Combodia-Post

Grilled food stall in Vientiane that sells aqua-cultured Tilapia fish (Photo: VOA - D Schearf)Vientiane 11 January 2010Daniel SchearfVoice of America
Plans to build a series of hydropower dams on the Mekong River could threaten already endangered species in the waterway.The Mekong River is the lifeblood of Southeast Asia, with the largest inland fisheries in the world.About 40 million people depend to some degree on the fisheries, worth about $2.5 billion a year.But fisheries experts say plans by Cambodia, Laos and Thailand to build hydropower dams on the Mekong would block fish migration, threatening already endangered species.Environmental activists say plans by Laos to build a dam in the Don Sahong area near the Cambodian border could doom the nearly extinct Irrawaddy dolphin.Soung Ma earns money taking tourists for a rare glimpse of the dolphins. "Local people normally work in dolphin tourism. Everyone has a small boat and can pick up tourists and get money from tourists every day or every month depending on the season," Ma said.The Mekong River Commission works to manage river resources among Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.Jeremy Bird heads the commission and says balancing the pros and cons of hydropower dams is the biggest challenge facing the Mekong basin. "We're talking about the livelihoods of millions of people but we're also talking about a huge potential resource of hydropower which can not only provide foreign revenues to the countries, but can those revenues can then be used to finance other development programs and help countries meet their targets on poverty alleviation and millenium development goals," Bird said.Some dams on rivers feeding the Mekong have disrupted fish populations.Fishermen may have to turn to aquaculture like this tilapia farm in Vientiane to make up for the lost wild catch.Suchart Ingthamjitr, a program officer at the MRC's fishery program, says fish farms help meet demand. "The price of wild fish is higher than cultured fish. But, the problem of wild fish is seasonality," Ingthamjitr said. "Yeah, you can catch and have the wild fish depend on the time of year. But, for tilapia all year round you can buy it in the market."As the sun sets on the Mekong, fishermen try their luck.Environmental and fisheries experts say damming the Mekong will change some of their traditional ways.

12/01/2010Wassana NanuamBangkok Post
The armed forces have defended the involvement of South Korea in the Cobra Gold military exercises for the first time this year.Gen Ratchakrit Kanchanawat, the joint chief of staff of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, said the exercises were designed for peace-keeping purposes and had nothing to do with the "balance of global power".South Korea, which will send 411 soldiers with their own weapons, has been given permission to play an active part in the annual Cobra Gold exercises with the backing of co-hosts Thailand and the US, Gen Ratchakrit said yesterday.South Korea had been an observer at the exercises for many years and shared similar military doctrines with Thailand and the US, so their participation was welcomed, he said."Don't be concerned about the balance of global or regional powers because of the inclusion of South Korea," he said. "Our aim is to hold a military exercise, keep peace and promote humanitarian aid."Korea is the sixth country to take part in Cobra Gold, launched in 1982, joining Thailand, the US, Japan, Indonesia and Singapore. Under a Thai-US agreement, up to 10 countries could become involved in the exercises.An army source said the US took an active role in backing Korea's participation after reports of joint military cooperation between North Korea and Burma.It could be the first step for South Korea to have a more active role in Southeast Asia, the source said.More than 11,600 soldiers, mostly from the US with 6,217 troops, will gather in provinces such as Rayong, Phetchaburi and Lop Buri from Feb 1 to 11.Meanwhile, the US is also planning joint exercises with Cambodia, but Thai military officials are unconcerned even though Thailand has been at odds with its neighbour on overlapping boundaries."We understand the US. It is a drill for peace-keeping," Gen Ratchakrit said.

January 12, 2010The Nation
The Supreme Court today is holding its second-last hearing in the Bt76-billion assets case against convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders has scheduled sessions for today and Friday before ruling on whether the assets should be devolved to the state.Due to testify today are representatives from the Stock Exchange of Thailand, National Telecommunications Commission, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Ministry and Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI).Former ICT minister Sitthichai Pokaiudom and TDRI researcher Somkiart Tangkijvanit will be among the witnesses today.

Officials Argue Two Sides of Divisive DayBy Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer Washington11 January 2010
A senior Cambodian People’s Party official defended the government’s celebrating of the contentious Jan. 7 holiday on Thursday, claiming it was a day of victory and arguing against criticism that the day merely marks the beginning of an occupation.Vietnamese forces ousted the Khmer Rouge from Phnom Penh on Jan. 7, 1979, beginning a decade-long occupation that saw years of civil war between government forces and the guerrillas.CPP lawmaker Cheam Yiep said the day was one the ruling party was thankful for, because it augured peace and led to victories in future general elections for the party. The day marked one of survival for Cambodia, he said by phone Thursday,as a guest on “Hello VOA.”However, a second guest on the show, Thach Setha, a senior member of the Sam Rainsy Party, who joined in the Phnom Penh studio, said the day marked only a change from one communist regime to another.Were the Vietnamese intentions benevolent, the country would have done more before 1979, he said. The Vietnamese retained an embassy until 1977, he said, when Phnom Penh was “a ghost city,” and waited until the Cambodians were nearly “extinguished,” before bringing in troops two years later.“So Cambodia suffered by others’ politics,” he said. “They killed us to become ghosts, and then they rose up, wanting us to thank them. So Cambodia, please, understand this history.

