Wednesday, January 26, 2011
China using development aid to spearhead Asian push.



The building above in central Phnom Penh was built by the Chinese government for use as the prime minister's office. It is currently being used by the deputy prime minister.
2011/01/26
Asahi Shimbun (Japan)

The extent of China's ambition in Southeast Asia is taking concrete form in a village less than a dozen kilometers east of Vientiane, the Laotian capital.

Last Nov. 18, at a ceremony attended by Laotian Deputy Prime Minister Somsavad Lengsavat and the head of the Chinese Communist Party's Yunnan provincial committee, the foundation stone was laid for a colony for Chinese people on about 1,000 hectares of Laotian farmland.

Whispers about the construction of a city for the Chinese have been rife in Laos since the end of 2009, with talk that the Chinese government had agreed to build stadiums for the Southeast Asian Games in Vientiane that year in return for the construction of a district for Chinese people about 10 kilometers to the west of the current site.

Some Laotians were angered by rumors that their government had granted the right to rent the land for a maximum of 75 years, and would allow 50,000 Chinese to settle in the area.


Those plans appear to have been shelved, but the ceremony in November made clear that the construction of a Chinese town in the middle of Laos was not a pipe dream. Vientiane already has a well-known market with a large Chinese presence, but it will soon have a suburb built expressly for the citizens of its huge northern neighbor.

A joint venture company has been established to develop the 1,000 hectares into homes for Chinese people, as well as agricultural land, factories for food processing and light industrial units to support the community.

China has contributed about 75 percent of the company's capital, with Laos putting in 25 percent to pay for the land and the expense of moving existing residents out of the area.

The local mayor, who said he was only informed about the foundation ceremony two weeks before the dignitaries descended on his district, said he welcomed the jobs the development promised to provide for residents but added, "I am worried about whether they will be able to get along with the Chinese."

The development is part of a growing pattern of China-backed construction across Southeast Asia, which is being facilitated by Chinese development assistance programs and improving relations with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

In the northern Laotian city of Houayxay, Chinese workers are preparing to erect a bridge across the Mekong River connecting Laos with Thailand. About the half of the workers on the project are Chinese, and the Chinese company handling the construction work on the Laotian side belongs to the same group as the entity that used to run China's railways.

Gao Feng, the company's local manager, said, "We feel this is very worthwhile because we can contribute to the development of ASEAN."

China is leading the construction of the "south-north corridor" linking China with Laos and Thailand, part of the Greater Mekong Subregion economic cooperation project promoted by the Asian Development Bank.

Roads already link China with Houayxay. Trucks carrying petroleum and corn from Laos now regularly cross the border to China, with cement, fruits and other products going in the other direction.

And Chinese companies working closely with Beijing have won contracts for other construction projects in northern Laos, including a new runway at an airport in Luang Prabang and a 420-kilometer expressway connecting Vientiane with Boten near the Chinese border. That expressway is eventually expected to extend through Thailand to Singapore.

A Laotian government official said the link promised to connect the isolated, landlocked nation much more closely with its neighbors, but some Laotian officials admit to worries that it could end up making Laos little more than a passageway to other destinations.

From China's point of view, the developments fit into a strategy of integrating its southern provinces with ASEAN countries and securing access for its oil tankers to ports in the Bay of Bengal and in the southern parts of ASEAN member countries.

In Indonesia, in the south of the region, China's influence is increasingly apparent. The 5.4-kilometer-long Suramadu Bridge, connecting Surabaya in central Indonesia with the island of Madura, opened for traffic in 2009. The bridge, the longest in Indonesia, was constructed by a Sino-Indonesian joint venture. The local fishermen call it the "Made in China bridge."

About 2.2 trillion rupiah (about 22 billion yen, or $263 million) in loans from Chinese government-affiliated financial institutions, with easy terms and low interest, funded half of the total construction cost for the main part of the bridge's central span.

More than half of about 630,000 tons of steel used in the bridge came from China, and about 750 workers were shipped in from China. They lived in renovated containers under the bridge during their stay.

A bridge linking Surabaya and the relatively poor Madura island has been a long-standing dream of the Indonesian government's, dating back to the 1950s when President Sukarno ran the country. It was only in 2003, under the presidency of Sukarno's daughter, Megawati Sukarnoputri, that the decision was made to accept Chinese financing.

Arief Witjaksono, the deputy director for Region V in the Indonesian Ministry of Public Works, was in charge of the bridge project. He said: "When we asked Japan, European governments or the World Bank for financing, all sorts of conditions were placed, such as the impact on the environment and whether corruption was involved. China did not once say anything about our political or economic systems in connection with the Suramadu bridge."

However, Witjaksono said there were also issues with China's approach to economic assistance.

"We are not asking China to provide steel or workers," he said. "What we want are funds and technology transfer."

Negotiations are now under way for loans from China for an expressway in western Java and several electric power plants.

China is also taking an increasingly prominent development role in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, countries in which Japan has traditionally been highly active.

Last May, China finished construction of a bridge over the Mekong River in Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital. It was the second so-called "China-Cambodia friendship bridge," and represented a defeat for Japanese prestige in the country. There had been plans for Japan to construct a bridge downstream, but compensation negotiations and a delay in receiving Cabinet approval in Japan gave China a head start.

Chinese construction workers employed by a Shanghai company are also working on three key Cambodian road links: National Road No. 8, about 10 kilometers from the new bridge; National Road No. 1, running parallel to the No. 8 road and connecting Cambodia to Vietnam; and National Road No. 5 to Thailand.

Japanese private and public sector workers in Cambodia say that the Chinese have been getting many of the most promising development projects. While the quality of construction and road paving by the Chinese companies can be unsophisticated, local communities are often just happy to get transport links, the Japanese officials report.

Japan was once Cambodia's largest provider of assistance, contributing $120 million in 2008. However, in 2009, China multiplied its budget by 2.8 times to $260 million, leaving Japan in the dust. In Laos, where Japan was the leading assistance provider for many years, very little progress was made in Japanese infrastructure projects last year, causing major construction companies and trading companies to leave the country.

A Japanese diplomat said Japan's influence in the region was declining: "Unlike China, which sends dignitaries on frequent visits, Japan does not have much presence, because there is little exchange at the political level. This is occurring in what could be considered Japan's backyard."

Wednesday, January 26, 2011
If Thaksin Shinawatra could say anything to Abhisit, it could be: "Welcome to the party!"
"


Yellow Shirts officially turn on ex-ally Abhisit

Wed, Jan 26, 2011
The Nation/Asia News Network

While the number of protesters was far from their peak of the past few years, the yellow shirts provided all the other ingredients for a deja vu when they returned to their familiar spot near Government House yesterday.

In fact, the Abhisit government must have felt something eerily familiar as it suggested it was not taking the seemingly peaceful protest for granted.

As big TV projectors sprang up, cooks started working and the sounds of "clappers" in the Makkhawan Bridge area revived old memories, government leaders immediately rejected the three main demands of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) concerning Thailand's territorial conflicts with Cambodia.

The three PAD demands are:

* Cancellation of the year 2000 memorandum of understanding with Cambodia;
* Thailand's withdrawal from the World Heritage Committee working on the Preah Vihear Temple management;
* Push "encroaching" Cambodians back.


The government vowed to get tough if peace is broken at any point in what the PAD promised would be a prolonged encampment.


"We simply can't yield to their demands," said Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban. "The demands will put national security in danger."

The Centre for Situation Monitoring (CSM), which has replaced the now-defunct Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation, believes that the PAD, and its splinter group - the Thai Patriots Network - which had been protesting to push for similar demands on the other side of Government House, were hell-bent on a protracted stay.

Normal non-military surveillance has been in place in the area, but military units have been instructed to be ready for reinforcement requests.

The yellow crowd was estimated at between 2,500 and 3,000 protesters yesterday, but security officials expected the number could climb to 5,000 in the next few days.

The CSM decided that there was no need to invoke the Internal Security Act, which allows more stringent measures on crowd control, at the moment. However, the CSM does not rule out use of the law if things take a turn for the worse in the future.

Sondhi Limthongkul, on the yellow-shirt stage, reminded Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, "whose handsome look still fools many people", of the time when relentless PAD protests immobilised the Thaksin government and eventually triggered its downfall.

