[Tourist] Arrivals jump to Cambodian provinces

Tuesday, 14 February 2012
eTravelBlackboardAsia.com

Tourism flocked into Cambodia’s hot spots, Sinhanoukville and Angkor Wat last month compared to January last year.

According to Sinhanoukville Tourism Department deputy director Seng Kha local tourisms into the region grew 57.52 percent from 68,816 in January 2011 to 108,400 this year while international figures jumped 51 percent to 23,041, Tourism Cambodia reported.

Mr Kha contributed the rise to the ever-popular Chinese New Year combined with the region’s sear festivals and beaches.

A Cambodian-​Chinese worshipper cuts his tongue

A Cambodian-Chinese worshipper cuts his tongue as he takes part in a procession featuring Chinese deities in Phnom Penh February 6, 2012. The event is celebrated annually by the Cambodian-Chinese community in the region. REUTERS/Samrang Pring

Cambodia is under Chinese cultural influence: Hun Xen’s confession

A Chinese-Cambodian woman is preparing an offering for her ancestors' altar during the Chinese New Year on 22 Jan 2012 (Photo: Vohar Cheath, Radio Free Asia)

01 Feb 2012
By Vohar Cheath
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Ah Tree Teuk Si Iv

Hun Xen announced that the Cambodian government under his leadership cannot stop the Chinese cultural which is assailing in full force the roots of the Cambodian culture as it is doing nowadays.

Not only that, Hun Xen also confessed that even in his family, the Chinese cultural influence has assailed his household as well. Therefore, who could solve this problem?

Currently, Cambodia is under strong influence from Chinese tradition. Even though the Chinese New Year is not considered as an official holiday by the government, a number schools, markets and government ministries are closed during the Chinese New Year.

Criticisms have been leveled, stating that “during Chinese New Year, it’s the Cambodians who get drunk” and during the Chinese New Year, Cambodian schoolchildren do not attend schools while government employees do not show up to work. This issue stems from the fact that a number of students, teachers and government employees are Chinese-Cambodians. However, the main problem is the fact that, officially, they do not work to serve the Cambodian people in general.

Riding the Dragon: 2012 predictions from Chinese masters [-ហោរ ដាក់ខៀ ទេដឹង?]

Heng Soy on a dragon joyride?

Peter So says the US will provide some good news late in the year, but his charts for Europe make grim reading (AFP/File, Aaron Tam)

Monday, January 23, 2012By Joyce Woo | AFP News

Want to know what's in store for 2012? Who will win the US election? Will the eurozone implode? China's feng shui masters tackle the big issues with their predictions for the Year of the Dragon.

As Chinese communities around the world prepare to ring in the new year on Monday, astrologers and geomancers are predicting the dragon will bring natural disasters and financial volatility, especially to crisis-hit Europe.

"The world economy will be unstable in the Year of the Dragon, because the economies in Europe and the US are still suffering from the effects of the recession," Hong Kong feng shui master Anthony Cheng says.

Chinese New Year 2012

Chinese Cambodian men perform a dragon dance to celebrate the Chinese New Year in Phnom Penh January 21, 2012. The Chinese Lunar New Year begins on January 23 and marks the start of the Year of the Dragon, according to the Chinese zodiac. REUTERS/Samrang Pring

A group of Cambodian ethnic Chinese performs dragon dance in front of the Royal Palace, ahead of Lunar New Year in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Chinese New Year celebration in Phnom Penh

Demotix

Chinese New Year celebrations take place all over South-East Asia where Chinese influence is and has been of strong importance.Youth participate in the dragon dance in a Chinese temple. Phnom Penh, Cambodia. 22nd January 2012

Chinese New Year celebrations take place all over South-East Asia where Chinese influence is and has been of strong importance. (Photo by Aurélien Foucault)

Chinese New Year celebrations take place all over South-East Asia where Chinese influence is and has been of strong importance. (Photo by Aurélien Foucault)

Cambodian PM sends greetings on Chinese New Year

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen sent his greetings to overseas Chinese in Cambodia on the occasion of the Lunar New Year, according to his message released to the media on Saturday.

In the message dated Jan. 14 to all beloved people of overseas Chinese in Cambodia, the premier said, "Cambodia is a warm house for all brotherly people, including Cambodians with Chinese descent."

He added, "During the time of miserable difficulty and complete separation of families in the 3 years, 8 months and 20 days, we had been in the same difficult lives, losing the beloved lives of fathers, mothers, spouses, and children."

"When the day of Jan. 7, 1979 came, we were all resurrected in warmth together, joining happiness, misery, difficulty and development together until now, it was 32 years ago," he said.

Elderly Chinese Cambodian remains joyous despite his life's many ups and downs

Hak Srun, 75 with Almond Hotel owner Luu Meng yesterday morning. (Stuart Alan Becker/Phnom Penh Post)

Friday, 20 January 2012
Post Staff
The Phnom Penh Post

When young Hak Srun arrived in Cambodia in 1947, he was a little boy of 10 years old, from Guangdong province in China.

His father had come to Cambodia first in 1936, looking for a safe place where his family could live as the forces of Imperial Japan rampaged across China.

Today, Hak Srun is 75 years old and has six children, one of whom lives in the United States. He has 14 grandchildren and one great grandson.

Hak Srun took time yesterday morning at Luu Meng’s Yi Sang restaurant at the Almond Hotel to recount the main events of his life and the happiness his family brings on the eve of Chinese New Year.

