Most Cambodians say climate change affects livelihood: survey

PHNOM PENH, May 10 (Xinhua)—Ninety-five percent of Cambodian people said climate change has affected their livelihood and most Cambodians show limited understanding of climate change, said a survey report released on Tuesday.

The report entitled Understanding Public Perceptions of Climate Change in Cambodia noted that 67 percent of respondents said deforestation in Cambodia causes the weather to change and 59 percent thinks they are unable to respond to weather changes as they have little knowledge of it.

It highlighted that most people think that extreme weather events such as flood and drought are more frequent and intense, and they associate weather changes with rising temperatures, farming difficulties, reduced yield, drought, water shortages, and disease.

“The report is the first in-depth study on climate change in Cambodia,” said Mok Mareth, the minister of environment, during the report launching. “It is another major step that enables us to better understand public perceptions, and thus mainstream climate change in the country’s development efforts.”

Climate change is expected to have serious environmental, economic and social impacts on Cambodia as the Cambodian people have fewer resources and technology to adapt, especially, rural farmers, whose livelihoods depend on the use of natural resources, according to the press release at the launching.

“The findings are essential for all actors to make smarter investments in addressing climate change, particularly develop policies and programs that empower poor and marginalized communities to adapt to and recover from climate hazards,” said Brian Lund, Oxfam’s East Asia Regional Director.

“These investments must help vulnerable communities build resilience to the unpredictable weather that jeopardizes their livelihood, especially in agricultural production.”

The survey report had been conducted by BBC World Service Trust with the supports from the ministry of environment, Danida, Oxfam and the United Nations Development Program.  

The report consisted of a nationally representative sample of 2,401 respondents and additional in-depth interviews with 101 key informants including journalists, non-governmental organization staff and government officials.

Thai house dissolution won’t affect ongoing border talks: Cambodian FM

PHNOM PENH, May 10 (Xinhua)--Thai House dissolution will not affect ongoing talks between Cambodia and Thailand over disputed border area next to the 11^th century Preah Vihear temple, Cambodian foreign minister Hor Namhong said Tuesday.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Monday announced that the House of Representatives has been dissolved, paving the way for the general election on July 3.

“Thai parliament was dissolved for the election, but the government care-taker is still working as usual, all countries have the same norm,” he told reporters at Phnom Penh International Airport upon his arrival from Jakarta, Indonesia, where he talked with his Thai counterpart Kasit Piromya on border issues with the mediation by Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa, in the status as ASEAN chair.

During the talks in Jakarta on May 9, Cambodia and Thailand as well as Indonesia agreed to a package solution on dispatching Indonesian observers to the disputed border area next to the 11^th century Preah Vihear temple in order to ensure a ceasefire.

The package solution consisted of six points.

At points one and two, both sides have to first exchange letters of acceptance on the terms of reference for the deployment of Indonesian observer team and at the meantime, both sides announce the dates of the meetings of the General Border Committee (GBC) and the Joint Border Commission (JBC).

At points three and four, five days after both sides have sent the letters of acceptance on TOR to Indonesia, Indonesia will send a Survey Team of Indonesian observers team to inspect the disputed area and at the same time, the GBC and JBC will hold their meetings.

And the point five and six, ten days after both sides have sent the letters of acceptance on TOR to Indonesia, Indonesia will sent the full assignment of the Indonesian observers to the disputed border area.

Hor Namhong said that he has heard that Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva would ask his cabinet ministers’ meeting to pass the package solution on Tuesday next week.

Cambodian and Thai border has never been completely demarcated. The conflict has occurred just a week after Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008.

It is due to Thai claim of the ownership of 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub next to the temple

The latest flare-up had occurred from April 22 until May 3 at the 13th century Ta Moan temple and Ta Krabei temple in Oddar Meanchey province, leaving 19 people on both sides killed and nearly 100,000 civilians fled homes for safe shelters.

Both sides always blamed each other for firstly triggering the attacks.

The two sides agreed to accept Indonesian observers to monitor a ceasefire on their respective border side on Feb 22 at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta, but the deployment was always delayed because Thailand demanded that Cambodian soldiers and locals be withdrawn from the disputed area near the temple first.

Effective mechanism needed for ASEAN to settle Cambodian, Thai border row: academics

PHNOM PENH, May 5 (Xinhua) -- The credibility and prestige of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) may be downgraded if it has no effective mechanism to settle Cambodian and Thai border row, academics warned on Thursday.

Pou Sothirak, Cambodian senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, said Cambodian and Thai border row is not only damaging bilateral relations in a critical way, but also threatening regional peace and stability.

"If no effective mediation is pursued to contain it, it will undoubtedly affect the credibility and reputation of ASEAN," he said during a two-day conference on strengthening the ASEAN political-security community through preventive diplomacy and conflict resolution mechanism.

The conference brought together representatives from the Network of ASEAN Institutes of Strategic and International Studies and members of Cambodian parliament and decision makers from various Cambodian ministries.

Pou Sothirak said that the main challenges to security community are the ASEAN principles of non-interference and the norm of not putting bilateral dispute between members on the ASEAN agenda.

"The principles of non-interference and consensus are the obstacles in the realization of the security community by 2015," he said.

"ASEAN must do something right where failure would mean that the region return to the past of using force to settle disputes," he said. "This in turn will send ASEAN straight into a danger zone of losing its role as driver of the regional security architecture. "

Nem Sowath, a board member of Cambodian Institute of Cooperation and Peace, said ASEAN has played a significant role in coping with regional security issues and threat; however, it does not have appropriate and effective regional mechanism in place when it comes to territorial disputes among its member states.