Abhisit can also be forgiven for shrugging off a promise by another PAD leader, Chamlong Srimuang, that protesters would behave themselves and "not go anywhere", at least for now.

"We apologise to the public if this protest is causing disturbances, but we are doing it for the country," Chamlong said in what could also sound eerily familiar.

"We will not move anywhere in the first few days and we will immediately call off the protest if the demands are met."

The PAD leaders claim that this time they are out on the streets to defend 1.8 million rai of Thai soil from being encroached by Cambodia and condemned the Abhisit administration for not defending Thailand's national sovereignty.

As evening fell, the crowd began to swell and its less powerful leaders such as Praphan Koonmee began attacking Abhisit and the administration, claiming the government was selling out Thai soil along the border with Cambodia.

"Since I was born, I have never seen any prime minister speak harmfully to Thai people and his own country," Praphan told the crowd.

"You are fake!" he shouted, referring to Abhisit.

The movement's supporters, such as taxi driver Nattasun Thitiraet, told The Nation that the latest fight was more serious than the one against Thaksin Shinawatra because it was about national sovereignty.

"We'll purge it. This government is going to fall," he predicted. "The people will be roused."

Protester Nattasun, who is in his 50s, said Abhisit had simply let the PAD down. "He himself doesn't cheat but he allows people around him to do so. He doesn't do anything and simply wants to hang on as prime minister."

The yellow shirts are back. And if Thaksin Shinawatra could say anything to Abhisit, it could be: "Welcome to the party!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011


“In Cambodia there is so much corruption”: Aussie Actor Tom Oliver

Neighbours actor Tom Oliver is the ambassador for Connecting Hands, a charity that helps Cambodian survivors of the child sex trade. CARMELO BAZZANO N31WH203
Neighbour's actor Tom Oliver's army to rescue

26 Jan 11
By Bridie Byrne
WhiteHorseLeader (Australia)

A CAMBODIAN girl is sold into sexual slavery at the hands of those she trusts.

A man who poses as her grandfather sells her into a life of torture and daily rape.

She is 12 and years later she is brave enough to escape her life after witnessing the murder of her best friend.

She vows to never forget those she left behind.

Somaly Mam is no longer a voiceless victim and has since dedicated her life to saving victims of the sex trade and empowering survivors.


She created a non-governmental organisation called AFESIP (Acting For Women In Distressing Situations), which rehabilitates children and young women who have been rescued from the sex trade.

Connecting Hands is the sister charity of AFESIP. Formed last September, it has Neighbours actor Tom Oliver as ambassador.

“In Cambodia there is so much corruption,” Oliver said.

“We need to open people’s eyes to what’s happening on our doorstop.

“These women have spent the formative years of their lives doing what they have to do just to survive.”

Oliver has visited the rehabilitation centres, which left him with a sense that inroads were being made to stamp out the horrendous crime.

AFESIP has three centres in Phnom Penh, Kompong Cham and Siem Reap.

“They can now raid the brothels and the women are given legal rights, but some of the girls don’t even know where they came from,” Oliver said.

About four million young women and children will be sold into the sex trade within the next 12 months.

It is a $9.5 billion trade that is second only to drug trafficking as the largest organised crime in the world.

Many of these children are sold for as little as $10 and some are as young as five.

A fundraising dinner for Connecting Hands will be held at the Clarion Hotel in Forest Hill on February 26.

Somaly Mam will be the guest speaker.

Tickets are $80. RSVP by February 3.

Phone 0433 705 897 or visit connectinghands.com.au for more information.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Where Anonymity Breeds Contempt


Jennifer Daniel and Sandi Daniel
November 29, 2010
By JULIE ZHUO
Op-Ed Contributor
The New York Times

THERE you are, peacefully reading an article or watching a video on the Internet. You finish, find it thought-provoking, and scroll down to the comments section to see what other people thought. And there, lurking among dozens of well-intentioned opinions, is a troll.

“How much longer is the media going to milk this beyond tired story?” “These guys are frauds.” “Your idiocy is disturbing.” “We’re just trying to make the world a better place one brainwashed, ignorant idiot at a time.” These are the trollish comments, all from anonymous sources, that you could have found after reading a CNN article on the rescue of the Chilean miners.

Trolling, defined as the act of posting inflammatory, derogatory or provocative messages in public forums, is a problem as old as the Internet itself, although its roots go much farther back. Even in the fourth century B.C., Plato touched upon the subject of anonymity and morality in his parable of the ring of Gyges.


That mythical ring gave its owner the power of invisibility, and Plato observed that even a habitually just man who possessed such a ring would become a thief, knowing that he couldn’t be caught. Morality, Plato argues, comes from full disclosure; without accountability for our actions we would all behave unjustly.

This certainly seems to be true for the anonymous trolls today. After Alexis Pilkington, a 17-year-old Long Island girl, committed suicide earlier this year, trolls descended on her online tribute page to post pictures of nooses, references to hangings and other hateful comments. A better-known example involves Nicole Catsouras, an 18-year-old who died in a car crash in California in 2006. Photographs of her badly disfigured body were posted on the Internet, where anonymous trolls set up fake tribute pages and in some cases e-mailed the photos to her parents with subject lines like “Hey, Daddy, I’m still alive.”

Psychological research has proven again and again that anonymity increases unethical behavior. Road rage bubbles up in the relative anonymity of one’s car. And in the online world, which can offer total anonymity, the effect is even more pronounced. People — even ordinary, good people — often change their behavior in radical ways. There’s even a term for it: the online disinhibition effect.

Many forums and online communities are looking for ways to strike back. Back in February, Engadget, a popular technology review blog, shut down its commenting system for a few days after it received a barrage of trollish comments on its iPad coverage.

Many victims are turning to legislation. All 50 states now have stalking, bullying or harassment laws that explicitly include electronic forms of communication. Last year, Liskula Cohen, a former model, persuaded a New York judge to require Google to reveal the identity of an anonymous blogger who she felt had defamed her, and she has now filed a suit against the blogger. Last month, another former model, Carla Franklin, persuaded a judge to force YouTube to reveal the identity of a troll who made a disparaging comment about her on the video-sharing site.

But the law by itself cannot do enough to disarm the Internet’s trolls. Content providers, social networking platforms and community sites must also do their part by rethinking the systems they have in place for user commentary so as to discourage — or disallow — anonymity. Reuters, for example, announced that it would start to block anonymous comments and require users to register with their names and e-mail addresses in an effort to curb “uncivil behavior.”

Some may argue that denying Internet users the ability to post anonymously is a breach of their privacy and freedom of expression. But until the age of the Internet, anonymity was a rare thing. When someone spoke in public, his audience would naturally be able to see who was talking.

Others point out that there’s no way to truly rid the Internet of anonymity. After all, names and e-mail addresses can be faked. And in any case many commenters write things that are rude or inflammatory under their real names.

But raising barriers to posting bad comments is still a smart first step. Well-designed commenting systems should also aim to highlight thoughtful and valuable opinions while letting trollish ones sink into oblivion.

The technology blog Gizmodo is trying an audition system for new commenters, under which their first few comments would be approved by a moderator or a trusted commenter to ensure quality before anybody else could see them. After a successful audition, commenters can freely post. If over time they impress other trusted commenters with their contributions, they’d be promoted to trusted commenters, too, and their comments would henceforth be featured.

Disqus, a comments platform for bloggers, has experimented with allowing users to rate one another’s comments and feed those ratings into a global reputation system called Clout. Moderators can use a commenter’s Clout score to “help separate top commenters from trolls.”

At Facebook, where I’ve worked on the design of the public commenting widget, the approach is to try to replicate real-world social norms by emphasizing the human qualities of conversation. People’s faces, real names and brief biographies (“John Doe from Lexington”) are placed next to their public comments, to establish a baseline of responsibility.

Facebook also encourages you to share your comments with your friends. Though you’re free to opt out, the knowledge that what you say may be seen by the people you know is a big deterrent to trollish behavior.

This kind of social pressure works because, at the end of the day, most trolls wouldn’t have the gall to say to another person’s face half the things they anonymously post on the Internet.

Instead of waiting around for human nature to change, let’s start to rein in bad behavior by promoting accountability. Content providers, stop allowing anonymous comments. Moderate your comments and forums. Look into using comment services to improve the quality of engagement on your site. Ask your users to report trolls and call them out for polluting the conversation.

