Cambodia to host disabled volleyball World Cup

Cambodia will host the disabled volleyball World Cup between November 24 and December 2, according to the Cambodian National Volleyball League on Thursday.

Altogether 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Canada, are expected to attend the tournament, according to the League.

Organizers hoped the match to raise global awareness of the landmine issue, as most of Cambodia's team members were landmine victims.

Cambodia's disabled volleyball team ranks No. 1 in Asia and No. 4 in the world.

Source: Xinhua

Cambodia to host its first international golf tournament

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: The impoverished nation of Cambodia will host its first international golf tournament at a course near the famed Angkor temples, the Asian Tour announced Monday.

The inaugural US$300,000 (€217,000) Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open will be played at the newly opened Phokeethra Country Club, which is also a main tournament sponsor. The event, slated to run from Nov. 29 to Dec. 2 in the northwestern province of Siem Reap, is likely to draw many of Asia's top golfers, organizers said.

Asian Tour Executive Chairman Kyi Hla Han said the tournament, which is one of seven new events on the schedule this season, proved that the game was thriving in the region.

"The game continues to prosper in Asia and with a new initiative in Cambodia, our next plan of action will be to help new golfing nations to develop the game," Han said.

"One of the best ways to attract new golfers is to expose them to international-class competitions and I believe the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open will provide a launch pad for exciting talents to emerge from Cambodia," he said.

by the Cambodia government to boost its tourist revenues. The 18-hole, 72-par course is 23 kilometers (14 miles) outside Siem Reap town.

Cambodia now has three golf courses, including two near Phnom Penh, the capital. A fourth, also in Siem Reap, is under construction.

Tourism is a major foreign currency earner for cash-strapped Cambodia. There were 1.4 million foreign arrivals last year, with the largest number of visitors from South Korea, Japan and the United States. More than half of the tourists visited the Angkor temples.

Cambodia is one of the poorest in Asia, which is in part a legacy of the years when the communist Khmer Rouge ruled the country in the late 1970s, imposing radical communist policies that led to the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million Cambodian through execution, malnutrition, medical neglect and overwork.

U.S. supports Cambodia's bid to list Preah Vihear Temple as world heritage site

PHNOM PENH, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The United States has expressed support for Cambodia's bid to officially register the Preah VihearTemple as world heritage site and will provide aid for its development and management plans, local media reported on Thursday.

U.S. Ambassador Joseph A. Mussomeli here on Wednesday told Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Council of Ministers Sok An that the temple has to be officially registered as world heritage site even if there is opposition from the third side, press official for the Council of Ministers Phan Sithan was quoted by English-language newspaper Cambodian Daily as saying.

The United States will send a group of experts to Cambodia to help organize the development and management plans for the temple's official registration as world heritage site and also provide grant aid to support the plans, he said.

Recently, Long Visalo, deputy minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, told reporters that the world heritage committee of the United Nation's Education, Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO) asked Cambodia to organize the development and management plans for the Preah Vihear Temple after receiving the kingdom's request to list it as world heritage site.

The committee promised to decide whether the temple can be registered as world heritage site in early 2008.

The Preah Vihear Temple was built from the 11th to the 12th century on top of the Dorng Rek Mountain in the northern part of Cambodia next to Thailand. Cambodia secured its ownership of the temple in 1962, out of fierce competition with Thailand.

Editor: Wang Hongjiang

S. Korea provides 30 mln USD loan to Cambodia to equip gov't IT system

The South Korean company Kisan Telecom Co. Ltd has signed an agreement with the Cambodian government to provide a loan of 30 million U.S. dollars for the public Information Technology (IT) system project in Cambodia, local media reported on Friday.

The loan will be used to equip the government's IT management system, including Internet access for government institutions in 10 provinces and cities of Cambodia, the Raksmey Kampuchea newspaper said.

The agreement was signed by Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and Park Byung Ki, CEO of Kisan Telecom company, on behalf of both sides, the newspaper added.

IT system has become a key role in the whole society and Cambodia needs to have and develop IT system management in government institutions, Sok An was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

Cambodia also needs more human resources for IT system management, he added.

This is the second time for a South Korean company to provide loan with low interest rate for Cambodia to equip the government IT system. In the previous time, a South Korean company provided a loan of 20 million U.S. dollars for the Cambodian government.

