Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Cambodia scrubs Thai trade show

17/05/2011
Bangkok Post

The Cambodian government has postponed a Thai trade exhibition set for Thursday due to concerns about safety after border conflicts between the two countries.

Cambodian Commerce Minister Cham Prasidh sent a letter dated May 13 to the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh to contact organisers to defer the Thailand Trade Exhibition 2011 until a "more favourable time comes", the Phnom Penh Post quoted him as saying.

The event had been set from Thursday to Sunday at the Diamond Island Convention Centre in the Cambodian capital.


The minister's decision was influenced by the Thai army's export ban on fuel and other strategic products to Cambodia from the Chong Chom checkpoint in Kap Choeng district in Surin province over fears they could be used for military purposes by Cambodia amid border tension between the two nations.

"I am of the opinion that this is not the right time to promote Thai products in Cambodia. We cannot guarantee the reaction of Cambodian visitors to such an exhibition after such bad behaviour," Cham Prasidh was quoted as saying.

More than 100 exhibitors had planned to show their products at the event.

Ties between the two countries have been strained after the border clashes in April on the disputed border in Surin and Si Sa Ket. The central issue is the overlapping area of 4.6 square kilometres near Preah Vihear Temple opposite Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket.

Yesterday villagers in Phanom Dong Rak district in Surin prepared for evacuation and some left for other areas following rumours that Cambodian soldiers would attack Thai army positions.

An army officer said soldiers had sent a message to all villages telling villagers and border traders to calm down. They were guaranteed Thai soldiers were on alert and showed no complacency on the border situation, the officer, who requested anonymity, said.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

bad timing for siem to hold trade fair in cambodia when the kept fighting with cambodia at the border, etc, really!

Anonymous said...

sad to say,(bangkok post), not only u,(siam) can do business,, khmer will not die for this, even without your business

many chanels, around the world,,
for doing businesses.. F.. U

Anonymous said...

Cambodia not only scrubbed Thai trade show, WE BOYCOTT THAI PRODUCTS !

Anonymous said...

Cambodia is one of the larges consumers of Thai products and yet they do not label in Khmer. What a bunch of racist shitheads selling their products to Cambodia with Viet labels on them.

Anonymous said...

@ 3:02pm. Yeah I notice it too. I am Khmer living in Long Beach Cambodia Town USA . I notice some "Product of Thailand" Jasmine Rice they have labels in Chinese, Viet, Laos. Except Khmer label. Yes Thai are racist toward Khmer. To Thai us Khmer is non-existence and beneath them . They try so hard not to give Cambodian any recognition. To these bags of rice that is "Product of Thailand" I just don't buy them. For the past 5 years my family have been eating either California or Texas long grain rice. I mostly bought them in 25 pounds or 50 pounds bags from Costco, SAM's. They are sold all over. Smarts & Final store is another good place to buy it at. USA rice are enriched with vitamins, so don't wash them. Instruction on the bag says DO NOT WASH. I know some of you may not like USA rice when first try. Give some time they do tastes better. I will buy Jasmine Rice again when I see the label"Product of Cambodia".

Anonymous said...

I think it's not necessary to consume product of Cambodia. What made many Khmer unhappy is Thai products have languages labels in Thai, Chinese and Viet to sell in Cambodia while omitting Khmer on their products which is really insulting to the majority of Khmer world wide.

Anonymous said...

i think if businesses and people want to sell their products or do business in cambodia, my country, they should start thinking about labeling in our khmer language as khmer people do not read or write in youn nor siem language, you know! otherwise, stop selling or promoting your products in my country cambodia, ok! i'm serious, better start labeling in khmer language now, ok!

i am khmer and proud to see labels in my khmer language, too, ok! it's the labeling and the love of khmer language that counts, ok! otherwise, do not come do business or sell your products in camobdia, ok! wake up, people, no more bias against cambodia and our khmer language, ok! we also accept english, but also include khmer language, too, ok! no siem or youn writing or labelings in cambodia, ok! we don't see khmer labeling or signs in thailand or vietnam, so don't expect siem or youn writing in cambodia, ok! what goes around comes around, ok! enough already, ok!