In slowly lifting the veil of anonymity, perhaps we can see the troll not as the frightening monster of lore, but as what we all really are: human.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Thailand border issue heats up, again

Jan 25th 2011
By Chris Owen
Gadling.com


Ever since seven Thais were arrested in Cambodia in December for illegal entry and trespassing in the ongoing border dispute, tensions have been heating up.

Today, 2,000 nationalist Thai "Yellow Shirts" rallied in the streets of Bangkok to protest the government's handling of it all.

"We have made our suggestions to the government but they have failed to act, so we have no other choice," said one Yellow Shirt protester.

In the last two days security forces, some 3000-strong at times, have dealt with potential bomb attacks, a large rally by the rival "Red Shirts", and a Yellow gathering near Government House where they accused Thailand Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of failing to defend long disputed territory from Cambodia.


This is just the latest in the ongoing tensions between the once-friendly Yellows led by the Peoples Alliance for Democracy (PAD) who's 2008 rallies and protests helped make way for Abhisit to come to power. Since then, those same demonstrations that also closed two airports in Bangkok, stranding thousands of travelers caused Abhisit to distance himself from the Yellows.

In today's rally, Yellow's had three demands. They want the government to revoke a memorandum of understanding about the Thai/Cambodia border from 2000, withdrawal of Thailand from the UNESCO World Heritage Committee and to expel Cambodians from the disputed area.

Prime Minister Abhisit has made the government's position perfectly clear stating that the government would not agree to their demands.

So the Thailand/Cambodia border issues continues with the tension, rallies, demonstrations and violence escalating as it has for years along the long, common border between Thailand and Cambodia.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011
SRP to shuffle positions


Sam Rainsy Party lawmakers Mu Sochua (left) and Yim Sovann speak Tuesday at a press conference in Phnom Penh. (Photo by: Sovan Philong)
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

The opposition Sam Rainsy Party has agreed to replace some of its lawmakers with party officials who stood as candidates in the 2008 election, in a bid to shore up its electoral support ahead of elections in 2013.

SRP spokesman Yim Sovann told reporters Tuesday that the party had agreed to swap National Assembly members in response to a petition to party president Sam Rainsy by eight candidates from 2008.

“We have a resolution that was passed by the permanent committee. We have decided to provide appropriate posts to every person that was a lawmaker candidate in the 2008 election.”

He also dismissed recent claims by Prime Minister Hun Sen, who said during a speech on December 29 that he has spies embedded within the SRP who are relaying “secret information” about the party’s activities.


“There are many Hun Sen spies embedded in the opposition party and if the SRP wants to hide its secrets, its must destroy the entire group,” Hun Sen said at the time.

But Yim Sovann said the premier’s political strategy wouldn’t weaken the SRP and instead demonstrated that they had made the right decisions.

“For almost 20 years, the Cambodian People’s Party, especially Samdech Prime Minister [Hun Sen] has attempted to use every strategy to disrupt the Sam Rainsy Party,” he said. “Even though His Excellency Sam Rainsy is not present in the country, grassroots leaders, in particular [council members] in government are bravely fulfilling their obligations.”

But Koul Panha, executive director of local election monitor Comfrel, condemned the announcement by the SRP, saying it was against the spirit of the constitution and democratic principles.

“This does not follow the constitution or respect the membership of the National Assembly,” Koul Panha said. “This is something against the principles of democracy. Members of the National Assembly are elected by the people.”

Cheam Yeap, senior lawmaker for the Cambodian People’s Party, said the National Assembly would allow a change of parliamentarians after the change was agreed by the SRP’s leaders and recognised by the National Election Committee.

NEC Secretary General Tep Nytha said the mid-term reshuffle didn’t concern the NEC, and said it would not be opposed to a request by the SRP if it was agreed by the party president.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011
[Thai] Military flexes its muscle [-Thailand is at stage 2 before using force against Cambodia]

Thousands of People’s Alliance for Democracy supporters join the movement’s protest near Makkhawan Rangsan Bridge on Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue. The yellow shirts gathered yesterday for the first day of what is expected to be a protracted rally. APICHIT JINAKUL
Abhisit approves army exercise near temple

26/01/2011
By Wassana Nanuam and Anucha Charoenpo
Bangkok Post

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has given the army the green light to conduct a military exercise near Preah Vihear temple to display its strength as Cambodia continues to lay claim to the disputed area.

The provocative move came after Thailand demanded Cambodia remove a stone tablet carrying a message in Khmer that accused Thai troops of invading Cambodia territory from that spot.

A senior army source who asked not to be named said yesterday the military exercise near the border was proposed by the army.

Thai gamblers would also be blocked from visiting Cambodian casinos close to Thai territory if Phnom Penh refused demands to remove the tablet.

Army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha said Thailand would follow proper procedures in handling border disputes with Cambodia.

''There are three steps to solving border issues. They include negotiations, intensified measures and the use of force. We will not move directly from Step 1 to Step 3,'' Gen Prayuth said.


The tablet was installed in front of Wat Kaew Sikha Khiri Sawara temple, about 300 metres from the ancient Preah Vihear temple.

''We must show our strength,'' the source quoted the prime minister as saying in his recent meeting with Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon and Gen Prayuth.

The source said Gen Prayuth planned to deploy infantrymen close to Preah Vihear in Kantharalak district of Si Sa Ket province.

The deployment will reinforce paramilitary rangers who are guarding a disputed area with no back-up.

''The army plans to conduct a drill that includes artillery fire close to the border,'' the source said.

The source revealed the military exercise was aimed at sending a message to Cambodia that Thailand is not only unhappy with the placement of the stone tablet in the disputed area but also Cambodia's continuing construction of a road to Preah Vihear.

The 3.6-kilometre road is being built on the 4.6-square-kilometre disputed area next to Preah Vihear.

Cambodia has ignored Thailand's re peated protests against the roadworks. The source said Cambodia and China were accelerating the work on the road with the aim to facilitate visits to the Preah Vihear temple from the Cambodian side.

The source said Mr Abhisit also gave the nod to the army to prevent Thai gamblers from crossing the border to visit Cambodian casinos in Poi Pet, opposite Aranyaprathet district of Sa Kaeo province.

The source said the prime minister did not mention the possibility of border closure which would seriously affect local people.

as well as two Thai people: Veera Somkwamkid and Ratree Pipatanapaiboon who were prosecuted allegedly for trespassing and espionage on Cambodian soil. Mr Veera is still detained and verdicts on their cases are expected on Feb 1.

Mr Abhisit was also said to have agreed to allow the army to buy weapons it needed to handle the border situation.

The nationalist People's Alliance for Democracy yesterday urged the government to use the country's stronger military capacity to gain leverage over the Cambodian government in its negotiations with Phnom Penh on disputed border areas.

Maj Gen Chamlong Srimuang, a core PAD leader, said the Thai military did not have to wage a war with Cambodia to regain Thai sovereignty over disputed areas along the border.

But it could use the country's military might to gain a stronger bargaining position.

The government has not tried to gain such leverage through the demonstration of Thailand's military capacity, Maj Gen Chamlong said.

''Consequently, it has allowed the Cambodian government to have the upper hand,'' he said.

''Our fighter jets can reach Cambodian skies in five minutes.''

Asked if such a demonstration of Thailand's military might would hurt the country's bilateral relationship with its neighbour, Maj Gen Chamlong replied: ''What are you afraid of more? Hurting the ties or losing territory?''

PAD spokesman Panthep Phongphuaphan said Thailand's military capacity was certainly higher than that of Cambodia.

The government should use this advantage in its effort to protect the country's sovereignty and pressure the Cambodian government to move Cambodian communities out of the disputed areas along the border.

More importantly, Thailand should revoke the 2000 memorandum of understanding with Cambodia as the agreement gave Phnom Penh greater negotiating powers and enabled Cambodians to continue living on Thai soil, Mr Panthep said.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011
The puny and bad KI-Media bullies the strong, huge and voiceless Royal Government of Cambodia (sic! really!)






























Anonymous comments read on KI-Media regarding Anonimity

Comment No. 1:

that makes sense, anonymous bloggers such as here on ki seems to verbally attack cambodia and gov't to dicredit and hurt without thinking twice what is appropriate, what is civilized and so forth. they almost became uninformed, uneducated when they used emotion and anger instead of objective and pragmatic, etc... i agree here.