Source: Xinhua

Cambodia to present big events to attract more tourists

Cambodia will present big events late this year to attract more tourists to visit the country and help boost the economy and reduce poverty, said Tourism Minister Thong Kong here on Thursday.

"We will have night markets soon in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap province, home of the Angkor Wat temples, organize the Johnnie Walker Cambodia Golf Open 2007 in Siem Reap, conduct better celebration of the Water Festival than previous years in Phnom Penh, hold half marathon in Siem Reap, and join the World Culture Expo 2007 from Sept. 7 to Oct. 26 in South Korea," he told reporters at the half-year review meeting of his ministry's work.

Cambodia is also preparing to host the Angkor International Tourism Expo 2007 in Siem Reap in early October and the ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asia Nations) Boat Racing soon in Phnom Penh, he added.

"These events can show tourists that our country is stable and peaceful to visit," he said.

The plane crash in June, which killed 22 people, had limited impact on the kingdom's tourism industry, as the government had worked hard in the rescue operation and the aviation companies will strengthen the control of their planes' quality, improve safety measures for tourists and adopt better flight routes, he said.

In the first six months of this year, Cambodia received 975,349 tourists, about 20 percent increase over the same period last year, and most of them were from South Korea, Japan, the United States, Vietnam and China, he said.

At the end of this year, we estimate to have about two million foreign tourists in all, he added.

Last year, 1.7 million foreign tourists visited Cambodia, harvesting over one billion U.S. dollars for national revenues.

Tourism is one of the three pillar industries of Cambodia. The Angkor Wat temples in Siem Reap, the clean beach resorts in Sihanoukville and the Phnom Penh city are travelers' hottest destinations.

Source: Xinhua

Cambodia's PMT Air has safety problems, inspection shows

PMT Air, a Cambodian airline, was found to have unattended safety deficiencies in an inspection of foreign carriers serving South Korea, a report showed Thursday.

The inspection of seven foreign airlines by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) followed the crash of a PMT Air plane last month in southern Cambodia in which 13 South Korean tourists died.

PMT Air topped the list with 10 deficiencies, followed by Russia's SAT Airlines and Cambodia's Royal Khmer Airlines, with seven and five safety problems respectively, the report said.

PMT Air was cited because its crew captains, non-maintenance personnel, conducted safety maintenance checks 26 times over the past three months. The company was also found to have not updated its service route guidelines.

The airline currently runs six flights each week between South Korea and Siem Reap, a popular Cambodian tourist destination.

SAT Airlines was found to have used non-standard parts in the front wheels of its aircraft, while Royal Khmer hasn't updated its service route guidelines.

The report will be forwarded to air safety officials of the nations involved, along with demands for them to strengthen safety protocols, CASA officials said.

The Transportation Ministry announced earlier in the year that it plans to introduce a safety watch list of carriers with a high risk of accidents, similar to the one initiated by the European Union last year, which placed restrictions on 179 airlines from 14 nations because of safety concerns.

Japanese company to invest in Cambodia for bio-diesel

A Japanese company will invest 800 million U.S. dollars in Cambodia to plant castor bean and refine castor oil into bio-diesel, company source said here on Friday.

The Biwako Bio-Laboratory Co., Ltd. from Japan will plant castor bean on 48,000 hectares of land in Kompong Speu and Kompong Cham provinces and then establish a factory to refine castor oil into bio-diesel which is expected to replace gasoline, said Mitsuo Hayashi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company.

"Now we are waiting for the result of the oil sample test in the laboratory in Japan. We want to know what kind of seeds will be planted to provide high turnouts," he said.

Some 48,000 hectares of castor plants will yield 100,000 tons of castor oil annually and 40,000 tons of bio-diesel after refinery, he said.

The company needs 500,000 hectares of land for the project in 20 years and the Cambodian government is now helping to find land, he added.

Mitsuo is among the 30 representatives of the Japanese delegation currently on visit to Cambodia. Kozo Yamamoto, Deputy Minister of Economy of Japan, leads the team to find investment opportunities here.

Japan is the largest donor country for Cambodia but has little investment in the kingdom.

Source: Xinhua

Hundreds of Cambodian teenagers benefit from football education project

Around 500 children aged from 10 to 13 are benefiting from the Cambodian government-overseen Starfish Foundation Football Coaching, local media said on Wednesday.

