A day of fun and celebration for children

Thai kids enjoyed special treats and fun activities provided by state agencies, organisations and companies as the country celebrated National Children's Day yesterday.



By The Nation on Sunday


At Government House, in keeping with tradition every year, children formed a long queue for a chance to sit on the prime minister's seat in the Thai Khu Fa building.

Among the children were 13 whose parents were killed in the Southern unrest. They were taken to meet PM Abhisit Vejjajiva who greeted them.

Nine-year-old Alimin Waetingwae from Narathiwat said the premier's seat was soft. He also said that Abhisit was handsome and that he too wanted to become a prime minister in future

Abhisit had earlier presided over the event hosted by the Education Ministry at Sanam Suapa and another by the Metropolitan Police before his meeting with 241 Thai Student Council representatives. He also attended a videoconference with youth representatives of four regions at Government House.

The prime minister was guarded by the "little rangers" security volunteers. He gave an interview to a special television programme by the Thai youth news centre. Abhisit said that if he could ask for three blessings for Thai kids he would want them to be good, capable and happy.
At Parliament, children watched in awe a light and sound show of a 3D House meeting in which they saw PM Abhisit explaining a fiscal matter, House Speaker Chai Chidchob performing his duty and MP Chalerm Yoobumrung giving a speech. They also got a chance to act as news broadcasters from a mock-up TV studio and to learn about Thai politics and royal projects from the exhibition there.

Many military bases also hosted special events for kids and were a popular choice for parents to take their kids to yesterday. The Defence Ministry headquarters in Bangkok hosted many games. There were plenty of photo opportunities for kids to pose with military machines, and also the opportunity to ride one of 32 horses.

At the 14 October 73 Memorial on Rajadamnoen Avenue, democracy advocates and red-shirt supporters hosted an event titled "children love democracy, don't play with soldiers and don't accept dictatorship", in which children were taught to make paper birds, as a symbol of peace.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) also celebrated the day by granting 500 scholarships to underprivileged kids, while providing fun activities for kids at most city parks, the Thai-Japanese Youth Centre in Din Daeng as well as other 37 youth centres, 10 sport centres and 34 libraries.

At the Nation Tower in Bang Na, the Nation Group yesterday morning hosted a fun event for kids. Besides playing games for gifts and colouring pictures, the kids also got a chance to try recording their voice at a news studio and had their image printed on the cover of Kom Chad Leuk newspaper.

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Indonesia, Pakistan and Cambodia back Aquino peace stance

By Michael Lim Ubac
Philippine Daily Inquirer


MANILA, Philippines—Asian leaders have thrown their support behind President Aquino's peace engagement with the Moro separatist rebels and communist insurgents.

Aquino earned the backing of leading political leaders of Pakistan and Indonesia, which are largely Muslim countries, and Buddhist Cambodia when they called on him in Malacañang on Friday.

“Carpe Diem! Seize the moment,” was the message of Pakistani Sen. Mushahid Hussain Sayed, a leader of the political opposition in Pakistan, to Mr. Aquino.

At a press conference in Makati on Saturday, Sayed reiterated it. “This is the time and I think that President Aquino has seized the moment and we will ensure that the moment, the initiative, remains in his hand, and we are right behind him to push this forward.”

Sayed, Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia Sok An and former Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla, along with former Speaker Jose de Venecia, met with the President at the Palace to laud him for simultaneously pursuing peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Maoist New People's Army and the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Although there was no formal invitation for Muslim nations to broker the peace process, Sayed said, "We endorsed his initiatives for peace within the Philippines—the discussion with insurgents in Mindanao and of course with the NPA.”

Sayed is a member of the Commission of Eminent Persons of the powerful Organization of Islamic Conference and secretary general of the Pakistani Muslim League.

He is seen as an opposition presidential contender should the Pakistani government call for fresh elections to end the political stalemate there.

He said Pakistan, which he described as a “leading Muslim country,” shared the “strategic convergence with the government and people of the Philippines for the resolution of this issue concerning the Muslims of the Philippines. So we endorse wholeheartedly the peace process initiated by President Aquino.”

The officials held an informal meeting later Friday with former President Fidel Ramos and Vice President Jejomar Binay at the residence of De Venecia in Forbes Park, Makati, following the wedding of De Venecia’s son, Joey, to Karen Batungbacal.

At the meeting, which lasted way past midnight, both Binay and Ramos welcomed the help of the Centrist Asia-Pacific Democrats International (CAPDI) in the Philippine peace process.

Binay is set to write President Aquino to formally invite CAPDI to help, in whatever capacity, in the peace process since there has been no formal invitation from Malacañang to do so.

“Our formal presence has to be the result of an invitation because we cannot intervene unilaterally,” said De Venecia, who wanted CAPDI "to make itself available on request."

CAPDI is a high-level alliance of ruling and opposition political parties in Asia, business leaders, civil society and academe. CAPDI, whose forerunner was the Centrist Democrats International Asia-Pacific, was formally founded in Dec. 2010 in Phnom Penh.

Its leaders are skilled in conflict-resolution and international diplomacy.

Sayed said the Philippine government must also welcome Malaysia and Qatar's help.

“Qatar has clout also as a rising Muslim country with a lot of oil revenues. So you see, there's a lot of back- up from Muslim countries and this back-up would help... the government of the Philippines in pushing this process forward,” said Sayed.

“It will bring the Muslim world and the Philippines closer together, and we welcome this,” he said, adding, in effect, that the President was in the best position with his immense political capital and popularity here and abroad to end the Mindanao conflict and insurgency.

“Dialogue is the essence of democracy. The Philippines has a very dynamic democracy. We always looked up to Cory Aquino… in 1986. In the Third World, the Philippines has been a role model on how a peaceful transformation can take place through the exercise of people power,” he said.

Kalla currently chairs CAPDI, while Sok An and Sayed serve as vice president and secretary general, respectively.

