REAKSMEY KONGKEA

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Three of Cambodia’s experienced and well-known boxer, a universal boxer and two Kun Khmer kick-boxers will attend the World Boxing Championship which will be take place at the National Stadium on Sunday, 27th September 2009. The World Boxing Championship is jointly organized by the Information Media Consulting Group (IMS Consulting Group) and Television 3 Station, in collaboration with the Cambodian Amateur Boxing Association (CABA) in Cambodia. Oum Yurann, President of the Cambodian Amateur Boxing Association (CABA), said that it was the second time Cambodia has organized the World Boxing Championship. Yurann said that the main purpose of the world boxing tournament is to compete with foreign experienced boxers. Fighters from the Philippines, United of Kingdom, and Scotland are joining the competition. Yarunn further stated that the championship was an excellent opportunity to show the world more of Cambodia’s fighting abilities. “I am happy because nowadays o...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA One of The University of Cambodia’s scholarship students, Mao Chi Channa, 27, has provided an interview with The Southeast Asia Weekly on September 24, in which he describe his endeavors to spread knowledge about Buddhism trough internet. Mao Chi Channa was born in 1983 in Kampong Tayorng village, Puok district, Siem Reap Province. He is the oldest in the family and he has two brothers and two sisters. His father’s name is Mao Chhan and he is a farmer, his mother is named Bun Theavy and is a housewife. They are all living in Siem Reap province. Currently, Chi Channa is a Buddhist monk at Unnalom pagoda in Phnom Penh. He now is also in the fourth year of Information Technology (IT) at The University of Cambodia (UC) in Phnom Penh. He got a direct scholarship from the University of Cambodia via the UC’s President Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Phnom Penh in 2005. “I am most grateful to Exc...

BY BUT H REAKSMEY KONGKEA The 12th edition of the Asian Network for the Rights of Occupational Accident Victims (ANROAV) conference has been conducted during three days from the 22nd to the 24th of September in Phnom Penh to strengthen the communication and cooperation between different organizations in Asia. A total of 17 countries from Asian and European origin have participated at the ANROAV conference which was jointly organized by the ANROA, Cambodia’s Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training (MoLVT), the Asian Monitor Resource Centre, and Cambodian Labor Congress (CLC) in Cambodia. It is the first time for the conference to be held in Cambodia. The main objective of the annual conference is to promote and strengthen the communications and cooperation of different organizations, in order to increase the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) of workers and law enforcements in Asia. Leng Thong, Director of the Occupational Safety and Health Department in the Ministry of Labor and Vo...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Three teams of the 11 teams of Cambodian Architectural students who competed in the competition of the “Imaginary Park of the Arts”, have won the FCC’s Award in Cambodia, said Alain Arnaudet, Director of the French Cultural Centre (FCC). Alain Arnaudet said that the competition of the “Imaginary Part of the Arts” was jointly organized by the French Cultural Centre (FCC), Kampuchea Institution of Architects (KIA), SCA, and French Embassy to Cambodia within the framework of the Our City Project, month of architecture in Cambodia. The team which ended up in first place consists of three students from the Royal University of Fine Arts (RUFA) Hour Kimhout, Tuch Mey and Khat Chhorvy. The team that ended up second was made up of Peou Ty, Sok Samnang, and Sour Nora, also from RUFA. The team in third place consists of Lay Ngeab Heang, Pheap Sophat, Thoeurn Bunthorn, Tuy Chanthoeurn, Meng Bunly, Phy Davuth, San Visuth, Say Rithy, and Soung Sophisey. The FCC director sa...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Three teams of the 11 teams of Cambodian Architectural students who competed in the competition of the “Imaginary Park of the Arts”, have won the FCC’s Award in Cambodia, said Alain Arnaudet, Director of the French Cultural Centre (FCC). Alain Arnaudet said that the competition of the “Imaginary Part of the Arts” was jointly organized by the French Cultural Centre (FCC), Kampuchea Institution of Architects (KIA), SCA, and French Embassy to Cambodia within the framework of the Our City Project, month of architecture in Cambodia. The team which ended up in first place consists of three students from the Royal University of Fine Arts (RUFA) Hour Kimhout, Tuch Mey and Khat Chhorvy. The team that ended up second was made up of Peou Ty, Sok Samnang, and Sour Nora, also from RUFA. The team in third place consists of Lay Ngeab Heang, Pheap Sophat, Thoeurn Bunthorn, Tuy Chanthoeurn, Meng Bunly, Phy Davuth, San Visuth, Say Rithy, and Soung Sophisey. The FCC director sa...