tens of thousands of people in the Philippines as they watched Typhoon Parma track toward the country with winds gusting up to 130 mph (210 kph).

A decision on the evacuations would be made in the next day or so, Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral said.

Parma could be more powerful than Ketsana, which left the Philippines' capital awash Saturday and then cut a destructive path across Vietnam and Cambodia. Officials in all three countries again raised their death tolls Thursday, for a total of 383.

"We are dealing with a very strong typhoon (and) there is a big possibility that this typhoon will gather more strength," Nathaniel Cruz, the Philippines' chief weather forecaster, said of Parma. "Let us all pray."

Meanwhile, the Asia-Pacific region struggled to recover from two major earthquakes. The death toll from Tuesday's quake-triggered tsunami in the South Pacific rose above 140, and Indonesia said the toll from a 7.6-magnitude quake there Wednesday was now above 450.

Steady rain fell in Manila on Thursday after several days of clear skies, making conditions miserable for more than 2 million people whose homes were lined with slushy mud by the worst flooding in four decades.

Hun Sen begs Japan to continue providing aid to Cambodia

Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

PM Hun Sen asked Japan to continue providing aid to Cambodia, and in particular, not to cut aid if Japan does not want to provide additional aid. Hun Sen made this statement to the new Japanese ambassador to Cambodia during a meeting at the National Assembly on 30 September 2009.

 Hun Sen said that the development of Cambodia and the peaceful development cannot be cut from the aid provided by Japan. Japan plays a major role in the search for peace in Cambodia, as well as in the development of Cambodia. Hun Sen asked Japan to continue providing aid to Cambodia, and in particular he begged that there is no aid cut to Cambodia even if Japan decided to not add more aid to Cambodia. Hun Sen asked the Japanese ambassador to pay attention in helping the construction of infrastructure and the agriculture sector, as well as pushing for tourism investment and human resource development.

Sam Rainsy: Ho Vann must get back his parliamentary immunity automatically

Source: Khmer Stapana newspaper
Reported in English by Khmerization
Click here to read the aritcle in Khmer

Legal experts and opposition politicians said that the Phnom Penh Court should, through Ministry of Justice, send a request to the National Assembly to reinstate Mr. Ho Vann's parliamentary immunity after it dropped all defamation charges against him.

Mr. Sam Rainsy, leader of the eponymous Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), said by a telephone interview that the SRP will not write a letter to the National Assembly to request for it to give back Mr. Ho Vann's immunity by saying that by laws Mr. Ho Vann should automatically get his immunity back after the court dropped all charges against him.

Mr. Ho Vann was sued by 22 military officers after he criticised their qualifications awarded by the Vietnamese Military Institute. On 22nd June, the National Assembly stripped him off his parliamentary immunity and he fled to the United States.

Climate change to hit Asia’s poor, rural women most: ADB

(PTI)

Poor people and rural women from developing nations in Asia will be among those most affected by climate change which poses fundamental threats to the region’s food and energy security, according to studies funded by the Asian Development Bank. The climate change is also expected to lead to increased migration of people within national boundaries, mainly into mega cities.

Attributing to three studies on agriculture, energy and migration, the ADB in a statement today said the impacts of rising temperatures in Asia would fall disproportionately on the region’s poor, and rural women from developing countries would be among the most affected groups.

Such a scenario would arise on account of these groups dependence on subsistence crops, their limited access to resources, and their lack of decision-making power. “The food and energy security of every Asian is threatened by climate change, but it’s the poor - and especially poor women - who are most vulnerable and most likely to migrate as a consequence,” ADB Vice-President Ursula Schaefer Preuss said.

More than 1,000 feared dead in major Indonesian quake: officials

AFP

JAKARTA, Sept 30, 2009 (AFP) - A massive earthquake wreaked havoc on the Indonesian island of Sumatra Wednesday, with officials saying it could have killed more than 1,000 people as homes and buildings collapsed.

At least 75 people were confirmed dead after hospitals and hotels crumbled, and as fires raged in the coastal city of Padang, home to nearly a million people, in the wake of the 7.6-magnitude quake.

"People are trapped, hotels have collapsed, schools have collapsed, houses have collapsed and electricity has been cut off," Vice President Jusuf Kalla told reporters in Jakarta.

Health Ministry crisis centre head Rustam Pakaya told AFP that a major city hospital was among the many buildings that had buckled.

"Houses and buildings have collapsed, causing thousands of people to be trapped inside in the rubble," Pakaya said.

Rescue teams and doctors had been rushed out overland and were expected to arrive in the city and nearby affected areas overnight, Pakaya added.

Chinese and Cambodian youths jointly hold art performance in Phnom Penh

Xinhua

Political Counselor of Chinese Embassy in Cambodia He Yueping delivers a speech before a performance in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Sept. 29, 2009. The Hand-in-Hand art troupe of China's Shanghai Youth Center and Cambodian Duan Hua Chinese School jointly held an art performance here on Tuesday to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. (Xinhua/Lei Bosong)

Investors Lose Interest in Cambodia, Vietnam

In the private equity world, Cambodia just isn't what it used to be.

At one point in early 2008, fund managers were expecting to raise as much as $500 million for investment in the country. Instead, interest from investors evaporated with the financial crisis, forcing several funds to shut down or scale back.

Frontier Investment and Development Partners, which once hoped to launch a $250 million Cambodia fund, is struggling to find seed investors. Another, Cambodia Emerald postponed fundraising for their planned $100 million fund last year.