"Cambodian-Thai border conflict is a case in point. It is a testing ground for ASEAN's ability to solve issues for its member states," he said.

"It is a warning signal to ASEAN to get reformed as soon as possible, otherwise ASEAN can be divided and ASEAN credibility will be downgraded." he said.

The leaders of ASEAN countries will meet on May 7-8 in the 18th summit in Jakarta, Indonesia and the border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand will be included in the agenda.

"In my own opinion, ASEAN should establish a special working group or a conflict resolution mechanism in order to settle Cambodian-Thai border row," he said.

"We wish to see ASEAN to be stronger, more united and more relevant particularly in security issues in order to serve the interests of everyone."

Yeo Lay Hwee, senior research fellow of Singapore Institute of International Affairs said "frankly speaking, ASEAN has really not moved much progress towards confidence building, preventive diplomacy and conflict resolution mechanism."

Suchit Bunbongkam, president of the Council for Security Cooperation in Asia Pacific (Thailand), said the measures or conflict resolution mechanism should be established in order to settle issues for its member states and to prevent conflicts in the future.

"The principle of internal sovereignty and non-interference in ASEAN must be observed," he said. "For Cambodia and Thailand border conflict, we wish to see the issue be settled peacefully, not by armed forces."

Cambodian and Thai border has never been completely demarcated. Conflict has happened just a week after Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008.

The latest flare-up had occurred from April 22 until May 3 at the 13th century Ta Moan temple and Ta Krabei temple in Oddar Meanchey province, leaving 19 people on both sides killed and nearly 100,000 civilians fled homes for safe shelters.

Both sides always blamed each other for firstly triggering the attacks.

ASEAN countries consist of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Cambodia to mark Olympic day with half marathon next month

PHNOM PENH, May 7(Xinhua)—Cambodia is scheduled to hold a half marathon in Phnom Penh on June 18 in order to mark the Olympic day, said a sports official on Saturday.

Vath Chamroeun, the secretary general of the National Olympic Council of Cambodia, said Saturday in a press briefing that about 2,000 Cambodian and foreign amateur and professional athletes are expected to take place in the event.

The event is to celebrate the 117^th anniversary of the formation of International Olympic council in 1894, he said. It is also in conjunction with the World Environment Day and the birthday of Cambodian former Queen Norodom Monineath Sihanouk.

“The event is to promote affection on sports,” he said. “Also, it is to catch public attention on green environment in the city.”

It will take place at the riverside Prime Minister Hun Sen’s park.

There are three different types of distances for contest. The running of 21 kilometers goes for professional athletes, 8 kilometers and 5 kilometers go for men, women and families.

The winners in 21 kilometer contest will be awarded 1,000 U.S. dollars for No.1 and 700 U.S. dollars and 500 U.S. dollars for No. 2 and 3 respectively.

Bank of China taps Cambodian market

PHNOM PENH, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Bank of China has officially begun its branch in Cambodia on Saturday, and its Phnom Penh Branch is the first lender from China in the country and is the Kingdom's 30th commercial bank.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Keat Chhon believes that the bank's presence here would contribute to the development of Cambodian economy.
"The bank will provide advantages and positive inputs to Cambodia to boost its banking industry and economic growth," he said during the launching ceremony, which was attended by about 200 bankers, local and Chinese businesspeople in Cambodia.
"I would like to encourage the bank to focus its loans on agricultural sector in order to help Cambodian government to develop this sector, which is one of the four pillars supporting the country's economic growth," he said.
Chea Chanto, the governor of National Bank of Cambodia, said the bank's presence reflected the confidence of Chinese investors in Cambodian market.
"With the presence of the bank, it would bring new technology and innovative banking products to develop Cambodian banking industry," he said.
He said that by the end of 2010, the customers' deposits in the banking sector grew by 26 percent to 4.16 billion U.S. dollars, while the customer credits increased by 26.7 percent to 3.18 billion U.S. dollars.
The country has the population of 14.3 million, of which, 1.35 million people have used banking system, he added.
Meanwhile, Yue Yi, executive vice president of Bank of China, said the presence of the bank in Phnom Penh demonstrates the evidence of the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between China and Cambodia.
"We would help support large Chinese firms doing business in Cambodia, especially those in infrastructure projects, hydropower dams, agriculture, and special economic zones," he said. "It is in line with the policy of China in helping to develop Cambodia's economy."
He said that as the bank's loan targets are mainly on huge projects, so he believes that the bank's presence here will not affect existing local banks and the bank is looking forward to cooperating with all of them.
He said that the Bank of China Phnom Penh branch will be a center for Chinese yuan RMB settlement, clearance and remittance.
"We hope that the National Bank of Cambodia will include Chinese currency into its central clearing system for banking settlement in order to promote the presence of Chinese currency in Cambodian markets."
Cambodia sets to launch its stock market in July this year. Yue Yi said the Bank of China will actively participate in the upcoming stock market through providing clearance and settlement services.
"We will also provide funding to companies in the stock market and other market players," he added.
Chen Chang Jiang, chief executive officer of Bank of China Phnom Penh Branch, said that Cambodia's financial market is relatively small at the moment, but it has lots of room to grow.
"We set our stance firmly in Cambodia, we are committed to grow stronger in Cambodian banking market," he said.
Bank of China is among the four largest banks in China. Its total asset is over 11 trillion Chinese yuan (1.7 trillion U.S. dollars), with branches in 31 countries around the world.