PHNOM PENH, The Cambodia's government on Friday approved the China-Cambodia Consular Convention aimed to not only improve the two countries' diplomatic ties but also to facilitate the trade flows between the two countries, said the government's release.
"The cabinet meeting agreed and approved a draft agreement on China-Cambodia Consul given gradually increasing of economic, trade, investment and tourism relations between Cambodia and China," said the release.
"This convention is also aimed at protecting the rights and the individual interest of the two peoples," it added.
The government release also said that Cambodia has six consular offices in China.
Cambodia received 2.16 million tourists last year compared with about 2.13 million in 2008, a two percent increase, while 114,894 tourists from China.
China is also the Cambodia's biggest foreign direct investment (FDI), according to the state-run investment agency of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC).
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Friday, January 08, 2010
Cambodia approves China-Cambodia Consular Convention
Hun Sen only PM candidate of Cambodia's ruling party: CPP
The ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) reassured Thursday that Prime Minister Hun Sen is the only candidate for the prime minister from its party for the next elections.
Giving speech at the party's commemoration of the 31st anniversary of the downfall of the Democratic Kampuchea (DK) regime, Chea Sim, president of the CPP and president of the Senate said that Hun Sen will be the "only candidate from his party for prime ministerial position" in next general election.
Hun Sen, 57, has been in power for already 25 years and is considered the longest government leader in office in Asia.
After several decades of civil war, Cambodia held its first general election in 1993 under the full supports from the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC).
Since then, Cambodia hold its election every five years and HunSen was re-elected prime minister ever since.
Source: Xinhua
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U.S. to consider turning Cambodia's debt into development aid
The United States Congressman Eni Faleomavaega told Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Thursdaythat he will discuss with his colleagues about Cambodia's debt if it can be turned into assistance for development projects in this country, a Cambodian official said.
Eang Sophaleth, Hun Sen's spokesman told local reporters that during the meeting with Hun Sen on Thursday morning in Phnom Penh,Eni Faleomavaega said he will discuss with his colleagues after returning to the United States about the debt.
Eni Faleomavaega, who was accompanied by his two Congressmen Joseph Cao and Mike Honda, was making a two-day visit to Cambodia.
Cambodia has several times asked the United States government to consider canceling its debt amounting to some 300 million U.S. dollars it borrowed since 1972.
The U.S. has not yet answered to Cambodia's request for the debt written-off.
Cheam Yeap, chairman of the National Assembly's Economic Commission and a senior member of the Cambodian People's Party said several countries including China have written off Cambodia's debts owed some decades ago.
Cambodia is also asking Russia to cancel its debt that amounts around to 1.5 billion U.S. dollars.
Source: Xinhua
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Thursday, January 07, 2010
U.S. to consider turning Cambodia's debt into development aid
PHNOM PENH, The United States Congressman Eni Faleomavaega told Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Thursdaythat he will discuss with his colleagues about Cambodia's debt if it can be turned into assistance for development projects in this country, a Cambodian official said.
Eang Sophaleth, Hun Sen's spokesman told local reporters that during the meeting with Hun Sen on Thursday morning in Phnom Penh,Eni Faleomavaega said he will discuss with his colleagues after returning to the United States about the debt.
Eni Faleomavaega, who was accompanied by his two Congressmen Joseph Cao and Mike Honda, was making a two-day visit to Cambodia.
Cambodia has several times asked the United States government to consider canceling its debt amounting to some 300 million U.S. dollars it borrowed since 1972.
The U.S. has not yet answered to Cambodia's request for the debt written-off.
Cheam Yeap, chairman of the National Assembly's Economic Commission and a senior member of the Cambodian People's Party said several countries including China have written off Cambodia's debts owed some decades ago.
Cambodia is also asking Russia to cancel its debt that amounts around to 1.5 billion U.S. dollars.
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Cambodia marks liberation under cloud of crackdown
Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen greets supporters upon his arrival at his party headquarters, to mark the 31th anniversary of the toppling of Pol Pot's genocidal regime, in Phnom Penh. - Reuters pic
Before the festivities, attended by thousands of people in the capital Phnom Penh, the premier vowed to arrest anyone seen handing out leaflets opposing his rule, the latest in what rights groups say is a growing campaign to silence dissent.
Hun Sen’s warning to his critics, who say the government is abusing its power to crush all forms of political opposition, came five days after a court issued an arrest warrant for main opposition leader Sam Rainsy.
The crackdown coincides with trouble in one of Southeast Asia’s most impoverished economies after an unprecedented boom which saw economic production expand 10 per cent annually in the five years up to 2008. Since then, foreign investment has collapsed, tourist arrivals have plummeted and construction has stalled.
Data this week showed about 30,000 workers in the garment industry, a mainstay of the economy, lost their jobs last year as exports to the United States shrank.
Opposition lawmaker Mu Sochua, sued by Hun Sen in July after she accused him of defamation, today called on the public to resist what she said were intimidation tactics by authorities. “We must still continue to express opinions, not back down because of threats,” she said. “We must give a clear message that we can’t accept the closure of free expression.”
Hun Sen on Tuesday announced the threat to arrest anyone handing out leaflets that express opposition to him or his policies. He said he had seen some such leaflets that were printed in neighbouring Thailand for distribution in Cambodia.
“Leaflet distributors be careful, I will arrest,” he said.
He also rejected claims he had been using the courts to intimidate his opponents and warned Rainsy to “be prepared” to go to prison, adding that his long-time political rival, who is now in exile in Europe, would not be pardoned.
The threat appeared effective. No opposition leaflets appeared during today’s celebrations marking an invasion by Vietnamese forces in 1979 that toppled the ultra-Maoist Khmer Rouge, blamed for the deaths of 1.7 million people.
The National Assembly, dominated by the ruling Cambodia People’s Party, passed legislation last year outlawing protests of more than 200 people and tightening existing defamation laws in what opponents said were measures to prevent criticism and keep rival politicians in check.
Risk analysts say despite corruption and concerns over human rights and judicial interference, Cambodia’s political and economic stability should remain intact in the foreseeable future, with little threat to the government’s grip on power.
