Minister of Tourism 'reshuffled' [- Welcome to the Nhiek Bun Chhay's clan era]

By Vong Sokhneg and Charles McDermid
Phnom Penh Post, Issue 16 / 10, May 18 - 31, 2007

The National Assembly on Thursday made official the highly publicized sacking of ex-Minister of Tourism Lay Prohas and voted to appoint a member of the ruling party in his place.

Prohas was replaced by CPP stalwart Thong Kon, 56, a one-time Deputy Chairman of the municipal People's Revolutionary Party of Kampuchea, and a high-ranking Ministry of Tourism (MOT) official since 1993.

Nhiek Kim Chhon, brother of Funcinpec Secretary-General Nhek Bun Chhay, was named deputy minister.

Just a week ago, Lay Prohas stood at the helm of the $2-billion dollar tourism industry. Today, he is unemployed: his political party won't comment on his whereabouts and his wife told the Post he has "not carrying a mobile phone anymore."

It's been a rapid fall for the media-savvy 42-year-old, and political analysts are scrambling to explain what went wrong. A source close to the government, who declined to be named, told the Post that Prohas' dismissal was caused by his inability to get along with members of the CPP.

Hun Sen, however, couched Prohas' replacement in terms of what was best for the ministry and the Kingdom. Poverty reduction and national progress drove the decision, not politics, said the Prime Minister.

Hun Sen also tried to dismiss speculation that the coalition government between the CPP and Funcinpec had finally come completely unglued.

"If we put an end to the alliance between the CPP and Funcinpec, perhaps all the Funcinpec ministers, secretaries and undersecretaries would walk out," Hun Sen said. "You see now - ministers and secretaries and undersecretaries and the deputy Prime Minister-are all still here."

Members of Funcinpec hardly sounded so sanguine about the latest turn of events.

Funcinpec Vice-President Prince Sisowath Sirirath told the Post on May 17 that these days, Funcinpec could do little more than maintain smooth cooperation with its ruling partner.

"We respect that all the power is in the hands of Samdech Hun Sen," Sirirath said. "There is no quota in the coalition government now."

Prohas was appointed as tourism minister in 2004. The number of foreign tourists to the kingdom has grown to 1.7 million in 2006, a 20 percent rise over 2005.

Ky Lum Ang, Funcinpec parliamentarian said that it was difficult for her to make comment about the removal of Prohas in the circumstances of the political situation at the moment.

She said that the Prime Minister told Funcinpec senior officials that Lay Prohas may be appointed as an advisor of the government.

Sam Rainsy, President of the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), said that the reshuffle was an internal issue of the CPP and Funcinpec, which the SRP was not interest in.

"We have seen that the role of Funcinpec in the coalition government is being weak," Rainsy told the Post. "I don't believe that the reshuffle will help to improve the working system of the government."

Thong Khon told reporters that he is determined to strengthen the tourism industry by enhancing cooperation with the private sector.

"We want Cambodia to become one of the tourism destinations for the region and for the whole world," he said, adding that he will work harder to get the tourism management law to be passed by the National Assembly.

Khon said that in the first quarter of this year, Cambodia attracted about 500,000 foreign tourists, while infrastructure, the road systems, the airports and the government continue to be improved.

Any dumb excuse is acceptable for the sacking of a F'pec minister

May 17, 2007
Cambodia replaces tourism minister for further sector development

The Cambodian National Assembly here on Thursday approved the appointment of former secretary of state Thong Kon to replace Lay Prohas as tourism minister for further development of the sector.

During the assembly, 84 voted for, eight against, nine invalid and six in abstention for the team of Thong Kon as minister from the major ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and Nhiek Kim Chhon as secretary of state, namely deputy minister, from the co- ruling Funcinpec Party, said President Heng Samrin.

Only 107 of the 123 parliamentarians attended the vote, he added.

Hun Sen said upon the approval that the reshuffle was made to address some irregularities at the ministry to strive for further development of the mushrooming industry.

"We want to reform to achieve development and reduce poverty and the tourism sector is expected to contribute to the economic growth in large scale," he told reporters.

"As head of the government, I have great responsibilities for the fortune of the country, so this reshuffle comes reasonably," he added, without elaborating on the exact reason.

From now until the general election in 2008, the government still has much time to deal with the tourism sector to help attract more foreign tourists to visit Cambodia, he said.

Meanwhile, Thong Kon told reporters that he is determined to strengthen the tourism industry by enhancing cooperation with the private sector.

