Cambodia Morning News For November 16

Cambodian parliament approves 6.7 bln USD for gov’t spending in 2019
The National Assembly of Cambodia on Thursday approved the budget of 6.7 billion U.S. dollars for the government’s expenditure in 2019, up 11.4 percent compared to that of 2018.
— Brinkwire

EU Prepares to Withdraw Cambodia From Trade Scheme
The European Union, Cambodia’s largest export market, is making preparations for the country’s expulsion from a preferential trade scheme that guarantees tariff-free access to EU markets for Cambodian goods, according to the EU ambassador.
— VOA Cambodia

US reviewing visa restrictions
An Interior Ministry spokesman yesterday said that outgoing United States Ambassador to Cambodia William Heidt told Interior Minister Sar Kheng that a request to review visa restrictions on top Cambodian foreign affairs officials has been sent to the US State Department.
— Khmer Times

Rent Increases- Sign of Growth or Bad for Business?
As the emerging economy and more favorable investment climate have increased the number of businesses, especially after the presence of Chinese investors have come to invest in doing business, especially in the real estate sector.
— Cambodia News English

Chinese to raise factory in S’ville
A Chinese electrical appliance manufacturer has announced plans to build a factory in a special economic zone in Sihanoukville.
— Khmer Times

Big C Supermarket Coming to Cambodia
The Thai retailing giant is to invest about $ 10 million in the construction of the Big C supermarket in Poipet.
— Cambodia News English

More projects OKed, despite investment drop
The Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) has approved 170 investment projects during the first nine months of the year, 25 more projects than during the same period last year.
— Khmer Times

Government leads joint programme with EU, strengthening an education sector
The EU on Wednesday launched the new phase of a multi-agency supported programme aimed at strengthening the Kingdom’s education sector.
— Phnom Penh Post

Khmer Rouge Tribunal Coming To An End With Final Verdicts
The tribunal judging the criminal responsibility of former Khmer Rouge leaders for the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians is expected to issue verdicts on November 16.
— Investvine

Yuetai Group’s Phnom Penh Harbour Bay set to break ground early 2019
Yuetai Group Co Ltd’s Phnom Penh Harbour Bay or “The City Gate” development project along the riverfront will begin construction in the first quarter of next year, while some projects are completely sold out, said the company’s sales supervisor, Srey Pich.
— Phnom Penh Post

Cambodia Appoints New Ambassador to Thailand
Ouk Sorphorn, Under Secretary of State at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, has been appointed as the new Cambodian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Thailand, replacing Long Visalo, according to the Royal Decree dated on Thursday.
— Fresh News

Cambodia’s Court of Appeal Routinely Fails to Explain Verdicts: Rights Group
Cambodia’s Court of Appeal, which has come under fire for what are widely seen as politically motivated verdicts issued at the behest of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s one-party government, failed to provide a reasoned judgment in nearly three-fourths of cases it tried over the last two years, a rights group said Thursday.
— Radio Free Asia

Parliament approves extradition law with Russia
The National Assembly approved a law on the extradition of criminals between Cambodia and Russia.
— Khmer Times

RCEP Negotiations Benefit All Members: Cambodian PM Hun Sen
Speaking at the 2nd Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Summit on 14 November in Singapore, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen reiterated the priority placed by ASEAN on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) as a centerpiece of its external economic relations.
— Fresh News

PM hopes Asean will ‘root deeply’ with ‘partner’ China
At the Asean summit in Singapore on Wednesday, Prime Minister Hun Sen said he hoped the bloc’s relationship with China would “root deeply”, hailing the Asian power as a “strategic partner”, while its Premier Li Keqiang called for improved trade and “healthier globalisation”.
— Phnom Penh Post

Crab vendors told to stop cheating
Police in Kep province on Tuesday warned vendors at the popular crab market to refrain from using rigged scales when it comes to selling goods to tourists.
— Khmer Times

Vietnamese-Cambodian villagers forced into new homes
A total of 2,300 ethnic Vietnamese, who had been living in a floating village on the Tonle Sap Lake in Kampong Chhnang province in Cambodia, will soon be settled in their new homes with help from the government and non-government organizations.
— Menafn

AIDS authority plans skill training programme for HIV sufferers
The National AIDS Authority, in cooperation with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, will provide skills training and improve treatment for HIV sufferers through a five-year strategic plan running from 2020 to 2025.
— Khmer Times

Documentary Filmmaker Focuses on Cambodia’s Martial Art
Bokator is an ancient Cambodian martial art that flourished during the golden age of Angkor, and almost disappeared under the Khmer Rouge. Canadian filmmakers Mark Bochsler and Sandra Leuba met Khmer Rouge survivor and Bokator grandmaster, Sean Kim San, while visiting Cambodia in the spring of 2010.
— VOA Cambodia

After 40 years, Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge leaders face genocide verdict
The Khmer Rouge tribunal will on Friday announce whether two surviving leaders of the Pol Pot regime are guilty of genocide — a verdict that many expect will deliver some long-awaited justice for the estimated 1.7 million Cambodians who were executed or died from disease, overwork or starvation between 1975 and 1979.
— Nikkei Asian Review

Parkson initiates arbitration against Cambodian firm for delay in store premises handover
Parkson Holdings Bhd’s Cambodian unit has initiated arbitration proceedings against Hassan (Cambodia) Development Co Ltd (HCDC) for prolonged delays in handing over new store premises in Phnom Penh.
— The Edge Markets

Hun Sen issues support for Asean-China media exchange
Prime Minister Hun Sen has expressed support over a joint China-Asean statement yesterday which declared next year as Asean-China Media Exchange Year.
— Khmer Times

Shift to circular economy needed to tackle waste woes
In the face of mounting pressure from the increasing speed of waste generation, Cambodia should begin a transition towards a non-waste, circular economy as soon as possible, the United Nations Development Programme said yesterday.
— Khmer Times

Defendants plea hearing delay
An NGO worker and six Kuoy ethnic community members from Brame commune in Preah Vihear province’s Tbeng Meanchey district requested on Wednesday a delay of their court hearing over a land dispute dating to 2014.
— Phnom Penh Post

Cambodian caught with 2,000 ecstasy pills in Saigon, arrested
A Cambodian man has been detained in Ho Chi Minh City for allegedly possessing and selling ecstasy pills, the police said Wednesday.
— VnExpress

Wildlife Alliance CEO makes Forbes hero list
Wildlife Alliance founder and CEO Suwanna Gauntlett made it to Forbes Asia’s Annual Heroes of Philanthropy list, which highlights some of the region’s noteworthy givers, the magazine said on Wednesday.
— Phnom Penh Post

Inside Six Senses Krabey Island, Cambodia’s glamorous new private island retreat
Cambodia is blossoming with incredible new hotel openings, especially on its smattering of tropical isles. Among them is Six Senses’ Krabey Island, an exclusive retreat nestled among 30 acres of wild rainforest.
— Telegraph.co.uk

Feature photo Pulitzer Center/ Kounila Keo

This week’s Cambodia morning news feature photo acknowledges World Diabetes Day, November 14.

Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

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.