South Korea and China, the country’s biggest sources of investment, signed agreements late last year to pour more money into Cambodia, which will open its first stock exchange later this year as part of a $2 billion project to build a new financial centre.
Rainsy, who heads a party named after him, is accused of causing criminal damage after uprooting several border demarcation posts to appease farmers. — Reuters
Cambodia's ruling party warns KRouge court
PHNOM PENH (AFP) – Cambodia's ruling party Thursday warned the country's UN-backed court not to disrupt national progress in its pursuit of Khmer Rouge leaders, as it marked the 31st anniversary of the regime's ouster.
The court is preparing to give a verdict in its first trial, of former torture centre chief Duch, while four other senior leaders of the hardline communist regime are awaiting trial on war crimes and other charges.
But Cambodian and international prosecutors have openly clashed over whether the court should pursue more suspects, while the Cambodian investigating judge has refused to summon high-ranking government officials as witnesses.
"We oppose any attempts to use the chamber for ill-intentions that would have an impact on peace, national reconciliation and development, which are our hard-won achievements" said Chea Sim, president of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP).
Addressing thousands of supporters during a rally to mark the anniversary of the toppling of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime by Vietnamese-backed forces in 1979, Chea Sim pledged the party's continued backing.
"CPP offers its support to the current process of (the tribunal) in trying crimes committed by senior leaders of the Democratic Kampuchea (Khmer Rouge) regime," he said.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who is also the deputy leader of the CPP, has repeatedly warned that pursuing more suspects from the hardline communist regime could spark civil war.
The process has often been hit by allegations that Hun Sen's administration has attempted to interfere in the tribunal to protect former regime members who are now in government.
After several years of haggling between Cambodia and the UN, the tribunal was created in 2006 to try former Khmer Rouge leaders.
Up to two million people were executed or died of starvation or overwork as the 1975-1979 Khmer Rouge regime tried to create an agrarian utopia. After being toppled they continued to fight a civil war until 1998.
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Asian villages carve out a new life
By STEVE MOLLMAN
The village of Tmatboey in the northern plains of Cambodia seemed to have little going for it. It lacked clean water; there were no real roads. The people toiled mostly at subsistence farming, barely scraping by.
The villagers didn't realize they had a valuable asset -- hiding in plain sight, so to speak: a tourist attraction that a niche group of international travelers would happily pay to see, even if it meant a stay in basic accommodations.
It's a bird. Actually, two: the long-legged giant ibis and the white-shouldered ibis, both among the rarest in the world. In the eyes of hard-core bird-watchers, they carry near-mythical status.
And now they're making money for Tmatboey. In 2004, the Wildlife Conservation Society, which credits itself with having saved the American bison a century ago, set up the Tmatboey Ibis Ecotourism Project to lure bird-watchers. During the most recent peak season, November 2008 to May 2009, providing services to bird-watching visitors brought in more than $12,000 all told, a fortune by local standards. About 30% went into a community fund for improving basics like education and plumbing; today, life in Tmatboey has been significantly improved by new wells, water pumps, roads and a new school.
In villages in many parts of Asia, nonprofit groups from around the world are putting into practice that time-worn proverb: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, but teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Rather than donating clothes or books, handing out mosquito nets or building schools, they're bringing money-making enterprises to rural Asian communities. Some involve training in activities such as sewing and bamboo craft; many are tourist-related.
Among environmental groups, there has been a shift in the past decade or so toward "a more integrated view of conservation and development," says Graham Bullock, a former ecotourism coordinator for the Nature Conservancy's China program. For instance, says Tom Clements, a technical adviser to the Wildlife Conservation Society's Cambodia program, the Tmatboey project works "by empowering local people to manage their own tourism enterprise, in a way that explicitly links revenue received to conservation outcomes."
The goals of each organization vary, of course, as do the circumstances of each village. "One size definitely does not fit all," says Mr. Bullock. But more organizations now seek "the participation and empowerment of local communities," he adds.
Below, a pair of projects aimed at helping villages help themselves.
Chi Phat Commune, Cambodia
The Chi Phat Commune -- a collection of four villages that's home to about 550 families, or nearly 3,000 people in all -- sits on the banks of the Piphot River in Cambodia's Cardamom mountains near the Thai border. Getting there from Phnom Penh takes four to five hours and involves two highways and a scenic ride upriver on a long-tail boat.
The villagers get by mostly on rice farming and fishing. To make extra money, some work as laborers on nearby plantations. Others sell livestock and other goods at the local market.
And some engage in illegal activities like poaching and logging -- which, along with land-clearing for farming, have exacted a heavy environmental toll. While large animals including elephants still roam the Cardamoms, their numbers -- along with those of scaly anteaters, wild pigs, deer, monkeys, bears and lizards known as Bengal monitors -- are dwindling. And so is their habitat, one of Southeast Asia's largest remaining tracts of rainforest.
After studying the Chi Phat village situation, the Wildlife Alliance, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit founded in 1994 with the goal of protecting wildlife, forests and oceans, concluded that poverty was the root cause of wildlife and forest loss in the Cardamoms. The alliance also saw that ecotourism -- the area's thick forest, winding streams and rivers and abundant wildlife make it ideal for mountain biking and trekking -- offered the possibility both of alleviating poverty and leading villagers to see value in the nature surrounding them.
Before Wildlife Alliance started to help develop Chi Phat as an ecotourism gateway (its Web site: www.mountainbikingcardamoms.com), though, it approached not only villagers, but also local authorities and tour operators to see if the project could fly. One challenge would be attracting customers; little has been written about the area. Another would be explaining ecotourism to the locals.
"Often throughout the world, NGOs enter a local community telling them that tourism is the answer to their problems and very much raising expectations, without any consultation with local tour operators to see whether there will actually be any market for what they are proposing," says Mark Ellison, who runs Asia Adventures, an independent tour operator. "Then one or two years down the line they sit back and scratch their heads wondering why after all the training, capacity building, meetings, and infrastructure development, no tourists are coming."
Today a handful of private companies make up the Friends of Chi Phat tour-operator group, which works with Wildlife Alliance to attract tourists. They market Chi Phat as a destination, handle reservations and bring guests to and from the village.