“Kalla successfully negotiated the Aceh conflict in Indonesia,” said De Venecia. Sok An and Hun Sen helped engineer the resolution of armed conflicts in Cambodia.

De Venecia is the founding chair of CAPDI, while both Ramos and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen play the role of chair emeritus.

Leaders in Asia have much respect and admiration for Mr. Aquino due to the legacy of his late mother, People Power icon Corazon Aquino, said Sayed.

"Talking to President Aquino, I found him a good guy, a sincere person and a very straightforward person. I think he means what he says," said Sayed, when asked about his thoughts about the chief executive.

"We feel that this is the 21st century. A lot of these conflicts are holdover from the past. It's time to have a better tomorrow. And that new beginning is essential for not just the Philippines (but) for Asia, the Muslim countries and communities," said Sayed.

In the Makati meeting, Sok An said that the Capdi officials decided to form a peace commission with headquarters in Phnom Penh “to be given an institutional back up and support of leaders who have experiences in mediation, negotiation and in conflict resolution.”

The priority is the peace mission to Nepal to be followed by a dialogue between leaders of India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue, said De Venecia.

Sayed urged Mr. Aquino and the rest of Asia facing internal conflicts to negotiate peace without U.S., British or Western intervention.

"If the 21st is to be an Asian century, the resurgence, rise and rejuvenation of Asia are inexplicably intertwined with the quest for peace, security and stability in those parts of Asia who are prone to violence, conflict and instability. Hence, we link development with peace. This linkage which something which the country will capture,” said Sayed, adding that Asians should learn to make peace on their own.

“This is the Asian century. We should do it on our own," he said.

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No reinforcement of Thai troops along Thai-Cambodian border

NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Jan 8 -- Despite ongoing tension between Thailand and its neighbour Cambodia following the recent arrest of seven Thai nationals, Thai forces on the Surin provincial border have not been reinforced, said Second Army Region commander Lt-Gen Thawatchai Samutsakorn on Saturday.

Gen Thawatchai, responsible for security affairs in Thailand's Northeast, said no violence had been reported at Prasart Ta Muen Thom, and the peoples of both countries still visit the historic ruins.

Ta Muen Thom ruin sits on another of many disputed areas along the border, and lies in Surin province and Cambodia’s northern Uddor Meanchey province.

His remarks were made after seven Thais, including MP for Bangkok Panich Vikitsreth from the ruling Democrat party and Thai Patriots Network leader Veera Somkwamkid, were arrested by Cambodian soldiers as they inspected the border area in Sakeo province on Dec 29.

The court in Phnom Penh finished the first hearings for all seven Thai detainees on Thursday. The seven faced two charges -- one of illegal entry into the Cambodian kingdom, with assigned punishment of three to six months of imprisonment and deportation, while the other involved trespass into a Cambodian military area without permission, punishable by a three to six months jail term and Bt7,500-15,000 in fines.

No date has been set for the court ruling.

Gen Thawatchai said Thailand's present number of troops along the Surin border is sufficient and they are prepared to perform their duty so it is unnecessary to boost their number.

In response to concern that more serious violence might follow the border arrests, Gen Thawatchai said he did not believe there will be more violence. In any case, the final ruling will be made by the Cambodian court and the Thai authorities could not intervene.

He said the Thai Foreign Affairs Ministry may discuss with the Cambodian government to secure their return home after the final verdict is made. (MCOT online news)
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Russia mounts land, air and sea searching for trawler in Far East

Two boats, a helicopter and 14 land vehicles are searching for a trawler last heard from off the coast of Sakhalin in Russia's Far East, a regional emergencies spokesman said on Saturday.

The Cambodia-flagged Partner, which has a Russian crew, issued a distress signal on Friday when it was near the western coast of Sakhalin. It had been fishing in the Tatar Strait between the island and the Russian mainland.

"A Mi-8 helicopter from the Sakhalin company Aviashelf is conducting aerial reconnaissance in the area where the distress signal was issued. There are two ships combing the area where the distress signal was issued," the Sakhalin Region Emergency Situations Ministry official said.

The search began on Friday but there has been no sign of the vessel. The land searchers, numbering 74 people, are scouring the western coast of Sakhalin for rafts that may have saved the crew. It is thought that there were up to 14 Russian citizens on board the vessel.

"There are no roads to the coast in the search area, so the operations involve an all-terrain tracked vehicle. The ground-search group includes a doctor. They have warm clothes and food for the fishermen, if they are rescued," the emergencies spokesman said.

Russian fisheries officials said on Friday that the trawler was owned by the Belize-registered company SGI. An October 2010 record listed the captain as Sakhalin resident Alexei Maltsev and said there were 11 crew.

Shipping in Russia's Far East has been beset by problems due to bad weather in recent days and weeks, with icebreakers dispatched to the Sea of Okhotsk, north and east of Sakhalin, to rescue several vessels trapped in sea ice up to two meters thick.

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Trespassing case 'has no bearing' on Cambodia border dispute

By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation

Convicting the seven Thai nationals for trespassing in Cambodia would not overrule Thailand's right to claim sovereignty over the disputed border area near Sa Kaew's Ban Nong Chan, where the men were caught, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and legal experts said yesterday.

The Cambodian court's ruling on the case would only be binding for individuals who were involved in the case, but would never be a reference point for boundary demarcation, he said.
Seven Thai nationals, including an MP from the ruling Democrat Party, Panich Vikitsreth, and yellow-shirt activist Veera Somkwamkid were arrested by Cambodian officials last week while inspecting the disputed area.

In his testimony, Panich told the Cambodian court that he had crossed the border by accident. Information from the Royal Thai Survey Department and the Foreign Ministry indicates that the group had only gone 55 metres into Cambodian territory

Veera and other activists insist that this area belongs to Thailand because Thai authorities issued land titles for local residents a long time ago. Veera and his group were arrested at the same site last August.

