KI Media

[Thai] Foreign Ministry shifts role

noreply@blogger.com (Socheata) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 02:20:00 +0000

27/11/2009
Charoen Kittikanya
Bangkok Post

The Foreign Ministry plans to use "financial diplomacy" to expand trade and relations with neighbouring countries, a senior official says.

Financial diplomacy will work in tandem with other modes of support such as soft loans, infrastructure investment and joint ventures, to foster closer economic co-operation with and provide more focused assistance to neighbouring countries, said Panich Vikitsreth, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs.

"We are looking forward to extending co-operation with and provide assistance to authorities of neighbouring countries particularly for Laos, Cambodia and Burma to develop their capital market to help shape up their economy," said the former deputy Bangkok governor and co-founder of Ayudhya JF Asset Management Co.

The Economic Affairs Department is now developing guidelines for financial diplomacy and how the ministry should co-operate with agencies in the Thai capital market such as the Stock Exchange of Thailand and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

"Given the rich natural resources and potential industrial and economic growth, a joint capital market development between Thailand and neighbouring countries would greatly benefit Thailand and the region," he said.

The move would help mobilise funding in the region and reduce the income gap in less developed countries which should curb the wave of economic migration, he said.

According to Mr Panich, integrating Thailand's securities market with those of its neighbours would help attract foreign investment.

The ministry will also play a more hyperactive role in supporting government trade-related policies.

"As trade and economic issues play an increasingly important part in the international relations, it's also a must for the Foreign Ministry to adjust its role to [cover] economic dimensions beyond the traditional fronts of politics and national security," said Mr Panich.

"We are now restructuring to become another state agency that functions more as a trade and investment facilitator in addition to the Commerce Ministry or Thailand Trade Representatives."

Due to its presence across the world, the Foreign Ministry will help improve Thailand's competitiveness by providing information and services to support trade negotiations and business expansion, he said.

The ministry also aims to increase its capacity to support the government's policy to promote regional connectivity that covers infrastructure and implementing more efficient regulations and procedures to reduce the transit time for goods and commuters.

Studying alternative energy - particularly wind, solar and nuclear power - for the government will be another new role for the ministry, he said.

From 2004-08, Thailand provided about 13 billion baht in financial support within the Greater Mekong Subregion, two-thirds of which were slated for infrastructure development and one-third for technical support in human resource development.

Thailand has allocated another 20 billion baht for infrastructure development in the subregion from 2008-10.

Cambodia Warming to Idea of Foreign Ownership

noreply@blogger.com (Socheata) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 01:44:00 +0000

Canadia Tower in Phnom Penh is Cambodia’s tallest building. (Simon Marks)

November 26, 2009
By SIMON MARKS
The New York Times

Just three decades after the downfall of the Khmer Rouge, a deadly regime that left behind little notion of private property, a law that would allow foreigners to buy some kinds of real estate here appears to be nearing approval.

And while the proposed law is focused on the property market, experts agree it also would be a general boost for the country, which has been struggling through its own version of the global economic downturn.

“The law, in essence, will not help the whole economy recover. But it’s part of a wider picture,” said Daniel Parkes, country manager for the CB Richard Ellis real estate company. “What it is doing is making investment in Cambodia more transparent and easier.”

The law, which is expected to go to the National Assembly for a vote in the coming months, would allow foreigners to own apartments and condominiums on buildings’ upper floors. Now they are limited to 99-year leaseholds on any property.

Ground-level residences, which include ownership of the land that the units stand on, would continue to be reserved for Cambodians.

There are some controversial details in the draft. But over all, Mr. Parkes said, the proposed law would improve confidence in the market — especially in comparison with neighboring countries like Thailand, where foreigners are limited to 30-year leases on homes or land, and Singapore, where they are barred from owning property below the sixth floor.

Mr. Parkes’s own presence in Cambodia is due to great expectations for its real estate sector. The 27-year-old arrived here four months ago from Britain; his assignment was to open the first office of CB Richard Ellis in the capital to meet a growing demand for professional real estate services.

“Working in the U.K., it has become obvious over the last two years or so that it is a mature market,” Mr. Parkes said. “Where the future is, is in Asia.”

He says he considers the assignment to be a long-term one, and he spends weekends riding around the city on his 1967 Vespa, keeping his eyes peeled for a property that he might like to buy himself.

Over all, the country’s financial forecasts and Phnom Penh’s growth seem to support his optimism.

Economists here generally agree that Cambodia will emerge from its year-long recession in 2010. And the International Monetary Fund said in September that, while the country’s G.D.P. would contract 2.75 percent this year, it would climb about 4 percent in 2010.

The capital’s 1.3 million inhabitants mostly live in low-grade concrete apartment blocks that form the city’s low skyline. But Cambodia’s tallest building, the 30-story Canadia Tower, opened Nov. 5. And the structure, which includes apartments for some Canadia Bank employees, is the first of several such projects planned for the city center.

Like many housing markets across the world, speculative buying and inflated land values produced a lot of phantom growth in Cambodia in recent years.

From 2005 to mid-2008, prices for some houses in Phnom Penh rose tenfold. Increasing foreign investment and large-scale residential projects like Gold Tower 42, a South Korean-funded 42-story skyscraper that is still being built, were just some of the factors that led industry observers to have faith in the country’s market.

But as the effects of the global economic crisis spilled over into Cambodia in late 2008, demand dried up, and housing prices tumbled dramatically — 40 percent compared with the same period last year, according to real estate agents.

“Before there was so much investment from developers in China and South Korea,” said Soush Saroeun, executive director of Asia Real Property, a Cambodian real estate agency. He said prices in Phnom Penh’s most affluent neighborhoods had fallen to about $3,000 per square meter, or $280 a square foot, from around $4,500 per square meter in July 2008. (High-end real estate in Cambodia is generally valued in U.S. dollars.)

Some observers here say that confidence in the market actually was boosted when the long-awaited proposal to allow foreign ownership was introduced by the Ministry of Land Management in April.

Some investors and analysts say, however, that the draft contains stipulations that would cause unnecessary complications, like the rule that no more than 49 percent of a condominium building’s units may be owned by foreigners.

The rule would cause “big problems for developers in the region in their initial business plans,” forcing them to sell to two distinct markets, said Matthew Rendall, a managing partner with the legal consultancy Sciaroni & Associates, based in Phnom Penh.

Sek Sitha, an under secretary of state for the land management ministry, said the restriction was included because the government wants “Cambodians to have priority over foreigners.” But he said the Council of Ministers, which is now reviewing the draft law, and the assembly would consider the concerns.

In Channy, chief executive of Acleda Bank, one of the country’s largest banks, said that expecting Cambodians to buy 51 percent of the units in a building created to appeal to foreigners was unlikely because few would be interested in such a costly investment. “Demand is very low,” he said. “Most of our loans go to local Cambodians, but it depends on the cash flow of the individual borrower.”

The proposal also says foreigners cannot be co-owners in land purchases, nor can they buy any properties within 30 kilometers, or 18.5 miles, of the borders, except in special economic zones.