The "Friends" operators can charge tourists whatever they wish, but they pay upfront for services provided by the villagers, such as cooking, guiding, bike maintenance and lodging. About 80% goes to the villager providing the services; the remaining 20% goes into a community fund that improves the village's education, water supply, roads and so on.
Of course some training was needed at first: The villagers of remote Chi Phat were not accustomed to seeing tourists, much less catering to them. In fact, says Mr. Ellison, "until a few years ago many of the locals had not even seen a foreigner."
So in early 2008, Wildlife Alliance -- which established a permanent base in the village in January 2007 (after more than four years of research) -- and its tour-operator partners set up training programs in sanitation, hospitality, English, first-aid and waste management.
A bike mechanic, for instance, was brought in from Phnom Penh to teach villagers how to maintain a modern mountain bike. The hiking and biking trails were created by former hunters and loggers from the village, who now serve as trail guides. So far they've finished two mountain-biking trails (both there-and-back routes) and four circular trekking trails, including some night-camping sites. More trails are in the works.
Not surprisingly, old habits die hard. One villager who was asked to head the group for transporting guests on motorbikes was caught transporting something else instead: a wild pig. The local village council demoted him, with a warning that another transgression would get him kicked out of the project.
"People have been dependent on the forest for livelihoods and domestic needs for quite some time now -- and still are," says Oran Shapira, a 33-year-old Israeli working in Chi Phat for the Wildlife Alliance. "This will not completely change in one day or one year. It's a process."
Tourists stay in a handful of villager huts that have been converted -- with help from the Wildlife Alliance -- to accommodate guests. They're still rustic, but a little better-equipped than before. Squat toilets were added, for instance, so that guests didn't have to relieve themselves in the fields.
The first guests arrived early in 2008, and by year's end there had been about 200. Last year, the village received more than 670 guests, who biked, hiked, swam in the river and played volleyball with the locals.
Asia Adventures charges $250 a person for a three-day trip that includes a one-day mountain-biking excursion and transport to and from Phnom Penh. In 2008 the village collected about $7,000, says Mr. Shapira; last year, more than $19,200.
David Miller, who works for the Australian Taxation Office in Canberra, visited Chi Phat for three nights in December 2008. He wasn't expecting luxury: "You don't go visit a place in the middle of the jungle if you're expecting comfort all the way," he says.
He went on a guided hike one day and on a mountain-biking trip another. "Cycling through remote jungle, and not recognizing much of the flora, made it much more exciting" than biking back in Australia, he says. His tour guides were village men who didn't speak English but were friendly, communicated well with body language, and knew the forest like the back of their hands.
On his bike trip, he passed large swaths of burned land. (Fires not only clear land but also chase out animals, making them easier to catch.) "I don't know of many other ways to offer alternatives to these people so they will stop cutting down the rain forest," he says. "Action like ecotourism is better than no action at all."
Nawung, Indonesia
In 2006, an earthquake in central Java reduced many small villages to near rubble. But aside from some light damage to a few ramshackle buildings, the quake had little outward effect on Nawung, a rural village of about 500 people in the foothills near Yogyakarta. Below the surface, however, was a different story: Geological shifts caused the village's few natural wells to dry up.
It was a blow to farming, the village mainstay, already a challenge in the dry, hilly land. The village needed a new gig.
Enter Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund, a century-old German aid organization that bolsters rural communities through reconstruction, livelihood training and disaster-risk reduction. Some years ago in Kosovo, it reconstructed homes and taught returning war refugees to cultivate saffron as a cash crop.
At the time of the Java earthquake, more than half the people of Nawung earned less than $1 a day, says Sae Kani, an ASB program manager for Indonesia who specializes in disaster-risk-reduction education. Young villagers typically left to find work in retail, manufacturing, housekeeping or construction in places like Jakarta and Yogyakarta.
But in 2007, ASB noticed the village had something going for it -- a new road linking Nawung with Yogyakarta, 45 kilometers to the west, and other significant towns, including Sleman, to the northwest, and Wonosari, to the south. The road -- a scenic route through hills, forests and paddy fields -- significantly boosted the trade and tourism potential between Nawung and Yogyakarta, a hub for Indonesian arts and crafts, as well as other towns and villages.
Within this setting, ASB set out to help make the village self-reliant by teaching villagers to make crafts and foods that they could sell to nearby merchants and retailers.
The ASB team -- three field staff members and a project manager (plus, in the beginning, an architect and engineer) -- moved into the village and set up workshops to train villagers in four skills: bamboo weaving, stone carving, textile making and food preparation.
The food-preparation group is the largest, with about 50 members, all women. Tumiyem, a mother of two small children who like many Indonesians goes by a single name, is one of them. Through an interpreter she says that before the training, "we knew nothing about cooking snacks." Now, she says, the benefit is two-fold: The women can generate extra income and "we can gather with our friends regularly."
About 18 men studied stone craft; now nine of them churn out soap dishes, small statues and water fountains for gardens. The textile group -- three women and two men -- sew pillowcases and containers.
ASB helps with marketing and business connections, teaches bookkeeping and profit management, and provides a little start-up capital for each group. The food-preparation group, for instance, received about $550, part of which went to buy supplies.
Sales are climbing. Last year a woman named Atun who makes chips -- primarily from banana and cassava -- sold about $390 of her snacks from July to November, compared with $110 in the first six months of the year. The stone-masonry group, which sells most of its products to a pair of buyers from Yogyakarta, saw the biggest jump in sales: Between March and November, it pulled in nearly $900, up from about $110 for all of 2008.
ASB has spent about $100,000 on the project, along the way building things such as a small showroom to display the village's goods, production and storage houses for the bamboo-weaving and stone-masonry groups and a Web site (www.nawung.com). Its three staff members in Nawung will stay through the end of this year, when ASB plans to focus more on tourism development and improved marketing for village handicrafts.
The German nonprofit also set up a microfinance fund within each group so members can take out small loans. For instance in the food group, borrowers can obtain three-month loans at an interest rate of 5% a month. (The interest income is used to benefit the groups, such as for raw materials.) And villagers have a good track record of repaying the loans, which they've used for a variety of purposes. Last spring, for example, a member of the stone-craft group named Tukino borrowed $21 to buy fertilizer and pay his children's school fees.
