Prime minister Hun Sen, the 3G phone slayer based on a request from his wife. (AFP/File/Tang Chhin Sothy)Saturday-Sunday, May 27-28, 2006
By Phann Ana And Erik Wasson
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Prime Minister Hun Sen announced Friday that he has banned the latest generation of mobile phones, saying Cambodian morality is not yet sophisticated enough to handle their arrival.
The prime minister's announcement followed a petition signed by his wife Bun Rany and the wives of several other top officials calling on him ban the "3G" phones, saying they could be used to disseminate pornography.
"This type of international communication could be implemented in another 10 years after the morality of society has improved," Hun Sen said at a Buddhist ceremony in ceremony in Kandal province. "It is the duty of the minister of posts and telecommunications to delay it."
He added that some developed countries have not introduced the video phones yet and are exercising care with the technology, which enables users to access the Internet and send video images.
"Please do not start using the video phone, sending pictures to each other," he said. "If we went too fast, it would be hard to control."
The petition to Hun Sen warned that Cambodian men could be seduced by lascivious women using the phones. A spokesman for MobiTel, which in February began installing a $10 million 3G network and had planned to introduce the phones in coming months, said he was very disappointed by the ban.
"We thought of it as an investment in the future and maybe Cambodia is not ready for the future," the spokesman said.
"With 3G, Cambodia is poised to be one of the top 10 mobile phone markets in the world...I have never heard of this happening in any other country where 3G has been introduced."
He added that the business climate for technology firms could be damaged by the ban, and that Cambodia needs to embrace technology to catch up with the developed world.
"Companies will be nervous. You assume that a market is going to embrace new technology and this action [on Friday] does not encourage businesses," he said.
Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Keo Remy also criticized the ban.
"Cambodia walks too far behind other countries in development 3G could not incite the people to take off their clothes and walk the streets," he said.
"I very much regret [Hun Sen's] decision. He should not decide based on his wife's request," he added.
The prime minister's announcement followed a petition signed by his wife Bun Rany and the wives of several other top officials calling on him ban the "3G" phones, saying they could be used to disseminate pornography.
"This type of international communication could be implemented in another 10 years after the morality of society has improved," Hun Sen said at a Buddhist ceremony in ceremony in Kandal province. "It is the duty of the minister of posts and telecommunications to delay it."
He added that some developed countries have not introduced the video phones yet and are exercising care with the technology, which enables users to access the Internet and send video images.
"Please do not start using the video phone, sending pictures to each other," he said. "If we went too fast, it would be hard to control."
The petition to Hun Sen warned that Cambodian men could be seduced by lascivious women using the phones. A spokesman for MobiTel, which in February began installing a $10 million 3G network and had planned to introduce the phones in coming months, said he was very disappointed by the ban.
"We thought of it as an investment in the future and maybe Cambodia is not ready for the future," the spokesman said.
"With 3G, Cambodia is poised to be one of the top 10 mobile phone markets in the world...I have never heard of this happening in any other country where 3G has been introduced."
He added that the business climate for technology firms could be damaged by the ban, and that Cambodia needs to embrace technology to catch up with the developed world.
"Companies will be nervous. You assume that a market is going to embrace new technology and this action [on Friday] does not encourage businesses," he said.
Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Keo Remy also criticized the ban.
"Cambodia walks too far behind other countries in development 3G could not incite the people to take off their clothes and walk the streets," he said.
"I very much regret [Hun Sen's] decision. He should not decide based on his wife's request," he added.
17 comments:
Well you should know that Cambodia is the communist country, they just sway from running the same path like before. So what do you if iam wrong?..roki
3G is not so important during my age become old and my sight become less see.....
words and text should also be banned because of it (words and texts) the old mem can make a secret love ....hahaha
consevative man?
How a psychopathic prime minister Hun Sen!!!
How a psychopathic prime minister Hun Sen!!!
nov protes Kampuchea mean tae muoy te
krau pi nuos' kroan beu taing os'!!! He!He!
This guy has doesnt know what is good to be done for the nation but just to please his fucking stupid Samheang.
Good and bad depends on his stinky mouth and his lustful /ignorant wife.
Cambodian people had been taking advice from AH HUN SEN for the past 30 years! And I don't see much progress in Cambodian society!
AH HUN SEN can blame on technology or his wife and it is not going to change the ugliness that is going on in Cambodian society!
Pornography is a billion dollar busniess! No matter what technology come out the pornography will win at the end! It is all about making money! Money! Money! and more Money!
Here is a simple solution to some of the illness in Cambodian society especially regarding the sexual predators!
