Collect Money to Support Khmer Soldiers at Preah Vihear
The issue of Preah Vihear is strongly attracting attention among Cambodians. People are worrying about it when they heard that Thai troops are there and there are more and more troops, both Cambodian soldiers and Thai soldiers. Yesterday, the issue of Preah Vihear seemed to get worse tension according to a website.
From day to day, since Cambodians had knew that the Preah Vihear temple was listed into the World Heritage site, Cambodians had contributed their money, food and other materials to support those, especially military forces, at Preah Vihear. The big collection had been made during a big concert organized at Olympic Stadium chaired by H.E Sok An. Universities, government institutions, NGOs and private sectors are working to collect money, food and materials to support people in Preah Vihear, where road condition is not so good, people lack food and shelters.
I joint an event on 10 July at the Royal Academy of Cambodia which had organized an event to welcome the Preah Vihear listing. I contributed money for people in Preah Vihear. Yesterday, at Economics and Finance Institute of Ministry of Economy and Finance, where I am a lecturer, I also contributed money for the Preah Vihear.
Yesterday, I heard that NGO staff was calling those who are working in NGOs to contribute their generous support for the Preah Vihear. I see this is a good movement. The kind of activity would encourage people, especially the soldiers, to work for nation, the Preah Vihear temple and the Cambodians.
I would hope you all and others may contribute as well. You can contact people in Preah Vihear, CTN, Adhoc, and others you may know. Or if you contact me, I can help forward this to whom you can contact directly. Thanks.




Asian Development Bank and stakeholders worked together to build new Khmer-styled offices for CCs throughout Cambodia. However, not all communes get the new office building. Local voters can not see the offices at some other communes in Phnom Penh, cities and remote areas. The new offices were equipped with tables, chairs, meeting rooms, etc. CCs were proud with the building and could have proper place for working. Documentation and working environment are better. But, at the meantime, the old offices are still operating as normal. There is not yet evidence to show work efficiency gained from new office buildings.
To some degrees, I agree that the new office has motivated councilors and CC staff work or work harder. But I do not see there is much different from the old and the new office. It is mostly according to levels of commitment and capacity of councilors. I still see that some new commune offices still close door in afternoon, like the commune offices with old building. Some CCs still work hard though their offices are old. The CCs which were active and strong are still strong and active, though they get the new buildings.