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen has urged and promoted Cambodian agriculture sectors to accelerate more cooperation with Vietnamese’s investors during his meeting with a Vietnamese delegation led by Cao Duc Phat, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. Ieng Sophallet, Assistant to the Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen, said that Cao Duc Phat told the Prime Minister during the meeting that his visit to Cambodia aimed to urge and promote cooperation. “The Vietnamese delegation makes a great contribution to the development of the Cambodia agriculture sector,” said Sophallet. According to Sophallet the Premier said in response that the agriculture sector in Cambodia is the first priority of the Cambodian government. During the meeting the Premier urged the both Cambodia and Vietnam’s Ministries of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to help fight viruses that threaten harvest in both countries. Sophallet said that Prime Minister Hun Sen told the delegation that ...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Lach Vuthy, 41, one of the Cambodian Judo Federation (CJF) coaches in Cambodia, has told about his experiences as a coach while providing an interview with The Southeast Asia Weekly on September 16. Vuthy was born in 1968 in Phnom Penh and has three brothers and four sisters. He is only one son of his family who is involved in Judo. He is married and the father of a son and a daughter. His wife, Chan Chean, 37, and all of their children are trainee of the Judo coach. Chan Chean obtained a third Dan black belt and teaches the national Judo team with Vuthy at the National Stadium in Phnom Penh. Vuthy had received fourth- level Dan black belt from the Kodokan Judo Institute in Japan in 2008 and currently the trainer and coach of the national Judo team of Cambodia. He started his training with a veteran Judo coach in Phnom Penh in 1974 under Lon Nol’s regime and later resumed his training in 1983 after he survived the Khmer Rouge regime. “I started training Judo wh...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Toul Sleng National Museum also known as S.21 and its documents have been included on the tentative World Heritage List, announced the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts (MoCFA) and the Cambodian National Committee for UNESCO during a seminar called “Remembrance of the World” in Phnom Penh on September 14. The inclusion of the tentative World Heritage List was announced publicly by the Som Sokun, Secretary of State for the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, he said that Cambodia is proud and honored to put the Toul Sleng National Museum (S.21) for the UNESCO’s heritage list in order to conserve it for the next generation. “If Toul Sleng National Museum will be added to the list that means that all documents will be officially recognized as a valued heritage for the entire world. It is also our opportunity to receive the technical and financial assistance from UNESCO and international communities for strengthening of the human resources, documents preservation an...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Rath Virakneary, 18, one of The University of Cambodia’s (UC) “Samdech Hun Sen-Handa National Scholarships 2008” students, has provided an interview to The Southeast Asia Weekly on September 14, telling about her study and her ambitions to become an economist in the future. “I think that I am lucky and honored that I have passed the scholarship exams from The University of Cambodia, sponsored by Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen in 2008. To show my gratitude to the Prime Minister as well as UC’s President, I am committed to my study and the completion of my Bachelor Degree in economics in the future,” she said. Virakneary was born in 1991 in Phnom Penh. She is the oldest of the family and has one sister and one brother. Her father is a Custom Officer working with the Ministry of Finance and Economy and her mother is a house wife living in Phnom Penh. She studied at Toul Tumpong High School in Phnom Penh and completed a baccalaureate in 2008. Currently she is study...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen has called on the Ministers of Public Works and Transport, Ministry of Commerce and other relevant ministries, to work together and take strict action against to heavily loaded trucks which to maintain and protect roads from damage. Overloaded trucks, sometimes with a cargo load of up to 100 tons, have been a common site on Cambodian roads. Especially the roads from the border into Phnom Penh had to endure a lot of over packed truck carrying building materials into the capital. Because of this many roads and bridges have suffered damage, endangering the road safety. The Prime Minister stated: “I would like to warn the entire public that the destruction of our roads and bridges due to overloading must stop straight away. Trucks that will continue to overload will be confiscated and their companies will be put on suspension or shut down. Hun Sen made these statements at the opening of the Cambodian-Chinese Friendship Bridge in Prek ...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONBGKEA AND SOY SOPHEA The Royal Government of Cambodia has demanded the Thai government to explain why the Thai black uniform soldiers in Surin province fired at a group of Cambodian villagers and burned Cambodian teenager alive while they were allegedly lodging at the border areas in Oddar Meanchey province on September 11. The demand was announced during a press conference on September 16, which was made by Ouch Borith, Secretary of State in Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The Secretary of State said that the Cambodian government has also demanded the Thai government to take full responsibility for the seriously injured Cambodian villagers and the death of one. The government further requested the Thai government to arrest the criminals and bring them to justice. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already presented its complaint to the Thai government through the Royal Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh, regarding the shooting of Cambodian vill...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Six male and six female Cambodian Petanque national selected players have left Cambodia on the 9th of September to compete in the international Petanque Championship competition in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The international competition was held for three days from September 10-12, organized by the National Olympic Committee of Vietnam. Sok Mong, National Coach of the Cambodian Petanque and Sport Boules Federation in the Ministry of Education Youth and Sport (MoEYS). He said that four countries including Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam have participated in the competition in Vietnam. “It is my pleasure and honor to lead our Cambodian national team to attend the international Petanque championship,” he told The Southeast Asia Weekly during an interview at the National Stadium on September 8. The main purpose of the participation is to compete with foreign Petanque players from Laos, Thailand and Vietnam in order to win medals for our country, he said, addi...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA “My dream is to become a lawyer or law professor working in Cambodia. I want to become a lawyer because I think that this work enables me to help the underprivileged and contribute to the strengthening and promote the law enforcement and democracy in my country. It is also my responsibility to make money to support my family in future,” Sam Phalla, a 20-year-old “Samdech Hun Sen-Handa National Scholarships 2007” student states during an interview with The Southeast Asia Weekly on September 10. Phalla now is studying Law at The University of Cambodia (UC) and studying Economic Information at the Royal University of Law and Economic Sciences (RULE) in Phnom Penh. “I am happy that I passed the scholarship exams from The University of Cambodia in 2007 and have a chance to study the Law at the University of Cambodia because it is an outstanding university in Cambodia,” he said. Phalla stated that since he studied with UC in 2007, his English and understanding of Law...

BY BUHT REAKSMEY KONGKEA The Cambodian government is putting continuously effort in increasing tourism in the country. The latest weapon in attracting international visitors is going to be sport events. Thong Khon, Minister for the Ministry of Tourism, announced this during his closing remarks at the General Assembly on the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) in Phnom Penh on September 9. The Minister Thong Khon, who is also the Chairman of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia, said that the government was preparing sport events, both national and international in order to promote Cambodia. Cambodian sports and athletes are going to be used to bring Cambodia under the international spotlight. “The tourism is one of Cambodia’s four pillars in generating income and development in Cambodia,” he said. Sport is the delegation of peace in the world. They both are linked together and are potential sources in developing and reducing the poverty in Cambodia.” Thong Khon said hi...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Cambodia-Korea Alumni Association (CAMKAA) have organized a seminar called “Exchange Experiences of the Cambodia Korea Alumni Association” in order to share experiences among former students and from one ministry to another and so establish a multilateral network. A large number of KOICA Alumni members belonging to different Korean and Cambodian government ministries have participated in the workshop. Kim Byung-Gwan, Representative of KOICA, said that the workshop was important way for developing social-economy to focus on human resources development in Cambodia. “The main purpose of the seminar is to renew our acquaintances, to share our value experiences and knowledge in Korea among KOICA fellows and Cambodian officials and to promote mutual and friendly relationship and partnerships between Korea and Cambodia and to establish a mutual network of specialists from many disciplines, professional fields...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Recently the South West of Cambodia has been struck by flooding. The floods are caused by storms coming from the South region of Asia. This state of emergency is going to last until September 15, according to Dr. Seth Vannareth, Director of Meteorology Department in the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MoWRAM). By order of Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen, all ministries and local authorities will assist the people in the flooded cities and provinces. The Prime Minister asked all provincial and district and commune council members to prepare and take measurements in helping the people affected by the flood and help them to avoid danger. He also appealed to Cambodian Red Cross and other concerned international organizations to prepare humanitarian aids, food supplies, medicines and other materials to help the affected people incase if there will be more floods. “Although we cannot prevent natural disasters or the floods, the Royal Government of Cambodi...