The area in question has been occupied by Cambodians who fled from civil war at home in the late 1970s and refused to return after the war.

This border location had been demarcated more than a century ago, when Cambodia was a French colony, but the boundary pillars in the area were destroyed or removed. The two countries have not yet reached common ground as to exactly where the boundary pillars were.

Worry is growing in Thailand that Cambodia will take advantage of the case to claim sovereignty over the area.

Legal expert Panas Tassaneeyanond, meanwhile, said the Cambodian court had the authority to rule on each individual's guilt in accordance with Cambodian law but such a ruling had no binding on the boundary line with Thailand.

"Legally speaking, the ruling is specifically bound to each individual in the case," Panas said on a television programme.

Meanwhile, secretary to the foreign minister Chavanond Intarakomalyasut said the case should be kept separate from the boundary issue because the two countries had a joint boundary committee to handle the dispute. The Cambodian court's ruling should have no legal implication on the matter, he said.

The main argument in the case of the seven Thais jailed in Phnom Penh is whether they entered Cambodian territory unintentionally, he said.

Separately, Army chief Prayut Chan-ocha responded to allegations that the military was too weak to deal with Cambodia over the border dispute by saying that the issue should be settled through negotiations and that it would take time.

"With both sides claiming the same location, we cannot say who has lost it to whom, but we do have to say that we need to live together peacefully and with mutual respect," he said.

"The military does not fear anyone. We have the duty to protect our motherland. If it is clear that it is our land, we will not allow any invasion, but while it is still unclear, we will have to talk with our neighbours," he said.

A group of yellow-shirt activists met with officials at the Foreign Ministry yesterday asking the ministry to help them pay a visit to their colleagues in prison.

The court finished the first round of testimony on Thursday and their lawyer will submit a bail request on Monday. The court will then take five days to consider the request.

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Cambodian court decision over 7 Thais not affect Thai territory: Thai PM

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Friday reaffirmed that Cambodian court's verdict on the arrested seven Thai will not lead to possible loss of Thai territory since it has legal binding effect only on individual.

The Thai premier made remarks after the pro-establishment People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), dubbed"yellow-shirt" movement, claimed Thailand may lose some of its land to its neighboring Cambodia if it accepts the Cambodian court ruling on the case of the seven detainees.

Abhisit stated that the court ruling will affect only the litigants and it's considered an individual issue, on a case by case basis, not as part of the border problems.

"If so, we can arrest a foreigner and then the defendant confesses, it means his country will lose territory," noted the PM, adding "we must wait and see the court verdict first. The matter will not be prolonged,"a local media quoted him as saying.

The Thai premier advised the critics to let concerned officials do their jobs. "We won't talk about legal aspects which can bring more damage," he said.

Following opposition Puea Thai accusations that the premier conspired with the detained Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth, Abhisit affirmed he had assigned Panich to respond to the complaints of local residents at the border, but he asserted that the incident occurred unexpectedly.

The seven Thais were arrested by Cambodian soldiers as they inspected the border area on Dec. 29 last year.

The Cambodian court finished the first hearing on Thursday. They were facing two charges -- illegal entry into Cambodian territory and illegally entering a military base; crimes which in Cambodia carry penalties of up to six months and one year respectively, and fine from one to two million Cambodian riels ( 250 U.S. dollars to 500 U.S. dollars).

The World Court ruled in 1962 that the Preah Vihear temple belonged to Cambodia, although its primary entrance lies in Thailand and the exact boundary through the surrounding grounds remains in dispute, with occasional military skirmishes claiming a number of lives.

Source: Xinhua Read more!

Over 2,000 to take part in ASEAN Tourism Forum in Cambodia next week

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua) - More than 2,000 delegates from ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are ready to take part in the upcoming ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF 2011), a government official said Friday.

Plong Thoeun, deputy director of tourism promotion department of Ministry of Tourism said that more than 2,000 delegates have confirmed their attendances to the 30th ATF to be held from Jan. 15 to 21, 2011.

The 30th ATF 2011 will be held at the newly built Diamond Island Convention and Exhibition Center in Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia.

He said alongside with the ATF 2011, there will be travel exchange (TRAVEX) which will give the venue for the ASEAN's package tour sellers and potential buyers from the region and the world, and friendship golf tournament for ASEAN Tourism Ministers and senior officials, organized and sponsored by international television network.

Ang Kim Eng, president of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents (CATA) said Friday that some 990 buyers have registered, just more than double from original plan of about 400.

The forum is the second of its kind hosted by Cambodia after the previous one was hosted in 2003.

ASEAN Tourism Forum is a cooperative regional effort to promote the ASEAN region as one tourist destination.

This annual event involves all the tourism industry sectors of the 10 member nations of ASEAN: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Read more!

Recently released market study: Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar Business Forecast Report Q1 2011

Recently published research from Business Monitor International, "Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar Business Forecast Report Q1 2011", is now available at Fast Market Research

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN )'s drive to establish an ASEAN Community by 2015 is expected to support economic growth for Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos through increased trade and foreign direct investment. ASEAN 's growing political influence within the international community will also put the group in a stronger position to negotiate for favourable trade agreements with external parties, in our view. However, we see cooling external demand as a credible threat to the group's exports, which could become a significant drag on growth in 2011. Thus, we are forecasting relatively weak real GDP growth of 3.7%, 4.0% and 6.5% for Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos respectively in 2011.

The increasing scale and frequency of land rights violations are fuelling growing dissent against the Cambodian government. We are increasingly concerned with the government's failure to clamp down on corruption at the district level, which risks further social unrest going forward. The growing number of cases involving violations of land rights and forced displacement of the rural poor in Cambodia are partly a result of the Cambodian parliament's decision to pass a law allowing the government to expropriate land for development in December 2009. Despite ongoing efforts by the government to clamp down on corruption, Cambodia remains one of the most corrupt countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

Foreign direct investment in Laos's mining industry could overtake the hydropower sector in terms of growth over the coming years. The country is well placed to capitalise on its rich mineral resources on the back of China's growing demand for industrial metals. We believe the Lao government's plan to issue new investment licences over the coming months will help raise foreign participation in the mining industry. Foreign capital and technological know-how will play a crucial role in paving the way for a new phase of growth for the industry, in our view. Growth in the mining sector will also contribute to Laos's Millennium Development Goals in the coming years.

