Thai are suggested to study law now to become a better human

‘Nothing to fear’ from heritage meet

A MUST READ ARTICLE

25/07/2010 at 12:00 AM Bangkok Post

Cambodian soldiers guard Prasat Preah Vihear

Thailand has nothing to fear from the World Heritage Committee meeting starting today in Brazil, a source says.

The meeting will discuss Cambodia’s management plan for Preah Vihear temple and its buffer zone.

Thailand has yet to see the plan, because it has not been distributed to committee members.

However, the source said any decision by the committee to back the plan is unlikely to affect Thailand’s territorial dispute with Cambodia over land near the temple.

Preah Vihear has been on Unesco’s world heritage list since 2008.

Thailand opposes the plan on the grounds that sovereignty over the buffer zone, the 4.6 square kilometre disputed area claimed by the two countries, has not been settled.

The source, who works on resolving border disputes between Thailand and Cambodia, said endorsement of the management plan would probably have little impact on the territorial dispute.

He cited the World Heritage Convention which says the listing of a world heritage site will not prejudice concerned parties’ right to conduct territorial disputes.

The source insists the world heritage work will not affect demarcation work in the area as both sides reached agreements following a memorandum of understanding on demarcation work in 2000.

The work has made little progress so far, because they first need to identify all 73 land pegs running along the Thai-Cambodia border.

“I think we need to study the law so we can deal with the issue better. At the moment, emotions are running too high,” the source said.

However, he cautioned about possible encroachments on Thai territory by Cambodia following any plan endorsement.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti sought a meeting with Unesco director-general Irina Bokova on Friday to express Thailand’s concern over the Preah Vihear temple issue.

“We would like to affirm our position that the buffer zone management plan should not be carried out until there is clarity over land demarcation,” Mr Suwit said before the meeting.

Mr Suwit also leads the Thai delegation to Brazil.

Mr Suwit expressed concern about the delay in distribution of the Cambodian plan to the WHC members.

“The Cambodian side has not let us know anything,” he said.

The committee’s Thai representative claims she has not received a copy of the plan for review ahead of the meeting.

The committee is made up of representatives from 21 countries, including Thailand and Cambodia.

One member of the Thai delegation said before leaving for the meeting in Brazil that Cambodia’s management plan is likely to include the disputed area, as Cambodia wants to develop the site.

However, the Thai delegation will try to veto any committee decision to endorse the plan as it still concerned that it may affect the country’s territory, he said.

On July 14, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An updated the Cambodian press about progress in developing the site.

Three roads are being built from the temple to the east, the west, and the northeast, linking Preah Vihear to Kampong Thom, and Siem Reap, the home of Angkor Wat.

Sok An rejected Thailand’s claim to the disputed 4.6 square kilometre area near the temple, saying Thailand was relying on a “secret and mysterious map”, which is not recognised internationally.

NOTE: According to my observation, I can judge the arrogant Siamese stance now as the following:

1. Of course, they are in fear now: losing face again at the international community´s meet as they used to be e.g in 2008, Canada.
2. Cambodia submitted the plan to UNESCO since Jan 2010. This claim is just a ploy by these stupid groups of Siamese extremists who control Thailand now in order to accuse Cambodia of being insincere to save their face at home and discredit Cambodia at the international stage. Or it could be that Cambodia submitted only to other members of World Heritage Committee (WHC) except for Thailand. And Thailand is not informed either so far for its trouble-making behavior.
3. It seems that these greedy Siam never work together to solve the problem with Cambodia or just a ploy. But If not a ploy, it shows that they have internal conflicts related to the border resolution with Cambodia. The important thing here is that only this time that these stupid extremist Siam can calm down themselves by raising the points suggested by the border solving experts, but never before. And most importantly, it is clearly showing a sign of softening stance. I mean that they may have been taught/warned along their ways to Brazil by other WHC´s members concerning with their unreasonable claim of objection to Cambodian management plan. You can read some of their previous strong remarks against Cambodia here, here, and here.
4. It is truly a Thai perfect idiot. Well, it must be tough for Cambodia as well as other races to deal with these soft Siam for their principles of life, government, and international diplomacy are led by emotions, but not by laws. And only now that they realize that studying law is important.
5. These unreasonable people have express their objection to Cambodian management plan all the ways, even though they haven´t seen the plan yet. To my question, where is their claim of creating a good relationship with Cambodia means? What is the spirit of Asean? What is the spirit of cooperation, dialog, unity, and neighborhood of Thailand?
6. It clearly shows a childish behavior of Thailand to raise the issues of the development of roads from other provinces to Preah Vihear because this has nothing to do with Thailand and the border dispute of the two countries. Or you Siam are jealous?
7. Sok An make the correct statement. And I hope he will make it all the ways along with his committed action, and even with the Viets.

