Man using the name of the ex-king’s son sent to court this morning

The man who claimed to be Prince Naradipo, the son of ex-king Norodom Sihanouk. Some are wondering why someone want to be linked to the royal family because, right now, the royal family is worthless (Photo: DAP news)

Monday 01 March 2010
By Pech Bandol
Free Press Magazine Online
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer

An old man who uses the name of Prince Naradipo, the son of ex-king Norodom Sihanouk, will be sent to court this Monday.

Tep Vanna, the military police commander for Kampot province, said that the 66-year-old man who claimed that he is Norodom Nardipo, the deceased son of Sihanouk, will be sent to the Kampot provincial court today to face his charges.

The man was arrested on Saturday at his home in Boeung Nimol commune, Chhouk district, so that he can be questioned after an order was personally issued by Hun Xen last Wednesday to arrest the fake prince. The real prince is known to be killed in 1976.

Tep Vanna said: “Right now, we are questioning him and he still declared that he is Prince Norodom Naradipo.” Tep Vanna said that the arrested man can speak both English and French, however, he does not know how to use royal vocabulary that much and he could also be crazy.

The name of Sihanouk’s lineage had been used for faking and for attracting support, however, the royal palace also denied these cases.

On Wednesday, Hun Xen declared during a speech held at the Phnom Penh Royal University that: “Our officials, please arrest or send to jail the fake prince, just like what King-Father requested us to do.”

Regarding this affair, some Cambodians said that there is no value for someone to want to link himself to the royal family because, right now, the royal family is worthless.

Hun Sen tells troops to remain calm at border

7/11/2009
Bangkok Post

"The [Thai] air force will deploy C-130 aircraft which would be escorted by fighter jets to pick up the Thais in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap from secret meeting points"

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday ordered his troops to maintain peaceful relations with Thai soldiers on the other side of the border.

As a result, military leaders of the two countries have agreed not to reinforce their troops along the border, says Second Army commander Lt Gen Weewalit Chornsamrit.

Hun Sen's message was conveyed to him by Cambodia's deputy supreme commander Gen Chea Dara and 3rd supportive division commander Lt Gen Sarai Duek.

They met at the Khao Phra Viharn National Park tourist centre in Si Sa Ket province about 4pm yesterday.

After the meeting, Lt Gen Weewalit said the Cambodian delegation was ordered by Hun Sen to hold talks with the Second Army and to ask the Thai army to stay calm and continue to maintain good relations.

Hun Sen's message was that soldiers should sidestep any politically sensitive issues. Such matters could only be solved through diplomatic channels and not by the border authorities.

Cambodian leaders have made it clear they do not plan to send any reinforcements and have left it in the hands of Gen Chea Dara and Lt Gen Sarai Duek to decide what should be done to enhance security at the border, said the Second Army chief.

Neither is there any sign of 4,000 troops being rushed to the Preah Vihear temple as some media outlets have reported, he said.

He advised people along the border not to be too concerned by the current dispute as the local situation remained normal. He was reassured by the fact that the Cambodian officers who visited him were all high-ranking officers.

Meanwhile, joint chief of staff Gen Ratchakrit Kanchanawat said even after the recalling of their ambassadors, relations between the respective defence ministries remained sound and there would soon be negotiations to prevent the situation from getting out of control.

He said the government and the National Security Council would direct further actions and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva would discuss the issue with the council soon.

He does not expect Thai authorities to call for the evacuation of Thais from Cambodia as happened during events that led up to the burning of the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh in 2003.

"Such incidents are unlikely to be repeated because that lesson should have taught Cambodia to have preventive measures in place. I don't believe the situation would deteriorate into a war," Gen Ratchakrit said.

However, a senior government source said the Thai military was ready to evacuate Thai nationals if needed.

"The air force will deploy C-130 aircraft which would be escorted by fighter jets to pick up the Thais in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap from secret meeting points," said the source.

The navy has raised the number of vessels patrolling disputed waters from three to five and increased the frequency of patrols.

Cambodia has two vessels patrolling the disputed areas.