The Burmese government's 10-year plan for the development of a large-scale industrial estate in Dawei is attracting the attention of investors across the border. The Thai government's economic think-tank has warned that heavy industry in Thailand could shift operations from the Map Ta Phut industrial estate to Myanmar upon completion of the Dawei industrial project. However, uncertainties with the successful implementation of the project compel us to adopt a cautious stance on Myanmar's economic growth outlook in the coming years. Accordingly, we are maintaining our real GDP growth forecasts for Myanmar to average 4.0% over the next five years (2011-2016).

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Fast Market Research is an online aggregator and distributor of market research and business information. We represent the world's top research publishers and analysts and provide quick and easy access to the best competitive intelligence available. Read more!

CAMBODIA: Winning the battle against schistosomiasis

KRATIE, 6 January 2011 (IRIN) - Health officials in Cambodia are making inroads in their battle against schistosomiasis, a chronic and debilitating disease commonly known as snail fever.

In northeastern Cambodia, more than 80,000 people living along the 5,000km-long Mekong River are at risk of schistosomiasis, according to the National Center for Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria Control (CNM) [ http://www.cnm.gov.kh/ ].

"We've seen a very [big] drop from the last decade," Muth Sinuon, a parasitic worms specialist at the government body, said. She places current prevalence rates at less than 5 percent - a steep fall from the mid-1990s.

"Back around 1995, we saw that between 30 and 70 percent of people in Kratie and Stung Treng were infected," she said. The chronic disease is endemic in the two poor, remote provinces in northeastern Cambodia.

Schistosomiasis is known as snail fever because the parasite lives in freshwater snails. According to the UN World Health Organization (WHO), people become infected when larval forms of the parasite - released by freshwater snails - penetrate their skin during contact with infested water.

In Cambodia, residents go fishing in rivers when water levels are low during the dry season, from February to May, and contract the disease from infested water.

The disease spreads through bathing, washing laundry and fetching water, Muth said.

Left untreated, the worm is perilous even though mortality is low. Schistosomiasis can cause bloody faeces and urine, a bloated belly, intestine damage, liver disease and bladder cancer, say health experts.

In terms of its social and economic impacts, snail fever is second only to malaria as the most devastating parasitic disease in tropical countries, according to the Carter Center, a non-profit charity based at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. [ http://www.cartercenter.org/index.html ]

Risk to children

Because of their hygiene and play habits in the water, children are particularly at risk.

"These parasites cause growth retardation in children, short- and long-term memory problems, difficulty with reasoning and reading comprehension," said Taing Tek Hong, a US-based Cambodian gastroenterologist, who travels regularly to Cambodia.

Heavily infected people are at risk of malnutrition.

Parasite's lifecycle

When human urine or faeces containing the parasite's eggs enter the water, the eggs hatch and release larvae, which search for river snails that live in the fissures of partially submerged rocks.
They enter the snail and multiply, then look for a new host in the water. They break through human skin and infiltrate the blood, move to the liver, and grow into worms.

From there, the worms travel through the blood, laying thousands of eggs in the intestine or bladder.

Treatment

Since 2002, the Cambodian government has overseen a vast deworming programme. In 2004, the country was the first to reach the WHO's goal of covering three-quarters of school-aged children, or three million people.

Once a year in Kratie and Stung Treng, authorities treat schistosomiasis patients with Praziquantel, a drug that is usually effective with a single dose.

The campaign has led to a drastic fall in cases, said Duong Socheat, head of the CNM.

Even so, more needs to be done to improve sanitation and education, he said.

Many people still defecate into rivers because they have limited access to toilets. Fewer than 16 percent of rural Cambodians have access to adequate sanitation, says the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).

According to WHO, around the world, 700 million people may be at risk of schistosomiasis. More than 207 million people are infected worldwide, the majority in Africa. Most live in poor communities without access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.

Control of schistosomiasis is based on drug treatment, snail control, improved sanitation and health education, the world health body says.

Read more!

Cambodia says KRouge trial should preserve peace

PHNOM PENH (AFP) – Cambodia's ruling party Friday called for a UN-backed war crimes court to safeguard "hard-won peace" in its trial of top Khmer Rouge leaders, as it marked the 32nd anniversary of the regime's ouster.

"The Cambodian People's Party supports the trial... for crimes committed by the most senior leaders" of the Khmer Rouge, Cambodian People's Party (CPP) president Chea Sim told a crowd of thousands of supporters.

He appealed for continued international support "so that the trial process will be successfully completed on the basis of safeguarding all national achievements, especially Cambodia's hard-won peace and stability."

The trial of four top regime leaders is due to start this year on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide after up to two million people were executed or were starved or worked to death from 1975-1979.

The tribunal, dogged by allegations of political interference, has yet to announce whether it will go ahead with two more cases against five as-yet-unnamed former Khmer Rouge cadres.

In its first case, the court in July sentenced former Khmer Rouge prison chief Duch to 30 years in jail for overseeing the deaths of 15,000 people.

But Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, deputy leader of the CPP, has repeatedly warned that pursuing more suspects from the hardline communist regime could spark civil war.

Hun Sen -- once a mid-level Khmer Rouge member before turning against the movement -- told visiting United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon in October that a third case was "not allowed" because it could jeopardise peace. Read more!

Travel Vietnam & Cambodia - Fancy a Far East adventure

2011-01-07 08:41:17 - The New Year is fast approaching, so now is a good time to consider next year's break. With the economy slowly but surely improving, why not travel to somewhere a little more exciting in 2011?