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Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

• Is Cambodia a Province of Thailand of Thailand is a Province of Cambodia_

Duch guilty of Khmer Rouge crimes

Khmer Rouge jailer faces 19 years for 16,000 dead

Monday Jul. 26, 2010 8:50 AM ET

The Associated Press

In this photo released by the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch, who ran the notorious Toul Sleng, a top secret detention center for the worst 'enemies' of the state, looks on during his sentencing at the UN-backed war crimes tribunal in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, July 26, 2010. (AP Photo/ Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia)

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — A UN-backed tribunal sentenced the Khmer Rouge's chief jailer to 35 years for overseeing the deaths of up to 16,000 people -- the first verdict involving a senior member of the "killing fields" regime that devastated a generation of Cambodians.

Victims and their relatives burst into tears after learning that Kaing Guek Eav -- also known as Duch -- will actually serve only 19 years after being convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity after taking into account time already served and other factors.

That means the 67-year-old could one day walk free, a prospect that infuriated many who have been demanding justice for victims of the regime that killed an estimated 1.7 million people between 1975-79.

"I can't accept this," said Saodi Ouch, 46, shaking so hard she could hardly talk. "My family died ... my older sister, my older brother. I'm the only one left."

More than three decades after the ultra-communist Khmer Rouge killed a quarter of Cambodia's population while trying to turn the country into a vast agrarian collective, Duch is so far the only person to face justice. The group's top leader, Pol Pot, died in 1998 and four other senior Khmer Rouge leaders are awaiting trial for their part in the deaths from execution, starvation, medical neglect and slave-like working conditions.

The UN-backed tribunal -- 10 years and $100 million in the making -- said it took into consideration the historical context of the atrocities: The regime was the product of the troubled Cold War times.

It also recognized that Duch, who headed Tuol Sleng, a secret detention centre for the worst "enemies" of the state, was not a member of the Khmer Rouge's inner clique and that he had co-operated with the court, admitted responsibility and showed "limited" expressions of remorse.

During the 77-day proceedings, Duch admitted to overseeing the deaths of up to 16,000 people who passed through the prison's gates. Torture used to extract confessions included pulling out prisoners' toenails, administering electric shocks and waterboarding.

At least 100 people bled to death in medieval-style medical experiments.

One of the tribunal's international judges, Silvia Cartwright, said she understood that those who lived through the Khmer Rouge's reign of terror may be upset at the sentence.

"That's one of the reasons that we have an objective tribunal ... fixing as balanced a sentence as we can," she said. "If left to the victims to decide how to punish a person, then it would be, possibly, mob rule."

"You have to bear in mind that victims are very deeply hurt and traumatized," she added. "We can never give them what they lost ... so a sentence can only ever be symbolic in a way."

The prosecution and defence have one month to appeal.

Unlike the other defendants, Duch (pronounced DOIK) has several times asked for forgiveness, even offering at one point to face a public stoning. But his surprise request on the final day of the trial to be acquitted and freed left many wondering if his contrition was sincere.

"He tricked everybody," said Chum Mey, 79, one of just a few people sent to Tuol Sleng prison -- code-named S-21 -- who survived. The key witness wiped his eyes. "See ... my tears drop down again. I feel like I was victim during the Khmer Rouge, and now I'm a victim once again."

Duch, sitting rigidly in a crisp light purple shirt and starring into the distance, showed no emotion as he listened Monday to the judge talk about the court's findings.