Gambling goes underground in Cambodia

March 10, 2009
ABC Radio Australia

In late February, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen outlawed all forms of gambling involving slot machines and betting on football games, ostensibly in the name of improving the country's morality.
And although Cambodians are now barred from gambling in all its forms - they have long been forbidden from entering casinos to gamble, for instance - many still love to indulge the passion. From playing cards to cock-fighting, betting on fighting fish contests and even gambling on when the rain will fall - where there is uncertainty, there is a chance for a wager. And that's unlikely to change, whatever the politicians say.

Presenter: Robert Carmichael
Speakers: Kim, card player and small stakes gambler; Kim Vorn, fighting fish vendor

Click here to listen to the audio program in English (Windows Media)

CARMICHAEL: Until February, gambling was big business in Cambodia, but it just got a bit smaller. At the end of last month, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen issued a surprise directive banning all gambling that uses slot machines, and all football gambling - whether online or on the high street, and whether the businesses were licensed to take bets or not.

Ostensibly the reason for the ban was to protect the country's morals and prevent the spread of social ills. Not everyone is convinced of that, but in Cambodia what the prime minister says, goes. And so within a week, around 100 outlets shut down across the country and more than 5,000 people lost their jobs. Card games are much favoured here (they're illegal), but people also bet on fighting fish and cock-fighting - although the last is seen as the preserve of the wealthy and hasn't been outlawed.

So despite the prime minister's ruling, gambling will probably continue for ordinary Cambodians.

Kim is a 30-something Cambodian who runs a boat service in Phnom Penh, and enjoys regular games of cards with his friends. The card game he plays is called O' Pai, and players normally bet 12 cents on a hand. So what does he like about gambling?

KIM: It is not about like or dislike. Sometimes when we get together, Khmers like playing cards, especially during the festivals like Khmer New Year or Phchum Ben day. We meet and feel bored, so we play. And we usually bet on it with some money. Well, it's a common thing to do. Usually, we lose or win between five and seven dollars. We are not professional players. Professional players would bet with a lot more money. Overall I have lost more than I have won in card games.

CARMICHAEL: Away from the river on a busy street corner next to a temple is Kim Vorn's stall. For the past ten years she has sold fighting fish. The fighting fish rest - 50 of them - placid for now, each in their own glass bottles, separated from one another by playing cards so as to prevent them trying to attack each other through the glass.

Vorn says the ban has not yet affected sales, but it has affected gambling on them.

VORN: This government ban on gambling of course has affected gambling on fish-fights. But since our government says we must close it, we cannot disobey. Because now it is illegal, and that means we can be arrested for it.

But will the government's prohibition work? Most people don't seem to think so. Card-player Kim says Cambodians will continue to gamble.

KIM: People are afraid when they hear that the government is cracking down on card games. So they are careful about it, but they still play. They find quiet, safe places to play cards. They rent a room in a hotel or a guesthouse. If they see police around, they will stop playing all of a sudden. But during the ceremonies and festivals like Khmer New Year, they play and are not afraid no matter what the government says.

CARMICHAEL: There is no doubt that gambling can have a detrimental effect on societies - especially poor countries like Cambodia - so it's possible that, regardless of the motives behind the crackdown, some good might come from it.

That said it seems clear that the government's closure of the different types of high-street gambling operations won't change Cambodians' love for a wager. People might well go somewhere quieter, but the odds are good that many will continue to bet small sums on games of chance.

Hun Sen admits: There are corrupt officials under his regime and they hinder trade with neighboring countries

Hun Se rules by order, and seldom according to the law

Corruption hurts border trade: PM

Monday, 23 February 2009
Written by Vong Sokheng
The Phnom Penh Post

Hun Sen vows to fire anyone operating illegal checkpoints

PRIME Minister Hun Sen has ordered provincial governors in border areas to make all efforts to assist small traders involved in cross-border commerce with Thailand and Vietnam. The premier's instructions follow complaints from struggling traders who have said in recent weeks that they are facing renewed hindrances from illegal checkpoints at border crossings.

"Don't make obstacles for traders trying to sell their wares to neighbouring countries," Hun Sen said, at the close Thursday of a conference at the InterContinental Hotel, referring to the practice of some corrupt border officials to take bribes to ensure passage of goods.

He said he would sack officials up to and including the level of provincial governors and four-star generals if they or their staff were found to be involved in corrupt activities such as operating illegal checkpoints.

"I will not keep one person whose misbehaviour causes the destruction of the livelihoods of other people," he said. "You must appreciate the demanding living conditions of people and must not take bribes when they try to trade their products."

