Car crash kills 6, injures 9 in northwestern Cambodia: police

English.news.cn   2013-05-27 18:47:36

PHNOM PENH, May 27 (Xinhua) -- At least six Cambodian people died immediately and nine others seriously injured when a land- loaded truck hit head-on with a mini-bus on Monday morning in northwestern Siem Reap province, police confirmed.
"All the victims were in the mini-bus," Men Chantha, chief of Prasat Bakong district, where the accident occurred, told Xinhua over telephone, adding that the truck driver fled the scene after the accident.
"Among the six dead were a 7-month-old boy and a 2-year-old boy, " he said. The injured people were sent to the provincial hospital soon after the accident.
He said the accident happened on National Road No. 6 when a cow walked across the road and the truck hit the cow and swerved to hit the full-speed mini-bus.
The death toll of road accidents has become the highest in Cambodia, higher than that of HIV/AIDS and mine casualties.
Last year, traffic accidents claimed 1,894 lives, costing the country about 300 million U.S. dollars, according to a report by the Ministry of Public Work and Transport.

Editor: Yang Yi

Cambodian, Thai FMs to meet next month for talks on border development cooperation

English.news.cn   2013-05-27 20:12:52

PHNOM PENH, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong will meet with his Thai counterpart Surapong Tovichakchaikul on June 11 here to discuss ways to promote development cooperation along the border of the two countries, officials said Monday.
The two ministers will meet at the 9th Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation between Cambodia and Thailand, Long Visalo, secretary of state at Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said after an internal meeting to prepare agendas and documents for the upcoming meeting.
"A number of issues will be discussed in the forthcoming meeting to boost bilateral cooperation along the border," he told reporters. "Among those are the issues concerning laborers, illegal cross-border logging, mine clearance, epidemic fight, cross-border trade and investment, new border opening, and road connectivity development."
Speaking at the meeting on Monday, Hor Namhong said the upcoming meeting was intended to further promote cooperation between the two countries, particularly cooperation along the boundary in order to build a border of peace and economic development.
Cambodia and Thailand have had sporadic border conflicts over territorial dispute near Cambodia's Preah Vihear Temple since UNESCO listed the temple as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008, as Thailand claims the ownership of a 4.6-square-km scrub next to the temple.
Deadly clashes between the two sides' troops happened in February and April 2011 during the rule of former Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
Military tensions have eased since August 2011 when ex-Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's Pheu Thai Party won a general election and led the current government.
Last month, the two countries delivered their oral statements on the dispute to the World Court in the Netherlands and the court is expected to issue a decision on who owns the disputed land around the temple later this year.

Editor: Yang Yi

Cambodian Prince Thomico to quit as personal secretary to Queen Mother

English.news.cn   2013-05-26 18:15:41

PHNOM PENH, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prince Sisowath Thomico said Sunday that he would resign from his current position as personal secretary to Queen Mother Norodom Monineath in order to focus on his political career towards July's general election.
The position of personal secretary to the Queen Mother is equivalent to that of a minister.
"I told the Queen Mother already and I will give my resignation letter to her on Wednesday next week," he told Xinhua over telephone.
"I don't want politicians to involve the names of the Queen Mother and King Norodom Sihamoni in political issues because of me, " said Thomico, who has recently joined the main opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party and runs as a candidate for the members of parliament to represent Preah Sihanouk province in the upcoming polls.
The prince's resignation was made after Prime Minister Hun Sen on May 16 criticized him for using his association with the royal family to round up votes for the opposition party ahead of July's general election.
"This poses a danger to the royal family because this prince uses the name of former King Norodom Sihanouk and uses the name on behalf of the royal cabinet of the Queen Mother Norodom Monineath to gain popularity for the opposition party," the premier said.
At that time, he also suggested to Queen Mother Norodom Monineath that she remove Thomico from his position for using the royal family as a political tool.
Cambodia will have a general election on July 28, according to the National Election Committee. Eight political parties will run in the forthcoming election, and some 9.67 million eligible Cambodians are expected to vote.
Three major parties are competing in the poll, including the ruling Cambodian People's Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen, the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party led by self-exiled leader Sam Rainsy, and the royalist Funcinpec Party headed by Princess Norodom Arun Rasmey, the youngest daughter of late King Father Norodom Sihanouk.
Political analysts predict that the ruling party of Prime Minister Hun Sun will win the majority in the election.
Hun Sen, 61, has been in power for 28 years and vowed to stay in office until he is 74.

Editor: Fu Peng

UN envoy urges Cambodian parties, election body to play by rules in polls

English.news.cn   2013-05-25 14:02:40

PHNOM PENH, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Surya P. Subedi, the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights to Cambodia, on Saturday appealed to all political parties and the election body to do everything in accordance with law in order to ensure that the July's general election would be free and fair.
"I once again urge all parties and National Election Committee to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections," he said in a press briefing after a one-week fact-finding mission on human rights situation in Cambodia. "All sides should play by the rules, demonstrate maturity in debate, and not engage in insulting games. "
The envoy also urged for fair and equitable access to the state media and the strict prohibition of use of state resources by any political party during the election campaign.
Moreover, he appealed to all sides concerned to refrain completely from exploiting racial sentiments to garner support for their election campaign.
"I will continue to monitor the electoral system and process in the country," he said.
Cambodia is scheduled to hold a general election on July 28, according to the National Election Committee. Eight political parties will run in the forthcoming election, which will be voted by some 9.67 million eligible Cambodians.
Three major parties among them are the ruling Cambodian People' s Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen, the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party led by self-exiled leader Sam Rainsy, and the royalist Funcinpec Party headed by Princess Norodom Arun Rasmey, the youngest daughter of late King Father Norodom Sihanouk.
Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday expressed his "firm confidence " that his party would undoubtedly win in the upcoming polls.
"The opponents always say that Hun Sen will lose in the election, but Hun Sen will win forever because of the support from the people," Hun Sen said during the inauguration of a large-scale Buddha statue in eastern Kampong Cham province.
Hun Sen, 61, has been in power for 28 years and vowed to stay in the office until he is 74.