Today, Nawung is on the upswing: New homes are springing up, streets are better paved and cellphones are a more common sight. More important, when ASB leaves, the skills it has taught will likely remain.
—Steve Mollman is a writer based in Asia.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Vietnam - HCM City marks Cambodia’s Liberation Day
January 7, 1979 was the a very violent day the Vietnamese soldiers invading Cambodia. The day that Cambodia had lost so many things which we are mourning until today. After Vietnamese soldiers invaded Cambodia, they robbed everything including raped women and children and also killing them very cruel.
The 31st anniversary of Cambodia ’s Liberation Day (January 7) was celebrated in Ho Chi Minh City on January 5.
Prominent amongst the participants were Truong Minh Nhut, the President of the city’s Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association and Luon Kim Khuon, Cambodian Consul General to Ho Chi Minh City .
They both stated that Liberation Day is a historical milestone for the spirit of international solidarity and the special friendship between Vietnam and Cambodia .
Over the past 30 years, relations between the two countries have been taken to new heights.
Cooperation and friendship between cities and provinces in both countries, especially Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh, have also constantly developed.
On behalf of the Cambodian people and Government, Luon Kim Khuon expressed thanks to Vietnam for its assistance during Cambodia ’s struggle for national liberation in the past and its current reconstruction. He also expressed his gratitude to the Vietnamese soldiers who fought and died during the war in Cambodia
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Cambodia Aims for 700,000 Tonnes 2010 Rice Exports
Jan 6 - Cambodia could export as much as 700,000 tonnes of rice this year, exporters and government officials said on Wednesday, as the country steps up its efforts to become a leading shipper of the grain.
"I think we have the ability. We can do it," Chan Tong Yves, a secretary of state at the Agriculture Ministry, told Reuters, referring to the capacity to ship that volume of milled rice.
After decades of upheaval, the Southeast Asian country enjoyed a decade of relative stability and strong economic growth until the global crisis caused an economic contraction last year.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cambodia exported 500,000 tonnes of rice in 2008. No figures are yet available for 2009.
Demand for Southeast Asian rice is growing from the Middle East and big importers such as the Philippines. Thailand is the world's biggest exporter, followed by Vietnam since India enforced a ban on rice exports in late 2007.
Ny Lyheng, deputy general manager of Cambodian rice export firm Baitang (Kampuchea) PLC, said efforts were being made to improve the quality of local rice in order to sell more, seeing potential in the European Union, United States, Canada, Australia, the Philippines and Russia.
He said the European market had been duty-free for Cambodian rice since last September, under the EU's "Everything But Arms" initiative aimed at supporting exports from poor countries.
"The world is paying attention to us because Cambodia is becoming an emerging rice market," Lyheng said.
He estimated that his Baitang company could contribute about 300,000 tonnes of the 700,000 tonnes Cambodia was forecast to export this year.
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Bulldozer crushes 400,000 pirated CDs in Cambodia
Phnom Penh, Jan 6 : Cambodian authorities used a bulldozer to crush 400,000 CDs and DVDs in a crackdown on piracy, national media reported Wednesday.
Police drove the machine over the pile of counterfeit discs that were stacked on the road outside Wat Phnom, the capital's landmark Buddhist temple.
The Cambodia Daily newspaper reported that the discs were either pirated copies of local music and films, or foreign pornographic movies. Most were confiscated from shops in and around Phnom Penh.
Kong Kantara, an under-secretary of state at the Ministry of Culture, told the newspaper that the authorities have stepped up efforts to combat piracy of intellectual property.
"In 2008 we destroyed only 100,000 CDs and DVDs, but (in 2009) we cooperated closely with the Ministry of Interior to raid every pirating place that steals content from film companies," he said.
"We did not arrest offenders, but we fined them according to the copyright law because they pirated the CDs and DVDs from the (rightful) owners," Kong Kantara added.
Under Cambodian law vendors who sell counterfeit discs face fines of around USD 2 per disc if they are caught. The authorities said they plan to expand the crackdown across the country.
Movie and music piracy is commonplace in Cambodia, and many shops openly sell copies of both foreign and local movies and CDs for between USD 1 and 2 apiece.
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Elixir Gaming Technologies Announces Participation Consolidation Agreement with Leading Cambodian Casino Resort NagaWorld
- New Agreement Includes Expanded Operations and Favorable Consolidated Contract Terms –
- Elixir Gaming in Final Stages of Asset Valuation Analysis and Anticipates Recording Non-Cash Impairment Charge of $11.5-$13.5 Million –
HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Elixir Gaming Technologies, Inc. (NYSE Amex:EGT) (“Elixir Gaming” or “the Company”), a leading technology and solutions provider to the Pan-Asian gaming industry, today announced that it has entered into a Machine Operation Participation Consolidation Agreement (“Agreement”) with NagaWorld Limited (“NagaWorld”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Hong Kong listed NagaCorp Ltd. (HKSE:3918), which includes a commitment to place an additional 200 electronic gaming machines on a participation basis at its NagaWorld casino resort. In addition, the Agreement serves to amend and consolidate terms for all Elixir Gaming machine operations at NagaWorld, including increasing the overall average revenue share to Elixir Gaming to 25% and extending the contract duration. Elixir Gaming currently operates 440 gaming machine seats at NagaWorld, which achieved average win per unit per day (WUD) of over $200 for the months of November and December 2009. NagaWorld is a luxury casino resort in Cambodia and is the only licensed full service casino in and around the capital city of Phnom Penh.
Under the terms of the Agreement, Elixir Gaming exercised its option pursuant to its July 25, 2009 expansion contract to place 200 additional electronic gaming machine seats (“Additional Machines”) in certain prime areas of NagaWorld’s casino lobby floor and will share in the gross revenue generated by each of these machines. Elixir Gaming anticipates 120 of the Additional Machines to be in operation within the first quarter of 2010 and the remaining 80 to be in operation within the second quarter of 2010. In addition, the Agreement serves to amend and consolidate the terms of the Company’s prior contracts with NagaWorld, which will have the effect of regulating all slot and operations management of a maximum of 640 gaming machine seats at NagaWorld. The amended and consolidated terms are effective December 30, 2009.
