Cambodia 20240805: Colorful, Vivid, Animated
Cambodia 20240805: Colorful, Vivid, Animated
Mekong Memo Cambodia Weekly: Business, politics, finance, trade & legal news.
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Headlines:
Canal Dreams a $1.7B Gambit
Green Fields Beckon as Canal Project Looms
Tourism Looks to New Horizons
Uncle Sam Beefs Up Cambodian Military Training
Calling Time on Boozy Ads
Health Minister Calls for Quality Review
Rolling Out the Welcome Mat for Worn Greenbacks
Tax Sleuths Get New Playbook
Royal Railway Beefs Up Fleet
Human Rights Committee Calls Out UN Rapporteur
PP-Sihanoukville Expressway Usage Rises
Digital Age of Payments Dawns at Airports
Ethics, Freedom, and Fake News
Diplomatic Roundup: JP, SA, CN, VN, TH
Industrial Parks to Woo Thai and Vietnamese
Midwife Makes Waves with Births at Sea
Canal Dreams a $1.7B Gambit
The Funan Techo Canal project continues making waves, with a $1.7 billion price tag including some support from China chipping in. Set to link the Mekong River to the Gulf of Thailand, it's a bit move to bypass Vietnamese ports. The August 5 grand opening, now declared a public holiday, is showing its importance for economic growth, irrigation, and logistics. Environmental concerns, funding hiccups, and geopolitical ripples, especially with Vietnam eyeing China's involvement, are muddying the waters, though. Local funding now accounts for a little more than half of the project, a shift from earlier plans.
Read more: Nation Thailand (Logistics), Khmer Times (Public Holiday), VOA News (Concerns), SCMP(Geopolitical Implications)
Green Fields Beckon as Canal Project Looms
As the Funan Techo Canal takes shape, local investors are plowing into agriculture. The move, apparently driven by the canal's promise of smoother transportation and industrial growth, could give Cambodia's international market presence a much-needed leg up. The waterway is expected to irrigate farmlands, trim shipping costs, and support new economic zones, job creation, and urban expansion. Cambodia's investor-friendly climate and recent export growth are luring both homegrown and foreign capital to the ag sector.
Read more: Cambodianess
Tourism Looks to New Horizons
The tourism industry is branching out beyond Angkor Wat's allure. The newly minted Cambodia Tourism Board is cooking up strategies to improve the country's appeal on a world stage. Siem Reap's coffers are bulging with a 34% jump in tourist revenue, while Kep is setting its sights on the high-end crowd with a sustainability twist. Despite Chinese tourists playing hard to get and airlines feeling the pinch, the Cambodia Hotel Association is forecasting blue skies ahead, thanks to land-based travelers and continued teamwork with the government.
Read more: Cambodia Investment Review (Diversification), Khmer Times (Revenue Growth), Khmer Times (High-end Tourism), Cambodia Investment Review (Hotel Recovery)
Uncle Sam Beefs Up Cambodian Military Training
The U.S. Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies is doubling down on training Cambodian military brass, from majors to major generals. This comes hot on the heels of a sit-down between General Sem Sovanny and APCSS acting director Russell Bailey in Phnom Penh. The training is expected to sharpen both national and international security smarts, part of a U.S. initiative covering peacekeeping and command skills. Bailey is also eyeing junior officers for future training sessions, while looking at ongoing teamwork in areas like demining and English language skills.
Read more: Khmer Times
Calling Time on Boozy Ads
Regulators are tightening the screws on alcohol advertising as young drinkers raise their eyebrows. Prime Minister Hun Manet's crew is pushing for stricter ad rules, targeting billboards and media spots. The move comes with rising worry over public health and safety, from traffic troubles to long-term health hiccups. The proposed rules also float ideas for a legal drinking age and fair play in taxes between local and international tipple makers.
Read more: Cambodianess
Health Minister Calls for Quality Review
Health Minister Chheang Ra is rallying his troops to boost healthcare quality nationwide. In a video talk with more than 4,000 participants, he called for a thorough check-up of health centers and referral hospitals. Ra's recipe for success includes more timely feedback and a process of non-stop improvement. He's also dishing out leadership advice, serving up five key messages and four influence points to guide health honchos in promoting leadership.
Read more: Khmer Times
Rolling Out the Welcome Mat for Worn Greenbacks
Prime Minister Hun Manet is giving old and tattered U.S. dollar bills a new lease on life to help tourists and ease the small change crunch. This decision, following a successful test run in Siem Reap, is part of a push to promote the Cambodian riel. The game plan is to phase out small dollar notes, pump up the riel, and accelerate the adoption of digital currencies to support economic stability and wean off dollar dependence.