In total, Cambodia funds raised only $23 million in 2008, the Centre for Asia Private Equity Research, or APER, says. So far this year they've raised $5.6 million.

Cambodia Looks to Improve Food Safety

Cambodia's Ministry of Commerce and the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization met yesterday to collaborate on improving Cambodia's food safety system.

The purpose of the meeting was to bolster government agencies' capacity to "develop, implement, and monitor national food control strategies that reflect the multi-disciplinary nature of food control," according to Xinhua media.

In an opening statement, Chan Nora, leader of the Ministry of Commerce in Cambodia indicated that improving food safety was a key strategy for the government to promote economic sustainability.

Nora emphasized that reducing foodborne disease will improve consumer health and improve trade opportunities for the food sector.

Ketsana leaves more than 360 dead across SE Asia

AP

MANILA, Philippines — A new typhoon gathered strength Thursday off the Philippines while nearly 700,000 people still sought help in badly stretched relief centers from massive flooding caused by Ketsana, one of the region's most destructive storms in years.

Ketsana prompted the worst flooding in the northern Philippines in 40 years when it struck Saturday, and then continued its deadly path across Southeast Asia, blowing down wooden villages in Cambodia and crushing Vietnamese houses under mudslides on Tuesday.

The death toll climbed Thursday to 362, and was still rising.

"We're used to storms that sweep away one or two houses. But I've never seen a storm this strong," said Nam Tum, governor of Cambodia's Kampong Thom province.

The immediate threat from Ketsana eased as it was downgraded to a tropical depression as it crossed into a fourth nation, Laos. But its powerful winds and pummeling rain left a snaking trail of destruction.

Cambodia urged to change property law to encourage real estate investors

Khmerization

Real estate boom in Phnom Penh harbinger of good tidings to Cambodia

Cambodia is experiencing a real estate boom and the government is under pressure to boost the sector by making it easier for foreign real estate investors to buy, it is claimed.

After spending the last three decades struggling to recover from the legacy of the Khmer Rouge's rule, the country is emerging into the 21st century. A decade ago the capital Phnom Penh didn't even have one traffic light, now high-rise condos and offices are springing up as investors rake in the profits.

Many people still have an outdated perception of Cambodia, but private-equity investors are moving into the country. At least four new private equity funds, backed by brand-name investors, are aiming to bring $475 million of foreign investment into Cambodia.

And Cambodia´s private sector is urging the government to make foreign ownership easier as an open-minded real estate market would promote economic growth.

BORDER DISPUTE: Bilateral talks are they way : Thai PM

By The Nation

Refuses to take issue to Asean or UN Security Council

The dispute with Cambodia over land near the Preah Vihear temple must be solved bilaterally by the joint boundary commission, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (pictured) said yesterday - rejecting any move to raise the issue at international forums.

The Thai-Cambodian Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary (JBC) has been negotiating boundary demarcation in the area.

"We refer to the memorandum of understanding signed in 2000 not to make any changes before completion of the boundary demarcation," he said.

"The best way [for now] is to prevent clashes along the border."

Sam Rainsy: Ho Vann must get back his parliamentary immunity automatically

Source: Khmer Stapana newspaper
Reported in English by Khmerization

Legal experts and opposition politicians said that the Phnom Penh Court should, through Ministry of Justice, send a request to the National Assembly to reinstate Mr. Ho Vann's parliamentary immunity after it dropped all defamation charges against him.

Mr. Sam Rainsy, leader of the eponymous Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), said by a telephone interview that the SRP will not write a letter to the National Assembly to request for it to give back Mr. Ho Vann's immunity by saying that by laws Mr. Ho Vann (pictured) should automatically get his immunity back after the court dropped all charges against him.

Mr. Ho Vann was sued by 22 military officers after he criticised their qualifications awarded by the Vietnamese Military Institute. On 22nd June, the National Assembly stripped him off his parliamentary immunity and he fled to the United States.

Inauguration of the U.S-funded Pursat College

Source: Radio Free Asia
Reported in English by Khmerization

The U.S ambassador to Cambodia, Mrs. Carol Rodley, has inaugurated a one million dollar Pursat College, in a grand ceremony attended by 5,000 students and villagers.

Pursat College was built by U.S funds in the 1960s, but has fallen into disrepair through years of neglect.

A year 12 student, 18 year-old Him Vicheth, said he was in constant fears that the building might collapse on top of the students any time. "It's very old, everything was broken. When there is rains, it leaks everywhere. I study there and when there is rain and it's windy we cannot study because the building is too old, everything is broken", he said.

Lim Hu Ninn, another year 12 student, said he is very happy with the renovations. "I'm very happy because the school buildings are very old and after they were renovated by the U.S embassy, the scool looks very new and it is very comfortable (to study there). If we can, we want to ask for one more building because we need more (school) buildings because we students need to use the building with other students", he said.

Cambodia To Begin Jatropha Oil Production

VOA

NCT Jacam Energy Co., a joint venture between Cambodia and Japan, will begin production of jatropha oil in October, raising production to an expected 5,000 liters per day for local consumption.

Jatropha can be used to make biodiesel and could be used to meet demands in rural electricity, river ferries and agricultural and construction machinery, said Chheuy Sophors, president of NCT Jacam.

The company began operations in August, with an investment of $400,000 in a factory in Kampong Speu province, following three years of experimentation. However, the company does not have its own jatropha plantation and would require 5,000 tons of the plant per year. Some 3 kilograms to 4 kilograms of jatropha are required for 1 liter of jatropha oil.