Under these terms, Elixir Gaming and NagaWorld will have joint control over the operation of all the Company’s electronic gaming machine seats, including floor staff and respective audit rights. Elixir Gaming and NagaWorld will share the revenue and certain operating costs, such as marketing and floor staff, at a 25% / 75% split, respectively, and Elixir Gaming will receive on a daily basis its relevant portion of the daily win in cash. The contract duration is six years and expires on February 28, 2016. Furthermore, the terms include a first right of refusal for any other suitable and available areas for the operation of electronic gaming machines on the casino lobby floor of NagaWorld under the terms of this Agreement. Elixir Gaming would generally have a period of two months from the time of availability to consider the placement of its units in the relevant area and no additional commitment fee would be required for the placement in such area provided that the Company’s total number of operating gaming machine seats do not exceed 640.
In consideration for the Agreement, Elixir Gaming shall pay to NagaWorld a $1.38 million one-time non-refundable contract amendment fee and an upfront commitment fee of $4.10 million for the Additional Machines. Both the one-time contract amendment fee and commitment fee are to be paid in three installments. The first 50% installment thereof was paid on December 30, 2009, the second 25% payment thereof is due on or before January 15, 2010, and the third and final 25% installment is due on or before January 31, 2010.
Elixir Gaming will be entitled to 100% of the WUD from the Additional Machines until it has received the accumulated total of $5.47 million (the $4.10 million commitment fee plus Elixir Gaming’s 25% share of the WUD). As with all of the Company’s gaming machine seats placed under an upfront commitment fee arrangement, Elixir Gaming collects 100% of the cash gross net win from these units of which 25% is recorded as revenue.
Clarence Chung, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Elixir Gaming, commented, “We are pleased to work with our partner NagaWorld to continue to expand its slot floor operations. With the addition of these 200 units, Elixir Gaming’s installed machine base at NagaWorld is expected to reach 640 seats during the second quarter of 2010. With these additional units, Elixir Gaming will have gaming machines installed covering most of the currently available prime ground floor slot space at NagaWorld. Given NagaWorld’s position as the exclusive casino license holder in the Phnom Penh area and our demonstrated success with our current slot operations at NagaWorld, we feel confident that we can continue to drive strong growth in participation revenue and cash flow with these additional placements.”
Also today, Elixir Gaming announced it is in the final stages of its annual valuation review of its gaming machine assets as required by U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). The review is being conducted in an effort to formulate the Company’s future deployment plans and determine the usability of its machines with a view to optimize machine performance. In accordance with GAAP and subject to final evaluation by an independent valuation firm, the Company anticipates recording a non-cash impairment charge in the range of $11.5 to $13.5 million as of December 31, 2009.
A substantial portion of the impairment is the write-down to fair market value of certain gaming machines in inventory deemed as non-performing for the Company’s current target markets or their customers’ preferences. To a lesser extent, the impairment also includes the write-down of the Company’s Philippine operations’ gaming assets based on whether the current carrying value of the machines in operation in this market is higher than the expected value as forecasted by the projected future cash flows. The Company considers the write-down prudent based on its assessment of gaming machine performance in its respective markets.
While the Company believes the Philippines remains a viable market for Elixir Gaming and its operations there are expected to continue to be a meaningful contributor to positive cash flow, based on market knowledge gained from its operating experience over the last year, the Company has re-evaluated its growth assumptions for its operations in this market. Despite the downward revision of the revenue assumptions, with the benefit of the ramp-up of several immature venues and targeted marketing initiatives the Company still expects to improve average WUD in the Philippines in the range of 20% to 30% from current levels over the next two to three years.
The Company anticipates it will purchase additional gaming machines to supplement existing inventory and source future targeted deployment plans. Given the Company’s strong current and projected future cash flow generation capability from its operations at NagaWorld (including the recoupment of commitment fees paid and the Company’s share of net wins from its machine installed base at NagaWorld), the state of the previously-owned gaming machine market, and its strong relationships with gaming equipment manufacturers, Elixir Gaming anticipates funding its 2010 gaming machine purchases for its existing project pipeline from cash on hand and expected net cash flow from operations.
Clarence Chung concluded, “Elixir Gaming remains focused on and committed to its operations in its existing markets of Cambodia and the Philippines. The valuation review of our gaming machine assets will complete the Company’s restructuring of its operations under our new management and the resulting write-down will not only help the Company to better align revenue and the related costs but also will rationalize the carrying value of the assets against the projected income for the Philippines market. Further, the reduced depreciation expense will accelerate the time needed for us to achieve positive GAAP earnings.
“With the completion of our restructuring, our improved financial flexibility, and continued strong cash flow projected from our operations at NagaWorld, we feel confident we now have the right operating model, experience, and relationships to capitalize on high-potential growth opportunities in the emerging Asian gaming markets and to enhance shareholder value.”
About Elixir Gaming Technologies, Inc.
Elixir Gaming Technologies, Inc. (NYSE Amex:EGT) is a provider of gaming technology solutions. The Company secures long-term contracts to provide comprehensive turn-key solutions to 3, 4, and 5 star hotels and other well-located venues in Asia that seek to offer casino gaming products. The Company retains ownership of the gaming machines and systems and receives recurring daily fees based on an agreed upon percentage of the net gaming win per machine and provides on-site maintenance. The Company has established a strategic presence in the Asia Pacific region with a focus on the Philippines and Cambodia markets. For more information please visit www.elixirgaming.com.
About NagaCorp Ltd.
