Cambodia, Thailand To Form Power Plant Working Group

By STAFF Writer
December 30, 2011

Cambodia and Thailand is paving way in forming a working group for the Stung Num hydropower plant and coal-fired power plant on Koh Kong after the two nations agreed on electricity sharing.

Thailand's Minister of Foreign Affairs Surapong Tovichakchaikul and Minister of Energy Pichai were officially visiting on Thursday Cambodian Prime Minister when the issue was raised by the Cambodian leader.

Pichai said due to political problems between Cambodia and Thailand the matter has been put on hold. He added further that Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) was assigned for discussing the matter in detail with Cambodia as it will be purchasing the power according to the existing agreement.

EGAT International, the subsidiary of EGAT was assigned for further study of the projects.

Pichai said that the two nations agreed that Stung Num power plant to be in Thailand but the reservoir and dam should be in Cambodia.

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December 30, 2011 | 1 comments

Cambodia-Thailand Trade Recovering

By STAFF REPORTER
October 17, 2011

In the first eight months of this year the trade between Thailand and Cambodia went up by 8%. Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh said yesterday the trade between went up to $1.93 billion.

The export of Cambodia to Thailand was 125.6 million dollars, which is 17% lower compared to the same period last year, whereas the export of Thailand to Cambodia went up by 10% to 1.8 billion dollars.

Director of Thai embassy's Foreign Trade Promotion Office, Jiranan Wongmongkol said trade between the two countries is seeing better recovery since August when the Pheu Thai Party came to power led by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

She added, "We project that through restoring good relations between the two nations, the bilateral trade will grow around 20 percent this year."

Director of statistics department at Cambodia's Ministry of Commerce, Kong Putheara also said that Cambodian and Thai trade would re-grow well henceforth after it slowed down due to border clashes between February and April.

The two countries have sporadic border conflict related to territorial dispute near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple since July 7, 2008 when UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site.

Both Cambodia and Thailand have built up military forces since then near the border area and clashes have taken place periodically killing civilians and troop both sites.

Since Pheu Thai Party won the general elections, the border tension has been eased. Leaders from both the countries have announced efforts in building "a new era of cooperation between Cambodia and Thailand."

11th century Preah Vihear temple

Map showing Cambodia and Thailand

Thailand's first female Prime Minister - Yingluck Shinawatra

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October 17, 2011 | 0 comments

Cambodia Bans Citizens From Working In Malaysia As Maids

By STAFF Writer
September 15, 2011

CAMBODIA/ MALAYSIA NEWS - Cambodians can no more work as maids in Malaysia. The country banned its citizens of this following several horrific reports of rapes and beatings by Malaysian employers. Prime Minister Hun Sen announced this surprise ban on Friday after expressing disappointment with the alleges. In few cases the passports of the maids were also withheld by the Malaysian employers.

The reports of maid abuse has been confirmed by the Community Legal Education Centre of Cambodia, which is working with the victims.

Datuk Raja Zulkepley Dahalan, president of Malaysia National Association of Employment Agencies (Pikap) said the bad was "very bad news". He added that employers should now be prepared of sourcing maids from Philippines.

According to Malaysian Maid Employers Association (Mama), the newly-imposed bad decision was "very harsh and drastic." President Engku Ahmad Fauzi Engku Muhsein said the country must not clampdown in total, but should focus on implementing better protection of its citizens working in Malaysia as maids.

A similar ban was imposed by Indonesia government in 2009 on its citizens from taking the job of domestic helpers in Malaysia after few cases of physical abuse that were highly publicised in the media and anti-Malaysia demonstrations were tirggered in capital Jakarta.

The two countries have reached an agreement earlier this year but Indonesia has not yet resumed permission of hiring which has worsened shortage of domestic helpers in Malaysia.

Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen 

Cambodian maid Malaysian employer

Malaysia Skyline

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October 15, 2011 | 7 comments

Thai To Review Ties With Cambodia In Wake Of Fresh Border Clash

By ONE Liners Agency

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva orders for a fresh review of the nations tie with neighbor Cambodia in the wake of re-clashes in the border between the two countries.