Rory Hunter, chief executive of the local property developer Brocon Group, said developers could bypass the proportional ownership issue by offering long-term leases, rather than sales, on the balance of the units in a building meant for the foreign market.

And while the current 99-year lease is not, practically, very different from an outright purchase, “psychologically, people want to own freehold, not leasehold,” Mr. Hunter said. “It will give foreign investors more confidence regarding the security of their investment.”

Peaceful solution to row with Cambodia sought

noreply@blogger.com (Socheata) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 01:32:00 +0000

Friday, November 27, 2009
Gulf Times (Qatar)

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has said that he will seek peaceful means of resolving the lingering row between his country and Cambodia.

The row was worsened by the appointment of former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as the Cambodia’s economic adviser.

Cambodia has rejected Thailand’s request to extradite Shinawatra, deepening the rift between the two countries.

Billionaire Thaksin, who was ousted in a bloodless coup in 2006 and is living abroad to avoid a prison term for corruption, arrived in Cambodia earlier this month and received a warm welcome from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

“Although the integrity of our (judicial) system has been violated by Cambodia’s refusal, we are still committed to resolve the matter peacefully, because it is a bilateral issue.

“So, if the Cambodian authorities review their actions we will get back on track,” Vejjajiva told a news conference in Doha.

The Thai prime minister is on an official visit to Qatar.

He explained that judging by the statement that was issued by the Cambodian government recently, there has been a lot of misinformation on the matter.

“We will not hasten into any decision.

“According to the extradition treaties, there is a procedure to follow, usually the government has some discretion, but we will respect the court system,” he noted.

However, Vejjajiva hinted that the Thai government has expressed its displeasure through diplomatic channels to the Cambodian authorities.

He added that a legal action has been taken against the country.

“We are seeking extradition of the former PM and through diplomatic means, we are suing the Cambodian authorities for violation of the integrity of our system,” Vejjajiva said. “But we are still determined to resolve the issue peacefully.”

The Thai premier also mentioned that measures have been instituted to secure the lives of the people who are living in the border area between the two countries.

He said that despite the deepening of the row, he has avoided taking the matter to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), believing that the countries will solve it amicably.

On the insurgency in the southern provinces of the country, Vejjajiva said that the problems are being managed internally.

The prime minister added that the government has adopted a change in policy to further address the problem.

“We are working with the parliament to put in place a number of codes, decrees and laws, especially martial laws and much milder laws such as security and preventive laws to further contain the problems and we are making progress,” Vejjajiva added.

Happy Thanksgiving ... from SRP-Pennsylvania, USA

noreply@blogger.com (KI Media) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:21:00 +0000

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

November 25, 2009

Tomorrow we celebrate Thanksgiving and I want to express how much I appreciate all of you. This past year has been challenging. At times, it seemed as if 2009 was the year of Mother Nature’s wrath -- we experienced fires, hurricanes, flooding, droughts and many more. Despite this, our Sam Rainsy Party has faces many additional challenging.

But through it all, the men and women of Sam Rainsy Party continued to faithfully serve the Cambodian people. In fact, we met or exceeded nearly every goal. No matter the tragedy, Sam Rainsy Party was the one constant and reliable force for the people who depend on us. Time and time again, I heard of, or personally witnessed, courageous and thoughtful acts by our members and supporters across the country. I cannot thank you enough for your hard work and caring and compassionate spirit.

Please have a wonderful and well-deserved holiday.

Regards,
SRP-Pennsylvania, USA

"Panhaha Prum Daen Ké Prakaek" a Poem in Khmer by Sam Vichea

noreply@blogger.com (Visam) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:15:00 +0000

Hun Sen praised Vietnamese army for liberating Cambodia from Pol Pot

khmerization@gmail.com (Khmerization) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:31:00 +0000

By Khmerization

Prime Minister Hun Sen (pictured) has praised Vietnam for helping to liberate Cambodia from the yoke of the Khmer Rouge regime, reports Radio Free Asia.

Speaking on the 30th anniversary of a Government and NGO Partnerships on 25th November, Mr. Hun Sen said Cambodia owed a big gratitude to Vietnam. "The one who came to help Cambodia in the 1980s and the one who came to help Cambodia during a time that Cambodia was faced with political and economic sanctions was the one whom we owed the biggest gratitude to", he said.

He added that the Cambodian people had suffered more in the 1980s, after the liberation, due to international sanctions and international supports for the Khmer Rouge. "And the people who supported Pol Pot, after the liberation, after we have toppled Pol Pot, have imposed sanctions on us as the victims of Pol Pot. How do they face up to the moral responsibility?", he added.

The appeal by Mr. Hun Sen for all Khmers to acknowledge Vietnam's gratitude has come under criticism from the opposition parties and critics who said that Vietnam invaded Cambodia and planned to stay permanently, only to withdraw its troops after strong pressures from the international community.

Mr. Son Chhay, MP from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, said the Khmer Rouge movement was originally created with the supports of Vietnam. Vietnam only turned against the Khmer Rouge after it stood up to Vietnam's violations of Cambodian territorial integrity. "We must separate clearly the reasons and basis of the invasion and what were the evidences that happened coincidentally was the fact that our people had escaped from the genocide which was helped by the same army (Vietnamese army who supported Pol Pot). In the future, for our neighbours, we cannot always be reminded about the gratitude of these countries all the time, he said.

At the same time, Mr. Hun Sen takes an indirect swipe at Thailand for threatening to close the borders with Cambodia after diplomatic row between the two countries recently. He insinuated that international sanctions in the 1980s did not succeed in bringing Cambodia to its knees. He threatened that should Thailand close the borders, Cambodia will not allow Thai goods to be exported to Cambodia where Thailand had a trade surplus of around $2 billion per year.

Congressman Warns Against Opposition Attacks

noreply@blogger.com (KI Media) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:50:00 +0000

US Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Ed Royce (R-Calif.)

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
26 November 2009

"We may not agree from time to time, or I may not agree with people in opposition parties in the United States, but they should have the right to speak freely and to engage in debate and dialogue and to offer bills and resolutions." - US Rep. Chris Smith

[Editor’s note: Two US Republican congressmen, Chris Smith and Ed Royce, have admonished Cambodia’s recent lifting of opposition leader Sam Rainsy’s parliamentary immunity. The suspension, which follows criminal charges against Sam Rainsy for incitement and destruction of property, has deep implications for the development of democracy, they say. Smith recently sat with VOA Khmer for an interview in Washington.]

Q. What is the impact of Sam Rainsy’s immunity suspension on democracy and the opposition?

A. Removing the immunity and criminalizing [the opposition] as they have done on some defamation cases is a way of further marginalizing the opposition parties and clearing the way for your party to do whatever it wants, without having to be held accountable.

We have what we call free speech and debate clauses in the Congress, which allows us to speak on any subject without fear of prosecution, and it is precisely the free speech and debate clause that allows us to be protected from defamation and the criminalization of differences of viewpoints.

We obviously can be sued elsewhere, but it allows for the most vigorous of debates in Congress, so we can say what we want to say without fear of being criminalized by the opposition party or by someone else. And it really has made an enormous difference in this democracy called the United States of America, in having the most robust debates imaginable.