Vietnam ( www.activetravelvietnam.com ) holidays are certainly an option worth considering, with the Far East nation offering visitors spectacular landscapes, a fascinating culture and a friendly population. A nation that has successfully emerged from the ravages of war, Vietnam is being explored by an increasing number of travellers, all of whom are keen to experience this most unique of destinations. While its recent history is inescapable, so too is its soaring mountains, stunning coastline and iconic rice fields.

With so much to take in, travellers arriving in Vietnam will want to arrange their transport as early as possible. Trains are perhaps the most comfortable way of travelling around the country, although there is only one major line; that linking Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, a journey that takes around 30 hours to complete.

Buses are a cheaper option, with intercity services tending to depart at the crack of dawn in order to beat the morning rush. Services take a while, however, so be prepared to give up a day or two here and there for travelling. Once you've arrived at your chosen destination, you will certainly want to get out and explore your surroundings; in which case, car rental might be an option worth considering.

While hiring your own car is only possible in Vietnam's main cities, you can hire a vehicle with a driver elsewhere. So, not only will you avoid having to negotiate the country's often hectic road network, you will be able to take advantage of local knowledge, possibly discovering places a little off the beaten track and learning a bit of Vietnamese along the way.

The Far East ( www.activetravel.asia ) is a long way to travel, so there's no reason to limit your trip to a single country. Neighbouring Cambodia is another nation that has fully embraced tourism. Fortunately, then, there are a number of Vietnam and Cambodia tours for travellers to take advantage of.

Angkor Wat is arguably the jewel in Cambodia's crown. The huge temple complex, one of the finest examples of classical Khmer architecture, has become the nation's symbol. Dating back to the 12th century, Angkor Wat is the World's largest religious building and has pride of place on Cambodia's flag.

While Cambodia ( www.activetravelcambodia.com ) is awash with culture and historical artefacts, travellers will inevitably want some downtime during their Far Eastern adventure. Sihanoukville, known among tourists as Snookyville, is a popular seaside town and home to the country's best beaches. Seemingly becoming more popular as each year passes, Sihanoukville was recently referred to by the New York Times as "Asia's next trendsetting beach".

Seemingly a million miles away, Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital, is referred to as one of the Far East's remaining undiscovered destinations. Despite being deeply affected by war and revolution, Phnom Penh is a city of optimism and colour; a place of Buddhists, spice markets and a burgeoning economy. It's likely you'll visit the city during your Cambodian adventure, and while the inevitable assault on the senses may exhaust you, it's certainly worth spending a day or two here.

No visit to the eastern corner of Asia can be complete without seeing some of the region's wildlife, so a visit to the 1,581 sq km Bokor National Park comes highly recommended. Home to green peafowl, chestnut-headed partridge and even tigers, the park is well worth a visit, even if it's just to see the deserted French hill station, Bokor, that it contains.

Vietnam and Cambodia are two nations opening their arms to tourism. Why not discover each country next year before everyone else does?

Source : forres-gazette. Read more!

Trial Opens in Cambodia for Thai Nationals

Thai 'Yellow Shirt' activist Veera Somkwamkid (L) and Thai Democrat Party lawmaker Panich Vikitsreth (R) walk at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, 6 Jan 2011


A Cambodian court has begun hearings into the cases of seven Thais arrested last month for illegally entering the country. Some political analysts say the episode raises questions over the government’s close ties with nationalist group, the People’s Alliance for Democracy.

The Thais, including a member of parliament, were brought before a judge Thursday in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. They were detained December 29 after crossing into Cambodia.
If found guilty of illegal entry and entering a military area, the seven could face jail terms of up to 18 months.

The leader, Panich Vikitsreth, is a member of the Democrat Party of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Among those arrested was Veera Somkwamkid, a former leader of the People’s Alliance for Democracy, and of the Thailand Patriot Network, an offshoot of the PAD. Veera was briefly detained last year in the same area but was quickly sent back to Thailand.

The Thailand Patriot Network says Cambodian nationals occupy Thai territory along the border in Sa Kaeo province, 245 kilometers from Bangkok.

Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University, says the evidence indicates a deliberate crossing into Cambodia.

"The videos, the evidence so far and the statements from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - including senior officials - suggest that the seven Thais who have been arrested did indeed cross over into Cambodian territory," Thitinan said. "But what it says about the Patriotic Thais or the Patriot Thai Network is that it is intent on stirring up trouble."

In video clips posted on the Internet, Panich is seen speaking on a mobile phone, saying he crossed into Cambodia and asks that Abhisit’s secretary be told.

Thitinan says the incident points to the PAD’s influence on the Abhisit government. The PAD played a key role in protests that led to a military coup to oust former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006.

And in 2008 PAD demonstrators shut down Bangkok’s airports and occupied the prime minister’s office building, until court rulings removed two pro-Thaksin governments.

After that, parliamentary maneuvering brought Abhisit to power. Thitinan says those ties to the PAD are now hurting the government.

"This is a reminder that the liability from having been so closely tied to the PAD has come back to haunt and boomerang against the Democrat Party and the Abhisit government. It shows also that the government does not seem to know what its doing," Thitinan said.

The arrests have hurt efforts to improve relations with Cambodia. Ties had deteriorated after Thaksin visited Cambodia in 2009. He faces corruption charges at home and lives abroad.

Thai foreign ministry officials said the Phnom Penh court Thursday completed hearings for three of the detainees. More hearings must be held before a verdict is handed down.

The Thai government says it is working to get the seven released and sent home.

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Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra hotel unveiled in Cambodia

Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra hotel, styled in grand colonial style with wood details and marble floors, has been unveiled in Penh, Cambodia.

Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra is set on riverside amongst landscaped gardens in the old quarter of the city. The 12-storey colonial style hotel features 201 luxurious rooms and suites with Mekong or Bassac river views. An array of accommodations are featured ranging from 121 Superior rooms to 45 Luxury Suites, 23 Junior Suites, 11 Prestige Suites, and one Opera Suite, all marked by glass-walled baths.