The Cambodian government must require all the sexual offender to report where they live and so it is easy to find them if they are committing any more sexual crime. The Cambodain government should have some sort of tracking system of where they are at all time. The Cambodian government should make law to prohibit these sexual predators from staying near school or any public places. The Cambodian government must require these sexual predators to report to a treatment facility within a time frame to check on their progress!
With the above solution in mind, Cambodian people can enjoy their 3G phone in anywhere. Pornography have alot to teach Cambodian people about human sexuality too! A lot of people who are watching pornography because they are not getting it or curious about it! The is a saying " You can watch but you can't touch!"
hide oh high ladie and x...see
can you all imagine to the hide ladies dream to promote morality by banning 3G?
no ways to stop her own lover?
morality is stable if no 3G?
.....
hi 10:08 pm
I don't agree with you, watch but we can not touch, but at least we feel something. Am i right? so in case of the illiterated people and the one who don't like to think alot and like to pratice, what is going to happen? I agree we should not ban the 3G technology, but in the same time, we should not allow the porn... to spead all over our country because it is objected to our culture.
:-)
To 10:48PM
I am aware of such stupid people that why the Cambodian government should build treatment centers to educate them about human sexuality!
That why I classified these stupid people who have no control over their sexual need as PREDATOR! Didn't you read my solution for these predators?
Regarding the spread of pornography, there are specialized programs or chips out there that can block all the pornographic contents if people have desire not to watch it! AH HUN SEN don't need to have to ban the 3G video phone because any digital contents can be turn on and off just like you turn the water faucet in your house!
I have to be honest that this is not the issue of pornography! It is the issues of the free flow of information to Cambodian people! The CPP clans are trying to monopolize all informations and to control what Cambodian can read or can't read! This is outrageous! I am not surprise because most the TV station and Radio station are controlled by the CPP!
Hey 4:27AM,
You have good insight. But, how does one overcome such a manipulative/monopolize government who had its citizens running for safety everywhere?
We must put our culture in the highest pedestal. Yes, there are ways to control explicit pictures. But, if Hun Sen does not gain from it -- he won't do it. He knew what he was doing -- HE DOES NOT WANT CAMBODIA TO ADVANCE INTO A MODERN SOCIETY, SO HE PUSHED THE BUTTON TO STOP THE ECONOMIC PROGRESSION.
I think that it is not technology that causes harm to our culture. It is the culture of high officials who want to have sex outside as they have alot of money earned from corruption.
The exact reason that leads to the request by those high official's wives to barn the use of 3G mobile phone is that they (Chum Teavs) are afraid that their husbands will use this technology to look at girls who were introduced as part of corruption or extravagant spending.
There is no need to stop the use but instead we can reenforce the law.
my compatioted friends, don't waste much time to explain this importance technology because i was born in the jungle and i was grown in the battle, how do you force me to be interested in technology? i am very afraid to touch any keys of modern technological tools... and you have to understand this land is my belonging whatever i will do to benefit you?... so?
To: GenerationX2
AH HUN SEN has opened the Genie in the bottle! It is too late for AH HUN SEN to turn back the clock to pre-1970 or 1980 or even 1990! It is futile for AH HUN SEN to put a brake on Cambodian economy! Cambodian have tasted the new freedom but not a total freedom and they will never going back to the past! Cambodian people have no other choice except to vote this bastard out of office! ahah I am not the only impatient people in here and there are million and million of Cambodian people who are very impatient with this bastard for holding Cambodian economic and society hostage! Now think about this! Tourism bring in $700 million dollars every year and Cambodian still poor ike this? Angkor Wat is an oil well! Oh come on! AH HUN SEN with all his Phds can only understand corruption! AH HUN SEN with his gray white hair and with all his stupidity will have to go! I tell you what! This bastard is already feeling the pressure and Cambodian progress will crush him in 2008! This bastard said that Cambodian will have to wait for another 10 years? What he meant for all the old CPP head of states will die out and the Vietcong will not bother him again!
To: 9:43
Oh really? Why did you buy your wife a vibrator? You said that you afraid to touch an key or button? It must be a panic button or key! You said that this is your land? But God promised me this land first! So whatever you do to this land and God will crush you like ants!
no god in the politics, idiot!..jeesh..b/c of your god, that's why cambodian live like hell..jeesh
darling be patient na! all of you complained to save our wonderful morality but let review what my dear friends have said, acted and complained about by using such kind of the words... educated person? ....hahaha....
sound like a suduction going on up there in the previous comment. What is up with that?
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