"We want Cambodia to become one of the tourism destinations for the region and for the whole world," he said, adding that he will work harder to get the tourism management law to be passed at the National Assembly.

In the first quarter of this year, Cambodia attracted about 500, 000 foreign tourists, while the infrastructure, the road systems, the airports and the government attention continue to get improved, he said.

Lay Prohas was appointed as tourism minister in 2004. The number of foreign tourists to the kingdom has grown to 1.7 million in 2006, a 20 percent rise over 2005.

Tourism, garment and agriculture are the pillar industries for the kingdom.

Source: Xinhua

Dismissal of tourism minister draws mixed reaction in Cambodia

May 10, 2007

The removal of Tourism Minister Lay Prohas on Tuesday by a directive from Prime Minister Hun Sen has led to mixed reaction, local media on Thursday quoted sources as saying.

Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith refused to identify the exact reasons behind the dismissal, but explained that the replacement of the co-ruling Funcinpec Party's Lay Prohas by Tourism Secretary of State Thong Khon from the major ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) was a normal action to restructure the ministry and it didn't stem from any mistakes that Lay Prohas made, Cambodian language newspaper the Chakraval reported.

However, an unidentified official alleged that Funcinpec leaders suspected that Lay Prohas planned to defect to the opposition Norodom Ranariddh Party, thus making his position untenable, it reported.

Meanwhile, tourism officials said on condition of anonymity that the decision was down to Lay Prohas' indifference towards CPP officials working at the ministry, another Cambodian language newspaper the Rasmei Kampuchea reported.

Funcinpec Rural Development Minister Lu Laysreng expressed dismay on learning of the decision, saying that "I would like to express regret for the fact that Tourism Minister Lay Prohas has been removed from his position."

"Even the Funcinpec permanent committee does not know of the removal," Cambodian language newspaper the Moneaksekar Khmer quoted him as saying.

Funcinpec Secretary General Nhiek Bun Chhay declined to comment on the removal, but said that Hun Sen had the right to remove officials if he felt that they were not working properly.

Koul Panha, director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, said the removal of Lay Prohas was another step by CPP to consolidate its power in the more lucrative ministries, English language newspaper the Cambodia Daily reported.

Lay Prohas was appointed as Tourism Minister in 2004. The number of tourists to the kingdom has grown to 1.7 million in 2006, a 20 percent rise over 2005.

"Lay Prohas is very impressive. He is the best among the former ministers," the Cambodian Daily quoted Moeung Sonn, director of the National Association of Tourism Enterprises, as saying.

Son Chhay, director of the fifth permanent committee of the National Assembly, said that the legislative body will hold a session on May 17 to vote for the formal appointment of Thong Khon as Tourism Minister, said the Rasmei Kampuchea.

Funcinpec officials now heads seven of Cambodia's 25 ministries. According to an agreement with CPP in 2004, Funcinpec can hold 40 percent of the government posts. But the deal was no more valid in the eyes of both sides, as the political conditions have changed in the past years.

Source: Xinhua

Funcinpec asks to replace 5 MPs, and 1 F'pec Minister will be replaced by Hun Sen

Thursday, May 10, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

The Kampuchea Thmei newspaper cited an anonymous high-ranking Funcinpec official who said that the government plans to replace one government official and the National Assembly plans to hold a major replacement of members of parliament at the end of this session. According to this source, 5 MPs and the Minister of Tourism will be replaced. The 5 MPs who will be replaced all come from the Funcinpec party, they are: (1) You Hockry, (2) Sin Pin Sen, (3) Ly Thuch to be replaced by Say Monkgkol, (5) Princess Norodom Vacheara, (5) Prince Norodom Sirivudh, and (6) Lay Prohas who is the Minister of Tourism. The anonymous Funcinpec official said that the request to replace 2 MPs to take over the seats of You Hockry and Sin Pin Sen was sent to the National Assembly already. The replacement of Princess Vacheara and Prince Sirivudh is still under consideration, however, the anonymous Funcinpec official said that to keep the 2 is no gain, and to remove them is no loss (KI-Media note: popular Khmer Rouge saying).