The proposal for the review came from Thailand Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya on Tuesday at the weekly Cabinet meeting.

According to government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn, the Cabinet resolved that border dispute will only be confined to dispute and not clashes as it is seen for past few days.

Wattanayagorn also added that Thailand government would cooperate with international organizations and all the relevant agencies. He said the military would take retaliatory action in pushing out the Cambodian soldiers from disputed areas and also diplomatic measures to be taken to bring Cambodian government to bilateral talks.

Spokesman believed further that after the two countries' meet in the sideline of ASEAN summit in Indonesia, the situation would improve. ASEAN will be held on May 7 and 8. Also, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya is scheduled to meet on April 28 the Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa.

It is learned from Wattanayagorn that Thailand and Indonesia may reach to an agreement on the deployment of Indonesian observers at the disputed border areas.

Meanwhile, for the fifth consecutive day fighting erupted between Thai and Cambodia soldiers along the mountainous disputed border.

Thai as well as Cambodia spokesmen said the fight broke out near the 11th Century hill-top Preah Vihear temple today.

Last four days the fight was around Ta Krabey temple, 160km to the west.

In the five days violence between the two countries at least twelve soldiers have been killed.

Due to recent fighting about 36,000 people have been displaced.

Calling for ceasefire, UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon said on Saturday that both the countries need to resolve the crisis through serious dialogue and not through military means.

In February about ten people were killed in violence around Preah Vihear temple.

Even after international court awarding the Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia in 1962, both the neighbors claim for the ownership of the surrounding area.

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April 26, 2011 | 0 comments

Border Clash Between Thailand And Cambodia Resumes

By MALILA Harris

THAILAND NEWS – The clash between Thailand and Cambodia has once again ignited when in an incident four soldiers have been killed, increasing the number of death to 10 in two days.

The clash has started when both sides have exchanged fire in jungle around Ta Krabey temple, which both sides claim. The disputed 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple is spread around 200 km and a place for fatal clashes between two nations. Since February, the scene has turned into a battleground and eventually people were evacuated from the area.

According to a news source, the reason of this immediate violence is still to be known and both sides blamed each other for the clash.

“Fresh fighting started at around 0600 (2300 GMT Friday) with rifles and mortar shelling," said Thai army spokesman Col Prawit Hookaew.

"We are negotiating to stop the fighting," he added.

Both sides blamed each for the killing, as Thai officials said one Thai soldiers had been killed and more than four injured whereas Cambodian officials claimed to lose three of their soldiers.

It is reported that some artillery shelling had also taken place and fighting became more intense in a week.

Indonesia has been playing a negotiator between two countries and appeal for immediate ceasefire.

In 1962, an international court had awarded Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia, however, the conflict between two neighbors have been continuing over the surrounding area. There are other parts of the Thai-Cambodian border, which have not yet been formally demarcated.

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April 24, 2011 | 0 comments

Death From Stampede In Cambodia Increases To 345

By ONE Liners Agencies

Cambodia Stampede

CAMBODIA NEWS - In a freaky accident, a stampede at Cambodian festival cost at least 345 people's lives. Official report says, the stampede killed 345 people and another 391 were injured. There were huge gathering of people at the annual Water Festival in the capital city of Phnom Penh Monday.

The nation declared Thursday a national day of mourning. In addition, the government has also set up a commission to look into the incident.

The government announced to consolidate the family of deceased by paying 5 million riel ($1,230) and also said would help with the transport of the bodies of those who died.

The three day festival is held every November near the palace to honor a victory by Cambodian naval forces during the 12th-century reign of King Jayvarman VII. The festival includes various activities like boat races, etc. and people pray for good harvest, sufficient rain and celebrate the full moon.

A Cambodian Embassy official said in Washington that more than 4 million people were attending the festival when sudden stampede occurred.

The probable cause of stampede according to municipal police chief was a break a suspension bridge packed with people began to sway, creating hysteria and eventually stampede occurred.

It is said that police began firing water cannons onto a bridge to move the crowd across the bridge but the efforts went to vain. People were in utter panic and lost the judgment. A number of people lost consciousness and fell into the water.

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November 23, 2010 | 0 comments