REAKSMEY KONGKEA

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea              The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Wednesday sentenced former vice-president of Candlelight Party (CP) Thach Setha to 18 months in prison on charges of issuing dud cheques worth more than $330,000 in 2019. The court also ordered him to pay $330,000 to the plaintiff in the case. Judge Chhun Davy said Setha, 70, was charged with “issuance of dud cheque” under Article 231 of the Law on Negotiable Instrument and Payment Transactions. “The Phnom Penh Municipal Court has decided to sentence Setha to 18 months in prison and a fine of 5 million Riels,” Judge Davy said in his judgment. “The court orders him to pay $33,400 in damages to plaintiff Hai Vanrin,” she said. Judge Davy said Setha borrowed $33,400 from Hai Vanrin, a representative of the Rin Chhay Co Ltd in 2018. She said that on November 26, 2019, Setha issued five cheques amounting to $33,400 to Vanrin to pay his debt. She said when Vanrin banked in t...

Buth Reakmey Kongkea About 200 people attended the “2023 American-Cambodian Friendship Week”in Siem Reap on Wednesday to boost social development, promote youth education and vocational training, human resources, healthcare, and development of the tourism sector. The event was attended by US embassy staff, government officials, civil society members, police and military officers, and businesses and other development partners, and was organised by the US Embassy in Phnom Penh and presided over by US Ambassador W. Patrick. The ambassador said that Siem Reap is a key tourism and economic hub for Cambodia and is also the cultural, spiritual and historic heart of the Kingdom. He said that to develop education, healthcare, tourism and generate jobs in Cambodia, the US Embassy in Phnom Penh has provided financial support to the government via its development partners working in Siem Reap province. The ambassador emphasised that the main projects include the Digital Workforce   Devel...

  Buth Reaksmey Kongkea The ‘Journeys within Our Community’ (JWOC), a NGO created an Access Programme to provide English language skills and other life skills for poor children in Siem Reap in order to improve their job and educational prospects in the future.    The US Ambassador to Cambodia, Patrick Murphy who led the embassy delegation to visit and meet the students who studied at the JWOC on Thursday, said that the US was pleased to help Cambodians, especially the Cambodian youths who are the new human resource to have basic English skills and other life skills so that they will have better jobs and educational prospects in their lives.  The Access Programme, which was founded by the US Department of State via the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, aimed to support Cambodians from economically disadvantaged communities who have limited access or opportunity to further their educational development, particularly in English language training, Murphy said. “I am r...

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea   More than 4,000 students, who are studying at the University of South-East-Asia (USEA) in Siem Reap, received advanced digital and soft skills knowledge through the “Digital Workforce Development Project and American Corner Library” funded by the US, Department of State via the US Embassy in Phnom Penh.    Dr Mean Sothy, President of the USEA, said that since the establishment of the university in 2006, the USEA has received strong support from the US Embassy in Cambodia.                                                                         On December 5, 2012, American corner libr...

  Buth Reaksmey Kongkea     Through its yearly small grant competition, the US Embassy Public Affairs Section provided funding to Kids Play International (KPI) to use sports to advance gender equality and empower women and young people in Cambodia.  This project is an opportunity to show the US Embassy's interest in assisting young Cambodians in developing their talents as well as its support for youth and women's empowerment. Charlie Crawford, manager of KPI Cambodia, said that the goal of this one-year project with a $20,000 grant, is to improve the personal and professional development and leadership skills of youth and adults in a rural village outside of Siem Reap. On Friday, US Ambassador to Cambodia W. Patrick Murphy led a group of US Embassy staff to play American football with more than 100 Cambodian students at the Kurata Unity Primary School in Anchanh village, Angkor Thom city in Siem Reap province. Murphy explained the advantages of American f...

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea The opening of the first UK university campus was officially announced at a launch ceremony at the Sofitel Phnom Penh Hotel yesterday. Asif Iqbal, Executive Director of the De Montfort University (DMU), said DMU is a dynamic institution based in Leicester, UK, with a long and vibrant history of empowerment and education. He said that founded in 1870, DMU has for more than 150 years provided inspirational teaching to students and is bringing this focus on excellence and making a global impact to Cambodia. He added that for the first time, local and international students will be able to study and earn a UK degree at a British university in Cambodia – benefitting from the globally recognised advantages of receiving a UK university education. “On behalf of De Montfort University Cambodia, I would like to welcome you and thank you for joining us to celebrate the launch of the first British university campus in Cambodia,” he said. “Education plays a pivotal...

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea The National Election Committee (NEC) has ordered Sam Rainsy, the former leader of court-dissolved CNRP, to end his self-imposed exile and pay Riels 20 million ($4,876) in fine over election violations. The NEC wants Rainsy to pay the fine at the Phnom Penh Election Secretariat or at the NEC Office (Complaints and Investigation Office, 9th floor) within 30 days after the date of receipt of this order. Hang Puthea, Spokesman of the NEC, told Khmer Times yesterday that the NEC’s decision is based on the findings of the Phnom Penh Municipal Election Commission which found Rainsy and 37 others guilty of inciting voters to destroy or damage the ballots during the recently held July 23 National Election.   Rainsy was fined 20 million riels by the NEC while 37 other people were fined 10 million riel each. “The NEC fined Sam Rainsy the most because he was the top leader of the former opposition party and so hold the highest responsibility (for the offence). ...

