Poor Cambodian women are hoping for the worst from their government

Women work in a garment factory in the outskirts of Phnom Penh June 9, 2007. Cambodia has approved new labour laws allowing night shift work, a move that should boost its garment industry, which accounts for two thirds of the impoverished southeast Asian nation's exports. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea.
Cambodian women who are working in garment factory will get slashed of their pay salary. they are poor and they will get more difficult and also get beat up by their society,especially from the riches and high ranking government officials.

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A woman works in a garment factory in the outskirts of Phnom Penh June 9, 2007. Cambodia has approved new labour laws allowing night shift work, a move that should boost its garment industry, which accounts for two thirds of the impoverished southeast Asian nation's exports. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAMBODIA) Read more!

South Korean company donates to help Cambodia train footballers

The Korean Technology Company ( KTC) from South Korea has decided to donate 105,600 U.S. dollars each year from 2007 to 2009 to help Cambodia train its national footballers, a sports official said on Friday.

"The finance will be used for paying salary for the players and purchasing materials," said Sao Sokha, president of the Football Federation of Cambodia (FFC).

The consecutive donation will help strengthen Cambodian footballers' capacity, said Sokha, adding that the players used to have financial difficulties which led to unsatisfied match results.

In addition, he said, KTC will spend 100,000 U.S. dollars annually to hire South Korean coach to train Cambodia's national football team and qualified footballers will be sent to South Korea for further improvement.

Cambodia now has some 30 functional football clubs. It stays almost at the bottom of the International Football Federation's ( FIFA) world ranking.

Source: Xinhua Read more!

Cambodia to cut pay for garment workers

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia

Cambodian lawmakers Friday approved reducing the nighttime pay rate for garment workers in a labor law amendment the government called necessary to boost jobs in the industry.

Currently dayshift garment workers earn about $50 a month, and those working the nightshift earn about $100 a month. The amendment sets pay for nightshift workers at only 30 percent more than dayshift workers, or about $65.

Eighty-two lawmakers from Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling coalition voted in favor of the amendment. Seven lawmakers from Cambodia's main opposition Sam Rainsy Party abstained from voting in protest.

"The amendment will contribute to creating more jobs for young people, whose number grows every year," Labor Minister Vong Soth said during the session of the National Assembly, Cambodia's lower house of parliament.

He said that up to 200,000 new garment factory jobs would be created by the amendment. The country currently has 300 garment factories that employ 355,000 workers.

Son Chhay, an opposition party lawmaker, said the amendment was unacceptable because, "it pleases only the factory owners and disregards difficult circumstances facing the workers."

Chea Mony, president of Cambodia's Free Trade Union which claims to have 74,000 members, condemned the amendment.

"I am very unhappy after hearing this unfortunate news ... It seems like, in approving it, those lawmakers are killing the workers by poking a knife into their throats," he said.

Workers from his union could protest at their respective factories, he said.

Ken Loo, secretary-general of the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia, said last month only about 10 factories run night shifts because of the costs associated with high nighttime pay.

Last year's garment exports from Cambodia were worth about $2.8 billion, with 70 percent of the shipments going to retailers in the U.S. market, he said.

The amendment will come into force after it is approved by the upper house of parliament, the Senate, and signed by King Norodom Sihamoni. Read more!