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| The $304-million defense and security budget for 2011 was less than Cambodia’s neighbors last year. |
Thursday, 18 August 2011
Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh
“We divide [the budget] depending on the reality of each year.”
Cambodia expects to bump up its military and defense budget next year, an increase that comes amid an ongoing standoff with Thailand over the border near Preah Vihear, officials said Wednesday.
Defense remains a priority sector for spending, garnering $304 million in 2011, when it also saw an increase. Officials say they expect to prioritize health and education spending for 2012.
However, national defense remains a primary concern, with an ongoing border dispute that began in July 2008 and has led to a number of deadly skirmishes over the last three years.
As a result, the government has begun a recruitment drive for 5,000 more soldiers—many of them to replace retiring troops—who will train for three months before they are sent to the northern border.
The 2011 budget totaled $2.4 billion, with the Ministry of Defense—a portion only of defense and security spending—receiving $190 million, the Ministry of Education $223 million, and the Ministry of Health $169 million.
The $304-million defense and security budget for 2011 was less than Cambodia’s neighbors last year. US officials estimate Thailand’s defense spending at $2.41 billion, Vietnam’s at $5.2 billion. Laos spent less, with $212 million.
Finance Minister Keat Chhon declined to comment on the spending increase, saying only it has been “decided.”
“Everything is already prepared,” said Defense Minister Tea Banh. “We divide [the budget] depending on the reality of each year.”
By comparison, last year’s budget for education was $915,000.
Ly Sethik, director of finance for the Ministry of Education, said the budget increase for next year would go toward salaries.
Teachers have long complained of low government salaries, which they say forces them to take other jobs and ask for daily payments from students, marginalizing the poorest of them.
“With economic growth, it’s no problem that the budget is increased,” Ly Sethik said.
Health Ministry officials declined to comment in detail on next year’s budget.
Ly Horn, finance director for the ministry, said he was “not sure” how much an increase would be.
5 comments:
$304 million...? nothing...
My country USA spends Hundreds and thousands of Billion of dollars in Defense spending every year.
អាខ្វាក់ហ៊ុន សែន ឈ្មោះដើមវាហ៊ុន ណាល់ ។
ឪវាឈ្មោះ ហ៊ុន នៀង ជាមេចោរលួចគោនៅស្រុកក្រូច
ឆ្មារ ខេត្តកំពង់ចាម ម៉ែវាឈ្មោះ ឌី ប៉ុក
ជាអ្នកលក់នំអាកោរ។ អាខ្វាក់ហ៊ុន សែន ឈ្មោះដើម
វា គឺ អាហ៊ុន ណាល់ ជាចោរដូចឪវាដែរ។
អ្នកស្រុកក្រូចឆ្មារដេញប្រផាត់រត់ប្រផីងជង់និង
មែកត្របែកខ្វាក់ភ្នែកម្ខាង ហើយឆ្នាំ៧០រត់ចូល
ចូលព្រៃម៉ាគី ធ្វើជាខ្មែរក្រហម។
ជំនាន់ខ្មែរក្រហម គណៈភូមិ គណៈឃុំ និង
គណៈតំបន់មួយចំនួនជាចោរ ឬ មេចោរលួច
គោ ឬ ក្របី។
ដល់មកបានធ្វើនាយករដ្ធមន្ត្រី កើតជាចោរលក់
ជាតិ លួចជាតិ។ឪអាខ្វាក់ហ៊ុន សែន ជាចោរ អាខ្វាក់ហ៊ុន
សែនជាចោរ អស់ទាំងមុខមន្រ្តីក៏ជាចោរដូច អាខ្វាក់
ហ៊ុន សែន ដែរ។
What does KI complaint about? Even Laos is spending very close to we do. Look at how much Thailand and Vietnam are spending. And then there are other KI members who complaint how we have really bad air defense and not enough military supply. Wake up and see how can you supply them with $300 million budget.
The cost of driving a Hummer has gone up in the last year.
That motherfuckers he fucking scares to dies that fucking why he've alot of body guards. I wishes one day one of his bodyguard will killing him.
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