Typical picture of forced evictions used by KI-Media
in an uninformed and uneducated way to attack Cambodia
and gov't to discredit and hurt without thinking twice
what is appropriate?


Comment No. 2:

a lot of time they inflamed the gov't in cambodia. not fair to gov't there as they have no voice here. i hope the world don't be prejudice against cambodia from reading this blog too much. people are just being people here without and control at all here, really!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011
MP Panich defies advice to stay away

26/01/2011
Manop Thip-Osod
Bangkok Post

Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth has defied a request to stay away from parliament by taking his seat to vote on amendments to the constitution.

House speaker Chai Chidchob asked Mr Panich yesterday to take a leave of absence to prevent possible legislative problems over his status as an MP, which remains unclear after his conviction last week by a Cambodian court.

Mr Chai met with parliamentarians to discuss Mr Panich's status before the joint meeting of the houses began debating the amendments. He then told the Democrat MP he wanted him to absent himself from the session.

Mr Panich and four other Thais were given nine-month suspended jail sentences last Thursday by a Phnom Penh court for illegal entry into Cambodia.


The MP yesterday stood firm on his right to attend the joint meeting. He insisted he was still a member of the lower house and so was entitled to cast his vote.

The Democrat MP voted in support of the charter amendments.

The Election Commission has decided to set up a subcommittee to investigate Mr Panich's conviction and recommend whether he should lose his seat.

Commissioner Prapan Naigowit said the EC received a report yesterday from the Foreign Affairs Ministry concerning the court verdict against Mr Panich.

The law bars those convicted of a crime from sitting in the lower house. The subcommittee must decide if a conviction in a foreign court would disqualify Mr Panich of his MP status.

The EC will forward its decision to the house speaker. If it finds Mr Panich should be stripped of his seat, the speaker would forward the matter to the Constitution Court for a final ruling.

Section 106 (5) of the constitution states that an MP will lose their seat if sentenced to jail, regardless of whether the sentence is suspended, except where the offence is considered unintentional.

Mt Pritchard's Nola awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia [-Congratulations and Thank you, Nola!]











































Nola May Randall-Mohk, (correct), of Mt Pritchard, has been awarded the OAM, for her services to the Cambodian and Khmer communities. With Nola, are her two Grandchildren, Pik Meas, 14, and on right is Sotheary Thach, 8.
26 Jan 11
By Lauren McMah
FairfieldAdvance (Australia)

IT’S not the kind of work you get into for the praise.

But after over 25 years of assisting multicultural and refugee communities, Mt Pritchard’s Nola Randall-Mohk has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.

“I’m pretty excited,” Ms Randall-Mohk said.

“I don’t even know who nominated me. It’s a relief to know someone noticed that the system works.”

Inspired by the plight of refugees from Cambodia’s Pol Pot regime, Ms Randall-Mohk has given particular assistance to Khmer communities, and has been public officer and director of human resources for the Cambodian-Australian Welfare Council of NSW since 2000.

She said she was saddened by many people’s attitudes towards her Cambodian students during her time as a TAFE teacher in the 1980s.


“I was appalled at the racism I saw at the time,” Ms Randall-Mohk said.

“I do believe in a multicultural Australia and in equal chances and I believe a lot of people weren’t getting that. I wanted to right those wrongs, you could say.”

Since then, Ms Randall-Mohk has had roles with a range of organisations including the Khmer Community of NSW, the Australian National Committee on Refugee Women and the Australian Cambodian Association.

Currently the outreach co-ordinator at Liverpool TAFE, Ms Randall-Mohk admits to working seven-day weeks but recently found time for her yearly pilgrimage to Cambodia.

“I was pretty astounded by how things have changed. There’s a lot of development but also a lot of poverty,” she said.

“You set out to help people but you learn a lot from them. I’ve become more flexible by learning new ways of doing things. It’s made my life interesting.”

Cambodia dismisses Human Rights Watch criticisms as 'lie' [-Tith Sothea should pull his head out from his boss' derriere sometime]




























Tith Sothea in rare instance when his head is not buried in his boss' derriere (Photo: DAP)
PHNOM PENH, Jan. 25 (AP) - (Kyodo)—The Cambodian government on Tuesday dismissed as a "lie" a report by a U.S.-based human rights advocacy group that accused it of stepping up its repression of freedoms of expression, assembly and association last year.

Tith Sothea, spokesman of the Office of the Council of Ministers, slammed the accusations made in Human Rights Watch's annual report, calling it "inaccurate and a lie" and rejecting it as devoid of value.

He said the report ignored the Cambodian government's commitment to implement and strengthen the country's rule of law.

Human Rights Watch's report said the government in 2010 used the judiciary, new laws, and threats of arrest or legal action to restrict free speech, jail government critics, disperse workers and farmers peacefully protesting and silence opposition party members.

The report also said the government violated Cambodia's obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention by deporting to China some 20 Uighur asylum seekers at risk of torture and mistreatment there, which happened on the eve of a visit by senior Chinese officials that finalized a massive aid package to Cambodia.

It said journalists who criticize the government face biased legal action, imprisonment, and violence, while politically motivated court cases continue to target opposition members.


Pending legislation on nongovernmental organizations and trade unions is expected to further tighten restrictions on freedom of association, it said, noting that a new law already allows local officials to ban protests deemed threats to "security, safety, and public order."

The report said years of international donor funding for judicial reform in Cambodia have had little effect, and it noted that a report submitted in September by the U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia strongly criticized the lack of judicial independence.

Japan, Cambodia's largest donor, "maintained its practice of not publicly confronting the government about its rights violations," while China, another major investor and donor, "continued to increase aid to Cambodia with no conditions made to improve human rights," Human Rights Watch said.

The rights group faulted the United States for continuing to aid and train Cambodia's armed forces, including units with records of serious rights violations

But according to U.S. Embassy spokesman Mark Wenig, "Every individual who is trained is thoroughly vetted both in Phnom Penh and Washington in accordance with U.S. law and Department regulations."

"The U.S. government provides training to Cambodian security forces to advance our goals of creating a more professional force and to advance U.S. objectives in areas such as counterterrorism and peacekeeping operations," he said.

The rights group also took Washington to task for U.S.-funded regional peacekeeping exercises last July, which it said took place on land transferred from a military unit involved in illegal land seizures.

Such illegal land seizures and forced evictions continue to escalate, it said, with thousands of families newly affected last year and dozens of people imprisoned or awaiting trial for protesting forced evictions and land grabbing.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Cambodia: Chokehold on Basic Freedoms Tightens


































Forced evictions continue to escalate in Cambodia. The forced eviction of more than 300 villagers in Chuk district, Kampot in 2008, was carried out by a mixed group of about 100 Brigade 31 soldiers, forestry and environment officers, police, and military police. Most were armed with handguns or AK-47s. (© 2008 Licadho)
UN, Donors Should Forcefully Challenge Increased Restrictions on Rights

January 24, 2011
Source: Human Rights Watch

"The Cambodian government has used bluster and intimidation to push the UN and donors into silence about abuses. The international community needs to advocate more forcefully for the human rights of the Cambodian people." - Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch

(New York) - The Cambodian government tightened restrictions on fundamental freedoms in 2010, making it increasingly difficult and risky for human rights defenders, land rights activists, and trade unionists to operate, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2011.

The 649-page report, Human Rights Watch's 21st annual review of human rights practices around the globe, summarizes major human rights trends in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide. During 2010, Human Rights Watch said, the Cambodian government increasingly ignored or dismissed human rights concerns of United Nations agencies and international donors that have made significant contributions to the country's budget for years. Instead, Prime Minister Hun Sen rebuked UN officials, threatening to expel the UN resident coordinator and the UN human rights office director in Phnom Penh.

"The Cambodian government has used bluster and intimidation to push the UN and donors into silence about abuses," said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "The international community needs to advocate more forcefully for the human rights of the Cambodian people."


The year started with the forced return of 20 ethnic Uighur asylum seekers to China, where they were at risk of torture. This flagrant violation of Cambodia's obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention was made over strenuous protests by key donors and UN agencies. In March, Hun Sen threatened to expel Cambodia's UN resident coordinator for calling for greater transparency in passage of an anti-corruption law. In October in a meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Hun Sen demanded the closure of the UN human rights office in Phnom Penh unless the UN dismissed its country representative, whom the government accused without evidence of supporting the opposition.