Left to right: Joseph Cao (R-LA), Eni Faleomavaega (D-American Samoa) and Mike Honda (D-CA) (Photo: Sok Serey, RFA)By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer Original report from Phnom Penh07 January 2010
Prime Minister Hun Sen and three US congressmen discussed an extension of trade relations between the two countries on Thursday, while raising the possibility of debt reduction.The congressmen—Eni Faleomavaega, a Democrat from American Samoa; Mike Honda, a Democratic from California; and Joseph Cao, a Republican from Louisiana—met with Hun Sen, Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, Finance Minister Keat Chhon and Commerce Minister Cham Prasidh“We did touch on the issue of debt obligations, also on questions of trade and tariffs in trying to bring Cambodia’s trade and economic needs [and] better status especially in trade with the United States,” Faleomavaega told reporters at Phnom Penh International Airport Thursday afternoon.The US delegation is scheduled to travel to Laos, having already visited Vietnam. The tour will conclude in Japan.Cambodia owes the US more than $300 million from the Lon Nol period, a debt Cambodian officials maintain should be erased. Faleomavaega said he told Hun Sen he would take the matter to discuss with other US lawmakers.Debt forgiveness could help Cambodia, he said. Faleomavaega said he wanted to play a role in bettering the relationship between Cambodia and the US.Eang Sophaleth, an adviser to Hun Sen, told reporters the premier had thanked the men for continued economic support from the US and was happy to promote a relationship between the two countries.

By Chun Sakada, VOA KhmerOriginal report from Phnom Penh11 January 2010
Local authorities and military commanders joined a weekly meeting of ministers Friday through video conferencing in Phnom Penh that officials say will strengthen communication between central government and outlying authorities.Governors, council chiefs and other officials from 24 municipalities and provinces joined in discussions at the weekly Council of Ministers meeting, along with six commanders from military zones, in what Prime Minister Hun Sen called a historic moment.The meeting was meant to “speed up” human resources development in technology to provincial and city governors and others, according to a statement from the Council of Ministers. Yim Sovann, a spokesman for the Sam Rainsy Party, said the opposition supported the measure, “to help promote the prevention of corruption, deforestation, road reparation, project development and the protection of people’s security and safety.”However, while an effort to strengthen its effectiveness through technology was positive, he said, “the government should additionally increase its willingness to respect and fairly implement the law.”Land-grabbing and other “injustices” continue to plague the populace, he said.Ny Chakrya, a lead investigator for the rights group Adhoc, said the video conferencing would provide an element of transparency to the government, while “providing urgent information to local government’s to fulfill their work and to agree on the goals of the government.”The video conferencing could be shown on television networks for people to watch, he said, “because people sometimes want to know what the cabinet decides and whether the local government fully implements the decisions of the cabinet.”

Monday, 11 January 2010Meas SokcheaThe Phnom Penh Post
Observers will want to know whether or not the trial will give justice.SVAY Rieng provincial court has summoned opposition leader Sam Rainsy and five villagers to appear in court on January 27 to face charges stemming from the removal of wooden markers near the border with Vietnam.Choung Choungy, Sam Rainsy’s lawyer, said Sunday that he received a court summons signed by court prosecutor Keo Thea on Friday and would appear to defend his client, who is currently overseas.“I maintain my stance that this story is not a criminal case, and that [Sam Rainsy] is not wrong because he did what he did as a representative of the people,” he said.“This is not a criminal case, but a political story.”Sam Rainsy has been charged with racial incitement and purposely destroying border-demarcation poles after a Buddhist ceremony in Svay Rieng province’s Chantrea district on October 25. Villagers claimed the markers were placed in their fields by Vietnamese authorities, prompting opposition concerns that Cambodian authorities are turning a blind eye to border encroachments.A warrant was issued for Sam Rainsy’s arrest after he failed to appear in court on December 28 for questioning in relation to the incident.Five local villagers – Meas Srey, 39, Prom Chea, 41, Prak Koeun, 38, Prak Chea, 28, and Neang Phally, 39 – were also charged with destroying the border markers and have been summoned to appear in court on the same day.Two of those named, Meas Srey and Prom Chea, have been detained by local authorities, and the other three remain on the run after failing to appear in court last month.Nget Nara, provincial coordinator for local rights group Adhoc, said the trial of Sam Rainsy and the villagers would draw the attention of many national and international human rights observers.“This story is very important because it is related to the border issue and the lifting of Sam Rainsy’s [parliamentary] immunity. Observers will want to know whether or not the trial will give justice to Sam Rainsy and those people,” he said.Judge Koam Chhean, who is handling the case, could not be reached on Sunday.