The royal funeral in 1960

Journey back home

It marks a history! It takes people's tears and hearts! It draws the whole nation in grief! Hopefully, it leaves people strengths and inspiration!

"Be brave and face life" - by Prof. Otsubo.

Please click here for the TV record of our King Father's return to his home and click here for the photos taken by me during the procession on 17 October 2012.

Cambodia (1921-1997)

Mourning mode

We mourn for HM King Father N. Sihanouk.

Provisional C/S Election Result

FYI on 22-11-10

- Accountability calls follow tragedy, Phnom Penh Post, retrieved 25 November 2010
- Death tolls reach 456, RFA, retrieved 25 November 2010
- Critics on rescuing measure, RFA, retrieved 25 November 2010
- Former residents remind about eviction, RFA, retrieved 25 November 2010
- Preliminary report on incident, RFA, retrieved 25 November 2010
- Investigation on cause of incident, VOA, retrieved 25 November 2010
- Initial report on cause of incident, VOA, retrieved 25 November 2010

[SIGH] The cuase of the incident is expected somehow, isn't it? But, the preventive measure is not in place, or perhaps neglected, plus the rescuing actions taken at the scene do disappoint everyone. Such a painful lesson to learn, I doubt!!!

We mourn for 22-11-10

This is the collection of news on the 22-11-10 stampede on Koh Pich Bridge, Phnom Penh (source: Wkikipedia).

1. "Cambodia: 378 Dead In Festival Stampede". Sky News Online. 23 November 2010. http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Cambodia-Stampede-Kills-345-People-In-Phnom-Penh-During-Water-Festival-Say-Officials/Article/201011415822127?lpos=World_News_First_World_News_Article_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15822127_Cambodia_Stampede_Kills_345_People_In_Phnom_Penh_During_Water_Festival_Say_Officials. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
2. Cambodia declares day of mourning for stampede dead, BBC News, 23 November 2010, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11817826 .
3. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AM2A020101123
4. "Cerca de 340 muertos en una estampida en la capital de Camboya", La Vanguardia, 22 November 2010, http://www.lavanguardia.es/sucesos/noticias/20101122/54073527809/cerca-de-200-muertos-en-una-estampida-en-la-capital-de-camboya.html .
5. Scores dead in stampede at Phnom Penh water festival, France24, 22 November 2010, http://www.france24.com/en/20101122-deadly-stampede-water-festival-phnom-penh-cambodia-tonle-sap-accident .
6. Scores killed in Cambodia festival stampede, BBC News, 22 November 2010, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11814894 .
7. "Cambodia Water Festival turns tragic with deadly stampede". Christian Science Moniter. 22 November 2010. http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2010/1122/Cambodia-Water-Festival-turns-tragic-with-deadly-stampede. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
8. "Une fête dégénère au Cambodge, près de 340 morts", Le Figaro, 22 November 2010, http://www.lefigaro.fr/international/2010/11/22/01003-20101122ARTFIG00571-une-fete-degenere-au-cambodge-plus-de-100-morts.php
9. "Cambodia: 349 Dead In Festival Stampede". Sky News Online. 22 November 2010. http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Cambodia-Stampede-Kills-345-People-In-Phnom-Penh-During-Water-Festival-Say-Officials/Article/201011415822127?lpos=World_News_First_World_News_Article_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15822127_Cambodia_Stampede_Kills_345_People_In_Phnom_Penh_During_Water_Festival_Say_Officials. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
10. Sopheng Cheang (23 November 2010), At least 330 die in Cambodian stampede, Sydney Morning Herald, http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/at-least-330-die-in-cambodian-stampede-20101123-184eu.html .
11. "Cambodia Water Festival turns to tragedy in Phnom Penh". The Guardian. 23 November 2010. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/nov/23/cambodia-water-festival-phnom-penh. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
12. "Stampede in Cambodia kills hundreds, government says". CNN. 22 November 2010. http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/11/22/cambodia.festival.deaths/index.html?hpt=T2. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
13. "Cambodia to Investigate After Festival Stampede Leaves 347 Dead". BusinessWeek. 22 November 2010. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-11-22/cambodia-to-investigate-after-festival-stampede-leaves-347-dead.html. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
14. "At least 345 die in stampede at Cambodian festival". Forbes.com. 22 November 2010. http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2010/11/22/general-as-cambodia-stampede_8158088.html?boxes=Homepagebusinessnews. Retrieved 23 November 2010.

WE MOURN FOR 22-11-10
May All the Souls R.I.P.

The CDB Online

It is interesting to find out such a database from a colleague - the commune database online (limited to only the dataset in 2008), developed by NCDD.

Mobile network operators in Cambodia

Can anyone name all of them right away? It may not be that hard (to some). How about their prefix codes? I'm sure you gotta need a pen and a note, or maybe "google."

With some searching here and there as requested by my brother (and also to clear my doubt), I found 9 operators with more than 20 prefix codes. Still, I haven't had any clue about the number of subscribers to each operator, except the fact that more than 50% of the subscriptions are to CamGSM. Below is what I've got.

- CamGSM [100% owned by Royal Group] - MobiTel/Cell Card - 012, 092, 017, 089, 077

- Sotelco [owned by Vimpel in Russia]- Beeline - 090, 068

- Viettel (Cambodia) - Metfone - 097

- Hello Axiata Company Ltd. [aka Telekom Malaysia International] - Hello - 015, 016, 081

- Mfone [aka Camshin] - 011, 099, 085

- Latelz [owned by Timeturns Holding Ltd. in Cyrus] - Smart Mobile - 010, 069, 070, 093

- Cambodia Advance Communications Co. Ltd (Cadcomms) - qb - 013, 083, 084

- Applifone Co. - StarCell - 098, 086

- GT-TELL (Cambodia) - ExCell - 018

Did I miss one(s)?