So I think there is a warning here, whether it be defamation or whether it be a case like Mr. Rainsy.

If they steal or do something or commit murder, obviously, immunity is neither here nor there. But on something like this it seems like a very bad step in the wrong direction.

Q. The government has said the suspension is a legal action. It follows similar instances for two other opposition parliamentarians. If these continue to happen, what will be the effect on US and other international relationships with Cambodia?

A. I think it’s bringing attention, and I think from Cambodia’s point of view unwanted attention, to whether or not the opposition parties are allowed to speak out and conduct themselves on policies. And again when you criminalize behavior of opposition parties you run the risk of losing democracy over a period of time.

Q. In October, four congressmen drafted a resolution censuring Cambodia for its corruption and rights abuses. Do you support that resolution and what have you learned from it?

A. Two of my closest friends [in Congress] are sponsors of it. An Joseph Cao [a Republican from Louisiana], who is the first Vietnamese-American ever to serve in the United States Congress is the one of the sponsors, and Frank Wolf [a Republican] from Virginia is the other. It seeks to put the spotlight on human rights abuse and corruption in Cambodia. I have long been concerned with the trafficking issues in Cambodia, particularly of children. It remains a very serious problem in Cambodia, where people are bought and sold, and the government needs to do much more to stop modern day slavery in Cambodia.

Q. What is your message to the Cambodian people in general and the opposition in particular?

A. We may not agree from time to time, or I may not agree with people in opposition parties in the United States, but they should have the right to speak freely and to engage in debate and dialogue and to offer bills and resolutions. I don’t always like the outcome that happens in the US Congress, but I have the opportunity as a congressman to change it, and that’s all you can ask for. You can’t guarantee the results, but the process has to be protected so that all viewpoints have a place at the table.

Q. Cambodia and Thailand are currently engaged in a diplomatic row and a border dispute. What is your advice to both of these countries in resolving them?

A. I think all regional actors, especially the US, should try to make sure that it is worked out at a table. We can’t dictate an outcome in the US, but we can encourage dialogue, and that’s what we should do.

Takki Shinegra is Hun Xen's personal advisor?

noreply@blogger.com (KI Media) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:08:00 +0000

Thaksin gets tacky over 'Takki'

November 27, 2009
The Nation

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra blasted the Foreign Ministry yesterday over the release of his alias on passฌports given by foreign countries, saying the ministry had sunk to its lowest point.

Vice foreign minister Panich Vikitsreth said on Wednesday Thaksin's name on passports issued by Nicaragua, Uganda and Montenegro had been changed to "Takki Shinegra".

In a Twitter note on his webฌsite yesterday Thaksin said a wellknown person like him did not need to change his name.

"A person like me is too wellknown to hide. It's useless for me to change the name since many people know me. I walk in department stores in any country [and] many people come to greet me," he said.

"I still use my old name but don't say I would have a sexual transplant. It can't be helped, as you guys are so stupid to revoke my Thai passport, so you have no way to trace me through non Thai documents.

"Don't challenge me to show my passports. I won't, since you would fake them electronically, 5555," Thaksin said in his note.

Panich insisted that he had evidence to prove Thaksin had changed his name in passports issued by Nicaragua and other countries.

"We got the information from reliable sources but I can't disclose them," he said.

"We are confident that Thaksin travelled in other names since we have checked with countries he visited, but did not find his name," he said.

Rape, abuse in Kingdom is reaching crisis level: minister

noreply@blogger.com (KI Media) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:02:00 +0000

Thursday, 26 November 2009
Lily Partand
The Phnom Penh Post

Siem Reap - SEXUAL and domestic violence against women and girls has become a problem of pandemic proportions that is stalling development of the Kingdom, according to Minister for Women’s Affairs Ing Kantha Phavi.

She spoke on Wednesday at the opening session of the two-day Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Primary Prevention of Violence Against Women and Children: Focus on Urban Youth, which included 120 participants and speakers from countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

Ing Kantha Phavi said that although the number of rapes and sexual assaults that get reported is increasing, the number of cases that go unreported is of even greater concern.

“In Cambodia, the reported rate of domestic and sexual violence is 22 percent. But due to our culture of silence and shame, and the widespread practice of victims accepting compensation instead of prosecuting their abusers, the actual rate of violence could be much higher. This risks jeopardising the recent development and progress of Cambodia,” she said.

First lady Bun Rany spoke of the importance of youth in tackling the issue in Cambodia, where 56 percent of the population is under the age of 25.

“If we can develop effective initiatives for youth, we will be able to reach young people while their attitudes towards gender equality, relationships and violence are still being formed. If we succeed, this could have a significant impact on reducing violence against women and children,” she said.

Facilitator Ellen Minotti, who has worked in the field in Cambodia for 17 years, said the conference would help identify best practices and find ways to evaluate the effectiveness of prevention programmes.

“One of the points made ... was that there’s been lots of work done on domestic violence and sexual violence, and the rate is not going down anywhere. So we need to look at new ways, but we also need to measure if they are working or not,” Minotti said.

Dr Jean D’Cunha, regional programme director for the UN Development Fund for Women in East and Southeast Asia, said it was important to involve men and boys in the campaign against sexual and domestic violence.

“We’ve done very little work with men and boys, but this is not just an issue for women and girls – it concerns the whole of our society. Men and boys need to be partners with women and girls against violence.”

The conference, which concludes today, was organised by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs. The results will be used to shape recommendations for Cambodia’s National Action Plan to Prevent Violence against Women 2009-12.

Khmer Rouge jailer’s tale of remorse scorned

noreply@blogger.com (KI Media) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:42:00 +0000

But sister of one of his Cambodian victims says Comrade Duch 'an actor trying to play the system'

Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009
Mark MacKinnon
Phnom Penh — From Thursday's Globe and Mail

They sat 15 metres apart in the courtroom, the repentant war criminal and the sister of one of his early victims.

As Comrade Duch, the jailer who is the first member of Cambodia's murderous Khmer Rouge regime to face justice, made his final statement yesterday to a tribunal before what will almost certainly be a long imprisonment, he asked people like Antonya Tioulong to forgive him.

An estimated 16,000 people, including Ms. Tioulong's sister Raingsi, died at the infamous S-21 prison while Comrade Duch ran it between 1975 and 1979. Yesterday, the 67-year-old former mathematics teacher, whose real name is Kaing Guek Eav, said that he was only following orders while overseeing the interrogation, torture and execution of those the regime saw as its opponents.

But speaking shortly after prosecutors asked the court to sentence him to 40 years in prison, he acknowledged that he was ultimately responsible for what happened at S-21.

“I am deeply remorseful and profoundly affected by the destruction on such a mind-boggling scale,” he said as more than 1,000 people packed into the courtroom to hear him speak and millions more Cambodians watched on live television. “As for the families of victims, my wish is that you kindly leave your door open for me to make my apologies.”

Speaking so quickly that he had to be asked twice to slow down and repeat himself, Comrade Duch said he “could do nothing to help” his victims once Pol Pot and other senior Khmer Rouge leaders had decided their fate. He described his remorse as “excruciating” and said that he hoped one day “to again be recognized as part of humankind.”