Judges noted that the jailer was often present during interrogations at Tuol Sleng and signed off on all the tortures and executions, sometimes taking part himself. He said the court had rejected arguments that he was acting on orders from the top because he was under duress or feared for his own life.

"In carrying out his functions, he showed a high degree of efficiency and zeal," the judges wrote. "He worked tirelessly to ensure that S-21 ran as efficiently as possible and did so out of unquestioning loyalty to his superiors."

A former math teacher, Duch joined Pol Pot's movement in 1967, three years before the U.S. started carpet-bombing Cambodia to try to wipe out Northern Vietnamese troops and Viet Cong inside the border. By 1976, he was the trusted head of its ultimate killing machine, S-21.

After a Vietnamese invasion forced the Khmer Rouge from power in 1979, Duch disappeared for almost two decades, living under various aliases in northwestern Cambodia, where he had converted to Christianity. His chance discovery by a British journalist led to his arrest just over a decade ago.

Though the tribunal has been credited with helping the traumatized nation speak out publicly for the first time about atrocities committed three decades ago, it has been criticized as well.

The government insisted Cambodians be on the panel of judges, opening the door for political interference. It also sought to limit the number of suspects being tried -- fearing, some say, it would implicate its own ranks. The prime minister and other current leaders were once low-level members of the Khmer Rouge.

Though most people doubted Duch would get the maximum life imprisonment, few expected he'd get less than 35 years in jail. The decision to shave 16 years for time already served and illegal detention in a military prison means he has 18 years and 10 months left.

That's around two days in prison for every person who died under his watch.

More than 1,000 villagers showed up for the verdict, some travelling more than 180 miles (300 kilometres) by bus.

"It's just unacceptable to have a man who killed thousands of people serving just 19 years," said Theary Seng, a human rights lawyer who lost both of her parents and has been working with others to find justice.

An international civil rights lawyer and associate fellow of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs also criticized the court's "unimaginative" reparation order, which was limited to simply publishing the judgment. Mahdev Mohan said the UN-backed tribunal could have ordered Duch to build a memorial to the victims and to do other work to deter future crimes against humanity.

Among those at Monday's verdict was New Zealander Rob Hamill, the brother of one of a handful of Westerners killed by the Khmer Rouge. Kerry, then 28, was sailing across Asia when his yacht was captured in Cambodian waters in 1978. He was taken to Tuol Sleng and killed.

Another brother committed suicide months later, and their mother died seven years ago.

"All I can say is my family, who are no longer here to see justice, would not want to see this man set free, even if it's in 19 years time," said Hamill, 46, struggling to contain his emotion. "It's reality but I'm not happy... he should not be a free man."

Cambodia-Thai War and the Hidden Agenda

October 15, 2008 at 10:48 pm

By The Son Of the Khmer Empire

The recent conflict between Cambodia and Thailand did pose serious concern over our country´s stability and security. We really don´t know to what extend the war will become in the future. And we are asking if there would be any hidden agenda in the conflict, and if not, what is the resolution to stop this unnecessary war?

The possible hidden agenda:

Cambodia

Hun Sen might want to help his close and share personal interest friend, Thaksin Sinawatra whos was ousted by the military coup last year, by helping his in-law , Somchai, to stay in power. The PPP governement has always been troubled by the People Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the extremist Thais, with daily mass protests which deepen Thai internal conflict day after day. This act of declaring war of Hun Sen can divert the PAD´s attention from protest against its own government to look at the external issues and calmdown or united with the government.

It can be a political strategy of Hun Sen. This is the only alternative to finish the conflict through the help of the third parties -UN, ICJ, and Asean, as Cambodian people wanted. Unfortunately, this resolution is not welcomed by the UN and Asean body as long as the situation is not seriously concerned. So this might make Hun Sen government to have patience for the right time to come.

If Hun Sen government is really protecting the soveriegnty of Cambodia, so Hun Sen government must understand that to take bilateral negotiation is not the advantage at all and Cambodia might lose her territorial integrity to Thailand and therefore only the third party´s intervention may help and protect the nation from loss, so the third party is needed and the resolution is to react militarily against the endless invasion of Thailnd.