NagaCorp Ltd. (3918.HK) operates NagaWorld, the only licensed 5-Star Hotel Casino Resort in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. NagaCorp holds a casino license issued by the Royal Government of Cambodia, which gives the company the rights to operate the casino for 70 years commencing January 1995 with 41 years exclusivity within a 200 kilometer radius of Phnom Phen (except the Cambodia-Vietnam boarder area, Bokor, Kirirom Mountains, and Sihanoukville.) One of Cambodia’s most popular tourist destinations, NagaWorld currently has, among others, 508 rooms, 176 table games, a premium meeting, incentive travel, convention, and exhibition (MICE) facility, a retail shopping area, a collection of restaurants and bars, a karaoke lounge, and a spa. NagaCorp Ltd. is incorporated in Cayman Islands with limited liability and its securities are listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning Elixir Gaming, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Those forward-looking statements include statements regarding expectations for the business of Elixir Gaming, its working capital requirements and future revenue and profitability. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, and actual circumstances, events or results may differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to differences include, but are not limited to, risks related to Elixir Gaming’s inability to place gaming machines at significant levels, whether the gaming machines placed generate the expected amount of net-win, the ability of Elixir Gaming to acquire additional capital as and when needed, the ability of Elixir Gaming to collect revenue and protect its assets and those other risks set forth in Elixir Gaming’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 filed with the SEC on March 30, 2009 and our Form 10-Q for the three months ended September 30, 2009 filed on November 10, 2009. Elixir Gaming cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Elixir Gaming does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation to update or revise such statements to reflect new circumstances or unanticipated events as they occur.
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Trade between Cambodia and Vietnam down 26 per cent
Phnom Penh - The global economic crisis caused a 26 per cent slump in trade between Cambodia and Vietnam through November, but officials in both countries expect a strong rebound this year, national media reported Wednesday. Two-way trade between the south-east Asian neighbours stood at 1.175 billion dollars, statistics released by the Vietnamese embassy in Phnom Penh revealed. Vietnamese exports to Cambodia made up the lion's share, worth 1.017 billion dollars.
The commercial attache at the Vietnamese embassy told the Cambodia Daily newspaper that trade would likely double between the two nations this year. That echoed earlier comments made by Cambodia's commerce minister.
"The economic (ties) between Vietnam and Cambodia in investment and trade are growing," said the embassy's Le Bien Cuong, predicting improved figures in a number of areas particularly commodities and construction materials.
Vietnam, a close political ally, is also a key investor in Cambodia with significant interests in agribusiness, telecoms and banking. Last month the two nations signed an agreement that could result in investments worth billions of dollars, including one for a bauxite mining concession.
Exports of fuel and steel products totalling 560 million dollars made up more than half of Vietnam's exports to Cambodia. Bilateral trade stood at 1.64 billion dollars in 2008, up from 1.2 billion dollars the previous year.
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Cambodia lectures Lao officials on temple dispute with Thailand
Vientiane - Cambodia's deputy foreign minister visited Laos to provide a background briefing on Preah Vihear, an 11th-century Hindu temple on the Thai-Cambodian border that has sparked a nasty diplomatic spat between the two countries, news reports said Wednesday. Long Visalo on Tuesday gave a lecture to more than 200 Lao Foreign Ministry officials on the history of Preah Vihear and the border dispute it has created between Laos' southern neighbours, the government-run Vientiane Times reported.
The ongoing diplomatic rift between the two countries has raised serious questions about the cohesiveness of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Cambodia, Thailand and Laos are members.
Cambodia has attempted to involve ASEAN in resolving the border dispute, but Thailand has refused, arguing that it is an issue that should be settled bilaterally.
Long Visalo noted that the International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that Preah Vihear was under the sovereignty of Cambodia and in July 2008 UNESCO listed the temple as a World Heritage Site.
Thailand objected to the UNESCO listing on the grounds that a plot of land adjoining the temple is still subject to a border dispute.
A diplomatic spat over the listing escalated into a tense standoff last year between the two countries' armies near Preah Vihear, which left several soldiers on both sides dead.
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Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Cambodia records more cases of malaria and dengue fever in 2009
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia has seen a rise in reported cases of dengue fever and malaria in 2009, local media reported on Tuesday, citing health officials here.
Ngan Chantha, director of dengue control at the Ministry of Health, was quoted by the Cambodia Daily as saying that there were11,652 cases and 37 deaths reported in 2009 compared with 9,456 reported cases and 65 deaths in 2008.
While infections increased 30 percent, deaths were down by half, he said.
When asked if the number is expected to increase in 2010, Chantha said it would depend on how well individuals protect themselves and their families from the mosquito-born virus.
Figures for malaria cases in 2009 are still being tallied, said Ministry of Health and World Health Organization officials, but are already higher than in 2008, when there were 58,887 cases and 209 deaths.
In 2009, 60,157 recorded malaria cases led to 213 deaths from January through September.
"We don't have the full numbers, we're still collecting the totals from the provinces, but yes, in 2009 there were more cases than in 2008," said Duong Socheat, director of the National Center for Parisitology, Entomology and Malaria Control. He blamed more migrant movement and more mobility for more cases of malaria.
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Opposition mounts to Cambodian land law
By Tim Johnston in Bangkok
Cambodian lawyers, human rights activists and opposition politicians are warning that a new law will weaken safeguards against expropriation of land in a country where routine evictions are already stoking widespread discontent.
The law, passed last week, allows the government to seize land for developments that are in the public interest. The government said the law will allow them to fast-track infrastructure and other projects vital to the country’s interest.
But its opponents say the definition of the public interest is too vague and puts too much power into the hands of the government.
“This is a huge step backwards,” said Mu Sochua, a prominent member of the opposition Sam Rainsy party, who failed to stop the passage of the bill through a house where the party of Hun Sen, the prime minister, controls 90 of the 123 seats.
The law takes force against a backdrop of longstanding accusations that powerful members of the government and security forces have exploited the chaotic state of Cambodia’s land title system.
“Our experience is that when the government has a project they always undervalue the land, and those who do not have full title are particularly vulnerable,” says Khoun Son Muchhim, a lawyer who has acted on behalf of clients who believe they have been shortchanged in land deals with the government.
The attempt by the Khmer Rouge regime to create an agrarian utopia in the 1970s involved not just abolishing land title but destroying all records of past land titles. Mrs Mu Sochua says that less than 30 per cent of people have enforceable land deeds.
Under a Cambodian law passed after the fall of the Khmer Rouge, people who have lived on the same piece of land for five years should qualify for title, but petitioners are frequently moved off their land by well-connected developers, particularly in areas around Phnom Penh where land values have shot up as the economy has gathered strength.
“If land is expropriated, this law is not going to protect those without full title, they will not be able to get compensation,” she said.
“This is not just a matter of the poor being affected – although they will inevitably be victims – but it also means that a business opened by a foreign company can be subject to expropriation,” she said.
