Thai-Cambodia buses ready to roll

Thai-Cambodia buses ready to roll 

Thailand and Cambodia will launch the first bus services linking Bangkok with Siem Reap and Phnom Penh in the next two weeks. 

The first bus service between the two countries will debut on Dec 29, said The Transport Co, a state enterprise under the Transport Ministry. 

The service includes the Bangkok-Siem Reap route, a 424-kilometre trip that takes about seven hours. The two countries will provide two trips a day. The fare will be 750 baht or US$25. 

The Bangkok-Phnom Penh service, covering 719km and taking 11 hours, will run once a day with a fare of 900 baht or $30. 

Air-conditioned buses will serve both routes, which will run through Aranyaprathet district in Sa Kaeo province. 

Siem Reap, the home of Angkor Wat, is the most popular tourist destination for Thai and foreign travellers visiting Cambodia. 

Transport Co managing director Wutthichart Kalayanamit signed an agreement with Natthakarn (Cambodia) Co at the state enterprise's head office in Bangkok on Friday. 

Transport Co plans to eventually provide as many as 20 trips a day on both routes if needed to meet the rising demand of travellers between the two countries. 

Niyom Waiyaratpanich, vice-president of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the Thai-Cambodian bus routes reflected the goal of Asean to build more links among its 10 members. 

The new bus routes will help accommodate an expected upturn in travel when the Asean Economic Community is launched in late 2015, he added. 

~News courtesy of Bangkok Post~

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

柬泰直通巴士启动

柬泰直通巴士启动

柬泰將於下两週后首次启动从曼谷至暹粒市和金边市的直通巴士路线。

据报导，The Transport Co运输公司在公共工程和运输部的掌管下，將於本月29日首次开通柬泰巴士路线。

此项目包括从曼谷市至暹粒市，直线距离为424公里，所需时间约7小时可到达，一天只有两趟巴士，票价为750泰銖（25美元），然而从曼谷市至金边市，直线距离为719公里，所需时间约11个小时可达，一天只有一趟巴士，票价为900泰銖（30美元）。

据介绍，柬泰两个路线的巴士备有空调，路线都会经过泰国沙缴府，如果两国客量增加，The Transport Co运输公司將计划提供每天20次运行。

（柬埔寨星洲日报）

Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia focus on development triangle

Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia focus on development triangle

A conference on trade, investment and tourism for the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam development triangle took place in the central highland province of Kon Tum yesterday, December 5.

More than 400 domestic and foreign businesses participated in the conference.

Conference on trade, investment and tourism for the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam development triangle in Kon Tum.

Two-way trade between Vietnam and Laos, and Vietnam and Cambodia is estimated to reach a combined total of more than US$4 billion this year.

Vietnam is investing in 50 projects worth close to $1.7 billion in Laos, and 25 projects valued at $1.5 billion in Cambodia.

At the conference, Pham Thi Hong Thanh, deputy head of the Department of Asia-Pacific Market under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, pointed out the obstacles faced by business circles of the three countries such as transport, lending requirements and low consumer demand.

Youn Heng, director of the Department of Evaluation and Incentives under the Cambodian Council for Development, said his country will boost investment in hydropower, thermal power and the power transmission network in the future.

Besides, firms are facing a workforce shortage in Laos and are challenged by the distance between Ho Chi Minh City and Champassak Province. Multinational trade traffic through the south of Laos via northeast Cambodia to the southern provinces of Vietnam is slow.

Cao Viet Sinh, Vietnam’s deputy minister of Planning and Investment, said in future, ministries and agencies of the three countries need to accelerate the construction and completion of the investment and business law; policies relating to taxes, customs, labor; administrative procedures relating to licenses, investment, business--ensuring transparency, the coherence from the central to local levels in order to reduce the time, costs for investors, improve the competitiveness of enterprises.

Cao Viet Sinh, deputy minister of Planning and Investment, stressed that to exploit the regions potential one needs to improve infrastructure, offer incentives to encourage the participation of all economic sectors, and accelerate the implementation of the triangle’s development master plan approved by leaders of the three governments.