The children from 10 teams in Phnom Penh and four in Siem Reap province receive training some six hours a week, English-language newspaper the Cambodian Daily quoted Tola May, deputy secretary- general of the Football Federation of Cambodia (FFC), as saying.

"Fun, discipline and health are all benefits that the kids can gain from football. The role of coaches is not just about training children in terms of football. They are teachers in other aspects of life also," he said.

FFC oversees the football coaching project since it came into being in April 2006 to help disadvantaged children of the kingdom.

Currently, FFC helps organize sponsorship for the project, while the non-governmental Starfish Foundation provides equipment and pay salaries to the coaches.

Source: Xinhua

Cambodian Premier League teams now have 16 foreign footballers

Five out of the eight Cambodian Premier League soccer teams hire foreign talents and their total number now stands at 16, local media on Thursday quoted football officials as saying.

They came from African countries like Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana and the Congo, Keo Sarin, Vice President of the Football Federation of Cambodia (FFC), was quoted by English-language newspaper the Cambodian Daily as saying.

FFC President and National Military Police Commander Sao Sokha said that foreign footballers were first allowed into the league for the 2006 season, in an attempt to push the maturation process forward both financially and athletically.

"We want to have more support from the public. Our sponsors will only sponsor us if there is interest from the audience," he said.

The presence of foreigners in the league can also help improve the capabilities of the local players, he added.

A foreign player is usually paid 200 to 400 U.S. dollars a month and enjoys free accommodation and food, said the report.

According to the league regulations, each team can have no more than five foreign players and no team can field more than three at one time.

Source: Xinhua

South Korean bank to operate in Cambodia next month

The first commercial bank funded by South Korean investors will begin operations in Phnom Penh next month, with unusual banking services on offer, local newspaper the Rasmei Kampuchea said on Thursday.

Camko Bank, which is in the family of Camko City, a 2 billion U. S. dollar South Korean housing project to construct a satellite city on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, will become operational late July, the report quoted a Camko City official as saying.

With capital from its parent bank in South Korea, Busan Bank, Camko Bank will provide a variety of "unprecedented" banking services such as loans, VIP services and savings, according to the official.

Different from commercial banks currently operating in Cambodia, Camko Bank will provide among other things a lending service that borrowers don't have to repay the principal, but only the interest, said the official, who declined to elaborate on the issue.

According to the official, Camko Bank will play a main role in the future stock market in Cambodia.

The Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has been assisting the Cambodian government to set up a stock exchange market in Cambodia, which is expected to start in 2009.

Cambodian plane crashed

At least 22 people were believed to be killed on Monday in Cambodian plane crashed. Most of passengers on plane are from South Korea, 3 from Czech republic, 5 cambodian and one Russian. This is the very shocking plane accident that have rarely happened in Cambodia. PM, Samdech Hun Sen have ordered the immediate research and sending nearly 1000 soldiers including his own guards to search for the victims. In spite of any attempts of the Cambodian Government, no passengers have been rescued. They just brought back all dead bodies.

The plane carried the passegers was believed to be made in Russia. The experts believed that the weather was the major cause for the accident. But we don't know for sure it was the truth or not. We also want to share condolence with all the victims' families. To be continued...

Malasia beat Cambodia 6-0

KUALA LUMPUR (June 19, 2007) – Shortly after seeing his team being demolished by half a dozen goals last night, Cambodian head coach Scott O’Donell remained confident that Cambodia can put up a stronger team for the SEA Games at the end of the year.

The Cambodian national team was outplayed by Malaysia 6-0 at the Stadium Shah Alam in a game which the latter was using as a test – at so many levels – for the Asian Cup 2007 next month.

Thesis defending ceremony!

Today is one of the most happiness day in my life, i have spent 5 years studying in Ha Noi, Viet Nam. One of my expectation is to study about some basic knowledge in financial and banking, to discover more and more about how the bank system operate, how can we make a big profit from this field, etc. but in recent years i have to face with a lot of obstacal in my study such as: First one is language, i have no chance to study in my native language so when i read, write, listen to the teacher a lot of misunderstanding always occur i was so unhappy about that. Second one is a fragile health i think it is a big big problem for me that i didn't get a good result as i expect you know. But lately i feel more and more relief after getting an operation on my nose. You know i feel Buddha(god of buddhist) given me a second birth.