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Eight Cambodian boxers have won 12 medals after the six-day World Vovinam Championship in Vietnam. The Cambodian team brought home two gold, 5 silver and 5 bronze medals. Cambodia had sent one coach and 9 Vovinam boxers including two female boxers to attend the World Vovinam Championship in Ho Chi Minh City. The tournament was held from the 26th to the 31st of July 2009. There were a total of 14 countries participating in the competition, namely Cambodia, Australia, Peru, France, Germany, Russia, Italy, Romania, India, Thailand, Iran, Ukraine, Poland and Vietnam. Tep Chiveaksokhom, 30, weight 60 kg, was one of the boxers who attended the World Vovinam Championship and Vovinam competition in Vietnam. Chiveaksokhom started training in Vovinam with the Cambodian Vovinam Federation in Phnom Penh in 2006. He won two gold medals and two silver medals. “This is my first time to attend the World Vovinam Championship. I am happy with my results, as I have won four medal...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The First Cambodia International Conference on “Mathematics and Technology in Mathematics Education” has been conducted. The conference took place for four days from the 2nd to the 5th September in Phnom Penh. The conference was a joint effort of the Ministry of Education Youth and Sport (MoEYS), the Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC), and the Cambodian Mathematical Society (CMS) in Cambodia. Dr. Neth Barom, Vice-President of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said that it was the first time that Cambodia has organized an international conference on this subject in Cambodia. He said the main purpose of the conference is to promote development of mathematics and technology in mathematics education in Cambodia. Teruo Jinnai, UNESCO Representative to Cambodia, said that science and technological literacy has been flagged by member countries of UNESCO as an essential reinforcement of human development. Sustainable development and an improved quality of life are to a large...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The French Cultural Centre (FCC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts (MoCFA) has organized a “Joint Lakhaon Festival” on September 4 at the Chenla Theatre in Phnom Penh, aiming to promote tradition and culture between the two countries. The play performed is titled, “The Young Girl, the Devil, and the Mill” adapted by Olivier Py from the tale by the brothers Grimm, was performed by a group of 15 artists including French and Cambodian artists. Alain Arnaudet, Director of French Cultural Centre, said that the French director Franck Manzoni worked during 2 months with Cambodian actors and musicians in order to set up the performance. “The main objective of the Lakhaon Festival is to participate in the renaissance of various theatrical forms in Cambodian and also to promote contemporary theatre and exchange among artists from different cultural horizons in Cambodia,” he told The Southeast Asia Weekly. The Royal Ballet of Cambodia, Khmer Act...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The European Union (EU) has provided 11.2 million euros equivalent to US$15.7 millions for Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MoAFF) through the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to improve food security for the rural population in Cambodia. 50,000 families will benefit directly from this project. They will receive training on enhancing their production techniques for the harvest of divers’ agricultural products. The FAO will also import fertilizers, seeds and other farming tools to boost revenue from the farmland. “We expect that this project will positively influence 620 villages with 99,820 families in nine target provinces. The content of this project implementation plays a key role in dealing with the negative impacts of the instable food market that can be witnessed in Cambodia every day,” said Chan Sarun, Minister of MoAFF. Rafael Dachao Moreno, EU Charge’d’ Affaires of the European Commission Delegation to Cambodia, said th...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA To prevent the spread of the A/H1N1 influenza virus, more commonly known as the Mexican flu, Cambodian officials have announced to install thermal scanners at international entry points to Cambodia. On September 1 the new scanner was put to use at the airport of Phnom Penh. The Royal Government of Cambodia plans to install more thermal scanners at all important international checkpoints along Cambodian borders with Vietnam, Thailand and Laos. In response to the request of the Royal Government of Cambodia, the Singapore Technologies Telemedia (ST Telemedia), an Information-communications company, has donated the Infrared Fever Screening System (IFss). The IFss, which cost approximately US$75,000, uses a cutting edge electro-optics technology for rapid real-time mass screening. To equip the Cambodian officials to operate the system, ST Telemedia has arranged for two engineers from the equipment manufacturer to fly from Singapore to Phnom Penh to provide on-site t...