Im Sokthy

Phnom Penh - A delegation from the Brunei Finance Ministry met with Cambodian Finance Minister Keat Chhon to discuss importing Cambodian rice and seed, local media reported Wednesday. The delegation, headed by Brunei Finance Ministry Permanent Secretary Dato Paduka Haj Ali Apong, had not reached any firm agreements on the amount of rice and seed Brunei would require or how soon, but that discussions went well, according to Khmer-language Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper. The delegation is also scheduled to meet the Cambodian commerce and agriculture ministers as well as the Rural Development Bank and the Rice Millers Association of Cambodia, the paper said. It did not state a scheduled duration for the visit. Cambodia has said it aims to be a major rice exporter in the region, matching the current leader Thailand by 2015, and in recent months has negotiated with African nations, including Guinea, as well as Gulf states Kuwait and Qatar. Brunei is a fellow of Cambodia in the 10-member Association of South-East Asian Nations and has already provided advice on tapping potential offshore oil reserves. Sultan of Brunei Haji Hassanal Bolkiah visited Cambodia in April last year and the two countries have strong bilateral ties.

Extracted from http://www.earthtimes.org

Good news for Cambodian women. They are appointed as deputy governors at district and provincial levels. This is a move forward to promote gender in Cambodia, where almost all levels of local administrations, women were not placed in the high ranking positions. Since before the July 2008 election, Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen announced and called for women appointment to the post of deputy governors. Then, at this present time, almost all districts and provinces, except Pailin city, women have been appointed as deputy governors.

The deputy governors are expected to help, be in charge of woman and child affairs or social affairs. The introduction of subnational decentralization and de-concentration will form subnational committees in charge of woman and child affairs. The newly adopted organic law also states this point. This is the way of practice similar or the same to the administrative management of communes/sangkats where a female councilor is always encouraged to be in charge of woman and child affair.

As this is a good trend, will the gender be well promoted at sub-national levels? Will the gender projects increase in numbers of activities and budget expenses? That is still a question. This government act will consequence to a decentralized gender in Cambodia.

Cambodian female deputy governors will be a lesson for learning and for promotion of gender.

By Im Sokthy

Phnom Penh - Cambodia plans to build a Berlin-style wall to shut off Thailand and develop tourist facilities around the still disputed Preah Vihear temple, a senior official said on Sunday.

The Cambodian government will build a series of walls at “complicated border areas,” while still calling for talks to mark and properly demarcate the frontier, Khieu Kanharith, Information Minister and government spokesman, told reporters at a press conference.

Both sides should start to discuss to plant border markers from undisputed border areas to the complicated border areas and some complicated border areas will be built with border markers or concrete walls, Khieu Kanharith said

Cambodia will allow private companies to invest at least $2 million dollars at the Preah Vihear Temple to set up cable cars for tourists, he said, adding that the government is also trying to build a road to the temple.

The Preah Vihear border gate to Thailand will be open when the situation there is stable, he said, adding that foreign tourists could visit the temple from the Cambodian side.

At the moment, authorities have closed the temple grounds to visitors. For decades, the only way to get to Preah Vihear was through Thailand, because the temple is situated atop a sharp cliff on the Cambodian side.

Cambodia and Thailand share a border of over 800km with only 73 demarcation markers, the Cambodian official said on Sunday.

At a meeting on Aug 18-19, Cambodian and Thai foreign ministers agreed to arrange a second-phase troop redeployment at the disputed border area near the temple.

They agreed to a meeting of the Cambodian Temporary Coordinating Task Force and the Thai Regional Border Committee on Aug 29 in Cambodia to discuss the troop redeployment.

The two foreign ministers also agreed to recommend to their governments that the next meeting of legal experts and the Thai-Cambodian Joint Border Committee be convened in early October, to discuss the issues related to border survey and demarcation of the relevant frontier sectors.

On July 15, Thai troops went into the border area to fetch three trespassers who had intended to claim Thai sovereignty over the Preah Vihear Temple. The incident triggered a military standoff, as troop strength on each side grew to more than 1,000 soldiers.

In 1962, the International Court of Justice (World Court) decided that the 11-century temple belongs to Cambodia. (Agency reports)

Extracted from http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=129906 

The foreign ministers of Thailand and Cambodia agreed Tuesday that their two countries should continue to pull back troops from disputed areas of the border.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting at Cha-Am beach resort, about 180 kilometers southwest of Bangkok, Thai Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag said he and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong welcomed the first-phrase redeployment of forces from the border that took place over weekend.

He said they agreed that a second meeting of concerned officials to discuss the next phase of redeployment should be held Aug. 29 in Cambodia to follow up on the first such meeting held last week in Thailand.

Tej said that while the two sides have made progress toward resolving the military standoff along the border, the problem will still take some time to tackle.

Aside from the issue of troop redeployment, the two ministers also discussed demarcation of the Thailand-Cambodia land border and agreed to recommend to their respective governments that the next meeting on demarcation be held in early October.

Extracted from http://asia.news.yahoo.com/080819/kyodo/d92le2480.html 

Preah Vihear, Cambodia - Personnel near an ancient temple on the Thai-Cambodia border warned Sunday that if talks over disputed borders fail, lives will be lost - but to disease, not war.

Nurse Keo Neang from the Preah Vihear district health department said malaria, scurvy and also diseases spread by poor sanitation had all begun taking a toll on locals and troops alike.

Troops on both sides were moved back from the border Saturday ahead of Monday’s talks scheduled for the Thai seaside resort of Hua Hin, but could be redeployed at any time if the talks fail.