Cambodia’s opposition parties scent political opportunity in the widespread discontent over land issues. A court recently issued a summons against Sam Rainsy, the opposition leader, who is accused of damaging property and inciting racial hatred for pulling up markers set out by a border commission to demarcate the boundary between Cambodia and Vietnam.
Mr Sam Rainsy, who had his parliamentary immunity revoked for the second time in 2009 so he could stand trial, is currently in Europe. Mrs Mu Sochua said he would only return when two villagers who are being held in prison for similar offences are released.
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Get-together strengthens Vietnam-Cambodia friendship
Since January 7, 1979, the victory was not Cambodian Victory Day, but it had been a Vietnamese Victory Day. Vietnamese invaded Cambodia in January 7, 1979 to put Cambodia under its Colony. After the invasion, Vietnam had stolen natural resources and valuable heritages in Museum. That was an ashame Victory Day that they are celebrating.
A get-together to mark the 31st anniversary of Cambodian Victory Day (January 7) and the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association (VCFA) was held in Ho Chi Minh City on January 5.
Both the president of the VCFA, Truong Kim Nhat and the Royal Consulate General of Cambodia to Ho Chi Minh City, Lun Kimkhuon said that January 7, 1979 is an historic day and a concrete reminder of the traditional friendship between the two nations.
Over the past 30 years, the two countries have continuously strengthened their cooperation in educating the youths through practical activities organised by Vietnam and Cambodia.
On behalf of the Royal Family and the people of Cambodia, Consulate General Lun expressed his deep gratitude for the steadfast support of the Communist Party, the State and people of Vietnam in the Cambodian people’s past struggles to overthrow the Khmer Rouge genocidal regime as well as in their current process of national reconstruction.
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Banteay Chhmar: The potential Community Based Tourism Site in Cambodia
Located in the northwestern of Cambodia and in Banteay Meanchey Province, Banteay Chhmar consists a XII century Angkorean Temple Complex. It is now renovated by the Global Heritage Fund...
Jan 04, 2010 – Located in the northwestern of Cambodia and in Banteay Meanchey Provinc(http://www.tourismindochina.com/banteay_meanchey-attractionsite.htm), Banteay Chhmar consists a XII century Angkorean Temple Complex. It is now renovated by the Global Heritage Fund. It is also contains the both Baray- rectangular water reservoirs- from the ancient times and from the Pol Pot era.
Indeed, supporting tourism means supporting economic. As tourism is considered to be a significant tool for poverty mitigation, the site is developed under the theme of Community Based Tourism. Banteay Chhmar is identified as the potential for community based tourism (CBT) in sustainable way that can help enhance local livelihood to a better condition while the three dimensions of social, economical and environmental aspects are taken into account.
Visitors can explore the historical site and enjoy a wide range of community based tourism activities. You can taste the food prepared by the local women, do picnic in the temple compound, spend a night in traditional wooden home stay and visit the Mekong Silk center to experience the process of gaining silk product and consequently be able to purchase the local product. To get deeply exploration, you can also visit the hidden satellite temples around Banteay Chhmar which is the unique experience that not many people have had. Generally, it is possible to access but only by walking. Those satellite temples are:
1. Chenh Choem Trey Temple (Raising Fish): a temple from the 12th century, located on a small hill with a small pond in the wet season.
2. Yeay Korm Temple: a small and much damaged temple where it is estimated that about 80 % is ruined.
3. West Samnang Ta Sok Temple: a temple that lies inside a forest on a mountain.
4. East Samnang Ta Sok Temple: a temple that resembles the main temple.
5. Ta Prum Temple and Balang Temple: Ta Prum temple is a beautifully restored temple that is surrounded by a mote. The ruins of the temple Balang is located nearby.
6. Me Bun Temple: a ruined temple with loose rocks but well visited by the local villagers.
7. Yeay Chour Temple: a much damaged temple that is not very clean and has many people living nearby.
8. Ta Em Temple (Sweet Man): a small temple where people live just besides.
The roads leading to the temples are small ancient roads which are in bad condition and some of the temples do not even have roads connected to them. Both CBT members and tourists wish to improve the access to the satellite temples. Your involvement and participation in the community based tourism will help economically contribute to the community physical infrastructure improvement.
Cambodia Travel, Cambodia Tours, Cambodia Attraction Sites: http://www.tourismindochina.com/attractionsite.htm.
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Top 10 luxury hotels in Asia
A view of the Royal Ballroom at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Singapore.
Photograph by: Handout photo, Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
This list is complied by the firm’s founder and seasoned traveller Randy Lynch.
1. Tied: Tawaraya Ryokan and Hiiragiya ryokan - Kyoto, Japan
Two of the most famous ryokans, or Japanese inns in Kyoto are located directly across the alley way from each other. It’s difficult to distinguish Tawaraya from Hiiragiya -- they both represent the highest levels of service. Both ryokans successfully integrate the finest Japanese traditions and wabi-sabi philosophy, which emphasises simplicity and purity, with contemporary conveniences that seasoned travellers expect. An added once-in-a-lifetime experience is arranging for a private Geiko and Maiko geisha dinner at either ryokan.
2. Four Seasons - Chiang Mai, Thailand
Smaller in scale than the much more expansive Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi in Chiang Mai, the Four Seasons projects a more understated sense of luxury, engendering an intimate, Zen-like feel. Similar to the Mandarin, the Four Seasons staff is truly sincere and kind. With the expansion of the Four Season’s Kid’s Club, the family luxury travel experience here is similar to the Mandarin’s. The spa and cooking class are extraordinary.
3. Tied - Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong & Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
The Mandarin in Hong Kong truly represents understated luxury, a peaceful oasis from the noisy, frenetic city outside. A recent renovation has resulted in the Mandarin’s former balconies being converted to lounge/study area extensions, with stunning Victoria Harbor views.
The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok boasts a 130 year history of tradition and the highest level of service, making it a truly unique luxury property. It’s unpretentious, understated and attentive and may have the largest, most varied breakfast buffet in all of Asia.