It also can be a boost for political support for Hun Sen government and divert the Cambodian people´s attention from the quiet protest of the opposition of the disturb result of recent unfair national election and more importantly to divert the Cambodians from launching another protest against the third aniversary of the Supplemental Treay 15 October 2005 which validates the 1985 treaty of the Vietnamese invasion back to life, which he himself personally signed it.

Hun Sen may be pushed to war by Vietnam for Vietnam will not want to see Cambodia at peace for this will cause the loss of its future´s political control over Cambodia. And Hun Sen may get any secret agenda with Vietnam as well.

Will Cambodia lose the war? It may be said that Cambodia won´t lose it, but Cambodia will take advantage in taking in the international intervention if Cambodian government truly serves the country. If the war is just to help Thaksin´s crony to stay in power, then Cambodia will be absolutely at a big loss.

Thailand

It also can be the Thai hidden politics to bring its unity by provoking the outrage of Cambodian leaders by keep invading to the last patience of Cambodia in order to wage war against Cambodia. The reason is that the weak Thai government can divert the PAD to become its alliance and united as a nation and move against the external country, Cambodia.

It´s about superiority. The Thai and Cambodia keep claiming superiority over each another. We are the rivalery neighbors over the history. This act means the Thai want to take pride over Cambodia that they will not submitt to Cambodia.

It actually about increasing the nationalism among the Thai and with this the PPP goernment will be able to collect political sympathy among the Thais.

This will paly as a military show-off to its neigbors because Thai military is known as weak and inexperiened even though they are equiped with the modern weapons they will have a hard time to deal with the poorly equiped but better experiened Cambodian soldiers. If they can bug down Cambodia soldiers it will bring more confidence among their soldiers for future military operation against other neigbors. With this, they will not let the opportunity goes away easily.

It might be the case of taking revenge over the lost of Khmer Preah Vihear temple.

Thai politics is always about saving face. This operation actually may save its losing face from the last few months´s invading acts as being viewed by the international community and become the rightious by not the one who first declares the war. But take this advatage it ignites the war.

All these hidden agenda can be called the strategy of “Uniting one´s Country on the expense of the other nation.” Cambodian leaders must be aware of this inhuman strategy.

Will Thailand win the war? Thailand will not win the war. But thai may win over its people´s heart for unity. With this war, Thailand just regain national unity for a while if possible and save its face but it will then confront the international judgement and lastly it will lose its greed and alibi forver to invade Cambodia in the future.

Can we solve the conflict peacefully? Yes!

The resolution is easy as everyone must say:

The two countries must bring the case to the credible third parties- UN Security Council, International Court of Justice or at least Asean.

It also can be solved through bilateral resolution.

The two countries must stick to a truly honest neighborhood principle and the resolutions stated above must be solved basing on the international recognized legal documents and treaties- 1904 and 1907 Siam-french Treaty, the verdict of ICJ 1962, and the 1935 Siam-French border resolution treaty.

But this is not happened because the Thai has claimed that it needs bilateral resolution rather than the international intervention or keep claiming that its country is having the internal problem and asks Cambodia to wait. And it always flip-flops that it has the will to solve the issues peacefully. Cambodia can not wait. The longer the issue is prolongued the advantage will be lost on the Cambodian side. Therefore, to stop the war the third party´s intervention must be the last choice.

However, we do put doubt over Thai political atittude for its dishonesty and treachery by observing the following cases:

If Thailand is truly honest in its national and international politics and a true freindly neighbor Thailand should be the one who takes a lead in bringing the case to the International Court of Justice, United Nation Security Council (ICJ), and Asean, because Thailand always keeps claiming that Cambodia invades its territory and the ICJ is injustice. But why it denies Cambodia chalenge in the international level and yet keeps dishnoestly demanding the bilateral resolution? Thai deplomatic can reach the rest of the world any time it wants why refuses to openly fight peacefully for its justice in the international arena with Cambodia through court and dialogue?

If Thailand is truly a good neigbor, Thailand must not have sent its troop to station on Cambodian land. If Thailand also claims for the land and have materials in hand recognized by the international body, why don´t use the existing Joint Committee for Border Resolution that the two countries have established to solve the issue instead of sending troop to provoke the war?

if Thai themseves do accept the interal political trouble and have often asked Cambodian to be patient and understanding why Thai government allows its troops to encraoch Cambodia day after day? Why don´t they spare time the Cambodian government given to them to strenghten the stability inside its own nation and regain its reputation in the international community?