From where Ms. Tioulong sat, it wasn't nearly enough. Separated from the accused by a sheet of bulletproof glass, she seethed in her seat as she watched the performance, which to her looked like a cynical effort to win leniency from the five-judge panel hearing his case.

“I don't think he's sincere. He's an actor trying to play the system,” said Ms. Tioulong, whose sister died in 1976 after five months of torture inside S-21. She had been identified as an enemy of the new communist regime because she was a daughter of a former prime minister.

Ms. Tioulong travelled from Paris in August to testify about her sister's death and returned this week to hear the final arguments in the case. Like several others who lost relatives in S-21, she expressed disappointment at the thought of Comrade Duch serving anything less than a sentence of life in prison.

William Smith, an Australian lawyer who took over as co-lead prosecutor after Canadian Robert Petit's surprise resignation this fall, said the punishment for Comrade Duch's crimes should ordinarily be a life term, but said the court needed to take into account the fact that the accused has been in prison since 1998, much of that time without formal charge, and that he has largely co-operated with the investigation.

However, Mr. Smith rejected Comrade Duch's assertions that he had no choice but to behave as he did while running S-21. He said the accused had been “dishonest” in trying to blame his superiors. “The evidence demonstrates that he was not a victim of terror, but its cause.”

The trial has heard evidence of how inmates at S-21, also known as Tuol Sleng, were subjected to electrocution, water-boarding and medical experimentation. Comrade Duch's lawyers, who have drawn comparisons between their client and Albert Speer, the only senior Nazi to co-operate with the Nuremburg trials after the Second World War, argued that Comrade Duch has been unfairly singled out from among some nearly 200 Khmer Rouge prison bosses who oversaw other camps where as many as 150,000 people were killed.

Four other senior Khmer Rouge cadres are in custody and are expected to face trial some time in 2011. They are former president Khieu Samphan, former foreign minister Ieng Sary, his wife Khieu Thirith and Nuon Chea, known as the regime's “Brother Number Two” after Pol Pot. None have been co-operating with the tribunal.

Efforts to indict other Khmer Rouge leaders have been blocked by the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen. Himself a former Khmer Rouge member, the Prime Minister has warned of civil war if there are additional prosecutions.

Pol Pot, the architect of the Khmer Rouge's “Year Zero” revolution, which sought to create a utopian agrarian society, died in April, 1998. It's estimated that 1.7 million people died during his regime's three years and eight months in power.

Whether people like Ms. Tioulong accept Comrade Duch's apology probably doesn't matter. Like the other victims, she came to the tribunal not to forgive, but to finally tell the world about what happened to her sister.

“To be in front of the murderer of your sister is quite an ordeal, but it's a relief having spoken,” she said. “I've waited for that for years and years and years.”

Thai Foreign Minister stresses Thai-Cambodian problem is bilateral issue [-Thailand afraid of international mediation?]

noreply@blogger.com (KI Media) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:38:00 +0000

BANGKOK, Nov 26 (TNA) – Thailand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Kasit Piromya stressed when meeting with visiting Indonesian Foreign Minister Dr RM Marty M Natalegawa that the diplomatic standoff between Thailand and Cambodia was a bilateral issue and could be settled between the two governments, according to a ministry senior official.

Information Department deputy director general Thani Thongphakdi told reporters after the Thai and Indonesian foreign ministers met that Mr Kasit explained the current situation between Thailand and Cambodia to his Indonesian counterpart.

Mr Kasit added that Thailand and Cambodia are trying to resolve their problem and that both consider the rift is a bilateral issue, not wider, and should be settled by the two governments, according to Mr Thani.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono earlier expressed concerns over the continuing Thai and Cambodian rift and offered to serve as a mediator in the matter.

Mr Thani said Mr Natalegawa had listened to the Thai minister’s explanation and expressed hope that the diplomatic rift can be mended peacefully.

The Indonesian official was in Thailand on an introductory trip after being appointed foreign minister on October 22.

He is a career diplomat with more than 20 years of solid experience in diplomacy and international relations. He served as Indonesia’s ambassador to the United Kingdom and permanent representative to the United Nations in New York before being appointed as foreign minister.

The diplomatic falling out between the Thai and Cambodian governments flared up after the Cambodian government appointed fugitive ousted Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra as its economic adviser. The two kingdoms recalled their respective ambassadors in retaliatory actions.

The Cambodian government also invited Mr Thaksin to Phnom Penh to lecture Cambodian business leaders and economists as his first assignment, at the same time rejecting Thailand's request to extradite the fugitive former premier.

As the diplomatic row continues, Mr Thaksin's interview with Britain’s Timesonline website continued to rankle Thais.

In the article, Mr Thaksin commented about the Thai monarch and his successor, with remarks considered offensive to the monarchy. The ousted premier, however, reportedly defended himself by saying his interview was ‘distorted’ by the reporter.

Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI) board decided to investigate TimeOnline, an arm of Britain’s Times of London as a special case due to its exclusive interview with Mr Thaksin deemed offensive to the monarch.

Khmer Defence Minister Tea Banh visits Thailand

noreply@blogger.com (KI Media) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:35:00 +0000

Thu, November 26, 2009
The Nation

Cambodia's Defence Minister Gen Tea Banh arrived in Thailand on Thursday to co-chair a meeting of Thai-Cambodia General Border Committee.

The meeting which will be held in Chon Buri's Banglamung district will be held in tight security as Thai-Cambodia relations have been on the line following visit of ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra to Phnom Penh earlier this month.

The senior officers of both countries then enjoyed golf games at a golf courses in Chon Buri.

Dozens of police and soldiers in full gear are deployed at Dusit Thani Hotel in Chon Buri where the group was staying.

The mutual relations have been strained following Thaksin's visit with Thailand and Cambodia recalling their ambassadors and first secretaries. Thailand has reviewed mutual cooperations to protest the visit.

CWCI's reation statement to Hun Xen's letter to King-Father Norodom Sihanouk

noreply@blogger.com (KI Media) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:28:00 +0000

Today, Norway-based CWCI released a statement regarding the new letter sent by Mr. Hun Sen to King-Father Norodom Sihanouk regarding the Vietnamese encroachments.

Click on the statement in Khmer to zoom in

An Unnecessary Feud

noreply@blogger.com (KI Media) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:12:00 +0000

"Nak Leng"

Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Op-Ed by Chanda Chhay
Originally posted at http://cambodianchildren.blogspot.com/

It is socially disturbing to see a thug and a ruffian fight. But it is politically disgusting to see heads of governments fight like a thug and a ruffian. The on-going spat between Thailand and Cambodia driven by the zeal of their respective leaders has increasingly revealed the ugly side of human behaviors. It shows that human beings, even heads of governments, will not shy away from using sleazy methods to settle political scores.

There are many ways to solve a conflict. But there is only one effective way to cordially solve any conflict—that is to refrain from taking retaliatory action against one’s opponent. Sidhortha Gautama, or Buddha, the greatest philosopher ever walked on this planet, advised us that “revenge could only be extinguished by eliminating the desire to extract revenge.” As an enlightened being, Buddha certainly knew this fact more than anyone else that revenge and retaliation will only lead to escalation of conflict, be it personal or international.