Editor: Yang Yi

Cambodian PM firmly confident of victory in forthcoming polls

English.news.cn   2013-05-24 16:37:04

PHNOM PENH, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday expressed his "firm confidence" that his Cambodian People's Party would undoubtedly win in the July general election.
"The opponents always say that Hun Sen will lose in the election, but Hun Sen will win forever because of the support from the people," Hun Sen said during the inauguration of a large-scale Buddha statue in eastern Kampong Cham province, which was attended by about 15,000 people.
The premier recalled that during the last election in 2008, the opposition group also said that he would lose the election, but at the time, his Cambodian People's Party won up to 90 seats out of the 123-seat parliament.
Hun Sen, 61, has been in power for 28 years and vowed to stay in the office until he is 74.
Meanwhile, he appealed to people to continue supporting him as the Prime Minister by casting their ballots for the Cambodian People's Party in the general election on July 28.
He also urged people not to use violence or discriminate against the others in different political parties during the upcoming election campaign and on the Election Day.
Eight political parties will run in the forthcoming election, which will be voted by some 9.67 million eligible Cambodians, according to the National Election Committee.
Three major parties among them are the ruling Cambodian People' s Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen, the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party led by self-exiled leader Sam Rainsy, and the royalist Funcinpec Party headed by Princess Norodom Arun Rasmey, the youngest daughter of late King Father Norodom Sihanouk.

Editor: Hou Qiang

Cambodia observes Buddha's Day

English.news.cn   2013-05-24 11:22:33

KANDAL, Cambodia, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of Buddhist monks and Buddhists marched on Friday morning around Preah Reach Trap Mountain, where the relics of Buddha are housed, to celebrate the Visak Bochea's Day, or Buddha's Day.
The annually religious ceremony was attended by Great Supreme Patriarch Tep Vong, leader of the Mohanikaya Buddhist sect, and Supreme Patriarch Bou Kry, head of the Thammayut Buddhist sect, as well as Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen. Tea Banh.
Visak Bochea's Day marked the anniversary of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death, said a media statement from the National Committee for Organizing National and International Festivals.
It is a public holiday in this Buddhist-dominant country, where about 90 percent of the 14.5 million populations are Buddhists.
At the event, lay people prayed to the Lord Buddha by lighting candles, incense sticks and laying flowers before the Lord Buddha' s statues and relics. In addition, they donated foods and money to participating Buddhist monks with the dedication to their deceased relatives.
"The celebration is to maintain national identification and tradition and to enhance the key role of Buddhism in Cambodia," the statement said.
One of the participants Top Pich, 72, said that she has come to attend this important ritual every year.
"As a Buddhist, today is a very important day for me to commemorate my Lord Buddha," she said. "All of my family members are Buddhists and we have followed this practice from generation to generation."
Buddhism is the state religion in this Southeast Asia nation. According to the figures of Ministry of Cults and Religion, the country has about 4,400 Buddhist pagodas with more than 50,000 monks.

Editor: Wang Yuanyuan

Building community, strengthening partnerships vital tasks for ASEAN: Cambodian PM

English.news.cn   2013-04-04 22:34:42

by Ju Mengjun, Nguon Sovan
PHNOM PENH, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Working towards the realization of an ASEAN community in 2015 and strengthening existing partnerships between ASEAN and dialogue partner countries are the most important tasks for the bloc, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said.
"We have been doing our best to turn this regional organization into a cohesive organization with advanced development, and we have strategic partnerships with other countries," he said in a recent interview with Xinhua on the eve of his official visit to China, where he would also attend Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference.
The premier said that Cambodia was very proud to host ASEAN summit in 2002 and 2012 respectively and the country will get benefits from ASEAN integration and the bloc's cooperation with external partners around the world.
Hun Sen said ASEAN is trying to promote partnerships between ASEAN and China, Japan, South Korea, the European Union, the U.S., India, Russia, Australia, New Zealand and countries in Latin America.
"In general, ASEAN has no discrimination; we try to do whatever to create partnerships," he said.
The premier noted that those countries are major trading partners of ASEAN, but the bloc's largest trading partner is China.
He said though ASEAN has only 10 member countries, it has a population larger than that of the 27 EU countries combined.
The premier said some people are wondering whether ASEAN would follow the footstep of the EU towards a community, or blaze a new path as the EU has now fallen into the crisis of sovereign debts.
"We have a roadmap on building an ASEAN community in 2015," he said. "We have the council of the security-political community, the council of socio-cultural community, and the council of economic community. We are pushing the three trends forward, this is our roadmap."
Asked whether it is possible to establish East Asia Organization with ASEAN being a core player, the premier said that it seems too early to predict on this issue.
"We have to strengthen the mechanisms of ASEAN+1 and ASEAN+3 and make them the real core synergy," he said.
"If we rush to create a larger organization, it will not only be impossible to move forward, but also destroy the efforts of the ASEAN actor and lose the role of ASEAN as well," he added.
He said ASEAN has to try all its best to achieve the goal of ASEAN integration in 2015 through narrowing development gap between its old and new members, strengthen partnerships with China, Japan, South Korea, and India.

Editor: Tang Danlu