Read more: Firstpost
Tax Sleuths Get New Playbook
The General Department of Taxation just unveiled a new Standard Operating Procedures guideline for tax audits and criminal investigations. The updates streamline desk and onsite audits, set stricter rules to avoid audit overlap, and bring processes into alignment with Cambodia's Criminal Procedure Code. Big shots at the seminar talked up efficiency and compliance, focusing on efforts to smooth out industry spats and speed up the work of the tax court system.
Read more: VDB | LOI
Royal Railway Beefs Up Fleet
The transport arm of Royal Group just rolled in 25 flat wagons from Malaysia, to improve on its freight game. This importation is part of a grand plan to add 200 wagons to the fleet, courtesy of Neak Oknha Kith Meng's investment vision. The new wheels aim to boost capacity and efficiency, cementing Royal Railway's role in Cambodia's transport scene. The company tipped its hat to partners and stakeholders, reaffirming its commitment to driving Cambodia's infrastructure and economy forward.
Read more: Khmer Times
Human Rights Committee Calls Out UN Rapporteur
The Cambodian Human Rights Committee is pushing back against UN Special Rapporteur Vitit Muntarbhorn's recent remarks, calling them biased and potentially misleading. They're touting Cambodia's human rights street cred, pointing to eight core UN treaties and playing ball with the Universal Periodic Review. The committee is defending Cambodia's election process and legal actions against activists, insisting they're in line with international human rights law. They're also speaking on efforts to protect indigenous rights and spruce up prisons, calling for a fair shake when it comes to assessing Cambodia's human rights report card.
Read more: Khmer Times
PP-Sihanoukville Expressway Usage Rises
The Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway saw nearly 100,000 vehicles pass by from July 22 to 28, with only two fender benders reported. Transport spokesman Phan Rim is asking drivers to play by the rules to keep things safe. A recent huddle between National Police and expressway bigwigs tackled issues like theft and heavy-footed drivers. The cops and road crews continue to work together to spread the word on road safety and keep law-breakers in check, all in the name of responsible driving.
Read more: Khmer Times
Digital Age of Payments Dawns at Airports
Starting September 1, Cambodia's three international airports are going digital for visa payments, saying goodbye to cash transactions. The change is expected to cut wait times and make foreign visitors feel more welcome with an efficient arrival process. The new system covers tax payments, visas on arrival, and embassy or consulate visa applications.
Read more: Khmer Times
Ethics, Freedom, and Fake News
The media scene is getting a makeover, with Information Minister Neth Pheaktra swapping notes with Thailand's National Press Council on journalism best practices. Their discussion focused on tackling the rise of online media and fake news, with Pheaktra pushing for better information quality and journalism standards. Also this week, Reporters Without Borders is calling on Cambodia to cool it with the trolling of exiled media and to lift bans on independent outlets. They're not pulling any punches, criticizing the government's cyberbullying and urging a return to press freedom.
Read more: Khmer Times (Media Cooperation), RSF (Media Harassment)
Diplomatic Roundup: JP, SA, CN, VN, TH
Japan's Defense Minister plans to visit Cambodia to talk on security cooperation. Saudi Arabia has pledged ongoing humanitarian aid, and Cambodia and China are reaffirming their "ironclad" relationship. Vietnam and Cambodia are looking to boost trade and investment. Cultural diplomacy with Thailand is in the cards to reduce cultural disputes and improve mutual understanding.
Read more: Mainichi (Japan), Khmer Times (Saudi Arabia), Khmer Times (China), VietnamPlus (Vietnam), Cambodianess (Thailand)
Industrial Parks to Woo Thai and Vietnamese
The Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone is casting a wider net, courting companies from Thailand and Vietnam as global supply chains shift. Once a playground for Japanese and Chinese manufacturers, the park is taking advantage of its location to support Thailand's supply chains and pull in production transfers from Vietnam. As geopolitical tensions simmer, the PPSEZ is trying to position Cambodia as the go-to relocation spot. Efforts to trim high logistics costs and tackle corruption are in full swing to make the zone more appetizing to foreign investors.
Read more: Nikkei Asia
And now for something completely different.
While the focus of The Memo is on news for business, we often wrap with a less business-focused article.
The fourth edition of the national short film festival is in the works for late September, lovebirds can now take pre-wedding photos in their own garb at Angkor without permission, a spot of good news for biodiversity, and a fascinating story about a midwife doing amazing work in one of the unlikeliest of places :
Midwife Makes Waves with Births at Sea
Midwife Thlang Sotheavy, armed with skills from FHI 360's Alive & Thrive program, has played stork at sea twice, ensuring healthy outcomes for both moms and tots. Her training, which is centered on skin-to-skin contact and early breastfeeding, has apparently cut down on newborn illnesses and hospital stays in Koh Kong Province. The Irish-backed project has expanded to boost maternal and infant health across nine provincial hospitals, with plans to reach ten more.
Read more: FHI 360
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