A new penal code contains draconian and vaguely defined provisions that permit criminal prosecution for peaceful expression. Shortly after the law went into effect in December, a World Food Program staff member was sentenced to prison on politically motivated incitement charges. Laws being drafted to regulate nongovernmental organizations and trade unions are expected to restrict their ability to exist, operate, and organize activities, in violation of the rights to freedom of association and assembly. Even without these restrictive laws, authorities regularly use force to disperse peaceful protests.

"The Cambodian government is using laws to restrict political space for activists who peacefully speak out against government misconduct and corruption," Robertson said. "The government should recognize its obligations to protect peaceful political speech, and not persecute those who exercise that right."

The repressive laws are implemented by a wholly pliant judiciary controlled by the government, which made no efforts during 2010 to improve judicial independence. Instead, the government used the courts to bring politically motivated prosecutions against opposition party members. In January, the opposition leader Sam Rainsy was sentenced in absentia to two years in prison in a closed trial on charges of racial incitement and destroying border demarcation posts. In September, he was sentenced to an additional 10 years in prison on trumped-up charges of "disinformation" and falsifying maps.

The credibility of the UN-backed Khmer Rouge Tribunal was undermined by political interference from the highest levels of government. While meeting with Secretary-General Ban in October, Hun Sen stated that the court would prosecute only the four Khmer Rouge leaders in custody, even though the tribunal's international co-prosecutor had submitted the names of six additional suspects for indictment in 2009.

"The UN and donors need to be much more vigilant and vocal in challenging political interference with the Khmer Rouge Tribunal so that it can do its work independently and impartially," Robertson said.

Illegal land confiscation and forced evictions escalated during 2010, putting the livelihood of millions of urban and rural poor at risk. Land rights activists faced violence and arrest, with more than 60 people jailed or awaiting trial for protesting forced evictions and land grabbing.

Throughout the year the government arbitrarily detained sex workers, people who use drugs, homeless people, and the mentally ill in government-run Social Affairs Centers or drug detention centers, where they are subject to beatings and other serious abuses. More than 2,000 people have been arbitrarily detained in 11 government-run drug detention centers. Although they are mandated to treat and "rehabilitate" drug users, the centers subject detainees to violence, forced labor, and military-style drills. Many detainees are children or people with mental illnesses.

Women and girls involved in sex work, including transgender women, face beatings, rape, sexual harassment, extortion, arbitrary arrest, and detention by police, government-hired security guards and Social Affairs Center employees. Homeless people, beggars, the mentally ill, and other indigent people gathered in police sweeps are also detained and mistreated in these centers.

"Cambodia's donors need to wake up and recognize that the human rights situation in Cambodia is rapidly deteriorating," Robertson said. "They should demand that the government abide by its human rights obligations, and they should be front-line defenders of civil society against government intimidation."

New rocket battalion planned [by Thai army - Is it in response to Cambodia?]

Cambodia tested its BM-21 missile launchers in March 2010 (Photo: AFP)
25/01/2011
Bangkok Post




















The army has plans for a new battalion to be equipped with multi-barrel rocket launchers (MBRLs), attached to the existing Lop Buri-based Artillery Division, an army source said.

Under the plan, a large number of MBRLs will be bought from the Defence Technology Institute (DTI), an organisation under the Defence Ministry.

DTI, in collaboration with the army of China, has produced a prototype DTI-1 MBRL, using technology transferred from China.

On Monday, Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon and army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha visited the Artillery Division in Lop Buri where they took receipt of the first of the MBRLs developed by DTI.

MBRL systems are in wide use with the Cambodian military, which has large numbers of them.


The source said the plan ned new battalion has the support of the prime minister, who sees it as a way of boosting the army's capability.

At the hand-over ceremony, Gen Prayuth said it has been the army's wish since 1988 to have a rocket company. At present, the defence minister has approved in principle the development of MBRLs and the newly developed weapon has been tested.

Lt-Gen Thitinan Tunyasiri, the DTI director, said the MBRL prototype is very important as its technology can be use to develop a guided missile system to respond to demands from various army units.

In the near future, the DTI will proceed with other projects to build unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), signal jammers, combat auxiliary systems, and amphibious assault vehicles (AAV), to reduce reliance on imports from abroad, he said.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Poll finds border a key issue [-Now you know why Hun Xen does not want anybody to talk about Viet encroachments]



Monday, 24 January 2011
Mary Kozlovski
The Phnom Penh Post


Thirty-six percent of Cambodians feel that border demarcation is the most important issue impacting Cambodia, according to a nationwide poll conducted by the International Republican Institute last year.


President of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, Ou Virak, said that the government has learned it can benefit politically from border issues.


“In the past, the government has never mentioned border issues,” he said.


“After 2008, border issues have become a major issue with Thailand because of the Preah Vihear conflict.


“Even before 2008, a lot of border issues were raised by the opposition [Sam Rainsy] Party”.


IRI country director John Willis said that border demarcation polled highly as an issue in previous IRI surveys.




A 2008 IRI survey showed that, when asked about the three most important issues impacting on the country, the percentage of Cambodians who cited border issues and demarcation jumped from 5 percent to 59 percent between August 2007 and November 2008.


Ou Virak, however, said that while people care about border demarcation, they were unlikely to change their vote because of border issues. “It would be interesting to see whether the same people would be likely to vote because of that issue,” he said.


“My bet is no. The majority will vote on economic issues and things that affect them more directly like healthcare and employment”.


Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said that he had not read the IRI poll, but that border demarcation is an important issue for Cambodians.


“We have a number of intrusions by the Thai people, so people pay attention,” he said.


“They want to protect their homeland. And the media reports on it a lot.”


Representatives from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party could not be reached for comment.


The IRI poll, which attempts to gauge Cambodian public opinion, surveyed 2,000 Cambodians from across the country over July and August last year.


According to the poll, 76 percent of people believe the country is heading in the right direction – down from 79 percent in 2009 and a peak of 82 percent in 2008 – with a majority citing an increase in roads, schools and health clinics.


The poll also showed that 23 percent of people believe the country is moving in the wrong direction, with a majority citing corruption.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Eviction anniversary brings tears [-Tunisia in the making?]


Srey Sothea, chairman of the evil 7NG company, received decorations from Hun Xen


Srey Chanthou (L), 7NG managing director, holding hands with Hing Bun Hean, Hun Xen's bodyguard unit's commander






Monday, 24 January 2011
Kim Yuthana and Rebecca Puddy
The Phnom Penh Post


Around 200 former residents of the city’s Dey Krahorm community gathered at the site today to mark the two year anniversary of their violent eviction from their homes.


Framed by fragrant incense smoke, monks prayed and despondent villagers cried as they remembered the destruction of their homes on January 24, 2009.


On that day, dozens of families were forced from the site by police and construction workers employed by local firm 7NG.


Many of the residents were taken to the Damnak Trayeung relocation site on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, with little access economic opportunity and few basic services.




David Pred, executive director of Bridges Across Borders Cambodia, said some villagers who possessed titles for land at Dey Krahorm were allocated new land.


While the village initially had poor services, basic infrastructure is being extended to the area.


But he said those residents who did not receive land at Damnak Trayeung had “languished” under tarpaulin shelters until they were shifted to a rice paddy at Tang Khiev village in Kandal province’s Ponhea Leu district.


“It’s a humanitarian disaster out there,” Pred said.


“There was never any plan to deal with people who didn’t have land allocated.”


He added: “Ninety-five percent of the population in Tang Khiev don’t have enough food to eat; they can’t make a living; they have health issues; and there is no running water or sanitation.”


Pred said of the 335 families who initially moved to Tang Khiev, only 75 remain, as people had to leave to find work.


Stickers distributed tpday at the site depicted the harrowing scenes of January 24, 2009: women and children crying, police wielding batons and shields, and houses catching fire as they were bulldozed.


Chan Vicheat, a former Dey Krahorm villager, said the residents could not forget the eviction while they continued to live in substandard conditions with limited electricity, no clean water and little security.


“They live like animals,” Chan Vicheat said.


Sia Phearum, director of the Housing Rights Task Force, said the anniversary of the eviction was an important reminder of the loss of the community’s rights.