These are truly unacceptable in the political game of Thailand towards its neigbor. The world must see understand this and push for the peaceful resolution as soon as possible in order to avoid any unpredictable causalty by the conflicts.

Conflicts causalty as up today

Cambodia:

Two Cambodian soldiers died.

Three Cambodian soldiers slightly wounded.

Thailand

Three Thai soldiers lost their legs by stepping on landmine.

Ten Thai soldiers seriously wounded.

Ten Thai soldiers captured.

Six Thai soldiers died.

The ten Thai soldiers captured and their weapons confesticated during the fighting on Wednesday 15-10-2008.

Japanese Textile Artist Drawn to Silk Mystery

Friday, 23 July 2010

Nuch Sarita, VOA Khmer | Washington, DC

Louise Allison Cort, a ceramic curator at the Freer and Sackler galleries, is seen admiring these beautiful silk.( Photo: by Pin Sisovann )

While the Freer and Sackler galleries showcase rare Khmer bronzes in an ongoing exhibition, traditional Khmer silks are also on display.

The silks are a bit of a mystery, at least to Kikuo Morimoto, the founder of the Institute for Khmer Traditional Textiles, who was invited by the Smithsonian to explain Khmer silk dyeing and weaving.

Morimoto brought with him examples of hand-woven textiles that include an important twill pattern, called “hol.”

“I am interested in the mysterious story of yellow raw silk of Cambodia as material relating to Cambodian textiles,” he said, in addition to finding the source of the unique weaving technique.

An artist from Kyoto, Japan, Morimoto said he started his project to restore silkworm cultivation in Cambodian villages and to preserve a culture of weaving that is similar to that in Japan. He especially worked with weavers in Takeo province.

“I met an old woman, she is still keeping the old-day [hol],” he said. “This is the same in Japan also.”

He moved his institute to Siem Reap in 2000, after establishing it in Phnom Penh in 1996, and he hopes to find a way to teach the old methods to younger generations. He now has five hectares of land north of the temples of Angkor, a region that was the heart of the Khmer empire from the 9^th to 14^th centuries.

His work earned him a Rolex Award for Enterprise in 2004 and an audience with King Norodom Sihamoni in 2007. The king praised the institute for providing employment opportunities to impoverished Cambodian women and maintaining the old tradition.

Louise Allison Cort, a ceramic curator at the Freer and Sackler galleries, said she admired Morimoto for working to preserve the environment as well as the methods.

“When I wear this piece, I know that it was made completely by hand,” she said. “Somebody grew the mulberry trees to raise the silkworm; someone sponged the silk from the silk cocoons; someone used the natural dye to make the colors; someone weaved on the loom; and all of these people enjoyed their work and felt that it contributed to the whole finished result. And when I wear this I feel like I am participating in that project as well.”

The products of the silk weavers' labours are already being sold at a shop above the Siem Reap workshops. They are also available at the Freer and Arthur galleries withing the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC.

Preah Vihear: Distrust dooms good relations

July 22, 2010

By Supalak Ganjanakhundee

Source: The Nation

Preah Vihear Temple

An olive branch offered by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to mend sour relations with Thailand early this month when he deported a couple of suspected terrorists to Bangkok did not yield any good result, as the Thai government continues to maintain its obstacles against the Preah Vihear plan.

Without being asked to do so, Cambodia deported Kobchai Boonplod and his wife Warisriya Boonsom, who were charged with terrorism for allegedly planting a bomb near coalition member Bhum Jai Thai Party's headquarters.

The Thai government expressed its gratitude and interpreted the decision as a good sign of restoration of the downgraded diplomatic relations with Cambodia. Bangkok expected Phnom Penh to do more by handing over many red-shirt leaders who were believed to be hiding in Cambodia.

The two countries downgraded their diplomatic relations last year when Phnom Penh appointed fugitive ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as an economic adviser to Hun Sen and his government. The sour relations added to the tension that had existed since 2008 between the two countries over the world heritage status of Preah Vihear. That dispute led to border skirmishes that killed seven soldiers and injured a dozen on both sides in 2008 and 2009.