Most of us, wise and unwise people alike, know, or at least are aware of the fact, that retaliatory action is not an effective means to solving a conflict, be it domestic, national, or international. Once we take retaliatory action against our adversary, the adverse effects stemming from such action will likely be compounded and continue to spiral down toward the abyss of destruction. As a result, the eventual solution could only be achieved with the banishment of one’s opponent(s). This is what is known as destructive conflict resolution.

Both Mr. Hun Sen and Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva are elected heads of the governments of Cambodia and Thailand, respectively. Like it or not, they are here to dictate their national policy. Likewise, Cambodia and Thailand are neighbors. Neither country could wish for the other to disappear. The two countries have existed side by side for hundreds of years and will continue to exist side by side for many more years to come. Hence it is absolutely unwise for leaders of both countries to bicker with each other like ruffians. Politicians might come and go. But countries and their inhabitants remain in place indefinitely. Thus, creating an atmosphere of animosity will benefit no one, politicians and general population alike.

In Conflict Analysis and Resolution, a basic knowledge which every diplomat or government leader should have acquired, the first step to solving a conflict peacefully and cordially, is to de-escalate it. One way (and it is the only way) to de-escalate a conflict is to minimize retaliatory actions. Unfortunately, both Thailand and Cambodia appear to engage in just that. The diplomatic row between the two countries over Cambodia’s decision to appoint Thai ex-Prime Minister, Mr.Thaksin Shinawatra, as adviser has seen a flurry of retaliatory actions taken by both sides—from withdrawal of diplomatic missions to preparation to revoke Memorandum of Understanding to threat of border closure.

It is quite a shame to see politicians from Thailand and Cambodia engaged in a rather dirty diplomatic maneuvering. Whatever hidden political agenda or grudges those politicians have toward each other, they must realize that sooner or later they will have to come to terms with it. Though it is natural for heads of governments to make maneuver to gain the upper hand, one must remember that in order to settle political differences amicably, such maneuver is sometimes counterproductive.

Chanda Chhay
Washington, D.C.

Face to face with Comrade Duch

noreply@blogger.com (KI Media) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:05:00 +0000

Thursday, November 26, 2009
Mark MacKinnon
Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada)

PHNOM PENH - At first, I was going to rush outside with everyone else in the courtroom, to gulp some fresh air and a plastic cup of water after a morning of listening to prosecutor William Smith list off the crimes committed by Kaing Guek Eav, the murderous Khmer Rouge jailor better known as Comrade Duch.

But then I remembered that I had surreptitiously stuffed my Blackberry in my blazer pocket on the way in to the court (mobile phones aren't allowed in court but I had been reluctant to hand it over to an unknown fate with the security guards outside). I had snuck it through security once, but trying again might be pushing my luck. I decided to stretch my legs by wandering around the courtroom instead.

As the courtroom rapidly emptied. I realized there was someone else doing the same thing: Comrade Duch.

I couldn't help but stare. Here was the man who stands accused of - and has confessed to an indirect role in - the deaths of more than 12,000 people while he ran Phnom Penh's notorious S-21 torture and interrogation centre.

Just two days before, I had visited S-21 which, other than the gallows and the graves that stand in front of it, still looks from the outside like the high school it was before the Khmer Rouge arrived in 1975. It's a haunted place, filled with room after room of black-and-white photographs of those who spent their final days there.

Some stare at the camera with anger or defiance, others with fear plain on their faces. But most wear no expression at all, as if they've had all emotion beaten out of them. They look as though they no longer cared whether they lived or died.

Watching Duch pace around the courtroom - separated from the audience area where I stood by a pane of bulletproof glass to prevent revenge attacks - it was difficult to imagine this small, ordinary looking 67-year-old as the same man who oversaw a place where men were forced to eat human feces, women were raped and babies were bashed to death against trees.

Hands thrust deep in his pockets as he paced, perhaps thinking about the final statement and apology he would deliver to the court in a few minutes time, he looked like what he should have been: a retired mathematics teacher. Someone's grandfather. With nearly parted grey hair and a crisp white shirt, he looked exactly like a man I had seen outside Phnom Penh's disused train station earlier that morning.

As I pondered this, Duch turned and faced the almost-empty auditorium. His slightly watery eyes scanned the seats as if looking for someone. Eventually, they met mine.

A moment passed quietly as I uncomfortably returned his gaze. I don't know what he was searching for - a smile? a wave? - but I think I was hoping to catch a glimpse of the inner monster, the thing that separated him from the rest of us and made him capable of doing such horrible things. Or maybe a hint that he is, as he says, tormented by "excruciating" remorse over what he'd done.

In Duch's blank eyes, I saw neither. Just an old man in a cage looking out curiously at those looking in.

The courtroom started to fill back up again. Duch turned to consult with his lawyers.

A few minutes later, he stood and told the court again how sorry he was.

I had no idea whether to believe him.
------
Mark MacKinnon is Beijing bureau chief for The Globe and Mail. Prior to being posted to China, he was the Middle East correspondent and before that, Moscow bureau chief. He has covered wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Chechnya and Lebanon, as well as the popular revolutions in Georgia and Ukraine. Mr. MacKinnon who has been at The Globe and Mail since 1998, is a two-time winner of the National Newspaper Award. His first book, The New Cold War: Revolutions, Rigged Elections and Pipeline Politics in the Former Soviet Union, was published in 2007 by Random House.

$10M loan to cut poverty or to enrich corrupt Hun Xen's officials?

noreply@blogger.com (KI Media) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:02:00 +0000

ADB provides $10M loan to Cambodia to cut poverty

Microfinance Focus, Nov. 26, 2009: The Asian Development Bank’s Board of Directors has approved a $10 million loan for Cambodia’s economic reforms program. It covers costs linked to implementing reforms, and also provides the government with budgetary support to help ease the effects of the global economic downturn. The latest reforms are part of the ongoing ADB second sector program support – which began in 2007 – to assist Cambodia to further develop its financial system.

Cambodia is implementing a series of reforms designed to modernize and deepen its financial system in order to support growth, reduce poverty and make the country more resilient in the face of external shocks.

Cambodia posted real economic growth of more than 9% between 2001 and 2008, and cut overall poverty. However, external shocks, such as the global financial crisis of 2008, which has pressured garment exports, tourism and foreign investment, threaten to undermine that progress. An effective financial system that can readily mobilize finance, channel it into productive areas, including to rural areas through microfinance, and manage risks, can help mitigate the impact of external turmoil and keep growth and poverty reduction on track.

“Cambodia has taken many positive steps to develop its financial sector since the instability of the 1970’s and 1980’s, but still faces policy gaps, capacity constraints and other challenges,” said Samiuela Tukuafu, Senior Financial Sector Specialist in ADB’s Southeast Asia Department. “The ongoing program builds on earlier actions to improve the legal and regulatory environment, to boost sector capacity, to improve disclosure standards and financial transparency, and to build up infrastructure.”

