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Development Weekly
Development Weekly is the only press review on development in Cambodia.
Click here to view The Mekong Times Today's Articles:
•Tense standoff as armies deploy around Preah Vihear templer:Cambodia and Thailand escalated their troop build-up yesterday in disputed border territory near the historic Preah Vihear temple despite their agreement to hold talks next week to defuse tensions, a Cambodian general has said.An emergency meeting of the General Border Committee – which was originally set up to cope with the two countries’ border problems and includes both countries’ ministers of defense – will be held Monday in Thailand’s border province of Sa Kaeo, to speed up talks on the disputed territory, said The Bangkok Post citing foreign ministry sources. Cambodian Brigadier General Chea Keo said Thailand has more than 400 troops near Preah Vihear temple, up from about 200 on Wednesday, and Cambodia has about 800, up from 380.Cambodia claims the Thai troops crossed the border into Cambodian territory on Tuesday in renewed tensions over land near the Cambodian temple. Thailand maintains it is protecting its sovereignty, while ensuring that any protests by Thais near the temple remain orderly, although a senior Thai military official acknowledged Wednesday that the Thai troops were on “disputed” ground.The border around Preah Vihear has never been fully demarcated.In a letter to the Thai prime minister yesterday, Prime Minister Hun Sen urged Thailand to withdraw its troops from the border area.“Unfortunately, as of 17 July 2008 the situation is worsening due to a continuing increase in the numbers of Thai military inside and around the area of Keo Sihka Kiri Svara pagoda [Preah Vihear Pagoda],” he said.“The deteriorating situation is very bad for the relations between our two countries.” Yet despite the official rhetoric, the atmosphere around the temple appeared to be calm.Cambodian soldiers snapped photographs of their Thai opponents just meters away and some tourists, including an American woman, visited the spectacular site.The long-standing conflict over the territory was recently revived by Thai anti-government protesters and came to a head after Cambodia’s application for World Heritage Site status for the temple was granted last week with an endorsement from Thailand’s government.Both countries claim 4.6 square km of land around the temple, and the Thai protesters have revived nationalist sentiments over the issue, fearing the temple’s new status will jeopardize territorial claims.However, Thais living just across the border sought to calm the situation.Hundreds of villagers in Sisaket province blocked a group of Thai anti-government protesters from marching to Preah Vihear on Thursday. Some shouted at the protesters to “go home” and stop fomenting trouble, as police stood by a barricade blocking the road to the temple.“We are Thais. We should be able to talk about this” to settle any differences, villager Ubondej Panthep said.One protest leader, Pramoj Hoimook, said Cambodians have settled on Thai soil “and we want to correct that.”“We want to get to Preah Vihear to read a statement, asking for our land back,” he said.Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej condemned the Thai protesters for “trying to ignite a conflict.”“Now the troops on both sides are confronting each other. What madness is this? There are people who want to provoke this,” Samak told reporters, referring to anti-government protesters who have seized on the issue in attempts to bring down his government.Samak called for a meeting of all armed forces commanders in Bangkok on Friday in preparation for the border committee meeting Monday.Hun Sen meanwhile urged in his letter to Samak “to ease the tension and order Thai troops to withdraw … [as these] troops have encroached on our territory.”Earlier Cambodian Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said Cambodia would not “use force unless attacked” and that the “situation was stable.”Thai army commander General Anupong Paojindasaid likewise said he ordered his troops not to use force.Most of the 900 Cambodian villagers living nearby fled their homes when the confrontation began Tuesday. However, some Cambodian and foreign tourists risked possible harm Thursday by visiting the temple. One of them was Liz Shura from New York City.“It’s a little frightening for me, but I don’t think I am actually in danger,” said Shura, discounting the possibility of violence. “The temple is extraordinary. It’s really amazing.”In 1962, the International Court of Justice awarded Preah Vihear and the land it occupies to Cambodia, a decision that still rankles many Thais even though the temple is culturally Cambodian, sharing the Hindu-influenced style of the more famous Angkor complex.(AP, DPA The Mekong Times)•Students unfazed by reporter's murder:Intimidation, detention and particularly murder don’t necessarily make journalism students give up their commitment to the news profession.Keo Kounila, a student at advertising management of Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP), expressed sorrow over the murder of Moneaksekar Khmer newspaper journalist Khim Sambo and his son, Khat Sarin, at a press conference Thursday that showcased the achievements of the students with the Department of Media and Communications (DMC) at RUPP. She stressed that the murder will not discourage her from becoming a journalist. “It doesn’t discourage me. I still want to be a journalist because journalists play a key role in a democratic society to inform society with true news,” Keo Kounila said. “To overcome all obstacles as journalists, we must have specific skills, ethics and heavy responsibilities.” Lim Seangheng, a second-year media management student at RUPP, claimed the journalism profession is now open to women. Lim Seangheng is proud of her participation along with other second-year students in forming the newspaper Cambodia Votes 2008, which was unveiled at Thursday’s press conference at RUPP. The first 24-page edition has over 50 articles written by the students and was published with a budget of over US$10,000. The five-day study tour to Stung Treng province and the Lao border and additional research in other regions in Cambodia is part of the “Report on the Election” project, which stemmed from the almost three years of cooperation between the DMC and the German Development Service (DED). “Training journalists in election is the high-quality result of media education. DMC and DED are very proud of the achievements and good cooperation,” said Wolfgang Moeller, director of DED in Cambodia, during the press conference. “DED has assisted DMC for nearly two and a half years by sending its two advisors and media experts.” He added that the DED has provided about US$30,000 in funding this year for the program that includes courses on journalism ethics. Tieng Sopheakvichea, co-director of the DMC, stressed the importance of the program’s mission. “We can say that a good journalism profession relies on a journalist who has knowledge, ethics, and responsibilities,” he said. “At school, each student receives the same training, but they do a different job in society.” The DMC enrolls 30 students per year for a four-year bachelor degree. Pram Seila, a student in the department, said he is “very happy” about the end result of the newspaper. “It shows what we have learned and about the commitment of future professional journalists, and it will provide a lot of benefits to the nation.” Hul Reasmei, reporter from Radio Free Asia, who attended the ceremony, was impressed with the finbal product. “Each story has interviews with sufficient sources, balance, and good usage of words.”One thousand copies of Cambodia Votes 2008 are not for sale, but for free distribution. Pao Raotana