Today i have completed my thesis defending and i am going to be an banking bachelor soon in the next few days so i am very very happy about that. Now i have no concern about my study anymore it is time for me to relax as much as possible.

A picnic to THAC DA stream in Ha Tay province, Viet Nam

Hi! last sunday i got the opoortunity to visit THAC DA stream in Ha Tay province. You know it was so interesting and wonderful with a very cool landscape there, a cold stream but a bit tired and exhausted to get there because i have to share the motorbike with my friend. It took us around 2 to 3 hours and it is also very dangerous to go there by motorbike i was so scared you know but i had nothing to say with my friend i must accept all of their rule. They drove too fast and they ignored everything surrounding, in front of them. Maybe they thought they are the best one, the only one in this world. I had no safefy hat, no mass, ... Experiences of that i swear i won't go with them by that kind of means of transportation again. If they ask me to go with them again, i will automatically say ........hahahah to be continued!

Funny pictures

Young generation of Cambodian football

Due to the effort of the Football Federation of Cambodia, leading by excellency Sao Sokha, a lot of competitions have been organized not only Cambodian League but also Samdech Hun Sen cup. A part from that recently an increasing of number of clubs have been established. In those clubs also have foreign players from Brazil, Cameroon, Nigeria, DPRK, ... basing on those effort we hope Cambodian football club will soon become professional and also make the memorial history.

Budda

Phnom Penh today

New Cambodian peacekeeping forces to Sudan

After decades suffering from the civil war, Cambodia now have changing and confirming their own status in the international community. This is the first time Cambodia demining forces joining the UN peacekeeping forces in Sundan.

King father of Cambodia

Next examination!

It is time to concentrate and pay special attention to the next gratuate examination. It is also the last exam since we have sat on the university's chair for 4 years. This time we must try our best to achieve good mark. Now we must put aside other things that are less important and invest more time to read related books in order to prepare for exam. No need to remind, all students have their own consideration, maybe this time they have no time to think about useless things such as: chatting, palying game, football, going picnic as well etc. No degree no money, no bright future even no darling hahahah... bachelor degree appear to be one of the most important for every student. They have to bring the degree home first of all is to make their parents happy, second is meed their own demand, third is to equip themselve with a high knowledge in modern society nowday.

Cambodian students in Viet Nam

After experiences of 5 years studying in Viet Nam, i witnissed a lot of things here very interesting, attractive but also terrible. First of all is khmer student tour, there have been some of Khmer students came to Viet Nam only seeking for an entertainment not care much about study. They ignored everything around them. They just knew how to drink, smoke, play and chase after girls only. Maybe study have been likely unimportant at all in their mind. In some cases they had to spend 7 or 8 years to gratuate from their University, 2 years longer than other students in the same school. So we can say that was very embarrassing for cambodian students and for the future of khmer people but we also can't blame them at all because those are responsibilities of the Cambodian Ministry of education which is in charge of choosing students and sending them here. You know some students came here without high school degree and didn't have the basic education so i want to ask you that how can they catch up with their study. Providing that they have money, they can do everything. You know money is everything. In constrast to that, some students have achieved their own goals. They appeared to spend all their time on study and concentrate on the lesson only. We also have to reveal the truth and respect them not all cambodian students are going in the wrong way te. They are really a bright future of the country... to be continued!

Is there any justice in this world?

When we take a look at everything around us we can see, think about, even touch. but sometimes those are unreal and do not exist in this world at all. So we must take them into consideration before we decide to take any action against something. Make sure that we won't be cheated by our own eyes so we must look at further distance. Remember "Beauty just only skin deep". Some people say that they are guaranteed by their own country constitution or law. But in fact those can be true even we have money, have any position in society if we don't have, please tell me who will help us when we are in trouble. Actually, in some countries they implement their own law very good and can be acceptable. In contrast, a lot of countries remain unclear and unreachable their own policies you know that is a big problem for them. In order to have a sustainable developement we must stay together side by side all the time, talk and share experiences with each other. "Together, we are stronger".

Would Angkor Wat become the new 7 wonders of the world ?

Angkor Wat will become the new 7 wonders of the world or not. It is unpredictable and remain a difficult question to get an answer. As you know Cambodia is only a small country and has a small population just around 14 million. Nowaday there are a little number of cambodian people can use Internet so how can they have a chance to vote for it? that is a big big question mark.