Thailand was supposed to have nothing to do with Preah Vihear's status since the International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the Hindu sanctuary was situated in territory under Cambodia's sovereignty.

Abhisit Vejjajiva's government together with a nationalist movement raised the question that Cambodia might take over some disputed areas adjacent to the temple as a buffer zone. However, the moves to block Cambodia's proposal to list Preah Vihear as a world heritage site failed. The World Heritage Committee agreed to list the site in July 2008 and requested that Cambodia submit its final management plan by February this year.

Cambodia says the Preah Vihear buffer zone it has proposed does not include the areas to the north and the west of the temple that are the subject of a territorial dispute with Thailand. But the Thai government remains suspicious, as it has not yet seen the full report and the graphic plan of the property. The World Heritage Committee was supposed to circulate the management plan for members' consideration by the middle of June but failed to do so because of technical problems.

A Thai delegation led by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti will ask the World Heritage Committee during its meeting from next Sunday to August 3 in Brasilia to delay consideration of the Preah Vihear management plan. Abhisit says the plan should not be approved before the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia is settled.

There is no quick fix for the border dispute. Perhaps it will not be settled before the end of Abhisit's government. The results of a Thailand-Cambodia Joint Boundary Commission meeting have been waiting for Parliament's consideration since last year.

In fact, Article 11 of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's World Heritage Convention stipulates that the world heritage designation will never affect a disputed boundary. However, the Thai government does not trust the Unesco convention, either. An official familiar with the issue said the convention might not guarantee Thailand's right to claim sovereignty over areas near Preah Vihear.

Therefore, Thailand wants it on the record that it has never accepted and will never recognise Cambodia's right over the border areas adjacent to Preah Vihear, and it is concerned that activities at Preah Vihear might violate Thai sovereignty, he said.

With such an attitude of mistrust, Thailand will never have good relations with Cambodia.

Eating habits of the rich and famous Book spills beans on celebrities' food fetishes

JULY 21, 2010
BY NICK ALLEN
Source: THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

Kurt Cobain's favourite dish was macaroni and cheese, but it had to be from Kraft.

Photograph by: Frank Micelotta, Getty Images, The Daily Telegraph

Angelina Jolie consumed cockroaches as protein snacks in Cambodia, Elvis Presley never cut up his own food, and Ernest Hemingway once ate a porcupine, according to a new book about the eating habits of the rich and famous.

Other tales about peculiar palates include how Hollywood star Gary Cooper devoured a can of sauerkraut every morning and Bette Davis was nicknamed Spuds because of her love of potatoes.

Matthew Jacob and his brother Mark, the authors of What the Great Ate: A Curious History of Food and Fame, spent two years plowing through records to find epicurean oddities about actors, singers and politicians, throughout history. The book recounts how Napoleon was one of the first people to enjoy banana fritters soaked in rum, while Alexander the Great banned his soldiers from chewing mint leaves in case they became too sexually excited to fight.

"As food obsessed as our culture is, you pick up the typical biography and find very little about the eating habits of a famous person," said Matthew. "We knew they were there and wanted to dig. Famous people can be incredibly pedantic about food."

Among those who were picky about their food was late rock star Kurt Cobain. His favourite dish was macaroni and cheese, but it always had to be made by Kraft.

Matthew said his favourite tale of famous people and their food occurred in 1965, when American astronaut John Young smuggled a corned beef sandwich into space aboard Gemini 3.

Once in orbit, he produced the snack and gave it to fellow astronaut Gus Grissom, to the alarm of technical experts on the ground who feared crumbs would interfere with delicate instruments and cause a catastrophe.

Grissom said "after the flight our superiors at NASA let us know in no uncertain terms that corned beef sandwiches were out for future space missions."

"Many of these stories tell us a lot about what kind of people these were," said Mark Jacob. "There is a story about Paul Newman, the actor, going on a date with Joanne Woodward and he took his salad into the bathroom to wash off the salad dressing -- then he came back and made his own. We all know what happened next."