Chieng Am, the governor of Svay Rieng province, which borders Vietnam, said he would ensure Hun Sen's instructions were followed. But he added that the lack of a market meant the amount of commerce between traders in his province and those in Vietnam was small - villagers sold just a small portion of their rice harvest and chickens across the border.

Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said late last year that official trade figures between Cambodia and Vietnam stood at US$768 million in imports and $135 million exports to Vietnam. Those figures exclude small-scale cross-border trade.

Hun Sen’s latest whim: Everybody must have videoconference equipment so I can give them orders directly

21 Jan 2009
By Im Navin
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French

During his visit to Oddar Meanchey province, Hun Sen asked officials in his administration to equip themselves with videoconference equipment “so as to save money”.

During the inauguration a new administrative building in Oddar Meanchey, Hun Sen indicated that he just acquired videoconference equipment, just like all the officials in the 24 provinces.

Hun Sen said: “This will allow me to give direct orders following my reading of local media. Thanks to this, provincial officials no longer have to come to Phnom Penh and this will save transport cost.”

Hun Sen also asked the army to equip themselves also, especially along land and maritime border control posts.

Other ministries and departments should also convert to this “new gadget,” Hun Sen added.

No beauty pageant to challenge Cambodia reigning "Beauty Queen"?

Cambodia's unchallenged perpetual reigning Beauty Queen? (Photo: Reuters)

Cambodian PM renews beauty pageant ban

PHNOM PENH (AFP) — Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday renewed his ban on beauty pageants in the Southeast Asian country, calling a previous beauty contest "bad luck."

Hun Sen said the Miss Cambodia pageant in 1993 was "bad luck," pointing to the fact the capital's historic Tonle Bassac theatre burned down the year after it hosted the contest.

"Don't spend (money) on a Miss Beauty contest. Don't hold it," he told officials during the first meeting of his government's new cabinet.

Hun Sen urged people instead to "please go ahead with boat racing."

The premier cancelled plans for a Miss Cambodia pageant in 2006, calling it a waste of funds that were better spent on farming. He also said he would not allow such a contest until poverty in Cambodia was reduced by more than half.

More than 30 percent of Cambodians live in grinding poverty in the tiny country of 13.4 million people.

There has not been a Miss Cambodia contest since the 1990s.

Cambodia Allows Hijab at Schools

Female Muslim students can now don hijab at Cambodian schools. (Google photo)

IslamOnline.net & Newspapers

CAIRO — Cambodian Muslim students will be allowed to wear Islamic attire, including hijab, as of the new academic year in October, reported the Phnom Penh Post daily on Friday, September 12.

"While students are supposed to wear white shirts and blue trousers to school, Khmer Muslim students will be allowed to wear traditional uniforms to school because we are open minded about students believing in different religions," said Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth Chey Chap.

Prime Minister Hun Sen pledged two months ago to allow Muslim students to wear their Islamic attire at schools.

The decision will be effective when the new academic year starts in October.

Previously, Muslim students, both boys and girls, had to abide by a standard uniform determined by their schools, usually comprises a shirt and a pair of trousers.

This had forced many Muslim students, particularly girls, to abandon their studies.

Some schools were bending the rules to allow female Muslim students to don headgear.

"At the moment Khmer Muslim students don't wear their traditional clothes at school, but they still wear folded scarves around their faces," said Dy Tep Kosal, the director of Chea Sim Cham Reun Roth Secondary School, where Muslims make up nearly 40 percent of its students.

Hijab is an obligatory code of dress for Muslim women.

Inclusive

The government decision drew cheering from Cambodian Muslims.

"This shows that the government doesn't want to discriminate against Muslim students and will show people that there are a lot of Khmer Muslims within the education system," said Zakaryya Adam, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Cults and Religion.

Abdulhalim Kasim, a Muslim student at Norton University, said the decision comes in the right time for female Muslim students.

"While it doesn't make any difference to me because I am a man and can wear whatever Khmer students wear, girls need to wear scarves over their faces," he said.

Kasim said the decision also has broader implications.

"The fact that the government will allow us to wear our traditional clothes means it accepts all religions [and] it will make it easier for Khmer Muslims to study."

