REAKSMEY KONGKEA

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Pem Penh, 21, one of The University of Cambodia’s “Samdech Hun Sen-Handa National Scholarships 2007” students, spoke with The Southeast Asia Weekly on January 7, 2010, describing his hard learning to get a scholarship. Penh was born in 1989 in Kirivong district, Takeo province. He is the oldest of two sons in his family. Penh’s parents are farmers and living in Kirivong district, Takeo province. Penh is now studying International Relations (IR) at The University of Cambodia (UC) and is also studying Economics at the National University of Management in Phnom Penh. Penh studied at the Sok An Sobin High School in Kirivong district, Takeo province and earned a Baccalaureate in 2007. He applied to study International Relations at UC following the introduction of the “Samdech Hun Sen-Handa National Scholarships” in 2007. “I was happy that I passed the scholarship exams from The University of Cambodia and I have a chance to study IR at ...

The book on “Tasks of Spokespersons, Media Officers, and Communication Officers,” which was written by Cambodian veteran journalist Chhay Sophal with the financial support from Konrad Adenauer Foundation, was launched on January 5 and distributed freely to journalists groups and relevant officials of all royal government ministries, non-governmental organizations, and private companies in the Kingdom of Cambodia. The launching and free distribution of the book entitled was organized by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the Club of Cambodian Journalists. Khieu Kanharith, Minister of Information and spokesman to the Royal Government of Cambodia, said that the book is the first book written by a Khmer journalist in 2010. The Minister continued to say that the book is very important because it has clearly introduced the important roles of spokespersons, media officers, and communication officers in carrying out their daily duties and working with relevant government ministries, non-govern...

By BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The United States of America’s Congressman Eni Faleomavaega has told Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia that he will discuss with his congressmen about turning Cambodia's debt into social assistance for development projects in Cambodia in the future. Eni Faleomavaega and his two colleagues Congressmen Joseph Cao and Mike Honda raised this issue while paying a courtesy call on Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen in Phnom Penh on January 7. His Excellency Hor Namhong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minster of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, His Excellency Keat Chhon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, and Cham Prasidh, Senior Minister and Minister of Commerce also presented at the meeting. Eang Sophallet, Personal Assistant to Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, told reporters after the meeting that Mr. Eni Faleomavaega and the two U.S. congressmen have discussed the extension of trade relatio...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Over 10,000 Cambodian government officials, teachers and student gathered in Phnom Penh on January 7 to mark the 31st Anniversary Celebration of Victory Day over Genocide and to remember those who were killed and died of starvation in the Khmer Rouge’s terror regime. The 31st Anniversary of Victory Day was organized by the Royal Government of Cambodia, and under the presidency of Samdech Chea Sim, President of the Senate, Samdech Heng Samrin, President of the National Assembly, and Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia. The Senate President Samdech Chea Sim said that the gathering aimed to remember over two million Cambodian people’s souls and those who were killed and died of starvation during the former Khmer Rouge leaders in their rule of Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. “The 7th January Victory Day is an historical day that all Cambodian people from everywhere come to gather and meet to mark the day that liberated their lives from geno...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The “It is not a Dream” Humanity Program was launched on January 13 in Phnom Penh to provide free services for Cambodian people to find their relatives lost during the wars. The launching ceremony of the program was organized by Metfone Company and Bayon Radio and Television. Khieu Kanharith, Minister of Information, presided over the launching ceremony and praised the “It is not a Dream” program organized by Metfone and Bayon Radio and TV. He said this program is good because it will help Cambodian people as well as contribute to the development of communications and new technologies and the development of Cambodia. “I welcome and appreciate this initiative. I think that this program is very important to serve our Cambodian people both inside and outside of the country in order to find their relatives lost during the wars from 1970 to 1990s in Cambodia,” he said during opening remarks. “I hope that through this program, Cambodians will have a chance to find th...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA About ten countries that are members of the Southeast Asia Table Tennis Association (SEATTA) will attend the 16th Southeast Asian Junior Table Tennis Championship which will take place from June 3-8, 2010, at the National Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The 16th Southeast Asian Junior Table Tennis Championship 2010 will be prepared and organized by the Cambodian Table Tennis Federation (CTTF), and supported by the Ministry of Education Youth and Sport (MoEYS). Rat Sokhorn, President of the Cambodian Table Tennis Federation (CTTF) and Cambodian Vovinam Federation (CVF), said that it marked the first time CTTF will organize the international table tennis championship in Cambodia. President Sokhorn said that the main objective of the international competition is to select the best table tennis player for the 16th Southeast Asia Junior Table Tennis Championship 2010, as well as to promote table tennis playing and exchanging playing experiences in Asia. “CT...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA One of The University of Cambodia’s “Samdech Hun Sen-Handa National Scholarships 2008” students, Soun Virak, 19, spoke with The Southeast Asia Weekly about his desire for the future after graduation. Soun Virak is the oldest brother with two sisters in the family and they are now living in Kampong Chhnang province, where he was born in 1991. His father is a colonel military commander working with the Artillery Unit in the Ministry of National Defense based in Kampong Chhnang province and his mother is a business woman living in Prey Khmer Village, Rolea Phoear district, Kampong Chhnang province. Soun Virak is now studying Economics at The University of Cambodia (UC) after he passed the UC scholarship exams in 2008 in Phnom Penh. Virak studied at the Bun Rany Hun Sen Rolea Phoear High School in Kampong Chhnang province and he earned a Baccalaureate in 2008. “I wish to thank Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and Dr. Handa very much for offering me the scholars...