Cambodia morning news for May 21

Cambodian People Commemorate the National Day of Remembrance
Cambodian people across the nation today mark the National Day of Remembrance with religious ceremonies to wish for peace for the soul of victims who died during the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1979.
— Agence Kampuchea Press

Cambodia joins the 5G race despite concerns over cost and viability
The buzz around 5G mobile technology is building in Cambodia as major carriers plan to try out services this year and a state-owned telco teams up with China’s Huawei to roll out a network in 2020.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)

Cambodia re-enacts Khmer Rouge killings – in pictures
Cambodian actors have re-enacted atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge on the country’s National Day of Remembrance – known informally as the “Day of Anger”.
— BBC

Cambodia and the Issue of China’s Debt Trap
China’s debt trap, also called debt-trap diplomacy, is a topic of significant interest which has gained increasing attention in recent years. From Africa to Asia and even in South America, the issue of the Chinese debt trap associated with China’s no strings attached aid and loans have often become news headlines.
— International Policy Digest

China’s Mekong Dam-building Mindset ‘Exported Downstream’ to Cambodia and Laos
The Mekong River extends for thousands of miles through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, supporting more than 65 million people who depend on it for food, transportation, and commerce. But development, mostly led by China, threatens to upset the delicate balance between local communities and the river’s rich ecosystem.
— Radio Free Asia

US Urges End to Harassment of Ex-Opposition Members
The U.S. State Department said it was “deeply troubled” by the death of a former opposition official in detention amid a wave of judicial harassment against ex-members of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP).
— VOD

Cambodia’s opposition faces renewed crackdown amid China shift
Nol Puthearith was a security guard at the headquarters of the and continued to watch over the building in the Cambodian capital even after the main opposition party itself was forcibly dissolved by the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
— Al Jazeera

Families living around lake evicted
Prek Pnov district authorities have evicted families living illegally around Boeng Tamouk lake, Phnom Penh’s largest reservoir, part of which is to be reclaimed to build a market.
— Khmer Times

More than 80 land-grabbers let off with warning
Pursat provincial authorities on Friday let off with a caution more than 80 people who illegally grabbed land in Krakor district’s Svay Sor commune last week.
— Khmer Times

DeeMoney launches inbound Kingdom to Thailand service
Thailand-based international money transfer service DeeMoney has announced inbound service to Thailand from Cambodia, according to its press release.
— Phnom Penh Post

NEC announces local elections set for May 26
The National Election Committee (NEC) has announced that the upcoming third mandate municipal, provincial, town and district council elections will be held on May 26.
— Phnom Penh Post

Cattle disease outbreaks hit Kratie
Veterinary experts at Kratie’s provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries are trying to save villagers’ cattle following outbreaks of the pasteurellosis and blackleg diseases which have killed more than 20 animals in Chitr Borei district’s Dar commune.
— Phnom Penh Post

GDT aims to minimise taxpayer burden, improve compliance
The General Department of Taxation has released its strategy for the next five years in which it prioritises minimising the taxpayer burden and improving compliance.
— Khmer Times

Taiwanese tour agencies accused of defaulting
Local businesses in Siem Reap are seeking the support of authorities after a group of tour operators from Taiwan allegedly failed to pay them for their services.
— Khmer Times

Internet users up by almost half a million in Q1
More than 330,700 SIM cards were registered during the first three months of the year, while the number of mobile internet users went up by nearly 490,000, according to the latest report from the Telecommunications Regulator of Cambodia (TRC).
— Khmer Times

Monkeys Making Mischief in Kep
The former royal palace on a hill next to the coast of Kep is currently being repaired. Scrub is being cleared, old roads rebuilt and flowers are being planted to make it look beautiful.
— Cambodia News English

CPP slams US statement criticising government
The ruling CPP issued a statement yesterday slamming the United States for criticising the government over perceived political restrictions and calling for the release of former opposition leader Kem Sokha.
— Khmer Times

Kong Monika clarifies meaning behind ‘positive change’ slogan
Khmer Will Party president Kong Monika yesterday clarified that the slogan “positive change” does not mean that the government should be overthrown.
— Khmer Times