“The residents who were evicted now live far away,” he said.


“They lost every right, such as their right to life and right to education, because the stability of their lives changes one day to another.”


7NG managing director Srey Chanthou could not be reached today.


Chheang Bauna, the firm’s general manager, declined to comment.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011
SRP To Rotate Parliamentarians Mid-Term
Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Monday, 24 January 2011


"The rotation agreement would need to be honored, to avoid internal party conflict in the upcoming 2013 parliamentary election."
The Sam Rainsy Party is preparing for a repositioning of National Assembly seats for its lawmakers, halfway through the election cycle.


The opposition party’s vice president, Kong Korm, is returning from a two-day party meeting that ended in Manila Sunday, where exiled party president, Sam Rainsy, issued instructions for the rotation, officials said Monday.


The party holds 26 legislative seats in the National Assembly, and party officials say the replacement of party members to different seats will strengthen the party’s chances in upcoming elections.


The rotation is in response to a reminder from eight steering committee members reminding the president of the rotation.




Kong Korm, who is the acting party president while the president remains abroad, “will directly meet with you all to confirm and explain the decision of the party,” Sam Rainsy wrote.


Noun Vuthy, a member of the steering committee, confirmed the decision, which will be implemented in March.


The rotation of all 26 seats is determined by the amount of money candidates paid during the election campaign in 2008. The first five candidates for each province paid $24,000 in campaign funding, while the next four each paid $22,000.


The rotation will switch out the top-tier candidates for the second-tier candidates.


Am Sam Ath, head of investigation for the rights group Licadho, said the rotation would change up party experience and policy. The rotation agreement would need to be honored, he said, to avoid internal party conflict in the upcoming 2013 parliamentary election.


But the rotation could also cause problems in parliamentary coherency, he said.


Meanwhile, the party will have to prepare for 2012 commune council elections, as Sam Rainsy remains in exile to avoid criminal charges he has decried as politically motivated.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Cambodia suppresses question on '97 grenade attack
Source: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)



Bangkok, January 24, 2011--The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by reports that Cambodian officials deleted digital recordings and confiscated recording equipment from a number of journalists who covered a January 21 government press conference in Phnom Penh.
Om Yentieng, head of the government's anti-corruption unit and Human Rights Committee, ordered an aide to confiscate the property after a reporter asked a question about an unsolved grenade attack that targeted an opposition rally in 1997, according to a statement released by the Overseas Press Club of Cambodia. Sixteen activists were killed in the attack.


Government spokesman Phay Siphan later told news media that the government was within its rights to confiscate reporters' recordings and equipment to protect the "privacy rights" and "dignity" of officials. The Press Club noted in response that the confiscation of tapes and recorders constitutes censorship in violation of Article 3 of the 1995 Press Law, which broadly guarantees press freedoms.


The censorship generated some coverage in the Cambodian press. The independent English-language daily, The Phnom Penh Post, reported the question and Om Yentieng's reponse. The official called the question a "trap," labeled the reporter a "Khmer child," and asserted that recordings required permission, the Post reported.




"Despite its legal commitments to uphold press freedom, Prime Minister Hun Sen's government continues to use strong-arm tactics against the media," said Shawn Crispin, CPJ's senior Southeast Asia representative. "We call on Cambodian authorities to stop harassing the media and immediately return the tapes and recording equipment illegally taken from reporters."


The confiscation comes amid other attacks on dissent in Cambodia. On December 19, a Cambodian court sentenced U.N. World Food Program employee and Cambodian national Seng Kunnaka to six months in prison for circulating articles about a border dispute with Vietnam, according to news reports. He was charged under Article 495 of the new penal code enacted on December 10, which includes an overly broad definition of incitement that threatens freedom of expression.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Police thwart protest bomb bid [in Bangkok]



Suspects say they were hired to instigate unrest

25/01/2011
Wassayos Ngamkham and Nattaya
Bangkok Post


Police have seized two homemade bombs and other ammunition from a group who reportedly confessed to having been hired to sabotage the People's Alliance for Democracy rally planned for today.


The discovery came as the PAD prepared to join two other pressure groups in a protest aimed at forcing the government to take a tougher stance in its dealings with Cambodia on border issues.


Police spotted a man behaving suspiciously at Misakawan intersection on Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue about 5pm yesterday.


They said a search found he had two homemade explosives in his possession. One was designed to be detonated by a mobile phone signal, while the other was connected to a clock and set to go off at 7.45pm.




The man, later identified as Tawatchai Iamnak, 37, reportedly confessed to being hired to plant the bombs at Chamai Maruchet Bridge, near Government House, where the Santi Asoke Buddhist sect is staging a rally.


Police used a watergun to destroy the bombs' circuits.


Questioning of Mr Tawatchai led to the arrest of four other suspects at a house on Soi Rama II 28, where police found a number of rocket-propelled grenades and more ammunition, including about 30 bullets. One of the suspects reportedly confessed to being hired to stir up unrest at the PAD rally and to bomb Government House.


The arms seizure took place as demonstrators from the provinces started to arrive in Bangkok to join today's rally at Makkhawan Bridge on Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue.


Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the authorities had been informed of the attack attempt but he did not know who was behind the suspects.


The planned rally will see the PAD join forces with the Santi Asoke sect - also known as the Dhamma Army - and the Thai Patriots Network.


The situation has been further complicated by a planned demonstration today by the June 24 Group, which is allied to the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship. Its members plan to gather at the nearby Democracy Monument to protest against the PAD's interference in foreign relations.


The PAD has chosen Makkhawan Bridge to set up a stage, while the Santi Asoke sect and the Thai Patriots Network are encamped at Chamai Maruchet Bridge on nearby Phitsanulok Road.


The three groups share the primary demand of the revocation of a year 2000 memorandum of understanding signed by Thailand and Cambodia governing their border disagreements.


The PAD also wants the government to drive Cambodians from disputed areas on the border and to cancel Thailand's membership of the Unesco World Heritage Committee.


Mr Abhisit said yesterday he would not bow to the demands. Such actions would only have adverse effects and might lead to war.


The prime minister also pointed out that Thailand's withdrawal from the World Heritage Committee would mean it would no longer be able to oppose Cambodia's management plan for the heritage-listed Preah Vihear temple on the border.


Maj Gen Chamlong Srimuang, a key PAD leader, insisted yesterday the alliance would continue its rally until the group's demands were met.


He said PAD supporters would not storm Government House as part of the protest and the group was not seeking to oust the government. Its main aim was to protect and defend the country's territorial integrity.


"Although we are not confident of victory, we are at least performing our duty as Thais," Maj Gen Chamlong said.


The PAD leader denied rumours of a rift with Santi Asoke leader Samana Photirak.


He said they were in frequent contact by telephone and the PAD and Santi Asoke would work closely together during the rally.


Sunthorn Rakrong, a Thai Patriots Network coordinator, said his group would not join the PAD rally at Makkhawan Bridge. It would hold a separate rally at Chamai Maruchet Bridge.


Mr Sunthorn said the network was not in conflict with the PAD. They might have different tactics, but they share a common goal.


Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Jakthip Chaijinda said 20 units made up of about 2,000 officers had been assigned to monitor the protests.


Sixteen units will be deployed at Makkhawan Bridge and four units at Government House.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Isolated Abhisit may still survive dual attacks


January 25, 2011
The Nation


Thailand is enjoying a break from political upheaval, but with reds and yellows both calling for the PM's head, how long will this fragile peace last?


The Democrat Party is looking strangely isolated. For the first time in its term, the largest party in the coalition government is facing back-to-back protests by the red and yellow shirts. To add to that, the ongoing tussle over charter amendment proposals with the coalition allies means that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's party cannot boast a government in "harmony" going into an imminent censure debate with the opposition Pheu Thai Party.


In the old days, all these factors taken together would have constituted a big "crisis", but this is new politics and this is a prime minister who has survived political bloodbaths and potentially crippling court cases in the same year. However, last Sunday's rally by the red shirts, today's protest by the yellow shirts, the charter amendment impasse and the looming no-confidence showdown with the opposition are not a walk in the park. For one thing, while enemies and detractors of the government may share some common goals, they are still not advocating the same causes. Whether this will benefit Abhisit or make things worse for him remains to be seen.