According to the book, Elvis Presley decreed that all his meals be overcooked. When he said "That's burnt," it was considered a compliment to the chef.

Angelina Jolie had some advice for anyone else thinking of eating cockroaches: "There's this very pointy bit on their stomach you just can't eat. You have to kind of pop that off."

When he was 13, Ernest Hemingway shot a porcupine. His father punished him by making him cook and eat it. Boxer Joe Louis drank blood straight from a slaughterhouse in Chicago to toughen himself up.

Leading edge: Premium opportunity for growth

WEDNESDAY, 21 JULY 2010 15:01

By: NGUON SOVAN

Source: phnompenhpost

Cao Minh Son is chief executive officer of Cambodia Vietnam Insurance, which insures Cambodia Angkor Air.(Photo by: Pha Lina)

Cao Minh Son is chief executive officer of Cambodia Vietnam Insurance, which has operated in Cambodia since November last year.

After almost a year in Cambodia’s market, what do you think about the insurance industry here?
From CVI’s point of view, Cambodia’s insurance market has a great deal of potential for growth.

When you look at the revenue statistics over recent years, it has increased every year, except in 2009 due to the global financial crisis which delayed several large construction projects. The Cambodian market is very competitive, even when compared with Vietnam.

Could you compare the insurance markets in Cambodia and Vietnam?
One of the most noticeable differences is that in Vietnam insurance companies look to co-insure and spread risks amongst each other, whereas in Cambodia it rarely happens. In Vietnam, sometimes insurers fight for customers, but sometimes they sit down together to provide co-insurance to big projects.

For example, if I insured a building for US$30 million, but I didn’t have enough ability to insure it alone, I could insure only a part of it for $1 million.

In the future, we should have greater co-operation with each other in order to build the local industry and keep premiums in country.

Cambodia has six insurers and one re-insurer, how does this compare to Vietnam?
Six players in this industry is reasonable at the moment with the population [of Cambodia] at 14 million.

In Vietnam, there are up to 29 insurers, however the population is also large – up to 86 million.

In terms of registered capital and premium revenues, it’s also far different. Cambodian premiums were just $20 million last year, but in Vietnam it was up to $870 million.

For registered capital, to open a insurance company here it’s required by the finance ministry to have the registered capital of $7 million, but it’s $16 million in Vietnam, and it is now going to increase to $27 million.

What do you think about the perceptions of Cambodians towards buying insurance?
Generally speaking, the concept of insurance is fairly new, and it will require the public several more years to become more acquainted with the concept of insurance as part of their everyday life.

What are the benefits?
Quite simply it provides a certain level of protection for either a family or individual or business from financial problems if something unforeseen should happen.

In addition, the insurance company is someone you can depend upon.

Some Cambodians earn a very low income; sometimes it is not enough to support their daily needs, do you think they have money to buy insurance?
Of course most people don’t buy insurance, but in the city and for companies’ staff [it is different]. Normally, companies provide benefits for staff by buying accident insurance and health insurance for them, so we focus on them.

Now, we are focusing on selling insurance to workers at Vietnamese-run rubber plantations.

What are premium insurance revenues and claims for CVI up of the end of June?
As of June, CVI’s revenue for 2010 to date is $508,000, which equates to 50 percent of the target we set ourselves for this year.

The majority of our revenue has come from aviation insurance to Cambodia Angkor Air, followed by fire and automobile insurance. So far, everything is very good, claims which have come up so far at CVI are not more than $1,000, just small personal accidents and auto-claims. We gained a profit from the first year of operations.

What types of insurance does CVI offer?
In our first few years of operation, CVI will focus primarily on property and engineering.

We will pay particular attention to the large number of local and foreign investment-driven infrastructure projects being undertaken, especially those from Vietnam.

We have become the leading provider of aviation insurance of late, so we will look to maintain and develop this niche, too. Also, we’re looking at the sectors of energy, mining, oil and gas.

What is CVI’s strategy to gain market share in this industry?
We will look to take advantage of our inherent strengths and continue to support the interests of our shareholders. We are looking to develop the market to its full potential rather than compete for existing business.

We will expand our operations to some key provinces such as Siem Reap, Preah Sihanouk, and Kampong Cham.