Business Press
Business Press is the only weekly press review on economy in Cambodia.
Business Press Headlines
•Cambodia waits for next Thai gov't to discuss oil reserves•Takeo's rice fields damaged by locusts•GE opens branch•Infinity insurance opens doors•New World Bank head to visit Cambodia•Local investment company plans SEZ in Poipet•PM demands for halt to filling in of Kob Srov lake•Apsara authority orders Korean golf course halted•Cambodia striding towards sustainable energy development

DFDL MEKONG - CAMBODIA

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Phnom Penh, Cambodia

DFDL Mekong was established in January 1995, as the first officially authorized foreign legal and tax consultancy in Cambodia. Our five foreign advisers and eight Khmer advisers and attorneys working in the Phnom Penh office are dedicated to providing services of an international standard coupled with in-depth knowledge of the local environment.

In Cambodia, DFDL Mekong is licensed as an investment company by the Council for the Development of Cambodia and the Cambodian Investment Board. We are also registered as a private limited company with the Ministry of Commerce. Under these licenses and registrations, we are permitted to provide legal, tax and investment advisory services of an international nature. The Firm operates in an exclusive association with the Mekong Law Group, a group of lawyers admitted to practice in Cambodia.

Our clients are major international and Asian foreign investors in Cambodia, including large foreign and Asian financial institutions. We have been involved in most major projects in Cambodia for more than ten years, including most electricity projects, aviation, telecommunications, cement projects and large real estate projects.

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