4. Gora Kadan Ryokan - Hakone, Japan
A short 45-minute bullet train ride from Tokyo, the Gora Kadan is a quiet, Shinto-Buddhistique oasis from the big city, offering rejuvenating hot mineral springs. Proprietress Mikawako, the third generation of Fujimotos to run Gora Kadan, has blended traditional Japanese ryokan hospitality with modern Western design in creating a luxurious spa experience. The Gora Kadan’s original building dates back to 300 years and was the summer home of the Kan’in-No-Miya imperial family.
5. Tied - Raffles Grand Hotel D’Angkor & Amansara - Siem Reap, Cambodia
Most hoteliers would describe the Raffles Grand Hotel D’Angkor as a luxury 5-star hotel/resort, while Amansara, part of the Aman Resorts, fits into the elite category.
The Grand Hotel D’Angkor boasts an early 20th Century French colonial style property while the Amansara is formerly the guesthouse of Cambodia’s King Sihanouk. The friendly, airy Raffles offers guests many opportunities to mingle with others, while the Amansara may be better for couples and high-profile travellers wishing privacy.
6. Peninsula - Tokyo, Japan
The 24-story Peninsula has the best luxury hotel location in Tokyo, directly across from lovely Hibiya Park, Imperial grounds, and adjacent to the Ginza shopping district. Envisioned by architect Kuzukiyo Sato to look like a giant Japanese lantern, the Peninsula combines subtle, Japanese hospitality with the Peninsula tradition of understated luxury.
7. Four Seasons - Shanghai, China
There is no disputing the level of service here -- personal, friendly and focused on individual comfort. The corner executive suites even have an extra room for the kids.
8. Tied - Banyan Tree Lijiang - Yunnan, China & Hotel of Modern Art (HOMA) - Guilin, China
Located just outside the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lijiang, the Banyan Tree Lijiang has created the perfect harmony of the local matriarchal Naxi culture and Banyan Tree’s predictably friendly customer service.
With all 55 of its villas looking out at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, this place has a spiritual soul-searching feel. The spa offers wonderful massage service from their Thai staff
The Hotel of Modern Art was founded by a Taiwanese business entrepreneur in 1997 and represents a lovely balance of world class sculpture, architecture, and art set against the backdrop of the natural beauty of the lush grounds. Despite the somewhat limited English among the staff, the genuine kindness and warmth delivered here is truly heartwarming.
9. Sofitel Metropole - Hanoi, Vietnam
Conceived in 1901, the Metropole combines wonderful French colonial architecture and history with Vietnam’s cultural traditions of hospitality and service. Although there are really no bad rooms at the Metropole, the Opera Suite is a treat.
10. - Maison Souvannaphoum Hotel - Luang Prabang, Laos
Formerly the residence of Prince Souvannaphouma, the small, Maison Souvannaphoum is a boutique French-colonial inspired property that is the perfect place to immerse oneself in the local Laotian culture. The friendly, intimate service here is like staying with close relatives. An added bonus of staying here is that the Maison is located on the street for the daily early morning Buddhist monks’ rice offerings.
Monday, January 04, 2010
KAB aborts plan for Cambodia
KUALA LUMPUR: KURNIA ASIA BHD []'s (KAB) plan to tap into Cambodia's insurance industry has come to a halt after it discontinued a proposed joint venture (JV) with Canadia Investment Holding plc (CIHP) to undertake general and life insurance businesses in the Indochina country.
In an announcement to Bursa Malaysia yesterday, KAB said the board of directors of wholly owned Kurnia Asia Pte Ltd (KAPL) and CIHP had mutually agreed to discontinue with the proposed JV after due deliberation. No reason was given for the decision.
The JV company, Cana Kurnia Insurance plc, was first proposed in April 2008 in which KAPL would have 49% and CIHP the remaining 51% stake. CIHP holds the entire equity interest of Canadia Bank plc, which is one of Cambodia's largest bank in terms of total assets.
At the time of the proposal, KAB had said that the insurance industry in Cambodia was at its infancy stage. With the projected strong growth of the Cambodian economy then, KAB said the JV gave it the opportunity to tap into the insurance industry in Cambodia and to enjoy the potential upside of the industry.
The JV was part of KAB's long-term business strategy to expand geographically.
Subsequently, KAB announced the deferment of the JV in March last year after the downturn of the global economy.
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Biomass Briquette Plant Opens in Cambodia
By SIMON MARKS
The factory, a venture backed by Geres and For a Child’s Smile, two French organizations active in Cambodia’s development community, aims to reduce demand for wood and charcoal that 80 percent of Cambodians use every day to cook and boil water.
“Climate change and global warming are serious issues these days,” said Yohanes Iwan Baskoro, Cambodia country director for Geres. The factory, Mr. Baskoro said, “will save about 1,600 tons of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere” every year.
The number of households projected to use charcoal as an energy source here will rise to more than one million in 2015 from about 500,000 now, according to a 2008 study conducted jointly by Cambodia’s Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy, the United Nations Development Program and Geres.
The projected increase has raised concerns among environmentalists, who say that charcoal production entails the removal of vast quantities of woodland, often in naturally growing forests.
According to Geres, Phnom Penh consumes 90,000 tons of charcoal every year, a market believed to be worth about $25 million.
At the new factory, called the Sustainable Green Fuel Enterprise, waste biomass like coconut husks and shells will be burned for an hour in brick kilns, or until the material is carbonized. The heat from the burning process is then recaptured in a funnel and used to dry the waste biomass so that the burning process becomes more energy efficient.
The end-product, known as char, is crushed and mixed with water and cassava residue to form individual briquettes of fuel.
Mr Baskoro said that the biomass used to make the briquettes would otherwise decompose on the capital’s streets, releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere in the form of methane and carbon dioxide.
Moreover, there will be less dependence on producing charcoal from wood, most of which comes from naturally growing forests.
The briquettes, Mr. Baskoro said, “will preserve Cambodia’s natural forests by having a cleaner and safer alternative to wood and charcoal. He added that the briquettes produce less smoke and pose less of a threat to human health and the environment.
And while the briquettes will cost nearly three times that of charcoal sold on the streets of Phnom Penh, they will burn for nearly twice as long, according to Ly Mathheat, the executive director of the Sustainable Green Fuel Enterprise.