But we do believe that all of you will support it to be the one of the new 7 wonders of world. We hope not only cambodian people but also our friends in the region and around the globe will vote for Angkor Wat.

You all know Angkor Wat is one of the greatest temples and it is also the symble of the culture and civilization of cambodian people.

Ấn vào đây để tham gia bỏ phiếu

Vote for Angkor Wat( bỏ phiếu cho Angkor Wat)

Cambodian Water Festival

The Water Festival in Cambodia takes place each year in October or November, at the time of the full moon, and is the most extravagant and exuberant festival in the Khmer calendar, outdoing even the new year celebrations.Starting on the day of the full moon in late October or early November, up to a million people from all walks of life and from all over the country flock to the banks of the Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers in Phnom Penh to watch traditional boats racing on a huge scale. This year more than 400 of the brightly colored boats with over 2,500 paddlers battled it out for top honors. The boat racing dates back to ancient times marking the strength of the powerful Khmer marine forces during the Khmer empire.

Why go to Cambodia?

Why go to Cambodia? Because the people have so much culture, beauty, history and tradition to share. Because it is a society rising from its ashes with pride and determination. Because it's a very real part of our world.

What an attractive match!

On wednesday,16th May 2007, the competition between students from A3 and T4 dormitory was organized. Once again T4 team defeated A3 team with 4 - 0 . The first goal was scored by Sophal from Hanoi Civil Construction University. In fact the competition was very attractive and interesting that we can't imagine. One thing might be surprised everybody is that the player ability from both teams. A3 team is stronger and more experiences than T4 team but the result was quite different and out of estimate.

Each time A3 team got the ball they only keep it and transfer one, two to their team finally threw the ball and it ran into the wrong target. Actually their performance was better but they can't scored any goals for their team. Every attemt to bring the ball into the penalty area was bloged by the T4 defenders. They did nothing and brought back zero goal for their team.Hahahahahahahha once again we won and didn't have to pay the money for the stadium.Wowowoowowowowowowowo ridiculous nas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Out of sight, out of mind!

When one couple begin their first love in their life, they might be happy and romantic together. But that is just available only when they are side by side, hand in hand. In contrast, that can only happyen in very short time when one of them leave for another place unexpectedly. In this time, both of them can realise how big and large the world is?, how terrible are they?, how bitter love is? hahahahahahahh! day after day they feel more and more isolated. After taking a long time to reconsider suddently other people may appear in their mind. As a result both of them separated. In everyday life, I can show you an example of my friends who have been falling in love together for a long long time from general school and continue their fragile love at University. Both of them still enjoy a sweet love each other. We can say that nothing can separate them but you know everything can't be going on forever. It must have finish point sometimes if we don't know how to control. After finishing University they didn't think about the wedding for themself! do u know why? when i asked them they replied that they wanted to earn a lot of money, to buy house, to possess a car by their own. "all of them are the former and wedding is the later". Actually we don't know what will happen next in our life?an unexpected plan have been made by the director of her boyfriend' company that he had to move to another country during 5 years! wowowoowowow.........................to be continued!

Khmer food!

Today i have great lunch with my friends. We have enjoyed all sorts of foods during our Cambodian Journey. Today we ate Nim Chow, which h

as rice and bean sprouts wrapped in a rice wrapper and a peanut sauce, as well as deep fried chic

ken. We love to eat fruit, ga theo, shrimp, rice, noodles, Hot spicey

papiea. It tastes like you put in 5 THOUSAND PEPPERS in it. It is really hot.

Workshop at Thanh Nien guest house in Hanoi

On friday, 11th May 2007 i got the permission from my teacher to attend the workshop organized by Oxford University Press at Thanh Nien guest house in Hanoi. Most of attendees are English teacher from different Universities in Viet Nam. I witnessed a lot of interesting and attractive things there. I also have a chance to talk to other teachers in English, i found them very very friendly and hospitable that i can't imagine. One thing i can't forget is the very important content of the workshop you know. They gave us some direction of TOEIC test such as: how to manage time, how to read, how to imagine the situation of the test etc. It is really useful for all students who are willing to improve their English especially for those want to learn in abroad.

The best is only bought at the cost of great pain

We all know that everything has a price that we have to pay for. Its price depend on its value. Remember that nothing for free. You know when one person expect to get something they have to spend not only money but also time. And sometimes it is hard to gain something with low pay.