Both the yellow and red shirts now want the prime minister to go. The red shirts are citing the casualties of last year's political bloodshed as the key reason. The yellow shirts have been upset by the government's Cambodia-related policies, which ironically have more to do with some messy issues left by pro-red governments.


Optimists see the violent street politics of last year evolving into something more manageable democratically. The red shirts are unlikely to go back to the extremism that could give the prime minister an excuse to reverse his "early election" promise.


The yellow shirts - who have denounced the red-shirts' tactics for causing disruption to peace and order - are unlikely to swallow their words, at least not too soon.


The upcoming parliamentary censure debate is expected to be aimed at the entire Cabinet. That will be a tactical approach because ministers and deputy ministers who are MPs will not be allowed to "vote for themselves". With the number of coalition members and opposition MPs eligible to vote in the censure not so different, political undercurrents can transform into big waves at the time of voting.


But before the censure can happen, the prime minister and the Democrat Party must first sort out problems with their coalition allies regarding the proposed charter amendment. Serious conflicts seemingly remain unsolved, but observers believe that when push comes to shove, the coalition partners will prefer to toe the Democrats' line than gang up with Pheu Thai and have their way.


Therefore, isolated as he seems, Abhisit is not yet in a back-to-the-wall situation. Much will depend on how strong the yellow shirts' momentum will carry forward. The movement has been weakened by internal strife and the disillusionment of peripheral sympathisers.


As for the red shirts, their street campaigns have looked more like election war drumming than an "Abhisit-out-at-all-costs" agenda.


Is Thai politics in the process of healing itself? That may be wishful thinking too soon. If this is just a break before a new round of turmoil, we can only hope there won't be repetition of the violence of last year. The yellow shirts, led by a former Thaksin Shinawatra ally who turned against him, are representing the uncertainty and unpredictability of politics. Can they combine with the pro-Thaksin red shirts to overthrow Abhisit? All we know is that Sondhi Limthongkul was once Thaksin's most vocal and influential cheerleader, and Kasit Piromya was not so long ago the yellow shirts' darling.


As Thailand enjoys a peaceful break politically, it's up to all the key players to keep things this way. In fact, Abhisit, the Thai military, and the red-shirt and yellow-shirt leaders all owe the neutral Thai public a peaceful return to real democracy. They have been playing reasonably fair so far, and long may that continue.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Drug-resistant malaria gains foothold in Cambodia


Hundreds of health workers are moving from village to village, testing everybody, in a pre-emptive strike to try to find, treat and monitor those with malaria symptoms.
1/23/2011
Catholic Online


Doctors frantic to contain new strain in Southeast Asia


The humid, swampy atmosphere of Cambodia is the perfect breeding spot for mosquitoes, traditionally the carrier of the deadly disease malaria. A new strain of drug-resistant malaria has gained a foothold in the region, in particular the area between Cambodia and Thailand, and doctors are frantic to find a cure before the disease has a chance to spread.


LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Every major anti-malarial drug has failed to quell the epidemic since it first took hold. History has proven that once resistance emerges, it can quickly spread worldwide, rendering the drugs useless in the fight against a mosquito-borne parasite. Malaria still kills nearly a million people worldwide each year, most of them in Africa.


"We've got to contain the parasite before it spreads throughout the region. If that happens it's going to be a public health emergency," Dr. Najibullah Habib, spearheading the containment project on behalf of the World Health Organization says.


Hundreds of health workers are moving from village to village, testing everybody, in a pre-emptive strike to try to find, treat and monitor those with malaria symptoms.




"If we lose this first-line drug, this Artemisinin, then we are lost," Christopher Raymond, an American drug specialist working with the project says. He said that as of today there is no good backup if malaria becomes Artemisinin-resistant.


The crisis was first identified by U.S. Army researchers, who showed that in the border areas, Artemisinin was taking far longer to clear malaria than in the past.


"It was clear that the parasites are becoming less susceptible to the drug," David Saunders of the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences says. AFRIMS has now extended its study further along the border.


Researchers say there is still time to dig in heels, and working with Cambodian health officials their aim now is to see if it is spreading, how fast, and to test different combinations of drugs to fight it.


Experts speculate that conflict, poverty and a lot of migrants moving across the border have all played a part. Resistance also spreads when people don't take drugs properly, and counterfeit and sub-standard drugs are also to blame. They have been rife in the border areas.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011
[Thai INVADERS] Tablet a bitter pill to swallow [for the INVADING Thais]




Merit in peaceful talks: Supreme Commander Songkitti Jaggabatara, left, meets his Cambodian counterpart, Gen Pol Sareoun, right, at Wat Chantharaburiwong in Phnom Penh for a Buddhist meritmaking ceremony. The supreme commander led 140 representatives from the armed forces to offer donations from Thailand to the temple. WASSANANANUAM
Armed forces chief sees a favourable outcome

25/01/2011
Wassana Nanuam
Bangkok Post


Thailand is expecting a favourable response from Phnom Penh to its request to remove an insulting stone tablet put up by Cambodian troops in a disputed border area, security authorities say.


The tablet claims "victory" for Cambodia after the last of Thai forces withdrew from Wat Kaew Sikha Khiri Sawara last month in a troop reduction schedule agreed to by both sides.


The withdrawal of the troops has no bearing on territorial claims and the Khmer-language sign has antagonised the Thai military by referring to its soldiers as "invaders" and claiming they had "trespassed" on Cambodian land.




Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha yesterday said Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon had told his Cambodian counterpart, Gen Tea Banh, he wanted the stone tablet removed.


The Cambodian authorities have acknowledged the message and are discussing the issue. Gen Prayuth said he expected a positive resolution within the next few days.


"[Placing] a tablet does not prove that the area belongs to you," the army chief said yesterday.


"Can you accept that? No, you can't. If this was the case, any area where I stick a tablet would belong to me."


Gen Prayuth said the border conflict needed to be resolved through mutual understanding.


The Cambodians might be trying to to claim the land by erecting the tablet at the temple, situated in a 4.6-square-kilometre disputed area just 300 metres from the Preah Vihear temple, he said. The Thai people, Gen Prayuth added, should not be overly worried by the move since Thailand and Cambodia had a joint boundary commission to settle any border disputes.


"If an agreement cannot be reached, [this land] will not belong to either party," he said.


The placing of the tablet has put pressure on both Cambodia and Thailand, Gen Prayuth said, and the two sides should negotiate for the sake of maintaining bilateral relations and to avoid harming the livelihoods of people of both nationalities along the border.


He believed the issue was not serious enough to lead to clashes between the troops as they had developed good relations in recent years and shared similar backgrounds.


Supreme Commander Songkitti Jaggabatara yesterday met his Cambodian counterpart, Gen Pol Sareoun, in Phnom Penh and delivered a similar message.


"Cambodia said a correction will be made in a favourable way," Gen Songkitti said afterwards.


"Let's wait and see."


The supreme commander was among 140 armed forces representatives who gave donations from Thailand to fund the development of Wat Chantharaburiwong in Phnom Penh.


Gen Songkitti said his delegation was warmly welcomed.


Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who supervises security affairs, said yesterday Thailand needed to protest against the tablet, and any unilateral claim on disputed land was unacceptable. He said neither party could claim the disputed area pending demarcation.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011
ICC case? It's all theatre and PR fluff [:Thailand]
January 25, 2011
By Avudh Panananda
The Nation


the yellow shirts aim to cancel the 2000 memorandum of understanding prescribing negotiations as a way to resolve the borderline. The cancellation of negotiations could end up in military confrontation. But any armed conflict with Cambodia would certainly bring about international intervention. Can the yellow shirts guarantee their fellow compatriots that Thailand will win support from the international community after bullying its smaller neighbour?
Does Thailand stand to gain or lose in the face of agitation by the red and yellow shirts? Today the People's Alliance for Democracy will lead the yellow shirts on to the streets in order to pressure the government to meet three demands related to the Thai-Cambodian border dispute.


Meanwhile, the Sombat Boonngam-anong faction of the red-shirt movement will also rally to demand justice and democracy, despite the reds holding a march on Sunday.


Public anxiety goes up a notch when red and yellow rallies converge. The yellow shirts will encamp at Makkhawan Bridge near Government House while the reds will rally at Democracy Monument, about two kilometres away on Rajdamnoen Avenue.