These measures are designed to sustain the momentum of structural reforms while strengthening capacities for effective surveillance against the backdrop of knock-on effects of the global economic crisis. They include strengthening of bank supervision capacities, the upgrading of the payments and settlement system, establishment of a financial intelligence unit by National Bank of Cambodia to support efforts to combat money laundering, installation of an integrated IT system to link the core operations of the central bank, further steps to improve the microfinance sector, and the development of a commercial disputes resolution mechanism.

ADB’s loan from its concessional Asian Development Fund has a 24-year term, including a grace period of eight years, with an interest rate of 1% per year during the grace period and 1.5% for the rest of the term. The National Bank of Cambodia is the executing agency for the current program phase which runs from January 2009 to December 2009.

[Thai] Trade with Cambodia will decline at least 20%

noreply@blogger.com (Socheata) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 07:31:00 +0000

Thu, November 26, 2009
By CHALIDA EKVITTHAYAVECHNUKUL
THE NATION

Trade between Thailand and Cambodia will fall at least 20-per-cent short of last year's US$2.13 billion (Bt70.64 billion), due to their roiling political conflict, a new study shows.

"Trade will decline 20 per cent, or roughly Bt14 billion, if the two countries respond to each other only by diplomatic means," Anusorn Tamajai, dean of Rangsit University's Faculty of Economics, said yesterday.

"But if the situation grows more intense until they end up closing the border, the trade loss will rise to 50 per cent. In the most serious scenario, in which the two countries go to war with each other, 90 per cent of the trade will disappear."

The study, "Economic and Investment Impact from the Thai-Cambodian Conflict and Some Solutions", focused on the opinions of Thai social leaders and businessmen.

Over the past two or three years, two-way trade has been growing 10-15 per cent annually, with many Thai companies expanding their investment there, particularly those in labour-intensive industries.

The loss of investment could range from Bt7 billion to Bt32.521 billion, depending on the severity of the situation.

However, it is difficult to evaluate the full loss from this conflict, especially in terms of poorer living standards and lost economic opportunities, he said.

Fifty-two per cent of survey respondents preferred the two governments to solve the conflict diplomatically and return the situation to normal as soon as possible.

Only 2 per cent thought Cambodia was wrong and that the Cambodian government should be responded to in a tit-for-tat manner.

Anusorn said both governments would do best to place their respective countries' welfare as their top priority and boost collaboration, in order to achieve the Asean Economic Community.

"Some of our respondents - and I, personally - thought PM Abhisit Vejjajiva should be brave enough to move Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya to another ministry. Or he should appoint other people to be responsible for Cambodian affairs, because Kasit has had a personal conflict with Cambodia for a long time now," he said.

The government should adopt measures like low-interest loans or tax deductions to support the companies that were affected by this conflict, Anusorn added.

Khmer Rouge torturer had to "kill or be killed"

noreply@blogger.com (Socheata) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 07:24:00 +0000

Thu Nov 26, 2009
By Ek Madra

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - The Khmer Rouge's chief torturer and jailer had to "kill or be killed" and operate like an "obedient machine," his lawyer said on Thursday in defending the first member of Cambodia's murderous regime to face justice.

In the final two days of testimony in the U.N.-backed war crimes tribunal, a lawyer for the commander of the Khmer Rouge's notorious S-21 prison said his client's life was at stake when he ordered the murder of more than 14,000 people in the 1970s.

Speaking a day after prosecutors asked the court to sentence Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, to 40 years in prison, the lawyer said the tribunal should show leniency because the 67-year-old former maths teacher had fully cooperated.

"Without Duch, the trial could not have unfolded if he, like others, had decided to remain in silence," Francois Roux, Duch's lawyer, told a courtroom packed with more than 600 people, including many survivors of the ultra-communist regime blamed for 1.7 million deaths in 1975-79.

"The accused was absolutely, himself, in the hands of the party. And in fact, he had to operate like a machine, an obedient machine," said Roux. "He himself was in a situation where he had to choose to kill or be killed."

"We do not wish our client to be the scapegoat," he added.

Duch is scheduled to take the stand again on Friday on the final day of the trial. A verdict is expected by March.

He is accused of "crimes against humanity, enslavement, torture, sexual abuses and other inhumane acts" as commander of Tuol Sleng prison, a converted high school also known as S-21, during one of the darkest chapters of the 20th century.

Only seven of 14,000 people who passed through S-21 survived.

Prosecutors have urged the tribunal's five-judge panel to reject Duch's assertion he had little choice but to carry out orders, saying Duch was "ideologically of the same mind" as the Khmer Rouge leaders and did nothing to stop prison guards from inflicting rampant torture.

QUARTER OF POPULATION DIED

Lead prosecutor William Smith told the court this week "the accused was neither a prisoner, nor a hostage, nor a victim. He was an idealist, a revolutionary, a crusader - prepared to torture and kill willingly for the good of the revolution."

The tribunal seeks justice for nearly a quarter of Cambodia's population who perished from execution, overwork or torture during the Khmer Rouge's agrarian revolution, which ended with the 1979 invasion by Vietnam.

Duch faces up to life in prison if convicted. Smith said on Wednesday he should get 40 years. Cambodia does not have capital punishment.

Now a born-again Christian, Duch expressed "excruciating remorse" on Wednesday for the S-21 victims, most of them tortured and forced to confess to spying and other crimes before they were bludgeoned to death at the "Killing Fields" execution sites.

Witnesses in 72 days of hearings spoke of beatings with metal pipes, electrocution, near-starvation, violent rape and prisoners forced to eat their own excrement.

Duch has asked if he could apologise in person to his victims' families, and has said he was convinced he was fighting to free Cambodia from U.S. imperialism during the Vietnam War.

Four other senior Khmer Rouge cadres are in custody awaiting trial. They are ex-president Khieu Samphan, former Foreign Minister Ieng Sary, his wife Khieu Thirith and "Brother Number Two" Nuon Chea. Unlike Duch, they have not publicly apologised.

Pol Pot, architect of the Khmer Rouge's "Year Zero" peasant revolution, was captured in 1997 and died in April 1998.

The chamber of three Cambodian and two foreign judges -- known as the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia -- requires four to agree on a verdict.

(Writing by Jason Szep; Editing by Alan Raybould and Dean Yates)

Court should accept Khmer Rouge jailer's remorse

noreply@blogger.com (Socheata) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 07:01:00 +0000

This handout picture taken and released by the Extraordinary Chamber in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) on November 26, 2009 shows former Khmer Rouge chief of "S-21", known as Tuol Sleng prison, Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, in the courtroom at the Extraodinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. Prosecutors demanded a 40-year jail term on November 25 for Khmer Rouge prison chief Duch. AFP PHOTO

The lawyer for Cambodia's Khmer Rouge jail chief urged the UN-backed war crimes court Thursday to recognise his client's remorse in the interests of national reconciliation

PHNOM PENH, November 26, 2009 (AFP) - The lawyer for Cambodia's Khmer Rouge jail chief urged the UN-backed war crimes court Thursday to recognise his client's remorse in the interests of national reconciliation.

French defence lawyer Francois Roux said prosecution demands for a 40-year prison term for former prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, known as Duch, failed to take account of his repeated apologies.