Kingdom's deficit on ADB radar

WEDNESDAY, 21 JULY 2010 15:02

By: JEREMY MULLINS

Source: phnompenhpost

CAMBODIA’S current account deficit and high levels of public debt are “causing concern” at the Asia Development Bank, according to a new report, but the domestic economy is on pace to grow 4.5 percent this year.

The current account deficit – measuring the difference between a nation’s exports and imports, including foreign aid – was highlighted as a cause for concern in Cambodia, along with Laos and Vietnam, in the Asia Economic Monitor report, launched in Singapore yesterday.

Cambodia’s current-account deficit has averaged 4.6 percent of GDP over the last decade, the lowest among 14 Asian countries surveyed, meaning that the Kingdom has been importing more than it exports.

However, yesterday commentators said that a trade deficit was not necessarily a problem – provided that imported goods would be used to fuel future domestic production and create exports.

“A trade deficit doesn’t always reflect a country’s economic strength,” University of Cambodia economics lecturer Chheng Kimlong told the Post.

But officials at the ADB also say that it may be time for Cambodia to consider aspects of its economic policy.

“Indications [of economic recovery in Cambodia show] that it may indeed be time to begin to draw down the economic stimulus program,” ADB Senior Country Economist Peter Brimble wrote yesterday.

His comments came just one day after Cambodia’s Finance Minister Keat Chhon projected that government spending could increase by up to 50 percent to US$2.9 billion in 2011.

But the National Assembly’s Economy, Finance, Bank, and Audit Commission Chairman Cheam Yeap said yesterday that the $2.9 billion budget was an estimate that would be continually reassessed, keeping budgetary growth in line with government income.

Peter Brimble added that Cambodia’s public deficit, how much the government spends over its income as a share of GDP, was aimed to improve to 5.3 percent in 2010, from 5.9 percent in 2009.

Some analysts believe that keeping up fiscal stimulus in the coming year could benefit the country in the long term.

Increasing the Kingdom's public expenditure despite the recovery could be positive provided the money was well targeted, Leopard Capital managing partner Scott Lewis said.

“Investing in things like infrastructure is important in Cambodia,” he said. “It’s not like in other countries, where they are just sort of throwing money around.”

The Kingdom’s economy is slated to grow to 4.5 percent this year after GDP declined 2 percent in 2009 on the back of falling garment sales and slowing tourist receipts, according to the ADB report.

World Bank trade economist Julian Clarke said Cambodia’s economy had been able to “surf the wave” of increased international demand for garments pre-crisis.

“The recession in South Korea and Hong Kong, Taiwan has also lowered Cambodia's growth,” he wrote.

Cambodia delays stock market debut to next July

July 21, 2010

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- Cambodia has delayed the opening of its proposed stock market for a second time, pushing the date back to July next year.

A statement from the Finance Ministry obtained today by The Associated Press said the delay of the opening was due to technical issues and the economic crisis.

After receiving the approval from Prime Minister Hun Sen, the Cambodia stock exchange is expected to kick off in July 2011, the statement said.

Last December, officials said Cambodia's stock market would open by the end of this year.

Wonders of southeast Asia

Couple takes long-awaited trip to Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam

BY TRACIE SIMER
TSIMER@JACKSONSUN.COM
JULY 18, 2010

Richard and Linda Higgins pose at the back on Angkor Wat, Cambodia, built in the early 12th century as a state temple and capital city, and is the best preserved temple at this site. (Photo submitted)

When Richard Higgins served in Japan with the Air Force 40 years ago, he used to fly into countries such as Vietnam. When he came home, he promised his wife Linda that someday he would return with her to visit southeast Asia.

And in late March, the couple finally made that trip, taking a two-week vacation with 12 other people to Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. Linda said her husband told her of all the cities he used to fly out of — such as Saigon (present-day Ho Chi Minh City) and Bangkok.

"He always wanted to take me to Vietnam," she said. "He wanted me to try the French food in Saigon. When we got there, he said it changed so much. We couldn't find any French restaurants."

Read all about the Richard and Linda Higgins' trip to southeast Asia in today's print edition of The Jackson Sun.