There are estimated 700,000 Muslims in Cambodia, making up 5 percent of the country's 13 million population.

Cambodian Muslims are generally located in towns and rural fishing villages on the banks of the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers and in Kampot Province in the south.

Prime minister orders road to Preah Vihear to be paved

Tuesday, 12 August 2008
Written by Sambath Teth
The Phnom Penh Post

The ongoing dispute with Thailand over territory around the Hindu ruins lends urgency to infrastructure improvements

Bulldozers, excavators and other road construction equipment have been sent by military engineers to Anlong Veng and Trapaing Prasat districts to help construct an 80-kilometre road connecting Anlong Veng town to Preah Vihear temple as interest in the historic ruins grows.

"I got orders from Prime Minister Hun Sen to pave the road from Anlong Veng district town to Sa Em village, Kantout commune, Choam Ksan district, Preah Vihear and to finish it as soon as possible," said Kvan Siem, commander of military engineers at General Command Headquarters.

Kvan Siem expects that the road will take just over a year to complete.

"It is a very important road. We need it to be finished as soon as possible in order to make traffic flow smoothly," Kvan Siem said.

"The government expects more people to be travelling to the site and has ordered the road to be built as soon as possible," said one RCAF general who asked to remain anonymous.

While the amount of funds for the construction of the road has not yet been released, Hun Sen advised Deputy Prime Minister Sok An in a Council of Ministers meeting on Friday to use charitable funds, including money raised by the Bayon TV foundation, to pave the road.

Seng Savorn, director of the Council of Ministers, said that government funds will be used to pave the stretch of road from Anlong Veng district to Sa Em, and the funds from Bayon TV's foundation will be used to construct a connecting road up the hill to the temple.

Huot Kheang Veng, assistant to Hun Mana, Bayon TV's director, said that he is unaware of Hun Sen's order to use the station's foundation funds to link to Preah Vihear temple, an increasingly popular tourist site.

Much ado about almost nothing: Hun Sen will stop using the royal language

Hun Sen will stop using the royal language

Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Prime minister Hun Sen announced that he will eliminate the use of the word “Preah Ang Mchas” (Prince/Princess) from the official government use. In a speech he gave on Monday to about 7,000 factory workers, and for the second time in a week, Hun Sen attacked the use of the royal language. Hun Sen said that he will stop using the word “Preah Ang Mchas” both at the Council of Ministers and at the National Assembly. On 22 April, Hun Sen declared that he will raise the issue of toning down the use of the royal language at the National Assembly and the Senate. Lu Laysreng, the minister of Rural Development and Funcinpec vice-president No. 1, said that the ban of the use of the word “Preah Ang Mchas” in the government is not proper for his party. He said that if one person does not want to use this word, others still want to use it. In the past few years, Hun Sen made several attempts to set up a law preventing royal family members from being involved in politics, and if they still want to be involved in politics, they must abandon their royal prerogatives.

Warning: Here comes Hun Sen’s secret “Operation Lightning Strike 2008” ... don’t tell anyone about it

“Operation Lightning Strike 2008” under way

Friday, January 18, 2008
Kampuchea Thmei newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Prime Minister Hun Sen issued an order to the city authority to take measure to eliminate small and large illegal gambling operations in the city of Phnom Penh, in order to provide safety for the population for 2008.

A source from the authority of the city of Phnom Penh revealed that the Hun Sen’s order has already reached the city authority, and that the latter is starting to hold meetings to set the date to organize a major raid in Phnom Penh.

Hun Sen’s order points out 8 major (gambling) locations that will bring success to the operation. However, these 8 locations were not revealed by the source.

A source from the military police indicated that the location of the raids was not all aimed at major casinos, but they include a number guesthouses and hotels where drugs are being hidden also. Some guesthouses look like normal guesthouses, but in fact, they are just fronts for very anarchic drug distributions and illegal sex trade.

At certain casinos, young children are allowed to go in and gamble, and they bring in bad influence to the society. An official from the city hall said that some institutions are colluding with the local authorities who hide these collusions from their bosses in order to protect their private interests. A group of experts from the ministry of economy and finance said that the group does not know if these institutions have the proper gambling permit or not, all that the group did was to allow them to conduct their businesses and require them to pay taxes to the state. As for the involvement of these institutions with illegal gambling or not, the experts from the ministry of economic and finances do not know about it.