Cambodia prepares for Chinese Spring Festival celebration

(Photo: AP)

By Nguon Sovan

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- As the Chinese New Year is getting close, Chinese blood Cambodians have been busy decorating their houses with plum blossoms, red color paper-cuts and Chinese couplets hung on doors and walls, hoping to receive a good fortune and happiness in the upcoming year.

Shops selling decoration materials and praying stuff are bustling.

"A lot of customers come and purchase Chinese New Year decorations from my shop," said Hak Senghong, the owner of a shop near Phnom Penh's Orussei Market.

Chinese traditional lion dances performed at Cambodia to celebrate Spring Festival

Cambodian Chinese community people perform dragon dance on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011, in front of the Royal Palace, ahead of Lunar New Year in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Cambodian Chinese community people perform lion dance on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011, in front of the Royal Palace, ahead of Lunar New Year in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

February 03, 2011
Xinhua

Chinese traditional lion and dragon dances were performed at Cambodia's Royal Palace and the Chinese Embassy in Phnom Penh on Wednesday morning to celebrate the Spring Festival (Lunar New Year) starting Feb. 3.

Six groups of lion and dragon dances from Chinese community in Cambodia performed at the Royal Palace in order to bless King Norodom Sihamoni and his subjects with happiness and prosperity in the Lunar New Year, Lao Shi Heng, vice-president of Chinese Association in Cambodia, said.

The groups were welcomed by Deputy Prime Minister Kong Sam Ol, minister of the Royal Palace.

Cops and butcher try to rustle villager's roasted pig [... Corruption is rampant in Cambodia]

Feb 3, 2011
DPA

Phnom Penh - A Cambodian villager claimed police and a local butcher colluded to try and confiscate a tasty home-grown pig he had prepared for a Chinese New Year feast, local media reported Thursday.

Yam Bo told the Phnom Penh Post newspaper he had strapped the 14-kilogram roasted porker to his motorbike Wednesday and was driving to his niece's home when he was stopped in the western town of Battambang.

'Four police officers and several staff members from the butcher's shop demanded 100 dollars because they said I was transporting a pig without a letter of permission (from the local butcher),' he said of the incident, which took place just ahead of the Chinese New Year celebrations starting Wednesday evening.

Sam Rainsy's Chinese New Year message on The Commercial News

Cambodia rings Chinese New Year

Cambodia: Workers carry roast pigs at a market in Phnom Penh. -AFP

Sale of Angkea Sil Flowers during Chinese New Year

Happy Chinese New Year to our Readers of Chinese Ancestry!

Opposition Leader Sam Rainsy's Message on Chinese New Year

Chinese Dragon Dance in Khmer Royal Palace

Wednesday, February 02, 2011
By Khmer Borann

This morning of February 2, 2011, I went to work and drove my motorcycle on Sothearos Boulevard of Phnom Penh. When I reached the former National Assembly building I could not go further because the road was blocked by the police. I was forced to turn to the east passing former building of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then turned to the north on Sisowath street. At first I thought there might be a foreign delegation visiting the Royal Palace, but when I reached the road section in front of the Royal Palace, I saw a large group of Dragon Dancer (ម៉ុងសាយ) preparing to enter the Royal Palace. I also heard the complaint from some motorists about the blockage of the road. Some complained “Just for Dragon Dance, the road is blocked and causing trouble for the motorists”. Other said "Is it great that our Khmer King celebrate Chinese New Year?"

Khmer Borann
Phnom Penh

Don't think of lighting firecrackers during Chinese New Year ... Someone in Tuol Krasaing may be allergic to the explosion noise

Firecrackers are prohibited in Phnom Penh during Chinese New Year

City forbids firecrackers lighting and joss paper burning


01 Feb 2011
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Soch

Kep Chuktema, the Phnom Penh city governor, issued a new order forbidding the burning of joss paper along sidewalks, however they can be burned in protected metallic containers in order to prevent fire from taking place. Kep Chuktema indicated that lighting of firecrackers or any other explosive material during the Chinese New Year is prohibited because their explosion sounds could mask sound of gun firing. Kep Chuktema issued this warning during the construction site opening ceremony for Koh Pich bridges on 31 January 2011.

Chinese artists celebrate Spring Festival in Cambodia

January 31, 2011 (Xinhua) - A free concert performed by an art delegation from China's Shanxi University was held on Sunday evening at the Southeast Asia Television (SEATV) and it was live televised across the country.

It's the first Chinese art performance that live-televised in Cambodia.

The concert, featuring musical and cultural shows by Chinese artists, has also been joined by Cambodian artists, who dressed in Chinese costumes and performed in Chinese traditional dances and songs.

Viets in Cambodia to celebrate Viet New Year, whereas ... Khmer Krom in South VN are not allowed to celebrate Pchum Ben

Comrade Mem Sam An

OV in Cambodia celebrate Lunar New Year

30/01/2011
VOVNews/VNA

The Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia held a meeting to celebrate the Lunar New Year (Tet) holidays on Jan. 28 in the capital city of Phnom Penh.

Attending the meeting were Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An, heads of ministries and state agencies and overseas Vietnamese.

Speaking at the meeting, the Cambodian Deputy PM congratulated Vietnam on its successful 11th National Congress Party. She hailed the economic achievements the country had recorded during the last year as well as its investment activities in Cambodia, which, she said, have helped generate jobs for local residents.