Featuring a unique combination of classic European design and contemporary Cambodia sophistication, the new $50 million five-star hotel is distinct for its wooden floors, high coffered ceilings, and wooden latticework.

A range of chic restaurants and bars, an upscale spa, two swimming pools, a sports club and the finest conferencing facilities in Cambodia are some other notable features of this new hotel. The So Spa features 10 treatment rooms, two squash courts, four tennis courts, a So Fit fitness center, the Phokeethra Sports Club, and two pools.

The Club Millésime at the hotel is designed to offer stunning views of the city and the river, and combines outdoor space and sophisticated décor. Nearly 20,000 square feet of meeting space is included. The ballroom and a grassy lawn by the pool have been designed to accommodate 2,000 guests in an outdoor setting.

Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra is close to key attractions, embassies and the central business district. Sofitel is an upscale brand of French hospitality company Accor.
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Thai detainees in Cambodia seek bail

Prem concerned about fate of seven 'trespassers' as they head to court and Kasit insists no preferential treatment for Democrat MP Panich


Seven detained Thai nationals, including a lawmaker from the ruling Democrat Party, will today submit bail requests as they face trial in Cambodia over trespassing charges.

Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda has expressed concern over their fate, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday.

Abhisit said he had briefed Prem on the situation and the related boundary issue, which is a matter of dispute with Cambodia.

The seven Thais will testify in court one by one and a bail request will be submitted for each of them, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpakdi.

The seven, including Democrat Party MP Panich Vikitsreth and yellow-shirt activist Veera Somkwamkid, were arrested last week while inspecting a disputed border area near Ban Nong Chan in Sa Kaew province.

A Cambodian court charged them with illegal entry and unlawfully entering a military area, which could lead to a combined sentence of 18 months in prison for each of them.

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya yesterday said the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh would stand bail for the accused.

Any assistance to the Thai nationals will be conducted step by step and without intervention in the Cambodian justice system, he said.

The minister dismissed an earlier report that he had recommended a Cabinet review of relations with Cambodia unless Phnom Penh were to speed up the trial process and ensure leniency. The government plans no measures to retaliate against Cambodia over the case, he added.

"The Foreign Ministry has an obligation to maintain good relations, not to make trouble and spoil the relationship," he told reporters, adding: "I beg all parties not to create any misunderstanding between the two countries."

The ministry will provide equal assistance to all the detained Thai nationals, he said, rejecting a report that only Panich would be regarded as a priority case for obtaining bail, while the others, notably Veera, would be left to their own devices as they had provoked the arrests.

Veera and his group were briefly held in the same area last August, but Border Police managed to release them shortly after their capture.

The group believed the area where they were walking last week belongs to Thailand, but has been occupied by a Cambodian community since the late 1970s when many Cambodians fled civil war to settle there. They later refused to move out after the end of the war.

However, many Thai agencies, including the Foreign Ministry and the Royal Thai Survey Department, have indicated that the group walked at least 55 metres farther than that area - into territory under Cambodian sovereignty.

A leaked video clip showed Panich was apparently aware of the fact that he was walking into Cambodian territory, as he was speaking on the phone with an unknown person and requested that a message to that effect be conveyed to Abhisit.

The clip and the information provided by agencies has dismayed many yellow-shirt activists, as they insisted that the seven Thai nationals had been arrested on Thai territory.

Yellow-shirt activist and senator Kamnoon Sithisaman said areas near the disputed boundary belonged to Thai people, as the Thai authorities had issued land titles to them long ago. The area was indeed used as a shelter for Cambodian refugees in 1975, but has not been returned to the rightful Thai owners since, he said.

"I don't know why Foreign Minister Kasit said the seven Thai people had invaded Cambodian territory," he added.

Kamnoon and his group of 40 senators yesterday inspected the area near Ban Nong Chan and met some of the people who had lost their land to the Cambodians.

He urged the prime minister to listen to local residents and help them solve the problem.

Separately, another group of yellow-shirt activists yesterday rallied from Sa Kaew's Aranyaprathet district to see the disputed area in which their comrades had been arrested.

Local authorities provided tight security, fearing they would clash with residents in Non Mak Moon subdistrict, who disagreed with their presence out of concern that it could cause tension with Cambodia and make life difficult for them.
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'Postcards of Cambodia' shows a sunny side

By Chris Bergeron


"Picture Postcards of Cambodia 1900-1950" by Joel G. Montague.

"Postcards are, of course, artifacts ... They are clouds of fantasy and pellets of imagination." Susan Sontag, "On Photography"

Joel Montague isn't your typical tourist who stays in 5-star hotels, visits a few landmarks in the capital and buys some gift shop postcards before flying home in business class.

A frequent expatriate, the Wellesley, Mass., resident has spent much of the last 30 years in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, directing health and development programs for relief organizations and local governments.

"Over the years, I've got to know my way around," said Montague, relaxing in his home decorated with Buddhist statues, African carvings and paintings from the Middle East.

In Cambodia he runs a malaria-control program for Partners for Development, an organization dedicated to improving quality of life for those in developing countries. In September, he traveled to a remote mountainous area that is still peppered with land mines in order to visit the cremation site of dictator Pol Pot whose Khmer Rouge regime killed millions of its own people.

Montague has brought to light a sunnier side of Cambodia's tormented history in his recently published second book, "Picture Postcards of Cambodia, 1900-1950."

He has chronicled the people, culture, arts and architecture of one of Asia's most exotic jewels as portrayed by French colonizers via inexpensive postcards created for domestic consumption.

In the early 1900s, Montague observed, 18,000 postcards were produced depicting Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, which France ruled under the popular name Indochina.

Montague, whose resume lists 20 countries where he's worked, found that French colonizers used postcards as a sort of "marketing tool" to justify their self-proclaimed "civilizing mission" in Cambodia.