NBC to continue to use tools to strengthen confidence in the riel
The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) announced on Friday that it will continue to strengthen confidence in the local currency by stabilising the currency exchange rate and enforcing its existing financial tools to boost the riel’s usage.
— Phnom Penh Post

A rite of passage: Reviving an ancient Khmer ceremony
The traditional Chol Mlob ceremony celebrating a girl’s coming of age was once the norm in Cambodian culture. While it is no longer widespread, it is experiencing a minor revival today, being practiced among a select few families in a ceremony that has evolved to suit the modern age.
— Phnom Penh Post

Further ex-CNRP called for questioning
Thirty-five former Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) members and activists in Battambang province have now been called for questioning regarding the alleged violation of a Supreme Court ruling that saw their party dissolved.
— Phnom Penh Post

China Focus: Ancient Chinese woodcraft master inspires int’l vocational training cooperation
San Veasna, 23, a teacher from Cambodia Luban Workshop teaching communication engineering, has the Chinese name “Long,” which means dragon.
— Xin Hua

High-end tourist numbers low
Cambodia needs to improve its tourism sector services to capture more higher-income Chinese tourists. High-end visitors are currently still low, according to tourism insiders in the Kingdom.
— Phnom Penh Post

China, Cambodia enhance heritage site cooperation, exchanges
An agreement has been signed by cultural institutes of the Mogao Grottoes in northwest China’s Dunhuang and Cambodia’s Angkor Wat to promote cultural exchanges between the two world heritage sites.
— China.org.cn

Cambodia: Giving back to UN peacekeeping
It’s an overcast morning, in South Sudan’s capital Juba, and growling thunder announces the start of some light rain. Standing in the drizzle in his military police uniform, is Colonel Channy Vongvannak, the commander of the Cambodian Force Military Police at the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
— UN News

Cambodia Animal Feed Market Business Report 2019 – ResearchAndMarkets.com
The report presents analysis of animal feed market in Cambodia.
— Yahoo Finance

Kampot Sea Markers Cause Social Media Stir
An image land markers going out into the sea has been circulated throughout the social network Facebook and widely criticized.
— Cambodia News English

Unlucky Japanese Man Helped in Poipet
After receiving information on Facebook that a Japanese man was on the street in the border area of Poipet international border, in a poor conditions and without accommodation, a search found him on the afternoon of May 20, 2019 and he was given food and new clothes.
— Cambodia News English

Plans to export longan to Thailand well under way
Cambodia hopes to start exporting longan to Thailand in the near future, with the two countries planning to sign an agreement on phytosanitary requirements.
— Khmer Times

Family Remembers Marine 44 After MIA in Cambodia
A Kentucky family is still waiting for their United States Marine to come home after 44 years.
— Cambodia News English

Feature photo Office of the Council of Ministers

This week’s Cambodia morning news feature photo acknowledges Royal Ploughing Ceremony, May 22.

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.

Cambodia morning news for May 21 added by John Le Fevre on May 21, 2019
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John Le Fevre

Thailand editor at AEC News Today

John is an Australian national with more than 40 years experience as a journalist, photographer, videographer, and copy editor.

He has spent extensive periods of time working in Africa and throughout Southeast Asia, with stints in the Middle East, the USA, and England.

He has covered major world events including Operation Desert Shield/ Storm, the 1991 pillage in Zaire, the 1994 Rwanda genocide, the 1999 East Timor independence unrest, the 2004 Asian tsunami, and the 2009, 2010, and 2014 Bangkok political protests.

In 1995 he was a Walkley Award finalist, the highest awards in Australian journalism, for his coverage of the 1995 Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) Ebola outbreak.

Prior to AEC News Today he was the deputy editor and Thailand and Greater Mekong Sub-region editor for The Establishment Post, predecessor of Asean Today.

In the mid-80s and early 90s he owned JLF Promotions, the largest above and below the line marketing and PR firm servicing the high-technology industry in Australia. It was sold in 1995.