The countries also need to complete the investment and business legal framework, policies on tax, customs and labor, and administrative procedures to ensure transparency and synchronicity at all levels of governance from central to grassroots level, Sinh added.

The Cambodia–Laos–Vietnam development triangle comprises of 13 border provinces of the three countries. Initiated by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in Vientiane in 1999, the area was established to enhance solidarity and cooperation for socio-economic development, poverty reduction and security in the region.

Meanwhile a trade fair was organized in the central highland province of Kon Tum where handmade crafts by artisans from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia were on exhibit.

The fair opened on December 4 and brought together 700 businesses that are displaying their high-quality products in 360 stalls.

The fair is part of a series of events to herald the 8th Conference of the Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia Triangle Development Coordinating Committee and the 100th anniversary of Kon Tum Province (February 9, 1913).

~News courtesy of SGGP~

今年10个月‧游客同比剧增23.7%

今年10个月‧游客同比剧增23.7%

参观柏威夏古剎的国內外游客比去年增加。（图：柬埔寨星洲日报）

今年截至10月，我国接待近287万外国游客人次，同比去年剧增约23.7%。

根据新闻部前日发出的报告，今年截至10月，我国接待286万8千499外国游客人次，较去年同期增长23.7%。

报告指出，当中的136万2千328外国游客人次（47.5%）是通过航空飞抵我国，同比去年增约16.6%，其中57万零819人次飞抵金边国际机场，与去年相比提升9.5%，而飞抵暹粒国际机场的为79万1千509人次，则提升22.3%；144万5千971人次（50.4%）以陆路抵达我国，同比增约33.4%；至於通过水路的外国游客则高达6万零200人次（2.1%），同比则增8.6%。

报告显示，访问我国的前10个国家分別为：越南游客63万8千557人次（22.3%），同比增约23.7%；韩国游客33万7千682人次（11.8%），增约23.4%；中国游客26万5千328人次（9.2%），增了33.8%；老挝游客20万1千255人次（5.6%），增约90.1%；泰国游客16万零28人次（7%），增约75.2%；日本游客14万2千812人次（5%），增约11.1%；美国游客13万6千196人次（4.7%），增约10.9%；法国游客9万5千零68人次（3.3%），增约5.1%；马来西亚游客9万2千313人次（3.2%），增约12%；以及澳大利亚游客9万1 千185人次（3.2%），则增10.9%。

报告还显示，我国今年首10月的重要旅游市场来源，包括来自亚太地区，219万5千272人次（76.5%），同比增约28.2%；来自东盟地区，123万4千零48人次（43%），增约36.2%；欧洲国家，46万7千452人次（16.3%），增约11.3%；至於来自美国地区，共19万2千612人次（6.7%），则增10.8%。

报告指出，旅游暹粒省的外国游客人次为164万6千280人，同比增约27.7%；旅游金边市的外国旅客人次为122万2千219人，增约33.2%；以及海边区22万6千934人次，则增48.3%。

我国东北方经济旅游区共接待4万4千135外国游客人次，同比增约12.2%；柏威夏古剎分別接待1万4千361外国游客人次和3万9千零2名国內游客人次，增约84.2%和45.7%。

另一方面，今年首10个月，共有65万6千240名国人离境到外国旅游，较去年同期增约14.4%。

【十大游客来源与人次】

1）越南：63万8千557
2）韩国：33万7千682　
3）中国：26万5千328　
4）老挝：20万1千255　
5）泰国：16万零28　
6）日本：14万2千812　
7）美国：13万6千196　
8）法国：9万5千零68　
9）马来西亚：9万2千313　
10）澳大利亚：9万1 千185

