Cambodia Morning News For August 22

Cambodia Releases Two Former RFA Reporters on Bail Amid Post-Election Clemency
Cambodia’s government on Tuesday released two former RFA reporters who had spent more than nine months behind bars on “espionage” charges, a day after the country’s King Norodom Sihamoni granted a pardon for four land activists based on a request by Prime Minister Hun Sen.
— Radio Free Asia

PM Hun Sen to Establish Supreme Council of Consultations for National Interests
To open a new page of history, Prime Minister Hun Sen decided to establish “Supreme Council of Consultations – SCC” with the presences of representatives from the 16 political parties, according to the government’s spokesman Phay Siphan on Tuesday.
— Fresh News

Thailand, Cambodia hold joint meeting on broadcasting, communications
Thailand and Cambodia held a joint meeting on the enhancements to cooperation in broadcasting and communications between the two neighboring countries.
— NNT

Cambodia: Free Opposition Leader Kem Sokha
Cambodian authorities should drop all charges and immediately release the opposition leader Kem Sokha, Human Rights Watch said today.
— Human Rights Watch

Cambodian King Pardons Imprisoned Land Rights Activists
A prominent leader of Cambodia’s land rights movement and three female activists imprisoned with her were freed Monday under a royal pardon.
— VOA Cambodia

Cambodia’s first rum maker looking to export to new international markets
Samai Distillery, which has the distinction of being Cambodia’s first, and only, rum producer, is looking to export the tipple to new international markets.
— Business Times

More Than 1,000 Families in Cambodia Suffer After Flooding of Mekong River Tributary
More than 1,000 families in northeast Cambodia’s Stung Treng province are facing extreme difficulties after heavy rainfall led a tributary of the Mekong River to flood their commune for the third time in a month, according to residents, who said a controversial hydropower dam was to blame.
— Radio Free Asia

Vietnamese firm to expand banana farm in Cambodia
Vietnamese firm Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) plans to expand its banana plantations in Ratanakkiri province to increase exports to the Chinese market.
— Khmer Times

Ooctane: A business set up by Cambodians for Cambodia
Cambodia’s longest-running logistics service provider, WorldBridge Group, has launched its $5m venture capital fund Ooctane to help local companies get off the ground.
— Southeast Asia Globe

Asean-China expo to boost demand for Cambodian agricultural goods
Cambodia will use the upcoming Asean-China trade fair to promote the country’s main agricultural products in the Chinese market and boost trade with the East Asian giant, a local official said.
— Khmer Times

Entertainment complex to open in November
WorldBridge Arena, a shopping and entertainment complex built by the WorldBridge Group in Phnom Penh, will open to the public in November, with half of the retail space on offer already booked.
— Khmer Times

Cambodian Government, Villagers Welcome Lao Initiative To Slow Down on Dam Projects
On July 23, a saddle dam in the large-scale Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy hydropower project in southern Laos burst its walls and flooded a vast swath of land in Attapeu province.
— VOA Cambodia

Finding a Way Forward for Cambodia After Sham Elections
Hun Sen’s bogus election held on July 29 throws down the gauntlet to the international community to prove that democracy is possible in Cambodia.
— The Diplomat

Sun continues to rise for Japan investments in the Kingdom
The number of Japanese firms registered with the Japanese Business Association of Cambodia (JBAC) has nearly tripled within the last seven years, according to a recent report.
— The Phnom Penh Post

SmartSpark: A new entrepreneurship program to tackle the SDGs
Impact Hub Phnom Penh and Smart Axiata on Saturday launched SmartSpark, a new entrepreneurship program dedicated to building meaningful social ventures that can contribute to the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
— Khmer Times

PM Hun Sen Urges Politicians to Clearly Distinguish between “Designate” and “Appoint” (Video inside)
Prime Minister Hun Sen urged all politicians, journalists, especially the oppositions, to clearly differentiate the word “designate” and “appoint”, addressing to the representatives of the 16 political parties at the forum held at the Peace Palace on Tuesday morning.
— Fresh News (video)

Smart, Impact Hub launch entrepreneur program
Telecommunications giant Smart Axiata and Impact Hub Phnom Penh announced the launch of a new entrepreneur program that aims to tackle several key sustainable development goals (SDGs), according to a press release this week.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Cambodian High School Exam Kicks Off in Phnom Penh
Over 100,000 Cambodian high school students began taking graduation exams this Monday that could determine their future.
— VOA Cambodia

Feature photo Sarahhoa

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Cambodia morning news by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Cambodia news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.