Published by White Lotus Press in Thailand, his 327-page book provides a rare visual archive of Cambodian history as revealed through about 650 black-and-white and color postcards in 16 categories, such as "The Mekong River," "The Monarchy" and "Khemer Dance and Music." Montague believes his collection of about 1,700 colonial-era postcards, purchased in flea markets and over the Internet, is the largest of its kind in the world.

During a century in which Cambodia's true history has been erased by colonization and revolution, Montague wrote in his book's introduction that picture postcards provide "an ephemeral record of early 20th-century Cambodia."

Since first visiting Cambodia in 1991, after the Khmer Rouge's overthrow and withdrawal of the invading Vietnamese, Montague began acquiring postcards that depicted the nation's visual history as seen through Western eyes during the first half of the 20th century.

The postcards depict life there as the kind of Indochinese paradise that has excited Westerners' imagination since Marco Polo -- and still does.

Viewers will see very little genuine interaction between French and Cambodians in the postcards, which seem, instead, to show two distinct worlds.

"In the eyes of the French, Cambodians were like infants who needed their protection," said Montague. "Some postcards made a pretense at pseudo-science that saw Cambodians as 'types' for anthropological study."

In the postcards, the French built stately mansions while locals lived in picturesque villages. French administrators built schools, hospitals and roads while monks in robes lounged in temples.

French children wore costumes to catch butterflies or perform in plays while bare-breasted Cambodian women bathed or posed with a casualness not found in France.

Born in New York, Montague graduated from Oberlin University in 1956, earned his master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and served in the U.S. Army. Since 1990, he has been trustee and chairman of the board of Partners for Development, which operates several health programs in Cambodia.

He is married to Dr. Shahnaz Montague, a specialist in internal medicine whom he met while working in Iran. They have two adult children.

Several years ago, Montague wrote with Michael Vann "The Colonial Good Life: A Commentary on Andre Joyeux's Vision of French Indochina," about a French artist whose cartoons about turn-of-the-century life in Saigon were remarkably insightful.

In addition to postcards, Montague also collects pharmaceutical labels and shop signs, which he has exhibited in the Wellesley Library.

For historians, the most striking postcards in Montague's book feature photographs from 1905 of the majestic temple complex at Angkor Wat, which was then being recovered from the jungle, and photos of considerable artistry by French photographer Pierre Dieulefils, who captured many scenes of everyday life.

Montague is now working on a book project about Scotsman John Thompson, who was the first man to photograph Angkor Wat in 1866.

Since first visiting Cambodia 20 years ago, Montague has been intrigued by the question of how people in such a devout Buddhist country degenerated into such violent chaos.

"I looked at postcards all those years until I had a sort of gradual awakening that helped me understand why they show Cambodia they way they do and not the way it really is," he said. "Cambodia went through a horrible stretch of history, including the bombing along the border by the U.S. during the Vietnam war. I hope this book could be helpful in its small way by filling in some of its history."


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No Response, as Sit-In Protest Passes Second Day

Residents say they want $1,500 per square meter, or 15 hectares slotted for themselves in the new development


Protesters sat for the second day at Freedom Park on Tuesday, shouting into loudspeakers and demanding fair compensation from a city developer for their land. But they mostly shouted to each other.

No city officials or company representatives came to meet with them.

Residents at the Boeung Kak lake development site say they want $1,500 per square meter for a buyout, or 15 hectares of the 133-hectare development, a demand the developer, Shukaku, Inc., has refused.

Residents say they will sit at Freedom Park, in the shadow of one the largest bank building in the country, Canadia, for a week in search of mediation.

“There have been no government officials, no lawmakers, to come see what we need,” said Ly Mom, a representative of the residents.

The protesters sit on the ground, roped in by nylon cord, calling out for intervention from Prime Minister Hun Sen, former king Norodom Sihanouk, and countries like China, Japan and the US.

“We insist that [Phnom Penh] Governor Kep Chuktema come and discuss this with us to find a positive result,” Ly Mom said.

Shukaku, which will develop the lake area after it is filled in, has offered $8,500 to families. Some have been forcibly removed. Others have stayed, even as their houses are flooded from lake overflow while Shukaku dredgers pump sand and mud from the bottom of the Tonle Sap river into the lake.

Protesters say they have asked for meetings with the governor five times and sent four letters for help to Hun Sen, to no avail. One said he would “better die at home than to leave.”

City officials declined to comment on Tuesday, as they have in the past.

Government spokesman Phay Siphan said the protesters “can file a complaint with the court if they do not obtain any result.”

However, Yim Sovann, a spokesman for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, said it was the government's “responsibility” to settle the problem.

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Groups Prepare for Tough Discussions on NGO Law

The Ministry of Interior prepared the draft law late last year. Thun Saray, president of the rights group Adhoc, said some articles of the new law violate the constitution by making it difficult to establish NGOs or associations by citizens.


Non-governmental agencies and other organizations are preparing to discuss a controversial law on NGOs with the government next week.

Many NGOs say they are worried the law needs corrections lest it be used to crackdown on organizations deemed anti-government. In a joint statement, a group of NGOs said the law in its current form would restrict their work, thanks to barriers for registration and other impediments.

That could lead to restriction on funding sources and hurt long-term development, the groups said.

For example, the draft law calls for complicated registration and the submission of work reports, action plans and change of staff to the Ministry of Interior, all of which could eat up time and resources and become increasingly complicated.

“This draft law has complicated duties and stirs up difficulties to the civil society,” said Yong Kim Eng, president of the People's Center for Development and Peace. “In general, this law seems to manage NGOs and associations, but it is not a law to protect their interests or to provide rights and freedom to civilians to ensure freedom of their activities. In our view, that is worrisome, and we wonder about some points in the law.”

Thun Saray, president of the rights group Adhoc, said some articles of the new law violate the constitution by making it difficult to establish NGOs or associations by citizens.