"We have before us an accused who recognises his guilt. This is an historic moment for this country... We must build the truth," Roux told the court.

"The prosecution has... missed its date with history," he said.

"They said lock him up for 40 years and society will be the better for it. But when will the prosecution admit that these are words that have been heard before? These are cliches and we must go further."

Duch, 67, has repeatedly apologised, this week offering "excruciating remorse", for his role in the hardline communist regime, which killed up to two million people.

But prosecution lawyers giving final arguments Wednesday said that was not enough and demanded he serve 40 years in jail.

Since his trial began in February, Duch has begged forgiveness for overseeing the murders of around 15,000 men, women and children at the S-21 or Tuol Sleng prison, a former high school in the capital Phnom Penh.

Tuol Sleng was at the heart of the Khmer Rouge security apparatus and inmates were taken from there during Duch's tenure for execution at nearby Choeung Ek, an orchard now known as the "Killing Fields".

Duch faces a maximum life sentence as the tribunal does not have the power to impose the death penalty. A verdict is expected early next year.

Duch has argued that he was not a leading figure in the regime and that he acted out of fear for his own safety and that of his family, but prosecutors accuse him of not fully acknowledging his role in Khmer Rouge leadership.

Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot died in 1998. The joint trial of four other more senior Khmer Rouge leaders is expected to start in 2011, while the court is considering whether to open cases against five other former Khmer Rouge cadres.

Surakiart: Bangkok should open talks [with Cambodia]

noreply@blogger.com (Socheata) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:56:00 +0000

26/11/2009
Bangkok Post

The Thai government should make the first move to open talks with Cambodia on resolving the dispute between the two countries, former foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai said on Thursday.

Speaking at a seminar on Cambodian issues at the faculty of political science of Chulalongkorn University, Mr Surakiart said there were many factors contributing to the continuing rift between the two countries. These included past conflicts, overlapping maritime areas, the border dispute around the ancient Preah Vihear Temple and Thailand's political problems, especially the activities of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Nationalistic tensions on both sides should be reduced and the Thai government should revise its strengths, weaknesses and bargaining power in analysing the Cambodian government's next move, he said.

"The Thai government should organise bilateral talks with other countries to clarify the Thai-Cambodian situation," Mr Surakiart said. "The Thai government should also make the first move and approach the Cambodian government in a show of seniority and pressure the Cambodian government to explain different bilateral issues."

Duch's defence in disarray as closing arguments conclude

noreply@blogger.com (Socheata) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:46:00 +0000

Thu, 26 Nov 2009
DPA

Phnom Penh - The defence in Cambodia's war crimes tribunal showed signs of falling apart Thursday as the trial of former Khmer Rouge prison camp commander Comrade Duch entered its scheduled final day. Duch's international defence lawyer Francois Roux, in his last appearance as a defence lawyer before taking up a position at the UN's Special Tribunal for Lebanon, told the court that the closing arguments advanced on Wednesday by his Cambodian defence counterpart, Kar Savuth, had undermined Roux's own planned closing statement.

"We have had to revise the entire plan of our pleadings after Mr Kar Savuth's pleading yesterday afternoon," Roux said in his opening remarks at the joint UN-Cambodian tribunal in Phnom Penh.

Roux told the court there had been "disagreements" within the defence team.

On Wednesday Kar Savuth told the tribunal that Duch, who is charged with crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes under Cambodian law, should be freed for a number of reasons, including his contention that international law did not apply and the statute of limitations under the Cambodian law had expired.

The defence's statements were part of its seven-hour closing argument in the trial of Duch, whose real name is Kaing Guek Eav. Duch ran S-21, the Khmer Rouge's most notorious prison.

Kar Savuth's argument followed yet another admission Wednesday by Duch accepting responsibility for the torture and murder of more than 12,000 people at the S-21 prison camp he ran in Phnom Penh between 1975-79.

Among Kar Savuth's arguments was that since Duch was following orders while allegedly living in fear of his life, he could not be prosecuted for ordering his subordinates to kill.

Some of Roux's comments Thursday were clearly at odds with his co-defence lawyer, including a outright repudiation of Kar Savuth's comments that international law does not apply.

But for much of the first two hours of his closing arguments, Roux lambasted the prosecution, not least its contention that Duch was at the centre of "a network of terror."

"I apologize in advance to the victims for what I am about to say," Roux told the court Thursday. "But how many people died at S-21? We know 12,380 ... and a total of 1.7 million in Cambodia. That means S-21 was responsible for less than 1 per cent of the deaths in Cambodia."

"And [the prosecution] is telling the chamber that Duch was at the centre of a network that bathed Cambodia in blood - how dare you?" Roux said.

On Wednesday the prosecution called on the tribunal to hand down a 40-year sentence to Duch. The prosecution acknowledged some mitigating factors, including that Duch had shown some cooperation and took limited responsibility for the crimes committed at S-21.

Duch is 67, so the prosecution's demand would effectively translate to life in prison.

Kar Savuth's arguments were described "an almost obscene immunization of a mass murderer" by David J Scheffer, a former US war crimes ambassador, who is attending the closing week of the trial.

Scheffer, a professor of law, said the defence argument "defies 65 years of international criminal law."

"If we accept his argument, it would vitiate the provisions of the [tribunal] law that there is no defence to superior orders," Scheffer said. "He ignores that completely."

Sentencing in Duch's trial is due to take place early next year. There is no death penalty in Cambodia, and he faces a maximum punishment of life in prison.

Witnesses at the 72-day hearing this year have told how some prisoners at S-21 had their blood entirely drained, while others suffered simulated drowning, electrocution and beatings. Very few prisoners sent to S-21 survived.

Four senior surviving Khmer Rouge leaders are currently in jail and awaiting trial.

The Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979 before being forced out of power by neighbouring Vietnam. Around 2 million people died of starvation and disease or were executed under the radical regime.

Lao PM: We're concerned about Thai-Khmer conflict

noreply@blogger.com (Socheata) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:28:00 +0000

November 26, 2009
By Suthichai Yoon
The Nation

Vientiane - Laotian Prime Minister Bouason Boupphavanh has expressed concern that the Thai-Cambodian conflict could affect Asean's unity and reputation in the international arena.

In an exclusive interview with The Nation earlier this week, the Laotian leader said, if asked by parties concerned, his government would be "ready" to coordinate efforts by Thailand and Cambodia to negotiate a settlement.

Bouason said: "We are of course concerned about the Thai-Cambodian conflict because it is not good for Asean as a whole. I have respect for the leaders of both Thailand and Cambodia."

Asked whether Laos, being a neighbour to both countries, would be ready and willing to serve as the "link" for the two parties, Premier Bouason said: "You asked me whether Laos would be ready to coordinate between the two countries. I personally respect both countries. We have not been contacted by either party. And I have no opinion on this. If our friends honour Laos with such a role, we would of course be ready to be of help."

The Laotian prime minister said it was important that Asean should avoid developing any "weak points" in the eye of the international community.

"They [the international community] used to admire Asean. They want Asean to be united," he said.