　（柬埔寨星洲日报）

金边摄影节本月8日登场

金边摄影节本月8日登场

IFC“2012年金边摄影节”新闻发佈会。（图：柬埔寨星洲日报）

2012年金边摄影节將於本月8日开幕。

本月8日至30日，来自柬埔寨、中国、法国、瑞士、泰国、越南、老挝、缅甸等12个国家的26名专业摄影师所拍摄的1千200幅作品將分別在金边16个地点展出。

法国文化中心（IFC）昨日召开2012年金边摄影节新闻发佈会，对外宣佈今年大会相关事宜。

柬埔寨法国文化中心副主任Olivier Plamchon介绍，本次摄影展的主要目的是通过著名摄影师的照片，让我国和世界各国人民通过这些照片更进一步深入瞭解到柬埔寨的文化和人民生活情况等，同时激起摄影爱好者更加热爱摄影专业。

他说，由26名国內外著名摄影师拍摄的照片，將分別在数个地点展出，包括金边市內的法国驻柬大使馆围墙、欧盟驻柬办事处、施梳越大道、游船、金边皇家综合大学、文化艺术皇家综合大学等。

根据法国文化中心新闻通告指出，今年是第五次金边摄影节，来自亚、欧国家著名摄影师，包括George Rousse、Isabelle Muoz、Michael Ackerman等，同时也有柬埔寨10名著名摄影师参加本次活动。

本月8日下午2时和9日下午3时，2012年金边画展大会主办单位將分別使用40辆嘟嘟车分別在文化艺术皇家综合大学和IFC出发，游览在金边市內展出上述照片。

（柬埔寨星洲日报）

Cambodia / Laos border 柬寮边界

Cambodia / Vietnam border - Bavet 柬越边界

ASEAN seeks to heal territorial rift

ASEAN seeks to heal territorial rift

Cambodian soldiers stand guard at the Phnom Penh International Airport, on November 17. Southeast Asian foreign ministers sought to heal a rift over territorial rows involving China, aiming to build unity ahead of a leaders' summit in which rights and trade will also dominate. (AFP - Tang Chhin Sothy)

PHNOM PENH: Southeast Asian foreign ministers sought on Saturday to heal a rift over territorial rows involving China, aiming to build unity ahead of a leaders' summit in which rights and trade will also dominate.

The hot-button South China Sea issue was one of the top items for the ministers as they held a day of talks in the Cambodian capital, following months of acrimony over how to tackle China's claims to nearly all the waters.

"We wish that we would be able to solve this problem together," Surin Pitsuwan, secretary-general of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, told reporters at the start of the meeting.

"We hope that if there is anything we can do to help to build this new culture of norms... of new habits of working together we would like to help."

The foreign ministers' meeting is to pave the way for the annual ASEAN leaders' summit in Phnom Penh on Sunday, which the bloc is hoping will push forward policies on human rights and free trade.

US President Barack Obama, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and leaders from six other nations are scheduled to then join their ASEAN counterparts for the two-day East Asia Summit starting on Monday.

Some of the countries involved in the talks have seen diplomatic relations plummet this year because of a raft of maritime territorial rows, and analysts said those disputes would likely overshadow proceedings in Phnom Penh.

ASEAN members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, as well as Taiwan, have claims to parts of the South China Sea, home of some of the world's most important shipping lanes and believed to be rich in fossil fuels.

China insists it has sovereign rights to virtually all of the sea, and the Philippines and Vietnam have expressed concerns that their giant Asian neighbour has become increasingly aggressive this year in staking its claim.

An ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Phnom Penh ended in July without issuing a joint communique for the first time in the bloc's 45-year history because of divisions over how to handle the South China Sea issue.

The Philippines and Vietnam had wanted the communique to make specific reference to their disputes with China.

But Cambodia, the hosts of the talks and a close China ally, blocked the moves.

Surin said Saturday that such a public spat would not be seen this weekend.

"I don't think it's going to be confrontational, I don't think it's going to be overly contentious," he said.

But adding to the tensions, analysts said Obama was expected to raise the issue while in Phnom Penh.

Obama is likely to reiterate that the United States has a fundamental interest in freedom of navigation in the sea, while urging ASEAN and China to agree on a code of conduct for the area, according to analysts.