“It has many conditions, statutes and principles for registration,” he said. “So NGOs and associations in rural areas cannot undertake their activities.”

However, Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, said the draft was “no better and no worse” than laws in other countries. While some points of the law are worrisome, it would weed out about a third of the countries NGOs, which either do no activities or will have a hard time meeting registration requirements, he said. “I think it is between good and bad,” he said.

Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak said the government “will receive their good and constructive recommendations for making this law better, but their recommendations must serve the interest of Cambodia and its people.”

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Leopard Cambodia Fund backs local microfinance group IPR

Developing market-focused private equity group Leopard Capital has acquired a 33.7 per cent stake in a Cambodian microfinance institution (MFI), Intean Poalroath Rongroeurng (IPR).

The Cayman Islands-domiciled firm’s Leopard Cambodia Fund will back IPR, giving it the capital to fund new microfinance loans and update its information technology systems.

“IPR is unique among local MFIs as it supports Cambodia’s rice industry by helping farmers invest in better seeds, fertiliser and equipment,” said Douglas Clayton, Leopard Capital’s CEO.

The company was established and granted a MFI license in 2005. It was set up by entrepreneur Okhna Phou Puy in response to capital constraints faced by the Federation of Cambodian Rice Millers Association, of which he serves as Chairman.

Okhna Phou Puy is based in Battambang, Cambodia’s second largest city, and has set up businesses in rice milling, microfinance, consumer goods distribution,and real estate development primarily in Northwest Cambodia.

IPR provides individual loans to farmers and small agricultural businesses primarily in rural areas of Cambodia. The business offers working loans of between one and 12 months and investment loans from 12 to 36 months.

It operates in six provinces in Cambodia and has its headquarters in Phnom Penh.

“Leopard’s participation will help strengthen our management and reporting systems while facilitating further expansion of our loan book, foreign borrowings, and branch network,” said Hort Bun Song, CEO of IPR.

The Leopard Cambodia Fund, the southeast Asian country’s first private equity fund. was launched in April 2008, and raised $34m even during global financial turmoil.

It has since made eight investments in Cambodia in the telecommunications, banking, agriculture, food processing, energy, and housing sectors.

Leopard has raised other funds to invest in other Asian countries including Laos, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.


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Road Deaths Leveled Off in 2010: Report

More than 1,600 Cambodians died in road accidents in 2010, a number that has leveled off compared to the previous year, officials said Tuesday.

Him Yan, director of the Interior Ministry’s department of public order, said the death toll had dropped by five people, from 1,654 in 2009, while the number of injured also fell, by 770 people from 10,310 last year.

The slight decrease in fatalities was linked to stricter enforcement of helmet laws and measures to prevent drunk driving, Him Yan said. This was done through stricter law enforcement overall and public awareness campaigns, as well as the construction of better roads, he said.

In an annual report discussed by police and road safety advocates in Phnom Penh on Tuesday, speeding was identified as the No. 1 cause of accidents, accounting for nearly half, while drunk driving accounted for about 12 percent. Other causes include drivers not respecting the right-of-way, carelessness, and breaking of traffic laws.

Kong Sovan, a project manager for traffic safety for the World Health Organization, said tighter controls on helmet use and crackdowns on drunk drivers helped.

“In addition, we've provided training and professional equipment and materials to police to strengthen traffic laws and reduce road accidents in the future,” he said.

Prime Minister Hun Sen last year lambasted road accidents as the leading cause of death for Cambodians.

Sa Hua, undersecretary of state for the Ministry of Health, said road accidents were a cause for concern not only for people's health, but the national economy as well.

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Thai PM: Government will help obtain quick release of seven Thais jailed in Cambodia

BANGKOK, Jan 4 – Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Tuesday reasserted that all parties concerned are working to help secure the release of seven Thais, including Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth, detained in Cambodia, to prevent the problem from escalating.

Thai authorities have cooperated with Cambodia using all channels to end the problem as soon as possible, Mr Abhisit said.

Mr Panich and members of the so-called 'Yellow Shirt' People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protest movement were detained by Cambodian troops last Wednesday as they inspected the border of Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province with Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province.

Referring to the video footage showing Mr Panich talking on a cell phone, saying he is in Cambodia and suggesting that the premier knew about it, the prime minister said that Mr Panich had just informed him that he would go to Prachinburi province to gather information about land occupancy problems facing local people, but he did not know who went with him.

Mr Abhisit said the video clip posted on YouTube was cut short to only one minute and that has caused confusion. In the full 4-minute clip, Mr Panich said he believed he was still in Thai territory and was on the way to Border Marker Number 46.

Seven Thais have been held in prison after they were charged by the court with illegal entry and illegally entering a military base along the border, crimes which in Cambodia carry penalties of up to six months and one year, respectively.

Meanwhile, Secretary-General to the Foreign Minister Chavanont Intarakomalsut said the border dispute must be verified under the process of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC). Thai-Cambodian border markers Number 46 and 48 are still in dispute and the border demarcation process must go forward. However, the case of the seven Thais should not be mixed with the issue of border demarcation.

Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya will clarify the situation of the seven at 8.30pm on Bangkok's state-owned television Channel 11 Tuesday, Government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said.

Mr Kasit earlier reported to the Cabinet that the process to help seven Thais including Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth detained in Cambodia was underway and the situation would be clearer in one or two days. Two lawyers are being appointed to defend the detainees against the charges.

The Cambodian court has scheduled the first hearing on Thursday at 8am.

Dr Panitan said the foreign ministry reaffirmed that the seven did not intend to trespass on Cambodian territory but they investigated the area after local residents complained that they could not work on their land. Mr Panich believed that the plot of land is located in Thai territory and did not intend to cause any adverse effects on the two countries’ relations, according to Dr Panitan.

However, the Royal Thai Survey Department has inspected the specific area where the Thais were arrested and its inspection report will be given later on Tuesday. (MCOT online news) Read more!