Next week, the mainstream reds led by Thida Thawornseth will finalise legal plans to file a complaint about injustice and last year's bloodshed at the International Criminal Court, in The Netherlands - which has no chance of being heard but is being done for show.


It is ironic that the red and yellow shirts are treating their country like a punching bag, in order to fight for causes which they believe will bring about a better and stronger Thailand. Under the norms of diplomacy and international politics, border negotiations take place behind closed doors. But the PAD has cited accountability, transparency and freedom of speech to justify its public debate on border issues.


Even though it takes both countries to sort out their common borders, the PAD has curiously focused its attack on the Abhisit Vejjajiva government as if the Thai side alone can make a unilateral decision on where Cambodian territory should be.


The yellow shirts are spearheading an "awareness" campaign over border areas near Preah Vihear Temple and at Sa Kaew, opposite Cambodia's Bantaey Meanchey, to voice concern about the risk of Thailand losing territory to Cambodia.


The yellow shirts have been releasing documents to back up their attack on PM Abhisit for his supposed mishandling of a border dispute, but their arguments could backfire and compromise Thailand's position in any future negotiations on boundary settlement. The belligerent noise generated by the yellow shirts will adversely impact on boundary talks. The two neighbouring countries need an amicable atmosphere to settle their borderline.


Since border agreements are the legacy of the colonial era, Thailand is already in a disadvantageous position. Thai forebears made a painful sacrifice to shed land in order to safeguard independence.


If the yellow shirts are true patriots, then they should carefully weigh the pros and cons of what they are doing, particularly their marshalling of lopsided information on the World Court verdict on Preah Vihear and their reference on the location of border marker No 46 at Sa Kaew.


Of the three demands, the yellow shirts aim to cancel the 2000 memorandum of understanding prescribing negotiations as a way to resolve the borderline. The cancellation of negotiations could end up in military confrontation. But any armed conflict with Cambodia would certainly bring about international intervention. Can the yellow shirts guarantee their fellow compatriots that Thailand will win support from the international community after bullying its smaller neighbour?


Just like the yellow rivals, the red shirts have invoked democracy to justify their struggle. The judicial process has not been exhausted in regard to last year's bloodshed but the red shirts say they want to air their grievances at the International Criminal Court, despite the fact it only ever hears cases such as genocide and crimes against humanity.


Last century, Thais fought hard to overturn extraterritorial jurisdiction imposed by foreign powers. Their descendants, however, claim they can only rely on international courts as they refuse to listen to one another or trust in their own judiciary.


Critics say the reds have no chance of launching a case in the ICC. They overlook the reds' real intent - they just want to embarrass the government.

Monday, January 24, 2011
[Thai] PM: Ruling unrelated to border [-Abishit in denial?]

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23/01/2011
Bangkok Post






The Cambodian court's ruling on the five Thais is not related to the Thai-Cambodian border demarcation, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on national television on Sunday night.

"The ruling has no effect on the border issue because of the memorandum of understanding between Thailand and Cambodia on the survey and demarcation of land boundary signed in 2000.

"The memorandum states that the border issue will be resolved when the Thai-Cambodian Joint Border Commission has come to an agreement," Mr Abhisit said.

He said the location where the seven Thais were arrested by Cambodian soldiers on Dec 29 last year was still disputed.


The premier insisted the government will not revoke the 2000 MoU as the revocation could lead to clashes between the two countries.

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court's ruling will be translated and the government will lodge a protest to ensure that it will not affect the border issue, he said.

A Cambodian Court on Jan 21 ruled that the five Thais intentionally entered Cambodia without permission. They are Democrat Party MP Panich Vikitsreth, Samdin Lertbutr, Tainae Mungmajon, Naruemol Chitvarattana and Kojpollathorn Chusanasevi.

They were sentenced to nine months in prison and a fine of one million riel (about 10,000 baht).

Since they have already served one month in prison, the court suspended the remaining eight-month jail term.

The other two Thais still in custody are yellow-shirt activist Veera Somkwamkid and and his secretary Ratree Pipatanapaiboon. They face additional charges of spyingWould Thailand let Cambodia have a joint control of Khmer temples inside Thailand?

Historian advocates joint control of border heritage sites

Sun, Jan 23, 2011
By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation

Countries in the Mekong River basin and the Dangrek Mountain range should consider creating a trans-boundary world heritage site of cultural and natural resources to end their border conflicts, prominent historian Charnvit Kasetsiri proposed over the weekend.

Speaking at a seminar "Our Boundaries, Our Asean Neighbours" on Friday, Charnvit said countries in the region had a lot of cultural and natural heritage left by ancestors centuries ago, some of which were sources of conflict.

Thailand and Cambodia have been at loggerheads over the Hindu Khmer temple of Preah Vihear for half a century. The proposal by Cambodia to list the ruined temple as a World Heritage site in 2008 fuelled conflict between the neighbouring countries.


A group of Thai nationalists want the government to block Cambodia's attempt to run Preah Vihear and kick a Khmer community out of the area adjacent to the temple.

A ruling by the International Court of Justice in 1962 found that Preah Vihear was situated in territory under the sovereignty of Cambodia. Bangkok said it respected the court's ruling but argued that the temple's vicinity and even the land where the temple sits belongs to Thailand.

Preah Vihear temple was listed as a World Heritage site in 2008 but the Thai government, with strong support from nationalist groups, opposed its management plan. The two countries remain in conflict and seem to have no way to settle their differences.

Charnvit proposed what he is calling a "Mixed Cultural and Natural Mekong-Dangrek World Heritage" as a model to end the conflict.

There were some examples in the world, he said, where trans-border World Heritage sites had been possible, citing the Iguazu waterfalls - the world's largest - which are situated on the border of Argentina and Brazil.

The World Heritage Committee listed the Iguazu National Park for Argentina as a World Heritage site in 1984 and listed Brazil's part in 1986.

Countries in the Mekong basin should consider the same idea, as they had a lot of sandstone Khmer temples sitting across the boundary in the region, Charnvit said.

Preah Vihear could be jointly listed as a World Heritage site, as its main building is in Cambodia but the area around it is in Thailand.

Preah Vihear was in the same family with Wat Phou in Laos and Phanom Rung in Thailand's Buri Ram province, he said, and noted that two of them - the exception is Phanom Rung - were already listed as World Heritage sites.

"People in this region should think beyond the border and jointly list these temples as World Heritage sites," he said.

Charnvit conducted a set of studies on boundaries to help Thais get a better grasp about such matters. Misunderstanding about the boundary sometimes created trouble for people and conflict with neighbours, he said.

The research indicated that people in many parts of the world, such as in Europe, could move across boundaries easily, as if they don't exist. People in this region should also be able to overcome conflicts over boundaries some day, he said.

Monday, January 24, 2011
VN invested in Hoon Xhen, now they settle in with their power plant

Vietnam invests in Cambodia power plant
























23/01/2011
VietnamNet



Vietnam Ministry of Planning and Investment has licensed the US$800 million hydro-electric power plant to be constructed in Cambodia, according to the ministry’s Foreign Investment Agency.

This project by state-owned Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) is solely invested by its joint-stock subsidiary EVN International, whose shareholders include major state companies and corporations, such as PetroVietnam, EVN, and Vietnam Rubber Group.

The power plant, Lower Se San 2, is located in Cambodia’s Stung Treng province on its Se San river, a major tributary of the Great Mekong River flowing through Indochinese countries from China.


Its capacity is estimated at 400MW with an average output of 1998 million KWh per year, half of which will be sold back to Cambodia.

EVN International also currently carries out other energy projects and researches for investment in neighboring Lao and Cambodia.

Construction for the plant is to begin this year and it is expected to go into operation in 2016.

Monday, January 24, 2011
"A Voteless People Is A Hopeless People"

Voter Education/Registration Program
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

"A Voteless People is a Hopeless People" was initiated as a National Program of Alpha during the 1930's when many African-Americans had the right to vote but were prevented from voting because of poll taxes, threats of reprisal, and lack of education about the voting process. Voter education and registration has remained a dominant focus of this outreach activity for over 65 years. In the 1990's, the focus has shifted to include political awareness and empowerment, delivered most frequently through town meetings and candidate forums.

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KI-Media Note: Cambodians have the right to vote, but the authority made it so difficult for poor Cambodians to obtain an identification which is necessary to register for voting, that many Cambodians ended up not voting.