  Buth Reaksmey Kongkea To help people better comprehend Buddhist values and everyday practice, as well as to foster peace and harmony in society, the Ministry of Cults and Religions is now promoting Buddhist education to all educational institutions and schools, at all levels of education. Dr Seng Somony, the Secretary of State and spokesman at the Ministry of Cults and Religions said the Ministry has developed a strategic plan to grow and promote the Buddhist sector as well as manage other religions efficiently and with greater attention. The goals, strategies, and mechanisms of the ministry, according to Dr Somony, include enhancing the capability and calibre of its human resources and training, enhancing the codes of conduct and professions of both its monks and nuns as well as laypeople and promoting Buddhism among all people, particularly children, youths, and students.   He added that it also aims to foster cooperation, growth, and harmony between Buddhism and o...

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea Phnom Penh police are searching for four youths who assaulted activist Ny Nak while he and his wife were riding in a motorcycle along a road in Chbar Ampov district on Tuesday afternoon. The attack caused very serious injuries to Nak who is undergoing treatment at a private clinic for treatment in Chamkar Mon district. Describing the incident, the victim’s wife Sok Sineth, an agricultural expert, said yesterday that at around 1.30 pm on Tuesday the group of four kicked their motorcycle causing Nak to fall down from the motorcycle and then they jointly beat him up before fleeing the scene. “They took off my husband’s helmet and attacked on his head in order to kill him,” Sineth said, adding that her husband got serious injuries on head, lips, wrists and legs. Sineth appealed to the authorities to find the miscreants and bring them before law. Brigadier General Bun Satya, the Deputy Chief of Phnom Penh Municipal Police in charge of chief of crimes investig...

Police have arrested a man who issued counterfeit Royal Decrees, appointing himself as Deputy Director General of the General Department of Human Resources of the Ministry of Interior and Assistant to the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia Police made the arrest on September 15, 2023 in Phnom Penh, when the police force of the Central Security Department of the General Commission of the National Police conducted a search and arrest of a person named Hok Bun Reth After his arrest, Hok Bun Reth confessed and admitted that he had falsified two Royal Decrees: First, a Royal Decree appointing him to be Deputy Director General of the General Department of Human Resources of the Ministry of Interior, dated 01/09/23, Second: a Royal Decree appointing himself as Assistant to the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia dated 04/09/23 and forging business cards as an advisor to Samdech Krala Hom Sar Kheng with the same status as Undersecretary of State. The forgery was made usi...

  Buth Reaksmey Kongkea  The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on September 15, 2023 charged and detained a Bolivian woman accused of allegedly transporting more than 4 kilograms of cocaine from Brazil to Cambodia (via Dubai and Malaysia) committed at Phnom Penh International Airport.  Cambodian Anti-Drug Police Officer named the accused as  KAREN CECIA LOPEZ VACA, 36, (born 1987) a Bolivian national (tourist). The accused was charged with “drug transport and trafficking” under Article 40 of Cambodian Law on Drugs Control. If convicted, she faces a jail term up to a life sentence in Cambodia. Police said that KAREN CECIA LOPEZ VACA was arrested at customs at about 17:45 pm on September 10, 2023 while trying to enter Cambodia. She had travelled from Rio, Brazil via Dubai, then changed her flight in Malaysia and then travelled to Phnom Penh International Airport on flight MH762 from Malaysia. Police added that after her arrest, police seized a total of 4, 356 gram...

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea  The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on September 6, 2023 sentenced a former security guard to ten years in prison accused of stabbing a scavenger with serious injuries over a dispute at a gasoline station in Meanchey district in March.  Presiding Judge Kim Sokunthea named the accused as Sen Ath, 56, living in Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district. She said that Sen Ath was charged with “attempted murder” under Article 29 and 199 of the Criminal Code. She added that the accused was arrested on March 27, 2023.        

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on September 2, 2023 arrested and charged a real estate businessman for allegedly forging a public document (forging land and house title) and cheated $ 250, 000 from a money lender.  According to a document of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, which was issued by the Investigating Judge Uong Vuthea,  the accused named as Lon Borey, 41, the real estate businessman and former deputy director of the E-School Cambodia living in Boeng Keng Kang district’s Tuol Svay Prey I commune. The accused was charged with three counts of “Fraud, Forgery of Public Document, and Use of Forged Public Document” under Articles 377, 378; 629 and 630 of the Criminal Code.  If convicted, he faces a jail term from five to 10 years. He was arrested on Saturday (on September 2, 2023) and he now has been sent to the prison pending the pre-trial.