An official source said that some hotels are being masqueraded as Massage parlor, Karaoke bar, but in fact they also house hidden sex trade parlors and gambling parlors as well. A police officer from the Phnom Penh city police office told Kampuchea Thmei that the police already received its order and that it is waiting for the date of the raid only.

According to Hun Sen’s order letter, gambling in hotels and guesthouses must be raided, and if proofs can be found that the owners of these institutions are involved in these illegal trades, they must be arrested and prosecuted by the law.

The new year operation to raid illegal gambling and sex and drug trades is dubbed “Operation Lightning Strike Operation 2008.”

Hun Sen orders 2 TV stations to improve international news broadcast

Thursday, December 26, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Prime minister Hun Sen issued an order to two Cambodian TV stations to improve their information broadcasting, especially international news which are stale news. During a speech given at a diploma distribution ceremony to students in Phnom Penh, on Wednesday, Hun Sen said that TVK, the national TV station, and Apsara, a pro-CPP station, are usually broadcasting old news. Hun Sen asked these two stations to improve the quality of their international news broadcasts by spending money to buy the information from news agencies such as Reuters, AFP, AP, and CNN, so that their news broadcasts are up to date. However, Khieu Kanharith, the minister of Information, complained that TVK does not have money to buy news from foreign news agencies because his ministry is spending a lot of money to broadcast debates at the National Assembly already. Currently, TVK broadcasts international information it gleaned from French and Chinese TV channels.

Hun Sen issues order to end sand pumping and dredging

07 December 2007
By Sary Roth
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Prime minister Hun Sen issued an order to end the pumping and dredging of sand from the bottom of the Mekong River, following a riverbank collapse yesterday in Koh Norea village, Niroth commune, Meanchey district, Phnom Penh city.

Hun Sen issued his order in a declaration that was broadcasted by local news media, yesterday evening.

The order not only put an end to the pumping in the Mekong River which caused the riverbank collapse, but this order is also applicable to the entire country as well.

During yesterday’s riverbank collapse, about 200 villagers started to panic, and they immediately started to dismantle their homes in the middle of the night.

Hun Sen orders a decree for awards to sports medal winners, maybe he should award funding for the athletes first

September 30, 2007
Cambodia drafting sub-decree for awarding winners of sports medals

The Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports was drafting a sub-decree to specify the amount of cash award for winners of medals at international sports events, an official said here on Saturday.

The sub-decree stipulates that winner of a gold medal at the Olympic Games will be awarded with 10,000 U.S. dollars, silver medal with 7,000 U.S. dollars and bronze medal with 5,000 U.S. dollars, said Mil Kado, deputy director general of general department for sports at the ministry.

For tournament in Asia, winner of a gold medal will receive 5,000 U.S. dollars, silver medal 3,000 U.S. dollars, and bronze medal 2,000 U.S. dollars, he said.

For regional tournament, player with a gold medal can get 3,000 U.S. dollars, silver medal 2,000 U.S. dollars and bronze medal 1,000 U.S. dollars, he added.

With the sub-decree, the government is trying to encourage the kingdom's athletes to improve their records, he said.

The sub-decree is prepared according to the order of Prime Minister Hun Sen, and will be sent to the Council of Minister and later to Hun Sen himself for official approval, he added.

Source: Xinhua

Hun Sen bans import of pigs, chicken and ducks from neighboring countries [-Nothing to worry about, Hun Sen’s ban will never be followed]

Monday, July 02, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

During the celebration of the fisheries day on 01 July in Takeo province, Prime Minister Hun Sen called on the local authorities along the borders with neighboring countries to ban the import of domestic animals, including pigs, chicken and ducks… Regarding this ban, Hun Sen said that it was done (1) to prevent the safety threat on people from bird flu contagion which is spreading in several countries in the area, as well as in the world; and (2) if such import is allowed into Cambodia, our people can no longer raise domestic animals [due to foreign competition], and that it is impossible to know what kind of other diseases will be imported and spread to our population, because, now, our people no longer eat to just fill their stomach, they also want good and healthy food.
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KI-Media note: In stating his second reason, Hun Sen seems oblivious of the fact that a large majority of Cambodian people still couldn’t even afford to buy food, let alone have enough to eat.