China has long bristled at what it perceives as US interference in the South China Sea, and was upset at last year's East Asia Summit in Indonesia when Obama succeeded in having the issue discussed there.

Chinese vice foreign minister Fu Ying warned on Saturday that China did not want a repeat and that the South China Sea should not be on the agenda at the East Asia Summit.

"Discussion of the South China Sea issue should return to the framework of China and ASEAN. Discussing the issue in other forums will interfere with the direction of cooperation," Fu said.

Meanwhile, ASEAN leaders are aiming to endorse on Sunday a declaration they say will promote human rights within their 10 countries but which has drawn widespread criticism.

More than 60 rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, issued a statement on Thursday urging ASEAN to revise a draft of the declaration.

ASEAN members are also aiming to kickstart negotiations in Phnom Penh over a giant free trade zone with China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.

The 16 nations account for roughly half the global population and around a third of the world's annual gross domestic product.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

Stop

Phnom Penh City 金边市

US worries on Cambodia rights

US worries on Cambodia rights before Obama trip

File photo: The Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. (AFP/File - Hoang Dinh Nam)

WASHINGTON: The United States said on Thursday it was pressing Cambodian leader Hun Sen to reverse his "very worrying" direction on human rights as President Barack Obama prepared to visit for a regional summit.

Obama will on Monday become the first sitting US president to visit Cambodia, where human rights groups accuse the government of stepping up a crackdown on dissidents and on protests, many linked to land disputes.

Samantha Power, a White House official in charge of human rights, told reporters on a conference call that Obama was visiting for the "important" East Asia Summit and related meetings hosted by Hun Sen.

"But our message to him on a bilateral basis is very much about human rights abuses that are being committed within Cambodia's borders and urging him once and for all to actually start to take these concerns seriously rather than continuing to move in very worrying directions," she said.

Power said that the main US message to Hun Sen will be to hold free and fair elections, to end land seizures and to protect human rights more broadly.

A dozen US senators and members of the House of Representatives last month urged Obama to speak out over Cambodia's "deteriorating human rights situation."

Phil Robertson, the deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, earlier said that if Obama does not speak out over concerns, "his visit will be seen by the government as an endorsement and deepen the sense of inviolability."

～News courtesy of Channel Newsasia～

Cambodia arrests 8 for 'SOS Obama' stunt

Cambodia arrests eight for 'SOS Obama' stunt

A Cambodian girl paints a word (SOS) under a portrait of US President Barack Obama on the roof next to the Phnom Penh International Airport on November 14, 2012. (AFP PHOTO/TANG CHHIN SOTHY)

PHNOM PENH: Cambodian police arrested eight people Thursday for displaying portraits of US President Barack Obama next to the word "SOS" on their roofs ahead of his much-anticipated visit to the nation.

The stunt was carried out by residents living near Phnom Penh airport in protest at their threatened eviction, a local human rights group said, in the latest of a slew of bitter land disputes across the impoverished country.

The charges against the six women and two men were not immediately clear.

"They put Obama's picture on their roofs and painted 'SOS' next to it," said national police spokesman Kirt Chantharith, adding "we are questioning them about their reason for doing this".

Obama will become the first sitting US president to visit Cambodia when he flies into the capital next week to attend the annual East Asia Summit with regional leaders.

The detentions are the latest example of officials trying to suppress criticism or polish Cambodia's image ahead of the high-profile event, said Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights.

"It says quite a bit about this government and its intention to put on a good face in front of the international community," he told AFP.

Over 180 families living near the airport have been served with eviction notices to make way for its planned expansion and are demanding fair compensation.

Forced evictions across the country have displaced thousands of families and prompted a number of protests and violent clashes between residents and armed security forces.

In preparation for the summit, city officials have rounded up nearly 100 beggars, drug addicts, sex workers and street vendors to make the capital "beautiful" and "for public order", municipal hall spokesman Long Dimanche said.

Many were sent to social affairs centres -- effective detention centres much criticised by rights campaigners in the past -- while some street children were taken to local charities, he added.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

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Welcome, 欢迎, soum swa-khom