Cambodia Morning News For May 16

Eastern rail link gears up for service
The Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) expects to begin service on a 107-kilometre train route from Battambang to Pursat on May 29, saying on their Facebook page that officials are actively working on restoring the track.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Salt producers told to add iodine or risk losing licence
Salt producers must now add iodine to their product or face losing their business licence after the government passed a Prakas banning sales of non-iodised salt.
— Khmer Times

Cambodian Electoral Watchdog Group Decides Against Monitoring General Elections
The Committee on Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (Comfrel), a respected independent vote monitor, will not sign up observers for July’s parliamentary elections in face of government restrictions on NGO activities, a senior election observer told RFA’s Khmer Service on Tuesday.
— Radio Free Asia

Special Report on Sihanoukville Autonomous Port
The Kingdom of Cambodia is considered as one of the fastest-growing economies in the Asean region. According to the World Bank, Cambodia’s economy grew annually by 7 percent both in 2015 and 2016, and is forecasted to grow 6.9 percent year-on-year over the next three years.
— Khmer Times

Domestic tourism on the rise
The number of Cambodians travelling within the country during King’s Birthday, a public holiday that runs from May 13 to 15, has increased markedly this year, particularly in major tourism destinations, according to tourism industry insiders.
— Khmer Times

Sale of Cambodia’s Last Independent Newspaper Concerns Longtime Readers
It was a morning like any other for Hang Vengsreng and his friends, as they sat down for breakfast late last week at their favorite restaurant in the bustling center of Siem Reap and ordered Chinese noodles and coffee.
— VOA Cambodia

Cambodia Polls Organizer Hails Multi-party Democracy as Registration Ends
Cambodia’s National Election Committee (NEC) on Monday hailed the prospect of multi-party democracy with the registration of 20 parties for a July general election that the main opposition party has been prevented from contesting.
— VOA Cambodia

Chinese lab promises help for Cambodia’s agriculture sector
A Chinese laboratory pledged this week to aid the development of Cambodia’s agricultural sector by sharing expertise, technology and human resources.
— Khmer Times

Thitikorn to invest $1.5m in subsidiary
Thitikorn Plc, Thailand’s largest motorcycle lender, plans to inject $1.5 million into Suosdey Finance, its Cambodia subsidiary, to increase its share of the local leasing market.
— Khmer Times

World Bank: More Skilled Worker Training Needed to Sustain Cambodia Growth
Cambodia’s economic health remains strong at about 6 or 7 percent annual growth, but the country needs to harness its young population and invest in training and skills to ensure this trend continues, the World Bank said.
— VOA Cambodia

Lèse majesté law under fire after teacher’s arrest
The arrest of a teacher under Cambodia’s lèse majesté law has been condemned by analysts and human rights defenders, who have claimed it violates freedom of expression, as government officials warned media outlets on the republishing of content deemed insulting.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Tricky markets VN firms in tough spots abroad
Vietnamese state-own enterprises (SOEs) that operate in foreign countries, including many in Cambodia, were reported to have lost millions of dollars due to poor market selection and risk assessment, said a report from a Vietnamese news agency released on Sunday.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Cambodia PM Hopes Trump Meeting Can Bring Peace to Korean Peninsula
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday said he hoped that the forthcoming meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would bring peace to the region.
— VOA Cambodia

Floods destroy ‘over 2,300 hectares’ of paddy fields
Mongkul Borey district authorities in Banteay Meanchey province told The Post on Monday that more than 2,300 hectares of paddy fields have been completely destroyed due to flooding, while a further 2,200 hectares face damage in the coming days if heavy rain continues.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Cambodian Environmental Activist Demands Probe of Attempt on His Life
An environmental activist based in the Areng valley region of southwest Cambodia’s Koh Kong province on Tuesday urged authorities to launch an investigation into an attempt on his life over the weekend, saying he is no longer safe in his own home and expects his would-be killers will strike again.
— Radio Free Asia

Cambodian FM to co-chair Cambodia-Vietnam joint committee meeting
Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhon will attend the 16th meeting of the Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Committee that will be held in Hanoi on May 17.
— VietnamPlus

Feature photo Enrico Strocchi

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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.