‘We have received drugs from the government and the royal palace, but we will need more if troops move back in: basics like (paracetamol-based) Mixagrip for fevers and vitamin C,’ Neang said.

‘If Thailand does not permanently withdraw its troops after these meetings, we are looking at some serious potential epidemics on the border as well as some very big sanitation issues.’

Sergeant Nguon Samnang, on the frontline of Cambodia’s defence, agreed that fighting was far less of a peril than disease for troops.

‘We have plenty of food, but it is all dried or tinned and there are no fresh vegetables,’ he said.

‘If the talks fail and we have to dig in again, there are going to be casualties on both sides from poor nutrition and of course malaria; some have fallen ill already.’

Malaria is endemic to areas around both Preah Vihear temple, an 11th century temple around 300 kilometres from the capital, and the Ta Moan group of temples, 150 kilometres to its west.

Thai troops occupied areas around both sites after UNESECO granted Cambodia World Heritage status for Preah Vihear over Thai objections early last month. Cambodia matched the troop movements.

Cambodia says the land is sovereign but Thailand disagrees, causing major strains on the formerly friendly bilateral relations between the neighbours and even fears that fighting may break out.

Extracted from www.monstersandcritics.com 

Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to reduce their troops to the minimum level at and around the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda as well as in the vicinity of the Preah Vihear Temple in the eponymous Cambodian province, before the foreign ministers from both sides convene their second meeting on July 18 in Thailand to break the month-long bilateral military standoff, an official said here Thursday.

Both sides agreed Wednesday at the military officials’ meeting in Surin province of Thailand to reduce the troops to the smallest number to avoid military confrontation at the border, said Neang Phat, secretary of state of the Cambodian Ministry of National Defense and a senior member of the Cambodian-Thai Joint Border Committee.

The agreement was reached during the meeting between Lt. Gen. Suchit Sitthiprapa, Thailand’s Second Army Commander responsible for security affairs in northeastern region, and the Cambodian delegation led by Neang Phat.

Extracted from xinhua.

Thailand is doing its best to claim its sovereignty over the Tamoan Thom temple, though this temple, actually, belongs to Cambodia. The Preah Vihear temple and the Tamoan Thom, Tamoan Touch temples and others which are along the Cambodia-Thailand border of the Dangrek mountain would be focus point of border dispute. This will include another temple, known as Stok Kamthom temple. Today, Thai people are afraid that this temple would belong to Cambodia and at any day Cambodia will claim its sovereignty over the Stok Kamthom temple, located in Prey Chan village, Or Bey Choan commune, Or Chrov district, Banteay Meanchey province, Cambodia. Adding to this, there are more temples which may become hot issues of the border dispute, including Phnom Touch temple.

It is to note that Stok Kamthom temple is the most important temple which provides very useful source of information of the history of Cambodia as people can see that inscription from the Stok Kamthom temple are quoted as reference for history books or for historical arguments. Historians always consider that all temple links to history and the more temples they can study, the deeper and more findings of history could be found.

It is now people can see that Thailand is afraid that Cambodia will claim all temples along the Dangrek mountain and belonging to Cambodia according to the map as agreed by French colonial and Siam in 1900s. These temples are currently controlled by Thailand. Thus it is very tremendously important that all Khmer historians, lawyers and scholars should release historical evidence and others to claim that the temples as mentioned above and others belong to Cambodia. There must be a release of publication and distribution to the public.

Cambodia will spend roughly 400 million US dollars later this year to begin construction of new dams in a bid to improve the country’s irrigation system and boost rice exports.

The Mekong Times quotes Water Resources Minister Lim Kean Hor as saying that irrigation will eventually cover one million hectares of paddies throughout the country.

He says the first construction steps have started and the government hopes irrigation will reach nearly 60 percent of the entire country’s rice fields, currently only 44 percent are irrigated.

Extracted from Radio Australlia

It is just at this present time Cambodian people, particularly the leaders from all ranks both at national and provincial levels are going to visit the Preah Vihear temple by bringing along with foods and other materials to offer soldiers, monks and people living there. This occurs while Cambodia has had border dispute with Thailand since 15 July 2008.

They go to the temple while the negotiation between Cambodia and Thailand is still in process and military tension is not still a concern as the two countries pledged not to make war. Peace is guaranteed, but it needs patient of soldiers and stakeholders in these two countries.

Cambodians who went to Preah Vihear temple are not afraid of war, which may arise any time at the border area. Because of the commitment of not waging war, going to visit the temple this time gives more benefits as they can visit the temple, visit the armed forces of Cambodia and Thailand, military situation and bring foods and materials to those who station at the Preah Vihear. It is better and a good chance to see the temple now. If people go to visit there after the border disputed is solved and military troops had left the area.

Including a national movement and nationalism, these factors have encouraged people to visit the temple. Some other people also went to other border dispute areas such as Chaom Sragnam of Anlong Veng district, Oddar Meanchey and Tamoeun temple.

It is great if you can visit the temple at this present time. The chance will never come again as you wish.

It is a great ideas which Dr. Ros Chantraboth, Vice President of Royal Academy of Cambodia, expressed his ideas through local newspaper over the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand. This would be encouraged and highly appreciated. I read an article about his ideas and to some extend this could give Khmer people some ideas. Here now I would like to share this good ideas to you all and this for those who can read Khmer. Please click the link to access to the article thailand-uses-delay-strategy-over-border-dispute.doc. Thanks very much.