Cambodia's economy in 2009

Sept. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Cambodia’s economy will contract 2.75 percent this year amid a slump in garment exports, tourist spending and construction, the International Monetary Fund said in its annual assessment.

Read more @ Bloomberg

Cambodia's first fatal case of swine flu

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday announced the country's first death case of flu A/H1N1.

The dead patient, a 40-year-old Khmer woman, died on Sunday at Phnom Penh's Calmette Hospital, said the premier at the inauguration ceremony of Tourism Ministry building.

So far, the number of the confirmed A/H1N1 flu cases in Cambodia has risen to 88, according to officials of the Ministry of Health on Monday.

Source: China View

Historic prosperity

This could be how amazing Cambodia once was!!!

The Cambodian Movie Week

Musical Fountains

Isn't this cool? Musical Fountains in Phnom Penh!!! You can found them right in front of Wat Butum Vatey on Fridays to Sundays and national holidays.

PS: Ken-ken didn't look happy as his mommy did in the photos, so I don't show them off to the world :-P

Pizza Hut going to Cambodia

According to the Earth Time (August 8), Pizza Hut is to be opened in Cambodia soon by Kampuchea Food Corp Co Ltd, a joint venture of a Malaysian company (QSR Brands Bhd), Royal Group of Companies and Rightlink Corp Ltd, the same company operating the first KFC in Cambodia.

Unluckily, I didn't have a chance to have KFC chix last time I visited Cambodia. It should taste the same as that in Japan. If so, I think I like LUCKY's fried chix more. Think so? For Pizza Hut, never try!!!

Beijing welcomes you

Awesome!!! It seems everyone with uniquely beautiful voices, esp. those I know and like, is in the video. All in one!!!

"Courage makes our dreams come true."
Cambodia, go, go, go!!!

More about Cambodia @ Olympics 2008
1. Cambodia to send 15-member delegation to Beijing Olympics
2. Cambodian Olympic hopefuls receive bonus

WFP resumes School Feeding Program in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, June 11 (Xinhua) -- The UN World Food Program (WFP) has resumed to provide free meals for some 450,000 primary school children across Cambodia, after obtaining new contribution to ease its financial strain, said a WFP press release Wednesday.

"The last minute contribution of 5.4 million U.S. dollars came at a time when WFP was forced to suspend its School Feeding Program (recently) in Cambodia because of rising food prices and lack of corresponding funds," it said.

The contribution was part of a WFP corporate fund established to help the organization's Country Programs continue to provide food assistance despite higher food procurement costs, it added.

Students in 1,344 schools are to benefit from the resumption which will continue until July 5.

Source: www.chinaview.cn (retrieved 12 June)

Cambodian garment exports to U.S. decline seriously

PHNOM PENH, June 10 (Xinhua) -- Apparel exports to the United States, Cambodia's largest market, have been on serious decline since last October, national media Tuesday quoted the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce as saying.

Officials attribute the decline to increasing competition from Vietnam, which joined the World Trade Organization in January 2007,and the brewing U.S. economic slowdown, said English-Khmer language newspaper the Cambodian Daily.

Nevertheless, exports to Canada and the European Union have grown marginally, mitigating the effects on the country's garment industry, it added.

In the last three months of 2007, apparel exports to U.S. were 352 million U.S. dollars, 30 percent below the 2006 level, according to the ministry.

In the first three months of this year, exports to U.S. slipped1.44 percent compared with the same period last year, to some 500 million U.S. dollars, it said.

But overall, Cambodian apparel exports have increased slightly,4.78 percent in the first three months of this year over the same period last year, because of rising demand in Europe and Canada, it added.

Exports to EU have been on the rise since 2003, a trend that has been bolstered by the falling dollar, said Kaing Monika, external affairs manager for the Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia.

Rising production costs in China have worked in Cambodia's favor, as buyers search for alternative sources of clothing, he added.

In the past decade, garment has been the kingdom's foremost pillar industry and largest foreign currency generator, whose export volumes used to account for some 75 percent of the country's total during its peak years.

Source: www.chinaview.cn (Last visited 10 June '08).

High food prices end UN program for Cambodian kids

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Students at a rural elementary school in Cambodia had their last free breakfasts in class after the United Nations World Food Program stopped supplying rice and other food because of soaring global prices.

In addition to providing nutrition, the WFP breakfasts gave parents an incentive to send their children to school, rather than to put them to work in the fields or to have them stay home to look after younger siblings.

Read more...

Prospects for the Textile and Garment Industry in Cambodia

Cambodia’s garment industry has evolved from nowhere in the mid- 1990s to become the country’s most important manufacturing sector. This meteoric rise has been aided by more settled political and social conditions following the horrors of the Khmer Rouge regime and by the adoption of an open market economy.

In particular, the government has provided strong encouragement for foreign investors through a series of generous incentives, while exports have benefited from preferential access to the all-important markets of the USA and the EU.

As a result, garment manufacturing now accounts for around 14% of the country’s GDP and for 82% of exports, as well as employing 45% of its manufacturing workforce.

This momentum appears set to continue, although there are a number of serious impediments to overcome. The sector is uncomfortably dependent on imported raw materials for its production. Also, the country’s infrastructure requires huge investment in power generation and transport.

There is a need also for the sector to utilise more high-tech manufacturing equipment rather than depending on low cost labour as a means of retaining international competitiveness. The industry would benefit too if more value adding processes such as design and marketing came under domestic control.

On balance, though, the dynamism and vibrancy which have characterised the garment industry’s recent development look set to continue.

Source: Research and Markets, last visited May 11.
>>> The whole report costs EUR€ 395.00 :-(