Prime Minister Bouason left Vientiane yesterday for a two-day visit to Phnom Penh, where he will hold bilateral talks with Cambodian Premier Hun Sen.

Asked whether the newly-implemented Asean Charter could provide a mechanism for conflict resolution among member countries, the Laotian leader said Asean remained committed to "non-interference" in the members' internal affairs.

"As it stands, it's a bilateral issue [between Thailand and Cambodia]," he said.

Asked whether a third party was needed to resolve the Thai-Cambodian problems, Premier Bouason said: "It's up to the two countries concerned."

Laos will host the SEA Games for the first time from December 9 to 18.

"We are very proud to be able to host the SEA Games for the first time, having hosted the Asean Summit a few years ago. Of course, we are very grateful to our friends for helping us realise our dream," Bouason said.

China has helped Laos build a new 20,000-seat national stadium while Vietnam has contributed by building the games' village. Thailand has also chipped in, financing the construction of an additional stadium.

"The whole country is very excited about the event. Every Laotian citizen is playing host to SEA Games," Prime Minister Bouason said.

The Laotian premier said Laos' economy had also been affected by the global economic crisis. But recovery was on the way.

Last year, Laos' GDP growth stood at 7.9 per cent. This year's it is expected to slip slightly to 7.5 per cent.

"We believe, our economic growth could grow back to 8 per cent next year," he said.

Bouason was appointed prime minister on June 8, 2006, replacing Bounyhang Vorachith who became vice president.

Bouason had previously served as first deputy prime minister since Oct 3, 2003. Prior to that, he had held the ranks of third deputy premier and president of the State Planning Committee. He is also a member of the Politburo.

[Thai] Govt should approach Cambodia first

noreply@blogger.com (Socheata) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:40:00 +0000

26/11/2009
Bangkok Post

The government should open talks with Cambodia to resolve the dispute between both countries, former foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai said on Thursday.

Speaking at a seminar on Cambodian issues at the Faculty of Political Science of Chulalongkorn University, Mr Surakiart said there were many factors contributing to the continuing rift between the two countries such as past conflicts, overlapping maritime areas, the border crisis around the ancient Preah Vihear Temple and Thailand's political problems, especially the activities of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Nationalistic tensions on both sides should be reduced and the Thai government should revise its strengths, weaknesses and bargaining power to analyse the Cambodian government's next move, he said.

"The Thai government should organise bilateral talks with other countries to clarify the Thai-Cambodian situation," Mr Surakiart said. "The Thai government should also approach Cambodian government first to show its seniority and pressure the Cambodian government to explain different bilateral issues."

An ambassador for Cambodian orphans

noreply@blogger.com (Socheata) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:27:00 +0000

Giving a helping hand: Former Trayning woman Tanya Jaw (middle) with the orphans at the Chres Orphanage in Cambodia. Mrs Jaw is helping to provide hundreds of English library books and also to build an 18-bed accommodation building for the orphanage.

26 Nov, 2009
Merredin-Wheatbelt Mercury (Australia)

Tanya Jaw, who grew up in Trayning and finished high school in Wyalkatchem, says coming from the country has helped her see the world in a different way.

She has achieved many things throughout her life so far and is currently helping to provide a library and accommodation for orphans in Cambodia as part of a Self Expression and Leadership Program.

Mrs Jaw is the youngest daughter of Trayning post master Valda Knott.

Mrs Jaw has written the following account of her experience with the Chres Orphanage in Cambodia.

Growing up and gaining an education in the country doesn’t limit your possibilities. In fact, it enhances them.

Since leaving the Wheatbelt and studying communications at university, I have been a web publisher, assisting WA business development and as an employment co-ordinator for people with disability.

Today I work in the aged care industry, looking at creative ways to stimulate people with dementia, and how the organisation can improve its internal communication.

I have an active interest in people, so in March 2009 I traveled to Cambodia to learn more about the war and its people there.

Cambodia is 95 per cent rural. Poverty, disease and landmines are an everyday reality for many if its farmers.

My own rural background and sense of community resonated with the Cambodian people.

Although Cambodian farmers have a different set of troubles - land mines rather than drought, I recognised the same level of richness in their communities that I had experienced growing up in the Wheatbelt.

I came upon the Chres Village orphanage and school during a motorbike tour.

Touched by how grateful the children were to visitors and volunteers, I decided to become a registered fundraiser for Sustainable Organisation for Community Peasants, Labourers, Students Development and Orphans.

The position was approved by the Ministry of Interior and Siem Reap Governor, Cambodia, on May 23 this year.

Pong Sena, a former soldier, moved by the Chres Village’s plight during the Pol Pot regime, set up the orphanage in 2006.

Today it has become a school offering free English and health education to 500 local village children.

The orphanage and school is non-government funded, surviving off donations and the work and good will of volunteers.

The orphanage caters for 49 orphans ranging from eight to 21 years of age and is located 30 minutes out of town, so awareness of its existence is minimal, making it difficult to generate donations and funding. Without education, the children are destined to a life of poverty.

In August I approached local schools and libraries around Perth to donate unwanted books to start an English language library at the orphanage, as learning English is a vital part of the children’s education for gaining future employment in retail and tourism.

Many libraries were glad to recycle the books, which are usually discarded, and the State Library donated the rest.

A shipping agent and box manufacturer also donated their goods and services, and students from Hamilton High School packed the books for transport.

Currently the orphanage also requires urgent funding to build accommodation for 18 orphan girls, who currently use the library building as sleeping quarters.

The accommodation building will be a traditional design and will use local materials, and building it will employ up to 10 local laborers.

It will take 75 days to build, and the total amount for building including electrics will be about $30,000 Australian.

The Midland Rotary Club has offered assistance with obtaining a Charity License to enable me to pursue corporate funding and donations.

I am always looking for opportunities for the orphanage. In addition to the accommodation, funds are needed for desks and chairs.

If anyone is interested in making donations or fundraising, they may contact me on 0438 908 428 or via email at tanya@peachybooks.net

The orphanage also welcomes tourists who are interested in teaching English or just visiting, and I certainly found a visit to Cambodia to be a wonderful and eye-opening experience.

More information about the orphanage can be found at
www.cambodianorphanage.org.uk

Death toll of A/H1N1 flu in Cambodia increases to 5

noreply@blogger.com (Socheata) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:20:00 +0000

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of A/H1N1 flu in Cambodia has increased to five and the virus infected rate topped 28 cases for one week, official of the Health Ministry said on Thursday.

"The fifth person who died of the flu late last week is a 20 year-old Khmer man," Ly Sovan, deputy director of the communicable control department of Health Ministry told Xinhua by phone.

He could not elaborate in detail for fatality case. But he said that the cumulative number of confirmed cases in Cambodia are 472, up from 444 cases last week. It spreads in 13 provinces and city in the country including Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Kandal, Takeo, Kampong Speu, Battambang, Kampong Chhnang, Svay Rieng, Kampong Cham, Mondul Kiri, Kampot, Prey Veng and Banteay Mean Chey provinces.

According to a report from the Cambodian Heath Ministry, the ministry will receive 300,000 doses of A/H1N1 flu vaccine by the end of November from the World Health Organization.