Nhiek Bun Chhay on Lay Prohas' removal by Hun Sen: “We have no right to protest”

Thursday, May 10, 2007
Nhiek Bun Chhay clueless on the removal of his party subordinate

Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Following Prime Minister Hun Sen’s decision to remove Lay Prohas from his position as Minister of Tourism, Nhiek Bun Chhay, Funcinpec secretary-general, who is Lay Prohas’ party chief, declined to provide detailed comment to reporters about this removal. However, Nhiek Bun Chhay said that Prime Minister Hun Sen has the right to remove any government officials, who in Hun Sen’s view, are not accomplishing their work properly. Nhiek Bun Chhay told The Cambodia Daily briefly that no one can blame him for the removal of Lay Prohas, because he (Nhiek Bun Chhay) has no influence on the CPP. “We have no right to protest,” Nhiek bun Chhay claimed. He also said that the coalition between the CPP and Funcinpec is no longer valid.

Political Cartoon: Disposal of Lay Prohas

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

To Hun Sen, Funcinpec is no longer indispensable, but rather disposable; Nouv Sovathero still pins the blame on Ranariddh past mistake

Hun Sen Puts CPP Member in Top Tourism Post

Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
09/05/2007

Prime Minister Hun Sen fired the Funcipec Minister of Tourism Tuesday and replaced him with a member of the ruling party, in a sector that is fast becoming one of Cambodia's most important.

Lay Prohas, minister since 2003, was replaced by Thong Khon, a Tourism secretary of state, according to a letter sent by Hun Sen to the National Assembly.

Tourism, driven by an increasing number of visitors to Angkor Wat, is competing with garment manufacturing as Cambodia's main economic driver. The minister's post had been held by two successive members of Funcinpec, the Cambodian People's Party coalition partner.

Funcinpec spokesman Neou Sovatharo said the party was suffering from mistakes made by its former president, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, who fled Cambodia last year.

He blamed the prince for supporting the passage of a law that enabled Lay Prohas' removal, a claim a spokesman for the prince denied.

Lay Prohas fired by Hun Sen for unknown reason

May 09, 2007
Cambodian tourism minister fired from co-ruling government

Cambodian Tourism Minister Lay Prahas, who is also a member of the co-ruling Funcinpec Party, has been fired from the position, a Funcinpec official said Wednesday.

Lay Prahas was fired on Tuesday by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Funcinpec Party spokesman Nov Sowathearo told Xinhua.

"I do not know exactly about the reason of firing him from position," Nov added.

Lay Prahas could not be reached for comment. So far, the government also has no response to it.

Lay Prahas was appointed as minister of tourism in the present co-ruling government in 2003.

Source: Xinhua

Korean Tourists Top Others in Cambodia

By Park Chung-a
Staff Reporter
The Korea Times

Cambodian Tourism Minister Lay Prohas said that South Korean tourists account for the largest part of their tourism revenues.

``Koreans pay most visits to our country among other foreign tourists these days,'' said the Cambodian minister in a recent interview with Hankook Ilbo, the sister paper of The Korea Times at a ceremony in Phnom Penh to mark Korean Air's opening of its two new air routes linking South Korea and Cambodia.

The two routes, between Inchon and Phnom Penh, and between Inchon and Siem Reap, have been in operation since last November.

``Cambodia has achieved a great growth in the tourism industry by attracting more than 1.7 million tourists last year. The number was more than a 20 percent increase from 1.4 million people in 2005. Korean tourists made the largest contribution to such success,'' he said. ``I expect an opening of the two new air routes linking the two countries will set another cornerstone for development of Cambodia's tourism industry.''

Prohas believes that Korean Air's new service will play a great role in further boosting tourism.

``I expect that this will accelerate the industrialization of Cambodia,'' he said. ``South Korea's economic situation about 40 years ago was similar to that of ours today. However, Korea has become a powerful country in so many industrial sectors including information technology. And now it is helping us. Now is the time for us to leap forward.''

He went on to say that he expects many Korean companies to make advances in Cambodia and pointed out its rich natural beauty as its tourism attraction.

``Different from other South East Asian countries which are equipped with beaches and resorts, Cambodia's natural beauty like Angkor Wat with more than 1,000 years of history and Lake Tonlesap will surely enchant tourists,'' he said.

``Still, a lot of people think of the Killing Fields when it comes to Cambodia. The country's dark image is still strong in the minds of many people. However, you should first come to our country to break such a stereotype. We have changed a lot and we will change further and develop.''

He also emphasized that safety situation in the country has become much better than before and Cambodians are friendly toward foreign tourists.

``By investing in tourism infrastructure like hotels and special programs that are aimed at protecting cultural heritages, we are ready to offer high-quality tourist products to foreigners,'' he said.

michelle@koreatimes.co.kr